The Success Formula

Theme song: Tomorrow Is My Turn

Those of you who know me know that I was a stay-at-home mom and part time yoga teacher for ten years when my marriage fell apart.

Not exactly the stuff of six figure salaries, I know.

But, necessity being the mothah of getting off your butt and making it work, that's what I've been doing.

And when people ask me, "How's business?" I always tell them, "It's heading in the right direction." If the person in question is close, I tell the truth:

"To be honest, I'm not making six figures yet, and everything is going slower than I want." If I don't know the person very well, I just leave it at, "the right direction."

And that's no lie.

When I started this thing my motto was, "Failure is not an option." I mean, what was I supposed to do? Become homeless? So I took the best advice anyone's ever given me and got started.

Because the Taoists weren't kidding when they said the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

I have been putting one foot in front of the other for some time now, and things are headed, faster and faster, in the right direction.

I gotta tell you: I get delirious. I mean, whoddathunk a little ole yoga teacher like me could teach herself technology and then teach others, too?

Whoddathunk I would run out of business cards? Have an elevator speech? Stand up in front of crowds? Film interviews for the San Francisco Green Film Festival (launch party tonight, BTW. If you need 15 minutes of fame I'll be glad to interview you!)?

You get the idea.

From the beginning, I sensed the whole thing would come down to relationships. So, here's the Success Formula:

1. Develop and maintain relationships by being a decent human being (a drop or two of charm is helpful, but optional)
2. Have some (you don't need too much) intelligence
3. Be consistent
4. Be persistent

A little talent is helpful, but optional. This, people, is what it takes.

Oh, there are details, such as business plans and financing -- I know. People have been and will continue to be successful in many, many ways.

In fact, you will define success your way. To me it's a matter of earning more than I spend and keeping a soft, open heart while I do it.

Simple, yes.

Easy, no.

And thus it's time to thank a few people for the love, support and encouragement they have given me. Because, yes, it does take a village (see Success Formula, Point One, above).

Here go shout outs to the Colibrí Cabinet:

• Jonjo Kelleher
• Hank Kelleher
• Michael Kelleher
• Laura Johnson
• Amy Belkora
• Amy Lodato
• Pota Perimenis
• Carmen Mendieta
• Traci Hollander
• Stephen Standridge
• Beth Cataldo
• Villard Martin
• BKS Iyengar and family
• Hadley Northrop
• Virginia Smith-Russack
• Alison Wong
• Caroline Fea
• Mélanie Hurey
• Anne Landers
• Jasmine Cabanaw
• Haru Komuro
• Anne Landers
• Madeline Driver
• Eka Japardize
• Wanda Anglin
• Lauren Russi
• Chloe Bregman
• Sophie Caballero
• Rachel Caplan
• Tammy McAulay
• Linda Cooper
• Denis Desvignes
• Jim Emerman
• Lara Fabans
• Cynthia Foss
• Brett Glickman
• Ellis Hsu-Mastromonaco
• Christine Gardner
• Jenna Feinberg
• Devorah Sacks
• Elisa Saltet
• Jukie Sunshine
• Kazume Yoshito
• ANIS étoilé
• San Francisco Green Film Festival
• Beautycounter
• Live Power
• SF Waldorf
• Pilar

And, of course, all of my crazybeautiful readers. Thank you so much for taking your precious time to read my writing! It is an honor and a pleasure to have an audience.

If I forgot someone, don't be shy. Tell me.

Your Turn

What's your Success Formula and who encourages your success?