Keyboard Karma Blog ~ Helen Crozier

Crazy busy? Overstretched, Overbooked, About to Snap?

  

Almost two years ago I purchased this book - Crazy Busy by Edward M Hallowell from Amazon and got a lot out of it. Who wouldn't be attracted by a tagline Strategies for handling your fast paced life?

I've decided to read it again! I feel as if I'm finding so many 'time poor' people that I need to revisit Edward Hallowell's strategies with a view of helping those who are feeling shattered and scattered.

I have no doubt that developing one's technological capabilities can and does help make things easier. It is unfortunate that people don't treat themselves to the tools and skills that will definitely help without breaking the bank! I so agree with the author when he says "You should make sure that you do not meely make your life faster and more full of data - more difficult to follow and keep rack of -in an effort to make it more fulfilling".  One woman I know has recently just left her web development business to persue a photography career - she's unplugging and I think that's fabulous! Conversely this week I also heard about a woman with 50,000 emails in her inbox!!

What do you think? Is technology providing you with more quality time or is it just filling your life up with more 'things and stuff' of the digital/electronic variety?

Iggy Pintado's Six Degrees of Connection

 

 On Friday I posted Twitter is a relationship catalyst and at the end of it I said I was excited about what more the world of social connections would bring. I did not have to wait long for the next installment. 

Here's the interesting story. Some months ago I began following Iggy Pintado on twitter. I knew his name was familiar to me and upon checking out LinkedIn realised that he had been at IBM exactly when I was there as a graduate back in the eighties. I liked his tweets and eventually managed to get hold of his brilliant book Connection Generation which describes the different personalities out there in the world, how they react and work to connection technologies and how to further enhance your networks for both personal and business satisfaction. As far as I'm concerned Iggy has nailed it and I told him I will read the book several times - it is my social networking 'bible' that I carry around in case I get a few spare minutes to dive in.

I was overseas for the first Flying Solo Live event however this year I was determined not to miss it. When I booked I was so pleased to see that Iggy was presenting The Connected Business. During the coffee break Iggy found me and introduced himself. We had a great chat working out who we knew in common at IBM - it was strange to think we had been working so closely physically (a floor apart) but did not remember meeting back then.

Iggy's presentation was excellent. He gave us facts and figures to blow us away with what was going on in the world of social networking. Early in the presentation he asked half a dozen people to stand up and my name was called. He introduced us all and said that we had met face to face for the first time today but that he considered us 'twitter buddies' and valued the support we gave him with regard to his book etc. He encouraged everyone to connect with us after the presentation. We also were asked to go and obtain the business card of someone we had not yet met. Because of Iggy's very generous introduction I had several people coming up wanting my card. Iggy then gave us great advice. He suggested that instead of putting the card in a box when we got home that we should connect with the person on the card via LinkedIn. If the person was not on LinkedIn we should invite them to join so they could become part of our network.

This was exactly the encouragement I needed. At that point I had about 70 connections on LinkedIn. After the event I spent a day or two adding people with cards that I met at Flying Solo. I then was motivated to gather cards from more recent networking events and do the same. I also looked at the connections of my new people and invited more if I knew them. I even invited some other presenters to join my network.  I became fearless! I have now doubled the number of connections to 142.

Three days after the conference I received an email from one of the people who had taken my business card at Iggy's presentation. Jed Kram from Got Game was having a problem following me on Twitter and asked if I might be able to help. I went to see his account which was brand new and followed him back. I also decided out of curiosity to visit his website and was very excited by the business he was operating. Jed is an ex Sydney Kings basketball player and is passionate about providing recreational sports programs to children eg after-school, vacation care and holiday camps. I was so excited by this that I spontaneously asked him if he had any need for a 17 year old boy also passionate about basketball who would be looking for work at the end of his HSC. Jed responded by sending application forms back and asked me to get Elliot to contact him. Elliot wrote an application and emailed it Thursday. Last night he received confirmation that he appears to be a good fit. He is attending a coach training day and after the HSC will start at Got Game to see how he goes.

He was really just incredibly excited about the possibility of a job involving basketball. I don't think he could quite believe it! Interestingly enough the fact that Elliot had been coached by another rather well-known Sydney Kings player helped his cause. It was then that I said in my motherly advice tone "See, it's not what you know love, it's who you know!"

I will be looking at Jed's business and seeing how it might benefit from social networking technologies. However I must point out that the biggest reward and satisfaction came from this gift from the sky for my son. That to me is priceless and why I will continue to defend the value of being well connected online as well as in real life for both personal and business reasons.

