| All of us start our business for one reason or another. | | | | learning who my centers of influence were. Thank you |
| For me, my passion came when I was in my early | | | | to Bill Kenney who at the time owned The Small |
| twenties. I was working for a small CPA firm and | | | | Business Network (TSBN), which was the first |
| sitting for the CPA exam. | | | | networking group I joined for $900.00; a big investment |
| I loved the diversity of working in accounting, but I | | | | when you do not have any money coming in - |
| hated doing tax returns. I knew back then that I | | | | however one I knew that I needed to make. He |
| wanted to own my own bookkeeping firm, but lacked | | | | educated me on who I was looking to connect with. |
| the confidence. It wasn't until I turned 30, and I was a | | | | I started focusing on people that were marketing to |
| Controller for a recruiting firm did I take the plunge to | | | | same cliental I was look for as clients, so I was building |
| be a business owner. | | | | relationships with CPA's, Attorney's and Consultants |
| I started the business while I had a full time job still. It | | | | (i.e. coaches, financial advisors, and other |
| was great to have the cash flow, but my boss at the | | | | bookkeepers). The events I would attend were |
| time thought if push came to shove I would quit my | | | | Chamber events in several towns, TSBN, American |
| business and keep my job. You guessed it; I jumped | | | | Society of Women Accounts (I was on the board), BNI |
| and I only had a couple of clients at the time. Not | | | | and a group called The Exchange. You can use the |
| enough to support my $1200.00 townhouse and my | | | | internet or local business paper to see announcement |
| $300.00 car payment and oh, I am a single parent to | | | | that are in your area. Also sometimes you can get |
| boot, my son was twelve at the time. | | | | some free press from attending these events. |
| So, a lot of you are probably wondering what did I do? | | | | For me building these relationships was just a stepping |
| It's called the Power of Networking. When I first | | | | stone to open the door to the next phase of my |
| started out; I went to any networking group I could get | | | | business. So never under estimate getting to know the |
| in front of. I think I was attending eight events a month. | | | | right people, for me after joining the group, 6 months |
| Crazy I know, but I did for four years straight. | | | | later I hired my first employee. |
| For me, it was not about getting the business, but | | | | |