First Snow! Well I had decided to enjoy a quiet and productive week in my mountain retreat and got a dose of real winter weather. Tuesday morning I awoke to total stillness, no birds, no breeze, but a delightful white dusting of snow, enough to coat the decks, freeze the plants (I knew I should have brought them in, drat!), and allow tracks!

Hunting Bear! No, I’m not hunting, don’t panic, though I’ve been told to wear orange (hmm, not my shade) for safety, carry a whistle and mace. YIKES! I did have a pack of dogs with radio collars out baying and racing through the woods behind my house yesterday, likely searching for the bear that left the tracks at my front door. I had no idea life in the mountains would be so wild and wooly!

Halloween Celebrations! I’m so excited because I’ve got some great friends all coming up from Atlanta to my housewarming this weekend. I’m going to do appetizers (don’t look so surprised, I can cook well when no caterer is in range!) And then a crowd of us will head out to dinner later. I’m very house proud and promise to have pics in my next issue, been a beautiful transformation.

Prosper by Design, YOURS!

Just back from LA! I was the featured designer for Karastan at the Domino Bazaar, a consumer shopping and décor extravaganza touring the nation. It was a lot of fun, and I provided homeowners with lots of fresh ideas to transform their homes and their lives. These events are a great resource for the latest trends and product in design.

What’s the state of your economy? So many are talking about it these days, and many are complaining loudly. But I urge you to stop and think about your life and then look around at those less fortunate, and there are many. As Americans we are so incredibly blessed to live in a country where poverty is considered making less than $40K a year for a family of four, when in many parts of the world they make less than $4K for a whole year. Really while you may be belt tightening, are you going to be homeless? Are you going to be destitute? I ask because I hear so many complain and yet they have a handsome roof over their head, cars (yes, multiple per family) to drive, and food on the table. Put it in perspective and be thankful.

Holidays are around the corner! Yes, and that means company coming to visit, family and friends stopping in. This is the perfect time for your business as a design, redesign, staging professional, contractor, and home furnishing retailer to be going UP! Look at how you can serve your clients new and existing by making their home more comfortable and inviting this holiday season. They likely can’t move but surely need a renewed look and you are the talent and expertise to provide it. Get busy!

Prosper by Design, YOURS!

Highlands, NC! I am enjoying a productive week of online work, writing, and scheduling engagements all from the comfort of my mountain escape. Next week I head to Atlanta for a non-stop schedule of mastermind meetings, client connections, and green learning.

Arm Chair Learning! The Interior Design Summit is coming at the close of October, see details at Events in this newsletter, or click here http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=849301. Some of you have asked if this is a good use of your time and resources. Absolutely and I will be there to listen in as well. I am familiar with almost all of the speakers and it gives us a chance to get fresh information from beyond the embrace of our industry. It is easy to get tunnel vision in our field and it’s important to be open and receptive to new ideas and fresh approaches that can make a difference in our business growth.

Prosper by Design, YOURS!

SEMINARS THIS WEEK! Been busy getting ready for my seminars at the ISH North America Kitchen and Bath Show. I do hope you’ll join us. Lots of great material, strategies and shortcuts, so it’s easy to implement. I’ve always been frustrated by seminars and events I attend that leave me with nothing more than pretty power points, a pad of notes, and momentary inspiration. I like to give the real nitty gritty so success is simpler and assured.

BIG BIRTHDAY THIS SATURDAY! Yes, I’m not going to divulge the year of wisdom being achieved, but suffice it to say this is the first year in many I’m not having a big bash as I’m now in Highlands, NC and needing to save that opportunity for my housewarming. I miss entertaining and may have to borrow a friend’s home in Atlanta (been offered!) for a holiday celebration. After all how can I truly advocate life celebrations, if I limit my own opportunities? It would mean a lot to hear from you this birthday week!

Prosper by Design, YOURS!

Networking for new success! I attended the WITHIT conference a month ago but only just now got to posting pictures. I have to say it is my favorite organization in our Home Furnishings Industry. The caliber of the members, the incredible generosity shown, and the accessibility to industry mavens and mavericks is unprecedented. Check it out at www.WITHIT.org.

