When we got to California I had to find something to do. Since I was a Mary Kay consultant I wanted so much to be successful and decided I would promote my business and meet some new friends.
First, I checked meetup groups that would fit my interests and audience. I went to my first one which was on a Sunday and there were only 3-4 women in attendance. It was the first time they were offering it on a Sunday and not many women came. Mostly they meet once a month on a Tuesday. OK, I can do that.
At this meeting I was advised to get involved with the local Chamber of Commerce. Now the woman who leads the group is awesome and she has been trying to help me in any way she can. I was all set. She said, "stick with me and you will be busy". I wanted my business to be busy. My first meeting at the Tuesday group I met one of my Mary Kay sisters. I felt so awkward! we really try to keep away from each others customers. I assumed rightly so that she had this group covered and I didn't feel it was right to stay and promote my business as I would have felt funny if someone did that to me. Now I learned some places limit business representatives to one area so as not to compete.
Well, I then went on to the Chamber meeting. Being new in town the Chamber was a good way for me to learn about the town and it's businesses. There were groups and mixers you could go to meet other business owners maybe you could partner with. My first mixer I go to I meet one of the women I met from the Chamber group. Hey hi how are you? She told me was that she was a Mary Kay consultant. (Sad face here but moving on) Well, she wasn't representing her Mary Kay business at the chamber but seriously definitely wasn't any opportunity for me here. What do you say to that? I was caught off guard totally. Alright, no worries, I continue. I did get to know the area as I attended the meetings and some mixers. I just couldn't deal with the whole, "hi, my name is blah blah and what do you do?" Aaack!
Then I thought I am going to go to the women's group and see how I feel there. Well, I get there and guess what? No Mary Kay consultants! It was a luncheon and lots of different women and it was really neat. Except, there were so many rows of tables in this one little room that once you found a place to sit don't you dare try to leave cause everyone in the row will have to move to let you out.
(Some one explain why tiny, petite, skinny, women have to sit on the edge of their chairs? Then when you say "excuse me?" they pull their chair in a half an inch! Then you have to interrupt them again by saying I'm sorry can you let me out? or try to get by and our bust, belly or bustle hits someone in the head!)
OK, second attempt different women's group. In this group everyone either sells diet products, jewelry, skin care and or cosmetics. Moving on.
There is a variety of groups I was invited to go to all of them. One was a group that you never ask anyone what they do when you meet. You set up a time to get to know each other. Sharing the time slot equally and learning about the others business. My first time this guy was so friendly then he talked the entire time about his weight loss program. Oh yeah I am over weight I noticed.
Another women's group meeting I engage conversation with a woman who also had a weight loss program. At the same women's group I meet this woman who is my age and we go have coffee and she not only had a weight loss program but vitamins, skin care and wait for it...cosmetics. Yeah, I make friends easy especially if they have a diet program for me.
At one mixer I am trying to figure out what I am doing here and this owner of a gym comes over and no he didn't try to get me to lose weight. He found out what I did and asked how was the group helping me with my business. I explained I was looking to partner with a small business to do a customer appreciation day. I explained my part in it and how it would benefit both. He said come to my gym I am having a customer appreciation day next month. Stunned I put it on my calendar.
I did the customer appreciation day and I met a very friendly fun woman who didn't have a weight loss program for me. She actually invited me to meet another business group where I actually met a few women who were really neat and interesting and wanted to get to know me and actually it was worth the weight I mean wait.
to be cont'd
