We are giving away the Heart of the Ocean to one lucky guest at our "Titanic Tea Party" Thursday, April 12 on board the Santa Maria Ship in West Edmonton Mall. This necklace was sponsored by Vanash Jewellry in Millet, AB.
Want to win? Click here for details of the event and to purchase tickets! Return to You Are FIERCE
Last week, I was invited to attend a speaking engagement featuring Dianne Buckner, host of the CBC hit show Dragon's Den. I actually didn't realize Dianne has been a journalist for the last 25 years and even hosted Venture (girlfriend has some street cred, that's for sure!).
She offered up her Top 10 Business Tips to the audience, interspersing them with clips from the Den. Overall it was an interesting presentation but there wasn't a lot of overly insightful tips that made me go, "WOW I totally have to do that!" For the most part, it was basic entrepreneurial tips for people who are thinking of starting a business but still a good refresher for those who have businesses.
#10 Make sure there's a market for your product or service It's like Rodney Copperbottom said in Robots "See a need, fill a need." Don't sell Uggs to Kim Kardashian, you know? Just like you wouldn't sell string bikinis in Alaska. Look around, see what people need and fill that market need.
#9 Be resourceful when it comes to financing Not every bank will lend you money so be as creative as you can be when looking for investors. Dianne spoke of the Clodhopper guys who were actually on the Dragon's Den, and said Grandma was tapped out for resources and the dad wasn't returning their calls. Sometimes, your family can only help so much.
#8 Know how to get people to say YES. What's in it for them? When you want someone to invest with you, pitch it so that you're addressing WHY it's beneficial for them to invest. What is their return? Why will it work for them? How will it make them money? Make them see the potential of your concept or business and show them all the reasons it makes sense for them to support it.
#7 Be reasonable & open to ideas/suggestions If you can be flexible with your business and be open to tweaking or advice from a potential investor, you should be! We all have our own ideas of what works, what doesn't and what we envision but sometimes having an investor on board means being open to their suggestions without taking it personally. Maybe their idea sucks and you want no part of it. That's OK too but try not to be confrontational, defensive or negative. That will only reflect poorly on you.
#6Rock the art of self promotion with a touch of grace There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and being humble and being full of shit. Find a balance that works for you. SimpLee Serene founder and speaker Lee Horbachewski once said, "It's about standing on top of your success rather than hiding behind it."
As long as you can do that without dismissing praise like a hostess who tells her guests, "Oh it was nothing," knowing damn well how much work she put into making her event a success but needing the praise and sunshine blown up her ass to feel good about herself and what she did, you'll be fine.
#4 Be on top of the trends Know what's hot right now and UTILIZE it. Join Twitter (seriously, if you're not on Twitter, you're missing out), use Social Media, get an App, HAVE A WEBSITE, get on Pinterest.
#3 Promote yourself. Advertise, become a "media" expert. Being a media whore isn't such a bad thing. If you can position yourself as a go-to expert in your field and get face time with the media, you're promoting yourself and your business. Advertise your products! Word of mouth is great but real brands know that to maintain longevity, their brand needs to constantly be in the minds of the consumers. Print, radio, TV, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, banner ads on select websites, the options are endless. Just Do It!
#2 Be prepared to work hard. Being an entrepreneur is not easy. Wait, what? It isn't??
#1Don't work too hard. "Don't pay too big of a price" a la Brett Wilson If you became an entrepreneur to have more time with your family, make sure you remember that reason when your kid demands that you watch Sponge Bob with her or your spouse writes "Date Night" on the calendar. Your family, health, and LIFE is more important than the bottom line. Former Dragon Brett Wilson candidly discusses the tricky art of finding balance too late in life; his marriage ended in divorce and he is a cancer survivor so he chooses to live life as fully and completely as possible now. Learn from Brett. He's a wise and sexy one! I'm totally adding him to my list of TV boyfriends :D
Ooooh I'm sooooo excited to announce this event!! I love the Titanic; the stories, the history, the movie, I love it all!
With the 100th anniversary of the Titanic fast approaching, FIERCE has partnered with West Edmonton Mall to bring you a Titanic Tea Party aboard the Santa Maria on April 12.
Enjoy refreshments, mingle, win prizes, listen to music that was actually played on the Titanic, and more before a screening of the 3D release of the hit movie at Scotiabank Theatre.
Ticket includes:
Admission to the Santa Maria Ship Tea & refreshments
IMAX 3D Movie ticket to Scotiabank Theatre that night
Titanic Trivia & prizes
& more!
Tickets are limited and now available. Click here to purchase.
Please note: This is a 14+ event. And you're on your own for Tissue.
So the bossiest mama herself, Carol McBee, has put together what looks like one helluva social media conference!
She has pulled together local social media experts and is hosting the first-ever iMedia Conference May 5 at the Fantasyland Hotel in Edmonton.
Why do I love this? Three reasons:
One: It goes beyond the blogging community. I'm all for blogging, I'd be a hypocrite if I said otherwise, but if your only business is blogging, I see no relevance unless your name is Perez Hilton. Yes, I'm sure I will be crucified for saying that out loud but I view blogging as a tool albeit a very important tool in your business tool box. Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, websites... they are all relevant in today's business world; it's like the margarita without the salt, tequila or ice.
