Tallahassee

I took a big risk yesterday and it paid off.

I was the keynote speaker at the Business & Professional Women of Tallahassee 2nd annual conference.

Speaking wasn't the risky part. Thanks to my involvement in Toastmasters, I'm not afraid to speak publicly anymore.

But choosing to share an aspect of my life that was dark and hard and filled with grief and anguish was a HUGE risk for me. I shared intimate details of my divorce story with the audience for the first time in such a public way.

I told them about my first husband leaving me and our marriage. I shared my shock and confusion as I left our home, my good stable job and relocated to a new city and basically cried on my mountain top for months on end.

I explained that it was a time in my life where I was barely existing and some days it took all I could just to leave the house and go buy bread at the grocery story because I knew I should have some kind of human interaction.

But what happened during that traumatic period in my life is that I got reconnected to myself. I connected with my authentic being, I connected with my spiritual self and I connected with community. As I got "plugged in" again, I got inspired and started to rebuild my life and what a wonderful life it is now, years later.

I was blown away with how well the audience received my message. All day long during the conference, women were approaching me saying "you told my story" or "I've been in a similar place" or "I'm going through that RIGHT NOW and thank you for giving me hope!" I received e-mails and phone calls last night from people thanking me for sharing my vulnerable side.

And this morning, as I sit here writing this, I have an incredible sense of FREEDOM! Telling our stories is so powerful. I think when we know our worth and our value that is when we are truly powerful.

And sharing our authentic, real, vulnerable selves is how we connect with others. I'm grateful that I was able to connect with so many of the women and men who attended the BPW Conference.

I invite you to consider:

1. In what ways are you craving connection with yourself, Spirit and others?

2. How can you be more authentic (even vulnerable) in your interactions with others?

3. What story do YOU have to tell?

 P.S. If you want to read the Tallahassee Democrat article about my speech and the conference, click here. Thanks to Dave Hodges for capturing the essence of my message so beautifully!

When people ask me to explain coaching, often the best analogy I give them is that working with a coach is like working with a personal trainer.

Let's say you want to get healthy. You know you need to exercise, eat right, stretch, rest and remove as much stress as possible from your life to achieve your goals. Chances are good, you can do this on your own.

But so many of us don't. We start and we stop. We give lip service to our goals, but we don't follow through.

And often times, we simply give up.

And we remain unhealthy.

And unhappy.

And that's where personal trainers come in.

Once we decide we're truly ready to make a change and once we ASK FOR HELP, we're so much more likely to succeed with our goals.

The initial decision is what's most important but the follow up decision of asking for help is what sets the wheels in motion toward a healthy life style.

Same goes for coaching. You know what you  need to do to grow your business and to live a balanced life, right?

So why aren't you doing it?!

We all need a little help every now and then and when we've got big goals and big dreams, a collaborative partner can make all the difference in helping to shepherd us on the road to success.

When I ask my clients what are the top benefits they get from coaching, accountability always ranks near the top of the list.

If you hire a coach to help you achieve your goals, you're going to SHOW UP for yourself on a regular basis.

And if you enroll in a coaching group, (there's one starting in Tallahassee March 2nd) you're going to SHOW UP not only for yourself and for your coach, but for all the other members of the program.

There's a reason why Weight Watchers is one of the most successful weight loss programs in our country.

There's a reason why group coaching programs work.

Accountability.

Committment.

Showing Up.

Resources.

Inspiration.

Community.

If you're ready to shift your life and your business from tired to inspired, I invite you to join me for the next 4 months and see what an impact coaching can have on your life!

I guarantee it will transform you in powerful ways!

Howard Libin, who calls himself Supreme Commander of Adventures in Advertising, a Tallahassee-based promotional advertising agency writes a column for the Business Matters section of our local paper.

Today's article was titled "Team up to stretch your marketing dollars" and I'm thrilled that he mentioned me and Deanna Mims of Market Done and the collaborative work we've done with TEN - Tallahassee Entrepreneurs Network.

His article gave some great examples of how businesses can work together to reach a wider audience. In these economic times, stretching your dollars is key for success for most folks.

In addition to Howard's points, I'd like to add a few thoughts on the matter:

1. It's FUN to collaborate! Deanna and I have a blast when we're co-creating and co-presenting our material.

2. We are both LEARNING from each other. Deanna has an extensive background in marketing and my skill set is in business coaching with an expertise in networking. We are both able to bring our perspectives to the table and share ideas in a way that everyone wins.

3. When you collaborate you double your reach. Howard addressed this in his article but I think it's important to note it again here. When you come together with another business owner, it's like doubling the size of your data base.

Thank you, Howard, for educating the Tallahassee business community about the value of team work. Your article was timely and helpful and we're honored to be cited as one of your examples!

