When Change Occurs

I have many friends and colleagues preparing to leave their companies in the search for new opportunities. I have been asked more than a few times how I handled my 9 months away from work. I thought what better way to provide my insights than to post an update to my blog. For those of you who have been through a career/job transition, please leave comments with additional insights that I may have missed.

Benefits
Protection of health and life is priority 1 and with job transition your benefits will obviously be impacted. Don't assume your spouse's employer benefits will be equal to your benefit package, get the details so you clearly understand cost changes in plans, co-pays, deductibles and coverage details. Be sure to evaluate medical, pharmacy, dental, vision and life insurance packages. Cobra's are outrageous so if your spouse has poor benefits or if you are single then check with your insurance agent for private insurance policies. You will need detailed medical history for the application so be prepared with doctor visit dates, procedures, prescriptions taken and all family history. Yes, insurance companies are a bear to deal with so better to get this dealt with sooner than later.

Career Search
As the old saying goes, when one door closes another one opens....what door do you want to have opened? This is an opportunity to do some soul searching and figure out what would you love to do, what would you like to do, and what you will absolutely not do. Take a day and list out what tasks you enjoy, previous accomplishments, what tasks annoy the crap out of you, and your favorite life experiences. You may not come up with your dream job, but the exercise should help generate ideas on your direction. You will then want to look at where the job opportunities exist and believe it or not even in this economy there are growth industries. Take a look at the Top Jobs for 2009 according to Fast Company. If you want to test out your dream job, there is a great company (I follow the owner Brian Kurth on witter) you should check out at www.vocationvacations.com.

Once you have your direction set then get moving. Companies are more diligent than ever and the interview/negotiation process can take months and months. You need to be clear with what you want, what you can live with and what will make you walk away. If someone makes you an offer, get it in writing or else, it doesn't count. Be persistent with your follow-up. Focus on what you can do for them and not what they can do for you. In interviews, be prepared as if the job is already yours and describe what you would do the first 30-60-90 days to be successful. Ask questions and be an active listener. Generate multiple job opportunities so you can have choices. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again, and stay focused...the quickest way to continued unemployment is self-pity and no action. You can't hit the ball if you don't swing...make offers, work your network and swing the bat.

Some of you may get an opportunity to work with a placement agency such as Right Management as part of a severance package. If you are planning on taking a mental break before seeking out your next job let the placement agency know. Many times they can put your package on hold until you are ready to actively search for placement. As with anything in life, you will only get out of the package what you put in to it so embrace their recommendations and participate fully.

Networking
2008 experienced a significant growth in websites that can be tremendously helpful with building/expanding your network of help. My personal favorite for professional networking is LinkedIn. Not only can you make connections with LinkedIn, but you can also utilize their job search capability that shows if you are connected to a potential employer through your network. You can also reference in cover letters your profile link which includes career history, accomplishments and recommendations. Facebook and Twitter are two additional platforms that can help you engage and expand your network. A note of caution, what is on the web is searchable by anyone including potential employers...if you have inappropriate pictures or statements posted this may be the time to do some clean-up.

I know it is easy to get comfortable with staying in the house and reading the world through the computer and T.V. but you need to get out and meet people face-to-face too. Set-up at minimum one lunch a week with an old colleague, mentor, coach or a friend of a friend who can introduce you to a new industry. Pick up the phone and ask others to help you with introductions. Participate in social groups, play in your neighborhood bunko, join a professional networking group, or attend a community meeting....get OUT there, participate, ask questions, LISTEN, and enjoy meeting people...you never know who will connect you to your next step.

Financial Preparation
It goes without saying even the best made plans may not come to fruition. It is very important to understand your financial situation during a job transition. I suggest you detail your cash outflow down to the dollar and establish a disciplined budget. Save cash where you can and reduce debt to ease the monthly bill burden in the event it takes you longer to get a job than planned. Understand tax implications with unemployment, 401k transfers and stock options. Get help if needed and know the facts, this isn't a time for guessing.

