It's a done deal

Putting on a conference is a bit like organizing a wedding. I should know – I did both last year! Both take a lot of planning and forethought to make sure all the right people are invited, meet each other and everyone has fun. But like a wedding, there is a feeling of anti-climax once it is over.

It’s the day after, and we’re surrounded by boxes – leftovers from the event. However, clearly the memory of the day is not over for you and it has been wonderful to hear the feedback from our “guests.” It would appear that everyone did have a good time; that they connected with the right people, and left a little bit more confident, knowledgeable and inspired than when they arrived.

In the interview with CH TV, I was asked why the conference was important. My answer – there’s strength to be gained from hearing each other’s stories – not just the speakers – but the women participating in the conference. We learn so much from each other.

Believe it or not, we’re already thinking about what we can do next year. Hope to see you at the 4th Journey to Success Conference.

RECLAIMING YOURSELF

This weekend I went on a retreat with six other women, four of whom I had never met before. So I left Friday feeling a little nervous about how the weekend would unfold, and with my British reserve, not wanting to give away too much of myself.

It turned out to be an amazing experience, as we opened up and shared our lives with one another. There was laughter, there were tears. Five of us owned our own businesses, so we understood the pressures we each faced, while another had gone through hell and back with the demise of a family business.

Even though we didn’t know each other, we were able to reach out and provide support, share words of wisdom and talk about our wishes for the future. But what really struck me was that as quick as we were to tell each other to stop putting ourselves last on the “to do” list, none of us were very good at taking our own advice.

We are all so busy in the fast lane of life, that we forget to slow down and take the scenic route. But this weekend, as we soaked in the beauty of the heron on the lake, the beautiful sunset and the camaraderie of like-minded women opening up to share their truths, we took time to stop, pause and regroup.

We’d put ourselves first for a change, and as someone said, we “walked into lives.”

BE BOLD, BE BRILLIANT

In a recent editorial in the magazine Entrepreneur, Editor-in-Chief Amy Cooper, observed that in today’s economy, brilliance is the new bail out.

She is constantly asked about what is different about starting a business in this economy vs. a non-recession year? Her answer – nothing. As she rightly points out, it still takes a great idea, finances, a business plan, sweat equity and “a level of courage you can’t grasp until you’ve tried.”

However to succeed, she advises, you need to outdo yourself. Now is not time to be cautious, to hunker in and do the “same old, same old.” Now, she suggests is the time to be truly entrepreneurial, to take risks – OK, calculated risks – and as she says “to zig when everyone else is zagging.”

Food for thought.

Just ask

This week we had two exciting panels of women sharing their business success stories. As they all shared the ups and downs of their business ventures, it struck me that men probably wouldn’t do this.

I mean if they can’t ask for directions, what makes us think they would bare their business souls to an audience of peers. Not likely. Yet there is something to be gained when you share your truths. For one, the audience appreciate and value more what you have to say when you are being honest and upfront. You seem more real and people are more likely to remember you and want to support you in the future.

But it is a fine line. We need to be selective on who we share the facts about our business. After all, if things are not going well, telling the world isn’t likely to make it any better, in fact it may speed up the demise of your business.

These are scary times for many businesses. Everyone is working hard to keep the financial wolves from the door. As women, we are good at asking for help and seeking advice from experts is a good idea. Reaching out and getting their input can help you turnaround a worrisome situation. Often an outsider looking in, can offer an objective perspective and solution.

One success strategy shared by all our panel members was that when they needed help, they went out and got it. As business owners we can’t expect to be good at everything, know your strengths and recruit others to cover off those other areas that test your patience. You may even be able to trade and barter services so it doesn’t cost you to obtain the help you need to build and grow a successful business.

If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got.”

Making the Pitch

“First you have to sell yourself, then your product,” advised Diane Buckner at the recent Coliseum competition at the Rotman School of Management. Buckner, who is host of Dragon’s Den and Fortune Hunters, knows a thing or two about making successful pitches and was the moderator for the event.

There were five finalists and each had five minutes to make their case. Like Dragon’s Den, there were three judges – successful entrepreneurs who knew all about making a business succeed.

