Just got back from our monthly meeting of the Women’s Business Network of SE MA (WBN) A curious thing happens every month when I attend these meetings. In just 2 hours I become re-invigorated and optimistic about the direction my business is taking. I find I am surrounded by support, encouragement and wisdom.
Our icebreaker question for the ‘casual networking’ portion of the meeting was: “How did you get started in your current work?” It was fascinating to listen to the different stories in the room. How many of us started out in one thing – sales, corporate, teaching – and then, life took a turn of one sort or another and led us to where we are now. And each one who told their story ended it with “And I love what I am doing now!” A phys-ed teacher turned travel agent has visited places all over the entire world. A sports psychologist turned special-ed attorney gains satisfaction from helping children receive services they need, the minister – who everyone in her life except herself knew she should be a minister – who now realizes that her ‘call’ – everyone’s ‘call’ is “the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Well, I am not sure about the what the world’s deep hunger means….but maybe it’s our own individual world. Maybe it’s that when each of us is fulfilled by the work we do, we are better able to support our families, friends and co-workers – our individual worlds.
My ‘call’, apparently, is to be a connector. My friend, Lori, told me that years ago, right after she finished Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point. She knew before I did that the role of connector should be the path I take bring me satisfaction in my professional life.. Tricia knew it too when she invited me to join her and other tech-savvy women for a ‘think-tank’ to share ideas on how to best utilize social media to grow our business. It took a while for me to figure it out. YES! I am a CONNECTOR !
Now, I get to spend my days helping business find their online presence by setting them up with online listings, social media strategies and contact management systems to help them connect to and stay connected to their clients.
The WBN fulfills my need to connect people to services, resources and other people who will somehow help them in their personal or professional life. In the hour or so that I’ve been back to my office since getting home from WBN, I have seen two of my members form a new friendship and sharing begin on Facebook. One member was inspired by another icebreaker question: “If you could be reincarnated as any person you actually know, who would that be?” This member was moved to share a blog post about her how her mother’s strength, determination and love influenced her throughout her life.
The WBN has a focus on helping members get to know and support each other on both the personal and a professional levels. Through initiatives such as the “Icebreaker Series”, “Rotating Lunch”, “Online Advisory Circle” and other “Break-Outs”, we are building platforms and bridges to finding new ways to market, administer and grow our business.
This is Great Stuff.