Date details and lessons learned! Okay, I figure you won’t remember the middle, just the beginning and the end, but wanted to share some humor, if not a painful lesson. Two weeks ago on a Friday night I had a date with a builder here in Highlands. Now, it wasn’t intended to be a date, but instead just a business meeting. Cardinal error on my part, I allowed him to pick me up since we live about four houses apart (I never do that, what was I thinking?) We went to a lovely country club nearby, Mountain Top if anyone is looking. In just 2 short hours (or long from my viewpoint) he managed to get completely smashed and couldn’t form a complete thought, let alone a sentence or his name.

I realized quickly that I had to find an alternative means home if I wanted to make it in one piece on pitch black mountain roads. I disappeared to the ladies room and got the staff to help me. They took him home while I hid out until he left. I got a ride from another guest. How convenient the builder has no recollection and I’ll never forget! Dating in today’s world is not for the faint of heart. For more entertaining tales from the trenches, check out my upcoming blog, these stories are too good to be kept to myself. All names changed to protect the guilty.

Six Figure Interior Design Professionals is the name of my new Facebook group. I am providing weekly lessons in how to build your design practice (decorators, stagers, and redesigners welcome too) to a comfortable six figure income. I’m including articles, blog posts, teleclasses and ebooks all free to those who participate! Design is on the rise, no matter what the economy is doing, get your fair share and have fun while living your passion.

Prosper by Design

MG

Melissa Galt, Inc.
Where Life Comes Together

FREE eBook! As a thank you for opting into our improved newsletter database, I’ve created the eBook Change Your Words, Change Your Rewards! Download it here!

These are word choices I have found that make a profound positive difference in my business and personal success. I have highlighted a couple of them in previous letters, but never before provided the complete essential list with details.

Try making even just two or three simple shifts in your word choices and watch your results become rewards!

Art Inspires! Last weekend I went to the North GA Folk Festival with friends, it was a blast. I ran into many artists I have known, interviewed and even collected over the years. I also, at the urging of a friend and client, indulged in adding a couple of new chairs to my growing collection (see below). It always inspires me to see people totally immersed in their passion, and artists truly are. Now, if I could just teach them the nuts and bolts of business, then I could show them how to benefit financially from their talent! (Hmm, maybe a workshop in 2009 just for artists…)

Personally Yours! Okay, I got a neat email from my favorite Atlanta caterer, Chip Desormeaux, that told me how much he enjoyed my letters and that I’d gotten more personal. I always want to be personal with my readers; you are friends, clients, colleagues, vendors and much more! So do email me feedback anytime (if you want it more personal, I’ll start including dating stories, yes I am on match.com. Yahoo!)

Prosper by Design

MG

Butterflies delight! I have had so much fun mesmerized by the stunning wealth of butterflies surrounding my new mountain escape. There are pipevine swallowtails, sleepy oranges, dainty sulphurs, American coppers, and many more. It is a visual feast. Of course I was mortified when I heard my cats growling at one another and turned to discover that one had just ingested a zebra swallowtail butterfly and was still trying to get it into her mouth entirely! There was nothing I could do, though she did have that sort of odd look “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” afterwards.

Wild blackberries are divine! Well at least I hope that is what I’ve been munching on when I go for my daily 2 mile walk. They are everywhere and look like raspberries until they ripen, yummy. Too tiny for pies or breads, but very tasty nonetheless. The buttermilk pie was a new one for me and really very good but only in tiny portions as it is incredibly rich! Mom was always a big fan of buttermilk and I never acquired the taste, but heck add enough sugar and bake it and that suits me fine.

We made it! I have finished switching from previous mail service; if you did not get an email from me last week, you will this week. Please verify your subscription to this newsletter to be added to the new database. I promise no duplication, but if you don’t opt-in, you will miss joining my new ezine database. I truly hope you’ll stay on board. I’ve got a lot of great programs ready to launch and taking my life and my readers in some exciting new directions in fourth quarter and the year to come.

Prosper by Design, YOURS!

MG

Yes, I am getting settled! I have to say it is so great to have the quiet of the mountains to sleep to and the birds chirping to awaken to. My former house was lovely but it truly rocked with the rails of MARTA and the freighter. Now if anything rocks it is likely a bear at the gate!