It was interesting to watch each presentation, and even more interesting to see the outcome. The winner had a unique product, which if it is well-marketed and positioned right, could do really well. Although it didn’t appear that he’d done much math in working out the costs of this venture. But his concept captured the judges’ attention and everyone likes to be part of something new.

The runner up excelled at showing her passion and it was her ability to sell herself, that sold the panel on her business concept but again the important number-crunching wasn’t evident.

Yet, the person who got “honorable mention” was the one, in my opinion, who truly did the best presentation, she knew her figures, had clearly a solid business plan, but somehow didn’t sway the panel with her idea.

As for the other two finalists – all I can say, is don’t give up your day job!

In looking at the results, it becomes clear to me that none of us really knew or understood what the criteria was for selecting the winner. The audience got one vote, so it would have been helpful to know what the judges were looking for as then we could have all been on the same page.

One lesson to take away from this is just as Buckner said, if you can demonstrate your passion for your product, it will take you a long way. “

THERE'S STRENGTH IN SHARING

This week I was in Ottawa meeting with women from the Atlantic Provinces who run women’s business organizations in their cities. It was exciting to connect with them, explore how we can work together and to realize that really it doesn’t matter where you are in Canada, the issues are often the same.

What I really liked about the discussions was that we were all being honest, sharing in a genuine way and wanting to support each other. There wasn’t any sense of competition, just an attitude of abundance and mutual respect. What more can you ask for?

And in the months ahead we plan to continue the dialogue and share best practices, so that we can all offer the best possible service to women entrepreneurs in our province.

How often do you meet up with others in your sector? You might be surprised at what you can learn from each other when you drop the competition and are open to some real conversations.

Do you want to compete with the big guys?

On Monday I attended the Toronto launch of WEConnect Canada, a new organization to Canada, but WEConnect is well-established in the US, UK and India.

What is WEConnect? It is a non profit organization that provides the mechanism to certify women business owners so that they are eligible to compete for tenders issued by the large Fortune 500 companies. Many of the large corporations in the US, have diversity policies whereby they have to give a quota of contracts to women-owned businesses.

In Canada, WEConnect is working to establish a similar program and is actively recruiting companies such as IBM, BMO Financial Group, Accenture, Cisco and more. What does this mean to you?

Becoming certified opens doors for you and gives you the opportunity to compete with the big guys. One of the advantages of being a small business, is we're nimble, we're not bogged down in bureaucracy and rules which can be appealing to the large corporation that wants instant results.

One of the women whose company became certified through WEConnect just this month, has already received overtures from a large American corporation. This is exciting stuff and I encourage you to look closely at how you can get involved.

Check the website at http://www.WEConnectCanada.org

BUILDING WALLS

This weekend a group of people were taking a dry wall stone building course at our farm. They were a diverse crew –men and women - from across South-Western Ontario, all there to learn the dying art of building a dry stone wall. It was fascinating to watch (I was the chief cook and bottle washer) as a symmetrical stone wall emerged from the rubble of stones we had collected from across the property.

Over dinner, the teacher, John, was explaining that it takes a certain personality to build a wall. For the perfectionist, it can be an exercise in frustration as there isn’t a scientific formula to getting the wall right and sometimes you have to select the less-than-perfect stone. But he added, “for the cowboys” who just think they can stick a stone anywhere, there are lessons to be learned as they find they can’t be quite so casual about the whole process.

John also observed that people who get into wall-building are often musicians, writers and other creative types who see the wall as a work of art – something beautiful to be created out of stone.

Apparently he’s been approached about using wall-building as a team-building exercise and you could see how that could be very effective. People had to learn to work together, to listen to each other’s opinion, and not always be right.

Likewise, it struck me that there were some lessons for business owners too on the importance of being flexible. If you are hell-bent on being right all the time; on sticking to one course of action, it likely won’t always work to your favour. So an element of going with the flow makes sense. Now if you’re so laid- back that anything goes, like the cowboys, then you run the risk of losing your focus and offering a shoddy product or service.

