Rising Stars: Meet Mary Coupland

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Coupland.

Hi Mary, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello. My name is Mary Coupland. I live in the beautiful Northwest, I’ve been married almost 30 years, and we have two great kids.

Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself, and tell my story of how I became a passionate small business owner. On January 1st, 2018, I founded Compass & Clock LLC, a multimedia program I created after my mom battled Alzheimer’s Disease for nearly a decade. The difficulty we had finding information and resources was the inspiration.

I should probably give you a little background first before we dive into what I’m doing today though.

For the last decade I have been focused on educating others about matters that pertain to aging but prior to that I had a career as a buyer, just shy of 25 years. I was very successful at it, and one of the main reasons was because I believed in developing and nurturing relationships.

Being a buyer isn’t as glamorous a job as you think. It’s hard work; it’s not just shopping and buying clothes. It’s extremely financial. Building your financial plan and hitting those numbers, marketing, and yes, relationships. You are held to your financial plan, and you better believe the vendors I worked with also had one too. So, I learned early on that it’s not all about me; it’s a two-way street; it’s about us and how working together as a team so everyone can meet their goals makes it a win-win for everyone. This mindset is deeply embedded in how I approached creating Compass & Clock.

When my parents were asking my sisters and I questions during my mom’s journey with Alzheimer’s, I had no clue to any matters that pertained to aging. I was focused on my career, marriage, raising our two toddlers, developing new friendships in our community, and so much more. My senior years were a blip on the horizon.

From my personal experience with our mother’s dementia, I saw a need. I realized that our parents aren’t invincible. That the adult children must educate themselves on aging matters, retirement planning, and so much more, because when that switch flips, the aging parents turn to their adult children for guidance, support, and answers. And we can’t help them if our heads are in the sand.

That lightbulb moment is what planted the seeds for Compass & Clock,  the concept of being a “one-stop-shop,” so to speak. A place where someone can come and get answers to their questions about…..

– Are you automatically enrolled in Medicare on your 65th birthday?

– Does Dad have to stop driving just because he’s 80 years old?

– If I don’t own a house, do I need an Estate Plan?

These are all great questions and wouldn’t it be great to know you can go to one place to find those answers and so many more?

When a crisis hits a family, as it did in ours, it’s usually a healthcare crisis. And when that happens, we are very vulnerable. We are overwhelmed with emotions. There are so many questions, and where do you find the answers.? Or maybe we don’t even know what questions to ask.  And that’s where Compass & Clock comes in. It’s that one place you can go to find the answers about: Senior Housing Options, Healthcare, Financial Planning, Legal Guidance, Leisure Pursuits, and Family Support.

Compass & Clock was designed specifically for folks 40 + older because I am passionate about the adult children educating themselves to help their parents while simultaneously preparing for their own road ahead.

In our latest edition here’s a sampling of the topics we cover:

• Yoga for Seniors

• Avoiding Gift Card Fraud

• Beyond Alexa

• Tips for Hiring a Contractor

• CBD as an Effective Sleep Aid

• Medicare Choices for Federal Retirees and Veterans

• What is an Estate Sale Exactly

• And so much more

There are things we can do in advance, so should that bump in the road occur, we are better equipped to handle those situations. Leisure Pursuits is one of the categories I love to highlight because we are meant to enjoy life through all stages, at all ages. I like to say we will help you stay on top of your game through middle age, retirement, and well into your senior years!

Now let’s get back to 2023.  Compass & Clock is in year six, and the 11th edition was just released in April. My multimedia program is comprised of:

• An 80-page bi-annual publication (spring/summer & fall/winter, print & digital edition)

• All articles as of 2021 for the publications are now available as audio recordings (on our YouTube Channel & our website) for those that prefer listening instead of reading

• Monthly E-newsletter

• Podcasts

• Ask the Experts 2 minute snippet videos of FAQs

• Blog

• Resource directory

• Social media platforms – FB and a robust YouTube channel

• Monthly networking meeting for the members/advertisers

• Some in-person Road Ahead events

• And more

My plan for 2024 is to offer the publication for Home Delivery (small subscription fee to have the 80-page publication mailed directly to your home or office in any of the 50 U.S. States) PLUS continue as an E-Book and all the other digital components of the program.

Here’s a quick 1 min video I made a few years ago to explain what Compass & Clock is all about and why I created it: https://youtu.be/vohrC-fXXt4

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The launch of Compass & Clock was successful for a small business I started myself, and to this day, I am the only employee.  As you can imagine I wear many hats: Owner/Founder/Operator, Director of Sales & Marketing. Bookkeeper/Financial Planner, Podcaster, Editor in Chief, Publisher, and more.

