Client Case Study Alexandra Franzen - When I Grow Up

Client Case Study Alexandra Franzen - When I Grow Up Um, do you know that Ive coached hundreds of women since I started offering dream career guidance in 2008? And that these women are freakin rock stars, leaving soul-sucking jobs and traveling the world and launching creative, grown-up businesses and simply doing work that fits their lifestyle goals? Well ya do now and youll hear their stories firsthand in my  Client Case Studies series!  Alexandra Franzen  hired me back in January 2010 after giving her dream job 4 months notice (!). She knew she wanted to work for herself, but had no idea what she could offer, and could I help her? I was 2 years into coaching and 3 months from quitting my own bridge job, but I confidently said Yes. Now, shes a published author *many* times over and a sought-after copywriter and teacher. I cant get enough of this wise, kind, inspiring woman, and I know youll feel the same. Why did you decide to work with me, a creative business coach?   It was December of 2009. One night, I sat down and Googled something like Help! I hate my job! Please help! Someone! What should I dooooo. OK, not that exact phrase, but something pretty close! Through my Googlings and Internet wanderings, I found my way to your website. {cue: the heavenly choir of angels singing!} I had never hired a life coach or a career coach before. I thought coaches were for, like, soccer? But something in my hut (heart + gut) told me to hire you a.s.a.p. At the time, it was a pretty big stretch for me financially, but I did it. What were you doing work-wise when we started working together and what are you doing now? When I hired you, I had a 9-to-5 job at a public broadcasting company. It was a great job in many ways. I felt proud to work for a company that produces some of the best public radio shows in the world. Annnnnnnd yet, I wasnt particularly happy. Every morning, when I stepped inside my little beige cubicle, I felt so tired. Even if it was 9am sharp, even if Id had three cups of coffee already, I felt heavy and drained. My days were filled with endless emails marked Urgent! and so many meetings and lots of red tape. It felt like every decision, no matter how small, had to be approved by at least 2 or 3 people. Some days, I felt like my entire job was just to run around the building nagging people to approve things. Ugh. I kept trying to convince myself that this was the perfect job for me and that I should be happy. But it just wasnt the right environment for me. I wanted to reinvent my career and do something else with my life. But what, exactly? I dreamed about being some type of writer or artist but how would I make money? I didnt knoooow! I hired you to help me take those first few baby steps into self-employmentto start piecing together a plan. Its been a little over 8 years since I hired you. Today, my life is completely different! Heres my career snapshot * Im a published author (non-fiction and fiction, too). * I also work as a copywriter, writing coach, and writing teacher. * Ive led writing classes in 18 cities around the worldand online classes, too. * I work 1:1 with clients to help them develop all kinds of creative projects, like podcasts, videos, courses, websites, pitches, speeches, and more. * Basically, I get to WRITE ALL DAY LONG (HOORAY!) and earn a living doing something that feels so meaningful to me. Its a dream come true. What was your biggest takeaway from our work together? From you, I learned that no matter what you love to do (baking, blogging, weaving shoelaces into bracelets, whatever!), there is ALWAYS a way to translate your passion into a career. It will take time. It will definitely require hard work. But its doable. Theres always a way. Every dream is doable. Think of someone who is currently in the shoes you wore when we first started working together. What advice do you have for her?   JUST GET MOVING. Put a simple website together (my first website had three pages and a headshot that I took with my cellphone camera while I was sitting in my parked car! Haha! It was not fancy at all). Put some services together (you can always tweak things later if you want to!). Start testing your ideas. Start reaching out to potential clients. Start emailing friends and family to let them know, Hey, Im taking my career in a new direction! Dont over-think every little detail. Just get things moving. Move, move, move and as you move forward, more clarity and refinement will arrive. But you wont figure things out unless you get into motion. Is there anything thats been a game-changer for you when it comes to your business that you can share? Wed love a good resource or a mindset/productivity tip! When Im having a mopey, unproductive, or anxious day, I remind myself * TODAY IS NOT OVER YET * Even if its 10:55pm at night, there is still time to turn things around and end the day on a positive note. You can take 5 minutes and write one thank you note to a mentor. You can take 5 minutes and email one more potential client. You can do something (big or small) that leaves you feeling strong and productive. Theres time. TINOY! Whats on the horizon for your business? Wed love to hear about any upcoming offerings or goals! * I have a novel which comes out today. Its called SO THIS IS THE END: A LOVE STORY. Its a book that poses the question, If you had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your time? * Recently, I was asked to be the Editor for a brand new division of a publishing company. (I cant reveal the specifics yet but I am VERY excited!) * My goals for 2019 include: write another novel teach 2 or 3 writing retreats in Hawaii learn how to dance like a member of *NSYNC (lifelong goal!) and maybe get strong enough to do ONE real, actual pull-up at the gym? I CAN DREAM. Where can we find you and your work? alexandrafranzen.com