Eros is the desire to make love. It is the creative force that seeks to express love through relationship, art, poetry, music, prayers of devotion, and songs of worshipful silence. Eros articulates love. In fact, creative love is art—it is the aspect of love that lends shape to the unformed inspiration of our inner life. Eros is love Incarnate. ~ Finding God In The Body, Benjamin Riggs
In addition to networking events, I try to attend conferences that either inspire, empower or educate me. My intention is to continue to push forward by surrounding myself with those who have much more experience and exposure as business owners. Earlier this week, I attended the 15th Annual Moving Your Business Forward conference hosted by the Atlanta Tribune. The event started with a panelist of representatives from several big named corporations including Home Depot, AT & T, Grady Hospital, GoDaddy and of course Atlanta Tribune. The panelist provided insight about how small business owners can present themselves to big corporations and the importance of preparation for the opportunity. The topics ranged from professionalism to scalability of your business model.
Afterwards, there were breakout sessions that focused on new technology, live business pitch, and branding in the current social media climate. Shawn Pfunder, Senior Communications Director for GoDaddy was the highlight of the event. Shawn also interviews small business owners for Steve Harvey’s Funderdome show on ABC.
Shawn’s been working with freelancers, entrepreneurs, and business owners for more than 20 years. He’s consulted companies large and small on communication, social media, and marketing strategies. At heart he’s a small-business superfan. He believes that working for yourself is one of the most courageous and creative moves anyone can make.
Three small business owners were selected to share their pitch with the audience who would vote for a winner. After each pitch, Shawn Pfunder asked a series of questions about each company to gauge their marketing strategy to create and expand their online presence. The winner Yvette Pegues owner of Your Invisible DisAbility Group captured the audience with her passion for her business. In addition to sharing her business model and strategy, she shared her real life experience about what it was like to live with a disability. Although she is paralyzed she discussed her refusal to allow her disability to take over her life. Yvette has a very active life that includes skydiving. Her words were inspirational and spoke to the courage that all business owners need to find their passion and follow their purpose.
The last segment was a presentation by Shawn Pfunder as he shared the importance of finding your identity as a person and incorporating your uniqueness into your brand. He provided multiple examples of how creating your authentic story and allowing yourself to be less than perfect is what makes your brand unique and relatable. He discussed how social media is key to your future growth potential and provided tips on how you can share your uniqueness over social media.
The more human you are, the more likely you are to standout. – Shawn Pfunder
I walked away with a lot to think about. I immediately sat down to think more about my personal and business identity and how I could marry the two. I created a list of the top ten things that identify or define who I am. Then I did the same with my business. I almost instantly saw the advantage of this exercise. I could see where I am not connecting my uniqueness with the service I provide. I instantly started thinking of ways to rectify this. This event was very eye-opening and I definitely walked away with more than I expected. If you are trying to create your brand start by making a list of the top ten things that define you and your company. I’d love to hear your feedback below.
Peace and Blessings
Although we are the authors of our own experience, we have no ability to superimpose our will onto another person. An unwillingness to accept this will be the source of great suffering ~ Katherine Woodward Thomas, Calling In The One
Week 2 is getting off to a rough start. I have plenty to do, calls to return, appointments to schedule and events to attend. My ‘to do’ list continues to expand. I have 2 missed calls, 6 missed text and 4 missed glides (an app my friends and I use for group chats). Monday was a wash because I traveled back from Dallas that morning. By the time I got settled at home it was after 12pm. I planned to attend an event last night but was too drained to get it together.
Today started off promising even though I didn’t wake up until 6am. Everything was scattered around my apartment so I decided to straighten up a bit. It’s hard to focus in a disheveled space. Plus I prefer to clean first thing in the morning so I can come home to a tidy place. Cleaning was a part of my ritual to start my day in my former vocation. I washed dishes, swippered floors, organized clothes, set up my meditation and yoga space. Two hours later I had to mentally force myself to take a seat to regroup. I somehow hadn’t even gotten to my mat time and was still far from starting my ‘work day’. After about 10 minutes I pulled out my notebook to see what was needed for the day. I wrote one thing down then absent-mindedly stumbled down on the mat.
I turned on the music but felt annoyed and decided I’d listen to the birds instead. I jumped up to opened the windows. I sat back down for my yoga opener. Ten minutes later I was folding clothes. I don’t even remember when I drifted off the mat. I stopped folding and got back on the mat. Glazing at my watch I promised myself 30 minutes on the mat then I’d start my day. I picked up where I left off and immediately went into pigeon pose. I listened to my body and allowed it to guide me from pose to pose. After 45 minutes, I ended my yoga sequence in dancer’s pose. I cannot hold dancer’s pose for long but as I switched sides I knew it was necessary for me to leave the apartment. I became very aware of my lack of focus. Although I had candles burning and sage smudging in the background I mentally drifted in and out of focus.
Standing on the edges of my new life awareness is key. There are many reasons why people decide to start a business. I started my business to have freedom and flexibility in mind, body and spirit. Freedom and flexibility are not useful if you aren’t focused. I love ending my day at 2pm if needed or starting it at 5pm if I choose to. Today’s awareness allowed me to see freedom and flexibility still need some level of structure, parameters and balance. Lucky for me I’d already scoped out a few locations with some level of structure. I headed out the door in ripped jeans, flips flops and a “sleep is for suckas” t-shirt. Time to get to work.
Peace and Blessing
Every woman that finally figured out her worth, has picked up her suitcases of pride and boarded a flight to freedom, which landed in the valley of change. – Shannon L. Alder
Unraveling external selves and coming home to our true identity is the true meaning of soul work ~ Sue Monk Kidd
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
A kiss on the lips was a sign of true friendship. People often think they should bend the truth to avoid hurting a friend. But one who gives an honest answer is a true friend. To be entrusted with the truth even at the risk of offense, represents a gesture of high honor.
You serve the world better when you are happy, find happy…
I will teach you everything I know so you can become a better version of you. Find inspiration in my failures. Failure builds character that success can never show you. Take no pride in my success for they are an outpouring of my many failures along the way.
Unknown
RETURN OF EROS 