On Monday night, we began the strategic planning process for Compass Yoga. We’re laying out a solid mission statement and using that to direct our programming and fundraising efforts. With all of the possibilities for our services, we have to be very deliberate about where we place our focus and energy. As we were sorting through possibilities, Michael made a simple and profound statement that stopped all of us in our tracks – “Begin as you wish to go.”
He then quickly made the joke that he read this line in an infant sleep book, but it stuck all the same. No matter what we begin – getting an infant to sleep through the night, starting a company, beginning a relationship, or learning something new – it is critical to keep the compromising to a minimum. Preferably to zero. The start is the foundation, the precedent, by which all other actions will be measured. A bad start is hard to save.
And so we trekked on through our planning with these hallowed words in mind. The thrill of a new beginning, a blank slate, is the opportunity to create something just as we wish it to be. If we can stay true to our vision at the start, the way to go will open.
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
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The authors of “Babywise” called. They’re looking for their royalties.
Christa Avampato 
The authors of “Babywise” called. They’re looking for their royalties.
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