There are 33.2 million small businesses in America, which combined account for 99.9% of all U.S. businesses. Of those numbers, approximately 92% are microbusinesses (i.e. 1-5 employees, counting the owner.) 42% of all U.S. businesses are woman owned and just 18% of all small businesses are minority owned. Lastly, approx. 4% of all U.S. businesses center on creativity, proving that arts are a formidable business presence and broadly distributed across our communities.

Advertising and marketing, Architecture, Crafts, Design (including product design, graphic design, and fashion), Film, Hospitality, Museums/Galleries, Music, Performing Arts, Photography, Publishing, Radio, TV, Video, Visual Arts, etc.

coaching: Developing capacities to be more present, purposeful, and generative in the challenges we are facing and possibilities we wish to enact. Mentoring: Following in the footsteps of someone you admire, learning from their professional path and experience. Advising: Seeking answers and guidance from experts.

No. Gretchen is a strategic business advisor. Her relationships are primary, her clients are looking for tactile advice on what to do and how to do things with and for their businesses. As an advisor , Gretchen’s level of experience and expertise in her specific fields of expertise are directly applicable to the challenges/needs of the clients or organizations seeking advice. My job is to use that expertise to help identify what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and why.

Unlike coaches, mentors and consultants, your relationship with me as an advisor can be structured in many different ways. That said, my job is not typically to do any deliverable-based work, but offer my insights, some of my time, and access to my network. As an advisor - I listen, share my knowledge and experience, provide guidance, resources and tools and might facilitate introductions.

All of Weird Specialty offerings maintain a high level of awareness and personal responsibility around the disclosure of sensitive and private personal and business information from all our members.

All members must adhere to all Shared Agreements (values & rules) to ensure the health and wellness of the community, as well as to support and sustain the Salon itself.

It is of the utmost importance to Gretchen that she works with purpose driven, creative professionals who are eager to build meaningful rapport with her and invest in themselves in a manner that might be new to them. She takes extra care to lead with her own mission so as to attract aligned individuals aiming to do more than serve and center themselves. She does not work with a formulaic approach and only takes on a select few new clients a year who prioritize practicing what they preach and giving back as they grow.

A retainer fee is an amount of money paid upfront to secure Gretchen’s services.

These fees, almost always paid upfront, only ensure Weird Specialty’s commitment.

In addition, retainer fees usually do not represent the total final cost of the services provided by Weird Specialty.

Gretchen works with a code of ethics that includes the integration of a sliding scale that prioritizes diversity, equity and inclusion in creative entrepreneurialism. She billable rate flexes to meet the needs of those daring enough to work with her, while prioritizing her own value and the work she does with her clients.

I practice and operate from a creative entrepreneurial model of ‘no free labor’. This is the model from which I advise my clients.

There are no refunds or money-back guarantees. You can cancel and stop participating at any time with no questions asked.

Advising intensives are modeled off of traditional company offsites.

Clients come together with Gretchen to do annual planning and goal-setting away from the day to day operations of their company, sometimes with their leadership teams, but often alone.

This is important for founders to prioritize, so that they can cull out room for company reviews, vision/mission/values revisits and next year[s] planning.

Not all entrepreneurs can afford, or need regular intensive work with Gretchen.

Critical Conversations are a one hit offering for those who want to swoop in and get hard and fast advice in real time, without a lot of commitment.

That’s one of the many reasons why she built out digital and IRL salon membership.