Think Tiny. Dream Big. Live Free.

Yesterday a group of us launched Alaska Tiny Homes, asking people to Think. Dream. Live.

Hiding in plain sight within the tiny home movement is the concept of freedom. Freedom toward something or freedom from something. Either way, freedom is at the core.

Freedom to move.

Freedom to explore.

Freedom to be on your own terms.

Freedom from debt.

Freedom from commitments and obligations.

Freedom . . . freedom . . . freedom.

As we move forward we endeavor to bring the stories of our clients (those who want to share) to our followers. Every person has a wonderful story to share -- filled with inspiration, encouragement, redemption, growth, setbacks, perseverance, and awe. We want to share those with you.

Visit us at Alaska Tiny Homes to take your first step toward freedom.

www.alaskatiny.com

Alaska Tiny Homes (www.alaskatiny.com)

What does freedom look like for you? How would you define it?

For thousands of people, big freedom can now be found in tiny places -- like tiny homes.

The Tiny Home movement is growing. And, then there is Alaska. Known as The Last Frontier, there is an aura and allure to this state that is growing too. All you have to do is turn on Travel Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery, or any other station and see all things Alaska.

So, what could be better than combining the great State of Alaska and tiny homes -- enter Alaska Tiny Homes.

Alaska Tiny Homes (www.alaskatiny.com) is a collaboration between five people who believe in the freedom that comes with tiny, and desire to share the beauty of Alaska with others.

Our team is in the process of designing models to select from with the first three being the Yukon Model, Denali Model, and Kodiak Model -- each having their own style, flavor and feel.

However, we can also custom-build the type of tiny home you want and desire, and add a touch of Alaska for you -- whether you are building in Alaska, or the Lower 48.

One area we are extremely excited about is we are building partnerships with local Alaskans, Native Alaskans, and others who fall under the state's Made In Alaska protocol, and bringing their craftsmanship to our tiny homes. Our desire is to share these artisans and experts, along with their art to other Alaskans and those in the Lower 48.

We are excited to launch this new company, and invite you to explore Alaska Tiny Homes at www.alaskatiny.com.

And, if you know of someone interested in wanting to build a tiny home, do let us know.

Thank you.

www.alaskatiny.com

Ten things homeschoolers want virtual schools to know

1. Virtual schooling is not homeschooling though both are done primarily in the home, so don't tell us it is.

2. True flexibility is found in homeschooling, so find another word when we talk

3. Individualized learning, real individualized learning, is what homeschooling is all about

4. There are close to 2 million of us homeschoolers and no we don't all think alike

5. The small, yet sometimes loud minority of those homeschoolers who speak up don't speak for all of us

6. Don't talk to us about the free tuition because we know there is a cost

7. Freedom matters a great deal to us, and we won't give it up easily, even for something free

8. There are close to 2 million different reasons why us homeschoolers have chosen to homeschool

9. We are real people at the end of your data point, don't forget that

10. When we say "no" to your virtual school, what we are really saying is we don't trust what you are telling us

houston@figment-consulting.com

What Bernie Sanders taught us

By all accounts the campaign of Bernie Sanders is effectively over after Tuesday's results. He may stay in the race, and he may even win some additional states. His path toward nomination though, is just not there.

However, Bernie taught us quite a lot though during his campaign. If you look at his results, almost 80% of those under age 30 supported Bernie. This is quite amazing because Bernie is not an eloquent speaker (he evidently has not read How to Talk Like TED), nor does he remind anyone of JFK when he first appeared on television during his run to the Presidency.

And yet, millions of people felt the Bern, as they say. What was it about him?

I would say it had less to do with him than it did with what he had to say. More importantly, it was what his headlines said -- Free college and free healthcare. (I know he meant free public college tuition but it transformed into free college). Sure there was an insurgency factor, and even an anti-Hillary factor. But, Free is enticing. Free resonates. Free catches attention.

We live in a headline and sound-bite society where very few people read past the headlines and fail to research beyond the sound bites for context and clarity.

