Little By Little

I have had many successes in my business career and worked with some amazing artists during The Business of Being Creative’s first year.  Out of respect for my client’s desire for privacy and confidentiality, I have chosen not to discuss any of them.  Until now.

With Judy’s permission, this is the story of how the Little By Little blog came to be.  But first a little background:

Judy Stevens has run a playgroup for 2-3 year olds for the last 26 years.  There are two groups of three boys and three girls (twelve total) each year.  Both of my children have participated in her playgroup.  In addition, my wife, Cate, and I regularly consult Judy for her advice on how to know our children better and  thereby become better parents (and people) in the process.  In the spirit of Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink, Judy is a master intuitive.   She spontaneously (and almost instantly) knows how to handle any situation parents of young children might experience.  And yet, if you blink (pun intended), you will miss Judy’s brilliance.  Judy does not offer a roadmap as much as she does energy and spirit.  Hers is truly about relationship and being able to see children as they are without the bias we all bring as parents. Think Zen Master (thank you Cate) and not Supernanny.  If you ask anyone (parent or child) who has had the good fortune to have been part of her playgroup, you will hear only the grandest of accolades and even these fall short. We are all immensely grateful to Judy’s most powerful gift – to help children celebrate themselves for all that they are and are not.

While Judy wanted to share her experiences with a broader audience and grow a consulting business, she was both at a loss as to how to do it and VERY reluctant to shine the spotlight on herself.  Yes, I know she needs to put her picture on her blog.  Everything in time.  When we started, Judy did not know what a blog was and, when I told her, her initial reaction was: “why would I EVER want to do that?!?”  To which I said – “Because it is the best way for you to reach those who want to listen.”  And so we began.  Each step was a distillation of Judy’s idea of what she wanted to share.

We started with journaling.  That got us to the heart of what Judy was most passionate about – giving an authentic voice to children and imparting the wisdom of an elder to parents.  It took a long time for Judy to own her identity as an elder and I do not think the blog would have launched without her embracing the role.

Then came the time to focus on what the business behind Little by Little was going to be.  Judy does what she does because she loves it.  She did not start the blog to fill the playgroup or so that she could charge more.  The playgroup is truly first come first serve.  She could double her price tomorrow and there would still be a line of parents around the block.  She started the blog because she wants to expand her work with families to bring her experience directly into their homes.

Judy needed a platform.  What would she say when someone asked how her consulting business worked?  After 26 years, she has the playgroup process down cold.  Not so much the consulting business.  And, of course, what to charge?  We had to work through just how valuable her service was going to be.  No, there would not be one-off sessions.  Families would have to commit to multiple sessions.  Yes, she would deliver her observations and thoughts along the way.  No, she would not be available 24/7.

Judy did not start working on the actual blog until she felt comfortable with the business and her message.  Trisha Hay and Ben Child’s Chariot designed the blog with Judy and, together, they created what you see now.  The sketch of Fast Food, the turtle, is Judy’s.  The look and feel of the blog is a true collaboration between Judy, Trisha and Ben.  The result is just so Judy and her wisdom oozes throughout.  The whole process (from our work to the launch of Little by Little last week) took the better part of a year and I would not have had her do it in any less time.

I have no idea where Judy will take the blog or what will come of it.  I can say I would be really surprised if you see her on Facebook, Twitter, et al. anytime soon.  Judy will never be a proselytizer.  The message is there for those who choose to find it and I am sure many will.  Will she be successful financially?  No clue.  But because we are here with such clarity, Judy has already succeeded far beyond what I originally thought possible.

I am so proud of my work with Judy because, in my mind, she is the beneficiary of the sum of my experience.  With my help, Judy has dared to take the leap into the unknown; to allow herself to be seen and even judged by those that might not get what she is all about.  She is not without fear and doubt, but she is doing it anyway.  My prayer for all creative businesses is that they become the best version of themselves, true to the art behind them and the intrinsic value that only they possess.  To me, that is what Little by Little represents.