About a week or so ago I had the opportunity to attend "Owning the Block: The Blueprint to Igniting Your Success." This was a "conversation series created for aspirational Millennial women and Generation X'ers seeking the knowledge and tools to think big." This was Karleen Roy's first event in her hometown and it was featuring one of my favorite bosses, Myleik Teele. If you've been around this blog for a while, you know I love both of these women tremendously. So I was excited. Like BIG EXCITED, and nervous lol. I was going alone and didn't know what to expect. I also didn't know what exactly I was looking to gain from this either. Anywaydoe, the event was held at Memphis Botanic Garden and it was set up very chic and fabulous. I expected nothing less from Karleen. It rained all day that day but the energy in the building was still very powerful.
I set out to be more present at this event for the sake of possibly meeting new people. I'm really trash at forced networking. It makes my flesh crawl lmao. But I did my best. I did, however, take some notes so that I could share these gems with you all. So here are a few of the gems I stowed away that really stood out to me:
1. Cash In Relationships
Here's where that networking comes into play. Myleik shared how in her early days of starting curlBOX, she didn't have a lot of money but she had built tremendous relationships with folks across the board so she was able to barter for different things such as her logo and a warehouse to do her shipping. Myleik is BIG on relationships and I think it's absolutely necessary to network linearly because you never know how you could help the person right next to you or how their skills may be a blessing to your life
2. Give Yourself Room to Get Better
I'm a victim of this. When I plan things or when I'm ready to launch things, I over plan and want everything to be perfect. Here's the thing though, done is better than perfect. If we try to make everything extravagant straight out of the gate, we make it that much harder to get better and top the next move. Myleik referenced her retreat and how Karleen made some elaborate and extravagant suggestions for the retreat but she decided not to overdo it so that she had room to make it even better every year. So for that plan you've been flipping over in your head, just do it. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just do it.
3. Know the Value of What You Offer
In a world where everyone is doing everything and there are a million people you follow on Instagram that do the same thing you do.....please know the value of what you offer. You have something in you that makes what you do totally different from the next person. Know your worth and add tax.
4. Sustainability = Build Suspense
This was in reference to keeping people excited about what you do or what you offer. You have to build suspense for "the drop." I'm sure the first step is to create a product or service that's worth paying for. Then, build suspense around said product or service. Whether that's sneak peaks and behind the scenes or maybe limited availability.
5. "Once You're in the Room, You're Suppose to be There"
Meaning, don't be intimated by the people at the tables you're invited to. If you're at the table then you belong at the table. Don't compare yourself to who's there or try to match your skill level up to theirs. Just do what you do best.
6. Race Towards the Things that Make You Cringe (The Stuff You Fear)
That's the only way you'll kill the fear. Once you encounter it and tackle it, you won't fear it anymore. Take the challenge of looking your fears in the face and saying "YOU DON'T OWN ME!"