But today I went to a BNI (Business Networking International) meeting in Tallahassee (www.bni.com to find a chapter in your area) and was reminded that even the world's largest and most profitable networking organization can have drawbacks.

Note: I did have a good time at the event and made some great connections and appreciate the invitation from my friend June Townsend with Isagenix! June is a fabulous networker and generous soul (like most of the people at the BNI event).  So be sure to read my full blog post before you think "oh, she just doesn't get it!"

The three "beefs" that I have with this particular BNI experience...

1. Early morning meetings. That's why I became an entrepreneur - to set my own schedule and not feel like I have to be in the "rat race" with the rest of the world. I'm sorry, folks, but at 7:45 a.m., I want to be eating my oatmeal, reading the newspaper and petting my cats. I don't want to be out shaking hands with bright eyed bushy tailed folks looking to shove their business cards in my face. Which leads me to my next point...

2. "In the next 5 minutes, go get as many business cards as you can." THIS approach is why networking has such a bad name! UGH! And I have to say, I was shocked that such an activity would take place at a BNI meeting! BNI is all about passing qualified referrals - building long term relationships - so why they would condone a business card passing activity such as this, I have no clue.

3. Competition, competition, competition. I heard this word three times during the meeting. There was a lot of talk about "locking out your competition" and "filling your seat" so that others in your profession can't "get it." I get, in theory, why this works in a structured group like this. But even when I was a BNI member years ago, if I knew 3 writers and only one of them was in my BNI group, when passing a referral to a colleague or client of mine who was looking to hire a writer, I would always give them the 3 writers and let them decide who they wanted to work with.

But contrast is clearly the spice of life. So to look at the bright side (since I always love finding the learning in a situation) here are my three gems:

1. Freedom! I will continue to relish the fact that as an entrepreneur, I get to set my own work hours and choose when and where and with whom I want to do business. It feels great to have this freedom. So for now, I'll stick with my Chamber Leads group that meets at lunch!

2. Quality not quantity of contacts is what matters. I will continue to ask people's names and shake their hands first before ever exchanging a business card. I admit that I fell into the activity trap and actually did that - the dreaded business card swap - with a few folks (I felt dirty afterwards!). But the few folks that I stopped to talk with - those are the people I will follow up with and build a relationship with.

3. Collaborate, Collaborate, Collaborate! This is what I will continue to do throughout my career. I love working with Deanna Mims (www.marketdone.com) on our quarterly TEN (Tallahassee Entrepreneurs Network) meetings where we teach people the skills of good old fashioned networking (um, doing the biz card exchange is not one of the tools that we teach!) Our next workshop will be in Aug/Sept - will let you know the date soon.

Lastly, I will celebrate the fact that I have initiated a meeting regularly with local coaches for lunch.

Gasp! But they're my "competition"!

Ah phooey!

I'm excited to announce two upcoming retreats that I'm hosting that I think are going to be fabulous!

The Solitude By The Sea Retreat is going to be a weekend of luxury!!! You'll want to start planning now for this October 15-18 weekend. I'm co-facilitating it with my fabulous friend Geralyn Russell who is a yoga instructor, DOGA instructor and meditation teacher. She is amazing and together we are going to co-create an experience that participants surely won't forget!

We've rented a 5 star retreat home on St. George Island, FL and are planning a magical weekend for all who come! We expect people will be traveling from all over the country because St. George is renowned for it's beaches and who wouldn't want to be in Florida in October, perhaps the most glorious month of the whole year here? Click here for more details!

If you missed the kick-off of the Tallahassee Entrepreneurs Network (TEN) in February,

be sure to mark your calendar now for this second quarter gathering!
 

Tuesday May 19th from 5:30-7:00 p.m.

at the Brokaw-McDougall House

329 North Meridian Street

Tallahassee, Florida

Learn TEN Tools to Elevate Your Intro and Get a Rise Out of Your Elevator Speech.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My colleague, Deanna Mims of MarketDone, and I are thrilled with what people are saying about the Tallahassee Entrepreneurs Network (TEN):

“I enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere and activities that helped everyone to relax.” 

 – Charlene Cappellini, Namaste Yoga Center

 “Great starting point for networking success. I liked the casual format and the non-conference room environment.” 

– Angel Clark, Keiser University

 “Loved meeting other business owners. Great activities!” 

 – Tricia Thomas, Roly Poly

We’re gearing up for our second event May 19^th. Once again, we will share our passion for networking and making genuine relationship-building connections.

If you live in the Tallahassee area,

Take a break and get out of the office

Expand your business connections

Network with other like-minded folks

Save $$$ with earlybird registration by Friday May 1st!

