ENTREPRENEUR CAULDRON

Positive Thinking

2010-08-31T17:35:00.004-04:00

For me personally networking has not been fruitful in gathering leads but my work has stemmed from free sources; Yellow Pages, Kijiji and an event planner web site. However, it has been advantageous for some of my fellow entrepreneurs who I have given the opportunity to supply materials for my clients.

Over the past couple of months my work load has slowly been increasing and this has unfortunately taken me off track with my networking quest but "business is business" and a client should always come first.

The good thing I can report is that there are individuals and organizations out in the marketplace who do wish to utilize the services of both my professional skills, those of a Certified Event Planner and administration expertise gathered from Executive Assistant roles.

In October 2008 I official put a stake in the ground to market my business within the South Western Ontario, the mandate was to go forth for 3 years and make it happen. I did not realize that the biggest recession to hit the world would occur and therefore, like lots of other entrepreneurs lost 1,000's of dollars in the process. As my 2nd year anniversary looms in the horizon, I know that I am going to truly put forward a dramatic effort to earn enough funds to want me to stay pass the 3 year mark.

I listened to a presentation via conference call a couple of weeks ago and the speaker, Pat Mussieux, was excellent, with a grass roots approach which I truly appreciated. Her comments regarding the continuation of pushing forward with a business concept that was not making any money was "are you in the right business at all" and only I know when to say no more.

Myself I am in complete agreement - my goal is 3 years, I have an extremely positive attitude and if there is not the market to support my profession so be it but I know one thing for sure, that if I had never tried this venture I would have been a poorer person and not in the monetary sense.

Business Builders International (BBI)

2010-08-15T18:02:00.002-04:00

My favourite group met and the numbers were quite surprising over 15. I understand from other groups that their attendance has been smaller due to the summer but not for the BBI luncheon.

I think the overall mix n'mingle approach of the group illustrates a positive feeling of being part of a big family and you are always welcome. Being absent from the group for the last couple of meetings did not deter their enthusiasm when I arrived.

There were new members too and each are welcomed with the same gusto. I have been asked to assist the group with organizing a new special event in November and I am excited to be involved with such a dynamic group.

Life in Networking Land

2010-08-11T09:55:00.004-04:00

As the months continue to drift by, my quest to attend numerous Networking Groups has given me the opportunity to meet so many great entrepreneurs, it is interesting to see that the format for the majority of networks, I have attended, fall within the same perimeters.

The networking groups tend to attract age groups 25 - 50 from all different aspects of the entrepreneurial community, include a 30-second elevator speech, a member presentation and a mix n'mingle session.

I started my blog to capture my personal comments from April 2010 but have in fact been attending networking functions for nearly 2-years. During this period of time I have connected various individuals but to date I have only received one business lead.

This one entrepreneur connected me with two of their clients, one to purchase items that I could utilize within my event planning service and another client who was looking to change her established calling service.

Questions I now consider.

Does networking bring in business?
a) If yes, is it a selected industry?
b) How long did it take to acquire that business?

I do believe that networking is a great outlet to speak with like minds, even if business is not forthcoming, it is truly an educational world with no limits.

'Nsight - Strathroy

2010-08-11T09:37:00.003-04:00

Yesterday Kim O'Neil the founder of 'Nsight gave a variation of the 15 min. presentation opting for an Edward Jones Seminar, which also included a lunch. I was not sure what to expect as seminars are not the usual format for a networking regular meeting that I have personally attended.

The 9 entrepreneurs in attendance were definitely treated to an extremely well versed individual, Kim, with Wendy her assistant in attendance to facilitate with the presentation. It flowed with great overviews, had a light feel, no heavy statistics, educational (personally for me) and conveyed the information perfectly.

As I have attended this group now on a fairly regular basis, I note each time there has been a new entrepreneur that I have not met before, illustrating to me that the 'Nsight Group will definitely continue to grow.

'Nsight - Strathroy

2010-07-30T14:30:00.004-04:00

On Tuesday, I ventured to the N'Sight meeting being held at Crabby Joes in Strathroy to network with local entrepreneurs. I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of new faces, in total there were 11 people present.

Unfortunately, Kim O'Neill the founder had been delayed due to a client visit (they always come first) and the group mingled and socialized for a while until I asked them to be seated and then Troy Goodhue of Ontario Graphics took the helm and stepped into the place of host to start the meeting by welcoming the new attendees and then we launched into our "30 second elevator speech".

