Connect-Relate-Network Meets Twice in February
February 3, 2014 at 4:10 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Connect-Relate-Network Meets Twice in FebruaryTags: meetings
CRN will meet twice in Poulsbo this month. However, the schedule had to shift slightly. Our founder and organizer is laid up for a while as a result of a bad fall. (Heal quickly, Mary!) So we won’t meet the first Tuesday (Feb. 4).
CRN will meet on the third Tuesday (February 18), as usual, and then again on the fourth Tuesday (February 25).
Mary has business and non profit speakers lined up. If you’re a CRN member, and part of the Facebook group, you’ll see details there.
This blog will not be as active as it has been in the past, but I’ll try to keep the events page updated each month. Check there for details on upcoming speakers and events.
Elena M. Rodriguez
Pacific Press International
This Community Connection Tuesday: How Do You Make a Difference in Your Community?
December 13, 2013 at 12:38 pm | Posted in Networking, Non-profits | Comments Off on This Community Connection Tuesday: How Do You Make a Difference in Your Community?December 17 is our last Community Connection Tuesday of 2013. I hope to see all our Connect-Relate-Network members in Poulsbo (1:30-2:30 PM at Stella’s Pizza and Pasta). We’ll have a chance to connect once more before the holidays and exchange our best wishes for Christmas and a Happy New Year. Visitors are ever so welcome, too.
I also ask that each of us comes prepared to talk for a minute or two about a charitable organization/nonprofit that’s close to his or her heart – one that you support with your talent, time or treasure. Tell us about the organization and why it’s meaningful to you.
Also, I’ll remind us of the local nonprofits who have spoken to us about their activities in our community at CRN meetings during 2013.
Take some time out of your busy year end and holiday preparations to give yourself a break; share some time and fellowship with Connect-Relate-Network.
Speaking of Holiday Preparations….
Are you still in the midst of holiday shopping? If so, stay safe and sane:
o Have a list and budget to avoid overspending
o Shop with a friend of relative who will encourage you to stick to your list. (Don’t go with anyone who might urge you to just “put it on your credit card” – unless she also offers to pay your bill next month!) Support your companion in his or her goals and limits, too.
o Take care of yourself – be sure to stay hydrated and don’t let yourself get too hungry. Hunger and thirst can affect your judgment, making it hard to stick to your budget resolve. Bring some bottled water with you and perhaps a snack; a small bag of nuts and raisins might be enough to sustain you until you can have a meal.
o Wear comfortable shoes and casual clothes that let you move easily and that won’t get you overheated in crowded stores or malls.
And to stay safe: There are a number of tips to avoid becoming a victim of crime here: http://www.crime.about.com/od/prevent/qt/tips_shopping.htm
So stay safe, stay sane, and stay connected with your fellow local business people at Connect-Relate-Network. See you Tuesday, 1:30 pm at Stella’s, 19980 – 10th Ave. NE, #104, Poulsbo.
posted by Elena M. Rodriguez
Pacific Press International
How to Speak with Comfort – Next Connect-Relate-Network Brings Us Ann Sloan’s Speak Your Power
December 2, 2013 at 3:07 pm | Posted in Networking, Self-development | Comments Off on How to Speak with Comfort – Next Connect-Relate-Network Brings Us Ann Sloan’s Speak Your PowerTags: Ann Sloan, business networking, public speaking
If you’ve ever wished for more confidence when you speak to a group, you’ll want to attend the next Connect-Relate-Network meeting December 3rd, 1:30 to 2:30 pm.
We’ll welcome Ann Sloan, a trained practitioner of Speaking Circles, who will introduce our group to her Speak Your Power method.
As Ann describes it, this presentation provides you with a practical, experiential introduction to a method—actually what could be called a “no technique-technique” — that works near miraculously to put both speakers and listeners at ease. No matter your current level of speaking skills, come and experience the joy of being fully present and the transformational “art of being radiantly yourself!”
I have experienced Ann’s method and highly recommend it. You don’t need to have anything prepared that you want to speak about in order to benefit from this event.
We’ll devote most of the hour to allowing Ann time to introduce us to this powerful technique. Nevertheless, you know we always manage to squeeze some networking in, so remember to bring business cards.
Join us at Stella’s Pizza & Pasta, 19980 10th Ave NE, Poulsbo, Washington 98370.