After 2 years I realized an increase of 25%, and the future was looking bright. I was out there meeting experts from Port Angeles, WA, to Gig Harbor, WA, and all places in between. I loved connecting with the community and meeting with potential new members/advertisers and the public, my audience.

Learning from all those experts was essential to my mission, “to cultivate and nourish a group of compassionate, experienced professionals that were dedicated to those they serve,” and inviting them to be long-time, invested members/advertisers of my Compass & Clock family. I wanted those professionals to feel ownership in the program, and be available to share their expertise with those in need.

The whole concept was founded on the belief that when an individual or family comes to Compass & Clock for guidance, information, and resources, they are able to connect with professionals that will not only meet their expectations but exceed them. The goal from day one has been to provide the best help, advice, and more.

COVID-19 was the biggest challenge I’ve faced. Yet simultaneously, it set Compass & Clock on a new path of discovery. I had to learn how to turn lemons into lemonade.

When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, the year was already financially planned and secured, and we were in the midst of uploading the Spring/Summer edition. But like other small businesses, in the middle of 2020 I hit that bump in the road… I had to get resourceful and figure out where I can distribute the 8000 magazines that were just delivered to my home.

I had personally been delivering the magazines to places of business where our audience had to wait for an appt, or enjoyed a meal, etc. As you can imagine, healthcare provider offices were a popular location to pick up an issue. But, during 2020 and into 2021, the healthcare providers weren’t allowing any magazines in their waiting rooms for patients to read, touch, etc.

So, how was I going to get the print edition in the hands of the public? Solution….I went and bought myself a collapsible red wagon, and I delivered the magazine to some neighborhoods, free libraries, hosted local food drives in grocery store parking lots, and found other places to still place the publication so my audience had access to it. They needed it now more than ever was my mantra!

2021 inspired the launch of the educational & entertaining Compass & Clock Info-Tainment Podcasts. We are presently at 38 podcasts and growing. I interview a variety of guests from knowledgeable experts, to folks sharing stories of their life experiences, and more. Tune in to hear about: What is Hospice; Gardening Tips; What is Senior Co-Housing; What is an Ombudsman; Resizing for a Clean & Cozy Home; and more.

Prior to the pandemic, I was already conducting interviews at BKAT, the local public access cable station in Bremerton, WA., with a 30 minute time slot on Cable TV in Kitsap County once a week. So, I formatted the podcasts to be approx 25 minutes in length so they can slip into that time slot, and they’re long enough to provide the much needed content and grab the listener’s attention.

I upload a liquid file to BKAT for my 30 minute time slot, continually providing new content, and my Buzzsprout channel pushes out the new podcasts to all your favorite apps.

2022, I had to keep the ball rolling forward and expand our exposure outside my local area.

I was, and am still convinced that the information we provide is needed by so many of us, across the nation. If you haven’t already heard this statistic, it’s mind blowing.  10,000 people are turning 65 every day, and by 2030, 20 percent of the U.S. population will be 65 and older. The cost of living as we roll into our senior years increases, while our income decreases. Many will outlive their money.  That’s just not sustainable. It’s my personal mission to get the word out to others now, so they can start thinking, saving, and pre-planning for their road ahead.

Compass & Clock is all Digital. Except for the high quality bi-annual print magazine which is preferred by some readers over the digital version.  With the help of my printer I performed a small test in 2022 to see if a subscription for Home Delivery was viable. For the low single cost of $9.99, I now know I can provide this service to all 50 states, and the magazine can be delivered to your home or office, twice a year.

Just one catch. I need a minimum of 1000 subscriptions to offer the annual home delivery subscription @ $9.99 to make it financially feasible for the bottom line.

In 2022 I was still personally delivering the magazine around the Westsound. Many doors were back open and accepting it for the general public to pick up at their place of business.  But I’m only one person, and by personally distributing the publication, I was limiting the growth potential of Compass & Clock, as it’s just not possible for me to personally deliver the magazine around the country. Hence the Home Delivery test.

Fourth quarter of 2022, I built the financial plan for 2023, and made the hard decision to go ALL DIGITAL. I did it for two reasons.

First, that’s all the budget could support due to the multiple increases in paper costs, gas prices and the drop in ad revenue, but more importantly, the second reason was I needed to fuel the expansion of Compass & Clock, and if I went all digital, I was opening up my geographic reach.

