Dream List Media

Written by: Sarah Peppel
Featured on: Story of My Life

The hot air balloon rose in the air as Melissa's knuckles tightened on the sides of the basket which alone held her from plummeting to the ground as she floated higher and higher into the sky. After the initial fear passed, the exhilaration of the moment filled her soul – keeping her coming back for more, higher, farther. From there, nothing was impossible.
 
Riding in a hot air balloon was one of many impressive goals Melissa would accomplish once she put her mind to it. Her family didn't have the money for extras when she was in college so she decided that she would find a way. She was already working full-time to pay for her classes when she began calling hot air balloon companies.
 
“Can I work for you on the weekends in exchange for a hot-air balloon ride?”
“No.”
“Do you need help on the weekends?”
“No, thank you.”
“I am willing to work for a hot air balloon ride.”
“Okay, fine.”
 
Finally, a yes! For a couple of hours on the weekend, Melissa achieved her heart's desire -- two rides in one summer. She had let herself dream, believed in herself and took the steps to accomplish it. Pictures and diary entries would fill her journal as each new goal was achieved. From learning to crochet to going to Australia, the ideas just kept exploding in her head. The amazing sense of accomplishment grew with each new skill or adventure.
 
Finishing college, Melissa would step out of the world of the weekend hot air ballooning and onto the corporate ladder. She reached her desired position as manager in sales and marketing at a magazine. She was excited but something didn't feel right. What she thought was going to be “it” just wasn't. She loved what she did but there was something else waiting for her full attention.
 
All her life, she had made goals, written them down, accomplished each dream one-by-one. Maybe now it was time to give back. She always she knew she was meant to help people. When she was growing up, she loved participating in different services that gave back to the community. Maybe she could give to others her strategy for success, goal setting and journaling the steps.
 
Wanting to educate, Melissa gave a seminar to 6th graders about goal setting and achievement. The session went so well that she could feel the “aha” moment – the connection with the kids, their response and desire to learn, her desire to give the gift of what she knew could work. She loved speaking in schools. This was “it!” The light bulbs were going off. Her calling and life purpose finally became clear but it would be a couple of years before she would go out on her own.

“All her life, she had made goals, written them down, accomplished each dream one-by-one. Maybe now it was time to give back.”
 
 
Sharing with the students from her own childhood, Melissa would tell the story about watching her own father as he trained to run a marathon. Following his dream, she remembers going to the races and cheering him on. Sometimes they would participate in a family fun run and it was great to be a part of seeing him have a dream and work towards it. Later her parents decided to learn a new language. Again, she witnessed them setting goals and accomplishing them. The process of learning and growing stuck with her and she took it to the next level.
 
To the kids, she says, “You can do what you put your mind to. Some dreams can come true. You can apply yourself and make good grades. You can figure out a way to become a doctor, a veterinarian, a baseball player. . .You can do it by setting a goal, writing it down and taking the action steps to get here. If you are creative and willing to work for it; there is hope.”
 
Each grade Melissa works with has a different set of challenges. Seniors are career focused and know how to set goals. Fourth graders are still thinking about being a ninja or a superhero. But whatever outrageous thing they might be thinking, Melissa tells them it is okay to dream and figure out how to turn one's passion into a career some day. At the younger ages, goal planning skills come in handy for good grades and all aspects of their future life if they can see achievement now.
 
To adults, she asks “What do you want to do? What dreams do you want to accomplish that you haven't already?” Dream List Photo Journals have become a way Melissa can share with her audience the need to write down goals, make baby steps and achieve them one by one until the larger picture is achieved. Developing the final product took time but the journals have become an essential element of Melissa's presentation as she guides individuals in their own path towards success, large to small.
 
Stepping off the safe corporate ladder and into the lofty skies of entrepreneurship and risk, Melissa has big plans to take her workshops into schools nationwide, helping counselors and teachers work with students, one individual -- one dream at a time.
 
BIO: Melissa Borghorst is the founder of Dream List Media, a personal development company helping individuals reach their dreams and true potential. She is author of the Dream List Photo Journal series, host on Dream List Radio, life coach and most importantly, motivational speaker for kids, teens and educators. Outside her professional life, Melissa has achieved extraordinary feats—skydiving, rock climbing, white water rafting, backpacking across Europe, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and singing, dancing and acting in a musical. To learn more see, www.dreamlistmedia.com

If you’re a musician and thinking about giving up on your music dream…watch this…and then think again.  Kris Allen, winner of American Idol’s Season 8, was about to give up on his music dream.  American Idol was his last shot and look where he’s at now.

