JOANA MIRANDA STUDIO

I got a little behind in my blog posting yesterday, so I’m posting my weekly Empire Building Kit review a day late.  If you are new to my blog, a word of explanation: The Empire Building Kit is a program created by Chris Guillebeau, the mastermind behind the Art of Non-Conformity blog, and now book.  The EBK promises to help you build a lifestyle business in one year by doing one thing each day.  These “tasks” are delivered to your email inbox every day for a year.

Week 20’s tasks wrapped up for me on Thursday.  I was especially pleased with Chris’ thoughtful and wise tips on how to handle irate customers.  While I haven’t yet had the “pleasure” of such encounters, I know that none of us are  immune.  In fact, recently a friend, who is a seasoned professional in the jewelry industry, sent me a copy of a very nasty and inappropriate comment he received on his blog.  He was at a loss for what had triggered such ugliness.  I was, too.

Which leads me to another thought.  I have subscribed and unsubscribed to several blogs now.  Nothing turns me off faster than being yelled at (or sworn at!) by the author.  Yet I know that some people enjoy that kind of raw, in-your-face writing, and that it obviously has a place in our culture.

I was very happy this week, therefore, to be introduced through Chris to a blogger who is devoted to creating a global community of individuals focused on making a positive impact in the lives of the people around them.  His name is Nate St. Pierre and you can meet his “small army” at ItStartsWithUs.com, as well as check out his blog.  He challenges his readers to make a difference each week with one small task.  The tasks promise to take no more than 15 minutes a week.  Reaching out to Aunt Boopsie across the city when you are stressed about dealing with your own life, might seem unimportant to you in the grand scheme of things.   However, what if you overcame your inertia to reach out to Aunt Boopsie because you knew it would brighten her day…and Mr. Bigshot, who you wished would get in touch with you, decided that he could spare 15 minutes to reach out to you?  Wouldn’t the world be a better place?

For those of you who have been following my EBK reviews, you may have noticed that today’s picture is the first “color” photo I’ve posted for these posts. This isn’t accidental; I’m feeling more confident about the direction I’m going and what my Empire will look like!