Who Do You Fantasize About?

So many of us became business owners for the very first time when we became massage therapists. So many of us were employees before now, not the boss, not the owner. When we have to take on a completely new and foreign role in our lives we sometimes look around for role models, for people who are already doing what we're now doing.

I did that when I "retired" from dating in 1992. I needed to completely re-imagine my future without a partner (something I had assumed I'd end up with, somehow, up to that point in my life). I looked around and realized that I actually knew several women who were 1-3 decades older than me and living a happily single life, women I liked and respected. When I found myself stuck I looked at how they had handled the single life and found possible solutions for myself.

It's the same as a small/micro business owner. What businesses do you want to emulate? Who would you like to be like?

* Another massage therapist who seems to have a healthy practice and a well-balanced life?

* Another health care provider (acupuncturist, physical therapist, doctor, etc.) who is respected and seems to have a solid practice?

* A local company that seems to exude energy and enthusiasm and imagination?

* A national or international company that is well-known and is seen as an innovator in their field?

When my business partner, Kitty Southworth, and I sat down to write the business plan for The Healing Core (our continuing education company that will start offering courses in 2012) we asked ourselves who we would want to emulate as a business:

Day-Break Geriatric Institute. This small company teaches several levels of geriatric massage in workshops around the country. They are the leader in geriatric massage education and are friendly, accessible, and generous with their time and wisdom.

Cheers. Remember this TV show? "Where everybody knows your name." We want to create a company where our students and anyone who works with us will feel welcome and recognized as the unique individual they are.

The Lightworkers Cottage. The healing arts center in Brisbane Australia is so incredibly open, warm, and friendly. They have a great consortium of staff and healers and are engaged with life in a vibrant way. They are also moving forward every single day.

Edgar Cayce's ARE (Association for Research and Enlightenment). Based in Virginia Beach VA, the ARE occupies a unique and well-respected spot in the "energy" community. Because of their decades of research and education they can do things most of us only fantasize about. Plus, their continuing education schedule is booked a year in advance!

Oprah. Yes, she's rich and famous. More importantly for us, though, is that everything she does is about helping people find the best in themselves. She's been a major force in lifting people up and helping them find their hearts and re-connect with their souls.

These are our role models. These are the kinds of businesses we fantasize about being. Who are your business role models? What makes them worth emulating? Who's doing cool stuff out there and earning your respect?