Rock Your Trade Show

Have you ever thought about how meditation can create transformational change in your work and personal life? In this interview with Katie Krimitsos, podcast host of The Women's Meditation Network, we talk about the decision Katie made to pivot from a successful business and how that decision created an even greater opportunity to impact women's lives.  We all face decisions and meditation is "a tool to pause…and listen to our inner voice…that sometimes gets pretty quiet because of all the noise we create in our lives".  The practice of meditation allows us to connect with our inner voice.

This episode will help you find work-life balance and harmony.  Whether you meditate regularly or are new to the experience, Katie's meditations are designed to encourage women to find strength, courage and confidence.  Katie's podcast has over 50,000 downloads a month and there is a reason it is so popular- she helps us find peace. Be sure listen all the way to the end to get all the tips to transform your life and take-action!

5 Things to Know about Meditation:

1. Mediation is the practice of pausing, so you can listen to what you really want.
2. Meditation helps you navigate your way through life and to listen to the voice and trust what she says.
3. When we pause, it helps us to take the steps of courage so we know what we want to do.
4. There is a deeper why: "everyone wants to lead a life that is a purpose driven life"-Katie Krimitsos.  The only way to do that is to tune into to ourselves.
5. Meditation is a tool to practice so we can create a life that we love.

When we meditate, we are able to transform emotions and focus on the experience of what we want.  Katie's unique meditation podcast helps us to embrace who we are through meditation.  This episode connects us to a universal experience and allows each of us to feel like Katie really sees us.  Always remember-you are beautiful from the inside out!

Let's Connect!

If you have any questions about the topics we discussed on today's podcast, reach out to me, it is my honor to help you on your journey.  And if you want a community to support you, join our LinkedIn Group!

Gratitude:  Katie was my business coach and was instrumental in the launch of this podcast and I am so grateful to her for being an inspiration and supporter of this show!

Katie's Recommendations:  5 Simple Meditation Practice and 7 Day Meditation Challenge and Sleep Bundle.  Check out the Podcast Women's Meditation Network.  And if you are a podcaster-be sure to check out Podfest!

Credits: As always, a big thanks to Christy Haussler with Team Podcast for editing the podcast.

When you think of great leaders having a lasting impact, Anna Maria Chávez, Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for the National Council on the Aging, has created transformational change for millions of girls and women around the world.  She was the CEO of the Girl Scouts and also one of the co-founding women, along with Sheryl Sandberg, and Condoleezza Rice to create the Ban Bossy Campaign.  Anna's servant leadership mindset started while growing up in Eloy Arizona, and she shares in this interview, how at the age of 12 years old, she decided to become a civil rights attorney.  Joining the Girl Scouts at a young age, helped Anna to learn leadership skills, and gave her the chance to give back to the community.  Listen to this discussion and learn about the influence our actions have on girls growing up, why having a mentor is so important, what it is like to be a "first of" leader and the challenges and benefits it can have on a community.   At the end of our discussion, Anna encourages each of us to take action and create a lasting impact on our future.

10 Transformational Leadership Insights:

1. What You Do Creates an Impression: "We can't think about future leaders without thinking about the influence over girls and boys today. They are watching us…how leadership appears at the dais and the podium"- Anna Maria Chávez.  Everything you do is making an impression on young people around you. 
2. We Need Diverse Leadership: "We need leaders from different perspectives"- Anna Maria Chávez. It is important to have different voices who collectively can come together and represent diversity.
3. Share Resiliency with Others: Anna helped raise 2,000,000 girls as CEO of the Girl Scouts and also gave her son, a front row seat to witness resiliency in action. Anna's son had the chance to witness what leaders go through on a daily basis.
4. Ban the Word Bossy: Anna shared an insider look at creating the Ban Bossy campaign that featured Beyoncé.  After receiving a call from Sheryl Sandberg, together with Condoleezza Rice, the three leaders established why it is so important to change the narrative for girls and how they are labeled.  Anna shares how something happens around 3rdor 4th grade when negative messages dampen girls' spirit.  They stop raising their hand to fit in. By banning the word bossy, it helped change how girls are perceived and how they in turn, perceive themselves.
5. Everyone needs a Mentor who sees raw potential. Anna shares how mentors have helped her throughout her career.
6. Great bosses give their time and are patient. Anna shares how she is still in contact with her first boss who has had a lasting impact on her career.
7. Mentors teach important lessons. Anna shares how "leadership is never done. It is a muscle that you continue to build and every day". 
8. Young girls need a path to live their true potential. Anna viewed the Girl Scouts as the largest prevention program to help girls know their dreams are worth of it.  While CEO, Anna gave girls hope, and told them "…you can do anything, become President or Secretary State…" and so much more.
9. If we don't invest in girls and also in boys early, it has an impact when they reach retirement. Now we are seeing a continuum of issues, because we didn't invest in girls early on, it has an impact on women over 60. A women's economic security is impacted over her lifetime.
10. Older adults want to be independent. Anna learned early on in her career, how people born with certain attributes, wanted to be able to do things for themselves and needed access to programs that could help them. 

