Like many of us home office hustlers, C.C. Chapman wears several hats:
Author
Entrepreneur
Speaker
Producer
Consultant
Content Expert
Digital Dad to Dylan and Emily
And, I have to add this one... all around really, really nice guy.
An office to come home to
When I sat down to start making a list of people I'd like to interview for this series, C.C. was at the top of my list. How does someone who has so many commitments, stay organized and stay focused as they work from home - especially when they haven't really been home much in the last year?
What you will see is that C.C. has created a work space that is as much 'home', as it is 'office'. It's casual with a sense of humor (like it's owner), yet orderly with space to be creative.
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What I learned from this interview is that C.C. Chapman has worked with his family to define a home office space, and office 'rules' that not only keeps things quiet for webinars, but also incorporate plenty of play for a well-balanced work/home life.
HOH: You have had a lot of success in the last year with Content Rules, which means you have spent a lot of time on the road. What do you have going on this year and do you think you'll be home more?
C.C.C: "The short answer is no. I make my living by being in front of people. This might be me giving a keynote to an audience, on site consulting with a client or doing a book tour. All of these are on my schedule for 2012 so I know I'll be doing a lot of traveling.
Right now I'm writing my second book that will be coming out in the fall and I know that I'll be doing some form of tour to support it. But, I'm also looking at other options besides always being physically there so perhaps I can cut down some dates, but there is nothing like face-to-face so that means I hit the road. Thankfully I can workshift from anywhere in the world thanks to technology."
HOH: I LOVE that you have encouraged your daughter's creativity and even helped her create her own space. When it comes to your own work space, your home office, do you welcome visitors or do you try to limit who can come in, and when?
CC's Daughter, Emily has a design workspace of her ownCCC: "Yes, Emily is a bundle of creative energy and reminds me a lot of myself. We bought her a desk so she could do her crafts and such on and then one day it turned into what I call her design studio. It is great because it is in the basement and she can do what she wants down there without it bothering us. I can't wait to see what she does in life.
As for my office, I'm very lucky because mine is bigger than almost any executive would have in an office building. I've got doors that the family knows if they are closed it means I'm on a call, webinar or something else that I can't be disturbed from. But, besides that I almost never close the doors and the kids and dog come and go as they want.
I work and play in my office since I've got a couch, television and Xbox in the room. I firmly believe that having a balance of work and play in life, and in your workspace, is a key to being successful."
HOH: What is the biggest challenge you experience working from home?
CCC: "You mean besides the fact that the dog always barks the minute I get on the phone?
I've been doing this for years and honestly once you get into the routine I haven't found any major challenges. You start to learn when UPS, FedEX and the mail will arrive and I try to not schedule webinars during those time frames. I also know that as soon as the kids get home from school I want to see them and will be asked homework questions so I'm aware and ready.
In the early days it was hard for my wife to realize that just because I was home that didn't mean that I could run errands or do things around the house. Of course now I know what I can and can't do while at home and since I'm my own boss I do make sure to take the time to run errands and start a load of wash when it makes sense and needs to be done. Especially when they will enable us to have more time together on the weekends and at night."
HOH: Do you have set 'office hours' when you are home, and when do you do your best work?
CCC: "I don't set hours, but from the moment the kids get on the bus in the morning until they come home I'm working. If my clients are in their office then I'm working too.
I firmly believe in the concept of workshifting, so I don't punch a clock, but I work when it is appropriate and necessary.
I do my best work when other people are not working. That means first thing in the morning or late at night. There are less distractions and I can focus in on whatever it is I am doing. Plus, I'm a night owl, so late nights are common for me."
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HOH: Where do you go to work when you are sick of your home office?
CCC: "I've always been on the hunt for a good "third place" as they are usually called, but I haven't found one.
If I get sick of my office I'll head out into the living room or our sun room when the weather is nice. Most of my work is done on my laptop so I can go anywhere. I rarely go to a coffee shop, library or other location to do work."
HOH: What is your favorite object in your home office?
CCC: "I'm surrounded by items that mean something special to me so picking one is impossible. But, the first one that comes to mind is a framed photo my 5th grade teacher gave me for a wedding present that shows me playing The Lorax in my first ever play. She was the woman that introduced me to drama and I love looking at that and remembering how far I've come since that moment."
To connect with CC and get updates on his second book due out in September, you can find him
on Twitter @cc_chapman
on Facebook
on LinkedIn
any by clicking on any of the 'hats' that I mentioned at the top of this post.
I'm digging the Dogma poster - what about you?
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 7:01AM 
