Barbara Sher’s Idea Party

HotGetWhatYouWant_18_small

How Does the Online Idea Party Work?

You have a dream or a wish, and an obstacle to getting there. (If you don’t think you know your wish, work through my kick-starter and read this post. To learn why you must put logic aside to find your dream, read the following.)

The online Idea Party is here to help you – and the other fellow party goers – with your wishes and obstacles.

Voices from Success Teams and Idea Parties:

Having a team to report to and hearing what everybody did each week is very exciting. It’s kept me moving all year. In the past I made some good starts on my own, but found, every time, when the energy ran out, I ran out. Now it doesn’t run out.
Jade G.
Children’s Playroom Therapist, New York Hospital

I would do a painting a year, a sketch a year. If it was only me I know I would never do it. Having to tell you makes all the difference. It’s crazy why I didn’t do this years ago, it’s so easy all of a sudden.
Caroline R. Personnel Executive, Macy’s Dept Store

Post Your Wish and Your Obstacle Here!

And help your team mates out when you can. Use the Reply link to help, the form below the comments to add your own Wish and Obstacle.

(Your first comment below has to be approved, so it may not display instantly depending on the time of the day. Once your email address is approved you can post instantly. If you want your own profile photo to show up beside your comments, instead of the cute little design, upload your photo on Gravatar.com and give them an hour or so to make it happen.)

Leave a Reply to Patty Newbold Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

4,428 thoughts on “Barbara Sher’s Idea Party

  1. I’d like to get a job as an investment banker, but I have no idea where a good place to start would be or where someone would go to learn about managing finances. I see a lot of wasted opportunities around me and it would be great to know how to help change that.

    I hope I can help others here, as well as the people around me, find ideas that lead them to success. Best regards all.

    • It seems to me there must be training for that, some certifications that people have to have to be in that field. I know it sounds basic, but have you googled it? You could contact a company that you have heard of and simply ask how one gets into that field.

  2. Hi everyone.
    I recently heard my childhood primary school closed due to lack of funds and mismanagement.It provided almost free education to really vulnerable,poor children in my village in Merti,Kenya.
    My wish:i want to buy this school and give these kids same opportunities i was given.i want them to have a good education,three square meals and a place they learn to play,laugh,pursue dreams
    Obstacle:i do not have nearly enough funds to do this.The project needs money to purchase the school,school equipment,pay teachers,buy books and food…Most of the families are pastrolists who would not afford the fees.
    I would appreciate any inputs or help on how to do this.i have not been this excited about a project in a long time.
    Thank you very much

  3. Thanks Hana, my son knows a caterer that he will introduce me to. I think its a good place to start. She know many people in the food industry.
    Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
    Cellini

  4. Hello, And thank you your willingness to help me with my obstical. I’m eager to be able to help someone with their obsicals too!
    My wish: I want to open my first bagel sandwich shop in the small town I live in. There is a perfect hole in the wall down the street within the General Store where they used to make pizzas in a tiny corner of the building.
    I’ve tried reaching out to several different phone numbers for the owner/GM but the gals that answer say “Oh, hes not available”,”Hes too busy”,”He probably wont want to do that”, never being able to ask the owner/GM myself if I could rent out the corner to sling bagle sandwiches.
    My obstical is not being able to get directly thru to the owner/Gm to get the yes or no. My second obstacle would to be able to find or afford a different location should I get a hard “NO”!
    We dont have any convenience food places out this way, and I think it’s a great idea for all of our community and for the warehouse workers nearby.
    A little help could help me go a long way!
    Thank you for reading!
    Kindly,
    Michele

    • Have you checked online to see if the owner/GM belongs to any of the same organizations as you? Perhaps you could meet without going through those telephone guardians.

      • Hi Patty,

        I did look into any other connections, and there were none!

        I finally got through to the manager, and he said they have the space reserved for future use. On to the next! Thank you for your help, Patty!!

    • Hey, Michelle!
      If you get a “no,” I have another couple of ideas.
      My brother started out offering sandwhiches at an antique shop. I would think a flea market or other similar place might work. The antique owners took to his offer quickly, as if there was food, people were less likely to leave and go elsewhere. They would look at antiques, eat, and look some more. He now owns four successful Hamburger Restaurants in Houston!

      Good luck! Hope these ideas are helpful!

