MORE!!!

My head is spinning after a very long and somewhat busy day. My time management was off today which caused me to run late to pick up my daughter. Thank God one of my village members was right there to pick up the slack. The three of us met up for a speedy dinner and then I zipped my little one home. What then, you ask? I dropped her off, changed, gave her a kiss and was off to a networking meeting for people who are going through a “career transition.”

I’m so darn tired. I was up late last night, supposedly working on my business plan. In hind sight, I was doing more connecting on social media (which is also necessary) that accomplishing my actual task. So when I figured out that I wasn’t done with my tasks I stayed up late – 2 am late. It’s a vicious circle. I stay up to some ungodly hour, have trouble getting going in the morning and then am overwhelmed by how much I have to do in so little time.

So should I complain? Nope. We all have the same 24 hours. On days like this I think about all the people that are out there smashing their checklists, while putting the time in with their families and still making time for their communities and for themselves. I’m not saying that’s the norm, because I truly don’t think it is. I would love to meet some of these phenomenal women and men, so I could learn from them.

The tough part is that people are saying do more. What sticks out in my head from tonight’s meeting was the recommendation to go to at least 3 networking events a month. That may not seem like a lot to some people, but on top of what I’ve got going on and with being a single parent on a very fixed income it means getting creative. Creative so that I don’t neglect my daughter’s needs and that I find ways to get coverage that doesn’t cost me $50 a night.

The solution? Work smarter, better time management, prioritize, breathe and remember that I only live once so if something slips through the cracks…it slips.

My Favorite Business Phrase

“I thought of you.” Yup, that’s it. That is my favorite business phrase. I love it because it usually means something positive is coming my way. I heard it twice in the last two days from different people. It went something like, “I got this call about a project and I thought of you.” When established professionals think of me when they get a call, it adds to my credibility as an Actress and an Independent Producer.

This goes back to the adage that it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.  I’ve been building my business for several years. Along the way I have developed strong relationships, which make me an asset.  When people can trust you and the quality of your work, then you are often their first call. I know that’s true for how I run my business. There are people who I have come to rely on and who are my go to people.

I even have a Dream Team in mind, because I know who I want to add to my company as it grows. Each member starts with a baseline of trust and a history of outstanding performance. It’s less important to me that they know the industry, as it is that they are adaptable, driven and willing to work smart. Thankfully in the Philadelphia area there is no shortage of technical expertise to round out my team. When the planets align and I am ready to move forward on a project I usually make a few phone calls. Guess what I say?

“I have this project in mind and….I thought of you.”