Support Structure
I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have a solid support structure around you. You may ....no scratch that, you WILL experience anxiety, mood and self-esteem swings. Even if you voluntarily left a company for all the right reasons, there is still a psychological impact to not being employed. This is normal but can throw you off your game if you don't plan for it. Know who is in your corner, let them help boost your spirits when needed, and enjoy some extra time with those you are closest too because you will be back to work before you know it.

At the end of the day a job transition can be a scary and yet amazing life changing experience. Approach the opportunity with arms wide open and welcome the growth that awaits you. People will help you so let them. Listen to your heart, use your brain, make a plan, take action and you will find success.

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

2008...Life Changing

As I think of all the December 31st's of my life I have to say this one has been by far the most reflective. To say my life changed this year would be an understatement of biblical proportions. If you would have told me this time last year that I would voluntary walk away from my 16 year career at Sprint, take an 8 month sabbatical from work, turn down job opportunities and then help start a new company I would have told you to take another drink and smoke em' if you got em'. I may have agreed that I might start writing but the majority of major actions I took in my life this year were by and far not even a consideration in my mind just 12 months ago. So, as I wrap-up 2008, I thought I would share those "big moments" that may not have occurred had I stayed comfortable, common, and chicken. My wish for you and me in 2009....focus on ambition, be powerful in action, help others succeed, and design life with confidence.

Big Moment #5
I remember when I made the decision to take VSP....it came after spending a few agonizing schizophrenic weeks going back and forth making my husband crazy as I ran the gamut of "hell yes I'm leaving" to "hell no that would be insane!" My boss was the one who actually thought about leaving first and triggered me to start thinking that life may not only go on without Sprint but would more than likely be a lot better. Then a coffee conversation with my good friend Steve Coker made everything crystal clear....fear was my only inhibitor. So, I grew a pair, told the Chief Network Officer I was grateful for all that I had learned, and then with the biggest cheesiest squinty eyed smile you have ever seen, I pushed the "yes I'll take VSP" button on a Friday morning in February. I'll never forget the emotion and freedom I felt at that very moment...I had grown up and it was time to start a new chapter.

Big Moment #4
This big moment is actually two different days but both of them spent with my son Zachary. Believe it or not he actually asked me to hang out with him at school for a whole day so I could get a feel for a day in the life of a freshman. I only wish I had started the blog back then as that would have been one hell of a funny post recapping what I experienced....let's just say his 7th hour ended up with two girls getting kicked out of class. The 2nd day was a little hiking trip Zach took me on early in summer. I thought it was so cool that a 15 year old boy wanted to take his mom on a trip through the woods to the lake near by. One freaky deer, a mile of chest high brush, a barbed wire fence and thousands of ticks later would provide us a story to share for a lifetime.

Big Moment #3
After lots and lots of discussion and a pretty good softball season, Samantha decided she wanted to try out for competitive softball. Now for those of you with kids, watching your children try-out for something they love and not get picked is as close to torture as you can get. Trying to find the right words of encouragement is more difficult than any writer's block you will ever experience. To watch your child practice, grow, overcome again and again to then have a great performance and finally be selected by an "A" team after all the trials, will fill your heart with unimaginable pride.

Big Moment #2
We experienced a hunting accident this fall that made us stop and realize that life can really change in just a split second. Our friend, Jason Evans lost his eye which needless to say really sucks but considering he had three pellets in his head we are so very thankful he survived with no other life impacting injuries. What is even more amazing is the positive attitude and care Jason has shown for the shooter, which happens to be my dad. I don't think anyone will ever know the pain my dad has experienced since that day but I will tell you that Jason has shown him more love, forgiveness and support than you can imagine and as a daughter who worships her dad as a hero, I am forever grateful. If you are going to hunt, wear your orange, stay in your line and be careful!

Drum Roll.......Big Moment #1
Last night, no doubt about it. The fear was growing, the emotion building, and the reality coming to light that this past year wasn't a dream. I cried. The dam broke and the tears flowed and my wonderful loving husband held me and told me I made the right decision, I was going to be more successful than ever, and that I will make money again, soon. I let the emotion overtake me as I realized how much I grew this year and what I had become....a real honest to goodness bonafide adult woman. I then realized my fear wasn't about if I was going to make money again or being successful. My fear is that as I start making money again will I lose all that I gained this year?

