Support and Appreciation from Your Peers

The New England Women Business Owners (NEWBO) honored me in mid-May with its Woman of Distinction Award. I received the call from Gretje Ferguson–a member of the nominating committee– back in the dark, cold days of February. It wasn’t something I’d applied for or even known about. It was a gift from the Universe and lit up the rest of my New England winter. "You’re a voice for entrepreneurial women," Gretje said when she told me why I’d been chosen.

As soon as I figure out how to download the video from my Lumix digital camera I’ll make a YouTube clip and post it. Meanwhile, you can read my acceptance speech on my blog.

I value my participation in NEWBO over the years. I’ve re-invented myself in the shelter of other women business owners as I went from egg decorator to author to textile designer (that lasted about 10 minutes) to professional speaker and coach, each time trying out my new 30-second commercial and offerings in front of this supportive audience.

Where else can you go where your primary identity is woman business owner? Not the local PTA, not your sports club or fitness center, not your extended family, and not, unfortunately, the Chamber of Commerce or Rotary which are still predominantly male.

I encourage you to reach out to a local business women’s network.  I think you’ll find their unique support and appreciation will fuel you, as it did me, to continue carrying your message with confidence.

Success is a Journey

A frequently asked question among my clients is, "I set a goal to":

• Earn $10,000 per month
• Get 5 new clients
• Start a new business

But I only:

• Earned $2500 this month
• Met 30 people, two of whom are prospects
• Enrolled in the WBDC Fast Track program

"Did I fail?"

Even as I write this I can see you shaking your head along with me. No! Success is a journey. What I do with my clients is get them into the pond they want to swim in. Where would you have been without that committed goal? What turned up as a result of moving towards your desired income? How are you feeling, energetically, on this path?

I’ll never forget hearing Mark Victor Hansen at a National Speakers Association talk back in 1997, way before Chicken Soup for the Soul was a household name. He told us that he and Jack Canfield set a goal to sell one million books. But that year they only sold 800,000. Was that a failure? Same concept, bigger numbers.

Anything you do on behalf of your goal is a success. You can see that Hansen was clearly on target for achieving his goal. Sometimes all you need to do is push the end date out a little further. Like the parent having a young child swim towards him/her. "Come on," she says stepping back a foot. "Just a little further."

The better question is, are you in the water and moving forward? Visit my blog and share your progress towards your goals with me.

Regards,