She brings extensive knowledge and experience in spiritual healing, and a profound love for the business-building process. Our clients who work with her rave about her ability to get to the heart of the matter and help them get results.

In this short interview she surprised me. She and Jason had been cooking up something behind my back and it made me want to enroll into our own program. I know that sounds weird, but it’s true. Thankfully I get help from Yollana and Jason all the time.

Here she is. I think you’ll see why we rave about her.

I made this interview to go with the free learning series we’re currently doing. I just sent out the second lesson, but you can still get that, and the first lesson, if you register for the series.

About Business Revenue Models

The first two lessons of this free learning series were about The Stages of Business Development (there are three of them for micro-businesses) and Sequence and Flow (a more compassionate version of what is commonly called the Meat Grinder… er… Product Funnel.)

The third lesson is about Revenue Models. I’ll be sending it out tomorrow, Friday. You can get the first two lessons right now, and be on the list for the third lesson tomorrow.

To get these lessons, just click on the faucet:

I was sitting in Palio Cafe with my friend Jim Brosseau, who founded Livin’ Spoonful (best raw crackers on the planet… forget that, the best crackers on the planet, period.) He’s a fellow Sufi, a former client, and a close friend. We get together once a month to support each other, Sufi-style, in our businesses.

After being sick off and on for nearly eight weeks, I was taking the luxury of complaining to Jim about how foggy I felt, how I felt like I had no strategic focus, that I didn’t know where I was going. He was patient with me, since none of that is really that true, but it certainly felt true.

The wonderful thing about Jim’s support is that he doesn’t offer answers. When questions come up like this, inevitably a quiet, reflective space of Remembrance is opened up, and that’s where the important insights come from.

What came to my heart was this realization: “There is no true freedom. You are always following something. The question is, what are you following?” It arrived with a huge sense of relief and spaciousness.

It’s been my most important realization in the past two years, which has been a two years of struggling with a learning curve around having a team, with trying to understand and incorporate strategic vision, with trying to bring some consistency and quality to things other than client services and sales.

You know, the things that people like Charlie Gilkey, Les Mckeown and Alexis Neely do without thinking about it, it’s my place of learning.

It may sound like I’m just ducking out, but I’m not. I’m still willing to do the hard work of planning out projects, of estimating capacity, of delegating a lot more than I’m currently doing. However, what I needed was a reminder that all of this doesn’t control the future. It doesn’t mean I’m the king.

Sufism has a concept called “vice regency.” Regent is another word for a sovereign ruler, and vice means I’m getting arrested. No, not that vice. Vice also means acting as a deputy for.

In direct contradiction to our freedom-loving culture, the truth is that freedom for the human being is an illusion. There is no freedom.

Why not? Why no freedom for us humans? It’s because we’re created as servants. We are happiest when we’re contributing, and we are at our best when we are in service to something.

Given too many choices, and too much freedom, we tend to freeze up. Think about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. (You’ve probably seen this before.)

At the bottom of the pyramid you’re trying to survive physically. To put it another way, you are in service to your body. Next level up you’re still in service to your body, and to the people around you who can help strengthen your sense of safety.

In the middle of the pyramid you’re in service to your friends, your family and to your own needs around belonging and identity.

Nearer the top you’re in service to your own sense of self-respect and your identity. Then, finally, at the top of the pyramid you’re in service to a greater good, to a larger contribution, and to your own sense of meaning.

You’re always in service to something. Always.

The Turning of the Heart

In Arabic the word for heart is qalb and it literally means “to turn.” Sufism describes the spiritual understanding that the heart turns this way and that, now facing the world, now facing the Divine.

Your heart is a vessel, the human being is a vessel, empty in it’s original state, and full of whatever it faces in daily life, similar to how a mirror is full of whatever it faces. Take a moment now, what is your heart facing? That’s what you are in service to

The reason why trying to gain freedom is so challenging, and in fact impossible, is because your heart would need to be absolutely empty. And if it’s empty is that really freedom or sovereignty. Or maybe you’re just dead?

Who Is More Free?

Take a look at the world around you. Who is doing the most powerful work? Who are your role models? Who is making an impact?

You may notice that it’s the people in service to a vision, to a cause, to a purpose greater than themselves. They’ve chosen their loyalties.

And then take it a step further and notice that you do have some conscious choice about who or what you serve. That you can choose where your gifts play out.

This acknowledgement that we aren’t in control, that we are never truly free, is a powerful realization. Instead of struggling for freedom, you focus on where your conscious service is.

The Sufi Recommendation

Most spiritual traditions acknowledge that the world is an impermanent, ever-changing place. Anything you put yourself in service to in this world is liable to change.

So the Sufis recommend putting yourself in service to Source rather than anything that Source creates.

Take a moment here. What does it feel like to stop wrestling for control, to stop vying for freedom? To surrender to being a servant. That you aren’t in charge and never will be?

How does that feel? Breathe it in.

I’ve ranted on long enough. Your turn. What comes up for you around this?

I love to write, and I would call myself a writer because I do a fair amount of it. Yet I don’t think of writing itself as a calling.

I’m curious, do you identify as a writer? What does writing mean to you? Or do you have another calling or identity that you strongly identify with?

Enjoy! And thank you everyone for your support and love. I’d write a little more but… well, just watch it and see.

Oh… and make sure you watch the end. There’s a special bit in there, inspired by Natalie Peluso.

And now this one, announcing a no-cost teleclass next week.

With the Heart of Money Transformational Journey coming up there is a flurry. It will all die down in a couple of weeks, and we’ll go back to normal.