So, has it been the smoothest road?

No. There have been some bumps.  But those struggles and challenges are what makes a person stronger. What gets the creative juices flowing, brings out the fighter in us, so we can keep moving forward and being the best version of us that we can. At the end of the day, I’m happy that Compass & Clock is here, and making a difference in other people’s lives.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
2023 is a year of digital growth, audience reach, and planning for a successful launch of the Home Delivery subscription for 2024. I will continue to provide a variety of mediums because each person likes to get their information differently. Some folks just LOVE the print magazine. Like me, they’re the same people that hold a book, not listen to it on audio. Others are in their car, often for long stretches and can listen to the different articles while getting from point A to point B while simultaneously learning about IRAs, Medicare, Pickleball, and more.

June 2023 kicks off the 2024 Home Delivery Annual Subscription Campaign. I figure it’s like needing 1000 signatures to get a petition approved. But in this case we need 1000 subscriptions to provide home delivery.

The campaign is simple. You can express your interest by clicking on the link below, fill in your name and email, and that’s it. There’s no cost to show me you’re interested.

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/dznk0E0

By using Constant Contact I’m able to create a database that will keep count of how many folks want home delivery. If we achieve our goal by the end of 2023, all those that signed up will receive an email on January 2nd, 2024 with the instructions and the link to provide their name, mailing address and the $9.99 single payment. Plus you can also gift the publication to a friend or family member too. Just fill in their name and mailing address and remit payment.

In addition to the home delivery campaign, I will continue to build our Podcast Library for our listeners. Feel free to email me a topic you want me to cover.

The way I see it, it’s about enjoying the journey; it’s not about the end of life. It’s all that fun stuff along the way. Raising awareness of all Compass & Clock has to offer and making sure it is accessible is a priority.

What are your plans for the future?
My personal goal: Trying to practice what I preach. We’re all getting older at the same rate, one day at a time. And the stats tell us that a lot of us are going to outlive our money, and long-term care costs are expensive, and you need to save lots and lots of money. You need to have a plan.

I often say, “Where are you going to live when you grow up?” And by “grow up,” I mean when your kids are out of the house, and you’re reaching your retirement years, where are you going to live, what’s your plan?

Right now, we’re working on that plan in our household. Over the last couple of years, we’ve been looking into possibly living in New Zealand in our not-too-distant future part of each year. My husband has dual citizenship, our daughter is finishing university there and is establishing her residency, and my son & I applied for and got approved for our Partnership Residency Visa in May 2022.

Currently I am in Dunedin, New Zealand for a few months, working remotely. I have to live here for 184 days out of 365 days, for two years in a row to fulfill my residency visa. I’ve already spent time here during spring and summer, so I’m excited to experience autumn and winter now. This will give me the opportunity to see if I like the weather year-round. So far the verdict is it is very similar to back home in the Northwest. And the people are lovely and the scenery is beautiful. I have to say that having the ability to work remotely and secure my residency simultaneously, it doesn’t get any better than that!

My business goal: In addition to the above, I’m excited to learn about another country’s culture as it pertains to maneuvering through middle age, retirement and into your senior years.

I’m trying to get a part-time job at a local senior housing community here in New Zealand and observe first hand their long-term care system. I believe I can significantly contribute to the community and simultaneously learn from them.

Parting words. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today. It wasn’t until I started Compass & Clock that my husband & I got our Will, Power of Attorney, and our other legal documents drawn up. Those should have been put in place when we started our family. But hey, that’s okay; at least we have them now.

So, if you don’t have these important documents in place, it’s not too late to get them now. And if you don’t have a lot in savings, start putting away more money.

Beginning today, think about your future, where you want to live when you grow up, put a couple of plans in place, and definitely live for today. And when mom & dad ask for some guidance, you’re equipped to help them make smart decisions.

Cheers. Enjoy your road ahead.

Pricing:

• Annual Subscription for Home Delivery, twice a year in 2024 @ $9.99 (need 1000 subscriptions)
• All components of Compass & Clock presently are FREE. 80-page e-book online, monthly e-newsletter, over 100 videos on our YouTube channel, website with tons of info and over 400 articles in our blog, and more. ALL FREE.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.compassandclock.com/
• E-Book (all 11 Editions):  https://www.compassandclock.com/compass-clock-ebook
• BuzzSprout Podcasts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1718363
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/compassandclock/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycoupland/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24P-pukOkNVfhWNWN3YAIQ
• Monthly E-Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1Vjqrj5

Image Credits
Bonnie Louise Gillis