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A sweet spot: Lynn Dessert coaches others in their careers
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By Chris Swingle Farnum
 Not having to work 40 to 50 hours a week. The freedom to work from anywhere and with the type of clients she chooses.
For Lynn Dessert of Brighton, who offers executive career coaching and life coaching, these are among the advantages to having her own business (Leadership Breakthrough) for the past dozen years.
“I’m more balanced, and I’m a nicer person,” she says, compared to when she had full-time corporate roles. Also, “I’m in complete control of where I want to go.”
Read the full story to learn about her career path, how RPCN helped her, how she found her first clients, what she tried that didn’t work out, and how she continues to learn and evolve professionally.
Click here for a video about why Lynn Dessert joined RPCN.
Chris Swingle Farnum (chrisswingle.com) is a writer and editor in Rochester.
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by Michael Van der Gaag, President
 I was thinking of writing about the success of the recent August Group/Monroe Community College (MCC) career fair, and how the relationship between the Rochester Professional Consultant Network (RPCN) and MCC is shaping up to be mutually beneficial. The December career fair had its largest turnout ever. Many people stopped at our table, and 35 requested more information and to be added to our mailing list – which is likely a record. There were multiple conversations about the benefits of RPCN membership and discussions on the value of mutual support and helpfulness of members to each other’s success.
The passing of our friend Dave Young – and recent changes in RPCN leadership as some member-volunteers have either found careers elsewhere or had their businesses take off – gave me pause. What is the benefit of being a member of RPCN? Why do I come to all the events that I can, even if the topics discussed are (occasionally) of marginal interest to me? Why do many of our board and committee members put in almost full-time hours for no pay?
Well, it’s not to smell the coffee! From discussions with others, I hear that members and visitors are here for a variety of reasons – some selfish, some not. Some people say, “I like the camaraderie.” Others say, “I like the thought of helping others grow their businesses.” Many say they are also looking for information and advice to help grow their businesses or solve tech problems.
Personally, I like working with a team to achieve a goal beyond making money. Involvement in RPCN is a chance for me to grow, to apply my skills and to develop skills that laid dormant while working in corporate America. It is an opportunity to feel valued and a chance to get hints on how to grow from a one-person business to a small conglomerate (just kidding … a two- to three-person partnership would be fine).
In our 24 years of existence, RPCN has attracted all kinds of folks looking for an alternative path to success. Most want to become consultants. Others seek their path in business. Some come to us while they figure out what’s next.
We have all kinds of talent knocking at the door. All are invited in. Some even take advantage of opportunities to contribute. One can recognize the high contributors among us, because when they find success elsewhere, we thoroughly miss them.
This year, there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved in helping build an organization that can help you grow and build your business. The Consultants Bootcamp, co-sponsored by MCC, is taking off in February, and a committee is actively planning a conference with the theme “Picture this: Developing a growing business.”
Plans are in the works for the next TrendTalk dinner and panel discussion, which will be on challenges and opportunities in the human services sector. That promises to provide interesting insight into how consultants can apply our talents to helping agencies serve the community.
To address member requests for evening events, we are also planning social gatherings on fifth Thursdays (or the night before a fifth Friday). Upcoming on Friday mornings in 2014, we have invited speakers to help us keep up with the tax laws, get ahead on marketing and economic trends, and guide us to achieve business success through consulting excellence.
So why get involved? Because RPCN can help you:
• Expand your network and influence
• Become known
• Showcase your talents
• Establish a reputation as a consultant
I’ll see you Fridays at 8 a.m.!
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RPCN Consulting Business Boot Camp
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Interested in learning how to successfully start a one-person consulting business or improve an existing one? Take part in the upcoming RPCN/MCC Consulting Business Boot Camp. RPCN, in partnership with Monroe Community College (MCC), Corporate College, presents this series of presentations, workshops and panel discussions for five Tuesdays in February and March 2014.
Successful consultants and experts will share their knowledge and experience and you'll get hands-on, practical advice on topics like:
• Defining your consulting services, clients and benefits
• Choosing a legal business entity (DBA, LLC, etc.)
• Planning your personal entrepreneurial development
• Building your professional image
• Marketing yourself as a consultant, including social media
You complete the boot camp by presenting your value proposition to a panel of evaluators who help you improve your message.