Please try to arrive before our 1:30 start time, especially if you want to order food.
See you there!
Elena M. Rodriguez writer & editor Pacific Press InternationalConnecting with Less Holiday Stress
November 18, 2013 at 10:41 am | Posted in gifts, Networking, Non-profits | Comments Off on Connecting with Less Holiday StressTags: business networking, Christmas, Connect-Relate-Network, holiday stress, work-life balance
With a little more than a week to go until Thanksgiving, I’ve had to face facts: the holiday season sneaked up while I wasn’t looking. Luckily, today I can share with you a few things I’ve learned about living through the holidays with less stress and more joy. I’ll tell you here, along with how Connect-Relate-Network fits into my stress-reduction plan.
Whether we look forward to this time with joyful anticipation or with dread, none of us is immune to becoming a victim of holiday stress. What are the signs and causes?
Give yourself the gift of a stress-less holiday.
Christmas Perfect
We may feel stressed because we’re “Christmas perfectionists.” You know the signs:
- every gift made from scratch;
- the multi-page, single-spaced Christmas letter with photos and illustrations;
- the 200-name Christmas card list;
- the hostess stuck all day in the kitchen, cooking the holiday meal, instead of enjoying her guests.
Expectations
Perhaps your stress stems from unrealistic expectations. The Currier & Ives-style Victorian Christmas pictured on cards is just not possible. You may not even be able to re-create the holiday of your childhood memories. Ponder this: Are you sure those memories are accurate – and do they include how stressed your parents were?
Feel the Excitement, Not the Stress
Whatever the sources of holiday stress, don’t succumb! Strategize to survive with a lower stress level – just enough to feel the excitement, but not so much to make you or those who love you unhappy, disappointed or depressed.
A Three-Point Stress-Reduction Plan:
- Plan Ahead – recall what was stressful about past holidays; then develop a strategy for handling these situations. Tackle your gift list now, make a budget that won’t leave you broke or in debt come January 1, and stick with your plan. Or try what my family has done for the past few years: each person choose one name out of a hat so each family member need buy only one gift for one other family member. Imagine the time, money and anxiety saved!
- Just Say “No” – if an activity doesn’t provide enough joy and pleasure in exchange for the hassle of participating, don’t do it. Reduce your commitments so you’ll have time to remember “the reason for the season.” (And graciously accept when others need to say “no thanks” to you.)
- Simplify – is it so important to compete with the neighbors to have the most lights on your house? Must you make all your desserts from scratch? A smaller tree, fewer decorations, a frozen pie baked in the oven, filling the house with spice-laden aromas, can all be just as pleasing to you and your loved ones – especially if it leaves you more relaxed and energized.
Get more useful tips I found for handling holiday stress in the Holiday Survival Guide at About.com.
CRN Can Help
Connect-Relate-Network can also help us handle holiday stress. Our members include businesses that sell gift items and services that could make your Christmas brighter – and easier. And it’s the best kind of win-win situation when we can support other local business people while checking items off our “Santa’s wish list.”
Running a business doesn’t stop during the holidays so don’t miss our next few Connect-Relate-Network meetings (first and third Tuesdays of the month, 1:30-2:30 at Stella’s Pizza and Pasta, 19980 10th Avenue NE #104, Poulsbo. This week, November 19, is our community connection Tuesday when we hear from a local non-profit doing good in our community.
If you have tips, products or services to help us through the holidays, share them below in the comments section. And come to Stella’s Pizza & Pasta in Poulsbo on November 19 to tell us in person. Bring business cards, brochures, or samples to share with your fellow networkers.
Posted by: Elena M. Rodriguez Pacific Press InternationalCreate Your Amazing Life Now, for Your Future Self
November 1, 2013 at 4:00 pm | Posted in Author appearance, In-person event, Networking, Self-development | Comments Off on Create Your Amazing Life Now, for Your Future SelfIf you are in Kitsap County, attend one of Connect-Relate-Network’s meetings next Tuesday, November 5, to hear the inspirational message of Robin O’Grady. She’s an author, professional speaker, coach, and ghostwriter. She has been helping others create the lives of their dreams and has studied the field of personal growth and development for more than 25 years.
Robin is known for her Five Star Success Strategy by high-achievers nationwide and is the 2013 recipient of the Soroptimist International Ruby Award for her philanthropic work with women and girls in the community.