Shannon Churchill, General Manager for the Chamber of Commerce in Strathroy was slotted to speak and she was accompanied by her Communications Coordinator, Terri Eger. I was impressed with Shannon's overall presentation and also quite surprised to hear the fees for joining the Strathroy Chamber were a lot lower than those of the London Chamber.

The membership has now reached 250 - after Shannon's great talk, it definitely inspired me to attend the next function being held on August 26. I would definitely recommend local entrepreneurs check out their website http://www.sdc.on.ca or contact them directly to ascertain all the great stuff they offer.

When Kim eventually arrived at the meeting, she must have been extremely happy to see that the meeting was in full progress, a testament to the great people within the group.

In Touch Group

2010-07-23T12:09:00.006-04:00

You can tell summer is here - entrepreneurs are out enjoying the sunshine and spending time hopefully with their families and friends. Unfortunately, Sue Reiger the founder was not present but Beth Sutherland took the helm and did a great job.

Beth was also the presenter and spoke about the attributes of positive thoughts and energy, which for me personally and I am sure a lot of the other attendees reinforced their proactive approach to both business and life in general.

Out of the 15 entrepreneurs in attendance there were 3 new guests, which illustrates the reputation of the group in attracting new members on a regular basis.

Once the lazy hazy days of summer are gone and fall is upon us again, I am sure all the networking groups will again be packed to capacity.

Start by Building a Relationship

2010-07-21T17:30:00.006-04:00

During my quest to connect and attend a number of networking groups to find the right "fit", I have become aware that it is far more beneficial to promote yourself on a personal level.

In the late 80's I worked in an Employment Agency, interviewing personnel, interfacing with corporations and businesses to find the right fit for both parties involved. After 2 years a competitor contacted me and asked whether I would head up a new branch within the area, they indicated I had an excellent reputation for matching clients and staff. This was reinforced when a majority of the businesses and personnel from my former agency became my clients for the new one.

Looking back I realize that the technique I used to be successful was to build up a personal relationship with both the client and the staff required to fill the roles. When I interviewed a perspective individual for a role, I always utilized a non business approach. On the flip side when visiting client, I always made personal mental notes, of family status and children. Both parties knew who I was and why we were meeting but I had to build a relationship and the "trust" factor.

Now 3 months into the process to find out which networking group will work for me, I have found that the ones who are taking the time to ask "who am I" are definitely are high on the list.

One-On-One Networking

2010-07-07T18:37:00.005-04:00

There had been a challenged extended to members of the N'Touch networking group in a previous meeting, by Kim O'Neill their founder, to facilitate a "Meet & Greet" one-on-one meeting with members of the group. This exercise was given to enable members to communicate on a different level rather than in a group format.

I decided to jump in and give it a whirl. Today, I met with 3 members of N'Touch including Kim and was fascinated by their stories and great personalities. This is an excellent form of interaction, where quality versus quantity comes into play.

During the conversation with Kim, I relayed my attempt at writing a short story for a competition. After my article had been published in the June 2010 edition of Networking today, I felt that I should try my hand at branching out, hence the competition.

First step, create a 500 word outline of the short story, something that just flowed, I already had a concept in mind. Submitting my entry June 8, only 100 would be accepted, on July 4 with great delight I received notification that I was one of the chosen few. The word content was 2,500 and again, my words just flowed onto the paper.

Of course, this led to another writing adventure the "100 word story". In my mind I thought that trying to conceive an idea of 100 words would be a walk in the park, not so, I cannot believe how difficult it was. My first entry submitted was returned, with a note, that it had great creativity but no true substance, could I send in another entry. Creating a second was not going to be easy but I stumbled through, submitted and it appears this time around to be accepted.

Relaying this information to Kim, who had spoken about stimulating different ideas with the N'Touch Group, I suggested that she take this 100 word concept and ask the members to created a 100 word elevator sales pitch. Incorporating, the F.A.B. principle (feature, advantage, benefit), I have tried in vain to trim my down and it is still a work in progress.

So not only has this one-on-one mission been totally productive in establishing a firmer connection with my fellow entrepreneurs but it has made me realize that we are constantly all a work in progress.

