PHOTO: HANDSOME GUY I FOUND ON THE INTERNET WHEN I SEARCHED BAY THOROUGHBRED
OMG, no time to blog. Enjoy this pony, he's the color and breed of Lancer!

Momentum

PHOTO: CHECK OUT THESE GUYS. I SEARCHED FOR "OLDER HORSES" AND THESE DUDES CAME UP ON THE FIRST PAGE. LOOK FAMILIAR?

I don't think I wrote a post last week about the horse I fell in love with. His name is Lancer. He's a bay thoroughbred, not so big, the sweetest pet and fun as hell to ride. I love him. He gives me good love, too. He loves being scratched behind his ears, he's ticklish and when you poke and tease him he turns around to grab at you with his lips, ears perked forward and friendly.

Lancer lives next to what might be the oldest horse at the barn- a skinny old guy named Moses. Moses dozes (it rhymes!) with his head hanging out his stall, and I think he's even sometimes asleep with his eyes open. His eyes were gunky and I cleaned them out for him. I think he liked that. Anyhow, I got to ride Lancer AGAIN this week and I was so looking forward to it. I also had an epiphany about riding, which happens sometimes.

I used to ride on autopilot. Not only am I not as strong as I was when I was 15, 16, 17 years old, I also have to think about a lot of stuff I used to take for granted. I Amazoned George Morris' Hunter Seat Equitation because I need to read about some of the stuff I have a hard time making happen now. Brush up!

More momentum on the Kidzillions side. Totally happy with the progress. We met with Rudy again, which was great, and ran into a few other people who also had advice. Everyone's got advice. I want it all, but some folks really are opinionated.

Cold On The Inside, Hot On The Out

PHOTO: IMAGE FROM THE FIRST PAGE IF YOU GOOGLE "HORSE BUDDIES"

So the DreamIt offices were so freezing cold today that my team jumped ship for the Green Line cafe. Good for them. The coffee's better there (as is the internet, unfortunately!). I stayed at the office and think the cold made me work more quickly. I'm DEFINITELY more efficient now than I've been in ages, so I'm reluctant to change ANYTHING. I love doing what I'm doing. I said it before, but I really feel like these are creative juices that are flowing when things are happening- the team is so good, everyone's on target and I feel like thinking of the business in the big picture is fulfilling. Ha! Week three. It's only Monday of the third DreamIt week.

We've been organizing since Aprilish, though, and so even though it's only the third week of the program, we're jamming further in. I saw the new Star Trek movie last night and loved seeing these characters that are so iconic in my mind in a new place, with a new vibe. Contemporary, but not untrue to the people I "know". The casting was awesome, btw. But seeing these people as young and beautiful, getting their jam on, locking in to the brain sharing space that is required to do something like, oh, SAVE EARTH, confirmed the magic in the specific momentum we've got going. Heavy (handed)! If you don't know what I mean it's a sad thing. This type of energy can feed you. Again. Week three. What a goof.

Brain is Stuffed

PHOTO: SUMMER, THE HORSE WITH THE LONGEST TAIL IN THE WORLD

So DreamIt started and all my team is here. I made meatloaf last night for dinner, which was good, and I crashed. Today was another day of brain juicing. We are a smart batch of people and it's fantastic to all be working together, seeing eachother, across desks from eachother. 4 long desks, set 2 by 2. It's perfect. Only thing not so perfect is the internet connection is slow, but I think we'll have a solution tomorrow.

Tomorrow. Megan is away and so there's no lesson, however I still get to ride. Maryanne and I will practice the dressage test and call out the letters to each other. I think I more or less know it. It's test one, but sadly, I'm supposed to learn the walk/trot test first. It's hard to put that down and admit that even though I'm jumping full courses in lessons that if I had to do a dressage test I'd be better off in JUST walk-trot. I think it depends on who I'm riding. Which is also a pisser. Can't pick up a canter right on command? Shoo. Feels like 8 years old.

Totally Jamming

PHOTO: FIRST IMAGE WHEN "FUZZY MUZZLE" IS SEARCHED

We are totally jamming. Things are coming together at an alarming rate and the only thing that keeps me believing that I can keep up with it is my team that is full of ideas and good direction. Everyone works well (so far) with everyone else (famous last words) and I still have the luxury of thinking that my job in all this is to be the glue and forge ahead.

I had a really hard riding lesson yesterday, but it was hard in the good way. I rode a horse called Lancer, who I'd never ridden before, and he was a champ. He was awesome. We did a lot of flat work- only flat work actually, and a lot of poles that would be spaced further apart and closer together, which challenged us to change the stride length at every pass. Not only that, in between every pass was a circle and leg yields in and out. At the end of the lesson, after we'd put our horses away, I looked at Maryanne, one of my lesson mates and noticed how sweaty she still was. It was a good ten minutes after that when I left and upon getting in the car, I noticed that my own face was PURPLE still. No. Joke. I stopped for a Gatorade on the way home and felt like I could conquer the world. Today my legs feel like the world conquered ME yesterday, but it's great. So, fully, completely great.