This month, Robin publishes her book, The Optimist’s Edge: Moving Beyond Negativity to Create Your Amazing Life.
Robin will speak at both our Connect-Relate-Network meetings on November 5:
1:30-2:30 pm at Stella’s Pizza & Pasta, 19980 10th Avenue NE #104, Poulsbo
5:30-6:30 pm at the Subway, 2238 NW Bucklin Hill Road, Silverdale
Where Does the Time Go?
Today, I took a close look at how I spend my time. I highly recommend this. If you feel there aren’t enough hours in the day, you need to know how you’re spending the hours you have.
I started with a simple question: where does the time go? I wrote that in the center of a blank sheet of paper and circled it. Then I drew lines, or spokes, radiating out from the circle. At the end of each spoke, I wrote an activity – from various work projects to housework to social life, even my pets – every time-consuming activity I could think of. I came up with at least 15 categories (some of those with subcategories!). Over the next few days, I’ll surely discover a few I forgot.
Now, I’m looking at reducing or eliminating those that are a) complete time-sucks, b) not moving me towards any of my goals, or c) not enjoyable. By reducing those, I increase the space for productive and/or fulfilling activities.
You Know Where the Time Goes
You may know the melancholy song, “Who Knows Where the Time Goes.” Its poetic language evokes the passage of time through the cycle of the seasons (even while mentioning only winter and spring). Both the lyrics and the tune are tinged with such sadness, the song reminds me of the short nature of our lives. Do we have time to waste? I think not.
Once you know where your time is going, take charge of it, use it to the utmost. Imagine your future self. Would he or she be glad you spent his or her time as you do?
In Aid of Spending Time More Usefully
Once you see clearly where your time is going, you may discover what you need to:
- do less of,
- do more quickly and efficiently,
- get someone else to do,
- not do at all.
Some activities may be hard to give up. They make up the pattern of your life. Changing that pattern can be hard. But don’t despair.
Think of your time as a landscape where the plants have taken over. They’re overgrown to the point where nothing thrives as it should. You don’t even have room to plant anything new. If you do, it’s not going to survive because there’s no room.
Last year I cleared my garden so spring shoots had room to sprout.
When you de-clutter your “timescape,” you’ll have the same good feeling you get when you cleared away junk from your desk, your closet, a room – or weeded and turned your vegetable bed for a new season of planting.
You may even find space for that “someday” project – the one close to your heart, or the one that will bump your business or career up to the next step. That’s where you’ll find fulfillment. Life is short – don’t wait.
Who knows where the time goes? You should. Take charge, de-clutter your timescape; make room for the growth of your business, of your personal life or simply of yourself.
Remember that CRN is here to support your growth. Come to our November 5 meeting to network with others who are growing their businesses and their lives.
You can connect with Connect-Relate-Network by attending meetings, subscribing to our newsletter, or our blog here.
You can comment on what you’ve read here – maybe tell us what you discovered about where your time is going.
Your Own Chief Marketing Officer
September 27, 2013 at 10:29 am | Posted in Author appearance, Marketing, Networking | Comments Off on Your Own Chief Marketing OfficerTags: advertising, business, business networking, marketing
CRN’s October 1 Business First Tuesday speaker will be Scot Runyan, strategic marketing consultant and partner in Branding Made Simple, a strategic marketing and public relations firm based in Kingston (WA). He’ll be speaking at Stella’s in Poulsbo (1:30-2:30 pm) and at the Subway in Silverdale (5:30-6:30 pm).
Reading about his expertise in marketing got me thinking about marketing for those of us who are members of Connect-Relate-Network.
How do you market your business?
Do you embrace the role of Chief Marketing Officer? As an entrepreneur or owner of a small business, you are the CMO. Think about the difference between sales and marketing. Marketing is an activity that supports selling, but it is different from selling.
This definition is from Merriam-Webster’s Concise Encyclopedia:
marketing noun
Activities that direct the flow of goods and services from producers to consumers….Once primarily concerned with increasing sales through advertising and other promotional techniques, corporate marketing departments now focus on credit policies, product development, customer support, distribution, and corporate communications. Marketers may look for outlets through which to sell the company’s products, including retail stores, direct mail marketing, and wholesaling. They may make psychological and demographic studies of a potential market, experiment with various marketing strategies, and conduct informal interviews with target audiences. Marketing is used both to increase sales of an existing product and to introduce new products.
