Is It Really Wasting Time?

Yesterday I attended an awards event - and I don't know why. Not to be specific, but it was for a small business agency to which I don't even know whether I belong. I have placed much emphasis on networking to build our business, but yesterday made me question that approach. I went to this event alone and I did not know ANYONE - which is unusual for events I choose to attend. It was for a government-based agency which usually equates to expending much energy JUST to be considered for projects. I am not trying to do more work - I do quite a bit now.

It is January, a great time to evaluate how one spends time - and this was not the best use of my time. I obligingly sat through the awards presentation, made sure I drank a glass of wine from the open bar - and went home. I met a very nice man on the wine line - but even the as he mentioned potential opportunities, all I could think was, "million page RFP".

A really good friend is taking the 4 Hour Workweek approach - and I am going to join her. I bought the book (have yet to complete it), but I understand that the basic tenet is to go after clients from where I receive 80% of business.

So, executive recruiters everywhere, listen out for my call!

Self-Promote or Die!

Ugh! I will never learn. Yesterday I was invited by a personal training client to take a spinning class at a new studio that is receiving rave reviews. It is the 360 Cycling Studio (http://3sixtycyclingstudio.com/) and it is co-owned by cosmetics magnate Bobbi Brown (http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/). The class was great and challenging - thanks Mark Cohen! Afterward, Bobbi Brown (who also attended the class) gave me a great compliment and asked why I was in such great shape. This is the moment when I should have said, "I am a personal trainer, teach fitness and also coach my daughters' gymnastics team. I am ABSOLUTELY going to encourage my clients to check out the studio". But NOOOOO, that is not what I said. Instead, I said something inane like, "oh, I guess I have good genes". Who cares!



My client (who is a great marketing person) introduced me as a trainer to the instructor and had my back the entire time since she must have realized what a dork I am.



I am so tired of the high school moments when you come up with the great comeback 5 minutes later. When am I going to learn that there are no second chances for first impressions and that clicking your heels will not turn back the hands of time?



Worst yet, there went a first impression with someone who could have been a future Verify-ED investor.



Ugh!

Inaugural Ball Jewelry Mannequin

My husband and I will be attending the Illinois State Society Inaugural Ball (Washington, D.C.). It is one of the more popular balls this inauguration: http://www.illinoisstatesociety.com/Gala2009.htm .

I found a beautiful Bill Blass dress at the Goodwill on 25th street for $40! My wonderful aunt is altering the dress. The pictures are also located at http://www.verify-ed.com/InaugDress.php . It is currently being altered, so there are a few more wrinkles than it will have the night of the ball.

Well, since I hardly wear jewelry (notice my elegant sports watch) I realized that I don't have anything that complements the dress. So I am offering myself as a Mannequin to a jewelry designer! I put a few posts on some Ladies Who Launch groups (great organization!) seeking a jewelry designer interested in loaning me jewelry to wear.

This is a great opportunity for a designer to get free publicity, and I am offering to hand out the designer's business card to anyone who asks about the pieces.

I am hoping that there is a designer out there who has pieces that will give me a chance to upstage Oprah and Michelle Obama! I look forward to telling you about what I finally wear.

Fake It 'Til You Make It

"Fake It 'Til You Make It" This is my new mantra, courtesy of Iya Karade, co-owner of Karade Gymnastics School. We often sit and muse about the life of an entrepreneur and the ways in which we get through hardships under which others would fail. I have to say that Iya and her husband are true inspirations. They continue to fight hard to keep their world-class gymnastics program flourishing, and I am proud to fight alongside them as a coach.

They recently moved to a new location. Great amount of space, but the building has some little issues that weren't apparent until it rained. That's right: the roof leaks. Well, after the horrible discovery (and they had just laid a beautiful floor for dance practice) they went into recovery mode: placing buckets on the floor and trying to patch the roof. They determined that repairing the roof would be costly and not truly enough for what really needed to be done. Rather than present a sloppy image of buckets and towels they came up with a unique solution: build a room around the leak. That's right - they used their more-than-adequate carpentry skills, two by fours, a nail gun and some Sheetrock to build an "office". So, when current and prospective parents come into the gym they don't see a mess, their eyes instead go to the spring floor full of gymnasts working on routines.

