This is huge. This is, like, red-carpet-klieg-light huge. I can see it all now: big, bold Helvetica headlines rapidly spinning towards us on the silver screen, screaming, “IWOC TAKES ROAD SHOW TO CITY HALL!” and “IWOC TIES DA KNOT WITH DA CITY!” and “CITY TO IWOC: ‘HOWDY, PARDNER!’” What’s all the hubbub about? Lean in and listen:

For the last three years, IWOC Program Director Jeff Steele and myself, along with a rotating cast of Sally Chapralis, David Steinkraus and George Becht have formed a band of roaming IWOC-ers, traveling to public libraries and various other venues around Chicago and the surrounding ‘burbs, presenting our hit show, “Life in the Freelance Lane: Business Basics for Succeeding in the Gig Economy.” Sometimes the audience has been “intimate.” Sometimes SRO. But in every case, it has been greeted with hearty applause and heartfelt gratitude for providing what attendees have exclaimed was tried-and-true, inspirational, common sense, real world advice. The Q&A’s have always been lively, and best of all, several attendees have been moved enough to join IWOC. Nothing could be more rewarding. And apparently, it’s paying off in other ways. Big time:

IWOC has just been invited to partner with the City of Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP), where we will be included in their roster of Business Education Workshops offered for free at City Hall – a venue that can be considered akin to what Broadway is to the theater circuit. In the business arena, this is putting us center stage. We have arrived! Our first workshop will be on Wednesday, August 29.

Add this to the fact that on Tuesday, August 21, we will be presenting LIFL at the empowering Career Transitions Center of Chicago – a connection for which we must extend our deep gratitude to Alicia Dale, who in just her 10 months since joining IWOC has proven herself to be a force of nature. She also was a great influencer in helping us get the gig at City Hall. Alicia, by the way, first encountered IWOC at a LIFL presentation at the cozy KibbitzNest. It was kismet for both Alicia and IWOC, as we are feeding off each other’s energy and enthusiasm to produce great things.

So “Bravo!” to all involved. What’s good for IWOC is what’s good for the members. And what’s good for the members is good for all our careers.

And now...on with the show!

- Laura Stigler

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