Check back often for more pearls of wisdom from our
C3Workplace Faculty & Ambassadors
The Power of Community and Collaboration
By Tommy Hilcken
- A mastermind alliance consists of two or more minds working actively together in perfect harmony toward a common definite objective.
- Through a mastermind alliance you can appropriate and use the full strength of the experience, training, and knowledge of others just as if they were your own.
- No individual has ever achieved success without the help and cooperation of others.
- The value of “gathering together those of a like mind” is self-evident.
- A group of brains coordinated in a spirit of harmony will provide more thought energy than a single brain, just as a group of electric batteries will provide more energy than a single battery.
As an Entrepreneur…
By Patti Singer
As an entrepreneur with an online-based business, it can get pretty lonely sitting in my home office. When I feel the need to collaborate or commiserate with a fellow business owner, the only one I have to talk to is my dog. She is sweet and all but not really great with business knowledge. When I join my colleagues and work from C3 I am always inspired by the fantastic environment and the people. The sense of community, the feeling that they all have my back and are willing to help makes me a better business person. I wouldn’t trade my C3 “peeps” for anything!!
What Keeps You Up at Night?
By Terri & Mark Trapp
Are thoughts about your debt keeping you up at night… or do you just push them out of your mind? If you try to avoid even thinking about your debt, it may be the first sign that you’re in trouble. Trying to ignore it just makes it worse! Denial may seem easier when you’re in too deep, but you’ll never make progress if you can’t confront the problem.
One study showed that American households underreported the magnitude of their credit card debts by at least one-third. The study noted that the discrepancy “could result from willful ignorance, as large credit card balances are not welcome information” or “from difficulty understanding the growth of credit card balances.”
It’s one thing to know that you owe money, but it’s another to know exactly how much you owe and to whom. Compound interest works in your favor when you are building savings, but it works against you when you’re in debt. The fact that credit card debt is “revolving” – compounding daily instead of monthly – means you can pay much more interest and your debt can go on forever. This is how seemingly small debts can grow into large ones!
That’s one reason it’s so important for you to sit down and identify all your debt. Get your credit reports and scores to ensure you haven’t left anything off.
Of all the threats to your financial security, none is more dangerous than debt. Don’t you think it’s important to know exactly what you’re fighting? This is why we do what we do, here at C3Workplace to help you succeed in life and in business because as a community, we’re in this fight together.
Networking …Wisely
By Janet Neal
When I first started off as an entrepreneur, I joined as many networking groups as I could. I wanted to learn from those who’d gone before me and connect with potential clients. While my intentions were well placed, my inexperience created a scenario that was costly, time consuming, and generally ineffective. Here’s what I took away for this “learning experience”:
- Try before you buy. Networking groups and associations are great, but not every one will be a great fit for you. Most allow you to attend 2-3 times without joining. Take that time to assess!
- Know your limits! When you’ve found a group that fits, get involved. But be honest with yourself – and the group – as to how much of a commitment you can actually make. Being able to follow through on your commitments is especially key when building your reputation. And don’t forget you joined to grow YOUR business!
- It’s all about relationships. I naively thought that those I was meeting would be my clients. Rarely did that happen. However, the more I developed a relationship with people, the more they would refer business to me. You never know who they know.
Being an entrepreneur is an ever changing array of new experiences and opportunities. Make sure you approach them wisely – and enjoy the ride!
