Getting started

#1) Create a Compelling Story and Build Flagship Content

This is the first step in the guide and one I've been working through. What is my story? What makes me different? What kind of content would I produce?

Some ideas I've brainstormed about my compelling story:
- single mom (at the time) who finished college despite the odds
- first person to get a Bachelor's degree in my family
- asthmatic who ran a half-marathon
- someone who gives up luxuries in order to afford to travel
- narcissistic tendencies that make me think all things can be done better
- like to add new touches to make something surprising

Hmmm....a theme seems to be surfacing around the idea of doing unexpected things.

Do the Unexpected

Until I made this list out, I hadn't imagined this would be my theme maybe it's just right for me.

I checked the domain name dotheunexpected.com on godaddy.com and to my surprise, it was available. Since it's just $10, I went ahead and bought it in the event this theme works for me.

How will I know if it works for me?

I started jotting down topics that could fall under this theme. I would have to be able to produce content at least twice a week that would fit under this idea and be compelling enough for people to want to read and come back for more.

Some ideas that I jotted down:
- Make your own greeting cards like a professional designer
- Plan a trip with a tour guide (or with a tour guide's advice)
- Going from non-runner to running a half-marathon in months
- Be visited by the Vacation Fairy while on family vacations
- Do good work for charities while on vacation
- Stock up on groceries instead of buying a week's worth
- Spotlight other people's ideas (Kam's home photo studio)
- Defining happiness differently than others
- Take a mental health day
- Using your own vanity domain
- Take a gap year
- Using customized tinyurls for easy reference
- Converting home movies to DVD (with DVD menu and case label!)
- Discuss well-known people who do the unexpected
- Plan a GPS Scavenger Hunt
- Photo booth at home
- Create a lifelist....and have it made a real list that you can hang on the wall.

Still toying with the theme and moving on to the next part of this step which is to create flagship content. The items listed above could be possible content items but flagship content is more like a large piece of work that you've created which anchors a site. Will consider that and see what I come up with.