Come join us on Tuesday May 19th and learn our TEN tools to elevate your elevator speech.! Click here for more details and to register!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to appear on Tallahassee area ABC 27 News at Sunrise. What a blast! I thought I'd be TIRED getting up at 4:30 a.m. but I was so INSPIRED to be able to share my message (albeit brief!) with the Tallahassee community in the wee hours of the morning. You can watch the interview here.

I was invited to interview because I'm the featured speaker at the upcoming Florida Public Relations Association Capital Chapter meeting on Thursday, March 19th. The topic is Shift from Tired to Inspired: Five Simple Strategies to Rev Up Your Business and Your Life! If you live near Tallahassee, you don't need to be a marketing or public relations professional to benefit from knowing this fabulous group of people! Click here for details and to register. Hope to see you on Thursday!

Join us on Tuesday, February 10th from 5:30-7:00 at the Brokaw McDougall House in Tallahassee for a fabulous workshop called:

From FEAR to FUN:

Shift your networking from YUCK to YES!

Tallahassee Entrepreneurs Network (TEN) is a collaboration between me and a colleague of mine, Deanna Mims. Deanna is a marketing expert and all around amazing woman! I love her energy, her enthusiasm and boy, does she know a lot of people in this town! Her consulting company is MarketDone.

I met Deanna last fall when she contacted me to be a speaker for the Business & Professional Women (BPW)Conference at the Civic Center in October. We instantly became friends and realized that it would be fun to collaborate on a project together.

Our mutual passion is networking because we both love making genuine connections that grow into long-term relationships. We both love people and are curious to learn all about them! That's what makes networking such fun.

So if you live in the Tally area and you want to

a) expand your business network

b) learn some new tools and techniques to be a better networker

c) get out of your office (c'mon, how many of you work at home in your pjs?! you gotta get out of the house sometimes to meet people!)

Come join us on Tues Feb 10th! Click here for more details!

Yoga has been such a gift in my life since I moved to Florida last summer. I had done yoga on and off over the years but with no real "practice" to speak of. Now I attend classes twice a week at Namaste in Tallahassee - Mondays with Kathy and Geralyn and Thursdays with Charlene - and feel dynamite as a result!

If you are seeking:

- Clarity of mind

- Connection to Source

- A strong and fit body (relieve tension, improve flexibility, strengthen your core)

- Community of like minded people

then I highly recommend yoga - no matter where you live or what you do or who you are. It's important to find a style that works for you and a teacher that you can trust. I like the non-competitive style of classes at Namaste... my teachers emphasize over and over again "do what's right for you!"

Yesterday Kathy and Geralyn taught us the three A's and as I've been contemplating them for 24 hours, I realize that the three A's can be applied in all areas of your life - not just in yoga class!

1. Awareness - Notice how you're feeling. Notice your body. Notice your environment. Simply pay attention and listen for messages.

2. Acceptance - Don't judge yourself! Stop worrying about "do I look funny?" or "he's doing it better than I am" or "I'm not good enough". Start acknowledging that you're perfect exactly as you are and with what you're doing.

3. Adjustment - Move toward what feels good. Making subtle changes can give you great rewards. And sometimes, stopping what you're doing and trying something completely different is  the answer. Experiment and see what fits for you.

It's HOT down here... in the 70s and while it certainly is beautiful weather - blue sky, white puffy clouds, green, lush foliage - it's still HOT! For me, it's kind of like scuba diving which I never could get a hang of. Breathing underwater is just not natural. And having this kind of weather and decorating palm trees in December is just WEIRD! People say I"ll get used to it, but I miss the cooler weather of the mountains.

So, I'm dreaming of SNOW to keep me cool! I'm good at visualization but a photo helps.

This photo was taken of me and my dear friend Licia Berry on a trip to Colorado last year. It was VERY cold and there was LOTS of snow. YAY! Well, Licia and her family are escaping their cold environs for a week and are coming to Florida over the holidays. I'm so excited I get to see her and her sweet family! Many of my blog readers know Licia because she used to live in Asheville too! Check out her family's amazing adventures of traveling the country by visiting their family website.

Not only do we get to visit together, we are going to PLAY together in a formal way! On New Year's Day, we are hosting a workshop for women called "Create a Great 2008!" in Tallahassee from 3-6 p.m. We'll be doing guided imagery, collaging and setting clear intentions for the year ahead. Juicy, fun stuff!

Forget football, come join us on New Year's Day! You can register here.

And if you don't live in the Big Bend area, consider organizing a gathering yourself on New Year's Day! It's a fun way to kick off the new year with intention and joy! Need help? E-mail me for ideas!