For Bernie though, his problem became the fact that he wasn't selling a quick purchase, meaning people could not buy his product immediately. So, over time, the narrative moved toward the content of what he had to offer and away from the free. It became more about the cost of his proposals and the inability to sustain them. In short, content started to matter because it was a long purchase cycle.

He still has followers, and those who would still purchase what he has to offer. It is easy to buy something free. However, more people began to understand the consequences of free.

Reminds me of the virtual schools who hang their hats on tuition-free as the hook, the headline, the sound bite. Now that time has passed for each of them, it has become apparent what the actual costs of that tuition-free looks like.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Consulting a la carte

Are you struggling to attract new leads?

Are you wasting money on ineffective advertising?

Is your message not resonating with prospects?

Is your executive team not aligned with the core mission?

Is your marketing plan proving ineffective and inefficient, and your costs are rising?

Need help positioning your company or product effectively?

Do you simply need new ideas?

Want to know how to stand out from the competition?

Recently I have spent time on Google Hangout consulting with clients helping each one find a solution for each of the questions posed above. They didn't have the financing in place to hire a consultant full time, or they were in go-to-market mode and simply needed a one-time consultation to better align their plan with their values. So, they reached out to me and asked if we could consult with them on an hourly basis rather than full-time program.

It has proven successful for our clients over these past few months, and we are now rolling it out a little more formally as Consulting a la carte.

We work together over a Google Hangout to minimize any and all expenses, and spend the amount of time you determine you need to achieve your objective. You walk away with ideas, plans, and solutions you can measure to see the impact. You only return if you need us again. No strings attached.

Visit our web site at www.figment-consulting.com to see all of our services, and to learn more about our Google Hangout Consulting a la carte.

Or, go ahead and email me at houston@figment-consulting.com and we can arrange a time for you from the comforts of where you are.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Crafting a Virtual School Marketing Plan Webinar (Updated)

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL. Email me if you want to attend a future webinar on this topic at houston@figment-consulting.com.

Yesterday I shared details on my upcoming 90-minute webinar Crafting a Virtual School Marketing Plan, and the initial response has been better than I anticipated.

There are still a few spaces remaining though for the webinar. So, if you want to register, simply go to my web site Figment-Consulting.com and fill in the information. The event is scheduled for Monday, March 28, at 11:00 a.m. ET. A link will be provided to all registrants prior to the event.

During the webinar we will cover a variety of topics, strategies, and messaging to help virtual schools create a more effective and efficient plan to reach better-fit students, capture more of them, and retain them.

We will cover topics such as:

Positioning -- how do you differentiate yourself from other virtual schools?

Price -- if it is tuition-free why is price so important?

Public relations -- how do you get your message out in a toxic environment toward virtual schools?

Place -- what does it feel like to be with you? When people visit your web site, your event, your office, what does that do to them and for them?

Other topics will carry us down the path toward a cohesive approach to marketing that is applicable in whichever state you operate in.

So, I invite you to join me for this webinar. It is guaranteed to generate a great ROI for you.

houston@figment-consulting.com

3 Takes on Being Successful

Take responsibility

It is a natural instinct to blame others, look for the problem outside of ourselves, and point fingers elsewhere. It is also more natural, more comfortable, for us to allow someone else take responsibility -- what if something goes wrong? what if it doesn't succeed? Then, it is someone else's fault, not mine.

However, we must be willing to raise our hands and take responsibility for our own lives if we want to succeed.

Want success? Take responsibility.

Take ownership

This is slightly different than responsibility. Responsibility is raising your hand and saying, "It's mine." Taking ownership is determining that you are going to not only raise your hand, but also be committed to the process and the outcomes.

Responsibility means it is you. Ownership means it is yours. Taken together and you are on your way to success.

Take thought

You probably thought I would say take action here didn't you? Too many times we place action a little higher on the hierarchy than we should. So, before you take action, take thought. In other words, take time to decide: what do you want, why do you want it, in what ways can you attain it, who's help do you need, how will it benefit others, what is the story you want to share, who wants to hear it, where are they who might want to hear what you have to say.

Thought must precede action in order that the action be the most efficient kind.

houston@figment-consulting.com