I talk to my ACTiVATE students constantly about leveraging “Who you Know”. Networking to make new connections and then keeping in touch with the right ones is critical to success in life and business. So when I attended the Stevie Awards last week, I was disappointed that ACTiVATE did not win an award (we were a finalist in the Women Helping Women category), but I was thrilled with the incredible women I met. My table was lucky – we had four winners out of the ten at the table. I went out to dinner with a couple of them and heard a story that reinforced my belief that owning a business is the ultimate empowerment tool.
Tereson Thomas founded Fuzzi Bunz to provide her with a vehicle to get out of her failing marriage. Talking with her was inspiring. It is hard to imagine building a business out of reusable diapers (that she invented!), much less a multi-million dollar business, in this day of disposables. She has also managed to grow the business so that she maintains a good balance with raising her children. She won the Entrepreneur of the Year award.
I also met Carolyn Kepcher, who was on Trump’s left on The Apprentice until last fall. She was presenting awards. Although we didn’t win one, I went up and talked to her afterwards. I knew she was “let go” from the Trump organization but I didn’t know that she is now starting her own company to empower women in business! She is also planning to find more time to spend with her 6 and 4 year old children. After a brief conversation, she is considering writing the forward to my book. Talk about synchronicity!
Wendy Piersall, who writes the eMom blog, was not able to attend the awards but we connected via e-mail. She was up for the “Best Website” award. We’re now looking at ways to work together, and I will start by providing articles for her website.
Another woman at my table was from Fortune Magazine. I followed up with her after the event but received the “if we have any projects come up that fit your skills I’ll let you know” rejection. That’s OK. I’ve been rejected a lot of times and it doesn’t mean that I won’t be persistent in helping to find that project.
The bottom line: connections don’t just happen. You need to make them happen. The worst that someone can say when you approach them is no. It is a definite no if you don’t bother to ask!
on 
Hey Julie! I was so sad that I wasn’t there with you – you are so right on with what you wrote. The main reason I wished I was there was because I knew there would be amazing networking to share with all of the finalists in NY. Fingers crossed, next year we’ll be hanging out together!