My top ten lessons for 2014

As the year comes to a close, I always like to reflect on what has worked this year, and what has not?  What are my takeaways and lessons to learn?  Here’s my top ten:

1.      Titles make all the difference

What you call a program, webinar or article makes all the difference between folks coming, or staying away.   Instead of calling our health show, the Women’s Health Show (yawn), we decided this year to build on our successful webinar series – Five Days to Feeling Fabulous, and so we called it Live your Fabulous.  The result – great turn out for basically a first-time event and we will use it again next year.

2.      When you have the right people in place, delegation is easy (well, easier)

With my personal move to the country, my trips into Toronto have been kept to a minimum and that has been made simpler because I have two great gals – Karen Kessler and Anne Bergman, running the show there.  Thanks.

3.      You don’t need all this paper

Building on the move theme, we still have boxes of paperwork in the basement.  I haven’t needed or looked at it in the year since we moved, which speaks to the fact I have way too much paper. I have started to streamline what we keep and file.

4.      Murphy’s law – what can go wrong, will go wrong

That’s how it felt about our webinars this past year – from power cuts in the middle of delivery, to no sound and the presenter talking to herself, to a recording link that connected to a porn site!  You sure have to keep your sense of humour over stuff like this.

5.      Just ask

Back in July I got an email from Sam Horn’s office to check if I still wanted to get her emails. Although based in the US, she was complying with CASL, and mentioned in this bulk email that she would be in Canada in 2015 with her new book. 

Knowing what a great speaker she is, I saw this as an opportunity, after all, what had I got to lose?  So I emailed her direct and asked if she’d speak at our conference in May.  She said yes!!!   I still get goose bumps thinking about it. (It is May 26 ladies, mark your calendars)

6.      There are some courageous women out there

As part of our research for the book, Amy and I have been interviewing women.  Some of their stories would blow you away.  I am in awe at how they can get up in the morning and function, given all that they have been through.

 7.     What I thought was scary, isn’t

There was a time when talking in front of the camera would have left me tongue-tied and shaking in my boots.  Not any more. And I am not alone, with One Red Lipstick, women are finding their voices and speaking up.

 8.     Guest blogging brings great returns

I have been writing for the past six months for She Owns It.  This opportunity has given me such great exposure, with my blogs being promoted out there to well over half a million people, and my following has, as a result, increased dramatically. They have signed me up for another six months. Woo hoo.

 9.     “Slow down, you go too fast”

Life can change on a dime as I found out after my fall in October.  I am just so grateful that I didn’t do any permanent damage to my eye but it has caused me to challenge myself as to whether I needed to do everything that I’ve been doing.  And the answer is no, so come 2015, watch for the new Anne.

10.    Put your expectations in writing

I have learned the hard way that when you don’t spell out and put your expectations in writing, you leave yourself open to people taking advantage for their own gain.

I have been doing this for 12 years now, which is a long time for me, as I get bored easily.  But I never get bored with seeing someone blossom, grow and become who she is meant to be, and if I’ve played a small part in making that happen, I glow inside.  Making a difference is still the ROI for me.

So as I look at this list, it seems to me that 2014 overall, was an exciting year.  One of growth - professionally and personally - and one where I have had the good fortune to partner up with Amy Hunter and Fay Chapple. I highly recommend collaborating with like-minded women. It is powerful.   

Our attitude to risk

In his broken English, the elderly Italian café owner took our order, but he hesitated before he moved away and asked my husband if he could ask a question. “Is that a good watch?”  he asked.  My husband replied yes.  “Then put it away,” he advised.

That was our first official sign that Naples had a high crime rate.  Although the staff at the hotel in Rome, had warned us about taxi scams and the like.

I immediately took off my watch and zipped it into my purse.  My husband, on the other hand, waited until we got back to our hotel, and then took it off and we locked them away in our room.  As I looked around after that, I noticed not many people wore watches, especially the tourists.  Maybe it was the old boy’s mission to warn us all about the dangers out there.

But to a certain extent, I let the café owner’s warning colour my visit. I became much more cautious, hugging my purse close to me, always zipped up. I’d almost scan an area, looking for potential trouble. If we ended up in a dubious-looking street, I had us turn back. 

And when we went for a late drink in the square near our hotel and observed cocaine being bought, sold and used, I was decidedly uncomfortable and anxious to leave Naples, with its crime and drug scene, behind us.

Yet, it didn’t seem to faze my husband at all. He felt we were being practical, taking steps to protect ourselves and our property, and should just step out, not be afraid and enjoy the experience. 

As I reflect on our different reactions, it strikes me that this is perhaps indicative of how men vs. women do business as well. 

Men tend to forge ahead, unafraid of risk as they are confident that they’ve taken the right steps and precautions and therefore should succeed. 

Women, on the other hand, are more risk averse.  Their perfectionism can hold them back as they want it all right before they proceed.  One sign of trouble, and they question their wisdom, while men seem to bounce back.

I don’t regret visiting Naples.  It was an eye-opener and even fodder for this blog, but my main take away, is that I need to chill, be less nervous and not imagine danger lurking around every corner.  (Even if it was).

