Today is the official launch day for the book and Chris’ massive network is spreading the word far and wide and though I normally run in the opposite direction from a mob-like marketing campaign I am forced to tow the line in this case for one simple reason: IT’S A REALLY REALLY REALLY GOOD BOOK!

The premise is solid, the conversational tone is refreshing, and most importantly there are REAL stories of REAL entrepreneurs starting REAL businesses which are making REAL money! So many people want to stick it to the man but so few people know where to look for help. Chris is inspiring and most importantly… helpful, as in the nuts-n-bolts kinda stuff. Don’t believe me? Check out his free resource lineup on The $100 Startup site – he’s got some downloadable PDFs that are just the thing busy, stressed or stalled entrepreneurs need in order to take action.

Whether you are starting something on the side, hitting the reset button on your current venture, or striking out into the great abyss of self-employment you’ll love reading The $100 Startup. It’s about regular people doing remarkable things with their energy, passion, and a few bucks to boot. – Corwin Hiebert

In preparing to write this book, Chris identified 1,500 individuals who have built businesses earning $50,000 or more from a modest investment – that’s awesome stuff! He focuses the book  around 50 entrepreneurs with whom he gets into the trenches, sharing with us their liabilities, failures, risks, rewards, and successes, right down to the pennies. This is not a rags to riches  book, it’s an account of the journey that people like you and I are taking. I love this book because it’s about the front lines of making money doing what you love no matter the size or scope of the operation.

Buy the book. Seriously, you’ll love reading it as I did. I bought an extra copy because I just knew I was going to give it away as soon as it arrives. Do as I do AND what I say Buy it and be glad you did. Oh – and follow Chris on Twitter because that’s what cool people do.

My favourite part of May is that it’s not April and it’s no longer tax season. In honour of this past season of taxation I’d like to pay homage to Freshbooks, their services make my world simpler and I couldn’t imagine doing my job, or my taxes, without it. The biggest benefit to me is getting paid as I’ve discovered that people give me money when I ask for it. The power of a well-timed invoices This mini-interview video clip is over a year old but I thought I’d share it because I’m proud to be a paying customer of theirs (though I realize now that I should have shaved before they took me for coffee).

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

I’m writing a print book on how-to manage and market a creative small business and I’d love to have you involved! The book is called LIVING THE DREAM – Putting Your Creativity to Work (and Getting Paid) and it’s scheduled to hit bookshelves everywhere in November. It’s an awesome undertaking as I’m collaborating with industry pros and subject matter experts as well as featuring creative people and creative work – that’s where you come in.

I am collecting images and stories from all walks of life, from various creative pursuits, and from around the world so I can showcase people putting their skills and passions on the line. I am specifically inviting photographers to contribute because you are the ring leaders, you are connected to all kinds of creative people, and what better way to spread the word about your work than having a photograph published in a book you’ll love to read (I hope). So ask yourself:

- Do you want to promote your photography business in an outside-the-box this-is-fun sorta way?
- Do you know someone who is challenging the status quo, and risking their art, careers and financial future in the hopes of making a living doing what they love?
- And most importantly… do you have a photograph of them in your portfolio (or can you get one)?

If YES, then this opportunity is a great fit for you, at least I think so

If you’re interested in contributing to the book here’s the goods on how to submit:

- Send an email to ideas@corwinhiebert.com ASAP confirming that you are interested in submitting.
- Prepare 1-4 images to be considered. The images need to be of creative freelancers or entrepreneurs (emerging or established), the people shots should be of a lifestyle nature (in action, at work, at play) or be an image of their creative work. No static head shots please. Files must – be in final form (they will not be re-touched), in TIFF format at 300 dpi.
- Each image submission should include 50-100 words about the person, their work, and their web site and/or twitter alias (I’ll also need all your information so I can give proper credit, point readers your way, and build some buzz for you too).
- Upon your submission being approved a permission agreement will be sent to you to sign. Don’t worry, you retain full copyright – it’s a non-exclusive arrangement.
- Submissions are voluntary and no fiscal remuneration is provided.
- The deadline is 11:59pm May 31, 2012.

London, 2011. Some dude walking past a green wall. I used Photoshop, betchya didn't notice.

