I have been putting off sending this out.
Not because I am not excited — thrilled! — about the changes that are happening in my work life…but because, with all change, no matter how wonderful, comes loss.
The Loss of What Was.
And it’s hard to write a celebratory email when you’re in the Loss!
So I kept putting it off…kept thinking, “Next week. I will write and tell them about it next week.”
And now, here we are, months later, and while I am no longer in the State of Loss, I am now in the midst of the Land of In-Between, where I am looking back at What Was at the exact time as I am looking ahead at What Will Be.
And it is bittersweet.
*****
But first of all, my deepest thanks to each of you. You’ve been my colleagues, my friends, my clients, my allies, my readers, my supporters, my cheerleaders through SIXTEEN YEARS of self-employment. You’ve been by my side as my business evolved from health care to coaching, and I have felt your unwavering support as, once again, my work is evolving.
Without your support, I would have no business whatsoever! So again, my thanks for your referrals that have made my business what it is. As you know, I don’t market a whole lot. I have built my business on word-of-mouth and I am grateful for your words that have “kept me in cheerios,” as they say 🙂
Looking back at what I have built, I am immensely proud. And it is with great joy that I am announcing to you today that my company is “officially” merging with the companies of Stella Orange and Sarah Dew to create Orange, Liston, & Dew.Â
This is Us, “Officially:”Â
Orange, Liston, & Dew is a collaboration between three Beavers who’d grown tired of the old way of business building, which struck them as unoriginal, formulaic, and the opposite of fun. So they decided to do it differently. As a copywriter, business intuitive, and a no-nonsense strategist, the trio works with clients who want to build a different kind of business – rooted in what’s fun for the business owner, and what’s highest and best for her clients. They host BeaverCon in person and Beaver Lodges online, gathering business owners around the world who know that we can go farther and build faster when we do it together.
And “Unofficially?”Â
Well, I believe it was in 2014 that I was told by my business intuition teacher, as she did a session for me, that in 2017 I would “birth a new baby” that was all about inclusivity…collaboration…each person working in their “lane” to create a more dynamic, more robust, more versatile and delicious business than could be created if one were to continue to work alone. I knew I would have 2 partners in this business…and I knew Stella Orange would be one of them.
Stella and I have known one another for some time…been one another’s clients…and worked together on a zillion copy writing and design projects…I just wasn’t sure how to tell her that one day, we’d be starting a new company together…it seemed a bit…well…ballsy. So I never told her about it back in 2014…I just waited…
And waited…
‘Cause I knew I had to meet our third partner.
And then it happened.
In February of 2017, I met Sarah Dew, a long-time friend and colleague of Stella’s, actually, whom, oddly, I had not met prior to that moment. I was captivated by her, and when we spoke at length a week after we first met, we hung up the phone, in agreement that we were starting a new business together, and that Sarah would be the one to tell Stella that she was going to partner with us in it, too!
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Together, we’ve been in business since spring of last year. We’ve hosted TWO incredibly successful in-person events (called BeaverCon). We’ve created “Vision and Master Plans” (our signature offering) for over two dozen people, have formed a delightful group coaching program (which we call our Councils) with 12 business owners, AND created an online community called The Beaver Business Club. And in the midst of that, we’ve served as copy writers and advisors on several website redesign projects AND on the launch of a massive online program (we wrote more emails than I can count, and created sales pages, opt in pages and more!) And oh yeah! We just launched Stella’s New Marketing Workshops this week and we’re hosting another live event just outside of Detroit, Michigan, in April!
And in the midst of all THAT, we’ve created a solid business foundation with plenty of room to grow as our Vision unfolds — a vision for supporting coaches, healers, and consultants who ALSO want to do business in a NEW way, to serve treat their clients like the heroes that they are, and impact the world by doing their best work for the sheer love of it all.
And yes, all that and we haven’t even been at this a year yet! It’s been a wonderful beginning, to say the least!
*****
So here’s what’s important for you to know, dear reader, about some of the changes ahead:
1. I am still me, still doing my own coaching work with my own private clients. What’s changed is that, over time, you’ll see that my assistant, Carla, will be replying to your emails from a new email address: Office@OrangeListonAndDew. But rest assured it is still Carla, whom you know and adore, as she is taking care of all of our clients now! (When we have a great team member like Carla, we do whatever we can to keep her!!)
2. In addition to offering my own private coaching work, I now talk to potential clients about how the services of Orange, Liston, & Dew may serve them if that looks like it could be a good fit. There are many options for how we work with our clients, and the key here is to find the option that best serves our potential clients! There is no “one-size-fits-all” in our world. Some people need to work with just one of us, some with all three, some like group, some like private work, some enjoy long-term and some just need a few hours…it’s up to us to work with our clients to find the right solution for them!
3. Soon, you’ll be receiving this newsletter from a new email address, too. And the content of this newsletter will shift slightly (as will the colours and branding!) as I will be writing for it, and Stella will be, too 🙂 Most of you know Stella already, so you’re familiar with her writing. For those of you who’ve not yet met her? Well, you’ll be delighted, I know! We will also be sending some video clips your way, too, and we’ll still be “Spreading the Love” for our allies so you can see what others in our community are up to! (And if for some reason you don’t enjoy the new newsletter format, please let me know! We are finding our feet with our marketing and welcome your feedback as always!)
Hmmm…I am sure I am missing something else here but cannot for the life of me remember what it is!
So I will leave it there for now, and update you along the way of any other changes that I have forgotten!
OH! I almost did forget something important!
If you’re interested in attending our next LIVE event just outside of Detroit, Michigan, in April, please check it out here: www.BeaverCon.com This is NOT your typical conference or live event, just so you know! It is curated for those in attendance. Sure, we have a rough idea what we want to share over the course of our time together, but we stretch and bend and play with the ideas based on who’s coming! We threw out the entire weekend plan at our last event after seeing how things unfolded on Day One so as to best serve those who were there and it was PHENOMENAL! (Not sure I have EVER seen anything like that happen before!)
And again, my deepest thanks for your ongoing support!
Here’s to new beginnings!
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Rebecca Liston helps her clients predict, pivot, and compete in an increasingly complex global marketplace. Her clients quickly uncover the root of their challenges and know the actions to take to overcome them. A six-time nominee for the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Award, Rebecca combines business strategy with intuition, giving her clients the edge on forward-thinking, elegant answers to their most complicated problems. Her clients are entrepreneurs with CEO-mindsets and executives with entrepreneurial instincts. She is based in London, Ontario. What if you could get the answer to your biggest business challenge, in one sitting? Visit rebeccaliston.com to find out more.
