Shevaun Voisin spoke so eloquently of the need to grasp your dreams and make them reality in her keynote talk, “Dream It, Do It: You Only Have Today” at the “Imagine…then do it” seminar sponsored by Act Three that I attended last week. I have been thinking a lot about this over the last several days, and if you know me, then you know that I am a deep, analytical thinker.
Imagine... then do it Seminar by Act Three
I am at a place where by virtue of my age, experiences, collected wisdom and station in life, I am able to view the world through a different set of lenses. I have experienced a career working for a global consumer giant; participated in national product launches for revolutionary new products; have held the hand of a woman in crisis as I listened to the story that birthed her pain through my work with a local non-profit. I have taught classes for elementary aged kids and presented seminars and workshops for high school students and local universities. I have raised two incredible children who are using their gifts and leadership to make a difference on the world as teens. Lastly, I have stepped into the moccasins of the entrepreneur and created a company in a field that is rapidly evolving and taking the planet by storm, all while never having grown up in the world of texting and MySpace like today’s Gen Ys.
P&G Gold Award for Outstanding Customer Business Development
Remember the dream you had long ago; the one that was set aside because life got in the way? Perhaps it has remained a spark burning within the deep recesses of your soul. Every once in a while you may capture a glimpse of it before the light returns to a flicker. Why not expose that spark and fan it into reality? Why not put your feet onto the path that is your life purpose? If not today, then when?
News headlines blatantly tell us that tomorrow is not guaranteed. There is only now, this very minute. What have you got to lose?
I attended the “Imagine…then do it!” event put on by my friend and business collaborator, Julie Shiffman of Act Three today. Julie brought together nearly 250 women to hear the stories of successful women who followed their dreams and passions to make a difference in the world. Listening to the amazing speakers:
Shevaun Voisin, publisher of the international business magazine, Motivated
Patty Brisben, CEO and Founder of Pure Romance & The Patty Brisben Foundation
Heather Ingle, Mother of 14 children, 11 adopted with special needs
I was struck by the singular voice that emanated from these women with diverse stories admonishing us to say YES to the opportunities that unfold along our path. Sometimes the tiny voice in our head becomes our worst opponent; the voice that says: ‘not now’, ‘too old’, ‘too young’ ‘too difficult’.
Whether you are returning to work, changing careers or building your existing business, it is imperative today to establish a professional online brand. The best way to do this is by becoming a member of the #1 ranked professional networking site in the world: LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a social networking site that helps you make better use of your professional network. There are currently over 75 million members in over 200 countries using LinkedIn. Executives from all of the Fortune 500 companies are members and LI is one of the first places that hiring managers and recruiters search for job candidates.
LinkedIn is not just for job search; in fact it is the premier place to network with the right professionals for your industry. You can establish business relationships, find clients or customers, discover breaking industry news in discussion Groups and share your own expertise with others around the globe. Want some tips on maximizing groups? Check this post out by Dave Taylor of Intuitive Systems.
No matter your path to a professional networking site, it is imperative to highlight your personal brand and share your experience, talents and strengths in the best possible light. There are many free tutorials on the LinkedIn site to help you learn. The IHM Job Search Ministry Group in Cincinnati offers a free monthly “One Stop Job Search” Workshop that covers everything from writing resumes and cover letters to networking and on-line job search strategies including LinkedIn. (Disclosure: I teach the LinkedIn portion of the free workshop for IHM JSM.) Better yet, find a LinkedIn consultant or small group lab class for individualized attention and knowledge on tips & tricks to maximize this great tool.
I also provide LinkedIn programming for clients of Act Three in Blue Ash. Act Three focuses on assisting women in charting their next phase of life and offers many great seminars and workshops for women. My next class at Act Three is on October 6th and includes a detailed analysis of your completed LinkedIn profile in addition to the lab training class: a great combination offer!
Just experienced an 18hr straight run with Social Media- yes, I did sneak in about 4.5 hours of sleep in the middle of it all, but I can tell you that my lunch-time Diet Coke must have just hit the wall, because my energy level just tumbled. Anyway, getting to the point: the importance of taking on-line networking connections off-line and into the real world. I am the first to say that social media tools are an excellent way to make that first connection. I have written numerous times about the clients, business partners, and new friends I have met first virtually. The key is that all of these relationships were taken to the next, more intimate level: the in-person connection. That connection can be anything from a simple phone call, an actual meeting or doing a web conference call with Skype or Talkshoe. Choose whichever method allows you to interact with the other individual in a way that goes beyond mere words on a screen.
It completely rocks when that virtual connection you have been stoking the flames with creates a real life feeling of being in synch with the other party. I think the time spent virtually gives most of us that ability to jump right into a more intimate relationship because we have already cut through all of the exterior niceties. We can jump into the heart of our meeting whether it is a business deal or a friendship because the basic info has already been shared.
One of my passions is working with women in transition. I had the opportunity to do a seminar on Networking With LinkedIn for Act Three owned by Julie Shifman. Julie’s company helps women to navigate the next chapter or “act” in their lives. Her mission is a great fit for my passion, so look for more to come from our collaboration. Want to know my thoughts immediately following the dynamic discussion with the women in attendance today?
You know the drill- press the PLAY button!
And video from January talking about C3′s LinkedIn Classes for Women:
So the story about March goes something like this: “When March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb.” Discovered it is actually an old English proverb. I think it was created by a futurist whose crystal ball was focused on the life of Michelle Beckham in March of 2010. Hunh??!!! Just feeling caught up in a wonderfully exciting storm with gale force winds that are whipping up incredible opportunities for C3. It’s all about relationship management and developing the right conversations that lead to opportunities and change. So let’s keep the coffee brewing and the search light on as we continue to navigate through the perfect storm, because when the lamb appears, the quiet begins….
Take a look at what has been going on so far in March:
One:
New Partnership with Act Three owned by Julie Shifman: C3 will present a seminar “Learn to Network On-line and Off” with Julie and will provide hands-on computer lab classes on key social media topics for Act Three clients beginning in April, 2010.
Act Three & C3 Back To Work Seminar on Networking 4/1/10
Two:
“Age of Conversation 3: It’s Time to Get Busy”: anthology from 170 leading marketing thinkers from around the world. I wrote a chapter that is included in the book which will be released internationally in April of 2010. Here is a list of the authors who contributed: LIST More book details to come!
Age of Conversation 3: It's Time to Get Busy"
Three:
Joined the Examiner.Com team and am the new Social Media Examiner for Cincinnati, Ohio. Look for some interesting content on Social Media topics that affect all readers and not just those from Porkopolis! Here is my first Examiner POST.
Examiner Logo courtesy of Examiner.com
Four:
Slowly but surely, getting over my reluctance to do video as I see the importance of using this type of media. Look for more YouTube videos with an emphasis on learning and sharing as well as some Interview-type pieces in which local Social Media glitterati are highlighted and businesses put under the spotlight. Am also in preliminary talks to do some Blog Talk Radio shows.
Five:
Third Tribe- loving this Chris Brogan & company membership community, but am missing out on taking advantage of it fully due to all of the other things exploding (in a good way!) around me. I need a vacation just to catch up on the missed audio casts…… Shout out to my new Third Tribe friend Lori Randall
Lori Randall: Fellow Third Triber- photo courtesy Lori Randall Twitter Account