I finally embraced motherhood with both arms and was good at it, I had time to listen to my husband and enjoyed being a "housewife", and I actually started to figure out what I liked vs. what I am good at. I found new interests in writing, community, and connecting. I always told myself and others that I could never be a stay at home mom, that I needed to work, that my work was my identity. What I realized last night is that was bullshit and I cried because I can't get the years back. My fear is going right back to who I was in April and losing all that I have gained. My sadness is I now know when I am back to working I know what I will be missing. In that moment, my big moment of 2008, the journey culminated with a commitment to myself that family is first no matter what and to be in the moment with them every chance I get.

2008 was real and I will forever be blessed and grateful for the opportunity.

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

Are we having fun yet?

I love this time of year....you see friends/family from out of town, have holiday parties to attend and get the chance to cuddle with someone you love next to the fire. The holiday pace can be frantic but I truly love the chaos that comes with last minute shopping. I have always been somewhat of a procrastinator...not sure if it is the adrenaline rush, the challenge to overcome or if I just think I deliver better when I'm pushed but the holidays definitely heightens my sense of urgency as I try to do a million things at one time and typically at the last minute.

This year is no different and in some ways is even more intense as I prepare to launch a new company, transition off of the corporate severance package and figure out how to supplement income so the family doesn't experience a hiccup in lifestyle. As I look back on my year I wonder if I could have "planned" better for this transition and minimized my stress.....after a few moments of reflection I confidently decide, "nope." This is exactly how it should be, how I work best, how I will do what I was meant to do....the pressure is what elevates my game, makes me better, stronger, and uncommon. If you find yourself overwhelmed this holiday season don't get down, find a way to make the pressure work for you and use it to push you...we only call it stress if it kick's your ass ....we call it MOTIVATION if you accomplish something you didn't think possible. Be motivated, accomplish the impossible!

Career Journey
The twists and turns never cease to amaze me and what a ride the career journey has been this month. After months of evaluating, interviewing, and negotiating I have decided to balance my efforts between two paths....launching/managing the new company and to pick-up project/consulting contract work to supplement income. Balance may not be the right word as I am more or less bouncing back and forth between the two paths. I continue to seek alignment between the two so I can take care of my family both in the short term as well as long term. I am aware of many people who are trying to find work or preparing to transition jobs so thought I would include a mashable.com link that includes a list of 100 places to seek employment opportunities.

LightThread
Our website is under development but is live with alpha testers. We continue to develop our launch plan and target a 1Q 2009 launch. Our initial focus is helping businesses navigate the social media landscape allowing them to market their services and engage with their clients in a more cost effective manner than traditional advertising/marketing efforts. We will also offer intellectual venture capital/virtual CXO services to start-up, small and mid-size companies. Application and platform development will serve a third focus area once revenues are generated. We are a very excited team and have already started to meet with potential clients! I am including a few links to articles/case studies that show the power of social media for business.

Dell makes $1M in revenues from using twitter

Future of Business and Social Media

A bmighty.com Q&A with Chris Brogan who is considered a social media guru. The article highlights why a business may need help with developing a social media strategy/approach, it is NOT a one size fits all space and can be risky if the approach doesn't meet the business need.

Please contact me at lisa@lightthread if you know a business that might be interested in our service as we are seeking trial customers to practice our processes for a low introductory rate. Our objective is to deliver results for our trial customers prior to formal launch so we can use their testimonial as proof points and enter the marketplace as powerful as possible!

As I wrap up this update, I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2009! I very much look forward to getting back to weekly updates in the new year and appreciate your patience as I continue to evolve this forum. In 2009, I will also begin blogging on our lightthread website so I welcome your thoughts on what you find valuable and would like me to focus on with LJ Landing. I am open to shifting this blog to a more personal share space (a day in the life of lisa), or career space (what its like to get a biz off the ground), or general technology space (smart grid, gov't focus, etc), or I can continue to touch on all three areas like I have done up to this point. The lightthread blog will obviously focus on social media so I don't feel the need to replicate in this venue but I'm sure I'll reference it from time to time. Please leave a comment with your advice or email me at lisa@lightthread.com.

