Dream Weaver

Q: I left a $100,000-a-year sales job to start a company with a partner. The partnership didn't work out, and I've spent all my savings and need an immediate income. I've wanted to be a public speaker since I was 14. Now at 40, I want to help people find their perfect work, but I need to know how to transition into that myself. Do you have any suggestions?
Name withheld

A: We always hate to hear about failed partnerships, but unfortunately, they're more common than divorces. The damage they can do to people's self-esteem and the obstacles they place between budding entrepreneurs and their dreams inspired us to write Teaming Up: The Small Business Guide to Collaborating With Others to Boost Your Earnings and Expand Your Horizons (JP Tarcher).

Consider coaching as you grow your speaking business. Coaching is a growing field and has a number of specialties, such as career, life-purpose and business coaching. These organizations offer training in coaching, though it's not a legal prerequisite:

(800) 897-8707, www.coachtraining.com;

(800) 48-COACH, www.coachu.com;

(619) 287-1186, www.coachforlife.com;

(858) 573-0888, workuluv@aol.com;

(415) 274-7551, www.thecoaches.com.

In the meantime, get out there and give all the speeches you can, even if they pay no or low fees. A good speech can spawn others. Consider participating in speaker showcases. And read Speak and Grow Rich (Prentice Hall Press) by Dottie and Lilly Walters, or visit their site at www.walters-intl.com.

Paul and Sarah Edwards' most recent book is Changing Directions Without Losing Your Way. You can send them your start-up questions at www.workingfromhome.com or through us at Entrepreneur.

This article was originally published in the August 2001 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Dream Weaver.