Are YOU a Fire Starter?: Book Review The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte #FireSS

 

We’re excited to announce that Danielle LaPorte’s book The Fire Starter Sessions is being released this month!

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak and I LOVED every inch of it.  I love how it feels like I’m listening to her talk as I read the words.  She has a great way keeping her speaking voice in her written words (I’m jealous of that!).  It’s like she’s sitting there talking to me, I like chat with girl friends.  It’s honest, it’s authentic and it’s incredibly moving.

The first time I sat down to read it every sentence made me say, “I need to tweet that…and that…and that.”  Everything was so juicy.  And to make it even better, my favorite part is that her best bits of wisdom are huge.  Unmissable.  Though every phrase might be tweetable, there are things she wants to make sure that you GET.  Here’s one of my favorites:

The typography is phenomenal.  It’s not a boring read.  Danielle’s personality even comes through the layout and font.

This book can help anyone step up their success game and light the fire to be your own authentic, powerful and amazing self.   It’s geared towards entrepreneurs though anyone can glean juicy wisdom from each page.

What I love about this book goes well beyond the words on the pages.  We started working with Danielle at Startup Princess almost 4 years ago.  Before The Spark Kit came out, before Your Big Beautiful Book Plan, before this book hits bookstores to become a New York Times Bestseller (I can feel it in my bones…).  Before all that, she was a blog writer and was a candid fire starter herself – out to squeeze the real passion out of every human being.  Igniting corporate professional cube sitters into budding, inspiriting entrepreneurs.  Looking back on the last 4 years has been a treat to watch, and a blueprint that any aspiring speaker, author and changemaker can pattern for success.  Share your voice for free online, inspire others in one-on-one coaching, get out there and speak, create phenomenal products then in four years, you could have your own best seller ready to hit the book stores.

This book is the perfect mix of helping find out who you really ARE and what you want to BE with the added bonus of helping you take the steps necessary to live your own great life.

As Danielle says, “Mindfulness and contemplation is only half the equation. You’ve got to take some action, Jackson.”

And honestly, the message that I got for me, was “What are you waiting for?”  Some juicy stuff is coming down the pipe, all because I read this book and because I love Danielle so much.

If you want to get in on the pre-order for the Fire Starter Sessions, check out the bonuses here.   The bonuses are only available until the book hits the stores on April 17th.  You won’t regret it, and you’ll be on your way to making a movement of your own.

Happy reading and Happy Friday!

Let’s connect!  Follow me on twitter.  Follow me on Facebook.  Check out my free video e-course on Working Smarter Not Harder here.

Michelle McCullough is the Managing Director for Startup Princess.  Michelle became a partner in Startup Princess  in 2008.  She is responsible for event planning, marketing, affiliates, sponsorships and partnerships. Over the past 3 years she has coached women entrepreneurs and helped them grow their businesses from “dream in development” to established thriving businesses.  Michelle is a speaker, strategist, success expert and a serial entrepreneur. She started Doodads Promotional Products when she was 19. And has also spent the last 12 years working in marketing and advertising. She’s worked in all aspects of the industry from production to creative and sales to management. On top of her full-time jobs, Michelle has cultivated her love for entrepreneurship by running Doodads as a successful side business.  Today it continues to thrive.  This year Michelle launched a coaching program called “The Life Balance Myth” to help busy entrepreneurs build thriving businesses AND meaningful personal lives.  She believes that life balance is a myth, but she provides practical tools to achieve personal and professional success.  You can learn more about Michelle at SpeakMichelle.com.  Michelle has two children ages 4 and 2 and lives in Utah.

Meet Cherie Burton, Purpose and Presentation Coach

 

Cherie Burton is a Mom and Purpose & Presentation Coach who has a passion for empowering women to step forward and do what they were born to do.  She holds a degree in Psychology and has held group therapist positions at a psychiatric hospital, a residential treatment facility for teen boys, a birth mother support group, and an addiction recovery center.  She was crowned Mrs. Utah 2004 and is the author of, Where Depression Ends and You Begin and the upcoming book, She Was Made Whole: 7 Steps of Restoring Order to a Woman’s Soul.  As an Essential Oils and Wellness Educator, Cherie is on a worldwide mission to educate other mothers to self-nurture and become healers in their own homes.

Name: Cherie Burton

Location: Alpine, Utah

Education: Bachelor of Science, Psychology; Minor Degree, Sociology

Professional Background: Purpose & Presentation Coach, Mrs. Utah 2004, group therapist at a psychiatric hospital, a residential treatment facility for teen boys, a birth mother support group, and an addiction recovery center; Author of, Where Depression Ends and You Begin, and the upcoming book, She Was Made Whole: 7 Steps of Restoring Order to a Woman’s Soul; Essential Oils and Wellness Educator

What you wanted to be when you grew up: An author and a teacher

What you are: An author and a teacher!  Only not in the public school system

Brief Summary of your Start Up: Coaching programs: “Present Yourself with Power” (6 week group training in confidence, beauty, public speaking), “Find Your Life Mission in a Month” (guided course in defining your purpose) and “Breakthrough: Peace with Food, Peace with Your Body” (12 week weight loss e-Course), Image & Speaking Private Mentorships

Where you are located?  I run my business out of my home.