Sue Anderton-Howe, CEP
Key To Success
http://www.keytosuccess.biz/

'Nsight - Strathroy

2010-06-30T10:00:00.005-04:00

It's amazing that N'Sight who had it's "Grand Opening" on June 15, 2010 already has the feel of a well established professional entrepreneurial networking group. Kim O'Neill, Financial Advisor at Edward Jones had the conceptual idea that Strathroy needed this type of networking gathering and I can certainly envision the membership of N'Sight growing in leaps and bounds as the word spreads. I definitely would like to be along for the journey.

Speaker this week was Gord Evans a professional photographer with a great personality. His brief synopsis on how he started in digital photographer was extremely interesting but his true reason for being at the N'Touch group was to present some learnings on networking, a skill utilized as Lead Advisor at the Small Business Centre.

Gord's speaking style is a honest, direct approach which I found thoroughly enjoyable. As an individual who is visiting numerous networking functions and being bestowed words of wisdom from so many angles, it was refreshing to hear him validate a majority of my theories and make me realize that I am on the right track to understanding why we should as entrepreneurs make "Networking a Business".

An acronym F.A.B. he mentioned (F = Feature, A - Advantage, B = Benefit) I thought would be great to translate into use for my elevator speech to prospective clients. If I can interpret my skills and services using this type of language, I am sure it will help me further on my road to success. THANK YOU Gord for all the useful highlights.

The next meeting will be held on July 13 at Crabby Joe's (Strathroy) again and I am hoping that I can make it. As I approach my 4 month mark from April 1 of this year, it is become increasing clear which groups I would like to attend on a regular basis and I would definitely like to incorporate N'Sight as one of them.

Networking Now

2010-06-29T20:08:00.002-04:00

I was invited to a business networking event being held by Networking Now who have aligned themselves with the Junior Achievement program, something I was not familiar with but now understand the concept.

The J.A. website indicates "It prepares students to develop successful financial management habits, empowering them to explorer the potential of becoming an entrepreneur, and providing them with the skills necessary to succeed in global economy".

The Crabby Joe's location was ideal with a patio setting, especially with the number of people in attendance, but unfortunately when the two speakers spoke, Geoff Evans and Allison Graham, at times the road noise muffled their voices, but all in all it illustrated their participation with J.A.

I found the group to be truly diverse and something for me which is now becoming an extremely rare event, I only knew a couple of faces. Attending a number of networking functions, it has been truly amazing for me to note how many individuals I recognize at each event.

There was a young man that I spoke with who had decided to create a new group for the under 35's, which I thought was a great concept. Sometimes it is easier to associate with peers closer to your age and understand the path in which they are heading because you are on the same wave length.

Unfortunately, the Networking Now group has a membership fee and appears to be a similar format to the numerous BNI chapters within the city but their message is "Business Building Through Referrals". What a great pity, I did not realize this was the case, checking out their website and membership tab, there was no indication of a fee structure.

I thoroughly enjoyed the feel of the group and would suggest that those who enjoy these "referral type scenarios", contact them and join.

NRG Group of Middlesex

2010-06-23T09:04:00.007-04:00

It appears that the NRG Group now have a firm entrepreneurial basis, familiar faces are attending on a regular basis and an occasional new face ensures a small but steady growth.

This week Jeff Comiskey of Canadian Term Insurance spoke about his industry and role as a Life Insurance and Property and Auto Insurance Specialist. His relaxed style and knowledge gave the 12 attendees a great overview.

Andrew Plumb continued his "business strategy session" which encompasses the publication by Jeff Olsen, The Slight Edge, the groups Book Club nomination.

The schedule for the next two meetings:

July 13th: Year in Review, updates, group input on direction
July 27th: Book Review - The Slight Edge

I now have made a conscious decision to try and attend this networking function at least once a month, therefore, which one I shall attend in July is going to be an extremely difficult choice.

Business Builders International (BBI)

2010-06-17T16:00:00.003-04:00

It’s my “Favourite Group” time again, visit the BBI Group. Last meeting Sherry Simoes informed me there were 20 in attendance, this time only 9, including myself but it was still definitely worth the trip.

The group split up into two and discussed Social Media marketing tools. It was interesting to hear the varied comments and when the group joined back into one, we found that there were two major trends LinkedIn and Facebook.

Further feedback determined that both of these avenues of social media could definitely help or hinder, all depended on the right method of approach. For me personally I realized how big the market has become and to be extremely aware of how you wished to be perceived in cyber space.