Now you’re thinking: “All that is for the ‘big boys’ with the big brand names.” But what can we borrow from the “bigs” to market our businesses more effectively?
Find Out About Marketing for Your Small Business
I recommend that you come out to hear what Scot Runyan has to tell us. Scot is a nationally recognized author and marketing strategist with more than 30 years of experience as a business consultant and entrepreneur. His highly informative presentations deliver straightforward “how-to” marketing techniques for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses. He demystifies the world of offline and online marketing, while providing companies with the technical information they need to succeed right away.
In Poulsbo Scot’s talk will be: “Cross Marketing Techniques.”
Stella’s Pizza & Pasta, 19880 10th Ave, Poulsbo from 1:30-2:30 pm
In Silverdale Scot will speak on: “Running a 5-Star Life and a 5-Star Business.”
The Subway, 2238 Bucklin Hill Rd, Silverdale from 5:30-6:30 pm
Remember: bring your business cards, flyers or samples. We conduct special networking exercises at each meeting to get to know each other and our businesses better.
For more information about CRN – meetings, membership and benefits – check our About page.
Elena M. Rodriguez Pacific Press InternationalThe Magic of Goal-Setting
September 16, 2013 at 4:19 pm | Posted in business plans, Networking | Comments Off on The Magic of Goal-SettingTags: business networking, community connection, goal setting, goals, Poulsbo, silverdale
You’ve heard about it a hundred, even a thousand times: the importance of setting goals.
Yet how often have you thought: I don’t have time to set goals. I know what I have to do. Just let me get on with it!
If that’s working for you, congratulations! In fact, if that’s working, you may not even be reading this.
The rest of us probably have made a list of goals somewhere, sometime – a list that may be long and not getting any shorter. Maybe we are achieving our goals, or just wishing we could.
There is no single formula, but the fundamental magic of “public” goal setting was revealed to me last week. I picked one big hairy one that I’d been dancing around for weeks – to be honest, for months. I wanted to stop dancing and start doing. Last week I vowed, “This is the week I tackle that goal.”
On Tuesday, I told a group of friends (in fact, our Connect-Relate-Network group on Facebook) about my goal, very briefly. I checked in at the end of the week with how I’d done. That’s the whole magic. The work happened between Tuesday and Friday.
The result did feel magical. I got going on that goal after I’d told the CRN group and my business partner that this was the one most important thing I wanted to achieve during the week. That public commitment motivated me to act. Was it all done by Friday? No, but I’d taken the steps I could; I was waiting for someone else to respond so I could take the next step. Not only was I that much closer to achieving the goal, but I also felt pretty good reporting to my CRN Facebook group.
A public commitment gets you running to the goal line!group.
Even better, after my Friday afternoon check in on Facebook, the call I was waiting for came in. As of Monday, I’m two steps closer to the finish line! It was a big hairy goal, so there are several more steps (and money to be paid) to get it all done. But things are moving.
Use Your Friends
Ultimately, a public commitment may be the way to get you moving, too. Try it out with a goal you don’t mind sharing publicly. If you’re a member of Connect-Relate-Network, try it out on our Facebook page. Or try it with a small group of friends or colleagues who will be supportive and non-judgmental.
Next Connect-Relate-Network Meeting Sept. 17
Our Community Connection Tuesday is coming right up. See the details for our Poulsbo and Silverdale meetings on the Events page. There will be a chance to network with all who attend and speak at our meetings. Maybe you’ll find an accountability partner, and the two of you can offer “moral support” to each other in reaching your goals.
Connect-Relate-Network meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month in Poulsbo and Silverdale. For more information about CRN, read About Connect-Relate-Network here.
Keep Planting Seeds If You Want to Keep Eating
August 18, 2013 at 5:49 pm | Posted in Networking, Non-profits | Comments Off on Keep Planting Seeds If You Want to Keep EatingTags: goals, marketing
Harvest time is here! I just returned from visiting my parents in Virginia. While I was there, the neighbors came over with the fruits of their spring and summer labors: giant, ripe, red tomatoes; beautiful summer squash; onions; cucumbers; sweet corn.
Harvest the fruits of spring and summer labors
What have you harvested so far this year? For our businesses, it’s time to check in at Connect-Relate-Network on how close we are to reaching our 2013 goals. Have you achieved some of them already? Are you close?
