by Gwen Bortner | Tips & Tricks, Training & Instruction
People who know me consider me to be confident; in fact, I attribute much of my success to that confidence. What I now understand is that success and confidence are inextricably intertwined.
I was lucky to be raised by parents who instilled confidence in me from an early age. I also was able to experience success in school as my learning processes lined up with the ways information was taught and tested. I have been known to say that many of my accomplishments were a direct result of my ignorance of the challenge I was facing. In recent years I have come to discover that one of my gifts is not just possessing confidence, but the ability to help instill it in others.
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by Gwen Bortner | Training & Instruction
Back in the late 1990’s when blogs were first starting to reach the public consciousness, they really were just web logs (thus the term blog). For most folks, they were a form of online journal that in some cases were shared with the public.
Back in July on my knitting blog I shared my insights from reading Austin Kleon’s book Steal Like an Artist. Because I purchased his second book, Show Your Work at the same time and I found such value from the first one, I quickly devoured it as well. Since the formation of this blog, now several years ago, I have been struggling to define and then build a new B2B venture based on my knowledge and expertise. The reason is simple: “helping small business owners” is just too vague to turn into a practical, useful business. Then it occurred to me – I need to take Austin’s advice and show my work!
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by Gwen Bortner | Tasks & Goals, Training & Instruction
Like most people my age, I didn’t discover the joys of amusement parks until I had entered my teenage years. Through the peer pressure of my cousins I went on my first loopy roller coaster and I was hooked. Now decades later, my husband and I often enjoy a day at an amusement park and yesterday was one of those days.
As we spent the day enjoying ourselves, I realized that an amusement park is a good metaphor for taking on any sort of new challenge, even in the world of business. The skills you learn and apply during your day at the amusement park are completely applicable in a new business venture. Let me explain.
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by Gwen Bortner | Training & Instruction
With the boom in social media, so much time and conversation is spent on how to build your virtual network. But is that enough? Has our love of the internet caused us to lose sight of the importance of our “in real life” connections?
How many views? How many likes? How many subscribers? How many opens, clicks or shares? As a business person looking to connect with our existing and potential customers these numbers can be very important. Different experts will argue which is more valuable than the next with the real answer never being quite so simplistic. But what about the business connections that we make in person, face-to-face? How do they compare to our virtual business associates?
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by Gwen Bortner | Training & Instruction
Any good conference will provide interesting information and generate lots of ideas. So many ideas that by the end of the conference you are overwhelmed.
The trick is to be able to take all of that information and transform it into usable, workable knowledge. For most people this is easier said than done. Good intentions are replaced with the urgency of items waiting for your return followed by the daily work of your usual routine. And before you know it, the inspirational energy of the conference has waned, leaving you with some thoughts of “what could have been,” but few or no new results from the investment. But there is an alternative scenario: review, plan, and act.
by Gwen Bortner | Training & Instruction
Earlier this month I had my standing meeting with my mastermind group. Every time, I finish with such great ideas and energy.
When we work as soloprenuers, home business or small business owners, we get used to thinking that we are The Lone Ranger – that everything is all on us. And to some degree it is. But even the Lone Ranger had Tonto to help provide an outside perspective.
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