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Growing Business – The Power of Community

December 16, 2012 by

Well it’s taken nearly two years, but laying the right foundation, in a slow, methodical way does pay off. Business building class by business class, network meeting by face to face meeting, by one on ones, and project by project, efforts have netted me 8 new clients within the last 30 days with 3 more in the wings.

I’d love to make several honorable mentions of those who’ve been both instrumental and/or inspirational, but would likely inadvertently leave someone out, and unwittingly cause an offense. Let me just say, Pat Howlett and the Inside919 community have most instrumental in my overall recent success. You all have my heartfelt thanks.

Raleigh, Cary & Durham Businesses I’m honored to serve locally include:

The Marketing Machine – branding, graphics & web design

Secur-Tek Security & Smart Home Technology

Tapco, Inc. Crane and Rigging serving all of NC

Blueridge OB/GYN of Raleigh

Extreme Express Logistics serving all of NC

Cary Dentist, Mark Andrews, DDS

Raleigh / Cary Sleep Center – Parkway Sleep

Raleigh Home Foreclosures – Referral Realty

and more…

Though I’ve other clients that are not local, I’m honored to be serving local businesses in building our community. I ran across an excellent blog post on the topic, How to Build Community with Your Business.

How about you, what random acts of kindness are you giving in support of our community, and local businesses in your neighborhoods? The gift of giving seems to always find a way of coming back to you.

Anyway, it’s a wonderful way to end the year. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, as well as Happy Chanukka, Kwansa, etc. Love to all!

Bob Walton’s Posts – The 919 Local Business Network

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The Power in Seeking ‘Expert Advice’

June 21, 2012 by

“The junkman took millions of dollars in ore from the mine because he knew enough to seek expert counsel before giving up.”

That quote comes form the #1 personal development best seller, Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill), written 100 years ago.

Hill spent 20 years interviewing repeatedly 500 of our most successful citizens to see what was it was THEY were doing that the rest of us were not. The story was about gold mining and hitting the ‘wall’ — the gold stopped.

The mine owner sold all his equipment to the local junkman, who KNEW enough to find a geologist — an Expert. And he learned he was only 3 feet from gold! When seeking expert advice it is important to  NOT give away the whole plan or goal! Only say what you need … “why has the gold dried up?” Saying how much money is invested, how big the plot is, what you will do with the money, etc. is NOT to be shared. WHYthat is so is another blog.

I DID IT! I teach it and I know it … and 2 days ago, I DID IT!

After receiving an offer by mail to do a mortgage refinance on my home, I called. All was proceeding well via phone … looked like I’d have a windfall, pay less each month … all was wonderful. THEN … the rep said “you’ll need $ 845 up front to lock in this deal.”

MY HACKLES WENT UP!

I’ve closed on properties and done refinancing all my life and NO ONE EVER demanded cash up front. I said, “I will need 24 hours as I will have a mortgage expert review the details on my behalf.”And I did that.

While my Expert also found it unusual for money to be demanded u p front, the due diligence revealed it wasa GOOD deal.

The expert called the rep to ask a couple of questions on my behalf, one about the money up front. The rep said that it was a misunderstanding and that the cash comes out at closing. Of course it does!

As a result of insisting I pay cash up front and telling my expert quite the opposite, I have chosen to NOT do business with this company.

The deal was good! Yes! Yet the expert review made all the difference.

I don’t do business with people who appear to be “loving money, and using people,” rather than “loving people, and using money” as a tool.

Always seek expert advice. You can’t know everything. Andrew Carnegie (who hired Hill to write Think and Grow Rich) had no less than 60 experts in different fields on staff at all times! I’ve got one here, and one there. I’m using them … as they use me!

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©Leslie Flowers June 2012, exponential personal growth expert, helps mature women re-engineer their businesses and their lives by steeping them in living life with principles and virtues. Faculty member in Mindset Mastery at the Ultimate Life company, with Bob Proctor, you can catch her programs on mastermind excellence and expert goal setting and achievement at their site. You may read her archived voluminous personal growth teachings — Drops of Awareness — at PathsofChange.com, which house each step on her own path of change over the past 10 years.

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Leslie Flowers’s Posts – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

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Women’s Power Network Rally and a FREE hCard to boot!

May 19, 2012 by

The hCard and the WPN Offer a Hybrid of Networking Opportunity

Here in the Triangle, there are numerous opportunities to meet and network in business, and share important ideas and opportunities.

But no event scheduled in 2012 has the networking energy of the
 4th
Annual Women’s Power Networking (WPN) Business Alliance Rally at the
 McKimmon Center in Raleigh this Saturday.

This year’s Rally is all about providing tremendous value to business owners across the Triangle and North Carolina.

With over 70 business exhibitors, 12 national business and organizational experts present for 24 breakout sessions, this incredible learning experience and the camaraderie are a value at only a $ 10 admission.

 
“We are excited to offer a great array of breakout sessions. The speakers are outstanding,” said
 Leslie Flowers, Education Director and Breakout Session Coordinator for the Rally.

 
The outstanding leadership present to spearhead the sessions include among others:

  • 

  • 
Bill Davis, Owner, Team Nimbus of North Carolina. His timely business growth topic is “Opportunities not Conversion is the Name of the Game”


  • 

  • 
Sherrie Wilkolaski, Founder and President of Author’s Boutique will cover “Authors Crash Course to Publishing”

  • 

  • 
Geanine Thompson, CEO of Live Your Personal Legend will present “Answering the Call to Adventure: Your Life Purpose Awaits!”

  • 

  • 
Honey Beth Wiggs, Certified Health Coach at Take Shape for Life will speak to achieving optimal health in her talk “Are You as Healthy as You Think?”

  • 

  • 
Clare Luffman, Owner, Dream Unlimited will coach attendees on “Common Mistakes of Running an In-Home Business”

  • 

  • 
Danielle Cooley, Financial Advisor at Edward Jones. Her topic is “Invest In Yourself First, You Are Worth Every Penny.”

  • 



The rally’s underscoring purpose is to build alliances in both business and life where everyone succeeds. It is with this intent that in a 
rare hybrid of opportunity.



The hCard and the WPN
 have partnered to give a FREE hCard to all the
 members of Inside919 who attend this important event. The hCard membership, a $ 20 value, is yours simply by being an Insider and attending the Rally.



It’s like getting access to something with great value and getting paid to attend. :) 



Regional Manager
 Heather O’Sullivan
 will be present to give these cards as gifts to all who meet her at the event.
Leslie comments, “Giving the free hCard to every Insider on the very day that we are learning, sharing, and collaborating; deepens the reservoir of both understanding and community collaboration”.



Sandra Burnett, 
the creator and owner of The hCard concurs,
 “The hCard program is happy to be working with Leslie Flowers and the WPN. We will be bringing a lot of value to Insiders!”
 The hCard is community-driven and an excellent treasure of savings, not only here in the Triangle and North Carolina, but from coast to coast bringing local and national businesses together to provide both value and savings.



With hCard in hand, you can use your card immediately for discounts from participating merchants.


  • 

  • 
Here in Raleigh and vicinity, save at community-minded Triangle businesses.

  • 

  • 
Find savings at restaurants, bike shops, theaters are more.

  • 

  • 
Enjoy both great tasting ribs and a 10% discount at the famous
 Blue Fins
 Restaurant in nearby Wake Forest.

  • 

  • 
The list goes on and on at
 The hCard

     



The WPN’s biggest event of the year offers so much for so little. This rally is easy to find at the McKimmon Center on the North Carolina State campus, 1101 Gorman Street from 10 am -5 p.m. in Raleigh. The event is anticipated to attract over 1000 attendees.

 
The event is highlighted and featured on Inside919 as
The Business Alliance Rally
 (click for further information).

Sandra Burnett’s Posts – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

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Charlotte Artist Donates $3000 Painting to Women’s Power Networking May 19 Business Rally!

May 1, 2012 by

4th Year for Women’s Power Networking Business Alliance Rally! This year, Saturday May 19, WPN has expanded the venue and times … McKimmon Center, NCSU, 10-5 pm!

Artist Stefan Duncan will motor in from Charlotte with a number of his well known and beautiful paintings for display, donating the one below as a raffle item to assist in supporting Alzheimer’s research. Raffle tickets will be one = $ 5 and three for $ 10. On sale soon!

“Lady Tree Dancer”

Stefan Duncan is the creator of ‘squiggleism’- a branch of impressionism and dubbed the “American Van Gogh” by  vangoghgallery.com. He was recently recognized as one of the top ‘Thirty Plein Air’ Artists of America by the Wekiva Island Paint Out, an invitation only with Florida’s state parks,  and among one of ‘America’s Best Artist’ by Art Business News magazine.   “Grandfather’s Dream”, a book illustrated by Stefan was recently released online: http://www.grandfathersdream.com/. 

Stefan, a native of North Carolina,  is a part time writer and full time artist creating murals, commission paintings, landscapes, book illustrations, and inspirational series of exhibits several times a year. He contributes his time and paintings to many charitable organizations throughout the year. Stefan has both an English and Art degree and teaches art classes in the Charlotte and Huntersville areas.

In addition to Duncan, who will paint in the McKimmon Center Lobby throughout the day, you may visit with 100 business exhibitors, and your admission ticket has you engage with 12 spotlight! breakout speakers, covering marketing, physical health, relationship building, mindful health, achieving Expert status, productivity, prospecting, investment, and publishing.

Leslie Flowers’s Posts – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

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The Power of Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone – Living in Your Comfort Zone (Part 1)

February 9, 2012 by

Isn’t it nice to live in your comfort zone: feel confident in what you do, never have any surprises, and always know what to expect? Yes it feels good, however I would attest that if you want to reach the levels of success you desire in your business, the answer is no.