The other lesson learned this weekend is the value of bartering; of forming strategic alliances. Sixteen people gathered at our place to build a wall, in return, all we had to do was feed and water them! Pretty good deal I would say and now we have a beautiful wall and some new friends.

SPRING CLEAN UP

With the great weather this weekend, I had no excuse about getting out in the garden. Now I have to confess, gardening is not my favourite pastime, but the spring clean up was calling me whether I wanted to do it or not.

And I have to say I did procrastinate a bit – you know - found other things to do that were suddenly pressing; called my cousin for a long chat, you name it – I tried to do it. But eventually I had to get out there and start raking those leaves we left in the fall with the theory that they would nourish the earth. Hmm right. There seemed to be an awful lot of them.

Now I don’t want this to get out.. but I quite enjoyed the physical labour of getting the garden in a bit more in order. Like your office or your wardrobe, there is something freeing about getting rid of clutter – be it paper, clothes or leaves. And if you are realistic on what you can achieve in the time allotted, there can be a sense of accomplishment.

Just as in life and business there are tasks we want to avoid, sometimes it is better to just parcel off small portions of time – the Swiss cheese approach – so you are not so overwhelmed and you are moving forward.

But let’s not get too carried away with my new-found enthusiasm for the great outdoors; otherwise who knows, I could get roped into weeding next. Heaven forbid.

Validation

Talk about extremes. I went from a relaxing break in Florida, soaking up the sun to hopping on a plane to attend the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence where it was announced that I had won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Now that sure gets your adrenalin going! I am still on a high.

Over the years I have been fortunate to receive several awards, but this one is different, and I've been reflecting on why it means so much to me. It reminds me of the time when Sally Fields won an Oscar and she said "you like me, you really like me"

Like many of us, I have my moments of self-doubt too, when I question what I am doing and whether I am just kidding myself with this business. Now a group of professionals and peers, that I admire, have recognized my work, my contribution and my leadership. I feel validated.

But there are other factors kicking in - this award goes beyond me. As a woman entrepreneur representing and supporting other women entrepreneurs, the award represents recognition of the vital role women play in today's economy. Women can, and do, run successful businesses. It's no longer the "old boys club" - in fact we have our own - and it's called Company of Women.

So let's celebrate.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Just recently I started a LinkedIn Group for Company of Women. At the time, it seemed like a good idea and one that might generate some useful discussion and dialogue between women business owners.

I would love to say that I gave it a lot of thought, that I had carefully crafted my long term goals and had a vision for the group, but I would be lying. It was one of those hasty, why-not decisions. I had the time, was just mastering how LinkedIn worked and what the heck… what’s the worst that can happen?

Well… three weeks later, as our group has rapidly expanded to 83 women, I am now realizing that there’s some truth to the expression – be careful what you wish for.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it is exciting to see this immediate response, my challenge is more what to do with this captive audience. How can I make this group work well, and provide a vehicle for productive discussion, without increasing my workload three-fold?

My decision – I am going to throw it back to the group – who better to tell me what they want to discuss and get out of the process

So if you want to be part of an exciting new discussion group – check us out. Better still, join us and share your views. It’s http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/1795964/

At this point my competitive gene is kicking in and I want to make our group the best ever!

Telling your Story

Can you think of an adjective that describes you or your business? Can you now think of a story you could tell that would prove it? Sounds simple, but it is not as easy as it sounds, as women in our workshop Telling Your Story found out.

So often we talk in jargon and don’t drill down enough to get to the core ingredient of our success story. And when we really don’t feel that passionate about what we are doing, that sure shows through when we try to talk about it.

It was when Liz Radzick, the workshop leader, selected a couple of women to illustrate how to do it, that you could see the difference. Asking difficult questions, forcing them to move out of their comfort zone, Liz moved the stories from technical and long-winded, to passionate and interesting, and physically you could see the difference as the women became more comfortable and confident in what they were saying.

It’s good to have some success stories in your back pocket, so that next time when someone asks you how business is, instead of saying busy, busy, busy which tells you nothing, you can tell a story that illustrates how invaluable your services are.

