Here's What My Clients Say. "David Brownstein's superb facilitation skills and down to earth leading style got our Senior Management Retreat off to a great start. He got my people talking in an open and honest dialogue that we had never had before. David's sharp instincts picked up on small comments that opened up into key discussions. Nothing was left swept under the carpet. We ended up with new clarity and focus that we'd never been able to achieve before. Through continued work with him over the past year he's opened my eyes to new possibilities and helped me get the best from my people: we've begun to work, think and act like a team!" --Rich Tackenberg. Executive Producer - "Kill Reality" on E! Entertainment. Dear David, Thank you very much for speaking to our Women In Film Santa Barbara Networking Breakfast on Saturday, April 12th. It was a tremendous meeting with equally enthusiastic responses from our members and guests. I could tell by the questions asked that you were able to answer succinctly what was most important to those in attendance. It was the first meeting of its kind for us. That is, interactive. It was very exciting to see everyone responding, asking questions, giving advice and helping the others around them. Normally when a meeting is finished everyone jumps up and rushes the speaker to get as much “me” information as possible. This was the exact opposite. Though people did speak one-on-one with you later on, it was amazing that at the end of this meeting no one rushed you. They were more concerned with speaking with their “partner” and “newest best friend.” People were helping each other instead of focusing on their own needs and interests. I feel that it was the most life-changing, decision-making meeting we have ever had. I found it interesting that people were still at the restaurant helping one another and discussing ideas even when we left the meeting. I am usually the last one out the door; however, in this case, the people who remained at the restaurant looked like they were intent on staying for a quite a long time. The morning was a tremendous success, David. Teaching us how to live the balanced life, how to prioritize, how to say no, and how to help the person next to us is the best kind of meeting!! All that in one hour! Your seminars must be completely fantastic! Thank you, too, for your informative handouts and your inspirational Circle of Life. Sincerely, The Women In Film Santa Barbara Networking Breakfast Laurel Walsh, chair Leslie Gangl Howe, co-chair David Brownstein at the AWG: New Year's Resolution? No, a New Year's Revival! 2004 at the Alameda Writers Group started out with a special event. The January 3 GMM featured not your typical guest speaker -- a writer telling his true-life story, "It all started when I was a boy in Iowa . . . " -- but with life coach David Brownstein. David's stated goal was to help us set our own "Big Goal for 2004" and to establish a few steps we might take toward that goal, but he did even more than that. He got AWG regulars and guests alike to jump out of their seats and share their thoughts and dreams. Quite an accomplishment! David started by asking how many of us completed a major work this past. A goodly number of us raised our hands. Then he asked how many of us wanted to complete a major work THIS year. He got a 100% response on that one. First, he said, we have to establish what is important about our art. Encouraging us to do what he called "the deep soul work" of our writing process, he asked us to define what was important about our art -- whether it was writing, storytelling, or filmmaking. "What are you passionate about?" he asked. A guest shouted out, "Autism!" At David's prompting, the guest elaborated on his feelings. "In just 8 seconds," David pointed out, "this writer was able to elicit a reaction from us to his passion. Imagine if he has 120 pages to do just that!" Of course, we all want to achieve our goals and see our dreams come true, but what holds us back? "Gremlins!" David said. That's what he calls our fears of not being enough -- not smart enough, not talented enough, I'm only a semi-finalist, I was only paid $50 not $1000, etc., etc. By calling them "Gremlins" David both externalizes our fears and makes them easily rendered harmless. "Write a list," he urged, "of all the Gremlin voices you hear. Get to know them." Only then, can we silence those voices once and for all. Then he asked us to close our eyes, be quiet for a moment, breathe deeply and evenly, relax. When we were all quiet, he spoke. "Today is January 3, 2004," he said. "Now imagine it's January 3, 2005." After a dramatic pause, he asked, "Where are you? What are you doing?" After he brought us out of our meditation, he asked us to share our thoughts. It was both remarkable and moving to see regulars and guests alike respond to his request, as one after another, writers stood and declared what they were going to accomplish in 2004. "Complete my novel! Start producing again! Sell a script!" they shouted out. And David wasn't done yet! Hadn't he promised us he would help us establish a plan? A path to those goals? "Now identify one single specific step that will get your closer to your goal," he said. "something quantifiable, something that can be measured or counted." Then, inviting us to introduce ourselves to the person sitting next to us, he encouraged us to create a team of two. "Now promise to call your team mate this Saturday. Ask him or her, did you do it? If you didn't, what did you learn about not doing it? Did you not have a clear goal? Did you bite off more than you could chew? And most important, what will you do next week?" David ended by encouraging us to build in accountability. "Break up your goals into small one-week steps," he said, "and keep promising someone what