But it’s been 4 years since I was introduced to the awesome that is Jennifer Lee’s Right Brain Business Plan and her annual Video Summit, but since year five starts next Monday, I guess it must be!

Chances are, if you’ve mentioned business, business plans, or anything remotely related around me I’ve recommended this book to you. To everyone else: here ya go. I first found out about through Tori Deaux of The Circus Serene (and, now, Quirkpreneurs) who was part of Lee’s RBBP workshop and featured in the original book. That first year there were a lot of lightbulb moments and I also hooked up with Nicole Fende, the Numbers Whisperer, who became my accountability buddy (or, since we’re both in finance, we call ourselves Bean Buddies), client, and–most important–my friend. The Summits routinely increase my feed reader rolls, too, as it gives me an excellent opportunity to find out about people I might not have come across, otherwise. (And that would be a shame.)

The best part, though, is that the Video Summits–10 days of live webcasts, interviews, playsheet downloads, and live chats–is absolutely free. No cost. Perfect for the cash-strapped entrepreneur. Hey, we’ve all been there. Some of us are still there! It is what it is.

(This would be a great time for me to tell you that today’s links, at least the RBBiz-related ones, are affiliate links.)

In fact, the only thing it’ll cost you is a little time–less than an hour each weekday (Jen usually wraps up the live feed after 45 minutes so people can do whatever they need to do before getting back to work, etc., though sometimes sessions do run the full hour). And since time can be pretty doggone precious, the recordings of the live sessions are available for replay for 48 hours afterwards, so you have a bit of flexibility if the 10am PDT/1 pm EDT schedule doesn’t work for you.

If the replay windows aren’t flexible enough for you, or you just want more resources from the Video Summit overall, there are the Booster and Premium passes available. The Booster pass gives you forever-access to the videos, plus transcripts and audio files you can download, as well as the chat logs–which can be really useful when people are sharing websites or social media handles: that chat moves fast! The Premium pass includes all of that, plus a facilitated Facebook group, 3 group coaching calls, and a bunch of other business building bonuses (say that 3 times fast).

The first two years I watched the Summit, I just watched, took notes, and got a serious inspiration boost. It was awesome just the way it was and I didn’t feel like I needed more. Year 3, though, I decided to go ahead and be a little brave and apply for one of the Premium Pass scholarships–and I won it! I was over-the-moon happy and I really enjoyed getting to know the others in the Facebook group better, being able to engage during the coaching calls, and made some fabulous long-term connections there. So last year, year 4, I went ahead and enrolled in Premium right away because I didn’t want to go back to no having those extras. I keep the audio files on my iPod so I can listen to them in the car. Instead of scrambling to take notes, I can enjoy the live chat or not worry if I’m really swamped one day and have to catch up. (Like last year when our house closing landed right in the middle of the summit–obviously I missed that day!)

It’s kinda like cruising: once you get a balcony room, you don’t want to go back to just a window!

But what I like most about Jennifer Lee’s approach to business, so much so that I own both her books, have avidly watched all 4 years of Summits, enrolled in her Product Development Playground course last fall, and signed up to be a Licensed Facilitator of her Unfolding Your Life’s Vision and Dream Box courses, is that she’s very low-pressure, down-to-earth, kind and caring in her delivery of the information. While other business schools, classes, and conferences are all about the hard sell, the million dollar launches, and leave you feeling like you need a shower, Jen is about the “dream big, start small” and checking in with your heart and intentions.

So, if this is something that sounds right up your alley, I invite you join me for the 5th Annual Right Brainers in Business Video Summit, starting March 9th, 2015.

And if you’re thinking, eh, maybe next year? Might want to rethink that! Jen mentioned in an earlier newsletter that this year’s might be the last Summit of it’s current form. What does that mean exactly?! Not sure–I’m hoping we hear more during the Summit! I have a hunch, and we’ll just have to see how good my intuition is once we know for sure, but until then, please think about joining us for the next 2 weeks?

My goal for this year’s Summit is to use the inevitable momentum it always provides to finish the business plan for The Crafty Branch. (See, you get rewarded for reading down to the bottom of the post: the craft boutique-to-be has a name!) Both a right brain one for me and the more traditional left-brain version for the bank, too. I’ll also be posting my take-aways from each day of the summit over the next two weeks.

Hope to see you there!