Pursue Your Passion

In 10 years of marketing and communications consulting, I have had the privilege of getting to know a number of entrepreneurs whose passion for business has taken them to heights of success they would have never imagined. Many of them were groomed for success from the start, with MBAs and years of experience at Fortune 500 companies before they set out on their own.

The people I admire the most, however, are those whose backgrounds didn't provide them with a blueprint for entrepreneurial success. They simply followed their passion in life into the business world, and as their passion overflowed and touched everyone they met, it became contagious and the money and acclaim naturally ensued.

One such person, whom I had the privilege of working with when she was first venturing out on her own, just happens to be my mother, Jeanette Coon. A remarkably beautiful and bright woman, she has always been a woman of great determination who never did anything halfway. Even as she raised two children, she was involved in the community, learning foreign languages in countries where we lived overseas and honing unique creative talents such as vegetable carving. Later, she amazed everyone by not only beating lung cancer, but susequently becoming a competitive ballroom dancer.

Jeanette did not enter the business world until she was in her 50's, but that doesn't mean she didn't use all of her life experience to make her business shine. After getting her feet wet in the cosmetics industry, she decided to leverage her sharp eye for fashion and passion for etiquette with her own business Professional Polish. She soon became a sought-after corporate trainer and her business has expanded to include representing several high-end fashion lines. She obtained her credentials as a Certified Image Consultant and among the many organizations she has served, recently became regional director for The Fashion Group International, Inc.(FGI).

This past weekend, Jeanette was honored by The Federation of Houston Professional Women as one of their 2008 Women of Excellence, which is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement award bestowed on women who have made a significant difference in their communities and professional organizations. As we toasted her success, I couldn't help but think back to the day, many years ago, of a simple mother-daughter conversation when I encouraged her to pursue her dual passions of personal presence/style and helping others. I am sure that at that point, she never dreamed she would be where she is today.

So what is the business lesson to take away from all of this? If you have a passion, pursue it. Follow your dream, not the money...and then the money will follow. Oh, and by the way, I would love to tell your story along the way.