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I’ve seen the look on the faces of my clients, but there was no mirror handy yesterday during my meeting with Denise DiGrigoli. The expression resembles something close to Munch’s figure in The Scream. This time it was on my face.
She and I had gotten together to flesh out a trade show booth design and strategy. Denise, a co-owner of Troy Fine Art, is an expert in this field. Working with her, I knew I could streamline the process and quickly come up with a plan. The deadline for reserving an exhibitor booth for the Massachusetts Conference for Women is today. I had to act quickly.
Denise immediately understood why I’d want to shell out $800 to secure a corner space at this show. The organizers predict that 5000 professional women will attend the one-day event in order to hear two of my favorite icons–Gloria Steinem and Elizabeth Lesser–among other business leaders. A perfect match for my book and talents.
In our conversation, Denise helped me recognize the need to capture the passers-by quickly with provocative graphics, streaming video, high-quality collateral materials, an eye-catching blow-up of me speaking as well as a candy jar and high stools. Somewhere between streaming video and high-quality collateral materials I checked out. I have a couple of very cool trade show banners I thought could suffice, but I’m missing many of the important components for success.
“It usually requires six months to gear up for a trade show,” Denise wisely told me. “You may want to simply attend the show and scope it out for next year.”
I knew that. I have many clients who want to exhibit in the Stationery Show, Surtex and ICFF at the Javits Convention Center. I always recommend a scouting trip first. Then they can take the year ahead to figure out who they’re marketing to, what they want to emphasize and how to make that happen. Four weeks is not enough lead time to show up the way I would want to represent myself.
What a relief to shake hands with Denise, say ‘thank you very much for the clarity’ and tear up the exhibitor application.
I sent in my payment to be an attendee on the 9th. I feel so good.
My client’s subject line in her email to me was–You won’t believe it! But she was wrong. After listening to Earl Nightingale’s gold-record-winning tape called The Strangest Secret many years ago, I’ve become a believer. I’m never surprised when I hear that what you’ve put out into the Universe comes back to you.
First there was this client’s email above. I had asked her if teaching art was something she had considered as an alternate income stream. As she put it, “If the opportunity fell into my lap…” she would take it. Not 24 hours later she sent me the message that she had received a call from someone wanting oil painting classes.
I’ve mentioned that I’m taking Rebecca Morgan’s webinar called Making Money in Your Jammies. A long-time friend and colleague is also taking the sessions. She told me in a phone conversation yesterday after our class that she’d been wanting to figure out a way to re-purpose her articles and blog postings. She had made the decision to enroll in some class situation, came home from being out a couple of weeks ago and saw my blogpost about Rebecca’s class. She immediately signed up.
Another client of mine had been seeking a photography adventure. I asked her what the ultimate adventure would look like. She named her favorite periodical, the one she would think she died and went to heaven if she could ever be associated with. I suggested she do some research and find out how to submit to that magazine. Lo and behold, in her online meanderings, she found a photography expedition being offered by them. It was exactly the opportunity she had envisioned.
Where you put your mental, emotional and spiritual energy will influence what shows up for you in life every day. Say out loud, to yourself or someone you trust, what you really want. You can do this annually or daily. The work is coming up with what excites and energizes you and having the courage to speak it.
Although it takes an hour for Earl Nightingale to reveal the Strangest Secret, I’ll shortcut it for you. The strangest secret is also The Secret, based on the Law of Attraction: we become what we think about. Your mind is so powerful that when you get a clear picture of what it is that you want (or don’t want–so be verrry careful), you will attract exactly that into your life. Verbalizing it, writing it down, and holding it in your consciousness is what helps bring it into reality.
Do you have any examples of this you’d like to share?
I had my first ever Soul Proprietor Book Club last week graciously hosted by Janice Weinstein in West Hartford, CT. Twenty women attended, many of whom were business owners, but also several who were there simply to soak up the energy of entrepreneurship. There was plenty of that on hand.
Jan gave a heartfelt introduction of me which I followed with a self-revelatory lesson from my book. Then the evening turned interactive as attendees selected from a list of provocative statements I had provided.
It got really interesting when I opened the session to questions on the minds of the women there. One that particularly stood out was: What do you do when you have too many good things coming at you in your business?
First, I congratulated the woman who raised the issue. She’s in a rare position these days as most business owners I know are scrambling to find business. Then I asked her what she was most interested in having her business look like. And how many of those opportunities fit the template of her vision? All of a sudden she began to nod and recognize that while her phone was busy ringing, not every opportunity would take her in the direction she wanted. It’s hard to turn down money, but if you’re too busy, this is the time to start.
Think of your long-term goals. Think about what makes you happiest and keeps your business thriving. Then hold that up to the offers that are coming your way. Where is there a fit, and where can you say no? Last year I turned down an opportunity to partner with a team for an international mastermind program. While it sounded very tempting at first–they would reach an audience of 250,000–having to turn over my database and being bombarded by the other team members’ email blasts quickly soured me on the deal.
Please let me know if you’d like to host a Soul Proprietor Book Club in your home or virtually (via Skype).
The Soul Proprietor Book Club is a members-only, opt-in community of women formed in celebration of Jane’s book, Soul Proprietor – 101 Lessons from a Lifestyle Entrepreneur. Offered free of charge, and based on lessons from the book, members receive exclusive invitations to special events including teleseminars, discussion-over-dinner events (next one is 11/30), book readings and coaching sessions. (Members may opt out of the Book Club at any time via the unsubscribe link.)
