entertainment industry coach question 606: How do I juggle family life and the 3 things I do in the industry?

You, like everyone else, in every industry, can only do one thing at a time. I mean literally, not that you have to focus on one area. So, it all comes down to scheduling. I don't know what three areas you are focused on, but in 2005, I was juggling a personal life, an 8:30-5:30 job, executive producing a tv show, writing the scripts, and starring in it.

It all comes down to time management. I was just watching Sex and The City 2, and a big theme was not how much time you spend with the ones you love, but the quality of the time you spend. You have to decide what works for you and your family time-wise, and then give time to each of your passions as they "call" to you.

If feels overwhelming because you haven't scheduled the time into a calendar to see how manageable it can be.

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question 605:What do I do when I go back to my old ways after I've worked with you?

Okay, this is one of my old clients, so I know his history. Here's the bottom line. Times are tough for some people, my business has changed, and not everyone can afford to work with me. That said, anyone who has worked with me has the tools they need to succeed. This person in particular has extraordinary tools and the ability to use them. So I will ask you this question:

What was different about how you were working when you were working with me?

Break it down for yourself. Just knowing you, I can identify 2 things that I know are different, but you have to be able to recognize them, as opposed to me telling you (and for all of you cynics out there, I'm not referring to his paying me to coach him, I'm talking about 2 specific tools he was using all of the time that I know he's stopped using).

Then you have to ask yourself, "how can I think outside of the box and reincorporate those tools into my business work, even without being held accountable by Jessica?"

My goal is not to have you coach with me forever, it's to teach you the tools, help you to master them, and then send you out into the world to be a success. Every time someone thanks me for what they've accomplished, I appreciate the acknowledgment, but remind them, that they did the work- not me.

A race car driver can thank his pit crew for maintaining his car, but he's the one who drives it to win the race. SO DRIVE, my friend... drive!

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entertainment industry coach question 604:How do I network on Halloween when everyone's in costumes?

I suggest going to "hoity-toity" neighborhoods. I learned where a lot of A-Listers lived on Halloween. Of course, I didn't do anything with that information, because that could creep someone out. But now, I know what coffee shops to haunt if I want to meet one of them if the timing is right.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, Halloween is not really a big networking opportunity if you're trick or treating. If you go to a networking party, all the more reason to be yourself if you have no idea who's under the costume. Who knows who you'll meet...

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entertainment industry coach question 603:When I do BG work I bond with the AD and 2nd AD but don't know how to send a a thank you card to them.

And by BG she is referring to background work. Anytime you create a relationship with someone, you can ask for their contact information. You can be cute and say, "at the risk of ruining the surprise, I'd like to send you a thank you note. How might I send that to you?" They may respond with their address, or give you an email, or their card with the info on it.

If they say, "you don't have to do that," listen very closely to HOW they are saying it. If they are a bit stand-offish, like "I don't want to give this person my contact information," then just drop it and look them up on Facebook a week later. Send them a friend request with a reminder of where you met. If you don't know their last name, try to get a call sheet (If they are a "green set" their call sheet may be on an iPad, and you'll have to use some detective work).

If they say it in a way that they are just being modest, say, "well, I've really enjoyed meeting you and would like to stay in contact. You never know when I may be able to help you connect with someone for another job you may be seeking, etc." Then ask for a card and if they don't have one ask if they'd like to write down their contact info or connect on Facebook.

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entertainment industry coach question 602: Do you have any further advice on this topic before i mail them? Should they be personalized?

piecing together my first mass mailing of headshots/bios this weekend, along with brief cover letters. Do you have any further advice on this topic before i mail them? Should they be personalized? Is one envelope better than the other? As far as your mass mailing, I'm not a big believer in them, I prefer targeted work with referrals and research. Since you've already planned your mailing, here's my advice: 1. YES!!! They should absolutely be personalized which means: 2. Know the person's name (and spell it correctly) 3. Know if the person is male or female 4. Know about the company, including their client roster, so you can explain why you're writing to them. 5. Tell a brief something about yourself that brands you the way you want to be marketed, so they will get to know you a bit and want to learn more. 6. Envelopes are really just an obstacle to getting to seeing the picture. They require opening, so don't lick and fasten, that's a pain in the butt (I know from experience working in a casting office) 7. If you are rich, you can buy a colored envelope that goes with your "brand." So if you want to do romantic comedies, perhaps red or pink. If you're branding yourself for horror, black. Your picture should be branding you, so you can always match what you're wearing with the envelope. Do they really care? Maybe on a day they need a smile, or perhaps their unconscious mind will pick up on the difference in color. 8. The most IMPORTANT thing on an envelope is in black marker either "referred by [name]" or "requested." Now don't even think about writing that if it's not true, but if it is, your envelope could be vomit green and it would still get put at the top of the pile. www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

entertainment industry coach question 601:What do you do when you haven't accomplished what your mentor suggested?