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

Time Flies

Wow, does time fly when you are having fun or what?? It seems just like yesterday I wrote my first blog and yet almost two months have flown by since my inaugural post. Life has thrown some curve balls these past 7 weeks that have allowed me to experience an array of emotions, learning and ultimately growth. This blog has become a friend to me in this journey and has helped me to stay energized, focused and confident that my next step will lead me towards achieving my ambition. Quite a bit has happened since I last wrote so lets get busy on what has changed in the technology and smart grid world since we last met.....

Smart Grid
The chatter on Smart Grid is getting louder as President-elect, Barack Obama and his transition team work to formulate agenda and policy details. Kathleen Hart wrote an article this week highlighting the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners meeting on November 16 in New Orleans. Given the President-elect's support for energy efficiency, hybrids, and smart grid develoment, FERC commissioner, Sudden Kelly stated there is an increasing interest among state and federal regulators in smart grid efforts. The US Dept. of Energy has agreed to fund a project that will act as a clearinghouse for analysis of lessons learned from smart grid pilot programs conducted in the US and Canada, with the intention of identifying barriers to cost-effective smart grid implementations helping regulators to make decisions on utility applications.

Mr. Kelly stated the key challenge to deployment is interoperability that will require additional push above and beyond FERC influence. Telecom and the Internet have experienced similar interoperability challenges presenting an opportunity for utilities and regulators to engage experts from those industries to help move forward with next generation infrastructure. Check out http://www.naruc.org/ and the http://www.oe.energy.gov/ sites for the latest smart grid information.

Next Generation Media
Exciting action this week in the world of next generation media, aka social media. Motrin launched an ad targeting "mama bloggers" and unfortunately the effort backlashed to the point that Motrin pulled the ad. The situation is unfortunate but is a great example of how important it is to understand how to use social media. The first rule when attempting to leverage the social media space is to understand it is a two way communication vehicle. A company must be willing to engage in conversation and not simply push their message. We are in an age where controlling your message is done through conversation, building a relationship with your customers, listening to their concerns and offering to address them.

Motrin missed out on turning this negative to a positive as they shut down the ad vs. opening themselves up to the conversation. I wonder what the result would have been if they had been actively monitoring feedback and engaging in conversations through the various social media channels such as Twitter. If asked, I would have suggested they open up a forum for conversation on their website so they could understand concerns, offer explanation for their ad selection and share what they were learning and how they might do it different next time. Instead, they shut down the ad, issued a day late dollar short press release and turned off mommies everywhere from using their product in the future.

The good news is there is a new company launching soon called LightThread right here in KC who will offer expertise to businesses to help them avoid a Motrin experience and instead utilize next generation media in a way that makes money vs. losing it. You can follow @LightThread on Twitter for upcoming launch announcements and contact information.

Enjoy your Wednesday and take care til we meet again soon!

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

Love Is In The Air

My husband and I celebrated our 14th anniversary on election day this week with a great dinner and a fun time at a local casino. We are very lucky to still be together considering we married so young with a family already in tow but we had amazing role models that kept quitting from being an option. Both of our parents were married in 1967 and are still going strong today. They taught us that marriage isn't something that is supposed to be easy but is a commitment that requires persistence, friendship and above all else loving the other person even when you don't feel like it. I often tell people that being a single parent was easier than being married as marriage requires discussion, compromise, and a selflessness that for me isn't always a natural way of behaving. However, the part I don't tell people and probably should, is even thought it isn't easy, my husband Jackie inspires me to be a better wife every day and my life would be empty without him. (all at once now....awwwwwww)

Technology Election Impact
Many are claiming that a critical factor in Obama's selection as President-Elect was his ability to leverage cyberspace and create a grass-roots effort using social media. He generated significant buzz and interest in this election by using online tools such as Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/barackobama?ref=s) and Twitter (@barackobama). The question now becomes will he make technology a priority once he takes office? So far, the answer seems to be a resounding yes...Contactless News (http://www.contactlessnews.com/2008/11/06/obamas-impact-on-federal-it-projects) reports that Mr. Obama plans to select a Chief Technology Officer to oversee government technology efforts including cyber security and improving the IT budget process. This will be the first time in history the USA will have a CTO. In addition, two technology experts, Google.org's Sonal Shah and former IAC exec Julius Genachowski have already been appointed to Barack Obama's transition team. You can read about the President-Elect's technology plan in depth at http://www.barackobama.com/issues/technology/.

