It keeps me energized and on the leading edge. I love the rapid generation of new ideas. Thomas is going and blowing, so I am too, in my own practice. Monkey see, monkey do.

I've learned - yet again - that one man's meat is another man's poison. There has been a split on some issues.

It makes me feel like I belong to the neatest thing going - CoachVille. It's fun to see things first - like the coachcards. I can expect something neat in my email several times a week. I feel close to the source. Close to the font.

I'm working at my practice as I do pretty much 24/7, and here comes en email from Thomas. It keeps me company. Someone else is up and working late. (There exists the possibility that he scheduled this to be sent at this time, but I prefer to think otherwise.)

That it's perfectly okay to specifically request the kind of feedback you want......

Being part of the R & D team enhances my self-image as a coach. I sometimes drop that info on a client also.

I believe that some of my ideas make Coachville a better place and in turn enhance coaching as a profession.

I get to give something back for all the wonderful output from coachville. No one, nowhere gives more for the money than coachville.

I have definitely benefited from being on your R&D team. It has helped make myself more creative. I feel apart of a large network. I'm excited to hear about one of your projects and then see the finished product.

Having been a proud member of Coachville for over 6 months now, I have learned more about myself and where I am in my career than I have in the last 30 years. Being on the R&D team has given me the opportunity to voice my own, sometimes critical/praising/constructive/sometimes self centered/sometimes even ""right on"" catches knowing that what I have to contribute and the time I can make to contribute are always taken in good faith and even...at times immediately acted upon.

I have seen Coachville grow from about 600 members, I think, when I joined, into one of THE most informative resources on the Internet, period. I feel proud to be a member of Coachville and of the R&D team.

I have started an R&D team and I've encouraged my partners to start one as well. The primary benefit to me has been increasing the seriousness of my engagement in my own learning. I take your requests for input very seriously. I don't respond in a cavalier way. I only reply when I can give it time and a seriousness corresponding to the invitation. I am often surprised by what I have to say. While I know the point is to contribute to a worthwhile endeavor I get so much more in the act of responding.

I've become freer in my creation of my own IP. I created a 5-day course in a matter of days with the help of my R&D team. I've now delivered that course over 10 times. In this month alone I'm scheduled to deliver it to 250 more people. I'm now at work on the follow-up course. I'm moving quickly with the help of my friends. I would never have done that before. My previous practice was attending to getting it right as I created the materials. This is so much faster and from the response to my first course, much better.

My team members love the attention I give them and the opportunity to contribute to my endeavors. I have created little gifts for my team members. I invited them to a telecourse for free. I'm teaching myself to create a course-by-email. I've invited my team members to participate in my sample course. BTW, four of my team members are now CV members.

For me probably the biggest benefit has been enlarging my thinking. We sometimes live in the fishbowl of our own life and can't see other people's ideas/creativity, so being on someone else's R&D team has opened up a whole other world for me.

Being on someone else's R&D team has also changed the way I go about starting my own projects  I used to think of an idea, you know that light bulb moment, and then shelve it as it seems to big, or undoable, or down right laughable at times. Now I go out of my way to share my ideas and from that sharing I'm amazed at what comes out. It is sometimes nothing like my original idea. But is is always more refined and more pure. They say two heads are better than one. Well I can't imagine what the power of 1000 times that is!

Share, Share, Share. Even the 'not so thought out' ideas need to be expressed and articulated. I've also learned that you don't have to have every i dotted and every t crossed to get started. In fact, it seems that the sooner you put the idea out there, the better/well crafted it becomes. So I personally, will not wait until every aspect of my project/workshop/whatever is complete before putting it out to the world. You probably saved me dozens, if not hundreds, of development time in that one area alone.

I've shared the whole R&D team concept to 'non-coaches' most of them don't quite get it. They are still coming from a place of scarcity I can see. I would imagine the invitation to join would need to address that somehow, indirectly at least. (sort of like, why would i want to give you all my good ideas? is the thinking)

If you stop and look at it. you are using your R&D team to craft the lesson on using an R&D team. That speaks volumes. No?

A very timely email as I ready to launch my R&D team this month. Thanks for such a great model for IP development. I learn so much from being on the R&D team. I know I will be outrageously successful from the skills I have learned from the R&D.

Why Create alone when there is infinite knowledge available for those who ask for it. By asking for help ideas become clearer, better defined, and come to life most importantly.

I have become 1000% more creative and I am inspired to create. (I, too, have great Ideas)

I have gained insight into a process that is worth millions to me in my business. (I am just scratching the surface of its value. I am launching my R&D Team this month and very excited)

How much more creative I have become by being involved. Its as if any idea is an opportunity. The other is how often Thomas responds personally.

It keeps my creative juices flowing. It keeps me on the leading edge of coaching ideas, concepts and keeps me in touch with a leading creative process.

The implementation and development cycle can be seriously fast tracked with the combined knowledge and wisdom of the team.