Believe in yourself and keep following your dream!

Thembisa S. Mshaka was the guest on Tuesday, May 26 at 11am, where she talked about her new book, PUT YOUR DREAMS FIRST: Handle Your [entertainment] Business.  This book is a must-have industry survival guide for women interested in pursuing a career in entertainment, but can also serve anyone who needs inspiration to invigorate—or protect—their career.

About Thembisa S. Mshaka:
Thembisa S. Mshaka is a 5-time Telly Award winner who has served in the entertainment industry for over 17 years, spanning the areas of touring, management, magazine publishing, recorded music and technology, advertising, and music supervision for film, voice-over, and television.  As Senior Copywriter at Sony Music and 2-time NARM Award winner, her campaigns contributed to the sale of more than 150 million albums for artists from Lauryn Hill, Will Smith, and Beyonce to NaS, Maxwell, George Michael, and Jill Scott.  The former GAVIN rap editor has also written for essence.com and LAUNCH.com, and serves as contributing editor for The Hotness.com. Thembisa is currently the Copy Director for BET Networks.  Her website is http://www.handleyourentertainmentbusiness.com/ and her blog is www.thembisamshaka.com.

 

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Dream List Media Melissa Borghorst, motivational speaker and life coach, is on a mission to inspire others to follow and achieve their dreams. She is the founder of Dream List Media, which offers a variety of products and services to achieve her mission. In her interview, Melissa shares five tips to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

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Dream List Media (15 min. 14 sec. podcast)

1. Be Passionate, Positive & Persistent Passionate: Being passionate about what you do is crucial not only to the success of the business, but also to your long term happiness. Positive: The entrepreneurial ride can be a bumpy one, so it’s important to keep a positive outlook. Persistent: The journey can be tough, but believe in yourself and never give up. 2. Set Goals & Create a Dream List Dream List: Create a dream list for your business, listing all the things you’d like to accomplish with your business both long and short term. Set Goals: In order to make your big business dreams a reality, it’s important to create smaller goals as stepping stones to reach your dream. It’s also important to set regular goals to make sure you are staying on track and moving in the right direction. 3. Make a Plan Business Plan: This is where you figure out all the little details before jumping in. You can’t plan for everything, but a good business plan is a great way to get you prepared. Plus you’ll need this if you’re looking for financing. Think Big: Look for a variety of ways that you could potentially expand the business in the future. (will give examples of how I expanded my business into coaching, Dream List Radio, etc.) 4. Create Your Dream Team Surround yourself with like-minded people who will support and encourage your journey. Network to increase business connections. 5. Stay true to your mission Whether it’s the way you run your business, the opportunities for business growth or the people you meet along your journey, it’s important to stay true to your mission and your passions.

 

For more tips on starting a business, visit The Sassy Ladies website.

DREAMING ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS

Excerpted from The Sassy Ladies’ Toolkit For Start-Up Businesses
By Michelle Girasole, Wendy Hanson, and Miriam Perry

Some of us spend months, even years, thinking, “Some day I’ll have my own business,” but never actually make it happen. That’s because that first step is a doozy, and it can be tough to take. If you think of your first year in business as a journey, then this is the part where you decide where you want to go. Even if you’ve jumped into your business without spending too much time dreaming about it, you might find it useful to step back for a moment and do so. Think of it as a reality check to be certain you’re doing what’s really important to you. Perhaps you know someone who is living her dream. That person lives with a sense of purpose, filling each day with whatever is important to her. She has a sense of balance, accomplishment, and daily joy. You know the type. You can choose to envy her, or let her inspire you to live your dream. You also have a dream. It’s about being independent, financially free, successful, or famous. Maybe it’s about giving back to your community or making the world a better place. Or, it’s about _____________________________________________ (fill in the blank). In this dream, you see yourself doing what you love and loving what you do. You’re filled with a sense of satisfaction, happiness, and confidence. Hold that thought.

To turn your dream into a profitable business, you have a lot of practical steps ahead of you, some that are not as fun as the fantasy you’ve created in your mind’s eye. That’s why it’s so important to hold on to the dream to motivate and sustain you. Too often, we talk ourselves out of our dreams (or worse, we let others do that) because we don’t have enough time, money, experience, connections, ______________________________ (fill in your usual excuse here). If you’re reading this, you’ve moved past the vague, squishy, “If I ever win the lottery, I’ll …” stage and have decided to take action toward starting your own business. Congratulations! You’ve reached an important milestone in your life. This is when you’ve decided you’re going to live your life on your terms. It may be a risk, but in your heart, you know it’s an even bigger risk not to do it.