I cannot highly recommend that you read Connection Generation. It is only after reading this book that I have seen the potential of significant rewards by opening up my online networks. A week ago I created a business Face Book Fan Page and have nearly 50 fans who want to read what I have to say or connect with me because they find value in my information. I have also begun to increase my personal Face Book friend list. Previously I was almost afraid to do this. I believed that Face Book should be for close friends and family only. Having read Iggy's book I see no reason to keep it so restricted. Face Book has privacy settings that can limit what certain groups see. I feel that once I have made a new connection on Twitter and it is a sustained one then I have not problem with developing that relationship to a closer level on Face Book. Twitter is more time sensitive. If you are not online at the same time as your 'twitter buddies' and you have are following a lot of people you might miss out on what is being said by those you care about. Face Book makes it easier to have a conversation and strengthen relationships. I see that all three services Twitter, Face Book and LinkedIn provide different qualities that are all essential if you want to expand your circle. I certainly have a long way to go before I'm anywhere near the 'super connector' that Iggy is but I know that I'm going to have an extraordinary amount of fun as I make the journey.

Thank you Iggy Pintado, Flying Solo Live and Jed Kram. You all have my complete support and gratitude.

Twitter is a relationship catalyst

 

 

Today I went to a networking lunch organised by Zoe Freeman of zfWeb. It was just great to connect with some familiar faces from the zfweb b2b lunch group including Kate McCallum from Multiforte and also some others who arrived via her connections and LinkedIn. I was so happy to be sitting next to the lovely Mariette Rups Donnelly. I have met this effervescent lady only once in June at a drinks evening organised by another fantastic woman, Catriona Pollard however recently Mariette started following me on twitter and I her. She was describing to Mark Ostryn, Knowledge 2020 the value of twitter. She mentioned that she enjoyed hearing little snippets of what was going on in people's lives - for example how was my son coping with the HSC? These little 'snippets' I feel all add up to actually something bigger than the whole. Mariette, whom I had only met once really did feel like a lot more than just an acquaintance. I was excited to see her and have the chance to spend an hour with her. She mentioned that on the night we met it was interesting to see me chatting to Valerie Khoo. She said that she thought we were 'good friends' however that night was the first time I had met Valerie face to face. Valerie and I also felt that night that we had known each other a long time. 

Twitter, these are just a handful of the hundreds of wonderful people I have met by using you as a tool for connecting and relating. I can't thank you enough and am honestly quite excited about what you will bring next!

Flying Solo Live - thanks for the connections!

 

Last year in September I was flitting around Spain being a wedding photographer and climbing all over the grounds of the Alhambra in Granada. While this was happening I of course missed out on the first Flying Solo Live event. I was determined not to miss this year's and am I glad I did not dilly dally with booking a place in what has to be one of the best small business networking and development events I have ever attended.

It was a long day (8.30-5.30) and we were exhausted at the end of it but in a grand way. I am sure I don't only speak for myself because I saw it on twitter today that there was an enormous degree of optimism and excitement from all who attended. The sense of new possibilities that us soloists could fly at last to those places we had only dreamed of in not only our business but also our personal lives.

I loved it all - the keynotes, the breakouts -the only difficulty was that in some cases it was torture to choose which breakout session to attend.

These are the people I learned from, will connect with and follow closely in the future. I strongly suggest you visit their sites and attend their talks or presentations, read their books, buy their products. Each and every one of them are driven by a generous passion to share their knowledge to help us grow as solo business operators or whatever roles we are living right now. Don't delay - as Terry Hawkins says there are only two times in life - NOW & TOO LATE!

Andrew Griffiths - It's time to bullet proof your business (catch him in Sydney on 14th October - more info here)
Terry Hawkins - Get out of the pit, and get it happening
Kate James - More Time Less Stress
Valerie Khoo - How to Use low cost online marketing
Iggy Pintado - The Connected Business (see it in Parramatta Sydney on 23rd September - more info here)
Angela Vithoulkas - Conquer the world one coffee at a time!

These were the presentations that I attended and it was unfortunate that I was unable to attend the others but as technologically skilled as I may be I was unable to clone myself.

Aside from the quality presentations there was a terrific buzz and energy that lasted the entire day. Friendly friendly people making really nice connections. That sort of energy is priceless!

Congratulations to Robert Gerrish, Sam Leader and Peter Crocker - you've set the bar very high for next year but I am looking forward to Flying Solo Live 2010 already!!

www.flyingsololive.com.au

Millionairess League E-Book: Be inspired!

