Call That Girl's Word Press

Do you know the difference between a networker and a connector?

Network: –verb (used without object)

 to cultivate people who can be helpful to one professionally, esp. in finding employment or moving to a higher position

Connect: –verb (used with object)

to join, link, or fasten together; unite or bind:

I was emailing with a guy yesterday from LinkedIn and we were discussing networking and  I closed by telling  him that I’m more of a connector type. I’m always trying to find ways to connect 2 folks for value of revenue or to save money somehow. I probably refer 2-4 folks a week to each other, easily. That comes from being a wide spread networker and having a gift of wanting to help others. (the point of networking right?). Most of these connections I make are just me having a day. I don’t seek them out. Just yesterday I was at a client’s office who said he was looking for a designer to make brochures. I knew of 2 people to refer him to on the spot. 

This is also the reason why I think I avoided joining the large networking groups. I knew early on in my networking career that I need to be connected to many folks and the larger groups tend to work on internal referrals and bring on the mentality of “Let’s get together for coffee and see how we can help each other out”….where, if you’re a connector type, there is no need for coffee. Just let me know what you do and I’ll add you to my mental rolodex. You already know I fix computers, and I know what you do so it’s a done deal right? 

“Let’s do coffee” for me only has value if we are going to do business together or partner up, etc. Networking is today’s world is much more accelerated and if you are busy like I am, there is no time for it. But I will say, that in my first 6 months, I did coffee dates with people and 90% of the time it turned out they wanted to sell me something they sold. It was pretty disappointing to be honest. And not one of those folks has ever called me or referred business to me (that I know of and I track all my clients).

2 weeks ago, I was talking to someone who does something for my business (he will rename nameless) and he said that he would like to get together to see how we could help each other network. I told him that we both already know what each other does, so what is the point? Then he got a big miffed at me and said, “You know, I’m a part of ABC networking group, I KNOW HOW TO NETWORK. I get most of my clients through ABC Network or from adopted clients from other folks.”

Wow! Congrats! I have built a business from scratch and got my clients the old fashioned way, HAND AND FOOT. Of course with that, comes referrals, but that’s how the service business works. Once you are established, you will get referrals and I thank  my lucky stars everyday that I spent the first 6 months of building my business going to every networking event I could find. I also thank my lucky stars that my clients or people I have met networking like me and my business enough to refer me out to people. 

Our conversation moved to the business we do now together, but I could not let it go. I stopped him and said, “You know, I just want to tell you that you have no business telling me how to network, I’m fairly well connected at this point and I don’t need you to tell me how to network”. PFFT. I was kind of angry… so angry I sent him a link to my LinkedIn profile just to sort of prove my online presence with one of the online media’s I use for “networking”. 

Just sayin’

So to close, you can network, be a connector or be both. I know a few people out there that are good at both and I commend them for their efforts. It’s not easy to manage everything in your head, who does what and how you can help them out. 

In my opinion, if you want to get to know someone to help them or have them help you, the best way in today’s busy world is to email someone with an introduction letting them know of your business and how you will keep them in mind as well. Email dates, saves time and money!

Below is a picture of me sitting in front of a USWest/Qwest terminal. I was a 411 operator from 1988-1995. I look back at this picture and just laugh. The reason why I am holding up a little notepad with the word “jerk” on it was because one of my co-workers just bought a new camera and was taking pictures of everything. So I wrote that up and when he said he was taking my pic, I flashed the “jerk” sign. What is really more hilarious is the big ol green screen monitor working off  a terminal system. Little did I know back then I would own a computer repair company 20 years later (eeks! 20 years flies by!)

The Qwest job by far was never one of my favorites, but I was making great money for a kid that age. I drove a sports car and took trips often. Ah, the good old days of having freedom and not caring about anything but where I was going out that night. I had to work many split shifts and weekends, but that was the life of a 411 operator. Times have changed now, we get the computerized 411 lady now–which I hate. As I build my business I have learned a few things…I will do the exact opposite of everyone else and NEVER ever, no matter how big my business gets, ever have a phone queue, “press 1 for this, press 2 for that”. 

Call That Girl will always always always have a live person answering phones…unless of course, I’m out of the office:)

Happy Friday everyone!

Thank God it’s Monday…my weekend was boring and I actually couldn’t wait to get back to work. I did work a smidge though, I had 2 clients so that helped a bit. I also did the big Ikea run on Saturday. Yeah, I am stupid. Going to Ikea on a Saturday is like going to Target on Black Friday. I survived and only had to be slighty irritating to one sales lady. I asked her “Do you know where the shelves are, the standing up ladder type ones that you decorate with”..(because I don’t know the real name for the desglinka??) and she said, “you know, I don’t think we sell those”. 

Duh, yes you do! Ikea sells about everything in the world. So I said in a direct tone “Yes you do, I saw it online…you just don’t know what I’m talking about” and left her in the dust while I blazed to the “do it yourself” area. Then I found a smart sales person who knew exactly what I meant and pointed me right to the shelves. I kinda feared buying the “do it yourself”…I wasn’t interested in putting together shelves for 5 hours, but that’s how it goes with Ikea right? 

