Welcome Ed.

I met Ed several years ago at National Career Development Association annual conferences. Both Ed and I have been very active in that association. Perhaps later Ed, you might want to talk about the value of being active in a professional association to help grow your private practice.

We had an instant rapport. We are both academics (like most NCDA members), who have taught at universities and earned doctorates in education. In addition, we are both innovative and entrepreneurial. As Membership Chair of NCDA, Ed introduced outstanding practices, such as giving graduate students and first year counselors a discount so they could afford to join the organization. He also recognized members who recruit new members in his "Each One, Reach One" campaign.

Ed, listeners would like to hear from you about starting and growing your private practice. In past tele-interviews, participants have expressed curiosity about very practical steps in become a successful private practitioner. They would like to know how to overcome challenges and generate sufficient income, which you addressed very clearly in your contribution to the NCDA Monograph, Starting and Growing a Business in the New Economy. Counselors can apply the exercise that Ed designed for the NCDA monograph to their own business. View his exercise on the CCA Tele-Interview website, which is also posted on the CCA website.
CCA website.

Could you tell us a little about your business, how you got it off the ground and how you grew it? I would encourage listeners to ask Ed questions throughout his interview.

Other questions (as time allows):

What value has writing books brought to your business? Do you earn income from your books? If so, what marketing strategies have you found to be effective in generating income?

What are your external sources of support? (both people and things)?

Do you have a board of advisors, either formally or informally?

What were and are now your internal sources of support?