Business/Life Lessons from Angelina Jolie



source:  infoinn.blogspot.com


Back in October, I came across a Vanity Fair article  "Direct from Angelina" about Angelina Jolie.  The article gave the reader a peek into the life of Ms. Jolie and her combo screenwriting/directorial debut for In the Land of Blood and Honey.  Within the article were some indirect lessons that one could apply to business/life.  Here goes...
"I've noticed that you don't play a lot of girl-next-door types." (reporter)

"Yeah," she said laughing..."I went on a few of those auditions when I was younger and they told me I should just quit."

Know your brand...and if you don't know it, discover it.  While Jolie may not have had much success with being the wholesome girl-next-door, she has had more success in roles that require adventure, daring and moxy. 

Keep persisting until you find the formula/product/career/relationship that works for you.  Had Jolie gotten stuck with auditioning for the girl-next-door roles and attempted to mold herself into that, she probably wouldn't be as successful as she is today.  By auditioning for other roles, Jolie was able to discover a brand which felt more aligned to her personality.



"There's a famous quote," she said.  "If it doesn't scare you, it's not worth doing.'  I think there's truth to that.  I love being home with my kids.  I love simple things and wonder why I can't just enjoy them and live that kind of life.  But I wouldn't be happy.  I wouldn't feel my life is of much worth."

Take risks.  Granted we all don't have to get our pilots licenses or become ambassadors for the UNHCR but with growing a business there are risks required.  If you're like me and prefer a moneyback guarantee to life, then you can strengthen your risk muscle by taking small steps into uncertainty by trying a new food, handing someone your business card, getting feedback on a new business concept.  Who knows?  the person you hand your card to may be your next client.



"I've never valued somebody's opinion of me over my own sense of right and wrong." 

Trust yourself:  Just as Jolie, had to believe in herself in spite of being rejected on auditions.  Remember to trust your inner wisdom.  Is this always easy?  Nope, at times, it can make you the object of ridicule and set you apart from the majority of people.  Whether people catch up with your or you go back to the drawing board with your idea, at least you'll know that you followed your gut.

Which of these concepts are you already living? 

Which quality do you wish to strengthen?

How can you apply one of these lessons to your life/business?

Whether you're in business or not, how would you define your unique "brand"?


Hope you've enjoyed this post.  As an update, my life coaching business has transformed and is now called A Singular Life.  If you're an overwhelmed single women, you can visit my website or blog to learn more.

An 11-11-11 Query

Over the last couple of weeks, I've received e-mails from people in the self development industry reminding me of this approaching day.  To be honest with you, I don't fully get it.  Yes, I understand the numerical significance but the numerological not so much.  Nonetheless, if you're a fan of numbers or you don't wish to wait another century to observe such a quirk, here are some tips on memorializing this day:

1.  Write a check.  Pay your bills, make a donation.  You're taking care of business and observing the day at the same time.  : )

2.  Mail a friend.  Get that precious postage-mark on your envelope.

3.  E-mail a friend.  OK, not quite the same thing but you'll be saving on postage and paper.

4.  Make a Top 11 List of your accomplishments for 2011, your goals for the next year, your favorite quotes, favorite celebrities, places to visit, foods to try.

5.  Blog.  Maximize your Top 11 List and blog it or blog on another topic.

6.  Journal.  My personal favorite and probably the one that I'll implement in addition to having blogged.
OK, a Happy 11-11-11 to you all and a Happy Veteran's Day!  If you can provide a brief comment about the numerological significance of this day it'd be appreciated!

Today is...

source: commons.wikimedia.org

Today, entrepreneur-extraordinaire Diddy turns 41.  I was reading about him online during the weekend and it was pretty fascinating to read the ups-and-downs of his life.  Often, we see the results of a successful person's hard work without realizing what got him/her there.  http://www.answers.com/topic/sean-combs

I'm not saying that I adore everything about Diddy.  He's got his flaws but from a business sense his resilience and drive are admirable. 

In addition to "Diddy Day," today is also National Men Make Dinner Day http://www.menmakedinnerday.com/home/index.php and Use Your Common Sense Day http://www.budbilanich.com/career-success-coach/today-is-use-your-common-sense-day/.  Hopefully, those two days will eventually be obsolete.  I know a lot of men who enjoy cooking.  Moreover, in some countries, it's common for a man to cook dinner.  In any case, I suppose this is a day for those men who abstain from cooking to bond with the oven.

This year's theme for Use Your Common Sense Day is not to text while driving or walking.  (Confession: I added in that last part.)  If you're curious, here's some worthy  info from Answers.com on the history of this revered day -
 A day celebrating common sense in business and in life—on Will Rogers’s birthday. Rogers said, “Common sense ain’t all that common.” On this day don’t ignore your common sense—use it. Do at least one thing your common sense tells you to do: stop smoking for a day, have a talk with your children, begin an exercise program, etc.
http://www.answers.com/topic/use-your-common-sense-day

Coaching Questions:
What habit could you stop or try for today?  Perhaps if you're a guy who hasn't cooked, you could combine the two "holidays" and cook a simple dinner.  OK, I know, some people may say that's not using common sense but the key word here is "simple."

Is it easy or difficult for you to do what is beneficial  for you?

What available resources (people/material) can help you with changing a habit?

If you tried to not text while driving today, how did it go?

OK, that's it for the questions.  Let's agree to continue using common sense throughout the year.    Wish everyone a SUCCESSFUL day!

Business Ready - Post 1a

I ate some green vegetables today so I'm ready to do an update on the "Starting and Managing Your Small Business" workshop which I attended on Thursday http://www.eastbayscore.org/workshop_basics.php.    While the workshop was primarily geared toward bricks-and-mortar businesses, the trainers there were able to offer some advice on owning an online business.

Here's what I got from the workshop.  (My subtle disclaimer--Just to mention, this is info which is important to me.  In other words, you may need/prefer different advice for starting a business.)

1.  For marketing research, visit your library.  A business librarian should be there to assist you with your research.

2.  Some key people to have on your business journey - a mentor, a certified public accountant, a lawyer and an insurance agent.  Some of these people you may not need from Day 1 but as your business progresses, it's wise to be familiar with them.

3.  Don't sign something that you don't understand.  This is pretty basic advice, but important, nonetheless.  Ask a mentor, lawyer or someone whose legal advice you trust to before you sign a document that you're unclear about.  Again, you may want to check with your library to see if it has a Lawyers in the Library program, http://oaklandlibrary.org/services/lawyers.html.

4.  If you're starting a business in California and you haven't made a dime yet, then it's probably best to start off as a sole proprietorship unless, of course, you have a partnership.  Here's a link on the types of business entities, http://www.enter.net/~mbwcpa/select.html.

5.  For health insurance, you can check to see if there's group insurance provided by an association related to your industry.

From what I've learned recently, I'd add that having a positive mindset is also excruiatingly important for starting a business and that it's wise to have "multiple streams of income" so that you're generating money in various ways.

The lead trainer did a great job of orchestrating the workshop.  All students were provided with an info packet and a CD-ROM with additional business advice. 

If you're interested, upcoming training dates for the "Starting and Managing Your Small Business" workshop in Oakland are 10/14, 11/18. There is a fee for the workshop. For more info, you can call 510-273-6611 or click on http://www.eastbayscore.org/workshop_basics.php.  You can also check this site for training in your area http://www.score.org/index.html.