Turns out I only had to spend about 30 minutes for both shelves, yay! I love the shelves too! Perfect for what I needed and I spent under $40 for both. Happiness for me over a boring weekend:)

Today I have a lunch appointment, then a client. I’m free before and after, so today should be a breeze. I have a monster to do list, so I hope I can chop away at that! 

Have a great Monday! Lisa

For the past 8 weeks or so, Call That Girl has been a busy little bee. Seems that I had some good juju come my way when I moved into my new apt. The week after I moved in, I was slamming with 12-18 clients a week. This week has been my first break…I still had 10 clients, but wasn’t “slamming” on the road, back to backing and working furiously every night to keep up with communications. 

A girl breathed!

What does this tell me? It tells me that universe is giving what I can handle. I saw the movie “The Secret” and loved it so much I took notes the 2nd time around. I first saw this movie during the first 5 months of being on my own with Call That Girl. Those days were tough with very few clients, hoping everyday I would get my big break….and wanting so bad for my business to flourish! I still have those notes from The Secret and read them on occasion. I read them again when I was slamming busy a few weeks and realized…the universe is testing me right now. How far can I go without needing help? 

I attended an ewomen networking luncheon yesterday and the founder of ewomen, Sandra Yancey was the keynote speaker. I saw her last year too when she came to Minneapolis. Listening to her speak…is like living my past year and half. Not every person out there in business right now is killing themselves. Suffering the lowest of the lows and feeling the highest of the highs. Sandra has and I am too…all the time. Some days I come home and feel like I’m going to just pass out. But everyday I get up and do it all over again with fresh energy. I am building a million dollar business for sure. I decided that the first month I was out on my own and I think about it every single day. Every day that I am out driving to a client, everyday that I go to my office on Nicollet and everyday I take my puppy on walks. I live and breathe my business. It’s something that when you have it, you have it. It never leaves you. 

To close, I enjoy those moments of exhaustion to be honest. I knew I put in a hard day and helped many folks. I am working on some personal goals right now to help me manage all of this as it’s only going to be crazier, but I am so looking forward to it!

Happy Friday folks!

Today is a blah day out there isn’t it! I hope the thunderstorms come though as I love a good storm…

This week has been very interesting….a slow week with clients, but a good week to get “stuff done”. It’s a good toss sometimes. When you are constantly busy for weeks on end, a slow week makes you realize how crazy you were and how you want to feel at the end of a busy day. I want to have energy still. Many days I would come home so tired,  I would do nothing. I don’t want life to be that way! But some will say, “You’re building a business and doing whatever it takes to make it work”…yes, but I don’t have to feel completely exhausted at 6:00 either.

A few things I have done to lift those spirts is wake up saying to myself, “I will not feel exhausted at 5:00!”…and keep that in mind as the day rolls on. When I get home, I’m taking on my dog on longer walks to give myself a quick lift of night energy. And I’m drinking a lot more water. When  you are on the road and not staying hydrated, it’s drains you physically. I’m working on a few other things as the next few weeks pass to make this transition easier, so tips and tricks will come later on as they happen.

Today is a slacky stormy day, ending with a happy hour at Bar Abilene for LinkedMinnesota….should be fun! Ending with a night in the hot tub at my apt, woo!

I can feel it! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I drove down to see my family in Rochester on Sunday and boy did I have drama all day on Sunday! Hwy 52 was completely packed with the city brats all going home to see mama. It was seriously nuts….Hwy 52 is always nuts though on holidays. 

It’s so refreshing to do small town stuff, as my family are just your basic small town family…we ate at the Eagles and had their Mother’s Day Buffet, which was actually quite good. We all celebrated with a bloody mary’s and some fun catching up and making fun of an absent family member. 

I decided to take 35W home and what a mess that was! I am so glad I don’t have to commute that everyday. The orange cones that go on for 20 miles is enough to make one think they are watching Clockwork Orange. 

Then as I was off to pick up puppy at the Downtown Dogs, a woman just about hit my truck. She was in the left lane and decided to turn right and totally skip a lane, MINE. I had to brake so hard all my stuff came flying to the front and jerked me around and now my car is making weird sounds. I didn’t even get a plate number. ugh…I don’t know if I can even file charges on an “almost accident”. 

Ended my weekend with an incredible ending to the Celebrity Apprentice, SHAMWOW was that good! I am so glad Joan Rivers won! I really didn’t like that Annie Duke at all. Joan is one woman that I have always looked up to, she had taken her beatings and always bounced back better. I kinda feel that I have too in my life, each failure…brings on a better success for me. 

To close up, my week is looking good. I have a full day of clients today (I had 8 on Friday btw) and I have a big event for ewomen network on Thursday, should be awesome with 150 women there. 

tada! Later folks….

Lisa