You have talents.

You want to share them with the world.

(But how do you actually make that happen?)

You need a road map… a plan of action.

Because staring into the void without a plan – without knowing how to take the first step – is intimidating. Not having a plan can cause you to second-guess yourself or distract yourself or scare yourself. You might also be more wiling to allow others to steer your life in directions that might be more beneficial to them than to you.

Having a plan empowers you. And when you are empowered you are able to be your best self and produce your best work.

The best kind of plan is tailored to your specific circumstances and it is strategic – meaning it will get you from here to there with the least amount of effort, stress and strain as possible.

I help talented, creative people – like yourself – make strategic plans that get them where they want to go.

I can help you define your focus and develop plans of action that will use the resources of time, energy, and money (that you have right now) in the most effective and efficient ways possible in order to generate momentum so you can start moving forward faster.

I can teach you how to maximize opportunities and how to strengthen the foundation on which you are building your career.

I do not present you with “my way” that you then have to figure out how to apply to your own life. Nope. I just sit down with you and figure out what you need to do. We talk. We plan. You go off and execute the plan. You contact me again if you get stuck or need support or desire accountability or are ready for more planning.

“But wait,” you might be thinking, “isn’t that what a manger is supposed to do for me? Don’t I just need to go get a manger?”

Ideally, yes, it would be great to have a manager who could help you create strategic plans. And there are those who definitely can (make sure you get one of those!) But managers are people too, and strategic planning may just not be one of their strengths. Hmmm…

So, if you don’t have someone in your life right now who can offer this element critical to success, you now know someone who can fill in.

I don’t manage careers… but I do help creative people learn to captain their own ship and navigate uncharted waters.

That’s my passion and that’s my strength.

How do you know if you need my services?

Well, do you feel you could be playing your game at a much higher, more rewarding level?

Is something holding you back from taking action?

Do you feel stuck?

Maybe you feel caught between your creative pursuits and your day job…

Or are you sort of scattered – enthusiastically starting at step B and then (whoa) going back to step A only to then spend time puttering around at step E (forgetting completely about step D) only to end up way back at step C, confused and frustrated… wondering how you are going to get your dreams off the ground?

If any of that is even partially true, then you and I may have something to talk about.

As a member of SAG, Equity and AFTRA, I spent a decade as a working actor while managing businesses and, gradually, building a business of my own. I know first-hand about following one’s dream and about choosing which dream to follow. Along the way, I have soaked-up all that I could on my favorite subjects: marketing, networking, branding, and organization.

May career strategy clients include series regulars, founders of national publications, authors, international speakers, and entrepreneurs in the areas of acting, filmmaking, music, voice over, and graphic design – among others.

Everyone gets stuck or side-tracked every once in awhile. Hitting a plateau is normal. And deciding to shift gears entirely can be fabulous. Successful people are those who figure out the type of help they need and then go get it and apply it! They realize the value of getting personalized instruction that is tailored to their circumstances and that specifically addresses their needs. By finding an expert who knows what you need to know and who will support you in expanding your comfort zone, you can shave months (even years) off of your learning curve and speed up your progress exponentially.

You and I both know that there is nothing this industry does better than enable artists to throw money at their careers in an effort to advance. Even “struggling” artists spend a great deal of money on their careers – in small, unfocused dribbles that may or may not lead to desired results. Worse, most artists (struggling or not) dribble away their time and energy too. Yet, it is what you do with your time and energy that will ultimately determine the amount of money (and joy and satisfaction) you generate.

If an injection of strategy seems precisely the type of help you and your ambition could use right now, check out the information below for more details regarding my approach and my rates.

Best wishes,
Kristine

P.S. I started my career strategy blog – Ditching Your Day Job – on this site to share with a wider audience my response to those issues and topics that constantly come up in the career strategy sessions I have with my clients. Take a look at the archived postings and test-drive some of my advice for yourself.