The boot camp takes place Feb. 4, 11 and 18 (8:30 AM - 12:30 PM) and Feb. 25 and March 4 (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM). All sessions are at the MCC Corporate College, 1057 East Henrietta Road, across from main campus.
Sign up early and save $50. You can register through MCC by clicking here. Early registration discount ends January 17, and there is also a $70 discount for RPCN members. (If you join RPCN for $95 for a one-year membership, you can save $70 on the boot camp, and get 20 RPCN $10 meetings for free).
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Benefit from the RPCN’s new Member Referral Program
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Do you know someone who is considering becoming an RPCN member? Are you considering RPCN membership? If so, you could become eligible for a $25 gift card.
RPCN has introduced a new Member Referral Program that provides incentives to both current and new members.
Here’s how it works. Each quarter, we will conduct a drawing that includes the names of new members and anyone who referred a new member within that quarter. (We collect referral information when new members join.) We will draw one name from each group – a current and a new member – and each will receive a $25 gift card.
• The drawings will be held at one of the Friday meetings.
• The winners will be notified by phone/e-mail, if not present at the meeting.
• The winners’ names will be included in the newsletter.
Congratulations to the winners for the first quarter of the new program:
• Martin Brett
• Ernie Newcomb
The drawing for the second quarter will be on Jan. 10. Click here for more information on the benefits of joining the RPCN.
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We want you!
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The RPCN newsletter welcomes news, success stories, tips, resources, events and other items that would be of broad interest to consultants. Submit a newsletter item by email to the newsletter editor. RPCN members also may write articles for our website; submit articles here. In the newsletter, we'll highlight submitted articles aimed at helping consultants make their businesses better.
If you have newsletter questions or suggestions, or ideas for how RPCN could improve communications, contact the Communication Committee:
Janice Hanson, Chair
Barbara Moore
Ruth E. Thaler-Carter
Steve Royal
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Upcoming events
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Technical Forum
facilitated by Steve Royal
Friday, Jan. 3, 2014
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
NOTE: This Technical Forum will be held in the Downstairs Meeting Room at Brighton Town Hall.
An informal, facilitated round-table discussion of any technical issues that consultants encounter in running their business, including computers, the Internet and telephones. Wondering what kind of questions people are asking lately? For a list from recent forums, click here.
Annual Tax Update
presented by John Foote, Expert Tax Group
Friday, January 10, 2014
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Brighton Town Hall - Downstairs Meeting Room
Learn about aspects of income tax (bracket amounts, credits, deductions, etc) which will apply when preparing taxes for the just closed 2013 tax year. This presentation will also focus on elements that can still be used to adjust taxable income such as retirement contributions, and will address various aspects of the economy and forecasts for planning purposes, as well as taxation that will affect tax year 2014.
Business Forum
facilitated by Bob Lurz
Friday, January 17, 2014
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Pittsford Community Library
An informal, facilitated roundtable discussion of issues regarding starting or running a consulting business. Wondering what kind of questions people are asking lately? For a list from recent forums, click here.
RPCN Board Meeting
Friday, January 17, 2014
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Pittsford Community Library
RPCN’s monthly board meeting begins at approximately 10:00 AM, after the Business Forum. Everyone is welcome to attend, but only board members may vote.
Practical Application of Web Technologies for Consultants
presented by Rob Marriage & Dave Horan of Inductor Media
Friday, January 24, 2014
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Brighton Town Hall - Downstairs Meeting Room
Learn how to apply technology to common business problems you may encounter. Topics include: how to find the right-sized site for your business; leveraging Internet technologies into business processes; what is social media marketing and how it can benefit or hurt you; why mobile sites are becoming more important than ever; how to find a good web technology partner for your consulting business.
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Emotional Intelligence
Digital Rochester hosts an interactive lunch-and-learn workshop on measuring your aptitude in areas like self-awareness, empathy and dealing sensitively with other people. Deepen your understanding of what emotional intelligence is, find out where you stand and begin improving your emotional intelligence at this event. Wednesday, Jan. 22, Irondequoit Country Club, 11:30 AM. Click here for more information and to register.
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