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In today's Brain Storm! Business Podcast, we are hosting a very special edition that should hopefully bring home the point that there is absolutely no reason why you cannot achieve whatever you set your mind to achieve.

Joining us today is Glenda Watson Hyatt, author of "I'll Do It Myself", an autobiography of her life with Cerebral Palsy. I don't want to steal Glenda's thunder, so I am going to just let you enjoy this very special interview.

1. Glenda, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Sure but first, I would like to thank you Penny for hosting the second stop on my virtual book tour “40 Blogs in 40 (Business) Days”.

I am Glenda Watson Hyatt and I live in Surrey, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia, where we have been having wicked winter weather.

I have cerebral palsy caused by a lack of oxygen at birth. For me, cerebral palsy is mainly a lack of muscle coordination and balance. I am unable to walk without falling every few steps, which doesn't tend to get me very far, very fast, thus I use an electric scooter for mobility. I have limited hand function, relying on only my left thumb to type.

However, my biggest frustration is my unclear speech as I speak Glenda-ish, which few people take the time to understand.

This is why I’m using Kate, my synthesized voice for this interview.

Despite my cerebral palsy, I have led a fairly normal life, attending regular class in my local high school and then going on to Simon Fraser University.

After seven years of living independently on campus and typing all my papers and exams with my left thumb, I graduated with my Bachelors of Arts with a major in psychology and a minor in communications. I have been married eight years now to a wonderfully supportive man Darrell, who also has cerebral palsy, which makes life twice as interesting!

And, I’ve just released my autobiography , "I’ll Do It Myself", in which I intimately share my life to show others that cerebral palsy is not a death sentence, but rather a life sentence.

2. The title of your book is "I'll Do It Myself". Tell us what that is about.

Sure, Penny. I would like to read a brief excerpt from my book that explains how the phrase “I’ll Do It Myself” began:

At Brownie camp Mom learned an important lesson: to sit on her hands as I tried to do something by myself, even if it took me longer to accomplish. Like most moms, time was in great demand. She worked full-time, raised four kids and kept the household running, and she didn’t always have the luxury of time to allow me to do something myself that she could do more quickly. However, she knew it was critical to allow me to do what I could myself, even if it took longer, in order to develop independence.

The Guiders taught Mom to sit on her hands whenever possible rather than rushing in to do things for me, but reality meant some compromises. On school day mornings, when timing was down to the minute, she dressed me. But, on weekends when we didn’t have to be anywhere early, I dressed myself, even though it could take half an hour or more. Who invented socks anyway? They were always a struggle, but I managed to get them on eventually. Because I preferred doing things myself rather than having others do them for me, I was nicknamed the “I’ll-do-it-myself” girl.

I have continued being independent, even fiercely so at times. I have no doubt that that strong sense of independence has helped me get to where I am today. When it came time to decide upon a title for my book, I’ll Do It Myself was the obvious choice.

3. Since you face challenges that many of us never even consider, you must have to do a lot of brainstorming to come up with ways to accomplish all that you do. Do you have an example of an innovation you had to design in order to accomplish something in your life? This could be a strategy or something material.

Having a physical disability definitely means brainstorming and being creative.

For example, a couple of years ago, I was asked to speak at a Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia event on accessible community. My initial thought was But I don't give speeches. I can't. Since I was raised without the word “can't “in my vocabulary, that was a fleeing thought. I quickly turned my thought to How can I do this?

I had been using the free computer software ReadPlease for a couple of years to proofread my writing. ReadPlease reads aloud text that is copied into the program. I thought, Maybe I could put ReadPlease onto my laptop and have it read aloud my speech for me. I hesitantly agreed to speak. Unsure if the technology would work, I took a printed copy of the speech with me, in case I needed someone else to read it on my behalf.

Finally, it was my turn to take the stage. Being on stage alone for the first time in my life, with two hundred eyes staring at me, I wanted to run. But, I didn't. I gave my speech. When I was done, I left the stage, trembling. I had given my first ever speech! And the technology worked!

Using this same text-to-mp3 technology, now I can even podcast! This non-verbal red-head is podcasting! I can now reach people in a new way, and who knows what opportunities will arise now that I can podcast!

4. Do you think necessity is the mother of invention? Meaning, do you think that facing challenges causes you to become more creative?

Definitely, Penny. Because I have a physical disability and need to find other ways to do things, I am a creative and possibility thinker. I am continually problem solving and finding ways around potential barriers.

5. Your life is an inspiration in itself. What would you say to entrepreneurs who have great ideas but don't actually put them into action, due to busy-ness or overwhelm or fear?

Thank you, Penny. I completely understand when entrepreneurs say they are too busy to put ideas into action. Recently I realized I am beyond behind.

But, if entrepreneurs are serious about their ideas, firmly believe in them and are passionate about them, then there are ways to find small bits of time to work on their ideas.

It means taking a good look at how they spend their time and deciding whether all the busy-ness is really time spent on what is deeply important to them.

For example, a couple years ago, I realized folding my underwear was a waste of time.

Nobody is going to see my underwear drawer and that time could be better spent elsewhere. Now I just stuff it in the drawer and be done with it. For some, having a neatly organized underwear drawer may be important to them, so they need to find other places where they can cut their own busy-ness. The key is to turn down the noise or busy-ness of life and focus on what is truly important.

I can also relate to the fear factor and how it can paralyze one from moving forward.

Once my manuscript was finished, I took a week or more to send it to the printer. I was afraid there were still errors and I did not want my book to be less than perfect. When I realized I had written the book for readers, not for review critics, then I was able to email the file to the printer.

And then I began waking up in a panic, thinking, “Oh my, why did I include this and that in my book? What was I thinking?” To date, I have not received any feedback from readers to substantiate my fears.