 In 2001 I said to my closest friends “Someday I’m going to start a business.” I didn’t know what kind of business it would be but I just knew that I was wired to operate a company. It took me 7 years to truly discover what that ultimate business was, and there was an entrepreneur detour along the way (AKA event production) but the journey was well worth it. Though the writing was on the wall 11 years ago I had to start the journey and steer a moving ship in order for my dream to come true. More schooling, a great consulting job, then opening my own shop, and finally settling on my #1 passion: helping creative people kick ass. It wasn’t as sexy as it sounds (and it’s still a crap load of hard work) but the sense of contentment I have in my day to day work proves to me that my gut feeling way back when what spot on.

So, what about your wall… what’s it saying? What venture or adventure do you know in your heart of hearts is in your future? And how can you start down the path of discovery? Be confident. Take the next step and keep your head up.

David and Corwin in Northern Kenya (2011). Image by Kit Chamberlain.

David duChemin rolls into Vancouver today. That’s right… I said TODAY!

I haven’t seen him since mid-October. Considering the fact that I manage his business and we’re the best of friends it’s amazing how smoothly things work between us with all this time apart. It’s not hard being his work-wife, but it’s not as much fun when he and I don’t get to share in the adventure of life and work. I’m really pumped that he’s setting up shop in Vancouver sooner than later

Since our epic trip to the far-reaches of Northern Kenya it’s been a wild ride. He’s being doing the whole Timothy Ferriss thing… I joined him on an amazing 11-day road trip through 4 western US states… and there was the whole not dying thing. I’m excited about this new era of awesomeness.

For all you Vancouver-based duChemin fans… keep an eye out for Emily, and approach her cautiously, with craft beer in-hand

My nephews Todd (11) and Ethan (9) love playing Angry Birds. They celebrate the spectacular demolitions and agonize over the seemingly unsolvable structures. It’s a fun game, but when we hang out on the couch and play this industry-leading app it also sparks their imagination like no other game I’ve seen.

Both boys love video games. They have amazing memories and coordination and they can go the distance with any video game on any console. But this $0.99 app brings out their best. They share the device and cheer each other on. They love to breakdown, in great detail, the advantages and disadvantages of each bird. They share their concerns about which materials and configurations are the most challenging. And to my amazement, during our last Angry Bird-fest, they developed their own roster of birds in hopes that Rovio Entertainment Ltd. would consider adding their Super Birds to the line-up.

They started sketching new birds, describing the actions, and planning their rise to fame as a result of revealing their pig-conquering ideation. All this scheming resulted in my iPhone being abandoned in a crack of the couch while we sat at the table drawing, colouring, and making notes. What a great game! Talk about great memories.

So, Rovio, here’s their suggestions for your next rendition (they’ll accept cash or candy as payment

- Déjà vu Bird. Tap the screen mid-flight, right before impact, and a second bird is launched along the exact same trajectory thus creating additional damage where the first bird made little headway.
- Hot Wheels Bird. Tap the screen mid-flight, and the bird becomes a hotrod car (with flames of course), it drops quickly and then drives up and over the entire structure breaking protective surfaces and light debris.
- Tomahawk Bird. It’s a missile that requires two fingers to launch, one to pull back on the slingshot, the other to tap the strike point. Targeted damage without the guess work.
- Anvil Bird. Tap the screen mid-flight, and the bird drops straight down like a metal block with a lot of force. This bird has a bonus 2nd Life; if the first strike causes sufficient damage the bird rises up into the sky and then drops straight back down again, in a pile driver-like motion.
- Fireball Bird. Tap the screen mid-flight to light the bird on fire. It burns wood and melts ice/glass.
- Quake Bird. Shake the device mid-flight to create an earth quake effect upon impact. Ideal for structures with tall towers.
- Drill Bird. Tap the screen mid-flight to send it plunging into the dirt where it drills down and then back up into the structure from below.
- Storm Bird. Upon impact, tap the screen to send a lighting bolt streaking from the sky to strike the bird and destroy the structure close by.
- Rock Bird. Tap the screen mid-flight to turn it’s feathers into stone making it a stone-breaking bird. The closer the bird is to the structure before you tap the screen the more damage is done.
- Ninja Bird. Tap the screen mid-flight as many times as you can, as you do, it shoots throwing stars at the structure.
- Reverse Bird. Instead of pulling the bird back to the left in the slingshot, you pull it to the right and the screen wraps so you can strike the opposite side of the structure.
- Infrared Bird. A hack that can be assigned to Red or Yellow birds. A two-finger tap turns the screen into an infrared display and it highlights the ideal strike point (like an x-ray).