As the arena for Networking Groups continues to expand, personally I knew of 5 functions that were being held on June 16, each one would have been a great benefit to anyone attending. I wish to branch out and view a group in Sarnia who also also holds meetings on the 3rd Wednesday, therefore, I shall have to divide my time between London and Sarnia on this infamous day of the month.

The great thing I know that is does not matter if I attend regularly once a month or alternative months B.B.I. will always make me feel welcome.

Opportunity 360

2010-06-16T21:00:00.001-04:00

Established February 2010 this small group of entrepreneurs is still in the growing stages. Laura Gentile of The Pelican Group GMAC Real Estate is the founder, she had kindly extended an invitation for me to join them on Tuesday morning after reading my article in Networking Today - "Is there an art to networking".

The five individuals attending discussed diverse topics in a relaxed atmosphere and open forum style. The group are regularly meeting at the Ramada Inn, Timbers Restaurant on Wellington Road but as the hotel is presently undergoing renovations this location will most likely change.

For me personally, it runs parallel to many of the other smaller groups I have visited to date, therefore, getting up early to travel to London for the 7:30 a.m. breakfast meeting with so many other great groups within easier distance I will most likely not attend again for a little while.

Thanks Laurie for the invitation.

In Touch Group

2010-06-11T18:49:00.003-04:00

It's amazing when you rearrange a room how things can change. The last time I attended this function, held every 2nd Thursday of the month, I had found it rather difficult to manoeuvre and chat with some of the entrepreneurs. What a different story this time around.

Sue Reiger who heads up the event asked for a show of hands regarding the new set-up and it was a resounding "Yes". With 27 people in attendance and a mixture of regular and new guests, the additional space obtained by moving the tables around facilitated more interaction.

Rarely do I give rave reviews for a presentation but Margarita Ibbott is truly an exception. She spoke briefly about her company Downshifting but her main topic of speech was navigating the world of LinkedIn. She should be deemed a "Guru" on this subject.

As an individual who utilizes social media, Margarita gave an excellent overview. I am positive everyone left the meeting with a much wider knowledge of LinkedIn. She used layman terminology and answered questions in a simple precise manner. I would definitely recommend anyone who wishes to dive into the world of social media especially LinkedIn to utilize her service and expertise.

Small Business Centre (SBC)

2010-06-02T15:43:00.002-04:00

Not even Mother Nature can disrupt the attendance at the infamous Networking Wednesdays held by SBC. Come rain or shine, if you “build it they will come” and SBC has definitely built a strong foundation. I contacted Nancy Kopriva, SBC’s, Manager, Projects & Business Development to request the number of attendees and was extremely pleased to hear that there were 102, at their latest meeting, which included 3 individuals from RBC (their sponsor) and 8 SBC Staff to assist with registration, hosting, etc.

Finding a parking spot within the Barking Frog location (John Street) was the only deficit I can comment about. Originally the plan had been to hold the Networking Event on their patio this was not conducive due to the inclement weather. Barking Frog faced the challenge head on to ensure attendees had enough space to mingle (tight though it may have been) and enough food available in various areas – a round of applause should be sent their way.

Continuing my current MO to find at least one connection for an entrepreneur that did not personally benefit my business, I was extremely fortunate last night to pair up two people immediately. Both first timers at SBC, manoeuvring around the room, I introduced myself to an individual, who was extremely proud to note he was starting his own business and was in the midst of explaining his concept when another person happened to pass by with whom I also spoke. I realized during the 2nd persons intro that the original person with whom I was speaking would have a connection, hey presto. If all connections were so easy – right?

SBC Networking Wednesday will be on a summer hiatus allowing individuals to enjoy the weather, cottages and vacations. I look forward to the start up knowing that I will be a regular member of this group

In Touch Group

2010-05-27T13:23:00.003-04:00

Returning after an 8-day cruise and then a long weekend celebrating Victoria Day it was hard to wrap my head around business. In my calendar I had scheduled attendance to the In Touch Group, they assemble alternate Thursdays at McGinnis Landing located at the intersection of Wonderland and Oxford, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

What a great way to get back into the “networking mode”, Sue Reiger who heads up the group, has a regular smorgasbord of entrepreneurs and upon entering the meeting area you could see the close dynamics between them all. I would imagine there were about 30-40 people in attendance, the set-up made it slightly difficult to mix and mingle prior to the meeting, but you had ample opportunity to converse with others at the conclusion. There were 5 individuals I had already met at other networking functions.