At the end of the interview, we discuss how 60% of women over the age of 60 years old, feel financial insecurity.  Here are steps you can do today to make sure you are prepared for retirement.

7 Actions You Can Take Today

1. Start your financial planning now. Put something into retirement now, at any age, we should be planning for the future. Anna shares how a friend of hers says "Don't buy shoes, Buy Buildings."  Make sure your nest egg is large enough for your future needs.
2. You are paying into an infrastructure. You need to pay attention to economic policies in the world.  Huge decisions are being made and everyone should make sure whoever you elect, represents your interests.
3. Close the financial Pay-Gap. Men and Women are still not receiving equal pay– if you are the caregiver you have to cover expenses not only for yourself, but also for others you care for, and on average women make $300 less per month in retirement compared to men.
4. Educate yourself. Raise the issues that are most important to elected officials.
5. Don't be afraid to talk to other women. Ask for advice, and make a plan to create financial security.
6. Get involved. Read as much you can, volunteer, get on the board of a non-profit, or support someone who is running for office.
7. Be happy about your choices. Get passionate about things you care about.

"We have a great future ahead of us"- Anna Maria Chávez

It is with sincere gratitude I thank Anna for this incredible interview.  If you have any questions about these topics, and if I can help you on your journey, reach out to me and join our LinkedIn Group!

Anna's Recommended Resource: NCOA.ORG is the oldest nonprofit advocating for adults aging.

Credits:  As always, thanks to Christy Haussler and Team Podcast for editing this podcast.

Biography

Anna Maria Chávez is the Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for the National Council on Aging, whose mission is to improve the lives of millions of older adults, especially those who are struggling. In this role, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), the nation's oldest service and advocacy organization dedicated to improving the health and economic security of older Americans. She ensures that NCOA's fiscal, operations, fundraising, marketing, consumer experience, advocacy, human capital, technology, programmatic and organizational culture strategies are effectively implemented across all segments of the organization. Anna led the NCOA operations team in achieving NCOA's 2020 social impact goal one year early in 2019.

Anna was promoted into this role after serving as NCOA's Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President for External Affairs where she led the teams responsible for marketing and communications, fund development, strategic partnerships, public policy and advocacy and the National Institute for Senior Centers.

Chávez developed the leadership skills growing up in Eloy, Arizona, that would propel her into a career of public service. Her desire to transform the world through servant leadership led her to Yale University, before pursuing a juris doctorate at the University of Arizona. She held numerous posts in President Bill Clinton's administration and later returned to Arizona to serve then-governor Janet Napolitano.

Her success led to her appointment as CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, where she served from 2011-2016 as the first woman of color to lead the 104-year group with 2.7 million members in over 90 countries and 59 million alumnae in America. In 2016, Anna was named as one of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune magazine, cited for her vision and creativity in working to revitalize the Girl Scout brand for a new century and was named number 22 by Fast Company in its annual list of the most creative people in business.

Anna is one of the world's top experts on women's leadership, youth development, and aging issues and draws from her 25 years of public service and nonprofit leadership. She brings a wealth of experience from previous legal, public policy, nonprofit management, and brand management positions in Arizona, Texas, Washington, DC, and New York City.

Her keen insights and dynamic presentations have inspired thousands of individuals around the globe to lead authentically and has helped organizations work together more collaboratively and create dynamic impact. Anna has appeared on CBS News, NBC's The Today Show, FOX News Channel, CNBC's Squawk Box, CNN, Bloomberg Radio, NPR, and she's a contributing writer on Huffington Post.

Are you looking for unique ways to engage your attendees at your next association event? In this interview with Michael Rosenberg, Managing Director MCI and Managing Director HCEA (Healthcare Exhibitor Association) he describes how his association helps attendees get the most out their conference experience.  Find out why it is so important to offer different strategies to encourage interaction at a conference beyond education.  We talked live about how successful HCEA was in creating many touch points for social interaction. Listen to this episode to get five power tips that will help you with your next event.

