2. Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway!
Two Cents from the Chief Visionary

Most business owners are intimately acquainted with that oppressive, insidious, paralyzing foe that although uninvited, insists on accompanying us on our entrepreneurial journey. He sneaks up at the most inopportune moments, sabotaging our competence, confidence and a peace of mind. He lurks around corners, waiting for a moment of weakness to pounce on his victims. I am, of course, referring to the dirty four-letter-F-named enemy of entrepreneur commonly known as FEAR! Luckily, fears in the eye of the beholder may be less threatening than they initially appear...

Did you know that fear is a neutral emotion? How you deal with it is what makes it into a positive or a negative force in your life. You can either allow the fear to control you or transform it into a positive, forward propelling energy. I'd like to share a few golden nuggets for dealing with fear from Susan Jeffers' "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway". Jeffers asserts that fear is healthy and normal. Fears will be around as long as you are growing. You may have noticed that the bigger the game, the bigger the fear. You are also likely to discover that the cost of avoiding what you fear may be success. The only way to conquer fear is to face it - to do what it is that you fear. Don't panic, we do this all the time already - make cold calls, approach perspective clients, jump out of planes (I just met someone who cured his vertigo precisely that way - kids, please don't try it at home!)

Here is a more down-to-earth example from my own experience. Speaking, training and group coaching are important parts of my business. And public speaking is among my favorite activities in the world (I know, to each her own), every time I stand in front of a group, my heart skips a beat. Instead of succumbing to mental images of peanuts, candy bars and other unhealthy snacks flying my way, I choose to remember how much I love connecting with my audience, seeing the "aha bulbs" light up over people's heads, and afterwards, reading the wonderful evaluations. I simply choose to shift my perspective from fear-controlled to fear-powered. The positive imagery transforms my fear into creative energy and "show time" adrenaline, helping me excel in my work.

Sometimes we choose to look at fear as the esthetically challenged, six-headed monster. For entrepreneurs, the heads often scream 1) failure 2) financial ruin 3) NO! 4) wrong decisions 5) moving in with parents, kids or ex-wife 6) fill in the blank with your own worst nightmare... According to Jeffers, underlying all these fears is the biggest one of them all - I can't handle it! What if you knew that you could overcome any obstacle that came your way? There would be nothing to fear then, right? So here is the fundamental truth - there is absolutely nothing that you cannot handle. Think back to all those times you've made lemonade out of lemons (seems to be our theme at YES!Circle) and came through with flying colors! You've faced storms head on and emerged a strong, ambitious, resourceful person that is now on the most exciting journey in the world, one of entrepreneurship!

Now that you've survived a long passage of trite clichés - here is the bottom line. Fear is healthy and normal. Whether you channel it into forward momentum or view it as the six-headed, ugly monster on your path is your choice. Since your read this far, I suspect that you belong to the first category. The good news is that you don't have to do this alone. At YES!Circle, you'll meet dozens of inspirational, gutsy entrepreneurs who Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway... with each other's support. Come to our next event and be inspired to fly (figuratively speaking!)

Margarita Rozenfeld
Chief Visionary
YES!Circle
703-989-8016
margarita@yescircle.org

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4. Community Spirit Challenge
YES!Circle ISO New Venues and Intern

As entrepreneurs, we pride ourselves on our ingenuity, resourcefulness and creativity, not to mention great networking skills! So here is this month's opportunity to use your talents and contacts for a greater good.

As YES!Circle continues to flourish, we are looking for new and exciting venues to hold our events. If your company would like to host a YES!Circle event for extra exposure and visibility, please contact us. Huge thanks to Mary Eler at Administaff for hosting the Peer Advisory Group on May 6th!

YES!Circle is also seeking a bright, highly motivated, creative Intern to help us grow the organization. We are looking for a natural entrepreneur who will take an idea and run with it, someone who is mature, possesses top-notch verbal and written communication skills, and enjoys working with people. Please contact Margarita for more information.

