Choosing an Unlikely Niche

Talk Show Insights
Lawrence Brownlee
Despite naysayers, the 5’6” African-American tenor discusses his choice of music and his classical niche instead of a career in law despite not being the typical opera singer.

Brownlee
Tavis Smiley
November 2013
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/lawrence-brownlee/

NPR
April 2007
Lawrence Brownlee: A Rising Star Arrives at the Met
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9722214

Martha Plimton
Award-winning actress explains how her financial situation was so dire that she sent a plea to friends asking if anyone had a position open for a babysitter…

Activity: Take a look at Plimpton’s accomplishments and make a checklist of avenues you think she might have tried instead.

Update: Based on Plimpton’s celebrity status in the theater, sense of humor, and interest in activism, public speaking for corporate America or organizations might be a possibility. Requisite aptitudes and skills used by  successful actors are similar to those used by speakers.

Plimpton
Queen Latifah, November 15, 2013
http://tinyurl.com/mkzddqk

Martha Plimpton Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Plimpton




Dream Goals

Wordplay: Create Personalized Anagram

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What do Dream and Vision mean to you?
Create your personalized anagram using the lists below for inspiration.

Dream
Dedication
Development
Direction
Drive
Desire
Definitive

Resourceful
Reflection
Resolution
Relentless
Relax
Research
Resolve
Readiness
Renew

Enterprising
Enthusiastic
Enthusiasm
Envision
Enlightened
Eagle Eye
Earnest
Elixir

Accountability
Achieve
Audacious
Achieve
Adaptable
Artistic
Assured
Ambitious
Attentive
Apropos

Meaningful
Micromanagement
Micromanage
Mindful
Mastery
Motivation
Memorable

Vision
Visualize
Venturesome
Veracious
Vertex
Vibrant
Vigilant
Victory
Valiant
Valued
Variety
Virtue
Vista
Vow

Independence
Iconoclast
Imaginable
Inspire
Illumination
Insight
Improve
Incandescent
Incentive
Incisive
Incite
Incredible
Ingenious
Inkling
Innovation
Insightful
Intellect
Introduce
Intriguing
Intuition
Invincible
Iridescent

Scenic
Serenity
Sparkle
Star
Start
Strategic
Street-Smart
Strength
Stride
Success

I

Onward
Oath
Objective
Open-Minded
Opportunity
Originality
Outstanding

Now
New
Novel

Dee Adams is the ayhor of Finding Your Niche :Discover…
https://nichecreativity.com/finding-your-niche-ebook/




Dee Adams’ Online Class

Biz Quiz
1.Which of the following inventions were created for safety reasons?
a. Life Preservers
b. Band-Aids
c. Condensed Milk
d. Portable Heart Defibrillator
e. Safety Pin

Research 101
2. What Activity is Often Mistaken for Research?
a. Investigating
b. Critical Thinking
c. Reading
d. Writing
Answers 

1. All except for Band-Aids. Technically, that product was invented
for ease of use. When the newlywed wife of a salesman kept cutting and burning herself during her daily cooking chores, her husband invented  a disposable bandage that could be easily applied to her fingers as she prepared meals.
* Descriptions of her constant injuries are hair-raising.
It appears that barring her from the kitchen might have been the best safety measure.

Lesson: If you first glanced at the list, a-e, and decided the answer was obvious, that may indicate a tendency to make make snap decisions without gathering facts.

2. Research 101
Reading
The activity is merely an element of research.




Race, Culture, & Vocational Dreams in Films

Intercultural Communication
How social, cultural and political conflicts can disrupt vocational goals or destroy a business  are featured themes in the films Cool Runnings and Mississippi Massala.

Two reviews, which I wrote for class assignments, are posted in Adobe PDF.
Concepts of Intercultural Communication allows for better understanding of other people’s cultures, point of view and their experiences.

References
Intercultural Communication Class 12

IMBD Cool Runnings
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106611/

Cool Runnings (1993) Poster

 IMBD Mississippi Massala
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102456/

Mississippi Masala (1991) Poster




Niche Advice From Cartoonist Scott Adams

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big
Dilbert Creator Scott Adams’ new book details how he failed at many occupations and ventures and offers his point of view on how to find your niche.

PBS Tavis Smiley Interview
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/scott-adams/

Book Summary
Penguin Group.com
http://tinyurl.com/lmn3neq




Small Unique Businesses

New York Originals
The award-winning PBS series profiles mom and pop retailers that point out a number of takeaway lessons:

  • All skills cannot be outsourced overseas
  • You can compete successfully against cheaply made imported products if you counter with quality and skill and if there are enough people willing to pay for a quality product. See Embee Sunshade. They made a custom product for Oprah.
  • Long established businesses provide an overview of how changes in the economy affect choices and decisions of the self-employed. For example: Bellitte Bikes
  • And what are the unique, small businesses in your area?

References
New York Originals Online       video 27 min
Season 1
http://newyorkoriginalsonline.com/Season_1_Links.html

New York Originals Online       video 27 min
Season 2
http://newyorkoriginalsonline.com/Season_2_Links.html

Embee Sunshade
About
http://embeesunshade.com/about.html

Bellitte Bicycles
Our Story
http://www.bellbikes.com/Our-Story