Well, Shoo.

PHOTO: FIRST IMAGE (.GIF, RATHER) WHEN "I LOVE HORSES" WAS SEARCHED

I had written a post last week and I guess I didn't finish it or something. It's not here! We made incredible progress last week, especially with the Wishlisting tool, which allows our users to send information about items they like back to our site. The parent side of the site is pretty well assembled, though there were some "had to build it to see it" questions we had about how things would fit together on the back end and what the future use scenarios might be on the site.

We are also looking to begin meeting with more families, some schools and some possible financial partners that we could refer our users to. Things are totally motoring.

My team is awesome and their momentum is as much responsible for the direction we head as anything else.

Things I want to be aware of: responsibility creep, morale and forging ahead. Everything feels good and I know there will be bumps in the road, but I feel if we keep open and alive, we will be able to address things as they come up.

Basic Updates

PHOTO: COOL PIC I FOUND ONLINE

Saturday night went well, people seemed to like the presentation and it was fun to get up in front of a group (http://technicallyphilly.com/events/ignite-philly-3-packs-johnny-brendas-again). The photo's... taken from an unfortunate angle. Afterward we went to the launch party of OUR SHELF, another DreamIt company, and it was a good time. Between those two events and the Friday Mashable/Indy Hall party (which I STILL can't figure out what it was about- anybody?) I got plenty talk-about-myself practice.

Mmmm, started a new Twitter account today: KidProject. Please find me there, follow me, refer your friends with kids or anyone you suspect who'd be interested in my project.

I did a lot of research today and while it seems everyone agrees that allowance is a tool to teach kids financial responsibility, there is a lot of disagreement as to what that might mean. For some parents it's getting kids to buy their own stuff and "feel the pain" when money runs out, and for others it's a way to get their kids used to saving- as in the few dollars I give you is for holding on to. Many of these parents still buy their kids stuff, which seems to defeat the purpose of the lesson.

Comments section: Did you get allowance? Regularly? How did you negotiate with your parents for stuff you wanted? If you have kids, answer these as a parent, too.

Tomorrow!

VIDEO: FROM DRAGONS' DEN

Tomorrow I do this: http://www.ignitephilly.org/

I'm really excited because these events are sort of a big deal and I love the idea of "entertaining AND educational". I feel like it's a really special thing to have been asked and I modified my presentation from the DreamIt Kick Off Weekend as my presentation.

20 slides, 15 seconds each slide. That means 5 minutes to share your idea and present it cogently to the group. It's at Johnny Brenda's- a music club, and when I'm feeling it (as in a *leetle bit sassy*) I really enjoy being in front of a group. I don't have a whole lot of experience in this UP IN FRONT OF PEOPLE category, but I'm happy to have the practice.

When we went for our DreamIt interview (speaking of needing practice in front of people) we sat opposite from a group who quite literally determined the course of the next phase of our project. Impressing them meant fast tracking our plans. Without their support, we'd be plugging away at a much slower pace. I was nervous but REALLY didn't want to be. I wanted to be confident and crisp.

We were in the building, waiting to be called in to our interview when I remembered a trick I used to use when I'd get nervous at horse shows. It goes like this: "This feeling right now? The fluttering, sweaty one? THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE. You're not nervous, you're EXCITED. Because this is fun." I wanted it to be fun. I really wanted to enjoy being there- shit like that doesn't happen every day and I didn't want to miss the moment. Tomorrow's kind of like that. I'm seeing this as more momentum. Another way to share my project and get feedback.

I'm attaching a clip from Dragons' Den. It's a cool show and I joke that our DreamIt interview was like being on Dragons' Den...

Progress And Shifting Focus

PHOTO: FIRST RESULT IN "HOLDING A FILLY" GOOGLE SEARCH

How the mini running around on the last post didn't get any comments, I don't know! Analytics says a few folks stopped by yesterday- aren't you people looking?!

Really great progress this week, despite a few lame setbacks. Patsy's computer took a turn for the dead- nothing was lost- but what a time suck. And David learned a few new things about the library Amazon uses but wasn't able to complete the bookmarklet tool. But progress was made, the tech spec is coming together and next on the list is the more business side of things.

Rudy, who is my DreamIt Mentor, gave me good advice that I'm burying myself in this weekend and next week. I am tweaking what he said, though, because not only am I going to get micro with it, I'm going macro as well. Too often when I talk to people the immediate response/ advice proffered is stuff we've already thought of- it's not that I'm not grateful, it's just I think if I had something short and synthesized I could "skip steps" with people who are interested in advising.