What’s your favourite Super Bird?

Look out… I’m grumpy. Here’s why:

1. I just dumped wet coffee grounds all over the place (I knocked over my *Aeropress).
2. I just received three email blasts that offended my marketing sensibilities so much that I yelled at my computer.

I’m a firm believer that email is the root of all evil but it’s a necessary evil in our current marketing landscape. If I’m sent an email message/blast that is done well then fine, if it’s ugly or stupid I unsubscribe (regardless of who the sender is). It’s not just about opt-ins any more. Email campaigns should be awesome and valuable!

My issue today was that these email blasts came into my email reader (Mac Mail) and because of my preferred view settings I only see the subject line and the pre-header text. They all had stock disclaimers as their first line of text – it was totally annoying. Things like:

- Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.
- View this message in a browser.
- VERY IMPORTANT: If you don’t see any images in this message, be sure to click the “Display Images” link in your email reader.
- Opt out or update your information here.
- Reading this on a mobile device? Try our optimized mobile version here.

These are not bad things to mention but they do not make for a good first impression. Yes, I realize I could look in my preview pane but that would mean I’m giving the email a second chance and when it comes to making quick work of the piles of email I’m not likely to give many that kind of grace. I’m scanning quickly for important or compelling information – give me a reason to preview, open, or click an email to read more.

Okay, I’ve calmed down a bit. If you’re looking to take your email marketing to the next level then check out the Mailchimp Resource Guide library – awesome!

*Note: Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my Aeropress. I’ve knocked this thing over twice in two months but that’s human error. The coffee it makes is divine! Best stocking stuffer ever!

A free man is someone who is true to himself, who follows his dreams and turns them into reality.

Though my experiences outside consists of occasional hikes, some downhill mountain biking (and crashing) in Whistler, and a little gym climbing… I love the outdoors. I love living in Vancouver. I love sharing nature and adventures with my friends. Being outside makes me feel alive. That feeling makes me feel whole. My work-life means nothing to me unless I’m enjoying the journey… and there’s very little adventure to be found in front of my computer.

BTW, kudos to the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival and their 15th year!

“Finding success” assumes we’ve been looking for it. Looking assumes we’re searching for something we don’t yet have. I think it’s the hunt that keeps us from actually being successful. Stop looking for success and start doing the things that produce victories (small or large). Success will find you when you’re working hard and taking action.

Today is a Think + Drink Day for me. I will expose the hopes, dreams, and fears that I have about my business and its future. There’s an audience of one, a trusted friend, who will do the same. We’re letting each other in on the inner workings of our business plans so we can help each other in the effort to make the best decisions possible. Our goal is to help each other take action. We focus on the realities of doing good work and making good money. It’s hardcore business strategery. This is going to be really fun (but yet I’m extremely nervous

The meeting room is booked. My dry erase markers are in my laptop bag. I’m wearing pants. I’m ready.

*If you want to learn about how to run your own Think + Drink check out the bonus chapter in Your Creative Mix.

My office. And apparently, my reflection.

Thanks to the Camera+ App on my iPhone I’ve had a lot of fun taking pictures lately and for me that’s a big deal. I’m surround by amazing photographers and that type of company tends to make me a little gun shy of the whole thing. But, these past 12 months I’ve let loose a bit and have simply allowed myself to play. Believe it or not, this $1.99 app has been the spark I’ve needed to get my creative juices flowing. Cliché I know, but whatevs.

I spend to much time on the business end of creative work. Pursuing artistic expression, no matter what the intent, is important for my mental health. A dose of my own medicine if you will I also found that hanging empty IKEA frames above my computer and leaving them for 6 months was not only lame but it offended Eileen’s decor sensibilities to the point at which “the wall” came up in discussion more than once a week. I was surrounded by motivation!

So while strolling through Gastown (Vancouver) one wintery day I took a few shots in hopes of being able to one day fill those frames in my office. Yesterday, I picked up my large format prints from Clubcard ($12/ea.) and put them where they belong. I’m really excited about how it all turned out! The cityscape one on the left is my favourite. If you think it doesn’t suck then feel free to enjoy it yourself by downloading the wallpapers below (click the image to open the JPG file in your browser then right-click Save As to grab a copy):

Download the Phone Wallpaper	Download the Desktop Wallpaper

Here’s my Flickr set just for fun:

Dang I love that app! Betchya couldn’t tell Thanks Lisa Bettany.