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5. Member Spotlight

Joe Coleman
Blue J Marketing & Design

Blue J Marketing & Design injects creativity into small businesses, non-profits, law firms, and corporations throughout the U.S. Under the guidance of Creative Principal Joe Coleman, Blue J handles all creative and innovative endeavors including: marketing plan creation and implementation; brochure and invitation design; logo and identity creation; advertising campaigns; promotional products; and creativity training for you and your employees. Blue J works with clients to develop marketing strategies that increase product/service recognition, exceed sales goals, and help a message to stand out from the cacophonous noise of modern advertising. Blue J helps clients to build on their experience and strengths in ways they never would have imagined...

Joe earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Notre Dame and a jurist doctorate at The George Washington University Law School. Prior to founding Blue J, he worked as a business consultant in the areas of sales, marketing, and technology for a for-profit think tank. He also practiced criminal defense at the state and federal level and taught executive education courses - including Creativity and Innovation in Business. Representative clients include several founding members of the YES!Circle.

Q: How does a lawyer end up doing logo work?
A: Blue J is really a formalization of services I have been providing my friends and clients informally for years. In fact, some of the most "creative" and "innovative" legal work in this country occurs in the courtroom - especially in criminal defense cases! I've always had a love for business, design, marketing, and sales and each professional opportunity I have been involved with has allowed me to hone my skills. Blue J allows me to bring my creative energies to bear, while building upon a solid foundation in business and the law. I often provide insight to my clients that would require separate meetings with a lawyer, a graphic designer, a business consultant, and marketer. While I regularly partner with experts in these fields to assist my clients' specific needs, my eclectic background allows for conversations to encompass a variety of directions from day one.

Q: What unique services do you offer your customers?
A: We inject creativity and we infuse innovation... Many graphic design firms are great at creating an impressive image, but lack the resources or experience to propel that image into the marketplace. At Blue J we specialize in taking our customers' initial ideas and developing a plan that allows for a flexible response in our ever-changing economy. In addition, we offer clients training sessions, providing their employees with creativity tools to increase innovation and productivity and open new streams of income. By "injecting creativity," Blue J helps to change the way you do business - creating a more marketable product/service and giving you the tools to make your organization stand out.

Q: How would you describe your business philosophy?
A: Blue J strives to give our clients a 100% measurable return on investment - a rarity in the marketing and design world. In addition, we work with clients to anticipate potential future challenges and proactively build contingencies to respond.

Q: How do you see the business evolving?
A: Our business continues to evolve in response to customer demand. Many clients first approach us with problems they aren't sure we know anything about. We strive to be their problem solvers by using creativity and innovation to reach solutions that our clients may not be able to reach alone. If you're looking to increase your business in a certain market, develop the sales and marketing savvy of your staff, or develop an entirely new product/service, Blue J can partner with you to achieve your goals.

Q: If you could impart one message the members of YES!Circle, what would it be?
A: The importance of incorporating design and creativity into everything you do. In a world were consumers are constantly bombarded with marketing messages and the next "newest, greatest, fastest whatever," it takes more than a slick brochure, a snappy website and an ad campaign to drive your business. Customers need to feel "involved" with your product/service. If you can inspire, captivate, and excite your clients/customers, you will never need to worry about where the next order is coming from - your existing clients will do more and more business with you and refer others your way. Blue J loves to help clients captivate their customers...

If your organization needs an injection of creativity, email Joe or call him at 703-416-9111. Joe is a founding member or YES!Circle and is always excited to work with fellow members, offering them discounted services.

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6. Community Contribution Corner

YES!Circle proudly continues our partnership with the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Because we firmly believe in furthering the spirit of entrepreneurship in our community, 10% of all 2003 YES!Circle profit will be donated to this wonderful organization, teaching entrepreneurship skills to at-risk D.C. youth. We are thrilled that your membership dues and program fees will now help us better support NFTE. If you would like to volunteer your time at NFTE, please contact us for more information.

After attending the YES!Circle Anniversary Gala, we received the following note from NFTE, "Thank you for bringing us into your 'Circle' of friends last night. What an incredible group of people. We'd love to attend any future events that you have." YES!Circle is honored to have NFTE in our "Circle of friends"!

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