No-Cost Teleclass Wednesday 1 p.m. Pacific

If you’re needing a divinely-inspired relationship with your money and finances, if money issues are working you, please join me. Yes, it is a call to introduce you to the teachings of the Heart of Money course. And yes it will be full to the brim with teachings.

To find out more, and to register go here:

3 a.m. Money Worry Attack No-cost Teleclass

And I hope you have a nourishing weekend.

Mark Silver

The basic issue is that many people love to write and want to be writers, and so they start a blog. And they also want to make a living at it, basically because it’s easier to love writing when you’re good at it, and it’s easier to get good at it when you do it a LOT. And it’s easier to do it a lot when it’s your main gig. Especially when you love it.

Some really smart people have weighed in on the issue of making money while writing— all of whom are making money, good money, on the strength of their writing.

Three of the most recent are:

Recently my Portland neighbor and international writing travel star Chris Guillebeau posted this fantastic article about how to make it as a freelance writer: The Writer’s Guide to Money and Passion.

Then I saw another friend and colleague, the Launch Coach Dave Navarro, write this powerful ranty post: The Dark Side of Ugly: When Free Gets Ugly

And then a new friend, Career Renegade Jonathan Fields wrote this one: Someone always Pays: The Truth About Blogging and Money

I’d like to add to the discussion, and it has nothing to do with being upset about folks who don’t want to pay for content.

Are You “In Writing”?

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to be a writer and enjoy it. There’s nothing particularly wrong with wanting to be paid for it, either.

Back in 2005 I wrote this article about artists, and received some very upset emails back from said artists. But I stand behind it 100%: Do You Have the Right Focus to Make Your Dream a Business Instead of a Hobby?

I have a simple question I want to ask: are you “in writing” or “in business”? If you’re “in writing” then enjoy it. But if you only see yourself as a “blogger” or a “writer” then I’m thinking you may have some challenges with this whole money-making thing.

If you’re not ready to embrace the “being in business” thing, I have another question for you.

When Did You Last Hire A Writer?

I don’t hire writers. Very few people do. But I’m in relationship, financial and otherwise, with businesses all the time. If you’re a writer, the vast majority of your audience may be happy to support you in a variety of ways, but we don’t have experience with hiring a writer.

Sure we buy books from writers, but those cost $5-$15 each. And how many books do I buy from a single writer? One a year? Two? Usually I get it from the library first, and then if I think it’s a keeper, I buy it.

But if someone is in business, it’s a whole different relationship. I know how to relate to a business. If they put samples out on the counter, they know and I know that they are selling larger portions of the same thing.

Two Sets of Expectations

I want to challenge you to open your heart to the thought that you are “in business” and not just “in writing.” By doing this you’ve changed two sets of expectations.

The first set of expectations is in your audience. If they see you as “in business” then there’s no upset or outrage about charging for something. They may or may not want to buy, but they don’t get upset. I’ve been writing prolifically for my business for over ten years, and I’ve never gotten any upset or outraged emails from people offended that I dare charge for something.

The second set of expectations is in you. You can realize that no matter how good a writer you may be, your business needs you to learn more than just writing.

Five years ago I was a darn good writer, and yet our online sales weren’t so great. I needed to learn copywriting. I humbled myself, let go of my self-image as an experienced writer, then did I what I needed to do as a responsible, open-hearted business owner: learn copywriting. The result was a dramatic increase in my ability to connect with people willing to pay for our products and services online.

That’s just one skill out of dozens that I’ve learned in order to have a successful business.

If you are “in business” Instead of expecting people to pay you for your writing, you will see that your writing is just one skill. To properly serve your audience with what they need, and to take care of yourself, you’ll need to learn things. About business. About money. About sales and marketing.

You can be upset about this if you like. There’s room to kick and scream and complain. It’s okay to grieve that things aren’t as easy or simple as you thought. And once you have received the support to move through those emotions, take a deep breath. Drop into your heart.

See your business, yes your business, through the eyes of your heart. See the beauty and possibility there. See what it needs to grow and flourish. Then get it what it needs. Give yourself two to three years to develop your business. And it will take care of you for a long time.

If you want to write, write. I think it’s fantastic. My life has been made amazingly better through all the writing I’ve read. Just don’t expect me to pay for your blog post.

Because I’ll be over there, hiring someone who is in business to help me apply whatever it is I’ve learned through writing.

Are you going to be that someone?

So go check out his video and have tea with the two of us. And, in case you were wondering, he’s a big-hearted, sincere, lovable, non-nonsense, goofball marketing genius, too.

Well, it was time to stop sucking eggs. (I need to drop that metaphor, I’m just not enjoying it- I can’t imagine you are, either.)

So- ta-da! What do you think?

Because it’s a brand-new design, for the first week, I only want two kinds of comments:

1) Comments along the lines of “Oh wow- I love it!” After it settles in, I’m happy to take in thoughtful critiques and improvement ideas for the next iteration, or even just tweaking on what we’ve already got.

2) Help with finding any links that take you to pages from the old website. At this point the website has more than a couple of hundred pages, and we hired Adam to only port over top the new design what was necessary to get live- we’ll be porting over the rest ourselves. If you click a link, and you see that old fuzzy picture of my head in the banner- please let us know asap!

Please celebrate with us that we’ve got a new website up. Whew!

I have to put in a plug for Adam Kayce.

He did this- he managed us through the transition to a WordPress-powered design, he helped us through our design questions, issues, thoughts, and he was patient with the intense chaos that erupted around our adoption process, which threw everything off-schedule.

Need a website design? Talk to Adam.

Need to know what to put in your website? Check out Creating Heart-Centered Websites.

But, mostly, just celebrate this with us. It’s been LONG overdue.