Top 5 Tips for Maximizing Attendee Engagement:

1. Location: Choose a venue that is easy to access both from a transportation perspective but also every aspect at a hotel if you have a smaller conference. The Miami Convention and Visitor bureau worked for many years with HCEA to create a fantastic experience start to finish in the hotel.
2. Get Social: Find ways that attendees can communicate at different touch points.  If you offer an app, make sure attendees are able to connect with each other inside the app.
3. Trade Show Floor Integration: Michael shares how they had a "ted" talk meet the expert session in the center of the hall as well as meals served inside the hall to help encourage attendee-exhibitor interaction.
4. Clear Communication: Engage the audience early in the excitement and make sure there are guides at the venue to help people find their way easily.
5. Follow-up. One thing HCEA does really well is stay connected with the attendee more than most conferences.

Looking to get involved?  Check out HCEAInnovate coming up at the end of March at the Exhibitor Show.  Don't miss the opportunity to network and maximize your results at an event you are planning.

As always, if you have any questions about things we discussed on this show, or if I can help you in any way, reach out to me, I love hearing from you.

A big thanks to Michael for being on the show today!

Be sure to stay tuned next week, for a very exciting guest Anna Maria Chavez.

Credits:

Thanks to Christy Haussler from Team Podcast for editing this episode.

Have you ever attended an event that was flawless and made you feel special?  Kristen Farley and Stephanie Schwartz share a behind the scenes look at the details for Rock Your Trade Show's EmpowHer networking event.  They provide important insights including why you always need have a Plan B for every scenario in meetings and events.  Listen to how they complement each other in their roles from hotel arrangements to employee events and discover resources you can use for your next event.

Have you ever attended an event that was flawless and made you feel special?  Kirsten Farley and Stephanie Schwartz share a behind the scenes look at the details for Rock Your Trade Show's EmpowHer networking event.  They provide important insights including why you always need have a Plan B for every scenario in meetings and events.  Listen to how they complement each other in their roles from hotel arrangements to employee events and get resources you can use for your next event.

Stephanie Schwartz shares how she got started in the sports industry playing golf and working first in golf tournaments and has a background not only in events she also worked at an App company for meetings.  She shares how helpful her experiences have been to prepare her in her current role.

Kristen Farley not only worked at conference centers previously she also worked at Disney and that experience helped her with the invaluable ability to always remain calm under pressure.  She has a knack for always knowing how to exceed attendee expectations and know their preferences.  

Both Stephanie and Kristen share how they helped with the logistics in preparing for the first Rock Your Trade EmpowHer networking event along with the help from Trina Palm.  They discuss insider resources and even have a funny story about what not to do when you are speaking at a large event.

For more tips about how to host an incredible event, reach out to me. I love hearing from you!

A big thanks to the team for helping with our event and to our wonderful attendees who made EmpowHer a memorable networking experience.

Credits: As always, a big thanks to Christy Haussler at Team Podcast for editing this episode.

There are many traits that can lead to success and Hope Mueller, Vice President Program and Project Management at Horizon,shares how persistence helped to open doors throughout her life.  In this interview, Hope talks about her new book- "Hopey, From Commune to Corner Office" and her journey from poverty and violence to having a successful career and being a mother of 4 girls.  Hope's tenacity, grit and ability to stay positive amidst incredible adversity is incredibly inspiring. If you live in Chicago, you can meet Hope at our first Rock Your Trade Show power networking event happening this week! Register at using this link: tinyurl.com/RYTS2020 on January 6th when this episode debuts.  Registration closes today-don't miss the chance to network and get advice.

Hope achieved success by having a positive approach and mindset.  She shares these insights you can use today.  

Core Principles:

1. Be comfortable with change.In her book, Hope faced constant change and she learned quickly how to adapt to any situation.
2. Be solutions focused.There is always a solution.
3. Persistence will Open Doors. "Just keep going, because someone will come and open the gate."-Hope Mueller.

 Life Lessons:

1. Overnight success takes 10 years.If you are clear on what you want to achieve and keep driving towards it you will arrive. 
2. Be present in what you are doing.Hope uses this technique: "Be here now; Now be here" that she picked up from her time in the Commune.   By being fully present in the moment, you will find greater enjoyment in your life.
3. Do what you are good at doing and lean into your strengths.
4. Honor your time.  Set aside time and be fully present in those moments.
5. Make time for what is important and stay focused.Hope is a successful leader, author, launched a charity, sits on a few boards, is a mother of four and just started her MBA.  She attributes her ability to balance so many demands by honoring the time she allocates to an activity.