  5. Hey,
    I am a 20 year old university student. My family has history of mental problems.
    So I want to- consult a psychologist, to ensure I have a healthy mind and suggestions to deal with some problems I have been facing since a teenager.

    My obstacles are-
    I cannot talk about this at home so there is no money aid.
    And I am studying from home these days I cannot take call sessions and I am also not permitted to go out due to virus.

    It’s really important currently as it is hindering my professional life also. So need support.

  6. Hey Everyone!

    Hope you’re all doing good! I don’t know how ‘active’ this thread still is….since Barbara is not with us all anymore….

    But I am giving it a shot anyway….after much dilly-dallying and pussy-footing in my head, that is. LOL!

    My wish – I want to be a cat writer. I want to write for cat brands and magazines.

    Major obstacle – No clients.

    A little backstory – I am a former freelance journalist turned freelance writer, and have been writing online content for years. I’m well-versed in all things SEO and the how-to of creating content online.

    I have tackled numerous niches and myriad diverse topics – everything from makeup and skincare to gadget reviews, long-form Amazon product review blog posts, short 150-word articles, blog posts about health, travel, food, and so much more.

    But because of health reasons, and later on, since I was taking care of my child, I worked sporadically.

    I used to be a pet writer.

    But now I want to write exclusively for cat brands and be known as the go-to cat writer for one and all.

    I have tried cold emailing some cat brands, but have received little traction. I believe partly it’s my fault as I lose steam and motivation after sending 25-50 pitches when I see zero results.

    It takes a LOT of time to write up a personalized pitch, finding out the contact details of the right person, etc. That’s the real motivation killer for me.

    I think I need a ‘quick win’.

    But I don’t know how to go about it. Any ideas/suggestions are welcome.

    I would love to hear something fresh!

    Thanks in advance.
    Shazi

    P.S. Just so you know, I have had cats and kittens for over 15 years. I have even comforted and “assisted” (sort of) one of my cats during labor.
    So, this is not just a whimsical wish of mine. I’m seriously passionate about cats. 🙂

    • When you email them, are you able to send them to your website, where they can view sample content? Are you posting about cats frequently on one of the social media, building up a following, so that when you hashtag some brand you would like to write for, they take notice of how large your following is?

    • Do you still have contacts/relationships with whoever you were a pet writer for before? Do they have “cats” column/section?

    • Maybe you’ve already tried this but what about looking for places that are already looking for cat writers (I.e. do a job search). It’s probably easier than trying to do a cold call. Your background already seems great for a car writer role, but more direct experience doesn’t hurt and you can start marketing yourself as a cat writer and use the work you do as writing samples to show other potential employers (or create great cat writing samples without getting a job as a cat writer and have something to show).

    • Maybe you’ve already tried this but what about looking for places that are already looking for cat writers (I.e. do a job search). It’s probably easier than trying to do a cold call. Your background already seems great for a car writer role, but more direct experience doesn’t hurt and you can start marketing yourself as a cat writer and use the work you do as writing samples to show other potential employers (or create great cat writing samples without getting a job as a cat writer and have something to show).

  7. I am starting a business that helps couples plan fun date nights that bring them closer through positive, shared memories. It’s called Date Night Hero.

    My obstacle is I need clients and testimonials in Washington, DC.

    Thanks!

    Megan

      • Maybe I haven’t told enough people I’m looking for clients? I have told some friends and have advertised on our neighborhood listserv that reaches thousands of people in my city. But when I tell people they usually say, Oh that’s a fun idea but I not sure who would pay for that.

        I think I need to sync up with couples therapists in DC and ask them to recommend my services. But I don’t know any!

        • So, where could you find a list of those local couples therapists and start calling them? And what could you do for them (or any organizations many of them belong to) that would make them feel confident sending referrals to you?

          • Maybe try a “wellness” event. My city has a organized community of healing / wellness practitioners and this community hosts a few wellness events each year – usually at community center with a large exhibition space. Anyway, vendors range from local reiki practitioners, yogis, therapists / counselors of all descriptions, naturalists, jewelry makers, therapeutic / medical equipment, healthy foods, etc. Perhaps connect will a wellness community in your area and check out the cost for a vendor table – maybe offer a coupon for a couples therapy session or raffle a session to start.

      • Thanks, AL!

        Here is the ad I posted on our neighborhood listserv:

        “As the city emerges from being locked down and cooped up for so long, lots of couples are understandably eager to flee their living rooms and get out on the town, trail or beach together this summer.

        If date night is the last thing on your mind as you navigate summer camp, office re-entry and out of town guests, look no further than Date Night Hero.

        At Date Night Hero we plan personally-tailored local outings that help couples create positive memories that bring them closer. We’ll come up with great ideas and handle the logistics so you can focus on what really matters – one another. Let us do the planning so you can start romancing!

        Whether you have been living together 6 months, married 20 years or want to impress that special someone you met online – summer is the ideal time to renew those pandemic-weary bonds and have some fun together.”

          • I just need my first few clients and some solid testimonials in the Washington, DC area.

            Would you or your friends pay for or gift such a service to loved ones?

            I had my first client last summer and they loved the romantic dinner picnic I prepared for them (!) but it’s been tough during COVID since things were closed and people not really going out much.

        • Megan,

          What is the ballpark price range for your service?

          (I’m in northern VA – just outside DC. I might gift it for my son and his wife.)

          Thanks!

          • Thanks for reaching out, Jennifer!

            The conceptualization and planning fee depends on how involved the arrangements/logistics are. I can plan anything from a one hour coffee date to a romantic weekend – and anything in between.

            I’d be happy to work with you via a complimentary 15-20 minute phone consultation to learn about your son and daughter-in-law’s tastes, interests and hobbies to design a date that they will both enjoy.

            For a stellar testimonial, I would consider a discounted planning and conceptualization fee. To give you an idea, the romantic evening picnic P+C fee was $85. The client pays for all actual pass through costs like the tab at a restaurant, or admission tickets to the theater.

            For you, I would consider charging less if you were willing to provide a helpful testimonial about Date Night Hero. Email me at: DCFunConsultant@gmail.com and I’m sure we can work out something that fits your gift budget!

            Thanks again for the kind note, Jennifer. 🙂

            Warmest wishes,

            Megan
            DCFunConsultant@gmail.com

          • Megan,

            I love what you are creating and my partner and I would definitely be interested. However we live in Arizona. Check out myazpicnics on instagram or Facebook. I remember when they had less than 100 followers. They also started out with wanting to help couples and creating a date night “unplugged”. Their prices start at $120.

            Good luck!

          • Hi Jennifer,

            Just circling back on your kind note. Was the price point I quoted out of your range?

            Please feel free to reach out directly to discuss your son and daughter-in-law’s needs. I’m at: DCFunConsultant@gmail.com

            No pressure to purchase anything – I’m mainly doing market research at this stage to better target local needs. It would really help me to chat with you or your relatives in the DMV area!

            Warmly,

            Megan

      • Hi Al,

        I must have missed your message earlier – apologies!

        At Date Night Hero we plan personally-tailored local outings in the DC/VA/MD area that help couples create positive memories that bring them closer.

        We’ll come up with great ideas and handle the logistics so you and your partner can focus on what really matters – one another.

        I start out by offering a free 20 minute phone consultation to get a sense of the couples’ tastes, hobbies and time availability. Together, we come up with an individually-tailored date that is sure to impress.

        Please email me to discuss further or to schedule a free consultation: DCFunConsultant@gmail.com

        Warmest wishes,

        Megan

      • Hey Michelle,

        I wasn’t sure which post you were replying to.

        Are you interested in help planning date nights or something else? 🙂

        Megan

      • Hi Michelle,

        Thanks for writing!

        I found MyAZpicnics on Insta. Couldn’t get a sense of their services but found their website and reached out to set up a consult. We’ll see if anyone responds.

        In the meantime, I’d love to chat with you about your needs for Date Night planning to get a better sense of what people would want out of such a service. Feel free to email me at: DCFunConsultant@gmail.com

        Thanks!

        Megan

  8. I’m 68 years old and just left a career as a real estate agent. I don’t want to go back to a corporate job. I want to start a food truck business but have no experiencer or money. Just a love of cooking.

    • Came across this article on 6 Ideas for a Mobile Food Business: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220401
      Have you considered selling your creations at a farmers market or renting a kiosk at a food festival? Would be a good opportunity to build clientele and interest in your food creations, and meet other vendors. Maybe you could partner with another person who shares your dream.

Leave a Reply to Patty Newbold Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.