Energy Election Impact
A big thank you to those who voted for the Missouri Clean Energy proposition I wrote about a few weeks ago. The initiative passed 66% to 34% and will require our utility companies to get 15% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021. The initiative was one of 7 in the nation that was recognized as one of the best statewide initiatives in the country according to www.ProgressiveFuture.org/progress-or-peril. Credit to the initiative author's who had the foresight to write a proposition that was solid and realistic vs. the two California energy initiatives that both were defeated on Tuesday. At the national level, having a democrat majority in both the house and senate along with a democrat president is speculated to have a favorable impact in accelerating the transition to hybrid vehicles, smart grids, and alternative energy sources. Given our current economic and budget deficit situation, I am cautiously optimistic on just how much push Obama and congress will be able to afford.

A great post by my friend, Banky for President this week regarding the election and how we as a people have the greatest impact on this country moving forward vs. any one man. Check it out if you get time at http://www.bankyforpresident.com/2008/11/05/yes-we-can. As always thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment or send me an email at lqualls4444@yahoo.com.

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

Brave New World

It amazes me how quickly life changes. Since I spoke with you last, some significant events took place that will have a permanent impact on the lives of my family and friends. Without getting in to the details, an accident occurred that brought pause and reflection on the realities of life. I continue to digest what happened, the what if, the what now, and how to move forward. A split second is all it takes to make your world a very different place. This situation is a stark reminder that life doesn't stop to let you plan and figure it out, life is happening each and every moment you breathe. How are you making the most of every moment?

LightThread
I took a break from the smart grid/energy world this week and focused on LightThread and the social media space. I attended Highlight Midwest (www.highlightmidwest.org) and met some amazing social media entreprenuers from Omaha, Des Moines and KC. I had never attended an event quite like this one as it was very different from the big corporate conferences from my past. You had the experts, break-out presentations and main stage speakers but it was all in a bar...in Westport! When I first walked in I was asking myself, "how is this going to work?" But let me tell you, it not only worked but was FANTASTIC! The space allowed you to easily move from presentation to presentation while stopping to network or talk business opportunity at the same time. We then moved to the Kauffman Foundation (www.kauffman.org) for the evening event and had the honor of listening to Carl Schramm (Kauffman President & CEO) share his powerful insights. We also enjoyed a great introduction video from some of the true social media leaders in the country and then listened to a panel facilitated by Bo Fishback, also from the Kauffman Foundation. There are some great companies based right here in the midwest, check out the highlight midwest website to learn more!

At LightThread we are finalizing our business model and targeting to get the website up and running in the next few weeks. We are thinking of pitching ourselves initially as an Intellectual Venture Capital company....we provide you the expertise, practices and tools to take your business to the next level. We also have a product arm with applications that are under development and will tie these applications in to our mission of helping businesses connect their ideas and make opportunities happen. We assert that if a company can focus solely on their niche and not have to get bogged down in being all things to all people they can then truly prosper, grow and be successful. LightThread....Connecting Ideas to Light the World. Ok, tagline may be a bit hokey and needs more work but hopefully you understand the goal.

Family
Watch out KC drivers...you have a new 16 year old out on the road. That's right, Zach passed the driver's license test and is enjoying his new found freedom. Now, if he can just find a job.... :) Jackie wrapped up his freshman football season and ended with a 6-2 record. He loves the football season and is still helping with varsity but I have to say I enjoy having him home a bit more now that his head coaching responsibilities are completed. Samantha also wrapped up her softball season last weekend and was able to pitch in her first competitive game ever. Considering they had the pitching rubber 3 feet back too far, she did a commendable job and I was so proud of her as she kept the nerves in check. Hopefully we can start to have homemade dinners now that we aren't at a sporting event/practice every day of the week.

Thanks for stopping by and please feel free to leave a comment or send me at an email (lqualls4444@yahoo.com).

