Experience, hard word and talent are not enough to succeed in today’s workplace. You need to also focus on building a network that will bring you the success you want. Your career will likely span multiple jobs and fields and the best and fastest way to get where you want to be is having a network of people you can call on. Building an effective network takes time, planning and intention. Here are 5 rules that will help you out:

1. Talk to strangers. You never know who is standing behind you at Starbucks.
2. Build a network with intention; create a plan of the types of people you want to meet and work the plan.
3. Give as much as you get; don’t be stingy about looking for ways to help others out. This will repay itself many times over when you need a helping hand.
4. Reach out to people long before you need anything; do not be that person who only ever calls when they need something. That is not networking – that is using people and you will not be appreciated for it. Stay in touch regularly with the people in your network.
5. Ask for what you want, not what you think you can get. The simple act of asking will get you a lot more than you can ever imagine.

Remember: success does not come to those with a low tolerance for risk or those who are led by fear. Start talking to people – you will be surprised what you learn!

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

I recently presented a seminar to new business owners on sales and marketing. There was a lot of excitement in the room as these new ventures are being launched. But what also struck me was the amount of hesitation and overthinking that was going on. As they get deeper into building their business, so many people become paralyzed by the amount of stuff they don’t know. Often they overcompensate by obsessing over small details that they feel they have control of. The result is a lot of wasted time and opportunity. The fact is that you will never know everything you need to know when running a business – it is a constant learning experience. Stop hesitating. Stop sweating over the small stuff. Just get out there and learn while you do. Believe in your ability to learn and succeed.

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

I see so many women hold themselves back because of fear. As an entrepreneur I have come to recognize how insidious fear can be at times. It approaches you quietly, subtly and faintly whispers in your ear – and you find yourself holding back without even realizing it.

I experienced this myself last week. I was having lunch with a business associate and she mentioned the fear she had experienced prior to doing a pitch for a big project and how she allowed it to let her believe her competition were a better fit for the account that her. (The client didn’t agree – they hired her.) We laughed about it and toasted her success.

I realized a while back that I had a habit of procrastinating on big projects. I thought my foot-dragging was due to having too much other work and other priorities that came first. But in a moment of clarity, I realized it was fear that was holding me back from jumping on the big stuff. Once I realized this, I stopped doing it. Now I write out a quick plan of action for big projects, so I don’t get tripped up by that fear.

That’s the funny thing about fear – once you acknowledge that it is there and take action anyway – it loses its power to affect you. My challenge to you today: look at what you are procrastinating on in your life and take one action step to get it going. That is the best way to get fear out of your life.

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

There’s a visionary that lives inside all of us. Some of us honour the visionary, others squander it. For those who live the life of the visionary, you know that it’s not always easy. For those who refuse to give it a voice, you know this can be just as hard. There are hopes and dreams that live within each and every one  of us, and whether you attempt to bring them to fruition or hide behind your fears, they never just ‘go away’. Whether you devote your life to living your dream, or put all your energy in to making excuses for why ‘it never worked out’ your life will always be consumed by your dreams. Dreams are what get you out of bed everyday. Dreams are what history is built on. Dreams are what change the world. But nothing happens until we take the first step. Nothing grows until we plant the first seed. Do your part in planting your seeds and together we will build a field of dreams.

All the best,

Heather White, CEO, 2020 Communications Inc.

One of the hardest things for entrepreneurial women to do is trust their systems, especially if their system comes in the form of another human being. Being able to let go and leave your business in the hands of someone else, or a computer system can be a challenge for many, but not if you whole heartedly trust the system.

However, in order to truly trust the system there has to be some level of understanding on how it works. Fear is the opposite of trust and, in my experience, fear is most often bread from ignorance or not knowing. I’ve heard a countless number of clients say that it’s just ‘easier if I do it myself’, and this makes it impossible to walk away from your business, even for a few hours.

Sit down TODAY and write down a wish list of things that you would love to delegate in order to put your business on auto pilot. Then write down what you would need to know in order for you to trust that a system would take care of your business as well as you would. Then take action in educating yourself on how the system would work. You might ask an expert, read a book or article, or simply go for coffee with a fellow business owner who’s having success with a system you want to implement.

Your ability to trust systems will allow you to create a work/life balance that gives you the ability to truly ’shut off’ without ever compromising the credibility or success of your business.

All the best,

Heather White, CEO, 2020 Communications Inc.

Going all in can be a scary concept. It’s a stretch for your comfort zone, as we discussed last week, it’s a stretch for your ego (anything outside of what you’re doing today is ‘dangerous’ as far as your ego’s concerned), it can be a stretch for your bank account in some cases and even personal relationships can be stretched as a result of going ‘all in’. That’s why your 100% commitment and passion is required, otherwise it’s not a big enough goal, dream or aspiration. If you aren’t ready to go full out, no matter what to accomplish whatever your ‘all in’ is,then don’t start in the first place. 

I remember my coach years ago saying to me “most people tiptoe through life, hoping to make it safely to death” – what a great statement, and it’s so true. Most adults are so stuck in their comfort zone, afraid to make a mistake, choosing caution at every opportunity that they safely end up at the end of their life. RRSP’s in tact, house paid off, 365 papers read/year, ok, so maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but, you get my point.