Define your dream
You have to define your dream before you can achieve it. You may be one of the lucky ones who knows exactly what you want to do. You may already know that if you don’t try to sell your handmade cards, you won’t be able to sleep at night. But you may not be that sure. Your dream may be less about what you do than what having your own business allows you to do: make more money, spend more time with your family, or travel. So your first step is to describe what your heart’s desire is.

Still not quite sure what your dream is? Think about the values that are most important to you. Knowing which values you hold dearest will help you make meaningful choices as you start and sustain your business. According to Wikipedia.org, values are “principles, standards or qualities considered worthwhile or desirable by the person who holds them.” If home life is one of your top three values, then a business that has you traveling two weeks every month might not be a good fit for you. If elegance is a top value, then being a professional pooper scooper would hardly fit your desired lifestyle, either. You get the picture.

Keep your eyes—and your heart—on the prize
Remember how your mother would save her nice things for special occasions? The fancy china dishes, heirloom jewelry, and snazziest outfits would be “saved” for extraordinary days. What a shame to let those treasures get dusty and go unused. This will not happen to your dream! Take your dream out of the dark, dust it off, and show it off every day. That’s how you make a dream a reality. (And while you’re at it, wear your great-grandmother’s diamond ring to go grocery shopping. Picking out peaches has never been so much fun. Eat your breakfast oatmeal out of your best china bowl. The oatmeal is good for your heart and enjoying one of your prized possessions is good for your soul.) What’s your business idea? Visualize it happening: see yourself running your own business. Say it out loud. Write it down. How does it make you feel? What makes it so interesting? So fulfilling? What impact would it have on your life?

Say it’s so
Your dream—it’s starting to feel real now, isn’t it? It’s no longer something that you keep to yourself, like a secret or the last piece of chocolate. No, this dream of yours to own your business is becoming a reality and it’s time to make it known. You’re in a good place, our Sassy Friend. Enjoy this moment!

Read more in The Sassy Ladies’ Toolkit for Start-Up Businesses, available on http://www.thesassyladies.com/.

 

Don't let the economy stop you from achieving your dreams. During this show, Melissa Borghorst will share tips and secrets to help you achieve your dreams in today's economy--with little or no $$.

About Melissa Borghorst:
Since her childhood, author, life coach and motivational speaker, Melissa Borghorst has been dreaming up fun and exciting things to accomplish in her lifetime.  By following a few simple steps and thinking outside the box, she has achieved extraordinary feats—many for free or for very little money: skydiving, riding in a hot air balloon, backpacking across Europe, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, singing, dancing and acting in a musical, and becoming an author and entrepreneur. Through Dream List Radio, her Dream List Photo Journals, workshops and seminars, her positive spirit and can-do approach has inspired audiences to follow and achieve their dreams.  For more information visit www.dreamlistmedia.com.

 

 

 

Have you ever dreamed of running your own bed & breakfast?  Mary White, author of the new book, Running a Bed & Breakfast for Dummies, was the guest on May 19.  She shared expert advice on everything you need to start and run a profitable B&B. You'll learn how to make your guests feel at home, keep your inn in tip-top shape, and ensure your long-term success.

About Mary White
Mary White is the go-to source in the bed & breakfast industry for opinions and advice. She is the author of, Running a Bed & Breakfast for Dummies, and is the Founder and President of BnBFinder.com.   A noted expert on B&B travel, she has been involved in promoting and marketing B&Bs on the Web for more than a decade and has appeared in dozens of media outlets. Her site, BnBFinder.com, is hailed by professionals and consumers alike as the most informative B&B site on the Web.  For more information, visit www.bnbfinder.com.

 

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The Sassy Ladies were the guests on May 12 at 10am PST, where they dished advice from their new book, The Sassy Ladies Toolkit for Start-up Businesses.  This book is designed to be a hands-on guide for any woman who is thinking about starting a new business and needs to know what those first steps are, and works equally well for women who already own their business and need to get back to basics. You’ll find sage advice, eye-opening exercises, reflective coaching questions – and tons of sass!

About The Sassy Ladies:
The Sassy Ladies are Michelle Girasole, online marketing expert; Wendy Hanson, business coach and Miriam Perry, communications consultant. These three dynamic women joined forces to provide practical, but fun, resources for women entrepreneurs. Their goal is to help women be inspired, connected, organized, and well informed—and to enjoy the process of starting and growing their businesses. Their website, www.TheSassyLadies.com, is a rich resource of valuable tools.