A GREAT question asked on my Mentor Elite call today. One of my Elites had been tasked an action by her mentor which she followed through on, but did not achieve the results she'd hoped for. Because of this, she didn't know what to say to her mentor.

This is where most people get stuck and never contact their mentors again. But not my Elites. They are determined to succeed, and so we brainstormed about it on the call and she got her next step.

So if you're stuck because you haven't been able to accomplish the actions your mentor tasked you, here are two possible ways to handle it:

1. That's exactly what you contact your mentor about. You explain the action you took and why you're displeased with your results. Then ask if you could tell them about the process and get their feedback as to how you could achieve better or different results next time.

2. Think outside the box. In my Elite's case, she was tasked to go after a specific company. When there wasn't a position at the company, she wasn't able to complete that action. However, the reasoning behind pursuing that company was still valid, so she decided to pursue other companies for the same reason. Now, she'll be able to tell her mentor that while she was not able to get into that company (yet), she pursued 10 other ones, and then she can report on her results.

Bottom line- never leave a mentor hanging. It's unprofessional and a missed opportunity.

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entertainment industry coach question 600: What have you done for 600 days straight?

This is my question to you, my readers, on this 600th day of my consecutive blogging. Yes, sometimes I've been jarred awake at 2am as I was about to fall asleep for the night, realizing I forgot to post that day, and got it in there, with my disclaimer, "I have not gone to sleep yet, so this still counts for today," which, by the way, it does.

I have been blogging for 600 days straight, for my business. What have you done for 600 days straight? Let's leave out the basics:

Sleep

Eat

Shower

Go to the bathroom

Smile/laugh

You can include things like:

Exercise

talk to someone I care about

journal

Once you have a list of things that you've done everyday for 600 days straight, make a list of all the things you have done for your business 5 days/week for the last two years.

This exercise is to bring to your attention, at what level you are working, as well as the effectiveness of the work you're doing.

Feel free to ask questions, once you've done the exercise.

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entertainment industry coach question 599: As a parent, how do I find time to use social networking like Facebook?

Great question! Your time is valuable so allocate what works for your life. My suggestion would be 15 minutes at least 2 times per week. This gives you enough time to update your status, reach out to industry connections, and comment and "Like" people's statuses whom you follow.

Facebook can be a real time suck, especially in the beginning when you start searching for people from your past, but it wears off... or not, and if not, have a schedule and keep to it.

I think that social networking is a free, easy, non-threatening way to market yourself and create relationships and should not be neglected as part of your business tool belt.

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entertainment industry coach question 598: If I have a celebrity in my film do I have to get her a trailer?

If this is a union film, you'll have to check if there is anything in the contract. If it's not union, you don't "have to" do anything. Did the actress request a trailer? Is it a deal breaker for her? If it's budget inhibitive, discuss it with the actress or her reps. Ultimately, only you can make the decision.

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entertainment industry coach question 597: Seriously! How many Housewives of "whatever" shows are there?

Well, being that the only Bravo show that I'm an avid watcher of is Top Chef (and possibly Just Desserts, if this cattiness doesn't continue) I will have to consult the website. Hold please...

Wow! Currently airing are THW of Beverly Hills, THW of Atlanta, & THW of DC. However, not to be forgotten, because I'm sure they'll be back are THW of Orange County, THW of NY & THW of NJ. That's a lot of Housewives.

Not to mention that Joel McHale on The Soup said that Dr Phil has his own version of "Real Housewives," and thought it was an original concept.

And of course there are my favorite ones... The Desperate Housewives on ABC!

Thanks for asking, though now I feel just a little dumber for knowing.

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entertainment industry coach question 596: Is it true that things slow down at Thanksgiving?

It depends on what you mean by "things". Purchasing slows down. Executives and decision makers have historically wrapped things up in anticipation of vacation time, by Thanksgiving. So, pitching something at holiday time isn't necessarily the best timing.

However, networking is full speed ahead during the holidays. There are tons of holiday parties at studios, production houses, unions, vendors, and at people's homes. It's also a great opportunity to send a holiday card to re-establish relationships.

The old saying, "when one door closes another door opens..." could be applied here.

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