Just listing the features of what you do no longer cuts it in this competitive marketplace, you need to grab their attention. Tell a story that makes it clear how using your services, programs or products will be of benefit.

HEY! IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME!

Recently I hired a business coach. Being accountable to someone, having to report in each week sure makes you get on with stuff that’s been on your “to do” list for ages. I have my homework and on the whole, I’ve been a “good girl” and got it done, but not all of it and that is when you have to ask yourself why, what is holding you back?

We reached the conclusion that my avoidance was more to do with my priorities and my preference to focus on activities that excite me. Good to know, and so now we are tackling the project differently and working to involve others in the process, so the outcome is not hinging on me.

In reality this is probably a better approach anyway, as then others have some ownership in the end result, and I get to draw on their expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm to make it happen.

It’s all too easy to think it all has to revolve around yourself, when in reality, if your business is going to grow you have to delegate, you need to involve others and you have to let go. I’m a work in a progress. Stay tuned.

FAST FORWARD FIVE YEARS

Do you know what you will be doing five years from now? That was a question I was asked this week, and it was one I found difficult to answer. Not because I don’t have goals or a vision of what I want to achieve, but more that five years is a LONG way out.

In today’s economic unrest, we don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, let alone five years down the road. When I worked in the non-profit sector, we actually stopped doing five year- strategic plans, because with swings in funding priorities, who knew what the future would bring. It seemed like a wasted exercise, so instead we focused more on the short term – often planning one to three years out.

But there is another reason that I think it is a mistake to plan too far ahead – it can make you too locked into what is down on paper, and you could lose the ability to be nimble when an opportunity arises. To me, it is more important that you are clear on your mission, your focus and target audience – because then you are less likely to get pulled off track.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have operational plans and I’ve found putting my goals down on paper, makes it more likely that I will achieve them. It’s like setting off on a road trip, you are more likely to reach your destination if you’ve set out knowing which direction you are headed.

Cold Calling

Do you like cold calling? No? Well, you’re not alone. It’s not easy to contact a stranger to sell yourself and your product.

However, as Theresa Syer of Syer Hospitality Group pointed out at our workshop last week , if you’ve done your homework, drilled down to who you should contact and researched to see if you have a contact in common – it doesn’t have to be so intimidating.

Her first piece of advice is to make the calls at your best time of the day – no point in making the call when your energy level is low. You need to block of time for prospecting every day, she suggests, and plan your list of questions to uncover future opportunities.

Listen for opportunities within their answers so you can refine your questioning based on their specific information. And don’t jump in if your prospect doesn’t answer immediately. All too often we can’t stand the silence, and leap in, instead of waiting for an answer, she observed.

By the time Theresa finished running through her ten steps to finding new customers it struck me that sometimes we miss the obvious – like asking for referrals. There was much discussion about social networks, but that is clearly a topic for another day.

As Theresa emphasized, develop a positive attitude and persistence. Without regular prospecting, you run the risk of your revenue sources running dry. To learn more, you can always check out our upcoming teleclass on building your customer base.

Tough Decisions

Do you have pets? As many of you know, we have two dogs who come to work with me every day.

Last week we faced a tough decision – Sophie, the younger dog, was sick and we either went with expensive surgery which may or may not work, or we put her down.

As we weighed up the odds, it struck me that this type of decision is somewhat like the ones being faced by business owners across Canada. Do we let staff go or do keep everyone on and run the risk of not making it? Do we close down one office in order to save the rest? Business owners have to do the math, weigh up the pros and cons of their decision, and in some cases may well decide to cut their losses, and close their business.

It’s not easy. I always remember Cora – of Cora’s Breakfast and Lunch, telling us that she made decisions with “her head and heart” sitting side by side on the sofa. Good advice.

What did we decide? Well, the heart won over the head and next week she goes for surgery. At the end of the day, we decided that we owed her that, and if it doesn’t work, we know we’ve done our best by her.

Taking Risks

If you had to come up with a name and song that represented your industry or sector, what would be your answer? This was the challenge facing over 70 members at the recent Company of Women mix & mingle dinner.