Finding a Mentor:

1. Ask for whatever it is you want.
2. People want to help. Most people will agree to meet with you because they want to share and make a difference.
3. Decide on what is the value of meeting. Determine what you can learn from them.
4. Have 3 questions prepared. Focus on listening first before speaking.

Try Something New:

1. Don't be afraid to try new things.
2. The good stuff happens when you are outside of the comfort zone.Lean into your strengths.  Just go for it.
3. Use your core transferable skill set and then when you have the opportunity-Go for it.

Advice: "Find ways to honor your time.  You can be amazing.   Just go do that."

Check out Hope's new book at www.Hopey.net. Her second book is coming out in May

"COUNTING HOPE: CREATING THE PATH TO CONFIDENCE".

As always, if you have any questions about today's episode, reach out to me at Rock Your Trade Show.  Join Hope and four other senior women leaders at our face-to-face event on January 9th.  Register today at www.tinyurl.com/RYTS2020.

About Hope Mueller:

Hope Mueller is an author, inspirational speaker, executive, and active non-profit volunteer who is passionate about career development and community service. Marked by the experiences on a hippie commune in her early years, Hope's unique childhood conceived her gift of creating order out of chaos. She lives with her husband in northern Illinois and actively parents her four daughters through the phases of their lives.

Credits: Thanks as always to Christy Haussler at Team Podcast for editing this episode.

Have you been thinking about advancing your career in 2020?  Listen to this episode from 5 industry experts, Melanie Neal, Dawn Will, Ann Carter, Anne Trompeter and Marcia Deem who provide insights about staying relevant, how to get promoted, collaborating with procurement, networking and getting results for leadership.  If you want to accelerate your career in 2020, this is the episode for you.

If you live in Chicago, join us January 9th for our first ever face-to-face speed networking event.  Melanie Neal will be one of the table leaders, along with Kathryn Becker, Hope Mueller, Kathy Relias and Lesly Marban.  You will discover how decisions are made behind the scenes from these leaders who share best practices for getting promoted.  Don't miss this opportunity to meet with these leaders and advance your career.

Listen to the full episodes from this podcast:

64 How to Lead, Embrace Change and Stay Relevant with Melanie Neal 

82 How to Lead and Create Career Growth for Your Team with Dawn Will 

66 How to Embrace Opportunities and Lead a Global Purchasing Organization with Ann Carter 

86 How to Make a Bold Move with Anne Trompeter

64 How to Take Risks and be an Industry All-Star with Marcia Deem

If you want to accelerate your career, this is the episode to help you with actionable tips you can use today.  If you have an idea for a future interview, or would like more information about a topic we discuss, reach out to me, I love hearing from you!

Gratitude: Thanks to Melanie Neal, Dawn Will, Ann Carter, Anne Trompeter, and Marcia Deem for sharing their insights.

Credits: A big thanks as always to Christy Haussler at Team Podcast.

Do you have a challenge in your life and think it is too big to solve?  Maybe you want to change jobs but don't think the timing is right, or have a budget challenge for your program and think you have to eliminate shows that you know your company should attend.  Whatever your situation, using this phrase by Marie Forleo "Everything Is Figureoutable" will help you make it all work out.

I have a saying when asked…can we do this?  "The Answer is always yes in trade shows" I usually follow that up by saying-budget and timing may impact the final result but we will make it happen.  This has been my mantra way before I was a student in Marie Forleo's B School and before reading her new book Everything is Figureoutable.  In her book, she walks the reader through an incredible journey of her life, and stories of people who have faced incredible odds only to come out the other side.  It is the end of the year if you are listening to this podcast when it is released and you may be looking forward afraid to make the change you dreamt of at the beginning of this year.  This is your time, we can do this together and I will walk you through some powerful advice from Marie's book that you can apply right now. 

And – if you live in Chicago and want to really figure out your career-join us January 9th, at our first ever face to face event.  I have five incredible women leaders, Melanie Neal, Kathryn Becker, Hope Mueller, Lesly Marban and Kathy Relias.  These women are Vice Presidents, CMO's and have held leadership roles with HBA-Healthcare Businesswomen's Association.   You can register at Eventbrite and type in Rock Your Trade Show EmpowHer.  The ticket price will be donated to Dress for Success a wonderful empowering organization that helps women with business clothing for interviews.  Don't delay registration closes December 20th.