Company Website: www.CherieBurton.com

What inspired you: Beautiful and elegant women I’ve associated with in the pageant industry, who’ve “classed” it up with their integrity and eloquence

How long have you been in business? 6 years

How did you fund it? Self

Do you have a Fairy Godmother or Mentor? Yes, I have several!  My latest is my business coach, Kim Flynn.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Just starting to get into Biz Divas, the HUB and others.

Current Business Challenge: Locating clients who could benefit from my programs.

What are you doing about it: I’m looking into doing an affiliate launch and I’m getting a marketing funnel together that will provide lots of value –free- to those who frequent my site.

Favorite motivational quote:  “You have never met a mere mortal…every interaction is sacred.”  C.S. Lewis

Family: My primary role/responsibility is that of being a mom and I take it “mother bear” seriously.  I have 3 children, who, as of Summer ’11, are ages 10, 12 and 14.

How do you balance family and business? I try to listen to my heart in my moments.  The answers are always there and motherhood and your business/life mission are a beautiful dance.  It takes a lot of courage and surrender to stop what you’re doing and give a child your full attention.

Favorite book?   Fiction: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte   Non-fiction:  Light in the Wilderness by M. Catherine Thomas

What do you do to relax? Read, go on movie dates with hubby.

What do you want to change most about your world? To master being a source of love and acceptance for others.

What are you most proud of? My two sons and daughter and the close bond we have.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? Keep your life in Divine Order (1.God, 2 Self, 3.Family, 4.Humanity, 5.Earth)… Your business is 4^th on the happiness index

Favorite Magic Wand? Sacred Routine I do every day (study of Truth, connection to the Divine, meditation, soul stillness)

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Rubies – biblical reference to a virtuous woman

Thanks, Cherie! Meet Cherie in real life at Touchpoint – our 5th Annual Conference for

Women Entrepeneurs. Register today!

Meet Jeanette Bennett, Founder of Utah Valley BusinessQ & Bennett Communications

 

Jeanette Bennett is an amazing woman entrepreneur.  She’s the editor of over a dozen magazines!  Even as print media seems to loose market share to electronic publications, she manages to maintain growth and keep up with the times.   I was SUPER impressed to learn that when Jeanette needs to get ahead, she works from 4-7 AM before the kids get up and the phone starts to ring.  That’s impressive! I bet I’d get more done if I did that, too!

We’re excited to have Jeanette as a speaker & discussion group leader on Thursday of Touchpoint. (Early Bird registration ends today [8/15/11].  Secure your full 2 day conference pass for only $199.)

Name: Jeanette Bennett

Location: Orem, Utah

Education: Bachelor’s in journalism and master’s in communications (both from BYU)

Professional Background: Instructor at BYU-Idaho, copy editor at the Deseret News, writer/editor at Utah Business Magazine, writer at New Era Magazine, founder of our publishing company in 1998.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: Broadcast journalist

What you are: Print journalist, writer, editor

Brief Summary of your Start Up: I became an entrepreneur when I became a mother. My husband and I created a national newsletter in 1998 for high school journalism advisers as a way for me to make an income from home. We put $5,000 on a credit card to print and mail sample newsletters to every high school in the country. Before our credit card bill came due, we had enough orders to pay the bill without incurring any interest. This newsletter (Scholastic News Service) was a good side business but not a livelihood, so we added a full-color magazine — Utah Valley Magazine — two years later. We sold our home and used the equity to print the first issue. The next 11 years have been a rollercoaster of starting more than a dozen magazine titles — some of which have succeeded and others that became lessons in what not to do.

Company Website: uvmag.com; bennettcommunications.net; jeanettegazette.com

What inspired you: I’ve always been inspired by the idea of informing myself and then sharing with others. When I became a mom, I was inspired by the idea of creating a flexible life that allowed me to use my skills but also be there for my children.

How long have you been in business? 13 years

How did you fund it? At first, we put $5,000 on a credit card. Since then, we’ve used profits from existing projects to fund new projects. I am overjoyed that I don’t have investors or bank loans that make decisions for me.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother or Mentor? My future father-in-law was my high school journalism adviser. He has a “Mr Holland-esque” influence on journalism students, and I was no exception.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Corporate Alliance, Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Utah County Women in Philanthropy

Current Business Challenge: The climate for print journalism is undergoing rapid change. Although magazines aren’t as affected as newspapers, we know our “cheese” is moving. Readers love glossy magazines, but advertisers have new and cheaper options. And advertisers pay the bills, so we want to meet their changing needs.