We’ll talk about this during networking time at our next meeting, Tuesday, August 20. If you come to Poulsbo you’ll hear from our Community Connection Tuesday speaker, Daryl Daugs, director of Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap County. (1:30-2:30 pm at Stella’s Pizza & Pasta in Poulsbo)
If you attend CRN in Silverdale, you’ll hear from Jessica Reed, program manager for Fresh Start Transitioning, a non-profit providing adult men with transitional services. (5:30-6:30 pm at the Subway on Bucklin Hill Rd. in Silverdale) Jessica is also a member of CRN in Poulsbo. We’re glad to include her non-profit organization in Community Connection Tuesday.
At both meetings, in addition to our speakers, we’ll take time for our networking exercises and catch up on news.
Keep Planting to Keep Harvesting; Market All the Time to Keep Selling
Is it time to plant seeds for cool weather crops – something to supplement summer’s bounty and get you through the coming winter? I know it’s hard to think of winter when we’re still enjoying summer, but winter will come.
In your business, now is a good time to start analyzing what worked this year. Look at your marketing efforts. That’s where you plant seeds that might sprout customers. Consider what you’ll do differently in the coming year. Perhaps you need to plant more seeds: seek out more networking opportunities, follow up with contacts made in the past, make more phone calls, start an e-newsletter, advertise, improve your presence on the web through a new or improved website, a blog, or social media. Think about which seeds sprouted in the past. Use the good, proven seeds again. Find similar ones that are more likely to sprout.
Garlic braid 2013
In my garden, I’m putting in collard greens for my cool weather crop. When the fall arrives, I’ll plant bulbs for flowers – and garlic! It’s great to see the beauty of the spring and summer flowers that sprout from those homely bulbs planted in the grey and wet fall, but I’m really thrilled with the garlic. My first year planting garlic was a big success. It’s a test of patience to wait from fall planting until early August harvest, but it’s worth the wait.
I love being able to display this garlic braid in my kitchen now – and it gives me incentive to plant again this fall.
Look at the fruits of your labor – your total sales, your number of new clients, whatever you use to measure your success. Perhaps you’re satisfied and want to keep going at the same level. Or maybe a shortfall motivates you to do better next year.
Whatever your past success – whether a bountiful harvest, or just a few lettuce leaves – don’t give up. Keep planting if you want to keep eating. Market yourself and your business; plant those seeds for future sales.
You can always keep up with Connect-Relate-Network events by clicking here. See you August 20 in Poulsbo or Silverdale.
posted by Elena M. Rodriguez Pacific Press International
No Vacation from Networking
August 1, 2013 at 11:30 pm | Posted in business lessons, Marketing, Networking | Comments Off on No Vacation from NetworkingIn spite of the title of my post, I am taking a mini-vacation next week. And I’m sad I’ll miss our Connect-Relate-Network meeting on August 6. But networking should never go on vacation. If you’re near Poulsbo or Silverdale on Tuesday, be sure to stop in to Connect, Relate and Network with our business Tuesday speaker, Rebecca Nessly. plus our members and visitors to CRN. Rebecca will be speaking in both locations.
The first Tuesday of every month, a useful business topic is the focus of CRN. For August, the question is “What’s Your TOMA?” Our speaker, Rebecca Nessly, will give us the answer. Find out what she has to tell us about discovering your unique selling position to develop powerful client relationships and stand out! Also learn about the fastest growing, recession-proof market your business must engage now to increase sales and build long lasting success.
Rebecca Nessly is a Marketing & Promotions Executive for West Coast Publishing. She brings over 12 years of sales and customer service experience in Media and Radio Advertising, creating remarkable results for her clients and small businesses. Meet Rebecca and hear her speak at the Poulsbo or Silverdale Connect-Relate-Network meetings. (Times and locations on the Events page.)
As for me, I may miss out on another great CRN meeting, but Networking never takes a vacation. Wherever I go, I’m sure to meet new people who have something interesting to tell me about their work or lives. There’s something there to learn. And I’ll have plenty of business cards, if they want to learn more from me, about me. A little ink on a little piece of paper can go a long way to helping someone remember you.
I’ll see you networkers at the second meeting in August – August 20 – when we have our Community Connection Tuesday.
posted by Elena M. Rodriguez Pacific Press InternationalRSS
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