"The world needs that special gift that only you have"- Marie Forleo

Have you been feeling frustrated or worried lately?  If you live anywhere other than a sunny location, December when this episode is airing, can feel like a mixture of hope, joy and even sadness.  Now more than ever, is the time to banish those thoughts, look at what is important and figure things out in a way that gives you joy.  I am going to start with something Marie shares at the end of her book and it is wisdom a palliative nurse shared about the 5 things people say at the end of their lives.  It won't come as a surprise.  It is four words:

"I Wish I Had".

Listening to those words-what comes to mind?  Do you start to feel doubt, or wonderment?  Either way-the words take on a strong meaning and carry with them weight of a life well lived or a life with regrets for not taking action.

Here are four things to ask yourself:

1. "What holds you back from going for your big dream or aspiration?"
2. "Imagine death is imminent. Finish the following sentence at least twenty (more if needed).  I wish I had, I wish I had, I wish I had"
3. If you believed to your core that everything really is figureoutable, what would you now do?
4. Please complete the last challenge by hand-grab a journal turn off electronics. Your future self is going to write a letter to yourself:  I'd love you to let go of, I'd love you to start, I'd love you to remember.

Pretty heavy stuff, right?  Okay now we can reverse engineer those things and get you to a place where all of the answers come to you easy breezy.

In her book, Marie walks us through a process of realizing that once we remove the barriers that we have been allowing to sabotage our thinking, things become straight forward.  She shares personal stories and here are two that stood out to me:

The first is from a mother who learns that her daughter, who was a competitive dancer and had scoliosis and could no longer dance.  I can relate to this because my own daughter has debilitating health issues that have altered the way she can play sports and even do activities with friends.  This mom came to realize that once she accepted the situation she could figure out the path her daughter could take for happiness which was above all else what mattered most * page 48 in the book

Do you have a challenge with a loved one and think – there is no way I will make it through?  Check out page 48 in Marie's book, to find inspiration and see that in the valley is where we gain our greatest strength-you just have to open the window and let the message flow in to your heart.

The second story Marie shares about her relationship with her husband and a trip they were trying to take.  They nearly miss their flight-and I could relate to this story on so many levels-from working to the last minute and getting caught in traffic, to missing the cut off to check a bag so she buys a carry on and stuffs as much as she could fit, to taking a bus at JFK and having only minutes to make it through security and get on the plane.  In the end-they made their trip to Spain through many hurdles and at each step of the way, decisions were made, persistence was there and a desire to find a way to make it happen.  If you travel-you won't want to miss her story in Chapter 9: Refuse to be Refused.

Do you have a story about refusing to be refused-not allowing anything to stop you?  How did that feel?  In the moment, it was shear stress, but on the other side, you probably looked back and realized a little invincible right?

I can remember years ago, there was an issue with getting a client's instrument to a show.  The night before-their featured product wasn't going to arrive and we were on the west coast, the instrument was in the mid-west.  I started to think-there has to be a way because…everything in trade shows is a yes-it can be done.  I asked the client if they had any instruments closer-the answer was yet-Colorado.  Great, next step-find a truck to drive it out to Anaheim. Check.  What I didn't know is there weather conditions that added to the mix.  The instrument arrived 15 minutes before the show opened.  I was told we would have to wait until after the show that night to bring it out because forklifts couldn't come on the floor. 

At that moment, I could see the panic on the client's face because they had demos scheduled with VIP customers all day.  Instead of waiting until the end of the day, I got 6 men to lift the instrument and walk it on the floor-sort of like pallbearers- if you can imagine!

Everything was figureoutable.  It started with refusing to be refused.

Now if you are thinking to yourself, yes but-fill in the blank and therefore can't possibly do…this.  The answer is you can.

