September 2003

If, like me, you have decreased the pace of your business over the summer, it can be hard to rekindle the drive and energy you felt before the holiday season. I know I'm finding it tough. In fact, I think I have just broken my previous record for staring at the screen, helplessly waiting for inspiration to come. Like many mothers of school age children, I have purposely kept my summer work down to a minimum. And the less I have done the harder it has been to do anything at all.

But now I need to crank up the pace. Screen staring is not like me at all. But I guess I have relaxed to the point that my mind has turned into some kind of a screensaver, one that has just enough movement to convince me I'm still alive.

I feel rather like my battery is flat, like on a car, and I know that it is only after a violent jump start and a long journey that I can begin to return to my normal running state.

So how do we kick start our business again, and rekindle our career passion after a break? For me, the best thing to do is to do something, to get moving. In order to get this piece of editorial going I just had to start writing. Writing anything. And now I am into my stride I have already gone back to delete several early paragraphs that were not fit to be seen.

So, I'd like to give you some ideas here to give your career a bit of a jump start.

Fill your diary
Start filling your diary for the next few weeks. Now I have a few meetings and speaking engagements scheduled I know that I will feel completely recharged in a matter of days. It does not much matter what you do, as long as you get out of the house or office, and give yourself a reason to put on your business face, and a smart outfit. There are several people I've been wanting to meet up with for a while, but felt too busy to do so earlier in the year. Now is the time to put some dates in your diary.

Get back in touch
Make a promise to send emails to a certain number of your contacts every day. Don't just get in touch to say 'hi'. Find a reason to do it. Remind them that you are still around, and show them that you are raring to go. Suggest you meet up, or propose that you attend a networking meeting or seminar together. Offer a piece of information that you have gleaned, perhaps you can tell them about that good book you read while you were on holiday? Tidy your desk or your briefcase and reconnect with the people who gave you those business cards you before the summer. Think about the connections you could make for your contacts and start making them.

Write a list
While you are still sitting in the garden, enjoying the last rays of summer sun, take a pencil and paper out there and write a list of all the ideas that have come to you during July and August. Rekindle your passion for work by jotting down those exciting business plans. Add to the list the things you have to do, the people you need to contact, the networks you need to check out, the websites you would like to link with and new marketing ideas. Now that you have a list you can vow to cross at least one thing off the list for as long as it takes. This should get you moving.

Read a book
I love reading. While I was on our summer holiday in Turkey, we hired a boat with a crew, and enjoyed what is known as The Blue Cruise. With nothing to do, no cooking, no shopping, no email and no schedule I read five books in a week. Instead of reaching for another novel, make your next bedtime read an inspiring one. Read something about marketing or business growth and massage your business brain back into life. I am reading Monthly Inspirer reader, Debbie Jenkins', fantastic new book, called 'The Gorillas Want Bananas'. Debbie, who runs a company called Lean Marketing, wrote her book with Joe Gregory and it is an accessible and very informative read. If anything can inspire you to get your marketing back on track at low cost this one can (find it at www.leanmarketing.co.uk). Or read 'Motivator', by Frances Coombes. This comes from the Hodder and Stoughton stable and is packed with inspiration and ideas to get your life and your goals back on track (find it at www.amazon.co.uk).

Attend a conference
Every year at about this time I can congratulate myself that I am going off to the WIN conference in Lausanne. Nothing instils me with more enthusiasm for life and business than attending an event packed with stimulating seminars and fascinating people. The WIN conference is like this. Past attendees say it provides a 'Spa for the Mind' and that it is a 'magical experience'. I know they still have tickets available if you would like to do this. It runs from 2-4 October and you can find out more at www.winconference.net.

Do your accounts
If anything is guaranteed to send me back to work it is the thought of doing my accounts. In the UK, year end accounts should be submitted by the end of September. I hate doing them so much that I'd rather have business meetings, attend conferences, run seminars, send emails, write lists or read books than do them. In fact, I'd prefer to get back to work.

If you have any ideas that help you refind your motivation, please share them with me and I'll put them in the next Monthly Inspirer.

Let me introduce you to

Three of the best

Well, over the summer I haven't met too many new people - that is unless you want to connect with Basin who runs the spice shop called Safran, or the super couple, Wendy and Arvind, who run a great leather shop called B Positive down in Bodrum. So, I think I had better practise what I preach and remind you why you might like to get in touch with some of the people I've mentioned in past Monthly Inspirers, and suggest you add contacting them to that list you are going to write.