The 30 second elevator speech with an add-on being, “I have never......... but I will some day”, gave you an insight into everyones personal goals, I thought this was a nice touch. (Apparently the tag-on changes each meeting.)

Martyn Dell of Heart’s Write is an Independent Business & Resume writer, (a regular member) gave a 15 – 20 minute overview of her business, useful insights on writing a Newsletter and different channels in which to broadcast this information, it was excellent – thanks Martyn.

I would like to attend this network group on a fairly regular basis to get a full picture of the membership. First impression, great people, they all made me feel very welcome.

London Linked

2010-05-13T16:19:00.005-04:00

Geoff Evans has cultivated a winner with London Linked a networking group of professionals. Changing its location from downtown London to Windermere Manor, May 12, it was an excellent move, definitely embraced by the 100+ people in attendance.

Brenda Brandt, Windermere Manor’s Conference Planner also in attendance welcomed numerous individuals as they stepped into the lobby entrance, appetizers provided were excellent and the banquet staff worked like a well oiled clock – kudos to Windermere Manor.

This style of event idea is definitely working, evening event 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. and four a year. All individuals I spoke with told me they look forward to coming back for more interesting conversations, mingling with unknown entrepreneurs and a basic no pressure approach.

As a member of the committee I might sound bias with my rave review but personally inviting 5 individuals to the event I was interested to hear the feedback, all positive.

One of Geoff’s comments prior to the function, “I want to keep this event simple and to the point - focused on a relaxed atmosphere for meeting new people". Achieved – well done I am proud to be part of the committee”.

Al Desrochers, General Manager/Publisher of Snap London interviewed Geoff and took photographs of the committee, look forward to reading the article, it will be interesting to see whether or not this will entice more entrepreneurs to venture forth and attend the next meeting which has yet to be determined maybe late August/September.

Personal Entry

“How to impress a potential client”, here is a scenario that happened to me prior to the London Linked event. I have mentioned in previous journal entries that I am a Certified Event Planner who specializes in corporate events and occasional wedding. Yesterday I picked up a bride from UWO taking her to Windermere Cafe to generally discuss requirements and confirm that I would be offered the role of On-Site Wedding Day Coordinator. We had chatted and conversed via e-mails on several occasions but as yet no face-to-face.

I arrived early at our point of pick up, good start she was early too. Drove to Windermere Cafe, had beverages, returning back to my car, I reversed out of the parking spot and the car stalled, I then flooded the engine (I have stick shift), we stopped and didn’t move again. We then both got out and manually pushed the car back into its spot. Now I was thinking of the phrase “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression”. She needed to catch a bus, I offered to call a cab and she said no and started to walk.

In the meantime, I spoke gently to my car (what else could I do) and it sprung into life. Quickly, I drove, picked up my bride. Apologizing again profusely I tried to make a negative into a positive, “Did you see I never got flustered or over-excited at all when I had car trouble”, “Yes” she replied “Now I know my wedding day will be fine”.

Learning lesson – who would have thought the way I approached my car problems would bring me a happy client.

NRG Group of Middlesex

2010-05-11T14:31:00.001-04:00

NRG appears to have established a regular group of entrepreneurs (14-18) that attend the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month. Sessions in which I have visited do appear to have 1 or 2 new faces which I feel is healthy, allowing it to continue to grow with diversity.

During her opening remarks Erin Fenn reiterated the “open door” policy of NRG, asking that suggestions of enhancement would be welcomed by both her and Troy Goodhue (two of the founders), who was also in attendance.

Member profile was given by Nicole Bolton, a Wellness Coach, with a background in nursing and 4 children it lead her into the world of “How Safe is Your Home”. An advocate of green living, she emphasised the importance to the group of checking ingredients in products used both personally and residentially for any harmful substances. Check out http://bolton.toxinchecklist.com/ on Nicole’s website.

Andrew Plumb gave a 15 minute brief presentation on forms of business strategy and reiterated the attributes of The Slight Edge, by Jeff Olsen. This will be the book reviewed by the group in June.

Next planned meeting, May 25, unfortunately I shall not be able to attend.

Small Business Centre (SBC)

2010-05-07T12:09:00.006-04:00

Well organized, value for money, $5.00 entrance fee, excellent use of time and what great people, the list is endless and just a few of my comments about the SBC networking function I attended on Wednesday evening, May 5 or better known as SBC Networking Wednesdays.