4 Tips to Help You Figure anything out from Marie's book:

1. Define Your Dream-You know how much I love writing things down. And according to Marie-you are "42% more likely to succeed" by writing down your dream.  Here are two resources for you – Rachel Hollis Start today Journal and Chalene Johnson Push Journal.  Both will help you stay on track daily and achieve your dreams.
2. Define what you want-make a list!
3. Get Real about your Dream-
4. Choose the one dream you want to achieve most
5. Make a specific, measurable and actionable plan
6. Start Before you Are Ready-
   1. So many of us self-sabotage and find reasons not to start-don't let this be you!! Remember the exercise we started with? Looking back on your life?  This is probably the most important advice above all else.  Chris Krimitsos just published a book-you can find it on Amazon-called Start Ugly.  It is a small little book that if you are stuck you should pick up and make it a plan to read it before the end of the year!
7. Progress not Perfection-this is probably the thing I am most guilty about. Does this happen to you-procrastinate because it just isn't quite good enough-ask yourself is it 90% good?  Then it is good enough!  Here are some tips Marie advises to eliminate the temptation to wait for perfect:
   1. Take small steps – and ignore big drama
   2. Plan ahead for problems
   3. Expect and embrace self-doubt
   4. Ask What's the next right move
   5. Use the power of positive quitting
   6. Cultivate patience
8. The Secret to Lasting Success-don't go it alone!
   1. Invest in figureoutable friends
   2. Be a figureoutable force for good work

I hope these tips have helped to realize anything can be worked out-it takes a belief in yourself.  Always remember you are worth it.

I love helping others which is why I am hosting our first face-to-face event.  Be sure to check it out at Eventbrite and as always if I can help you on your journey-reach out to me at rockyourtradeshow.com/let's talk.

Credits:

Thanks to Marie Forleo for writing this incredible book!

Editing: Thanks to Christy Haussler at Team Podcast for editing this episode!

"If we don't give a voice to this, who will?" Randy Acker asked on this panel at HCEAConnect about Exhibitions Day.  Have you ever considered how you can impact the $97 Billion Exhibitions Industry?  Trade Shows in the U.S. represent more business than the meat industry, the gaming industry and so many more industries and yet until 6 years ago, congress didn't know how vital it is to our national economy.  Legislation that impacts how many attendees come to shows, and who is able to attend from abroad would have been made without understanding trade shows.  Thanks to IAEE and the 120 people who attended Exhibitions Day, important legislation was passed that will help the trade show industry.

Find out in this panel discussion with Cathy Breden, COO, IAEE and CEIR, Randy Acker, President, Exhibitor Media Group and Diane Benson, Strategic Event Marketing Manager and Diamond Level CTSM share the key initiatives that were presented this year at Exhibitions Day and why it is so vital to our trade show industry for companies and marketers to be heard on capitol hill.  Natalie Benamou moderated the panel of industry experts on the importance of making an impact for the trade show industry.

If you have been looking to increase visibility within your organization and be an industry influencer, Exhibitions Day is a great experience.  This is your time to take action.  As always, if you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode or would like to learn more about how you can get involved, reach out to me at Rock Your Trade Show.

Special thanks to HCEAConnect for the opportunity to have this panel and to Cathy Breden, Randy Acker and Diane Benson for sharing their insights.

Credits: As always, thanks to Christy Haussler at Team Podcast for editing this episode.

Do you feel Mom Guilt? The other evening, I attended an HBA (Healthcare Businesswomen's Association) event about the Imposter Syndrome- and one of the women in the audience asked about what to do about Mom guilt.  She felt she couldn't do anything well and was overwhelmed.  We have all felt that feeling of "not being enough".  Whether you are a parent or have personal responsibilities caring for a family member, friend or someone you care about, we all have experienced overwhelm and feel like we aren't doing enough. 

Let's change the conversation and hopefully you will feel more balanced- and confident. I have shared tips for confidence, networking and empowerment but this sense of shame and guilt is something that each of us need to be reminded that in the sentence of "all" we can have it all we need to change our definition of all.  In this episode, I share with you 5 strategies to manage your guilt and feel like every day- you are enough.

Ask yourself-when was the last time you looked back on your day and said "I feel great- the day was in balance with my work and personal life"? If your answer is – 'I rarely if ever feel that'-you are not alone.  The more driven your personality the harder you most likely are on yourself and the internal narrative is telling you things like-

'You should be able to do this-Janet does it.'

Or

'Why does my heart sink when I have to walk out the door for a trip?'

'My work hours have increased and I feel I am spread too thin and am missing out on my child's milestones.'

All of these external guilt feelings can create a sense of shame.

"Shame is how we feel about ourselves and guilt is how others make us feel." – Eloiza Domingo-Snyder.  Both feelings can sabotage your full potential and make you feel out of balance.

5 Ways You Can  Change The Shame Narrative 

1. Choose a Season.  A lot of coaches talk about this idea of                  season- it means you decide your focus for a period of time. Going back to what I said earlier- all is your definition once established will help free your internal sabotaging shame voice.  