 

 Hot off the press from the inimitable Sarah Prout....I am  honoured to be included in the group....

Great reading at only $15! 

The Millionairess League eBook

Need a good dose of business inspiration? Are you curious to see how other women make money online?

This is your chance to get a snapshot into the minds of successful online businesswomen. Discover their favorite websites, invaluable online resources and the exciting projects they are currently working on.

Be inspired by their passion, creativity, success and flair for online adventures.

In The Millionairess League eBook you'll discover:

• How Social Networking can transform your Business.

• Secrets, Hints and Tips to Online Success.

• Definitions of Empowerment, Inspiration and Business Fulfillment.

The 30 businesswomen profiled cover the vibrant spectrum throughout various stages of business development. This ranges from the start-up phase, fuelled by excitement, to booming online empires.

Within the 95 PDF pages is a wealth of information from women that answer a series of questions such as:

What is your business/personal mission?

Who do you admire professionally and why?

 

THE MILLIONAIRESS LEAGUE (30 Online Business Adventures) IS FOR ANYONE THAT ENJOYS READING MOTIVATIONAL PROFILES OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSWOMEN.

It showcases women in various fields of interest such as publishing, share trading, property, iPhone app development, Law of Attraction, community building plus many more!

Explore the world of possibility and inspiration from empowered online entrepreneurs.

Wake up Sydney

 

How tremendous to discover this site last Saturday and my only hope is that this wonderful concept spreads way beyond Sydney.

To summarise:-

Here are 6 campaigns for you to be part of the solution.  
 
1. MINDFUL CONSUMPTION
Whether it is mental detoxing or adopting voluntary simplicity what we consume via our minds and wallets has a huge impact. Learn more... 

2. LEARN FROM VISIONARY TEACHERS 
There are authors who we highly recommend. Either read their books or download their teachings to your i-pod. This is not about accumulating new dogmas, ideologies or beliefs but encouraging us to BE that which we are trying to bring into the world. Learn more...

3. AWAKEN A KINDNESS REVOLUTION 
Now is the time to wake up kindness as a fierce and revolutionary force way beyond mere do-gooding! Kindness is our planet's greatest need - towards ourselves, the natural world and each other. It is about the realization that we are all connected as one human family. So flip the idea of "the more I get the happier I am" on its arse and feel the true joy and juiciness of creative generosity & kindness. Learn more...

4. DEVELOP A CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE
If, as Einstein said, we cannot solve problems with the state of mind that created them, then contemplative practices are an indispensable part of the solution to today's real-world problems. In essence, they are the tools of the revolution to awaken wisdom, resilience and assist all social and environmental movements becoming effective and sustainable. Learn more...
 
5. ADOPT NEW THINKING
If you believe the ideas of the old paradigm, you are part of the problem.  But how can you become part of the solution? Learn more...

6. SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Wake Up Sydney seeks to promote new models for socially and environmentally sustainable business in the 21st century. Learn more...

I've signed up and already received my 'kindness cards' which I can't wait to start distributing in as creative a way as possible. I'm also going to the opening night which looks as if it will be really special indeed. Anyone else going?

10 absolutely fabulous women - seven of them are on Twitter so start following!

 

Since joining Twitter in October I've been very lucky to connect with some incredible women. This has led me to provide a list of links to their sites on the left hand column of this blog. If you are low on inspiration or motivation to get you moving towards your purpose or at least finding out what might be your purpose I would strongly suggest that you follow these girls on Twitter.
@JulieAnnStor, @londoncowgirl, @valeriekhoo, @cheyannebrae, @sarahprout, @Ellifordyce, @sammutimer

I've also included three women who I can't seem to find on Twitter (alert me if I've just not been thorough enough in my searching please).
Carla Coulson, Petrea King and Paula Constant.

Ladies, you are as exquisitely beautiful as the water lily I photographed in the grounds of the Alhambra, Spain in September. Your courage, insightfulness, compassion, generosity and drive inspire me to overcome any barriers I have created for myself so that I too might make the journey towards business and personal success, completion, creativity and philanthropy. Thanks to Elli Fordyce who recorded her first CD at 71 I now know there is no age barrier to my dreams but having connected with these wonderful women I feel that I am being drawn to my purpose at a far greater speed. Thank you!

I hope the readers of this post will also benefit from learning about and connecting with these women also. Follow and learn but this is by no means an all inclusive list. I shall be adding links to other ab fab women in due course!