The group was founded by Diana Kennedy, a ministerial assistant at Unity Church, a massage therapist and all around inspired woman! I'm delighted to finally meet this charismatic, high-energy lover of life. If she weren't moving, I'm sure this is someone with whom I would become good friends. But Diana has another calling - she's headed to the midwest to go to ministerial school and seems to be following her true path.

I can tell the Tallahassee community is sad to see her leave and yet she's created at least one experience that is sure to live on after she's gone. The Goddess Luncheon, which meets monthly, is for women who self-proclaim to be goddesses! People were festively dressed, Diana sprinkled us all with fairy dust and waved her magic wand and we all felt loved and supported.

The conversation was 100% positive and uplifting. Women talked about "creating our reality" and "leading with love and light". There was mention of The Secret, Abraham-Hicks, TUT and more! It's so refreshing to meet like-minded folks!

I will definitely be back and am thankful to have met so many inspired and inspiring women! Thank you, Tallahassee, for welcoming me with open arms. I feel like I am finding my tribe!

Self Care Strategy:

Turn off all the lights, make yourself a cup of tea, and enjoy the warm glow of a Christmas tree late at night while others are asleep

Gift Giving Strategy:

Shop locally! Buy gifts that you can't get at the mall. That way, they'll be unique and you'll support local businesses.

Gift Receiving Strategy:

Tell people exactly what you would like or need for the holidays. Make a wish list. Be clear. You help your friends and family know what to get you ... and you get something that will make you happy!

Holiday Card Sending Strategy:

In each person's card, share with them the following: "What I really appreciate about you is..."

Decorating Strategy:

Only put out what you really really really love. Go through the rest and donate to your favorite charity so you don't have to store it or unpack it again next year and groan.

Family Strategy:

When gathered with relatives, ask everyone to share their favorite holiday memories. You'll probably learn some things you never knew (asking grandparents to participate in this is always special) and be reminded of holiday traditions that you may choose to resurrect.

Care to add any of your own? Please comment!

I give the folks at The Green Peridot a big gold star for their customer service savvy. Why was my experience there great?

1.They were professional and inviting. Everything they did up front - their website, my initial scheduling appointment, their confirmation call - all said in essence "We're glad to hear from you and we look forward to serving you. Your business matters to us."

2. They were personal, too. When I walked in the door, both front desk people greeted me with smiles and as soon as I explained who I was, my new hair stylist, Suzi, came out to greet me and shook me by the hand and said "Hi, I'm Suzi!" (I've been amazed at how many people do not follow this simple rule of good business etiquette!)

3. They were good problem solvers. Apparently, Suzi's schedule got a little wonky today and she was running 30 minutes late when I arrived. But they had a plan. First, they'd tried to call me to avert the problem but I'd already left the house. Then when I arrived, Suzi explained to me my options "I'm so sorry, I'm running late. Do you have some other errands you could do? Would you like to shop in the area? You could sit and read? Or we could reschedule you for another day. Whatever you would like."

She left the choice up to me which felt SO great! How many times do you sit waiting for an appointment and feel annoyed because you feel "trapped"? I chose to run errands which worked out great for me.

4. They offered good ideas and resources. I'm new to town and still get lost and don't know many people. Suzi gave me some great tips on shortcuts around town and where to go to meet people we might enjoy.

5. The owner introduced herself to me as I was checking out. When she overheard I was new to town, she approached me and shook my hand, asked me a few questions about myself and thanked me for my business.

So, I just popped my thank you note in the mail (yes, snail mail, I decided this deserved a stamp!)to the folks at The Green Peridot and I'll definitely be returning there.

Think about your own business - do you consistently provide great customer service? If not, what small changes could you make to have big results?

Think about other businesses you frequent - when was the last time you acknowledged someone for doing a great job? I'd encourage you to try it...it made me feel great to write a thank you note and I imagine they'll be tickled to receive it.

What do you think are other hallmarks of good customer service? Please comment... I'd love to hear your ideas!

To catch you up on our journey, my husband was transferred with his employer so the last few months we've been pulling up roots from our beloved mountains and attempting to nest in our new environs.

We DO love the city of Tallahassee - it's got lots of parks and trees and lakes and a great arts community and super-friendly people. We also love our home - it's bright and cheery and even has a pool (yippee!).

But we haven't sold our house in Asheville yet and we're missing three rooms of furniture (since we bought some new items and it's all about 6 weeks late!). So we are still living in boxes and ordering out for Chinese and pizza on a regular basis and feel like we're living in limbo.

I returned to work this week after a 6 week hiatus and it feels great to reconnect with my clients. I will attend my first business networking luncheon today (a BNI meeting) and will report in a future entry tips and ideas for networking in a new town.