What This Blog Was Supposed to Be About … The Ups and the Downs

One of my favorite online gals, Patricia Handschiegel, posted today that her blog would become an online documentary chronicling her quest to become the next big thing.  That’s what this blog was supposed to be.

But then I got scared and didn’t do it.

What if I wrote something and a TV producer saw it and decided I wasn’t a good fit because of what I wrote?  Or, what if I was going out for investment money and potential investors saw my posts and thought I was weak?  What if one of the lawyers considering becoming a Personal Family Lawyer saw that I’m not perfect and I get scared too and then didn’t join?

All these “what ifs” keeping me from doing what I had originally intended to do here.

Then I read Patricia’s post and I became aware of this sensation around my solar plexus that nearly took my breath away.  It was a combination of envy (I’ve erased this word three times because I’m ashamed of it and don’t want to admit that’s what I was feeling), excitement, appreciation and respect.

Ultimately, I let all of that settle in.  I sat with it.  Felt it.  And I’m expressing it as inspiration.

I am inspired to do what I said I would do and with it, I hope inspire you to do the same.   I mean c’mon … it’s about being afraid and doing it anyway, right?

So, here’s where I am as of today:

On the business side of things:

My main project is training lawyers how to be Personal Family Lawyers.

We’ve designated 65 lawyers as of right now.  We just began training our newest class and we won’t take on any additional lawyers for training until at least December.

My goal is to train 100 by the end of the year.  I’m not sure whether we’ll hit our goal, but we’ve just begun a brand new campaign to find lawyers who might be a good fit.

My other main project is to help every parent in America name legal guardians for their kids, regardless of their financial or personal situation.  If you have kids, you need to name legal guardians for your kids.  My website lets you do it free and even helps you choose the right guardians.  Now there’s no excuse.

The KidsProtectionPlan.com website is going great, but I need to find new ways to get the word out to parents.  My TV media has been great exposure.  The Today Show, On the Money, View From the Bay … all good stuff.  But, I’m surprised to find out that TV doesn’t go as far as I thought it did.  I need to focus on print media as well.

Several months ago, I hired Stacie Krajchir of BungalowPR for her PR-to-go program.  When I went to NYC, she hooked me up with several editors at Parents Magazine, American Baby, Kiwi, and a few others.  I wasn’t really ready though.  The book hadn’t been launched and the KidsProtectionPlan.com website wasn’t ready.

I’m thinking I’ll see if she can set some things up for me for my next trip to NYC in mid-October.

Speaking of …

I’m going to NYC to meet with producers at CNBC for a “development” meeting.  I don’t know what it means, but I’m super excited about the possibilities.  This follows my two appearances on CNBC’s “On the Money” with Carmen Wong Ulrich.

About those appearances, I thought the first appearance was awesome.  As soon as I finished, the producer came into my ear piece and said I hit a home run.  And, I knew I had.  The second appearance just didn’t seem quite as good.

30 seconds before I was set to go, a producer came on and said “we’re really short for time today, so make sure your answers are short and to the point.”  It shook me a little.  I wish it hadn’t.

Plus, the shirt I was wearing didn’t really work with the background, my hair had been blown out three days ago and was starting to get out of control, the makeup artist wasn’t as good as the one from the first appearance and I was exhausted from having traveled the day before to Oregon to tape my Better TV spots.

Every experience is a learning experience.

I’m currently appearing every week on Better TV as their Family Financial and Legal Expert. That, by the way, is thanks to Stacie from BungalowPR.  She hooked up my original Better TV appearance on that first NYC trip.  Afterwards, they contacted me to see if I’d be interested in being their regular featured financial expert.

Um, yes!

I’d love to line up something closer to home on a show where they have hair and makeup for me before each show – I do my own for Better TV.  I actually had to get makeup lessons because I had never worn makeup before all this TV stuff!

So, I’m working on that.  Maybe that development meeting at CNBC will turn into something regular.  That’d be amazing.

I’d LOVE to have a call-in show answering questions helping people make smart financial and legal decisions for themselves and their family.   I’d focus on helping people make more money rather than trying to save money.  Passing on family wealth.  Raising kids and starting businesses.  Having it all.

I swear I think I could talk about that all day.  There’s so much talk right now about saving money and reducing expenses.  That’s all fine and well, but what if you could make more money and invest that instead of worrying about how you can save a few bucks here and there.

In the meantime, I am also pitching a reality tv show.  A&E’s looking at it right now.  I expect we’ll shop it to the new Oprah network, OWN.  It’s all very exciting and I know it could turn into nothing at all.  I’ll keep you posted about that as more develops.  If I say anything else about it right now, my producer Christof will yell at me.

