Terra Vita
Ghost Blogger, Project Mender and World Wanderer

If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to get it!

Websites:

• http://www.oz-greetings.com.au/

Connect with me on:

• AIM: Writer, Blogger, Public Relations

Simply put, I know stuff. I know people. I know ideas. I put stuff, people and ideas together. I make stuff happen with ideas and people. I develop people and ideas into tangible and intangible stuff. I make concrete stuff from ideas and turn dreams into products that sell.

As a consultant, I provide accomplished, accommodating project development and management with remarkable results. I am known for being within budget, on time and at your convenience. I specialize in short term partnerships to start, finish or dig out of any project, anytime, anywhere. Emergency situations are a specialty! I am quick, cost effective and uber focused on your success. I get in, get out, no long contracts-just efficient problem resolution.

My services include but are not limited to:

*Marketing-getting started, reviewing, assessing best choices and strategies.

*Sales-Do you need a shot in the arm or a quick campaign?

*Blogs and content development

*Reviews and promotional pieces

*Research and compilation

*Training-Translate your needs into training format

*Manufacturing, wholesale and retail assistance

*Import-Export-Senior VP in Asia for twenty plus years. Hands on experience in manufacturing, light industrial and intellectual property.

*Practical problem identification and resolution, vision boarding, brainstorming

*Product Development from inception to shelf

*Intellectual Property, licensing and government compliance

*Videos-short videos demonstrating your prowess to the world.

*Decorating-I owned a design studio in LA for nine years

I am conversant and close to fluency in Thai, Cantonese, Shanghainese and Bahasa Indonesian. I have interesting and intriguing relationships in social, government and political circles worldwide. I lived and worked extensively in Asia(twenty years plus), Africa(two years) and spent a substantial amount of time in South America. My clients in import-export were primarily from the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

Results through movement and thoughtful action! I solve your short term problems and help you identify long term solutions. I provide referrals to trusted and tested professionals in many business sectors. I network with you and for you on a global and technical level. I gently and swiftly guide you to your best outcome-without drama or trauma.

I am a coach, mentor, trainer, cheerleader and marketing guru. I will help you define your goals, plot your strategy and find the most qualified professionals for the life of your project.

Call me if you are stuck and I will jump in as a short term partner to figure out a simple, elegant solution. I am your confidential sounding board, employee evalutater, article editor, blogger (and/or decorator) who provides a cup of tea and sympathy while we get your project moving. I will fill the role of Task Master, Senior VP or Senior Assistant as needed.

Call me if you need another seasoned point of view, are having trouble with a governmental agency, regulation or policy or just can't figure out how to get from point a to b.

Masters of Public Administration Seattle University. Federal Fellow in Political Science

Bachelor of Arts-College of Ethnic Studies, Western Washington University

Graduate studies at Lone Mountain College and University of San Francisco. I am adjunct faculty at several colleges and universities throughout the world. I am a lifelong learner and take multiple courses continually including language, science, engineering, marketing and anything that is interesting, fun and current.

My twenty two years in Asia as a Senior VP gave me the building blocks for problem solving on a dime. I worked for a large Hong Kong based company with sixteen divisions. My assignments included everything from writing the IPOs (shrimp one month, cement the next) to developing new industries in regions or countries my company wanted to enter. My duties included client development and inter-governmental relations. This could be defined as the penultimate business networking or schmooze until success (and then some).

This was before China was really open or receptive to trade. It was the wild west of entrepreneurship and better than any business school-my graduate degree proved virtually useless when faced with real life situations that involved money.

Our customers were primarily Japanese, European or Middle Eastern. I had to learn and adhere to each of their cultural expectations and norms. My company believed in doing it "their way". Tea for a Saudi prince is vastly different than tea for a German industrialist. Never doubt that tea can make or break a deal. We learned to listen, listen and listen while showing the sights of each country we did business in (travel expertise developed here).

An example of one of my best deals happened in remote villages while we were hunting down sapphires for an executive's wife. If we could cut that deal, we were worthy of their business. Sapphires and business were landed-that alliance lasted twenty years.

Did I know about sapphires? No, I had to pay someone for a quick course in gemology. The details we excelled in gave us our business. I remember developing a silk blouse factory with a Vogue, "How to Sew" book in one hand and a Chinese language manual in the other.

We developed or worked in industries that were nascent or non-existent even a year before. This was pre-internet and generally without resources, data bases, etc. It was networking and your life was your Rolodex-literally. I used to think of Ginger Rogers doing everything Fred Astaire did only in high heels and backwards. However there was neither band nor dance floor-only the camera of closed deals to measure our success.

These were heady times (30 years ago) and not really quantifiable experiences that can be delineated on a resume. Problem solving could not rely on practical or good sense because those measurements mean something different in each cultural context. Black is not always black and white is not always white and gray has many hues. I can say I learned to look, listen and consider before approaching any problem. I also learned to cut my losses and retreat if things were not measuring up to my standards. That is a series of loose floating standards imposed by the owner of the company who was known to abandon proposed multi-million dollar projects if the feng shui was iffy.

I bring this and my prior experience in politics and commerce to every situation I encounter. I can assemble a team of experts throughout the world and locally to find the right solution for you. I believe there is never one answer to a question. It is figuring out the best answer and executing it that brings resolution.