A few words from my client Ann DeWig, a national voice-over and station imaging artist (and Guest Speaker at the 2005 International Radio Creative & Production Summit):
Listen

Career Strategy: My Approach

My first priority when I talk to prospective clients is to make certain that the help I provide is the help that they actually need at this time in their life.

I am a career strategist. I am not a life coach. Certainly, some of the issues we cover may fall into that territory a bit, but our sessions together will mainly be focused on the actions you can take to boost your career or artistic pursuit to a higher level. I describe the difference between the two as such: A life coach helps you figure out who you are, where you are at, and what you want to do in the context of your life as a whole; whereas I specialize in helping creative people with the ambition and desire to earn a living and/or receive recognition from their talents. I help such folks a) get clearly focused on what they specifically want to accomplish, b) plan the most efficient and effective ways to get from here to there, and c) create support and accountability throughout the process.

My second priority when I talk to a prospective client is to make certain that we are a good match.

While I feel my rates are exceptionally reasonable for the quality and uniqueness of the service that I offer, just because someone can afford to hire me does not automatically mean I am the best guide for them. The thoroughness of this website is an attempt on my part to give you as much information about me, my personality, and my approach as possible so you can develop a definite gut feeling as to whether or not I would be an asset to have on your team

There are three ways you can access my guidance:

a) private sessions

b) group coaching sessions for projects

c) do-it-yourself using my materials as your guides

Private Sessions

These private sessions are held over the phone or
in person (in Glendale, CA).

$265 / Strategy
• Initial Intake Session / 2 hours
• PDF download of Feeding Your Focus Part 1: Focus & Strategy

An Initial Intake Session is required for each new client. It gives us enough time to drill deep into the areas of your career where you feel frustrated or stuck and develop a strategic plan of action to meet your goals.

After completing an Initial Intake Session, clients are welcome to book individual sessions with me when the need arises at the rate of $100/hour.

$500 / Strategy & Support
• Initial Intake Session / 2 hours
• 3 follow-up sessions / 1 hour each
• PDF download of Feeding Your Focus Part 1: Focus & Strategy

This option is best for those periods of growth when you desire increased support while you put elements of your strategic plan into action.

$700 / Strategy & Organizing – L.A. residents only
• Initial Intake Session / 2 hours
• 1 hands-on organizing session in your home / 5 hours
• PDF download of Feeding Your Focus Part 1: Focus & Strategy
• PDF download of Feeding Your Focus Part 2: Home Office Efficiency

If your environment is hindering you from implementing your strategic plan and moving forward faster, this may be the ideal option for you.

Additional organizing time can be scheduled at the rate of $100/hour.

Group Coaching for Projects

$365 / Group Strategy Session – in Glendale, CA
• Group strategy session / 2 hours
• PDF download of Feeding Your Focus Part 1: Focus & Strategy

This ready-made-group option is for creative folks who are working together on a specific project. If you are already pouring your time, energy, and money into a live show or a webisode or a short film or a showcase, etc. you will benefit greatly by having a strategic plan in place to help you fully utilize the project as a career-enhancing tool for everyone involved.

D.I.Y. using my materials

The Book:
Feeding Your Focus: How creative people can move forward faster and achieve sustained success.

I wrote this book once I realized there were particular concepts that I was discussing with almost every client. I’ve now collected my very best advice on the basics every creative person needs to know: career strategy, home office efficiency, financial organization, and effective networking.

You can learn more about Feeding Your Focus and listen to seven free chapters here.

The Seminar on DVD:
Ditching Your Day Job: How to use the time you have to build the acting career you want.

WARNING: This seminar is NOT: “…well, first you need to get good headshots…”

THIS seminar is: “You have great headshots and only a few hours each week to devote to getting work as an actor, how do you maximize the hell out of them and leverage your time, energy, and money to move your career forward faster?”

It will be available very soon!

“I do without a gardener, a pool boy, and an interior designer. I can’t do without Kristine Oller. She guides my every professional move.”

Pat Fraley
Teacher, Producer, Voice Over Talent

Listen to Pat’s interview with Kristine regarding career strategy:
Download Pat Fraley Interview