Collaboration can let us get more done, quicker, and add more value. But how do you find the people you want to collaborate with?
Kate McCombs from http://www.SexGeekdom.com, Ashley Manta from http://www.AshleyManta.com and Cathy Vartuli from http://www.TheIntimacyDojo.com share tips and their experiences.
Cathy: We’re talking about collaboration and how to identify people that would be really fun to work with, play with, create with. I’m Cathy Vartuli from http://www.TheIntimacyDojo.com
Kate: I’m Kate McCombs from http://www.SexGeekdom.com.
Ashley: And I’m Ashley Manta from http://www.AshleyManta.com.
Cathy: You have one of the ways we identify people that are fun to hang out with and collaborate with.
Ashley: Yes, I do. I have my vulva puppet. This is Lilith. When Kate and I met on Twitter, it was because she had a picture of her vulva puppet, and we found out that we had the same vulva puppets. We have twin vulvas, and I knew that Kate was going to be somebody that I want to hang out with.
Cathy: It’s really hard to identify people just by looking at them, to know if they have a philosophy that’s similar to your belief set, or similar to you. But if you start looking for what activities people are doing, or what things they are passionate about, that can be a really great way to identify “Hey, do you want to hang out for the day and talk about this new idea I have and maybe flesh it out, or collaborate and create something?”
Ashley: Definitely. If I see somebody holding a copy of Opening Up, then I know that that’s probably going to be somebody that I would have shared interests with.
Cathy: Thanks, Tristan.
Ashley: Thanks, Tristan.
Cathy: What do you look for when you’re collaborating with someone? What kind of things make you happy?
Kate: I think the biggest thing is people who have matched my energy and excitement about what I’m planning to do. I think that’s the biggest thing. The people that I’ve found most delightful to work with kind of have a similar … not necessarily identical, but kind of on the same level and energy wavelength that they enjoy working at.
Cathy: That can help, because some people are very methodical about stuff, and some who are all … we’re all self-identified sex geeks, and we love helping people find new ways to understand their bodies and help them pleasure. We’ve just had the most amazing lunch and just gabbed at each other for a long time about it.
Kate: I got to share the pictures … I take my vulva puppet around the world and take pictures of it in front of famous monuments, and I was showing to them like pictures of my child, or dog or something like, “Oh, look at that!”
Ashley: “It’s the vulva puppet in the Great Wall! It’s the vulva puppet in the Eiffel Tower!” And we were just loving every second of it.
Kate: I know when people get that, that they’re probably co-conspirators.
Ashley: We’re on the same wavelength, for sure.
Cathy: What excites you when you’re looking for someone you want to collaborate with? What kind of things are you looking for?
Ashley: I definitely want somebody that I can be myself around, that I can be goofy and silly, but also get a lot of work done. I really want someone who understands that vulvas are fun, and that vulva puppets are fun to play with and pass around to people. Vulvas are for sharing.
Cathy: With consent, always.
Ashley: With consent. Always with consent. If somebody can laugh at “vulvas are for sharing,” then I know that we’re probably going to have a good time together.
Kate: I was showing Ashley earlier how you can use the vulva puppet as a travel pillow. Like you can just fold it in half. It’s very comforting, actually. A little satin labia minora …
Cathy: It’s unique.
Kate: Yes, absolutely.
Cathy: When I’m looking for someone to collaborate for or with, I look for passion. Do they have a passion for what they’re teaching? That gets me to do stuff and it renews me. We all really care about people having the information that will let them live really powerful, beautiful lives. We don’t care how you express that. Monogamous, polyamorous, bisexual, gay, straight. It doesn’t matter. But we want people to know how to do what they’re doing in a really … There’s so much about the vulva and the penis, and different ways that people can communicate and connect that when you know those things, it’s really fun and juicy.
Ashley: Yes, it does.
Kate: Absolutely.
Cathy: What gets you excited about collaboration? When we collaborate, we can get more done and we cover more aspects of it, and we can be renewed and recharged. We’d love to hear what you think. Leave comments below.
Ashley: Thanks, guys.
Cathy: Include pictures of your vulva puppet if you have one.
Ashley: We’d love to see them.
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