I have been modeling my business after coachville creating high energy participation with my clients. Although I am just getting started as a coach. I am positive my business will be providing solid passive revenue. I am creating my own e programs and looking to provide a place for teleclasses with multiple instructors branded under my company name.

I believe the R&D Team approach is an advanced model for research.

What surprised me was that participants did not want get acknowledgement for their input/feedback

IP development does not need to be extremely expensive.

Coachville is a practice oriented research and teaching organization.

I simply like Thomas's style and approach...fresh, fast, fun...

It allows me to express my opinion about the direction that CV is taking and the programs offered. This provides me with a sense of value to the organization.

I am always one step ahead of the general membership (self explanatory) which means I get to see what is in the workings, AND usually have an opportunity to give input to that project being worked.

I feel privileged to be able to make a contribution in whatever way I can to something so wonderfully developmental.

Being in your R&D team has taught me so, so much about the creative process and networking. The impact this has had on my on life is that I have started to think in new directions - I am now able to think much bigger myself! I am also going to start my own R&D team. I think it is wonderful when we learn to share our ideas between each other. That way we ALL evolve.

I have learnt about the creative process from inside out which has amazed me and how quickly a product can come about. This is the only way someone could develop so much IP.

I have enjoyed learning about events/products before the 'main stream'. I have sent out coachcards to loads of clients/potential clients and got a kick of telling people (after they ask) that these are not released yet, i.e. they are more special to receive them!

I have started my own team called the 'Board of Directors' with 4 people who really helped me focus on my marketing. I have also joined another R7D team which put me in touch with ore experienced coaches who offered me great advise.

The main thing is the speed of the creation process with great quality.

I have so many plans for 2002 which will involve developing IP and working with an R&D team.

I'm new in this R&D team but I have already "benefits"  lot. I'm an entrepreneur myself and this R&D team really inspires me and gives me more and bigger ideas.

I'm surprised and impressed of CoachVille and R&D. Especially the content in CoachVille. I'm in love with the structure and the efficient.

But the most important and fascinating about R&D is that it really proves - give an answer of the question - What can happen if you sharing what you know and asking people for help (even if you don't think you need).? It's just positive things and things which definitely open doors you had no idea that they existed.

It's gave me the idea that I can use the same way to launch my personal project (a web site about life transitions).

I saw that American coaches are more active in marketing than the European coaches.... Europeans coaches think that the client must come to them, and not the contrary !

I'm not obliged to give an answer at each mail. And I can see how the members of the R&D team react.

It's very interesting to discover how Americans market their products and how they fix the price of their products.

I saw that we can act without having all the answers about the project before beginning the project... It's a ""constructivist"" attitude. We are learning while we are walking...

Being involved in the process is stimulating... the unfolding development as it happens knowing that it is new cutting edge stuff and knowing that i am living in a parallel universe 10 000 miles way makes me realise that this is part of the evolutionary nature of man kind, which i am helping if only in a small way , to shape

Coaching communities exist in an energy of abundance; enough to go around for all; loose network of skills that can be called on in the appropriate moment.

Intuitively aware of the love and nurturing around the coachville community

I feel part of a special group of like minded people. What we give is a gift to the universe. Thomas listens to what we say.

I get a sense of community and that I am part of a bigger picture. sometimes coaching is lonely and the r&d team keeps me connected. I have actually made a good friend in another state through being on the team.

I think R&D is kewl cause when I bump into all the new things that you are thinking about, it never fails to activate my own thinking as well. I spend lots of time generating income from non-coaching related activities (specifically e-commerce design) and so many of the loopy thoughts you cast our way have practical application in other arenas. Or, with a little tweaking, answer questions I've been pondering myself.

Mostly I enjoy the creative stimulation of whizzing brilliant ideas past the minds of other bright folks. I *need* that!

Something I noticed immediately was how the process facilitates rapid concept to market. Thomas, you are obviously someone that loves to generate ideas (I can appreciate this because I too enjoy idea generating). But it is so challenging to manage those ideas: identify the high potential ones and then come up with the best way to implement (productize) those ideas.

I really like how you present the issue and then ask very specific questions re what you're looking for.

I have also appreciated having a "window" on how your mind works. It's fun to observe how your vision is evolving and the infrastructure, products, and services you are developing to make your vision happen.

Having worked in marketing, advertising, and technical communications for many years, I have often been chagrined at how little companies truly understand about their customers. Soliciting feedback and really LISTENING is hard work. But, I believe it is so critical to the success of an organization.

I took to the process right away. I am currently in a career transition and am considering a short list of career possibilities (one is coaching which is why I joined Coachville). I wrote up all of the pros and cons I attributed to each career field and then submitted those to trusted friends. I got some great feedback and suggestions--stuff I would never have thought of because of my own prejudices. Regardless of the field I choose, I have every intention of creating a set of books, articles, tapes etc reflecting experience/learning I want to share with others. When I create these materials, I will apply what I've learned to solicit feedback.