What are you doing about it: We’ve been building up our blog readership, Facebook presence and other social media. We are offering online “shout outs” to our print advertising customers as an added incentive for them to maintain their marketing dollars with us. We are pointing readers from our magazine to our website and vice versa. Our ultimate goal is to help our advertisers see results from their ads — whether that is walk-in customers, click-throughs, Facebook “likes,” etc. We are encouraging our readers to interact with our advertisers in multiple ways.

Family: I’ve been married to my business partner, best friend and opposite for 16 years. We have 4 children and one on the way.

How do you balance family and business? My husband and I are raising a business and a family together. Every Sunday night, we plan out the week — including office hours, soccer carpool, shopping, etc. I would be absolutely insane if I didn’t have a supportive and hilarious husband. (When my stress level goes up, so does his humor.) I’ve also brought my kids to the office many times. When the youngest two took predictable afternoon naps, they often snoozed in the storage room at our office. We had a door hangar we put out that told our employees to enter quietly.

What do you do to relax? Not enough! I did take up running a couple years ago, and my first goal was to clear my mind. Gradually, I started picking up the pace and the mileage. I ran a half marathon this summer, as well as a 191-mile team relay. I’ve done several 5Ks and even placed in some low-turnout contests.

What do you want to change most about your world? I wish readers valued information enough to pay for it. With the proliferation of free online content, it is difficult (nearly impossible) to get readers to pay for information — either in print form or online. Yet, it is costly and time consuming to produce quality writing and photography.

What are you most proud of? I’m proud of myself for maintaining my roles as mother and entrepreneur. I am passionate about both, and I’m grateful that my journey includes a way to incorporate the two sides of my heart.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? Don’t sacrifice your family for your fortune. Take life in chapters if you need to, but don’t forget that family endures longer than profit/loss statements. I’m reminded of this when I look at old magazines I created. At the time, I thought they were SO IMPORTANT. But now they are just heaped at the bottom of recycling bins. It’s important to have perspective. At the same time, work IS important to me and to many female entrepreneurs. It shapes our happiness, our confidence, our opportunities and our satisfaction. The trick is to figure out what we value and let go of everything else (TV, extensive blog reading, oversleeping). Life is a journey, and everything gives us cumulative experience.

Favorite Magic Wand? My secret weapon is 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. These three hours are worth twice that later in the day. My phone doesn’t ring, my kids don’t ask questions and my inbox isn’t pinging. I’m also more creative and intelligent in the morning. The levels decrease throughout the day until I’m absolutely worthless by bedtime.

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Passion, humor, ambition, curiosity, friendliness, lack of judgment, appropriate levels of competition

Thanks, Jeanette!  Meet Jeanette in real life at Touchpoint – our 5th Annual Conference for Women Entrepeneurs.  Register today!

Meet Ishita Gupta, Founder of Fear.less Magazine & Touchpoint Speaker

We meet some inspiring and amazing women through Startup Princess.  What’s fun about what we do is that over time we start to meet “friends of friends” and our connections list becomes bigger and bigger.  Not only does our network expand, but so do our friendships.  We were introduced to Ishita through Seth Godin and we’re so grateful for the introduction because now Ishita is speaking at Touchpoint in Salt Lake City.  She’s in our Friday, September 16th keynote lineup.    She’s speaking on Making Meaning In Your Business & Contributing to the world.  Her message (and her business) is inspiring!

Name: Ishita Gupta

Location: New York, NY

Education: B.A.Psychology, Grad Certificate in Documentary/Editorial Photography

What you wanted to be when you grew up: Doctor first, then head of Non-profit, then hip-hop dancer

What you are: Storyteller, Visual Journalist

Summary of your Start Up: Fear.less Magazine is a digital magazine that empowers people through stories of overcoming fear.

Company Website:  fearlessstories.com

What inspired you: What inspired me was the fact that i learned through specific people’s stories – not general advice. And the fact that I was in a fearful moment and needed to hear what others were doing to combat their fear.

How long have you been in business? 2 years

How did you fund it? Funded by third party advertising.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? Parker Palmer, Seth Godin, Pam Slim

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? EC, Women’s prfoesssional Networks, Alternative MBA

What is your  current business challenge? Transitioning the magazine to fully online

What are you doing about it? Talking to web and my network to see the best way to do this

Favorite motivational quote: ”Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged  bird that cannot fly.” -Langston Hughes

Tell us about your family: I’m single and have an amazing twin sister and younger brother that live in nyc and parents who live in detroit, michigan. they are everything to me.

How do you balance family and business?  Since i don’t have a family of my own, i’m blessed to have the time to work on my business and pursue other activities.  When you’re running a business, your best bet is to not try to achieve balance, which i don’t believe is a fitting word. Just prioritize and make sure you’re meeting your needs first and then those of the people you love. Balance is made by doing what you say you’ll do, going one step at a time, and constantly refocusing your energies.

What is your favorite book?  On Beauty – Zadie Smith, How Not to be Afraid of your life – Susan Piver, The Alchemist

What do you do to relax?  I write, read, drink tea, spend time near water and in nature, and DANCE!

What do you want to change most about your world?  What i want to change about the world is that i want everyone to be themselves authentically and not be afraid to be who you are.

What are you most proud of?  I’m most proud of the moments where i’m able to stick to my truth and do things that speak my truth even though they are challenging.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses?  Your “real” voice can be an asset in your business just like any great sales or marketing plan.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)?  Google docs. The ability to act and not think.

Meet Ishita at Touchpoint!  Learn more and register here.  (Early Bird Deadline is quickly approaching.  Register by August 15th and save!)

Introducing Cindy W. Morrison, Author, Consultant and Speaker

Some people say you can’t have everything, but obviously those people haven’t met Cindy W. Morrison. With an amazing career as a former journalist and now as an author and consultant, Cindy is sharing her wisdom in her new book Girlfriends 2.0. How do women upgrade their life personally and professionally? The answer is simple: surround yourself with positive girlfriends and watch yourself soar!

We are pleased to present Cindy W. Morrison, our newest Fairy Godmother at StartupPrincess. Enjoy!

Hometown: Lubbock, Texas

Current Residence: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Education: Graduate of the University of Oklahoma

Professional Background: Emmy award winning journalist spent 20 years as a mainline TV news anchor and investigative reporter. She worked in Oklahoma City and Tulsa earning an Emmy, Peabody and Gracie Allen award. After a layoff because of the economy in 2009, Cindy successfully reinvented herself by hitting a speaking circuit, writing a book and creating her own consulting business. She now teaches people to reboot and upgrade through networking, social media and branding so they can make more money and live a better life.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: TV news anchor/Journalist

What you are: Former anchor who’s using those talents to help others.

Brief Summary of your Start Up: Helping people reboot and upgrade their personal lives (Girlfriends 2.0) and their professional lives (Reinvention 2.0)

Company Website: www.CindyWMorrison.com

What inspired you: Not letting the economy be the end of a career, but instead the start of an awesome adventure.

How long have you been in business: Since July 1^st, 2009

How did you fund it: Stopped spending and started believing.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? That’s what my book “Girlfriends 2.0” is all about – how you MUST surround  yourself by the best Girlfriends possible to not only survive but thrive our changing times. Fairy Godmothers are everywhere, you just have to open your heart.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups: Absolutely! I belong to my local Chamber of Commerce as well as the National Speakers Association, but of course social networking is king!

Current Business Challenge: Finding time to get to everything. The emails, meetings and demands can be overwhelming, but I’ve found it helps to prioritize and take a deep breath.

Favorite motivational quote: “Winners, I am convinced, imagine their dreams first. They want it with all their heart and expect it to come true. There is, I believe, no other way to live.” -Joe Montana

Family? I’ve been married since 1991 to a wonderfully supportive man. We have two young kids – a boy and a girl.

If so, how do you balance family and business? Ha! My kids remind me there’s a balance every day! Honestly, I didn’t have much balance when I was working at a TV station 60 hours a week and often at night. Now I work my schedule around my kids. I work like a maniac until 3:30 then take a break when they come home. Then I usually go back to work when they go to bed.

Favorite book? “Girlfriends 2.0”, of course!

What do you do to relax? Sleep! I wish I didn’t love sleeping, but I’m someone who definitely needs to recharge her batteries.

What do you want to change most about your world? I want to empower women to upgrade their lives personally and professionally. We truly can have it all, it just takes a village to do it and working smarter, not harder.

What are you most proud of? I’m the most proud that I didn’t curl up in a ball when I found out my TV station could no longer afford me. Being a news anchor was all I ever wanted to be and assumed I would do that through at least two face lifts. Lol! But I’ve learned change isn’t a bad thing. Suddenly taking charge of my life has shown me a strength I never knew I had and talents I’d never tapped.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? Believe in yourself because many people are more than happy to tell you why you can’t succeed. In my book “Girlfriends 2.0”, I tell women to dump Suzie Sabotage, Helen Hater and Negative Nancy and instead make sure they surround themselves with people who will pick you up when you fall and help you keep the faith.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource): Social media! This is a great way to become an “expert” in your field and even set you up for TV interviews and build customer loyalty.

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Diamonds! They go with EVERYTHING!