Farmer or Hunter?

Which are you? That was part of our discussion at the recent Company of Women meeting in Cambridge. Speaker, Carole Cameron, author of Splash, An Introvert’s guide to Being Seen, Heard and Remembered, was talking about the way introverts vs. extraverts network.

I was struck by the farmer vs. hunter analogy because in some ways it speaks to the way some of us network. For me a farmer is someone who sows the seeds, follows up and nurtures the relationship to bring it to fruition, while a hunter is someone in for the kill, who will “stalk” the prospective client after meeting them, to the point where there is only one winner, instead of a win-win situation.

It was an interesting discussion. As one member pointed out, the difference between introvert and extravert is that the latter will enter the room and say “here I am” while the introvert is very much “here you are.”

Carole pointed out that while extraverts are quite comfortable initiating, introverts prefer to respond. Social media has become a medium behind which the introvert can blossom but also hide. It is much easier to respond in this way compared to face-to-face. Extraverts on the one hand, prefer to communicate verbally, while introverts like to communicate in writing through articles, books and other publications.

I consider myself to be a “shy extravert” so I found it interesting that my networking preference was very much to “farm” and to build relationships one-by- one. All of which causes me to question whether I am really a closet introvert, or do we change as we get older?

What do you think?

MENTORING

When I look back on my career, I never really had a formal mentor. I was fortunate enough at one point to have a manager who saw skills and potential in me, long before I recognized my strengths, and she would assign me projects that were a stretch and through which I gained some confidence and expertise.

However, when you run your own business, you don’t have that insightful manager to point you in the right direction. That’s why the mentoring program offered through the Canadian Youth Business Foundation is such a good idea.

The organization not only hands out grants to young would-be entrepreneurs, but they match them up with a more seasoned business owner, so they are not alone and have someone to bounce around ideas and learn effective strategies to run their businesses.

I know I would have loved to have had someone like that when I launched my business, because at the beginning, you don’t know what you don’t know.

When I first started mentoring women entrepreneurs I was a bit nervous – after all what did I know about the IT industry, for example, but what I have found is that you don’t have to have all the answers, but can connect your protégé to someone who does. Plus, no matter what the business is, the issues are often the same. Much of it is common sense, and as someone who is older (not necessarily wiser), I have a lot of experiences from which to draw on.

Right now I am mentoring three young women and I find it’s a positive experience and I learn as much as hopefully they do.

On Wednesday, we are hosting a Mentoring for Growth panel and we will hear from one such mentoring pair on what has worked in their relationship and the impact on the young entrepreneur’s business.

One concern I hear from people is that they just don’t have the time, but you know what it doesn’t have to take hours – I allocate a certain amount of time each month to each young woman, book the time in advance and for that time period, they have my undivided attention, whether it be over the phone, by email or face-to-face. Yes, there is follow up and sometimes I link them with someone, but that’s it.

Bottom line, you can ask your questions, give advice but the end decision rests with the protégé as it should. Taking over is not helpful and does not instill confidence in the young business owner.

If you are interested in getting involved, check out the Foundation’s website at www.cybf.ca. There is a quote I’ve always liked – “all that you give to the lives of others, comes back into your own.”

TAKE A BREAK

No phone. No emails. No interruptions. Sounds like heaven doesn’t it. Where was I? On my annual trek to the Isle of Man, which is a tiny island between England, Scotland and Ireland.

It’s my little piece of heaven and a step back in time. We even had good weather – with the sun shining, the water glistening and lashing to the shores, and the sheep grazing on the hills, the scenery is breathtaking and pretty hard to beat.

Unfortunately it is quite a distance to go, but well worth it once you get there. We walked, read books and just enjoyed the peace and quiet. We were even there to celebrate a friend’s 80th birthday.

As business owners we need to give ourselves permission to take a break, to refuel and recharge our energy for the months ahead. How many hours a week do you work? By my calculations, I can easily put in 60 hours/week.

After just a week away, I realize that is crazy and so I have resolved to take myself in hand and take more time for myself – just to read, write or reflect on life.

So next time you see me and I look all harried – remind me – to stop and take a breath.

PS – Back two days, and I get THE cold that is going around – that’s one of the negatives of being on a plane – you literally are a sitting target for those germs 

Confessions

My name is Anne and I don’t have a Blackberry. There I said it out loud.

I’ve been avoiding getting one because I know myself and my addictive personality. As one of our team said, the great thing about a Blackberry is you are available 24/7, but on the other hand, the problem is the same – you are available 24/7 and never get away.

I have to say that this past week has caused me to re-evaluate my decision. First my keynote speaker who was sick had emailed me to say she was not coming – but how would I know, as I was at the hotel, with no access to email. She just assumed that I had a Blackberry. Most people do.

Then when my tire blew, and my cell phone was dead – I realized that with a Blackberry I could have at least texted or emailed someone for help. As it was, I was stuck on the side of the highway waiting until a tow truck spotted me (and the dogs).

So I don’t know… is this enough to convince me to purchase one? The jury is out.
I am certainly warming more to the idea and can see some of the advantages, but my fear is I will next be announcing – my name is Anne and I am a crackberry.