Human beings are driven by energy and energy comes from passion. Get clear on the things that excite you, don’t get talked out of going ‘all in’ by your ego or those in your life who can’t see your vision. Commit 100% with the knowledge that if you make a mistake, get hurt, lose money, whatever it is that you fear might happen, you can pick yourself right back up and keep on going.

Death is inevitable, but, how you live while you’re alive is YOUR choice. Are  you ready to go ‘all in’?

All the best,

Heather White, CEO 2020 Communications Inc.

That’s good, because people hate being bullied.  Many people associate successful selling with being obnoxious or pushy.  Which is completely opposite of the truth – aggressive selling turns off people and loses sales.  Effective selling is not a wrestling match where you put customers into a headlock until they hand over their credit card!

Think about times when you have had a great experience with a sales person.  Was it pleasant?  Did you leave with a good feeling?  Did you feel confident you had made a good buying decision?  Harvard Business Review identified the number one trait of great salespeople as empathy – the ability to understand what the customer’s needs are and how to provide a solution.

As women we tend to be more empathetic and listen better, which is why we are more successful at selling when we get over this old stereotype.  So, relax, show concern about what your customer wants, figure out how you can help them, and enjoy the process.  I’m guessing you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.

People don’t like being sold to, but they love being serviced.
Dale Carnegie

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc.

For those of you who are group fitness junkies like me, you will understand why I often get a pang of anxiety when I’m on my way to aerobics class.  It’s because for 10+ years I’ve weeded through all the ’so so’ instructors and ’so so’ gyms and have my schedule down to an art.  Why anxiety you ask?  Because every other group fitness junkie in this city is on the same schedule and frankly there isn’t enough spots for all of us.  Therefore, that pang of anxiety comes up every time I make my way to the gym, just in case today is the day that I don’t arrive on time to claim my spot in what will be a sold out class.  And yes, this has happened to me, one too many times.  I get all the way to the gym (so, what I’ve really done is crammed every other thing that has to get done into a shortened amount of time, got in to my gym clothes, battled traffic to get to whatever location houses the awesome instructor, and ran all the way from my car to the sign in sheet) only to find out FULL! Immediately followed by F*&K! 

Recently however, I had a light bulb (aha) moment when I decided to have a plan B, just in case that dreaded moment came when I didn’t get my name on to the sign-in sheet in time.  In addition to my usual routine, I packed my i-phone full of my favourite tunes, my running shoes (different from aerobics cross-trainers) and reviewed the workout my personal trainer wrote out for me last fall.  

Now when I’m on my way to the gym, the anxious energy I used to carry has transformed to excited energy.  I’m curious about whether or not I’ll make it on the list (preference) or whether it’s me and my i-tunes rocking out. Either way, I’m walking out of the gym an hour later feeling energized and proud of keeping my commitment to my physical fitness.

Is there an area in your life that the addition of a plan b would keep things exciting while making sure you’re staying true to what’s important to you?  Write in with your comments.  Where is your anxiety coming from?  Let’s formulate a plan B!

All the best,

Heather White, CEO, 2020 Communication Inc.

Whenever I am running a sales seminar, I ask the audience how many of them like selling – very few put up their hands.  And when I ask why they hate selling, I always hear the same 3 reasons.  So for the rest of this month, we are going to talk about how to handle these three common fears around sales, starting with the Fear of Rejection.

If you have been reading my articles in SheTeam on a regular basis, you will know that I talk about the importance of being extremely clear on what you sell, who your customer is and why they buy from you.   If you have clear answers here, then it becomes very easy to identify good prospects and see a natural fit for your product.  Which means you aren’t worrying about rejection because you clearly see the benefits for them of buying from you, and you are not chasing down people that aren’t customers.

And if they do say no – so what? Do you truly believe that there is only one customer out there for your business?  Go after the other opportunities around you; there are countless ones out there.  Don’t take no as personal rejection – it has nothing to do with your personal value.   Do you expect the salesperson in The Gap to get all insulted if you tell them you are “just looking”?   Didn’t think so.  So why do it to yourself?

There was never any fear for me, no fear of failure. If I miss a shot, so what?
Michael Jordan

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc.

This month is about fear.  I know fear well – I let it run my business for the first 6 months and saw very little success.  I see it often in my coaching clients; their business has great potential but they get bogged down by fear. And fear is stealthy – it moves in and cloaks you with extra weight that slows down your business success – and often we don’t even realize it is there.

How do you know if fear is bogging you down? Find a quiet place to sit, close your eyes and breathe deeply for a few minutes. Let all the worry and stress of the day leave you. Now write down the answer to these questions:

•    What is not working well in my business?
•    What needs to get done that I keep putting off?
•    What things am I tolerating that need to change?
•    Where am I afraid to try something new?
Be honest with your answers and you will see where your fears are holding you back from building the successful, profitable business you really want.  What I have learned over the years as an entrepreneur, is that fear gets in the way of success.  And the only way to get rid of fear is to first identify it.  Trying to ignore it doesn’t work.

Whatever you fear most has no power; it is your fear that has the power.
Oprah Winfrey

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc.