Shift Gears

At the end of this year my 2nd company, Let’s Pretend Entertainment, closes for good. 17 years of my life went into that business. We grew from one show and a minivan to four shows and two mobile hand washing attractions with patents pending in two countries. I covered a lot of ground both literally and figuratively and learned an awful lot along the way! It’s sad to see it go. It’s even more sad that I have so much stuff still piled up in storage! Anyone want to buy a practically new 20′ hexagonal tent?? Anyone? Oh bother, as I was saying….

One chapter closes and a new one opens. Recently I posted a quote on Facebook from certified Strengths Finder coach Alissa Daire Nelson. We met at the annual convention for International Association of Fairs and Expositions and I have to say her enthusiasm is contagious! In fact I listened to five episodes of her podcast, Maximize Your Strengths, on my flight home. Years ago I started using the Gallup Strengths Finder 2.0 test in my company to identify, utilize and build on my team’s strengths. It’s a beneficial tool that I still reference. No surprise, as the boss and Chief Daydreamer, my #1 strength was identified as Ideation; #2 is Futurist and #3 Maximizer. Thus my brain is always brewing with big ideas while keeping a eye to the future and working to improve the situation. It’s with this positive spirit that, after surviving a massive collision that caused 20+  surgeries and altogether a year bedridden, I began the process of moving on. I could have kept my company, stayed in the office and hired people to do all the travel. But that’s not my idea of a maximized future. Resilience requires listening for the need to shift gears. Vroom, vroom!

While my disabilities may stop me from driving thousands of miles or even cleaning out my storage unit, my spirit is thankfully unstoppable. My brain buzzes with ideas! “When it’s done right, entrepreneurial spirit is about connecting dots that aren’t yet visible.” – Brian S. Cohen, ‘What Every Angel Investor Wants You to Know’ Appropriately a few months ago I named my newly launched consulting, coaching and speaking business Connecting Dots. Simultaneously I’m establishing another company, Hygienics Innovation, to expand my invention of play-based hand washing. I don’t know how far either business will go but we’re in 1st gear and looking forward to the ride!