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

Reunited, And It Feels So Good

I finally caught up with society and joined Facebook earlier this month. I have enjoyed reuniting with so many friends from back in the day and have been surprised by the flood of memories buried deep that haven't been reflected on for quite some time. These memories are a reminder of the joys, laughter and even some sorrows that molded my inner voice of today. I am humbled as I remember the girl of my yesterday and smile as I remember her fears, her confidence, her defeats and her accomplishments. I am proud of how the girl has become a woman and appreciate that even through the stumbles we call growth, she still holds the confidence and yet also the fears as she did so long ago. The reflection of how the past defined the path to today opens up the possibilities for tomorrow. Take a moment to remember, reunite with others and reflect on your inner voice and see what new possibilities exist for you.

Energy - Missouri Clean Energy Initiative
For you Missourians out there, you have the opportunity to shape the future of energy growth on November 4th. The Clean Energy Initiative requires Missouri investor-owned electric utilities (Ameren, Empire, Aquila, and KCP&L) to get 15% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021. The Clean Energy Initiative defines renewables as clean sources of energy like wind, solar, landfill gas, biomass, and small hydroelectric projects. Often this policy is called a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) and it has been passed in 26 other states (sorry Kansas you have some catching up to do). If you are fed up with negative politics and trying to find a reason to show up and vote on November 4th, please consider this initiative as your motivation. It is supported by over 100 Missouri current and former elected officials and community leaders and I have yet to find any negative press or concerns associated to the effort. Please support this initiaitve by providing your YES vote on November 4th. You can read more details at http://www.missouricleanenergy.org/about.asp

As a follow-up to my entry last week, I had the honor of judging a high school debate at Blue Springs South High School this past weekend. I was assigned to the public forum debates and listened to our leaders of tomorrow argue pro's and con's of growing nuclear energy effort in the US. The public forum venue is different than policy cross-ex debate as it flows more like a Sunday morning roundtable t.v. show with two teams (two members each) making their points, questioning those points and ending with a grand cross-fire where all four members discuss/argue at the same time. It was a blast to watch but I'm not going to lie, it was very hard to keep up from a judging perspective. At the end of the day, I was blown away by the intelligence, research skills, communication abilities and out right passion that these students exemplified during the debate. We hear so much negative of our youth but let me tell you, I was more impressed with these leaders of tomorrow than I am with many of our so called leaders of today. If you have some extra weekend time, check out when a high school debate is scheduled in your area and volunteer to serve as a judge. Judges are always needed, the schools give detailed instructions and you might be surprised how much fun you have while you learn something new.

Career Front
Ahhhh....how I love negotiations, let me count thy ways. I continued discussions this past week with the Ireland company and experienced the highs and lows of negotiation. They are evaluating a permanent offer situation for me but at the moment it looks like the consultation opportunity has come to a dead end as we couldn't come to an agreement on a competitive rate. They are fabulous people with tremendous potential and I wish them all the best. I received a permanent offer from a local engineering firm and am patiently waiting as they work with HR to deliver a compensation package. I continue to evaluate consulting opportunities as they arise, in fact I spoke with a New York business owner late last week who presented a unique possibility where I might be able to help him create a new media/entertainment powerhouse. I am meeting with one of my LightThread partners today to review his business plan and design an offer to become involved. Excitement in the air!

Family
Another busy week in the Qualls household with a big addition in the driveway...we purchased a 97 Eclipse for Zach who should have his official driver's license within days. He is very excited and proud of his "new" car and we are excited to have one more taxi driver in the family. This is another moment that makes you pause and reflect...remember being 16, getting your first car and taking that first drive without mom and dad? The feeling of empowerment and independence, it was as if nothing could stop you. We want Zach to embrace this new step in life and encourage him to be responsibile by reminding him, it only takes one mistake to change your life FOREVER so think before you act and PAY ATTENTION!! He probably doesn't know it, but I am reminding myself of this life lesson just as much as I am reminding him.

Thanks again for stopping by and checking in on what's new with LJ Landing. As always, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email at lqualls4444@yahoo.com if you want to further discuss any of the items mentioned above. Have a great week!

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa