How I learned to be a “good enough” business person and do the work I love.

This blog post will probably be read by some of my beloved students. If you are interested in how I got to “where I am” it may be of interest.

If not, just know that I am so grateful to you and for what I’ve learned from you over the years. I still have to pinch myself when I realize how blessed I am to do the thing I’m best at and love the most.

If you are a professional somanaut and entrepreneur, I hope my story can give you a little hope that an ordinary person can do this.

If you have run into a rough patch and feel like giving up on your business, I can relate.

If you are scared about your future that would be normal too. Our economy is not headed in a good direction, not for the next 4 years anyway. Those of us in service businesses are often the first to feel the pain when folks stop spending out of necessity and prudence.

I discovered that building a business around embodiment skills is not easy even in the best of times as soon as I graduated from my Alexander Technique training program.

I wasn’t “good at business” or “good at money” though I was great at connecting with people through movement.

You don’t have to be great at money and entrepreneurship, but you do have to at least be mediocre!

It’s kind of like being a good enough parent. You need to be motivated enough to do uncomfortable things on a regular basis. If you can get a good job within any kind of institution, that’s awesome! Grab it.

Unfortunately, many educational and public health institutions are struggling right now. Entry into the professional world is requiring longer training and more expensive degrees that are out of reach for many.

Our economy seems to be heading towards crisis, yet potential and opportunity are also present, in the midst of all the suffering.

People are frightened and exhausted by the capitalist model of extraction, slash, and burn.

People want their money to go into products and services that are good for the planet, good for society, good for other humans, like somatic skills!

The truth about money is, like everything else, it comes from the earth. The person who earned it, the materials they worked with, the water they drank while they were working…it’s all sourced from THE source.

We know this below our conscious mind even if we forget. I think folks want to honor that relationship now more than ever.

That’s why, if you are willing to learn some fundamental business building skills, there is potential in this dark moment in the world for you to thrive financially and to be of service.

People may be spending less, but they are spending with their hearts and souls.

If we learn what our clients biggest needs are and help them meet those needs, we can harness that desire and speak directly to it. Then, business itself becomes a powerful engine for social change.

I had a realization this morning as I prepared for giving a talk about money at the ISMETA Money Matters Café. Somatic practice led me first into a more loving relationship with myself and my body. And that shift led me to a healthier relationship with money.

Business is actually a beautiful way of expressing our need and our care for each other.

I grew up lower middle class, but had a sense of abundance in my surroundings and in the public education that was available to me.

My mom and a family friend helped get me started, and eventually I paid for my own training during high school by working at a bakery around the corner from my home dance studio. Apparently, while I was working the register there, Steve Jobs was drinking coffee and designing the first personal computer over in a corner! Talk about a business with social impact.

It wasn’t until I was out on my own as a young dancer that things got tough.

When I moved to NY in 1980, living expenses were not nearly as high as they are today. You didn’t have to work as hard to put a roof over your head and feed yourself. I got into the habit of earning just enough to get by, and spending all my extra money on dance.

That worked for awhile, getting me through 10 years of professional dance and an undergrad education on scholarship. But after I graduated, things got very bad very quickly. Dance is one of the lowest paying professions there is, considering the dedication it requires. I had 3 different jobs and danced for 3 different choreographers. So basically, 6 jobs!

I got grants to make work, but wasn’t earning enough to actually afford doing what the grants required! Leaving your life for three months to go to France is so glamorous! And so expensive. So I faked it, borrowing money from friends, not paying my rent, and didn’t take responsibility for my unpaid student loans. The government seized my bank account. It was brutal, and would have ended my nascent career quickly.

Fortunately, powerful somatic practices that integrate body, mind and soul were making their rounds in the dance community.

I found one that worked for me and held onto it for dear life. Once I started to feel better in myself, I realized how much the anxiety and shame around not having enough money caused.

I saw how living in financial deprivation hurt people who cared about me. Slowly I understood why I was worth more care – because when I was resourced, I could contribute more to others. I saw that the somatic knowledge and experience I had acquired had real value.

Thankfully, as we all know, somatic wisdom is a fantastic source of resilience.

It helps you build wonderful capacities to face the challenges of life, including entrepreneurship! In my case, that led to learning more about money and business.

I started a side business as a photo editor through an inherited job from a fellow dancer. I got paid to learn about the industry, building a lucrative career that supported my dancing, without having to go back to school. That wasn’t am option because I was still paying back my undergrad debt.

Learning to love myself also meant I had to accept I was not cut out for a corporate career.

My photo editing work paid for the transition from being a professional dancer to being an Alexander Technique teacher. My new awareness of and gratitude for money made me more curious about business and how it works. I learned a ton of stuff from a series of business coaches in the wellness and social impact space as I shifted from performing to teaching.

I love teaching so much. It uses all of the creative skills I spent all those years honing. And I have had to continue upping my personal wellbeing levels to show up for the work I do and hold space for others.

I understand what it means that my students value what I do enough to support me doing it.

That’s why I’ve spent so much of my own hard earned money… learning about money and business development. I truly believe that somatic professionals are on the cutting edge of healing, science and learning. We will find our way in this economy, and hopefully change it for the better in the process.

And that’s why, in addition to my beloved somatic practice, I run mastermind groups for somatic professionals and offer 1:1 business development support. If I get enough interest, I will start a new group this coming June. There are only 6 spots in each group, so if you are interested please let me know.

I’d be happy to talk for 15 minutes or so with you if you need some help building your business.

And if you are looking for support, check out the playlists below from my video library:

HERE is a playlist of professional development videos for somatic professionals.

HERE is a playlist of personal development videos as well.

Take heart! Our work is so much more than de-stressing and pain relief. It is essential to building the amazing human capacity to take positive action even in difficult circumstances.