Business
Friday Fun: Getting Unstuck
Oct
“You are a shining star to somebody right now.”
~ Sarah Saka, sales associate, House of Sole
Last Friday I attended the monthly Women’s Innovation Network monthly Innovation Circle. I had attended a few Spa & Cupcakes afternoon sessions before, and found them to be welcoming and sweet events. While Spa & Cupcakes focuses on networking and some mini-pampering, the morning session offers a gathering in which to discuss business and life-related topics.
WIN’s mission is “to foster massive business growth for women entrepreneurs through innovation, inclusion, and inspiration” (and imagination). I have known co-founder Valerie Beck for a few years through her Chicago Chocolate Tours, and am grateful to be invited to these events by her. True to its mission and like The Creative Connection Event, this group fosters an environment of caring, sharing and support rather than the “what’s in it for my business?” attitude found at some networking events. This month’s topic was “how to get unstuck.”
Valerie’s top six unstickers include:
- Mix it up: do something different from the task at hand, or sleep on it.
- Ask: What would I do if I were not stuck?
- If you had $5 million that needed to be given away, what/whom would you give it to? This helps prioritize your values.
- Can you get help? (Learn to delegate)
- Can you enjoy the journey at every stage? (Could I learn something from this?)
- Can you have an attitude of gratitude?
“Don’t react, respond.”
~WIN attendee
We discussed letting go of fears (both fear of failure and fear of success can get you stuck) by having a faith-based attitude and generating a list of worst-case PLUS best-case scenarios. One lady places her fears into Stephen King audiobooks so her business can thrive on positive emotions.
“Trust and fear cannot exist simultaneously.
You either have trust or you have fear.
Trust replaces fear.”
~ Ellen Peterson, Choosing Joy, Creating Abundance
Of course a key element is to “drown out” the naysayers by surrounding yourself with positive peers and mentors such as the WIN environment provides.
The event was hosted at the House of Sole, which is a lovely store south of the loop filled with unique shoes, handbags, clothing, hats and jewelry. The store purposely focuses on unique independent artists, primarily from the Chicago area.
Owner Tiffany Bullock began House of Sole in Washington DC prior to setting up shop in Chicago in 2007. Her business teacher taught her not to leave the world with any regrets. She had the idea of her own business in 2003, and after determining whether she had a retailer’s personality through a job at Nordstrom she left a corporate position and launched her own business in 2006.
Her mission? “We want to join you on your fashion journey,” she said, “to make you a better you.”
She did just that with helping me select a pair of tights from her lovely table. We picked out this pair over a more conservative style because: “You have some quirky in you.” 🙂
Valerie closed the event with the following poem:
You never know when someone
might catch a dream from you.
Or something you say may open up the windows
of a mind that seeks light;
the way you live may not matter at all,
but you never know, it might.
And just in case it could be
that another’s life, through you,
might possibly change for the better
with a better and brighter view,
it seems it might be worth a try
at pointing the way to the right;
Of course, it may not matter at all,
but then again, it might.
–Unknown
Tell your shining stars today how they have influenced you, so the spark may continue to ignite other people’s dreams.
ADDENDUM: As of March 10, 2013, I no longer support the WIN Board and its actions. However, I do support small business, women-owned businesses, and the gracious hosts of past WIN events.