2. Seek and Accept Help.If you travel- like many marketers I know- it is very hard to get the house cleaned, manage appointments and also work demands while on the road. Superwomen deny the idea they need help- instead when asked they respond- oh no I got this! And then you crumble inside possibly cry in your car or in the bathroom because of personal regrets and wanting to not appear weak.

When someone offers - accept.  And if you are saying- 'I have no one who can help me'- that isn't true.  Even if you feel there is no budget to have services like house cleaning- you may be able to find a trade.  Facebook is full of mom groups and there will be one where women help each other with no money exchanged.

3. Focus On Quality Not Quantity.When my girls were little- I traveled a lot.  At first, I brought my oldest with me- but once I had two daughters, it became too difficult.  And when they were little, there wasn't FaceTime and Skype.  So instead of those visuals, it was phone conversations that often left me feeling terrible like so many of us- if only I could do more.

The reality is there are only 168 hours in a week, 24 hours in a day and so instead of feeling like you need to be there every second - even if you are distracted and taking calls- you and your family may feel better when you are totally focused with them.

Many successful women do this- and from the outside. you think they are doing it "all" but their definition of all means only at designated times.

4. Find Support From People In Your Situation.One of the easiest ways to feel like we are not enough, can't meet personal expectations or fill in the blank ... So now I am going to challenge you with an idea counter to what you may think you need to do.  

Join an organization and prioritize time for you to find others that lift you up.  10 years in January I joined HBA- my girls were in grade school.  I traveled.  And it seemed like - how can I do anything outside of work it takes me away from my family?  What I discovered is being my best-self wasn't one dimensional - and taking 2-3 hours a month with people who inspired me filled the cup up so I could be focused.  Below are links of groups you can join.

5. Positive Affirmations Matter.Words and the way we interpret them shape our feelings.  Instead of allowing what others might be saying to you and have that add to how you're feeling. 

Start every day with a positive phrase- It can be- I am a great mother and I am in a season of focusing on - fill in the blank.

Express gratitude - you are in a position to have a full life that is full.  

This episode is dedicated to all the parents out there who do their version of all- and celebrate the moments every day.   Sometimes feeling more balanced includes having the right service provider, who takes care of the details so you can open up more time for things that matter.   This is how I approach relationships with my clients and if you have any questions please reach out to me at rock your trade show. And if you aren't a marketer, but need a little help, as a connector, I am happy to help you find the resources you need.

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Rock Your Trade Show. Feeling like you need a community to help support you?  We have a LinkedIn group and will be doing our first face to face event in January. If this episode was helpful please share it with someone who might need a lift today.

You are enough, be kind to yourself and always remember You Got This.  

Women's Group Resources:

9 Powerful women's groups

Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA)

HCEA

Credits: As always thanks to Christy Haussler at Team Podcast for editing this episode.

What does a great event experience feel like for an attendee?  That is the first question that should be asked before budgets, logistics, venue, what do you want the experience to be for the audience?  Now, close your eyes and imagine the best event you have ever attended.  How did it make you feel?  Recently I was brainstorming with our Meetings and Events team about the ingredients for a successful event-what is needed-and what to avoid and how to make it memorable and there are 11 key steps,  that when they are done right, will turn your attendees into super fans.  In this episode, you find exactly what you need to create the best experiences for your internal and external stakeholders. 

Has this happened to you, when you feel totally excited about an event, only to realize once you are there that it isn't living up to your expectation?  In the face-to-face industry there are not only trade show experiences, which we talk about a lot here on the show-there are events with the show-it can be your company's event like a Pre-Con Meeting, Sales Meeting, Executive Level Meetings or if you work for an association, you may plan networking events.  All of these experiences combined create the experience for the attendee. 

"Whether you are focused on internal customers or external-the outcome is always the same-and based on one question we all ask-Was it worth my time?"

Here are four examples of events that either exceeded exceptions or were a surprise when they didn't:

Recently I went to a big name event locally here in Chicago.  I like to continue my education and expand horizons and this one stood out for two reasons-two big CNBC names (one of them is an inventor on Shark Tank) and one inspirational leader who I love.  It was an all-day event and the female speaker who was the keynote-was to come on at the end of the day-like 5 PM-which seemed crazy to me.  Fire up your audience at least in the middle! Sadly I was unable to stay until the end- and missed seeing the top person I wanted to see.

In contrast to this event, three events that truly stand out in my past were put on by Social Media Examiner-and Social Media Marketing world and events with Chalene Johnson and Amy Porterfield.  The common result in all three is that my expectations were exceeded.  And in the case of the Amy Porterfield event, thanks to encouragement from my friend Susan Crawford who attended with me, I launched this podcast after attending Amy's event.