you're going to do!" And so, with wit and uncommon charm, David Brownstein set the Alameda Writers Group on their own Yellow Brick Road. See you at Emerald City! “A weekly conversation with David brings clarity, focus and achievement to my life. Our coaching sessions increased my confidence, effectiveness, and ability to close deals. His experience as a film producer, music maven, and screenwriter makes him the ideal person to coach people in the entertainment industry. Working with David is like having a manager, a therapist, and best friend all rolled up into one. He's an invaluable compass, and I only wish he were small enough to fit in my pocket." --Jim Pasternak, writer, producer, teacher, director, "One Hell Of A Guy.” “David has coached me for over a year. I began working with him because I felt “stuck” and unable to make some crucial decision. I felt anxious and confused. In large part because of the work I have done with David, my life is now much richer -- I feel more confident in the choices I’m making and more satisfied by the result of those choices than I could ever have imagined. In reviewing the year with David recently, I was amazed to discover that I have accomplished more of my goals than I had thought possible, and that the rewards are greater than what I had hoped for. David creates a true sense of partnership – from the beginning, it was clear that his role was to help me create and implement my own vision. He has a special ability to lead me just where I want to go by a combination of listening, questioning, challenging and reminding. He is structured enough to make each session productive, and yet flexible enough to respond to my shifting priorities, issues and concerns as I raise them. He is always punctual, prepared, and completely devotes his full attention to each session. He has a marvelous sense of humor, but he is also patient and gentle when strong emotions come up. I always feel safe with David, which has enabled me to take the kind of risks I needed to improve my relationships, professional life, and living situation. David has consistently been able to get me to explore areas of my life that I’d resisted looking at for years. Each session with him leaves me feeling more in touch with what is important to me and more able to achieve it. In addition, he has very valuable suggestions for concrete steps I can take between our sessions that lead to dramatic growth and progress for me. I would highly recommend working with David to anyone considering living a fuller, more satisfying life!” --Karen Goldberg - Attorney. "I have found David to be one of the most positive, long-term forces behind my career and my general development as a successful human being. He really listens. He helps me identify problems and come up with strategic solutions to those problems. When things seem rough, he offers me an encouraging perspective of who I am and what I am capable of doing - in a way that motivates me to take action. When his intuition leads him, he suggests ideas that challenge the very core of my being - in a way that is hard to refuse. Our conversations catapult me to new levels. I highly recommend David Brownstein as a powerful resource in any person's career pursuits. If you are in the entertainment industry, that recommendation is tripled because of David's extensive experience in the entertainment industry and how it works." Marty H. – Production Coordinator. “David is a respectful prodder, a curious explorer, an ally and a tutor. When we first began our coaching relationship a year and a half ago, I had just lost my job and was feeling relieved and ready for a rest. I didn't feel the "need" for help. He asked, "Do you want to add coaching to the exhuberant state you are in now to kick yourself up to the next level, or do you want to wait 6 months and then work with me to pull yourself back up to zero?" That question was key. I said, "Of course, let's kick it up several levels!" And we have. I have made so much progress in my creative life that I couldn't have imagined, from producing a CD, to working as a freelance writer, to getting involved in radio production. David helps me think big. At the threshold of each scary step I took, he was there, listening, asking, and reminding me of my past successes and lessons. At the same time, he doesn't cross borders, seems to have a good sense of how much to push. He is also open to my pushing back. I feel honored when I say, "No, I don't want to talk about that, or no, I don't want to go there." This combination of respecting my limits, yet encouraging me to go to the edge is a great aspect of his coaching. David’s coaching affirms my growth and accomplishments in a satisfying way. He gives me questions to wrestle with and he helps me organize myself when I'm feeling overwhelmed with choices. Our coaching sessions feel like a safe place for me to be myself, and also to discover who I might be. If people hire David as their coach, they will get beyond their "stuck" places, they will get a clear appraisal of their worth as a creative person, they will find great empathy and insight from one who has "been there" as an artist himself. They will find him a responsive counselor, a cohort, an advocate, an instigator, a shaman and a mensch.” -Jennie Orvino - Writer, Radio Producer As a coach David supported me, challenged me, and gently guided me during an important transition period in my life. David's natural and honest coaching style made me feel comfortable to be myself, which made me more effective at moving forward quickly. One of the things I like most about being coached is that it's one half hour a week that is completely focused on me. During our sessions, David was fully focused and intensely listening to what was going on with my process. Sara D. – Human Resources Executive.