I also figured out the Ad Words strategy. This isn't rocket science, but I have a few questions that I'll have to ask the dragons, but I'm making headway. On our way to company formation with the lawyer (still no name, though- what to do?) and hope to have that together soon.

No gym and no horses this week. Did garden, though!

Giddy Update

VIDEO: BABY MINI ON THE LOOSE!!

So, the project. It's called KidsMoney, which is a temporary name, and it's a financial literacy site for kids. Kids will be able to set financial goals, track their savings online and ultimately make pre-approved online purchases. That's the gist. The elevator pitch.

This week my team has been working on the components to an alpha prototype. A proto-prototype, if you will. Did you hear that? My TEAM is working on it. As in, while this is happening, my time is freed up to think of other things. It feels great and I'm full of gratitude and team feelings. I'm thinking of the changes we'll be making already, but tomorrow we have a call to go over the progress.

Rudy, who is the mentor DreamIt gave me, has given me some advice that I haven't had a chance to sit down yet with. He's asked me to think of the specific value propositions KidsMoney offers, even using the words "laser sharp" to describe how specific these need to be. I notice that there are times in my life when I fear specificity- worrying that semantics will sully what in actuality is agreement, or that it won't leave room for flexibility. But in this case, the specificity is our team's vision. And I need to know that it's in line with how parents and kids will want to use KidsMoney. Only from here will I be able to note the nuanced shifts between my understanding and my customers'.

It was rainy this morning so I couldn't go riding. Of course it's stopped now and would probably be a great time to ride, but alas. Next week I'll be at Temple, jurying their student films (all day- shoo!) so I won't get to ride then, either. Boo.

Tangental Side Step

PHOTO: CELEBRATING MY 18TH BIRTHDAY AT WORK

So... when I was 17 I started selling skateboards for Foundation. There were less than 25 regular accounts, the sales of which were tracked on index cards I kept filed alphabetically in a recipe box. When I left at 19 (to pursue community college more seriously) I had 674 accounts, many of whom ordered from me weekly. Foundation is still in business and a handful of the core group is still running it. I often credit my background in the skateboard world as the root of all things great in my professional life, and when I wrote this note to Tod today, I thought I should post it here as a sort of SHOUT OUT LOUD.

...the note starts with a little "how ya doin'," this is where the mushy part starts:

Two things: I know I have said it before, but my experience at FSC totally shaped my adult life in such a rad way and I carry all sorts of lessons in my back pocket all the time.

Working for you I learned that getting the job done right comes first, I learned how to be persuasive (my personal method is to "try and make people like me," for better or worse) and from you as an individual I learned entrepreneurial skills that make doing your own thing at any cost always worth it.

From skateboarding world I learned about loyalty and fostering the creative talents of your own network. That stuff is commonplace today and is why things like Facebook and all that have blown up. Underground cultures figured that out long ago- from secret backyard skate sessions, zine making, punk rock bands in basements to all KINDS of geeky tape trading. Those were the lessons I grew up on and they are also the things every blog and book about business will tell you are skills you need in order to make it in the world: Bootstrapping, leveraging resources, bartering and connecting. We had it down!

I loved selling skateboards for you, Tod. I think it was the most important thing I ever did in my life.

I was accepted to DreamIt, an incubator program that's providing me with seemingly endless resources but only for a short period of time. The advantage I feel I have is obvious, and I learned it with you. The team I have surrounding me- meaning the people I brought with me and the folks I'm meeting through the program- make me feel like the antsy, alive, super-worker bee in me can totally make this happen- that I was able to have that feeling at Foundation, at the START of my professional career, is invaluable. The fact that I even have "sales mode," is great. The fact that I'm committed to the people around me is great. The fact that I don't have to wear a suit to work (and never did)? The greatest gift of all. It proves something to me- and it's all treating me well. Just wanted to say it. Woo!

RIP Freddie Mercury

PHOTO: FREDDIE AND A GIRL WHO LOVED HIM, TOO

Freddie was a horse I rode sometimes and he was great. Last Friday he had a heart attack and died, right there in front of everyone. I wasn't there when it happened (I just heard today at my lesson), but I can only imagine how scary and hopeless it must have felt for everyone.

He was a good horse and over the past 6 months since I've started taking lessons again I've had to challenge my body in new ways. Not being fit enough after a 10-year lapse in any formal riding- longer if you go back to when I was riding very seriously- I fought the bad habits that wanted to develop as I compensated for my total lack of strength. Freddie was a regular for me: always fun, always willing and a great horse for me to start back up with again. Actually, he was my favorite.

OMG, Back in Action

PHOTO: MONTANA RAINBOW

Cow Belle was put in my pocket. For almost 2 years. A lot has happened very, very quickly, and so with this momentum I will take the opportunity to get back in the saddle, as it were, and start up again.