There is a quote going around the internet; the author is apparently unknown, but I embrace her philosophy on life:

Life shouldn’t be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, totally worn out and screaming, "Woohoo, what a ride! "

Penny, thank you so much for hosting today’s appearance of my virtual book tour “40 Blogs in 40 (Business) Days”. It has been fun. I would like to invite your readers and listeners to join me for the rest of the virtual tour by visiting www.doitmyselfblog.com and signing up to receive blog updates right in their email inbox. How cool is that! Thank you.

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I hope you all have been as inspired by Glenda as I am. If she can write and publish her autobiography with one finger, you can write your autobiography.

If she can get up in front of a room full of people and speak through her computer, you can get up in front of people and share your ideas. The only thing holding you back from putting those brainstorming ideas into action is you. So take Glenda's example, and skid in sideways, saying you gave it your all, and gave it your best shot.

Penny Haynes, 1st Podcast Publishing & Digital Business Books

Click here to listen to the podcast.

In today's Brain Storm business podcast, I interview Annie Jennings of Annie Jennings PR about her newest service, "Don't Lift A Finger Podcast" service.

I thought it fitting to share this interview with the Brain Storm listeners, because I was talking in last week's business podcasting episode about how Annie had inspired me to start doing free classes. Then I found out that she has an upscale service that does it all (and I mean ALL) when it comes to podcasting. You don't even have to create the CONTENT, that's how complete it is! As she says, all you have to do is show up, and she does the rest.

Podcasting and PR are a perfect combination, and Annie is making the most of her contacts with the media by providing PR clients a complete PR package, including a podcast series.

Her goal is not just to create a single podcast for the client, but to create an entire PR package, of which Podcasting is one of the tools. If you are a CEO of a business who doesn't want to have to do anything other than "show up", Annie will review your resources, your websites, and strategize the content. You show up to record, and they do the rest.

Annie will be speaking about what you need to create a complete PR Platform at the Online BizPodExpo this weekend. Her session is Friday night, January 19, 2007 at 10pm EST, so don't miss it!

Penny Haynes, 1st Podcast Publishing & PodcastDirectories4Sale.com

Click here to listen to the podcast.

In today's business podcast, we will be discussing a great and relatively inexpensive (possibly even free) way of building your brand, and as someone once told me I was doing, building good karma - all by giving away free resources and doing free classes. <smile>

I owe this revelation to Annie Jennings, of Annie Jennings PR. This woman does so many free seminars that I wondered how in the world she found time to do any "work" and make any money. And then it came to me - a blinding epiphany based on her strategy and my own preaching about branding resources.

What if you had great business resources and tools that you could give away for free?

And what if every time they opened it, they saw your brand? This is what I have been business podcasting about for a while. Find something they need, brand it and give it away.

But what if you also add free seminars on an important related topic, where you also taught them how to use that free resource?

People are normally willing to come to a free class, especially if it is on a topic that is practical and will help them on a day to day basis. It will also help them if it keeps them "in the know" about current topics and news items. So you can offer free classes on a "buzz" topic, where you also give away your free (hopefully branded) business resource, and also teach how to use it.

That's what I am doing for my Podcasting & Podcatching Classes at PodcastingConferences.com: Getting FREE Audio and Video Delivered To Your Computer.

I have let my network know that if they want a free class given to their network, teaching them the down and dirty, quick overview about Podcasting, giving them a FREE Podcatching program (branded, of course), teaching them how to subscribe to Podcasts at our niche market Podcast Directories. The point? Not only to promote our family of Niche Market Podcast Directories (and PodcastDirectories4Sale.com), but also to introduce people to podcasting and the possibilities that podcasting for business brings.

Doing free classes is great for filling up your "pipeline" to get more clients - it prequalifies them as someone truly interested in what you have to offer.

And when they get your free resource and learn how to use it, whenever they use it, your brand will always be before them. You instill a type of customer loyalty by giving them free resources, and from thereon out, that client associates you with your niche.

I've got great ways for you to find and brand free resources - but you'll have to listen to get the answers. <smile>

In the meanwhile, check out http://www.BizPodExpo.com and join us for the Business & Podcasting Expo, online Jan 19-21, 2007. You just need an internet connection, speakers and a microphone!

Penny Haynes, 1st Podcast Publishing & PodcatcherZ.com

Click here to listen to the podcast.

In today's business podcast, we will discuss the benefits and challenges of allowing and dis-allowing expressions of faith in the workplace (and in other public places as well).

This is based on an article in the December 2006 issue of Inc, and makes some great points about religious beliefs and how to best handle them in the workplace.

This is not just about hiring issues, or people being refused the opportunity for their religious group to meet on company property.

This is also about deciding who you will or will not serve as a customer. This is about recognizing how beliefs (whether religious or non-religious) will affect everything that an individual, and therefore a society, will do.

As an evangelical, conservative Christian, you will probably be suprised by what I have to say, and what I believe.

My views on tolerance, society, our laws and our history may surprise some of you. However, it all comes to bear on our businesses, because our businesses are a part of society. They are also an accurate reflection of our own beliefs, regardless of what they are. At least they SHOULD be a reflection of who we truly are - in my opinion.

Remember the January 19-21, 2007 Business Podcasting Expo (http://www.BizPodExpo.com).

It's an ONLINE event where all you need is an internet connection and a headset microphone to attend. I hope to meet with you there!

Also, if any of you are interested in starting a local online business for your community, I am looking for 20 more entrepreneurs to join us as we fine-tune the development of the software.

Go to http://www.CommunityDirectories4Sale.com to see what I'm talking about.

Penny Haynes, 1st Podcast Publishing & CommunityDirectories4Sale.com