Lisa Sonora Beam

A lot of people I know are eager to start teaching classes and workshops, but don’t know how: to get started, what to charge, how to attract students, etc.

Like Jen, I got into teaching quite accidentally, and in this audio interview, I share more about the story of how it all began.

Since I tend to overshare about personal stuff when I teach (hey, it’s how I teach!) there is some embarrassing stuff in there. We didn’t edit anything out.

There is also a challenge I pose to those of you already in business…let me know if you do it…in the comments.

A Conversation with Jen Louden about Teach Now

Click on the link above to listen…

My path to learning how to make a sustainable living from my teaching was long, slow, and with quite variable financial results.

Teach Now is not only the class I wish was available when I started teaching, it’s a class that I plan to take myself. There is always more to learn when it comes to teaching, especially in the world of online courses where there is so much competition and clutter.

Jen is a valued business advisor and coach to me personally, and whenever she offers training, it’s always over-the-top over-delivered.

I end up taking away all kinds of extra stuff that has nothing to do with the subject, and everything to do with how to enjoy more ease, love and self-compassion in my life. The result: I’m doing mo’ bettah’ work, and a hell of a lot more fun.

When we’re focused on doing Great Work in the world, and sharing it with others, we all need a little help from those who have gone before. Look. A lot of the coaches and teachers you admire so much for having their shit so together have taken this class.

All you need to do is pop over to the Teach Now site, and check out all of the great training that is up for free. After my interview with Jen, I asked her details about the price of the course, and I almost fell off my chair it is so reasonably priced. You could even afford to buy a seat for a friend or something.

Registration closes Sept. 24, and there’s stuff going on now you probably don’t want to miss during launch week.

Jen is co-teaching with the Michelle Christensen, someone you’ll feel blessed and lucky to have guiding you. I could blather on for another 1,000 or 5,000 words about how much these ladies have help me rock my biz, but better you just go see for yourself. OK?

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Note: I have a strict policy to only share resources from people I get great results from, but your experience may vary. The links to the program are affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a commission if you purchase. Whether you purchase or not, I thank you for your love and support of my work.

You are here, after all, and that means everything in such a crowded digital universe.

I love letters.

The kind of letters that make up the alphabet.

The kind of letters that we write and send in the mail (d0es anyone do that anymore?) and via email.

I love the magic of connection through written language. The way we can reach through time and space and be present with the thoughts and feelings and surroundings of another person.

This post is an invitation.

I’d like you to send me a letter, sharing about your creative life, work and journey, and the triumphs and challenges you are facing right now.

I do receive a fair amount of email from folks. I find myself wanting to cry usually, with compassion and a secret desire to become a fairy godmother with the powers to grant three wishes and be able to take away needless suffering.

I find myself wishing I had endless time to answer each in-depth, with on-the-spot coaching and offering my best take on their situation. I feel a lot of guilt for not having the time or capacity to do this.

Right now, a bunch of pretty amazing people are participating in my online Creative + Practice course and the Sketchbooks Digital Apprenticeship program. Included in the structure of these offerings are opportunities for people to ask questions and offer insight into what they are learning.

I then take their questions and answer them for the benefit of the whole group.

After reading another amazing email from a reader of this blog today, I had an a-ha moment.

I could create a post asking people for their questions via email (the way I do in my online courses) and respond back to them via a public blog post. That way, I can take time to craft a response (it is a blog post!) and the answers will be for the benefit of not only the person who wrote in, but all of the lovely readers gathered here.

I’ll go in-depth with my answer, just like I would in a private coaching or business strategy session. Giving you (and the readers) different ways of looking at the issue and specific action steps you can take to meet whatever is challenging you. Sound good?

Are you ready to write me with your questions? I wanna to hear from you!

Here are some questions you can use as jumping off points.

The thing I’m really struggling with in my creative business / creative life is:

I can’t seem to figure out how to:

I keep repeating this cycle of… (fill in the blank). Any ideas how I can work with that?

I believe my biggest limitation right now is:

How can I move past….(blank)

I’m  afraid that….

What keeps me awake at night with worry is:

I wish I could…

I totally dream of…

I have a question about an exercise or idea in The Creative Entrepreneur:

I really want to do (fill in the blank), but….

No need to answer any or all of these. The questions are simply jumping off points that can help focus your thoughts. Feel free to ask your specific questions. Try using them as writing prompts in your own journal.

You can also ask me How To questions, like:

How do you live out of a suitcase?

What sort of art supplies do you travel with?

How do you write?

How do you confront or deal with (fill in the blank)

How did you do….

whatever you are curious about…I can’t say I’ll answer everything, but you never know.

Send me your letter via email to: lisasonora [at] gmail [dot] com

This is my very own personal email address and I read all of my own mail. Hey, if Seth freaking Godin can do it, so can I. Right?

Please include:

1. Your name and website/blog, if you have one. This is for my info/research into your question and will be kept private, if you wish. See item #3.

2. It’s also helpful if I know your details, such as age, gender, marital status, if you have kids (how old) place you live, what your specific creative work is, and whether or not you hold a job separate from your creative work.

This information is strictly confidential between you and me. It helps me understand where you are coming from. Twenty-somethings have different issues than people of retirement age, for example. If you are fitting in your creative work after a full-time job or are caring for children or parents, those things matter. I can look at your issue through a clearer lens when I have these details to work with.

3. Permission preference: there are three options, your choice, let me know if:

A. You would like me to keep your letter anonymous.

B. You want to use just your first name and no links to you.

C. You want me to use your name and or business name and website, with a link to your website.

Bonus: if you have a photo of yourself and want me to include it, I am happy to. Just include it with your email. That way I get to see you, not just hear you.

Helpful Hints:

The more specific and less general you are with your questions, the more helpful my answers can be.

Do know that while I won’t respond personally, if I do use your question as a blog post I will email you with the link.

Trust that I LOVE to get your letters.

If you don’t have questions, but just want to share how something I’m doing or writing about is helping you in some way, of course write to me about that, too!

I have a folder in my gmail account labeled: Awesome Emails. Your letter will live there. I take these out and read them and savor your words.

If you are the type that is too shy to write to authors, I especially want to hear from you. Especially if you found my book at the library. (!)

Be Bold & Proceed…

Thank you!

Questions? Comments? Ideas?

Please feel free to add to this conversation in the comments, below. Or…go ahead and send me that letter…I can’t wait to hear from you!