Gabriella Goddard's Blog (author of "Gulp!: The 7 day crash course to master fear and break through any challenge"

Gulp! Virtual Book Tour: Audible Podcast

Audible is the world's largest audio book portal and the digital provider of downloadable audio books to iTunes and Amazon.com.  If you haven't tried listening to an audio book then I highly recommend them.  I'm hooked!  They're great for long train/plane journeys, working out at the gym and even sitting on the beach.  Plus you get the benefit of hearing the words straight from the author's mouth.  My clients say that it's like having me whispering in their ear!

To mark the launch of the Gulp! audio book, Audible invited me to be one of their "self-help gurus" and share my top tips about New Year's Resolutions.  Listen to this podcast to find out why you should ditch them altogether!

You can see my audio book range at:

www.audible.com/gabriella

www.audible.co.uk/gabriella

Creative Spark: Feel It In the Air Tonight

I'm currently in Paris for a few days of Executive Coaching, and I've been desperately looking out for these guys - apparently they recorded this on the Paris Metro!  What I love about them is their pure raw talent and the way they use their voices as instruments in what they call "vocal play".  They certainly made their mark on this metro ride - and they looked like they had fun doing it.

Where could you be making your mark?

Special thanks to Teresa for posting this on my Facebook Funwall.

Gulp! Virtual Book Tour: The Sassy Ladies

Don't you just love the name of this web portal!  The Sassy Ladies are a network of women entrepreneurs who like to mix success with fun.  I had a great conversation with Wendy Hanson, one of the co-founders, about Gulp! and wake up calls.  Talk about a real Ms Dynamite.

Listen to the podcast here:  http://www.thesassyladies.com/News/Podcasts/tabid/87/Default.aspx

And check out all the other amazing things that The Sassy Ladies do.

Gulp! Virtual Book Tour: Bantam Podcast

My personal development book "Gulp! : The 7 Day Crash Course to Master Fear and Break Through Any Challenge" hit the book shelves in the US this week.  It's amazing to think that none of this might have happened if it wasn't for my breast cancer scare.  It just goes to show what a wake up call can do. 

Bantam Dell (part of the Random House publishing group) were the brave souls who took the leap of faith and decided to publish Gulp!.  So it's apt that we kick off the Gulp! Virtual Book Tour with a podcast on the Bantam Dell website with me talking about one of my Gulp! Moments in 2007 - swimming with dolphins down in New Zealand.

Check it out here:  http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/podcast/  It's Episode 46.

New Year's Greetings

Happy New Year to you, and here's to an awesome 2008! 

I'm getting the real sense of big change happening this year, not just for me but for others as well.  Maybe you've been feeling the same.  It's as if we've turned a corner and we're now facing completely fresh choices about the direction we want to take our life.

So do we leap forward, or shy away?

With any sort of change there comes three things:

1.  The fear of the unknown.

2.  The sadness at letting go of the old.

3.  That bubbling sense of anticipation that comes with embracing the new.

I call these the "trio of change".  My commitment to you in 2008 is to be a creative spark of inspiration and support to help you get through them. That's because when change knocks on your door, it's time to listen. 

But I also know that it can be darn scary!  That's why for 2008 I've created a downloadable 30 Day One Big Gulp! Program for you.  Apart from being FREE - it's also fun and fabulous.  And it'll provide you with a roadmap and guidance on how you can move through your change - gracefully and effortlessly. 

Start it today by signing up for it here. Get your friends and family involved and make 2008 the year you turn that corner.  I'll be working through it myself on my One Big Gulp! - so we'll be doing it together.

Special thanks to Victoria Wilkinson for her fantastic design work in bringing the One Big Gulp! eWorkbook to life. Thanks also to Janet Limb for reminding me to make it all FUN!

Top Success Tips for Businesss Owners

In my globe trotting travels I've had the privilege of meeting some truly amazing people.  Megan Tobin is one of them.  Our paths first crossed when I was living in Mexico and she was our "big wig" New York Business Consultant.  These days Megan runs her own successful business consultancy and coaching company, and there have been many times when her straight talking advice has really made me sit up and pay attention. Here are Megan's "5 Business Success Planning Tips" to help you move you forward - fast:

1.  Get clear on your purpose and products, and pace yourself – Understand and be able to convey why you are in business, your vision and mission. Identify and plan competitive products/services to sell today and tomorrow. And, pace yourself.  This is not an overnight trip, so outline your milestones.

2.  Write it all down – Document everything along your business journey!  With good documentation, you will be surprised how much of the work will already be done when you need to share information for marketing, sales, financing, staffing or other business requirements.

3.  Validate your plan, share it and always be open to revising it – Share your findings and action results with “independent parties”.  Listen carefully to their reactions and recommendations. Be open to making revisions that will help you to be successful.

4.  Get help to develop and maintain your success plan to meet milestone commitments, and adjust your course as necessary – Working with a business consultant or coach can help you stay on track to meet your mark!

5.  Do the math – Think through (and document) the financial requirements for your business in the near, medium and long-term.

Use these tips to make your entrepreneurial journey more successful and rewarding! You can find out more about Megan at Time2Market where you can sign up for her newsletter and learn more about business planning.  Plus, to read Megan's complete article on "5 Business Success Planning Tips" click here.

1.  Get clear on your purpose and products, and pace yourself – Understand and be able to convey why you are in business, your vision and mission. Identify and plan competitive products/services to sell today and tomorrow. And, pace yourself.  This is not an overnight trip, so outline your milestones.

2.  Write it all down – Document everything along your business journey!  With good documentation, you will be surprised how much of the work will already be done when you need to share information for marketing, sales, financing, staffing or other business requirements.

Gulp! Virtual Book Tour

I'm thrilled to announce that "Gulp!" will be launching in America on 1st January 2008 and will be published by Bantam/Random House.  The timing is perfect for the New Year and we have some really exciting activities planned to support the launch. 

Our Virtual Book Tour will be kicking off on 1st January and will carry on right through the year.  So watch this space.  I'll be giving interviews for blogs, forums, podcasts and even Second Life, and we have our own interactive page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Big-Gulp/8494535796

Creative Spark: Permission to Be Crazy!

In the 1990's Apple launched their Think Different campaign and the words to the "Crazy Ones" really struck a chord with me.  When you step outside your comfort zone and embrace the unknown, many people around you will say you're just plain crazy. Take this as a compliment!

Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.

And while some see them as the crazy ones,
We see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think
they can change the world,
Are the ones who do.

Write That Book: How to build a powerful author's platform

If your Gulp! challenge is to write a book, or you've already written one and want to sell more books, then come and join us on this teleclass as part of Julia McCutchen's "Ask the Author" series.

Check out:  http://www.juliamccutchen.com/events/ask_the_author.php

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The Four Cornerstones of a Powerful Platform with Gabriella Goddard, author of Gulp! (Penguin)

Do you want to sell loads of books or would you rather be the best kept secret on the bookshelf? If you chose the latter then I’m afraid to say you’re in the wrong business!   Your success as an author depends to a large extent on how many books you sell. That’s why one of the first questions a publisher will ask is 'what sort of platform do you have?' … So what would your answer be?

Whether you’re just starting out, or whether you’re already published, developing a powerful platform is the secret to selling more books.  In this session we’ll explore the four cornerstones of building a powerful platform; your database, your profile, your relationships and your 'engine room'.

We’ll take a close look at each cornerstone and discuss why it’s important, what impact it has on your chances of success and practical ways that you can create it.

You’ll learn how to; quickly build a quality 'fan' base, raise your visibility in the local and national press, nurture long lasting relationships with your potential readers, journalists and key influencers, establish an 'engine room' that is efficient, effective and easy to manage, leverage your platform to expand your income potential.

Plus we’ll show you how to approach all this from a place of curiosity, fun and adventure! So obviously a session NOT to be missed!

Check out:  http://www.juliamccutchen.com/events/ask_the_author.php

If you're in London and

 

If you're in London and at a loose end this long weekend then come to the MBS festival at Victoria.

I will be running an in-depth session on Monday 28th May from 3pm-7pm rather aptly titled "Gulp! and Get Going".  It's ideal for if you've got a Gulp! challenge coming up over the next three months, or you've had one brewing for a while and want to do something about it.

Here's more info:

GULP! & GO

WHEN: Bank Holiday Monday 28th May, 3pm - 7pm

WHERE: Mind Body Spirit Festival

Have you felt an inner calling to make important changes in your life? Is it time to delve further and find clarity and direction? Do you need a final boost of confidence to take those important first steps? Whether you are looking to make changes at work, at home or fundamental shifts in your relationships and life direction, this session will help you find the inspiration, clarity and confidence to take that leap of faith.

In this fun and interactive session you will learn how to face your fears, reconnect to your inner wisdom, create "what could be" and use your intuition to guide you and keep you focused. You'll leave feeling inspired and motivated to just Gulp! and go for it.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR PLACE:

http://www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk/presenter.asp?pid=112

Remember...be bold, be brave and make your life happen!

See you there

Gabriella