The Small Business Marketing Jams

When is the last time you went to a networking event and the whole room was erupting into kindhearted laughter? How about the last time you were at one of these events and made meaningful connections AND walked away with great realizations and support contributed by the others in attendance? I am so fortunate to facilitate exactly the networking I described through The Small Business Marketing Jams with Taiha Wagner from Mom on the Go.

Last Wednesday, we had 27 participants and on Thursday, we had 16. It turned out that nearly all of the participants were all women small business owners with one small business banker and one marketing rep. Careers ranged from a a website developer, to a holistic magazine publisher, to a lifecoach and a wide range in between.

Taiha and I were pleasantly surprised at the wealth of ideas the participants shared for each other. In the "Power of Collaboration" session, each small group came up with incredible hypothetical ways to collaborate and it sounds like many of them will be following through to make their ideas for cross support a reality. They also had a lot of fun with the exercises. We love doing these!

When I think about the networking events I most enjoy, it's when I get the chance to really converse with the other participants and learn something new--not just their name, business and type of referral they want. I am drawn to create events that I would be most interested in personally. I learned many years ago that when I try to be something I'm not, I become less interested and confident in my work. When I reveal my own style and passion, everything else seems to fall into place.

How do you bring your true self and interests into your work? Might there be a way to do more of this?

Car-Sharing in Minneapolis

I wrote an informational article about what it's like to use a car-sharing service and encouraging people to consider it as a way to be more environmentally responsible and budget conscious. It was exciting to see it featured nicely on the back cover (page 20) of our local newspaper. To read about HOURCAR, a car-sharing service in Minneapolis, click here: Longfellow Nokomis Messenger.

What environmentally responsible commitment will you make for 2007?

Gratitude Begets Happiness

Some friends had been sharing ideas about happiness and why we desire from a book they'd read. I was intrigued so they lent me, On Desire: Why We Want What We Want by William B. Irvine.

In the introduction this philosophy professor states that scholars on the concept of desire have come to this conclusion:

"...the best way—indeed perhaps the only way—to attain lasting happiness is not to change the world around us or our place in it but to change ourselves. In particular, if we can convince ourselves to want what we already have, we can dramatically enhance our happiness without any change in our circumstances."

Now, when I catch myself longing for things to be different so that I’ll feel happier, I remind myself of this wisdom. I notice how many things in my life are exactly as they need to be at this moment. I recognize the bounty of what I do have (loved ones, support and yes, even treasured things) and cherish that I am so fortunate. I’ve heard time and again that an attitude of gratitude is a key to harmony. Now, it’s sinking in even more deeply that gratitude can also act as an antidote to getting stuck in despair.

What do you think is the way to achieve true happiness?