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Singles Workshop Session
American Business Women’s
Conference
Dimock Community Health Center, Boston
Singles
Workshop Session
Empowerment begins when you believe in
yourself — Carole Copeland Thomas
This is a popular
workshop I conduct every year during Dimock Community Health
Center’s
day long Healthy Women’s Fair. More than 800 women
attend workshops, free health screenings, and are treated
to the entertaining follies of several headline speakers.
The
Question:
How to you handle living as a single woman while coping
in couples' world?
Their Answers:
Here’s the advice (and some questions) from the women
in my 2004 session:
Find out who you are. Know yourself. Take care of self
first: Your emotional wellness, your spiritual wellness,
your physical wellness. Love yourself first, then you can
truly give love to others.Try to find out who you are and
learn how to love yourself. And most of all get to know
your God of your understanding. You will have joy in your
life.
You need faith in God. You can do all things through
Christ Jesus.
Be fully aware of yourself and your ability to contribute
to society without the help of a man.
Being single to me
is symbolic of total freedom in mind, body, and soul.
It involves spiritual and mental growth
for a single woman alone in 2004.
I want to leave Massachusetts
because I cannot find a brother. I also pray.
I am very busy with church choir, etc. But
sometimes I get lonely. How can I deal with it? Hard to
stay home alone
sometimes. Housework doesn’t cut it. Wisdom: If I
don’t want to cook after work…since I’m
single I can come home and do my own thing and concentrate
on me.
When you have negative thoughts say “cancel” or “I
don’t think that way.” Replace them with uplifting
thoughts.
It’s wonderful to be focused to grow spiritually
and pray for the blessings our Creator has given you.
The
woman who is married cares how she can please her husband.
The unmarried woman cares for how she can please the
Lord so she can be holy.
I find that I’ve been happier
with my children and myself. Being in a permanent relationship
becomes too stressful.
I
love being single cause I can do what I want at any time
day or night. I love it!
I like being single right now because
every relationship in the past was abusive. So I am in
recovery to learn about
me and get some self esteem.
The most difficult part of
being single is the lack of support and companionship.
(To counteract that) keeping
busy and having something to anchor you is important.
I love being single again. I have control over my life,
finances, happiness and future. My blood pressure is
back to normal and my worries are few. I know what my purpose
is in life.
I am a single mom on disability and only allowed
to have $1000 in my account without affecting my income.
How can
I have financial independent on my limited income?
I’m
only 18 years old and I have a 22-month-old daughter. After
I had her, I was such a slacker. Now I’m getting
up every day and doing something with my life. I’m
getting my GED, going to driving school, and I hope to
start college very soon. I’m single but I have my
daughter, family, and many friends. I’m finally happy
with myself.
American Business Women’s Conference,
Naples, Florida
Empowered Entrepreneurs’ Workshop Session
“
You are the business and your business is YOU.”—Carole
Copeland Thomas
With this workshop I divided
the room into three distinct categories:
The Full Time entrepreneur
The 2nd Job Entrepreneur (with a full-time income elsewhere)
Emerging entrepreneurs, advocates, and supporters
The Question:
What advice can you share as an entrepreneur and/or what
questions can you raise for those thinking of going into
business?
Their Answers:
Here’s the advice (and some questions) from the women
in my 2004 session:
Emerging Entrepreneurs, Advocates, and Supporters
What
are the best resources for grant money for a start up
business? I am a corporate and special event planner
looking to go out on my own. I need equipment in order
to start.
I work for a man who owns the business, but I AM the
business and the business is ME.
Always maintain documentation of
any credit issue. For example, credit bureau items that
hit against you… keep
copies and follow up on items that would lower your credit
score.
Even if the timing is now right, considering being
an entrepreneur will help anyone assess their future
and what it holds.
Entrepreneurs
need to learn to delegate and allow trusted employees
(managers and supervisors) to make decisions.
Sometimes the people involved in your business love great
input.
Good book to read on customer service: The Nordstrom
Way.
Good book to read on sales: The Art of the Deal by Donald
Trump.
Keep business just that…business. Do not attempt
to become friends or form personal relationships with co-workers.
Avoid gossip at ALL costs. This will save a business and
its employees.
The workshop was very inspirational. This
encourages us!
The
road to success is always under construction.
Build community relationships.
When working with family members or a spouse, you must
be flexible and willing to compromise. In your business
you must get your face out there. Know your stuff inside
and out.
Primary issue for a small business: growth. You
must be able to manage growth.
Short term and long term budgeting and planning process
are essential.
Why do so many businesses select names that
give you no clue as to what they are about or what they
do?
Also surprised at the number of ads that do the same—can’t
really tell what it’s for (especially with no sound).
Full Time Entrepreneurs
When preparing to start your business,
plan on enough start up capital and personal savings
to get you through at least
6 months without paying yourself. You may think it will
only take 3 months to be profitable, but it may take
twice or three times longer. So, plan no income for yourself
for six months. If your business succeeds quicker that
will be a pleasant surprise.
Schedule time to work on your
business. Feel the fear and do it anyway!
What can you do besides network, be a speaker,
or teach if your profession doesn’t use advertising
as a marketing tool?
It’s not who you are that holds you back – but
what you think you’re not.
You’ve got to have heart.
Life in the fast lane is difficult for turtles.
Know your banker!
The quality of your relationships dictates the quality
of your life.
Know your target market and spend your time with those
people.
Work hard with pride, discipline, integrity, and respect
your associates.
Source: How To Be A Really Great Boss
Do not put things
off. If you don’t do it today,
you’ll find another excuse tomorrow.
Start small and
when you’re ready go bigger.
No partners!