The stormy weather did not deplete the number of entrepreneurs in attendance and I understand from Nancy Kopriva, Manager, Projects & Business Development Services for the London SBC that there are usually between 80-100 people per month, impressive.

Location for this particular event was at the Palasad Bowling Alley on Adelaide Street, RBC sponsors too, which keeps the entrance fee low and for your $5.00 it includes pizza and wings. The Palasad servers were efficient and kept the food flowing, working well in the cramped space due to the abundance of attendees. I noted a few familiar faces, touching bases with them as I made my way through the crowd, stopping to make new contacts and generally enjoying the hustle and bustle atmosphere.

Now that I am becoming more comfortable within the world of networking, I decided this is now the time to start asking “THE” valuable question:

What makes a good networking function?

Spotting an individual I had seen at a previous networking function, I thought he would be the ideal candidate. Once introductions were over I explained my purpose for visiting numerous events and asked the $6 million dollar question, here is the answer:

“That’s truly a hard question to answer. I like this format to mingle but my preference is attending networking functions where there is a 30 second elevator speech. Unfortunately, due to the number of people at this event here, it is not feasible. I also like a speaker/educational element. With all the networking groups within the area it gives me the ability to pick and choose and I like the SBC Wednesdays.”

The next Networking Wednesday will be held at the Barking Frog on June 2, starting at 5:30 p.m. and I definitely attend to be present.

Final comment from Nancy Kopriva “It’s all about networking.”

NRG Group of Middlesex

2010-04-30T09:22:00.005-04:00

It was great to get up and know I only had a 25 minute drive to the next NRG meeting being held 7:30 a.m. on April 27 at the Village Pizza in Mount Bridges, I hoped that by regular attendence it would enable me to ascertain why other entrepreneurs attended. At the last meeting (April 13) the group had been small and it was great to see 16 individuals each with a distinctly different business.

Andrew Plumb, of Prepaid Legal gave his "Member Profile" presentation and I enjoyed listening to how he acquired his business and the benefits of being part of his association.

Erin Fenn one of the NRG Founders informed the group that going forward there would be a new educational element at each meeting. Andrew Plumber had offered his skills in this area he is an eloquent and comfortable speaker, so I think it is a win win scenario. The group also has a "Book Club" wherein a publication is chosen and whoever wishes to participate can do so.

It is great to see that NRG Founders (Troy, Erin and Suzanne) are developing different formats I enjoy the casual atmosphere and not too structured this is my personal preference.

I know that the 3 Founders are very cognizant of members needs. In 2009 when I attended a couple of their meetings they did brain storming sessions to ensure that members views were heard (great concept)and I would imagine that adding an informational component to each session going forward was deemed a welcomed asset by everyone.

Business Builders International (BBI)

2010-04-22T14:15:00.006-04:00

April 21, driving into London for a luncheon meeting at the Family Circle Restaurant with BBI, I wondered how different this smaller group would be to others I have encountered. Sherry Lynne Simoes and Sharon L. Berman co-founders of BBI greeted me warmly.

There were 11 in attendance for this networking lunch and I would rate it 5-stars on the hospitality chart, personally I have never felt as comfortable and at ease with a networking group instantly. From the first person who introduced herself to me and the last person who waved as they drove out of the car park, this group had the ability to make you feel part of a network.

I enjoyed the format, 30 second intro's and an agenda type informal meeting. This was a brain storming session to ascertain the best methods for follow-up and the ideas and comments were fast and fluid.

Breaking my cardinal rule of no fee payment for the next 12-months I willing paid the $5.00, as I could definitely perceive it would be good value for my money.

I am sure as many entrepreneurs do cold calling it is always a good policy to have one of your established customers within that day, therefore, should your cold calls not be receptive that known customer motivates you to proceed forward. I feel that the BBI network will give me the same uplift, therefore, a once a month visit to BBI to inject myself with well being plus good networking I know will be an excellent idea.

London Ontario Professional Network (LOPN)

2010-04-19T08:00:00.008-04:00

SECOND on the list an attendance at a breakfast meeting April 15, held by the London Ontario Professional Network, Windermere Manor, headed up by Jeffrey Comiskey. The majority of entrepreneurs attending were familiar with each other and tended to stay within groups. Various individuals appeared to be floating around with no agenda that I could perceive. I wondered “Did they achieve the full networking experience or was that there M.O.”.