You may be asking- "how do I create an event that will delight our attendees?

11 Tips to Achieving the Best Event Ever

1. Know what your audience really wants. Internal customers-and this can be for any event-a luncheon, town hall, national sales meeting or external for clients.  What does success look like for them?  I bet if asked the attendees you might get some differing opinions and some that are all the same.  At the heart-was it worth my time will sound out above everything else.
2. Offer value beyond what is expected. Some of you may host events where you sell tickets or an association that holds networking events.  Regardless of the event, if you deliver one thing that is unexpected, your attendee will feel that they got value.  It could be as simple as giving out the slide presentation.  Or it can be bigger like having an app where attendees can connect together.  Whatever it is, the element of surprise will create mass appreciation for your effort.
3. Speakers Matter. If you are creating an event where people will hear someone speaker, having a key opinion leader or multiple really makes a difference.
4. Communicate The WIFM. Internal and external audiences share one thing-they are all consumers.  When we think about whether something is worth our time, we evaluate it based on our understanding of the value proposition.  If you are hosting a town hall-make sure you share the exciting things that the attendee will learn by attending.  Symposia, what will the attendee find that they didn't know before coming to the session.  Evening event with speakers-who are they and why would your attendee care to hear them.   
5. Include networking. You may be saying-I do only internal meetings, why should I include networking everyone already knows each other—because they don't really know each other.  Our meetings and events team plans employee dinners for one of our clients and the feedback is always incredible.  The sales reps truly appreciate the chance to talk to leaders in the organization and eachother.  And Bonus alert-if you do an employee event tied to a trade show-it can count as Cost Avoidance – and help increase your payback ratio and ultimately ROI for the event.
6. Provide Radical Hospitality. How are you greeting the attendee at your event? If you have a presentation where customers are attending (this also applies to internal customers as well!) how are they greeted, what is the experience like when they enter the room? Do you welcome them and make them feel at ease or simply check a name off the list. Now think about what you want to feel and flip the switch-the attendee wants the same thing!
7. Offer Speaker Planning. It goes without saying that things like AV need to function, and the speakers should all be prepared on what they are talking about.  There is a planning process to execution and not only logistics need to be mapped out but what the speakers will be doing and saying.  Speakers like to know in advance the topic, and what it is you need from them.  Host calls with everyone who will be speaking to ensure they are fully prepared.
8. Include Exceptional Outreach and Promotion. Before the event-how are you communicating this event?  Find ambassadors who will evangelize the event for you to help create buzz before the event.
9. Train the Onsite Team. Before the event-meet with the team, set up how you will welcome attendees-is there a buddy system you might use to introduce people at a networking event?  Make sure all customer facing people whether volunteer or employee can answer basic questions and know where to go for answers when they don't know.
10. Evaluate Venues and Budgets. Not all locations are equal.  If you are at a meeting and restricted to the conference room the association offers-evaluate the layout of the room and what is needed to create the best experience for people in that room.  Budgets play a factor in location-and there are things you can do to negotiate rates that will make it more affordable-stay tuned we will have that information in an upcoming episode with our events team!
11. Follow Up Post – Event. So many of us are running, busy beyond 24 hours in a day and we rush to the next event without a follow up to the one you just had.  Conduct an internal survey and external survey. For help with this, our results division has all the tools you need to get data you can use to help formulate planning and evaluate success of an event.

We have only scratched the surface here.  If I can leave you with one thing it is this:

People need to feel like their time is valued.  

When you create your next amazing event, if you treat every attendee like they are the most important person in the room-they will remember!  Our meetings and events team is very talented and can help provide guidance, if you feel stuck you can get advice from the experts.

And one final exciting note.  Rock Your Trade Show is planning our first ever face-to-face event in January 2020! We will have senior leaders from the show, and even some surprise speakers for an incredible event.  If you are interested in attending reach out to me!.  I will also share details in a coming episode.

Special thanks to our incredible Meetings & Events Team for helping plan our upcoming event!

Resources from this Episode

The Chalene Show   with Chalene Johnson                                                                                  Build Your Tribe  with Chalene Johnson

Social Media Marketing with Michael Stelzner                                                                                                                                                    Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield                                                     Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn                                    Entrepreneurs On Fire with John Lee Dumas                                 Shark Tank

Books

Superfans by Pat Flynn

Credits: Thanks to Christy Haussler at Team Podcast for editing this episode