And we can’t forget the book, of course.  Wear Clean Underwear has been on the Morgan James’ (my publisher) bestseller list since it launched, hit #1 in all of it’s categories on Amazon and even hit #8 overall on Barnes and Noble.

Books #2 and #3 are in the works.  For those two, I’ll be seeking a more well known publisher.  Starting to look for lit agents right now.  I’ll tell you all about the reasoning for that another day.

Last, but far from least, I am about to re-release the comprehensive Kids Protection Planning Kit (this page hasn’t been launched yet, you are getting a sneak peek here).  The Kit is all new, re-designed and better than ever.  (If you have a business that reaches moms and dads contact me about awesome affiliate opportunities!)

This is the product that first led me down this path three years ago and it feels as if everything has finally come full circle.

Back then, I was newly divorced and working my butt off in my law firm.  I knew it was my purpose to help millions of people and I knew I had to make the transition from serving clients one by one to changing lives on a grand scale.  I didn’t know how.

I decided the Kids Protection Planning Kit was the start.  I did everything wrong!  But, it was a start.  I’ve made A LOT of mistakes along the way.   I’ve also done a lot right.

I built and sold my million dollar law business and I’ve built million dollar business #2.  This one is on my terms and through it I will fulfill my dreams of inspiring others to do what may seem impossible.

I’ve got big dreams.  A software company.  TechCrunch50.  My own TV show (or two).  Several more books.  The NYT Bestseller list with one or more of them.  A Personal Family Lawyer in every neighborhood.  Millions of parents naming legal guardians for their kids.  Making a real and substantial difference in the lives of people around me, but most of all in the lives of my kids.  Being a thought leader.  A rule breaker.

Being afraid and doing it anyway.

0 Comments

  1. Jessica GottliebMonday, September 15, 2008 at 6:40 pm 

    Oh my.

    Can I ride your coat tails while you take over the world?

    There won’t be envy, just awe….

  2. R MartinTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 1:44 am 

    Just keep on keeping on………I couldn’t be prouder

  3. R MartinTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 1:45 am 

    Just keep on….
    keeping on!
    To thine own self be true……..

  4. Chuck RylantTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 4:58 am 

    I can really relate to the first two paragraphs of your post. It is so scary to open yourself up for others to see anything less than your perfect side. But it is that realness that can be so magnetic. People are attracted to real people they can relate to–not the artificial persona that is so easy to create. It takes an incredible amount of courage to be humble and anyone that is turned off by that is dealing with their own insecurities. Easier said than done, but stick with your original plan.

  5. Marifer RodriguezTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 1:32 pm 

    You are an inspiration to every woman and man out there. Not many people take the challenge of making a difference like you have. Thank you in the name of all parents, children, and people like me who also dream of one day making a difference in this world.

  6. Frank GortonTuesday, September 16, 2008 at 6:49 pm 

    Great post Alexis. I read your post and instantly got inspired. I am starting out a new business and hope to keep up the momentum along the way. I have found that it is hard, but I am trying to keep my eye on the prize at the end. Love the blog, and I will add this to my daily reading. Wish you great success.

    Frank

  7. Kristy - Where's My Damn AnswerWednesday, September 17, 2008 at 8:17 pm 

    Good for you. I know how you feel first hand. When I started blogging with the ladies at Where’s My Damn Answer, I was a little afraid of putting the struggles I have in there too. I learned though that it’s the struggles that make us who we are and sometimes it’s better to throw things out there to see what CAN happen.

  8. LA Blogger GalThursday, September 18, 2008 at 7:17 am 

    Great post Alexis. You’ll definitely get there as you’ve got the dreams and some plans. Good for you!

  9. PattyThursday, September 18, 2008 at 9:45 pm 

    Wow! You have so many accomplishments already; you are well on your way to achieving not only your own dreams, but also the dreams of others! I wish I could say I have done half as much as you have.

    I hope to make a difference in the world as well…I have dreams to become a successful and paid freelance writer. I had dreams of teaching, however once I became a parent my dream of teaching turned to my own children and staying at home. Now I hope to learn how to market myself as a writer and get my first (children’s) book published. I had hoped to do this when I originally started my site http://littlebytesnews.com. However, parenting and life got in the way and I found I didn’t have the energy and time to write so I sought other writers to contribute to the site.

    Two boys later, I feel I am getting a better grasp on parenting while working at home and think I am ready to start doing more writing and overcoming more challenges. I just hope I can keep up with it all. I understand what you mean about “being afraid and doing it anyway”. I am still afraid, but I want to become successful and work on my own terms. I am just not sure how to go about it with all the competition and all the expenses involved in marketing, etc, while still managing my family commitments.

  10. R MartinMonday, November 9, 2009 at 12:10 pm 

    Just keep on keeping on………I couldn't be prouder

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