Do please take a look at Debbie Jenkins' site. Debbie calls herself Dangerous Debbie Jenkins, and she has some great marketing ideas, not to mention a great book called 'The Gorillas Want Bananas'. By the way, Debbie has also bought a cave in Spain and runs the Speakers Forum at Ecademy.com, so she's definitely someone to connect with. We keep on meeting at networking events and more recently Debbie attended my Release the Book Within course in London.

And look too at John Sealey's site. John is another expert in low cost marketing ideas and will shortly have a range of his own books for sale and lots of free stuff on his site. John is a great speaker and calls himself The Courageous Marketeer, so look out for him. John and I met because I have been helping him to write his series of tips books.

I met Arvind Devalia a few months ago, when he asked me to cast my professional eye over his new coaching column. Since then we have connected each other with lots of people, passed each other clients and generally scratched each other's backs. We are actually going to meet later this month for the first time. Arvind is a life coach who has a generous spirit. If you contact him he's bound to start connecting you too. Find him at www.nirvanacoaching.com.

On my site

I lied. I did meet someone new over the summer! Kathleen Daniels is a regular recipient of The Monthly Inspirer and she is an individual and organisational change agent, which is to say she coaches and consults with individuals and groups in the areas of change and transition, personal leadership and career development. She is a global nomad, is deeply involved in research on global nomads as global leaders for a masters thesis in organisational development. She would love to hear from you. And you can find out more about her because Kathleen has given you her super ebook, called 63 Steps to Lead a More Fulfilling Life. You can download it from the home page of my site or you can contact her at kmdaniel@erols.com

Nigel Risner's there again - isn't he always? Now there is an example of a man who markets himself widely and regularly by posting frequent insightful articles. I am always glad to have them on my site and you can fidn the next one at http://www.career-in-your-suitcase.com/Articles/SS/Steps.htm. This one is called Steps to a Stronger Mind. You can read more at Nigel's own site http://www.nigelrisner.com.

And, let's mention Debbie Jenkins again, because her business partner, Julie Gregory, has written a super piece called The Power of Public Speaking, which has been added to my site at http://www.career-in-your-suitcase.com/Articles/MIH/Power.htm

Where you will find me in the next few months

SEPTEMBER
On September 4th I will be speaking about Find your Passion at Buy the Book in Stamford, Lincs. It costs just £5 and you get a free cup of coffee AND £5 off the price of a book.

On September 19th I’ll be running Release the Book Within in London. Price £95 for bookings before 28 August.

On September 29th I’m running a networking event in London along with networking catalyst, Gwen Rhys. The event has been partly organised by Patricia Keener of the US Embassy and will take place from 4.30 – 7.30m pm. Iis being held at the Austrian Trade Commission in Exhibition Road, and costs just £15 for international partners and £40 for sponsors. You can download a registration form and find out more at http://www.global-networker.com.

OCTOBER

From 2nd – 4th October you cannot afford to miss the WIN conference in Lausanne. I will be co-presenting a workshop called Grow Your Own Networks with Jacqui Tillyard, the co-ordinator for Winning Connections for Women. It will be a great event, the fifth time I have been to WIB and an opportunity for Robin Pascoe, Mary van der Boon and Gail MacIndoe fans to see them there too.

On 9th October Robin Pascoe, Hilly van Swol and myself will be co-presenting at another Expatica HR event, this time in Frankfurt.

On 10th October I will be running an expatriate writing workshop in Frankfurt at Fit For Germany, thanks to the organisation of Joke Naughton, who runs www.frankfurtexpat.com. Cost will be €150 for a full day, which includes lunch.

On 19th October I am running Definite Articles my article writing course, in London. Cost £95.

NOVEMBER

From 7th – 9th November I’ll be attending the annual Professional Speakers Association conference in Daventry where I will have a stand too. Find out more about this terrific event at www.professionalspeakers.org.

On 17th November I will be running Definite Articles in south Lincolnshire. Cost £80.

On 26th November I will be running Release the Book Within in south Lincolnshire. Cost £80.

Contact me for more information or to book at joparfitt@career-in-your-suitcase.com