Laurie E. Hawkins (Speaker) highlighted various great points with regards to selling techniques and was excellent. She obtained audience participation and gave an interactive presentation it was educational and informational. There was for me personally a "light bulb moment" Laurie commented to make the best use of a networking function ascertain businesses attending and define whether they would be a good lead to meet and cultivate.

As my business, named Key to Success, offers Event Management (planning, coordination, logistics, etc.) and Secretarial Services, every individual I meet is a potential client, this for me is a win win scenario and my mindset during the introduction process.

There was something new I wanted to try to see how people perceived me. When an individual asked “What do you do?” I asked “What do you think?” First it was financial to which I replied no, and then it was do you Train or Coach People. What a great compliment that his observation revealed confidence and ability to interact with people. If I learned nothing else from this particular function it had definitely been worth my time to attend and unbeknown to my table colleague be instantly analysed. This is an exercise I would definitely recommend to those who truly wish to know what others see in you.

As I approach my 3rd networking session (a lunch meeting) it will be interesting to compare the two functions – will they be radically different?

NRG Group of Middlesex

2010-04-14T08:00:00.017-04:00

FIRST on my list a breakfast session, a small group started by 3 local people (Troy Goodhue, Erin Fenn & Suzanne Racine) who saw the desire for entrepreneurs within rural communities have an identity. The majority of networking groups stem within the London area due to the abundance of businesses, therefore, this is a great concept. As an individual who has to drive an hour to London I need to ensure that it is worth my time to attend and build up meaningful networking relationships.

This group of entrepreneurs hold casual gatherings in the restaurant Village Pizza, Mount Bridges with a member speaker for each session. Beth Sutherland, Empowerment Coach gave a "Tag Lines" workshop, which was definitely a beneficial process of getting you to identify how to interrupt your business for marketing purposes and was educational.

For me personally the NRG Group will keep me grounded within the area and with a "no fee" structure will be worth visiting a least once a month.

Diary of a Networker - The Concept

2010-04-12T08:00:00.018-04:00

Networking should be deemed a "Profession" and I feel I have suffice skill sets to embark on a quest to observe how entrepreneurs interact within these groups. Therefore, starting in April I will try to attend functions to observe and qualify the quality of these events with regards to networking my personal and business requirements.

Travelling across 23 States and the majority of Canada for over 10 years, coordinating various types of training, educational, sales and marketing workshops and seminars I was constantly learning and evolving. My mandate being a Certified Event Planner "know what is works and what does not".

Who am I?

2010-04-01T12:15:00.006-04:00

As a small business owner, offering Certified Event Planner expertise and Executive Assistant (E.A.) services, rules need to be followed and somehow I went off track with my blog, shame on me. In my defence I will admit that I have just completed a 7-week contract covering an E.A. role to the Principal of a University.

I did, however, attend a webinar held by TD, “Expending your Professional Network to help your business grow” held on March 4, 2010. Sheryll Reid, Business Advisor, at the Toronto Business Development Centre was the speaker it was informative and made me look at networking in a totally different light.

I know an entrepreneur should already have an arsenal of tools but a fact jumped out during the webinar which made me realize the importance of networks – 90% of Networking is Socializing and 10% marketing your Business.

Therefore, I have decided that I must go forth into the land of networking and at the same time to make this venture viable create a journal- which I shall name "Diary of a Networker". After 12-months I will look back and analysis, to some extent, what worked for me personality and my business.

2010-02-02T11:31:00.006-05:00

QUESTION: Has the web superseded the human touch in business?

- Social skills vs web will they be lost in the art of business building?
- How can we incorporate our face-to-face skills via the web?

2010-02-01T17:19:00.008-05:00

QUESTION: Web Networking is it Quality and/or Quantity?

When entering Network Websites you note businesses/individuals with thousands of connections.

- Have these individuals/businesses truly quantified them?
- Is there a process for determining quality?
- What is the true full potential of these contacts?

2010-01-29T15:51:00.017-05:00

Entrepreneur: A person who attempts to profit by risk & initiative
Cauldron: Large boiling pot

There is a need to create a blog that reaches out and asks the questions that others might find nonsensical but nothing is that simple - right?

My vision for ENTREPRENEUR CAULDRON is to give everyone the ability to put an ingredient into the recipe which will produce vibrant, innovative and appetizing menus.

2010-01-29T15:00:00.007-05:00

Sue Anderton-Howe, CEP
I've created Entrepreneur Cauldron to facilitate awareness for different platforms and most importantly educate businesses in the process.