This innovative approach to solving problems is the skill that I continue to strive to achieve. I wonder that if I was in the same situation, what would I have done to resolve the problem? I worry that I would have left the buckets and when people arrived I would do a dance with flailing arms to try and distract. Much more work than investing the time and effort to "remove the image entirely".

My goal these days is to do less and invest energies where the return on investment is much more. So, I welcome when colleagues and friends point out: hey, Joelle, just build the room. Your dance is NOT working. I can still see the buckets!

OH! And did you notice? You now have the option to automatically receive updates when I post. Just click on the "Follow this blog" link in the right panel. So many people have said that they enjoy the postings, so now you can have them come straight to you. Thanks for your support!

Your Certified In What?!!

Today I realized that there is probably a certifying "agency" for ANY activity that exists. I am taking a real estate salesperson course (more on that later), and one of my classmates is a Certified Stager. That's right, she holds a certification in the "art of staging homes". For those of you unfamiliar with staging, it is when you re-design a house that is for sale in a way that makes it attractive to most buyers. This primarily means taking out anything that reflects your own personality so that others can imagine themselves living in your space.

So, I decided to do some quick research on whether there are certifications for some of the activities I completed today. I found out that there are certifications for dog walking, storytelling, and bra fitting. I am sure that I could have gone farther but I believe that my point is proven: the market for Val-ID-ate is endless!!

Business Resolutions

At this time of year, most people set personal resolutions: "I will lose 10 pounds"; "I will finish that great book"; "I will learn to meditate". I also set my personal resolutions (none of which are the aforementioned), but my focus this year is going to be on my BUSINESS RESOLUTIONS! My resolutions aren't as extensive as the Bootstrapping Blog from last year, but here they are:
1) Make more sales - sounds easy, but in order to sell you have to do legwork that I never seem to get around to do because I get caught up in the administration of our company. My goal is to reach out to prospective clients on a more consistent basis.
2) Realize a greater return on the energy I expend- My husband marvels at the amount of time Jennifer and I spend on establishing Verify-ED - for what could seem like small returns. My goal this year is to bring that equation into balance.
3) Get Val-ID-ate to the forefront as a standard part of of the hiring process. This is my lofty, but ACHIEVABLE, new years goal.
4) BLOG MORE OFTEN :-)

Are you ready?....

Sammy The Dog

A couple of weeks ago I had saved enough money to go to the hair salon (yes! I am an entrepreneur and money is tight). Next door to the hair salon is our local animal shelter. I used to pass it every day on my commute to NYC and sometimes I would notice animals abandoned on the doorstep. Like the homeless person you pass, you feel helpless - want to help - but don't know how and you keep moving. I know one of the employees at the animal shelter, and when he saw me on the way to the salon he ran in to tell me that a man was surrendering his dog and I should come take a look since he knows that I like small dogs. I should mention that, yes, I like small dogs - but my husband was the one who specifically mentioned his preference for terriers and similar dogs. I have NEVER owned a dog. Ever. Well, of course I go and meet a man who (because of personal reasons) was sadly giving up his dog. I called my husband who informed me that I could bring a dog home but that 1) he would not be taking care of the dog and 2) the dog was not allowed in the basement. So much for the man who wants a dog. The dogs' owner suggested that I take the dog home for the weekend, and if things didn't work out that he would retrieve the dog and take him to the shelter.

I am sure that you have figured out the rest. I brought the dog home, the kids like him, he seems to like us, AND he doesn't bark. So we have welcomed a new family member: Sammy, the long-haired Chihuahua.

The tie in to business: did I save Sammy or would someone have come along? At times when I am trying to find the right contact to help our business get to the next level, I do wonder if someone will "save" us because that is the feeling of hope you have. Yes, we work hard but we are realistic that hard work is only part of what is needed to succeed. We are so dependent upon our networks to move forward and people literally do save you. Without this support you flounder. As we search for funding, we ARE looking for that "savior" - someone who believes in our tools as much as we and has the ability to financially support the endeavor. I read my entrepreneurial magazines and the stories of the lucky few who have found their financial saviors do give me hope - and isn't this the season of hope and belief in angels?

From my house to yours - HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Let 2009 be prosperous for us all!!