For anyone just joining us (and I think there were about 3 of us who ever visited this site with any regularity) (yes, that's "us" as in I am one third of my audience), this is the blog I started when I first tried getting serious about KidsMoney.

This is what happened, and if you're interested to read more about it: that's what archives are for. Two summers ago I had the type of vacation that changes one's life. Having always ridden horses growing up, it was a sad sad fact of city living that as an adult I had not the time or access to ride. Having always ridden horses as some kind of "working student" where I bartered my time and talent for lessons, I couldn't even imagine a situation where riding would be possible. I'm not a wealthy woman, you see.

My magical, life changing vacation was a cattle drive. For a week I rode around Montana on a horse named Blue and learned the tricks of the trade from a wrangler named John. At the end of every day my face hurt from smiling. I felt like I had rediscovered an essential part of me that had been buried. In a desperate effort to find a way to keep that part of myself present, I realized I needed to make a change.

I needed to commit to myself more: to act on good ideas and be aggressive. I always considered myself a facilitator: I was the one who made things happen, but my collaborative spirit had kept me in someone else's kitchen. In an effort to step out and refresh, I decided that my most exciting idea was certainly the place to start.

Additionally, that exciting idea is also the one I'm hoping to make my first boatload of money on- you know, so I can be the horse lady.

In summary: this blog was started as a way for me to make good on my promise to myself: to ride more (which I did- and do, only now I'm taking lessons and having (woo woo) a great time) to exercise more (which I do, complete with gym membership) and to harness the energy I get from these indulgences and apply it to "my great idea."

The great idea is referred to in past posts in secret... From now on, I'll be able to explain it more.

And finally, I am seeing this next phase as life as nothing more than a dream come true and I can't wait to work my hiney off making it all come together.

Jim Shoulders, RIP...

Back Again...

PHOTO: ANOTHER TOWNSEND METH MURAL

So I got really sick last week. I went to NY and did my meetings and learned a lot about what kind of ducks I'll have to get in a row before I can really go forward and it's a lot. But what one friend said really stuck with me, "If I thought about all I DIDN'T know about running a business I'd stop dead in my tracks." I think I can do this. I need some more information and to meet more people, but it's doable.

I'm still a little congested and I haven't been riding or to yoga in over a week, but I'm less tired than before and I'll go to class tonight.

Raining...

PHOTO: CALVES
Today it's raining and so I slept in and didn't ride. I'm also sick. Laris said I looked like Tarzan this weekend and he was right. I didn't look like Tarzan ALL weekend, just once, but then Sunday morning when I woke up I caught a glance in the mirror and I could see the resemblance, too. It's because I'm sick. And my hair is unruly. I'm supposed to go to NY tomorrow after my dentist appointment.. I can't wait. I hope I feel better. And that I look less Tarzan-like. Rain is called for, so I think cowboy boots won't be so out of place. I was wondering, remember?

Reach Out And Touch Someone...

PHOTO: ME AND MIKE

I have been making the meetings for next week in NY. So far, so good. I'm making progress. It's really hot out but I'm thinking I might wear my cowboy boots to all business related meetings. Thoughts?

Work Is The Thing...

PHOTO: AROUND THE FIRE

Work is the thing that comes between riding and yoga. I have decided. The other thing I have decided comes from watching the last Harry Potter movie (I'm catching up for the new one): Riding horses is a pretty Harry Potterish thing you can do. It's a little like magic.

If you know horses and have spent any kind of time around them, you'll get what I'm talking about. They are big and they could kill you. Like dragons.

Jamie Said...

PHOTO: BRANDING DAY

Today Ila, the horse who started out crazy who has been actually really great lately, was amazing. I think it had something to do with the fact that it was 100 degrees outside, so she couldn't get nutso. I think Lezlie is having a little "I told you so" with me because she told me Ila'd normal out when she was fit. I didn't really believe her. I thought Ila was a lost cause. What do I know?

The Scope Of Things...

PHOTO: ME AND NICOLE BY THE CAMPFIRE

I am really trying hard right now. I am tired and I feel like I'm trying to do things like stop work at normal hours and not work so much on the weekend, but it's making me get less done. I have started telling Laris to do stuff and I wonder if it will make HIM crazy. But he tells me to do stuff, so it probably evens out. Besides, I'm certain he LIKES working like a maniac, so until it gets to be too much for him, I'll presume it's all OK.

I found a girl who is a business girl who I'll also meet with in NY. I gave her the business prospectus and I'll have to see what she thinks of it. I went over it with her but I think it's good to give her a little sheet about it, so she can get excited. The excitement I have over the project feels like an open window. If I don't seize every opportunity while the window is open, it could close— and then what? It IS just a feeling. But I feel like I have to act NOW... and that's fort of the exciting part.

BTW, I like this photo of me and Nicole. Cute.