Re intellectual property. I think the learning has been more subtle. My impression is that the R&D process is useful because it adds a level of intellectual rigor to the process. This rigor enables you to clearly specify what your idea is and what it is not. Because technology is changing so rapidly (how we deliver our ideas) that it is constantly murky re ideas: are they unique enough to qualify as property? What makes an idea legal property? The R&D process seems to provide a large quantity of good quality feedback that can be used to refine and clearly define ideas.

The clear lesson of R&D teams is that two (or two thousand) heads are better than one. Brainstorming with bright people is the best way to move ideas forward quickly because people will tell you that something works or why it doesn't or potential pitfalls or holes in your reasoning. I am a lawyer by training and one thing lawyers are trained to do is try to think of every possible scenario (usually worse case scenario) so that you have things in place to deal with that possibility. You're ready. No one likes to be caught off-guard or be blindsided. An R&D team takes you there faster than you can get there by yourself. When you believe in an idea, you may not see its shortcomings--kind of like being in love.

It may sound silly but a big thing for me is to see other have the same ideas I do, sometimes its frustrating that I haven't acted as much on my ideas but mainly its very reinforcing and has totally broadened my thinking and given me many more resources to go from.

I'm a social person and working on my own out of my house can be tough, it's great to be a part of this team and community. As I said above its also greatly expanded my thinking. I really enjoy working on things with people and this still gives me a chance to do that.

I like knowing about things as they are being developed. I also appreciate the fact that you give us offers ahead of time and deals occasionally.

It has changed my thinking a lot about sharing information. For whatever reason I sometimes am protective of my ideas, the way you share so openly not only your ideas but finished product inspires me as well. There are still ways everyone benefits and you're not being taken advantage of.

Being on the R&D team allows me to fulfill a gap sometimes found in learning. As a fan of thinking, I appreciate a great idea. The R&D team experience helps me see HOW the ideas are formed and WHY. Things I might otherwise disagree with I support due to the logic behind it - not seen by people other than the R&D team. It also, however, is a model for me to take back to my coaching practice and see how to approach many different, but similar issues. A nugget from something you are saying about one of your IPs will stick in my head as the seed for a seemingly unrelated situation I'm having.

In short, it is selfishly good synergy. Why do I stay on? Knowledge, experience, learning, contribution, fun, sneak peeks... All the things that enticed me to join in the first place. It isn't too taxing, if I don't have anything to add I stay quiet, if I'm overwhelmed here I ignore the R&D (no offense) and I feel that if I disagree that I'm able to say it bluntly and be heard as offering something constructive, not being bitchy. (cause I'm not). : )

Being on the R and D Team gives me the opportunity to hear first the latest ideas (cutting edge coaching). It has triggered some great ideas about using my own R/d team to the best advantage. Like what do I need to know and do right now!

Seeing your thinking and ideas spurs ideas of my own which created opportunities for my business to become more alive

It's allowed me to acknowledge and embrace my own creativity, to let it come through in a way I never dreamed of. I had never before considered myself a creative person.

I am stimulated and NEED intellectual conversation with brilliant people or I die; this helps sate that need.

Provides a role model of how to conduct my own R&D team.

Inspires me to reach out to others; if you can do it, so can I!

I take pleasure in helping you because I respect you, you're a nice guy and I want for you to be happy and successful

Personally, the greatest benefit to me from being on the R&D team is the advance information I get about what's going on with CoachVille. This information frequently stimulates or validates ideas I have on projects I work on.

Professionally, I am impressed with the caliber of responses from other members when they are shared. The depth of thought that goes into the responses is motivation to me personally to go to a different level when confronted with a request.

About the process: Human nature is such that people want to help people. Because we are treated professionally, we tend to respond in like manner. The key is finding people interested in similar areas of interest and seeking their input.

Surprise: That a person of your intelligence actually listens to us.

Intellectual Property development: I have been working on the development of intellectual property for most of my adult life. Being part of the team validates what I do in my own business.

Inspired re. intellectual property: I have changed my focus from teleclass dissemination of information to e-courses as a source of passive revenue.

I love being on the R&D Team. It is fun for me to be a part of the early edge and I feel I can and do make contributions. Also, I love watching things evolve. This experience gives me courage to be braver in my own risking. The muscles practiced in this safe space are strengthened and readied for the places that aren't as friendly.

Currently my own R&D Team is more informal but will evolve as my access capabilities continue to increase. Currently my informal team is working with me to develop my declared focus to enhance the attracted business that is in play now.

I have come to understand that, with a large R&D Team in particular, it isn't always possible to provide specific feedback on offerings but when it happens, it is very cool. The connection strengthens in feeling heard. Ah, the keystone of coaching. And it is fun to see input make it to a final product.

I love hanging out with creative intelligent folks. Your analogy of bread making is so appropriate and dear to my heart. Process, especially with people and technology my areas, is hands-on caring and nurturing, as well as paying attention to the grand vision and the details. Feed that yeast. And from my master baker grandmother, add flour till it feels right.