Big change! Please look for an email coming your way this week from AWeber. I am switching from current mail service; you will need to verify your subscription to this newsletter to be added to the new database. I promise no duplication, but if you don’t opt-in, AWeber won’t allow me to include you in my new ezine database. I know some of you are just too busy, and I’ll definitely miss you. I’ve got a lot of great programs ready to launch and taking my life and my readers in some exciting new directions in fourth quarter and the year to come. I hope you’ll stay on board.

Rave Reviews! I spoke at the Turknett Leadership Breakfast this last Friday, From Legends to Real Life, and had a blast. The audience was top notch corporate women from all the major Atlanta based organizations and really both enjoyed the message and many shared with me the action they were planning to take following my presentation to rebalance their lives and truly embrace every moment. I look forward to following up and learning of their progress!

Live Well, Beautifully and Prosper by Design,

MG

Forgive me . . . Yes, I did miss a week of news. I was a bit buried in boxes from finally getting closed (YAHOO!) and embracing my own Independence Day. This move marks my freedom from the hectic city pace, unbreathable air, endless traffic congestion, and distracting noise pollution.

Dreams do come true! I’m finally into my divine mountain retreat in Highlands, NC. This is something I have been imagining for five years but only truly decided to act on in the last 6 months. Wow! As I’ve always said, what you think about expands and what you focus on becomes reality. Despite the hiccups at closing and temporary homelessness, I am now enjoying cool summer breezes, blissful quiet, birds singing, and the burbling of a creek nearby instead of major freight trains and MARTA rocking my house! I’m in Atlanta almost weekly and staying with very generous and hospitable clients until I close on my Atlanta condo in the Fall.

Making more money, yes you can! I just did a presentation at America’s Mart here in Atlanta on Lifestyle Selling: Making More With Less - The Manual. It was a huge hit! I sold out of manuals detailing the entire program and each participant gets 30 minutes of complimentary business building mentoring with that. I’m excited as I could see the “aha moments” on the faces of attendees and know that they will soon be creating their own economy despite the media reports. You can do it too! Whether you are a design professional, a retailer, or a manufacturer, this unique program provides techniques, tips, secrets, and insights into exploding your revenues by working smarter not harder.

Mentoring NOT coaching! I’ve shifted gears a bit because I realized that there is a coach on every corner and I simply don’t offer the “typical” hold your hand, play footsy coaching. Instead I offer a more direct approach that combines consulting with coaching; you get answers not just questions and real time accountability to rocket your results to the top. I found that with the right mentoring I’ve been able to achieve more in 90 days than I did in the previous three years, but too often “coaching” is too slow paced, without the kick in the pants we all need to really make progress. Mentoring is the magic I choose to create for clients to allow them to achieve maximum results in minimum time and stay on track to continue achieving those results. Try it!

Prosper by Design,

MG

Dishing the dirt . . . I sold my Atlanta house on Monday last week; all went according to plan save for their 18 wheeler breathing down my neck with two smaller trucks being loaded for the move to Highlands, NC. Tuesday closing was pushed back and back until finally at 4:30 I signed all papers, only to be told that the builder refused to close until more funds were paid in. This was a complete surprise, and having two attorneys review the contract, I was told I didn’t owe additional monies. We are now at a stalemate. I have been forced to put all of my belongings office and home into storage and await further action. It is odd to be living from suitcases and the odd box with no surrounding to call my own. Am I homeless? Between residences? Or better, foot loose and fancy free?

Amazing friends and clients . . . I have been extraordinarily fortunate to have wonderfully generous friends, clients and even strangers who have offered me places to stay. I am critically aware of that rule about guests and fish and both stinking after three days, so guessing I may be a bit nomadic during this challenge. My greatest concern is, of course, my family of fur balls. Yin and Yang are currently stranded at the vet and not used to such cramped accommodations.

Lessons Learned! I am truly focused on learning the lessons I can from this, including how I attracted it and what wisdom I can take away. Yes, I’ve already been told don’t move until you are closed, but this seems inappropriate in a situation where I had to be out anyway. And this is my fourth house purchase and never had an issue before, third new construction. Answers will unfold to those that await them.

Prosper by Design,

MG