Art teacher Jane Pollak’s career shot to a new level when she was invited to the White House to decorate an egg for the annual Easter Egg Roll. Not long after, this wife and mother was running a full-blown home business, speaking internationally, and appearing on television. A primer on the daily lessons that business ownership teaches, this book explores how to maintain a balanced and joyful life while striking out on an entrepreneurial mission. Ultimately, Pollak’s story illustrates that structuring a business to reflect personal values is the true key to success.
Jane Pollak is a living example of how to turn a passion into a thriving business. Now a successful entrepreneur, public speaker, author and business coach, Jane launched her business career in the unlikely field of egg decoration!
With a Masters from Columbia University Teachers College, Jane taught high school for a short time. What started as a school project became a passion for pysanky - the Ukrainian word for "eggs which have been written on." Jane's artistic flair and attention to even the smallest detail allowed her to perfect her craft. However, there were times when the challenges of part-time entrepreneurship, while raising a family of three children in suburban Connecticut, required real tenacity and perseverance.
Jane's story is an odyssey that led her from remote crafts fairs and customer rejections to an invitation to the White House and appearances on NBC's Today Show. National publications started featuring Jane's artwork as early as 1985, when her patchwork quilt eggs appeared in Country Living Magazine. Since then, she has been written up by The New York Times and other prominent publications.
Once her youngest was off to school, Jane focused on developing her business while listening to motivational and business advice from the likes of Roger Dawson, Wayne Dyer and Brian Tracy. Her passion gradually shifted to coaching other creative professionals and helping them achieve greater success. In addition to being a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, she offers a unique vantage point because of her success in transforming her art into a profitable business.
The lessons Jane learned along the way led her to share her story and give advice to struggling entrepreneurs, traveling the country (and beyond). Jane joined the National Speakers Association in 1997, and published her book, "Soul Proprietor: 101 Lessons from a Lifestyle Entrepreneur" in 2001, which offers practical advice on business, marketing and goal setting. The Small Business Administration named Jane the 2002 Home-Based Business Advocate for all of New England.
Jane continues sharing inspirational, yet practical, lessons with creative professionals. In addition to coaching, speaking and blogging, she hosts Remarkable Women events to give women networking opportunities to encourage and motivate each other. In 2010 she re-released "Soul Proprietor" with updated lessons including how to pursue your dream during an economic downturn and how to use new technology to authentically promote your business.
