I finally know what I want to be when I grow up

I've been doing a lot of soul searching. Every day for many years I have been approached by people who want my help but say they can't pay me. I spend hours with them to the detriment of my own time and energy. It happened again today. One person recognized that I can do wonderful things to help her if I could just wait a year or two for payment once I got justice for her and she got paid. Another person offered me $200 for a month-long publicity campaign after I reduced my $10,000 fee to $5,000 for him. He offered me a bonus if I got him a booking on Oprah. For one, I stopped doing publicity campaigns a year ago, second, it's not worth the tiny payment if I can't pay my bills, and third, he doesn't offer anything Oprah wants to see on her show. And a third person wanted some assistance, but wouldn't reveal his web site address, what he wanted specifically from me. ("Give me a list of your services and fees.") Is it really too much trouble for him to go to my web site and click on the two buttons for Current Rates and Services? And I said I needed to know what his goals and objectives were so I could figure out how best I could serve him. His response was to say he'd already found someone who could help him achieve his goals. Well, how can I help you if you won't tell me what they are?

Then a miracle. This wonderful speaker contacted me asking if I would represent her and help her negotiate her speaking fees and contracts. And she asked if we could talk on the phone. Here's what she did that I wish all speakers and experts would do: She didn't just call, she asked first. She introduced herself. She gave me her phone numbers, addresses, blog and web site addresses. Without being asked. In her very first approach. She explained what she wanted so there was no confusion. She understood what I do as a speaker advocate, not expecting me to procure engagements for her. She is quite capable of getting her own speaking engagements because she knows how to market herself and have bookings find her. She gets it. And she must have read through my web site.

I love her. Even if I don't get to work with her, and I hope I do, she is exactly the kind of client I want to have more of. She's a breath of fresh air. I want to advocate for speakers like her. To represent 4 speakers just like her, and negotiate at least two agreements a month for each speaker, would put me in the black in just 6 months.

And if I'm also speaking, I could conceivably be in the black in just 3 months. My two topics?

1. The Kindness Experiment: What I learned that we all need to learn about kindness.

2. Building or Rebuilding an Advice Empire after Adversity.

So..... On December 31 I will be closing down 3 web sites and offering them for sale to the highest bidder:

HandyAnde.com A personal concierge business.

CommissionFreeSpeakers.com Since I'll be receiving commissions this will be redundant.

CrisisBrainstorm.com The people who want my help say they don't have money to pay me for it.

So, if you want to buy the web sites or any of the services or materials on them, please contact me before Dec. 31, when they come down from the Internet. I can change any of the content to suit the new owner with a quick turnaround.

Contact me: My email address is on the contact page of each of my web sites.

PS Yes, I am keeping AndreaReynolds.com. That's the one I will use to promote my consultant mentoring, my speaking and my speaker representation.

Andrea