I have found that getting to know your clients
on a more personal level helped me to have more loyal
clients and
that helped with many referrals. That grew my business
for many years.
If you lack in a specific area, you need to research how
to get someone’s help and better yourself. My philosophy
in life is that when you work hard in life you MUST also
play hard and enjoy life’s many blessings.
Never jeopardize
your integrity. It will take you as far as you want to
go.
Work hard and you can do it. Be honest.
-Bicycle and beach
equipment rental business…
My biggest marketing success has been to first make yourself
known in your community, volunteer, etc.
Name your company after yourself.
Put your name on everything and get it out there.
We have donated over 25,000 bottles of water with our business
name on it to help an event that needed a donation.
Everything has a license plate with our name on it.
The
first thing you should purchase when you have the income
is help with household responsibilities to free more
time and get rid of the housekeeping guilt.
Be selective about
getting involved in outside activities (professional
organizations, etc.) that are not income
producing.
Sales people will find you daily. Learn to screen and
say NO.
I own an office furniture business and have found that
specializing in home office furniture has given me a
niche in my area that the competition is not offering.
Don’t
be afraid to JUST DO IT!
You may be considering making the move and be afraid. If
something happens to take the decision out of your hands,
take advantage. That makes it easier. Otherwise, don’t
spend years just hoping and wishing. Just do it!
Regardless
of your position, it is imperative that your business support
team consists of an attorney, an accountant,
and a banker.
Your employees are your most valuable assets. Treat them
well and you will reap an important benefit – LOYALTY.
Buy
good computers with licensed software.
Empower employees, but hold them accountable.
As a full
time sales person who uses a coach, I still find I need
a better tracking system as my business grows throughout
Florida.
Always use your backbone. Don’t be paralyzed
by fear. Stand up for yourself.
Handle things right away and try
to handle them once.
Purge papers often.
Your environment can hold you back or free your mind.
Be
careful of partners and investors. Do the initial analysis
and document, sign and maintain copies. Identify roles
and responsibilities, disbursements, what its, survivorships,
buyouts, etc. Don’t wait till it’s too late.
Never assume it won’t happen to you.
Never lose sight
of your dreams. Keep them right in front of you at all
times with pictures, symbols, etc.
To affect change, you must be ready, willing, and able,
to accept what comes your way and work with what comes
your way. You must learn from what is given to you. Listen
to what is being “given” to you.
Producing a
product? Get exact specs signed by the client.
Get 1/2 of the money up front for your supplies. The
other 1/2 to be paid upon delivery.
Dessert manufacturing business:
Got lazy and had all my eggs in one basket. One account
represented over 50% of my wholesale sales. They sold
with no prior warning and dropped me like a hot potato!
I had to diversify to survive. Besides pies and cakes,
I added muffins quickly and pounded the pavement for
new accounts.
Watch and read completely the contracts you sign.
Are there loopholes? Is there an out? Is the contract
time based?
Create
a network of professionals that have similar issues and
business for support and to keep you on track. They’ll
tell you to get off your butt when you feel like giving
up.
Always be in the mode of marketing your business. New
business development is critical, consistent, and required.
If a
client/customer asks you, “Why should I consider
you or your company/product/service instead of your competition?
What should you say?
Respond with something that makes you better than your
competition, and advertise and expand on it.Regarding business
photos: I went to Wal-Mart and had business photos taken.
I purchased the promotional set and disk. Disk had 8 headshots
of me to use. They are on disk and can be sent electronically
by email to customers and newspeople with submissions.
With my disk I can put my picture on everything…letterhead,
fax cover sheets, post cards, newsletters, etc.
All for under $10.
Brand yourself and have a consistent
look and work style.
My look: glasses, hair up in a bun, scarf around my neck.
Wear your look when speaking, networking, marketing, meeting
clients, etc.
I created my own seminar and article called “Truth
About Lending.” The goal and slogan are making a
difference in the mortgage industry.
Branding myself to set apart from my competition.
Follow
up on leads.
Write personal notes of thanks for business and referrals.
Read
books and listen to tapes on multiple streams of income.
Don’t be afraid to venture into new territories within
your field or into a related field. Think of new ways to
combine your talents and hobbies into a profitable business
or new business venture.
Don’t incubate your ideas forever. Take the first
step. Move forward. Trust yourself!
The challenge:
My husband and I are in business together, and our hardest
challenge is leaving our business talk at the office. It
seems sometimes like it’s all we ever talk about.
The advantage:
My husband and I are different, so at times I keep the
positive attitude and at times he does. So we support each
other when times are tough and can bring realities to the
situation.
2nd Job Entrepreneurs
Even if your second business is small,
keep financial dates on it. Make sure it is worth your
time and energy.
Open
a separate bank account.
Plan your work. Work your plan.
List priorities with flexibility.
Your financial success
can be limited by how much you actually value yourself,
your service, or your
product. Don’t
limit your income by undervaluing yourself.
Recognize the
small victories each day. As you proceed through each
day, continue to give credence to the positives.
You will realize the simple abundance you have.
Put your
priorities on PAPER and keep it in front of you.
One
must continue to stay up with technology to grow.
One must make sure your employees are instructed or educated
in the changes taking place.
Communication is very important.
Believe in your product/service
and yourself.
Organize. Organize. Organize.
Know your product or service.
Any business must have a well-written
business plan to begin.
The business plan must be revisited at minimum yearly
to ensure it still fits the corporate culture, mission,
and
goals.
Prepare a 1, 3, and 5 year plan.
Have personal goals and values listed so never to confuse
business with family. If not, you will lose your family
and primary purpose for business.
Have a good support system.
Someone who will motivate you and be your coach.
God has a Plan B.
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