Two: The experts are local! Edmonton has a very rich pool of social media enthusiasts who have incorporated SM into building their business. For the most part, Carol has tapped some industry leaders like Walter Schwabe, founder of Fused Logic Inc. and Sue Heuman, owner of Focus Communications, who will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this conference.
Three: It's cheap! I know what it takes to pull together events, and Carol is becoming quite the efficient and creative event co-ordinator but it's a LOT of work and a LOT of money to make this happen. She has offered the event to her Bossy Mama members for only $89 and had an early bird price of $99 (which is now over) but you can still get a ticket to the event for only $149. If you think that's too expensive consider this: the AWE puts on their annual conference for women at a rate of $600 for the 2-day event. If you choose to attend one day, it's $300. The AWE Opening Reception is $25 and iMedia's reception is $35.
Both conferences are GREAT, I'm not saying one is better than the other BUT to attend a full-day event for $149 is pretty damn inexpensive. Perspective.
I'm truly disappointed to have to pass along that the Tweet Retreat at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge planned for April 20-22 has been cancelled.
Not to worry, though! I have plenty of other fantastic events coming up that will go ahead as scheduled! Stay tuned for exciting developments for all things FIERCE!
We're going to celebrate all things IRISH tomorrow with our 1st-ever virtual Shamrock Search! I tried calling it a Shamrock Hunt but it came out all sorts of wrong. Seriously. Say it five times really fast... Yeh there you go!
Anyway, join us from 9-5 p.m. as we post clues to send you on a search and WIN! We're giving away gift cards throughout the day. The more shamrocks you find, the better your chances!
How to play: The Search starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday March 17 and runs until 5 p.m.
I love it more when I can relate to the lyrics of a song AND I love the beat. Lots of times I'll relate a song to a moment in my life so when I hear that song it brings me back to that moment, good or bad, and it becomes part of my soundtrack.
No, I don't walk around expecting sitcom music to play with my every step a la Peter Griffin in Family Guy BUT I do have a collection of songs that I've compiled to celebrate my highs and lows over the past 37 years. Some of it is fluffy soundtrack music like Grease 2 "Reproduction" (don't laugh but when I was 8 years old I totally wanted to be a Pink Lady and not just ANY Pink Lady but Michelle Pfeiffer! I also knew on some level Reproduction was a "naughty" song but I loved it anyway!).
Other music in my soundtrack tells the story of my first love's crushing breakup with me...OK I was crushed when he told me his mom thought I was a bad influence on him and that it just wouldn't work because he wanted to start college and be focused on school. At that moment of receiving this devastating news, The Crying Game was on the radio. Uhm. I had never seen that movie and had no reference to what the song was really about, all I knew was at THAT moment in my life, the tears wouldn't stop and my heart was shattered. Interesting side note, that ex of mine still works at the same gas station he did since he was 19. Whew, dodged a bullet there.
Fast forward five years to the night I met Big Daddy and the song that was playing when we kissed, and I remember this because I thought to myself that we were only ever going to have one first kiss, was Sour Times by Portishead. Listening to the chorus "Nobody loves me, it's true... not like you do," could very well have been foreshadowing for our entire relationship. No one could have ever put up with me or loved me the way he has, despite all the reasons I've given him not to love me (I'm a feisty one and not easy to live with.)
I could go on and on and on with songs that are on my soundtrack but I want to tell you about my latest find for my soundtrack.
I'm not really a country girl but there are moments in my life - and even songs in my soundtrack - where the music fits. I've always been a Dolly Parton fan and even saw her in concert when I was 9 years old. Recently, I was googling songs to empower women and came across this little gem by my girl Dolly!
Press play and sing along! It's a totally uplifting, motivational, inspirational and seriously FIERCE song! And while you're listening to it, think about the songs that make up YOUR soundtrack. Share them!! I'd love to know about your soundtrack!
People always coming up to me,
And asking “Dolly what’s your secret?
With all you do your attitude just seems
To be so good how do you keep it?
Well I'm not the Dalai Lama but I'll try
To offer up a few word of advice.
You’d better get to living, givin’
Don’t forget to throw in a little forgiving’
And lovin’ on the way.
You’d better get to knowin', showin'
A little bit more concerned about where you’re going
Just a word unto the wise.
You’d better get to livin’.
A girlfriend came to my house
Started cryin’ on my shoulder Sunday evening
She’s she was spinnin’ such a sad tale I couldn’t believe
The yarn that she was weaving’
So negative the words she had to say.
I said “If I had a violin I’d play”
I said you’d better get to living, given
Be willing and forgivin’
'Cuz all healin’ has to start with you.
You Better stop wining, pining,
Get your dreams in line and just
Shine, design, refine until they come true.
And you’d better get to living
Your life’s a wreck your house is a mess,
And your wardrobe is way outdated,
All your plans just keep on falling through,
Overweight and underpaid,
Under-appreciated.
I'm no guru but I tell you this I know is true
You’d better get to living, givin’
A little more thought about bein' a little more willing,
To make a better way
Don’t sweat the small stuff, keep your chin up,
Just hang tough, and if it gets too rough,
Fall on your knees and pray, and do that everyday
Then you’ll get to livin’
The day were born we start to die,
So don’t waste one minute of this life
Get to livin!
Share your dreams and share your laughter and make some points.
For the great hereafter.
Better start caring, Better start sharing Better start tryin’, Better start smilin’ And you better get to livin’.
