As you read this issue, think about these insightful words from Joseph Henry:

The seeds of great discoveries are constantly floating around us, but they only take root in minds well prepared to receive them.

At the end of 2008, I organized a conference call for participants in my Compelling Storytelling seminars and gave them an assignment from Living Out Loud. The project is called Lifestyle for Sale. Smith says, "In recent years, lifestyle stores have become the rage selling products related to all aspects of living: eating, decorating, reading, bathing, sleeping and dressing. If you were to open your own lifestyle store, what would you sell?"

It turned out to be a fascinating call as everyone described what they would put in their imaginary store. Almost everyone had chosen a funky house for their shop and included beautiful gardens. I did the exercise, too, and recently came across the notes I had written for that. What surprised me was my inclusion of a room I called the Follow Through Room where people could come with a trusted friend or two and brainstorm, then commit to taking action on their entrepreneurial ideas.

Obviously, this was the tiny seed that grew into Follow Through Camp, but I had completely forgotten it. I had, however, been aware of my growing frustration with people who were neglecting and abusing their beautiful ideas. It wasn't that they needed a dose of motivational hubris to get them moving: they needed tools and time away from their normal life to plan. They needed to be in a room with other creative entrepreneurial thinkers. They also needed witnesses who would lovingly hold them accountable.

Since I'm not planning to open an actual lifestyle store anytime soon, I'm making the Follow Through Room a portable experience. The next gathering will be in my old homestate of Minnesota at the lovely Oakridge Conference Center on September 11 & 12.

But don't let the size of the place intimidate you. At the first Follow Through Camp in Dodge City, KS, participants begged us to keep it small. In fact, they were downright vocal about insisting that the magic of the event could only happen if the group was an intimate one. Alice and I paid attention to that request.

Mostly, though, Follow Through Camp is about learning to nurture and value the ideas that are uniquely yours. While that's not difficult, most of us have had little encouragement or practice in doing so. (I can still see my mother rolling her eyes when I tried to share my enthusiasm for a new idea.) Without the courage to act on our ideas, we're doomed to a frustrating and ordinary life. Alice and I would like to empty out the graveyard of neglected ideas and here's where we begin.

I'm happy to report that we're well on the way to filling up the next Follow Through Camp. If you've been thinking about joining us, I urge you to enroll right away. Need more details? Click on the link below to find out what's happening.

Follow Through Camp

If you haven't attended a Winter/Barry event, you can't imagine the supportive energy, enthusiasm and idea generating that literally charges the air in the room. Follow Through Camp isn't like any seminar you've attended. It's truly a workshop where your ideas get laser focus from the entire group and you walk away with a game plan for concrete steps to make your dream business a reality. An enormous bonus is the post event follow-through. Barbara and Alice continue to support and nourish your business ideas through intimate phone sessions with your new Tribe. You'll leave the workshop knowing you have a new family of entrepreneurial siblings who are your friends, your consultants and your cheerleaders. It's truly "Follow Through". Terri Belford, self-employment muse, craft biz coach, CA

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Barbara