By staying in our comfort zone we continue to do what we’ve always done and don’t push ourselves to our maximum capacity for excellence!

What makes you comfortable in your business?

  • A certain type of client
  • Working only with people who you know and like
  • Doing what you know best

What makes you uncomfortable in your business?

  • Cold calling
  • Learning new skills
  • Public speaking
  • Networking
  • Phone calls

We’re all experts on the production aspect of our jobs.

  • if we have a bakery, we are excellent bakers
  • if we have a dance studio, we are excellent dancers
  • if we have a photography studio, we are excellent photographers

But, what about the other aspects of our small businesses that must be accomplished such as:

  • Sales
  • Marketing
  • Accounting
  • Information Technology
  • Graphical Design
  • ….

Are you comfortable doing all of these things? As small business owners we must wear many hats and sometimes one or many of these are way outside of our comfort zone.

Image what it would be like if we always stayed in our comfort zone.

Stay tuned to discover how stepping outside of your comfort zone can help you reach your full potential!!

Lauren Paparone’s Posts – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

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The Power of your Virtual Assistant Profile

January 5, 2012 by

The job of a Virtual Assistant is to serve the needs of clients “virtually” online. That often means that a Virtual Assistant’s online profiles will be reviewed BEFORE any connection to that VA will be made by the potential client.




Here are a few tips to ensure that your Virtual Assistant profile truthfully represents who you are:



1. Skill Level – Be sure to note the various skills that you offer your clients. They will want to know what problems you can solve for them.



2. Recommendations – When you do an amazing job for clients, be sure to ask for a written recommendation (i.e. LinkedIn). This is a powerful way for others to see how you related with a previous client.



3. Honesty – Be honest about your previous work experience, connections and business relationships. In today’s online arena, false information can EASILY be found out.



4.Thankful – Take the time to thank someone who does give you a recommendation. That was an effort of their time and commitment on your behalf.



Here are some examples of my online profiles (since most of my clients are for Social Media Management, this is my focus)

STAY TUNED! AssistantAngel is in the final stages of planning our Virtual Assistant training and certification program. If you want to sign up (or know someone who would benefit from the training) CLICK HERE



(You also receive AssistantAngel Ninja Virtual Assistant tips, as my gift to you!)
Angel Lebak ~ Virtual Assistant’s Posts – 919 Business Networking – Local Business Owners & Professionals

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ASK.FOR.IT! My POWER of 3 for Wednesday, June 29, 2011

January 12, 2010 by

You want that new client? Business grant?

Media attention? Whatever it is you desire in your business,

you must be comfortable ASKING for it!

Your marketing presence is wonderful but if you don’t ask for the sale it’s in vain.

Who you and your business are is worth the sale, believe it and sell it!



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Many of you may not know but to a select group of women entrepreneurs I send out these daily “power of 3″ filled with three simple words with BIG impact. You can check out the full POWER of 3 for today by clicking here –> http://archive.aweber.com/kmh-power-of-3/G6Ad./h/ASK_FOR_IT_Your_POWER_of.htm



or by following me on twitter (@katrinamharrell) and #powerof3
Katrina M Harrell-Biz Strategist’s Posts – 919 Business Networking – Local Business Owners & Professionals

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Power of the Pause

January 6, 2010 by

A few weeks ago I attended a Quaker’s meeting which is, in part, a long period of quiet interrupted intermittently by those who may wish to speak. I was impressed with the power of that experience – a long pause in a busy, noisy world. Even though I was a newcomer I was moved to speak about a new appreciation of “the pause”.

In my acupuncture/physical therapy practice I do a type of body work called Zero Balancing (ZB). An actual component of the ZB protocol is the pause . The pause lasts anywhere from 5 seconds to a minute or even longer. It provides an opportunity for the client to integrate changes introduced by the practitioner before moving on to the next phase of the protocol. The practitioner looks for specific signs from the client that say “I’ve got it”. It is one of the most powerful aspects of the treatment.

Where else in our lives might the pause appear? How about in listening? I am committed to taking more time to listen to my clients, friends and acquaintances. I want to pause to really hear what they are saying – instead of using the opening to jump in with my own words. The pause can show respect for the other person’s words or thoughts before introducing those of my own.

We can also pause in our speaking to give the listener time to hear or reflect on one thought before adding another. The pause gives emphasis. It can provide an opportunity for the listener to seek clarification or participate in a conversation about the thought.

The most important pause of all can be the pause in our lives as at the Friends Meeting, in meditation, taking a vacation or even time for lunch. As is often said about music, it’s not the notes alone that make the music but the pause between them. Is there music in your life?

Nancy Davison, PT, LAc’s Posts – 919 Business Networking – Local Business Owners & Professionals

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