Monday, May 19, 2008

MOMENT OF FAME

With the recent Toronto Star article on Company of Women, we have received numerous calls, enquiries and emails. All of which is exciting as more women discover us, and better still, decide to join or attend an event to check us out.

One such call was from a TV producer and while we played telephone tag for several days, I was busy fantasizing myself on some show, or better still hosting one! I ‘d been discovered. This was my moment of fame.

When we did connect, she indeed had a morning TV show and a section on Empowering Women for which she thought I would make an ideal guest. Sounds good. And the show was taped in Florida. Sounds even better. The guests were expected to pay their travel costs. No problem. I have lots of air miles banked away.

But… and here comes the clincher … I would have to pay $11,000 US for the pleasure of this experience. At this point in the conversation, as if on cue, my two dogs started barking loudly - the joys of working from home! Needless to say, I declined the offer and she was probably relieved, because perhaps I wasn’t the high-flying business tycoon she thought I was.

What’s that expression – if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Is this how it works in the US, that you pay to be on shows? Maybe I am naïve, but whatever happened to being chosen because you have something worthwhile to say or an inspiring story to tell.

Ah well. When Oprah calls, I’ll just have to make sure the dogs are out!

Thursday, May 08, 2008

In the news

I think the PR fairy must be watching over us… we’ve had quite a run lately. First there were photos in Snap Oakville, then at the weekend, an article in the National Post, and to cap it off, we were on the cover of the small business supplement in the Toronto Star today.

Exciting stuff – and judging from the phone calls, emails and new memberships – media coverage truly pays off – and the price is right … it’s free. As I sat on the train going into Toronto this morning, I watched people read their Star and had to resist the urge to go over and point out the article!

The flurry of emails from members has also been most gratifying, and for those of you who took the time – thank you. And to Marissa who kick-started all this and Mary who worked on the inside track – thank you.

It proves my point that when you give unconditionally, you gain so much.