I Quit Coffee Meetings — My Story and How I Got Here

Let’s get this straight. I didn’t quit coffee. And I didn’t quit meetings. I quit coffee meetings where a stranger/acquaintance/friend-of-an-acquaintance asks me for a quick coffee meeting to learn how I made it here. And this is why.

The decision didn’t come easily. I believe in sharing, and certainly, I’ve asked people who inspire me if they will meet for coffee. Or a quick drink. Or a fast lunch. A call? Tweet?

But, it just never seems to end. In this world where I dedicate much attention to saying “no” and protecting a work/life balance (see my vacation-for-a-month creed), I can’t take coffee with everyone. In fact, why don’t I just make it coffee with no one?

So, with a little encouragement from a guy named Bob Goff and his “quit something Thursday,” that’s exactly what I did.

But, to find a balance (see…it’s all about the balance), I thought I would share my answers to the questions that people ask me. I like to share, it’s just that my body can only handle so much caffeine and, frankly, I’d rather ride my bike.

In that interest, here are my answers to the most common questions. Have something else you want me to answer? Drop me an email, and I’ll add it to the list.

How did I start by business?

I may say I’m lucky to be here, but luck takes hard work. I worked a full-time job while I freelanced, built my first website, developed a business plan, defined my brand and networked, networked, networked. I made choices and sacrificed. I worked late hours. But, here we are. I built a business that I’m extremely proud of and through which I try to give my staff everything I wished I had as an employee.

How did I become an expert in my field?

My field is the combination of two sets of experience—a decade of work in public relations and a stiff drink of on-the-job environmental education. I’m an expert because I didn’t study science or environmental communications in school, which means my competitive advantage is that I use plain communication to share technical and complicated stories. I read. I attend seminars. I listen. I ask questions. I’m creative. And I steal, errr, um, borrow other’s great ideas.

How did you take the leap to go out on your own?

This might have been the scariest moment of my professional career to date. It’s like that scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when “only in the leap from the lion’s head will he prove his worth.” You just do it and know that the ground will support you. But don’t take this leap until you’ve read my answer to question number one.

How are you so successful?

Hard work and passion. I found a field that I love and for which I have great passions. It makes me happy every day I go to work, and it blends seamlessly with my personal life. My best work sometimes happens during social hours, when “office time” is the farthest thing from my mind. I also don’t take things for granted. I challenge myself and ask others what I can do better. I have to ask often: Is there another way?

I have also learned that there is something about me that I bring into a room, even when I don’t realize that I’m doing it. This presence is a game-changer. I can’t teach it. I don’t practice it. I can’t even specifically define it. I just know it’s there and that the people who value my work see it.

What advice do you have for someone starting his own consulting business?

Read this blog post and write a business plan.

How do you know how to price things?

Research. Know how much your business is worth. And ask for it.

How did I get into environmental communications?

I followed my heart into the environmental field. It took a few years of volunteering while I continued working at a PR agency. I had to build my reputation, and once I developed that, I never turned back.