Last Friday I attended an all-day conference for female entrepreneurs sponsored by the small business center of a local community college and the YWCA.
Presenters shared information on a broad range of topics from marketing to legal guidelines to the personality characteristics needed to be an entrepreneur and more. We participants walked away with valuable tips, ideas and facts. And we were given many opportunities to network with each other and with the vendors who were staffing exhibits, too.
Despite the value of all those things, do you know what the best part of the day turned out to be? At the end of the first large-group session, one woman suggested we go around the room and each very briefly tell what we did and how we got there. Tell our stories, in other words. I was amazed to hear what ventures (and adventures!) these women were undertaking. So many of us had been downsized. Some had left corporate jobs voluntarily. All were seeking a way to use their talents in a way that not only gave them joy but gave meaning to others and themselves.
I came away so inspired and energized. As I talked with other participants, they said the same thing. Stories inspire. Stories give us hope that we, too, can achieve. That we, too, can follow our dreams.
What's your story? What's your dream? Go ahead—follow it, if you haven't already. You can do it!
So true! Being part of those networks is so important, and we never know when we'll meet someone who could benefit from the services of someone we know. Plus, that personal connection is life-giving! I love to ask friends, "So what's happening in your life?" and almost always, we end up feeling more connected after sharing.
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