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Last year, I decided to attend a series of conferences that totally changed things for me. These conferences were £500 plus to attend, excluding travel and accommodation. I had to reschedule meetings and make some last minute adjustment to make it possible for me to attend. I could easily have decided not to attend on the basis of the cost, family commitments, the inconvenience and the time I was taking out of my schedule.
Looking back now it was one of the best things I did last year. At these conferences I met people who have become clients (exactly the type of clients I needed to grow my business). Some of these people referred me to other people who also became my clients – I’m still reaping from these referrals.
At these conferences, I met people who were significantly more successful than I am. Some of the people I met where powerful movers and shakers in their industries. I have since become friends with some, some have become mentors, business partners (on specific projects) and some I have gone on to interview for my blog. The contacts I have made from these conferences have been priceless in establishing me as a credible expert in the industry.
All in all, the cumulative impact of these seemingly harmless decisions to go to the extra trouble of attending these events has been profound. People keep asking me how I meet these people. The best-kept secret is to attend conferences that attract high calibre people. Your daily life as a business owner is filled with decisions – simple daily decisions that are gradually forming the basis of your success or failure as an entrepreneur. These are not just decisions about conferences, they are decisions that affect how and if you sell, the services and products you create and sell, how you manage your money, how you spend your time and how you nurture your relationships with people internal or external to your business. These decisions always seem small and insignificant at first glance. Just like eating an extra cookie or exercising for 10 mins everyday is a harmless insignificant decision that will eventually determine whether you get diagnosed as diabetic in 10 years or not. Making three or 10 or 20 calls to follow up on contacts every day is a harmless decision that will decide whether you have a full pipeline of prospects or clients in six months’ time or not. The idea to put aside 10% of all you earn as yours to keep as I teach in my Money Masterclass (which is just £1 to start this March by the way :)) is a harmless and simple decision that will not affect you in any way today, but will accumulate into a financial reward you never imagined possible. I could go on forever with these examples, but I hope you get my point. There is a cost to every simple seemingly harmless decision you are making today – whether it’s to do or not to do. Decide to do.
What have you decided?
*Griselda K Togobo is a consultant, mentor and speaker who is passionate about empowering women to start and grow profitable businesses. She blogs regularly at www.awovi.com and is the author of How to become an expert in 7 simple steps. This 3rd April, she is hosting a conference where, for an affordable price, she will bring nine world-class trainers, speakers, consultants and motivators to share their strategies, experiences and advice so participants can learn from their mistakes and their successes. They include growth-oriented peers, clients, partners, mentors and advisers and mentees. Those who attend the conference will become part of a private LinkedIn group.