We’d pre-arranged for people to sit at tables with their peers and encouraged a sense of abundance instead of competition among the women.

As I wandered around the room, I could see that some groups were really getting into it, while others struggled, particularly those in the finance industry. “we’re black and white, not creative” explained one member of the group, and you certainly could feel their anguish at the task assigned.

One group – the coaches – had us all on our feet, clapping our hands and singing “yes I can” and another did a take on Desperate Housewives, but guess who won? The financial planners or the “Money Honeys” as they may prefer to be called. And their song – the 12 months of financial planning, sung to The Twelve Days of Christmas.

All of which goes to show, that when you step outside your comfort zone, take a risk – you’ve got nothing to lose, and sometimes you actually win.

As the late Dr. David Viscott, author of Risking wrote “If you cannot risk, you cannot grow. If you cannot grow, you cannot become your best. If you cannot become your best, you cannot be happy. If you cannot be happy, what else matters.

So kudos to the Money Honeys.

Winter be gone

I am tired of winter. I’ve had enough. I’ve discovered muscles I didn’t know I had, from shoveling the snow to my country girl role – collecting fire wood.

The other day as I was checking the weather forecast on the Internet, I noticed some ads down the side of the page for trips to Fort Lauderdale and other warmer regions. Beam me up I thought. But I also recognized that this was a company that was truly strategic in its advertising. As you’re checking to see just how low the temperature is going, of course, a trip to the sun sounds attractive.

How strategic is your advertising? How well do you understand how your ideal customer thinks, feels and spends her time? It is important to do your homework and invest your advertising dollars wisely, because when you do, you reach your target.

So am I off to Florida? No, not yet, but it sure is tempting.

Always the bridesmaid?

My head is alive with the Sound of Music, which I went to see with a friend this week. It was my Christmas present to her, but of course I got to come too.

Now Sound of Music was a big favourite in our family – from my grandparents who lived with us, to my parents. We all loved Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in their roles, and I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it, but I know all the words to the songs (just as well it wasn’t a sing-a-long version.)

At first I was disappointed that we didn’t have the winning Maria perform that night. We had her runner-up in the contest. She was terrific. But then it struck me that coming in second, doesn’t mean you are not any good.

And from a business perspective, just because you don’t land the big order or you don’t get the job, or you get laid off, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t good at what you do either.

I know there have been times when I have been disappointed when something hasn’t come to fruition as I planned, but without fail, something better has been around the corner. What’s the saying, as one door closes, another opens.

So stay the course, believe in yourself, because just like the Maria runner-up, you’ll get your moment in the sun.

10 WAYS TO FEEL GOOD FOR FREE

How do you cheer yourself up? New haircut? Some retail therapy? With the current financial doldrums, these strategies may not be an option, but there are ways to feel good without it costing a cent. In a recent article in Psychologies, the following were listed as ways to feel good for free.

1. For the next seven days, carry out three random acts of kindness every day. Visit www.randomactsofkindness.org for inspiration.

2. Log on to www.just-a-minute.org for free one- minute meditations and join the quest to promote personal peace.

3. Go without your cell phone, Internet, television and newspaper for a day and try living in the slow lane. Curl up with a novel, try a new recipe, or write a letter to a friend.

4. Make it your mission today to give at least five compliments and enjoy how good it feels to make someone else’s day. Visit www.complimentday.com for inspiration.

5. Spend half an hour making a gratitude list. Psychologists believe that experiencing gratitude is a core component of wellbeing.

6. For one weekend, try becoming a tourist in your own town. Most residents rarely visit the tourist attractions on their own doorstep.

7. Call and chat with one of the friends you’ve been meaning to catch up with.

8. Plan a night with your favourite funny DVDs. Psychologists have found that we can raise endorphin levels just be anticipating a good laugh.

9. Spring clean. Not only is mess a background stressor, but research suggests that we subconsciously connect cleaning with purging ourselves of guilt.

10. Sit quietly, without movement for a couple of minutes. When you are still, you become who you are beyond your everyday routine.