The joys of running Ladies at 11
I sometimes have to remind myself of how lucky I am to run Ladies at 11. If it wasn’t for Ladies at 11 I wouldn’t have met so many fascinating and inspirational Ladies. Now is a particularly exciting time with new group leaders and new groups being set up.
I had the pleasure to meet Lee-Anne Vallee of The Changing Space last week. Lee-Anne is a business mentor with a passion for helping in Women in Business. I was delighted to receive an email saying she’d mentioned Ladies at 11 in her latest blog, It highlights just a few of the positive points about Ladies at 11. To read more see here:
http://networkedblogs.com/7et51
I then received an email from Rachel Lynch of Personal Best, from our Richmond group saying,
“Well done Sarah – the groups are going from strength to strength. I’d just like to thank you for being such an integral part of them, and for creating interesting and valuable meetings of like-minded women.”
It makes me realise how lucky I am 
I maybe working on a Bank Holiday weekend but I’m working on something I love and believe in.
Back to Business: Ladies at 11 Conference
It might seem like a long way ahead but the summer will be gone before we know it, then it will be back to business and focussing on the remaining months of the year.
I know this is the time of year that I often reflect on my business and once September is here I’m ready to take on the world, re-new my goals and have a good few months before Christmas arrives.
With this in mind I have decided to create a Back to Business event, aimed at Women in Business who want to hit the ground running after the summer months. We have chosen topics that we know are crucial for success in business and have an amazing wealth of knowledge our experts are willing to share with us.
For more information please visit http://ladiesa11backtobusiness.eventbrite.com/?discount=ladiesat11
There is a £50 early bird booking discount before the 1st August.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Videos and Photos
After a few hours and a few cups of tea (plus almost loosing my patience) I have managed to upload a few clips from last Thursdays meeting at the Brooklands Hotel. I have to say that it is actually very satisfying having figured it all out for myself. For some of you out there this may not seem like a huge task to undertake but for someone like me who really isn’t a techie, trust me it is!
I wanted to add some photos and clips of our meetings to help you get an understanding of how we run our meetings. For those new to networking it might help to overcome those nerves which we all have had at the prospect of our first meeting. For those that are old hats at it and who have visited a range of groups you can see what a great group of women we have, from a range of industries / background, who are all there to not only do business but to also support and learn from each other. There is always someone to learn from or something new to learn. In these clips (I will add more as the weeks pass) I want to portray the huge wealth of knowledge and expertise that each meeting has and how truly inspirational it is to see. The groups are so incredibly supportive, it doesn’t matter that we have 2 ladies from the same industry / business, everyone has something slightly unique to offer and often collaborations arise; networking to me is all about people, you, me, those who we surround ourselves with, our colleagues etc etc the list is endless. We all offer something slightly different and will attract people for differing reasons. It’s the freedom to do business with those we are attracted to.
There is no right or wrong way to do anything in this world, just the right way for you and this is the right way for me to run a networking group. I hope many of you will read this, watch our clips and think you’d like to come and visit us. We always welcome new faces.
What is Ladies at 11 about? More than networking..
About me
I started off my working life as a recruitment consultant in London. I soon realised that this was not the career path for me. As if long hours, not being able to trust my work colleagues, and unrealistic targets were not enough, I found the whole experience soulless! I decided to have a re-think, follow my heart and have a complete change of direction. I had always wanted to help people and enjoyed a healthy lifestyle. The health and fitness industry was going to meet Sarah Martin!
For the first time I felt a genuine passion for my chosen work. I was now dealing with real individuals and helping them to become fitter and healthier whilst simultaneously discovering the joy of living!
This is when I discovered the world of business networking. I soon understood how imperative this was to integrate into your overall marketing plan to stand any chance of becoming a success in your chosen field business. I love meeting new people, building relationships, developing friendships, and helping others. This is something that I wanted be involved with & soon set about creating Ladies at 11.
Gone are the days of cold calling, advertising, mass marketing, advertising in the Yellow Pages and hoping your phone is going to ring, structured business networking is where the future lies.
Business is all about people; you, me and the individuals we surround ourselves with. People buy from people. You are for more likely to buy something from someone you know, or someone you have been referred to, rather than a name plucked from a magazine or Internet directory etc.
Who we are and what we represent is where it all begins. This along with having a passion for what we do and wanting to help and support others are the keys to success.
This is why Ladies at 11 was founded. My vision is to create an environment where we can establish relationships, build trust amongst one another, respect our contemporaries, build up friendships, develop ourselves personally and as a result drive our businesses forwards. I am devoted to attending our meetings each week, seeing Ladies at 11 members, watching businesses evolving / changing, and individuals’ confidence growing week by week.
This is so important to me, installing the belief in others that you really can achieve whatver you want in life, we are the only ones who limit ourselves. Anything REALLY is possible.
To me this all epitomises how business should be done. When combined with discovering passion for our work, establishing our niches, supporting our peers, and remembering that the more you give, help, support, your efforts will be rewarded with a thriving business.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy weekend.
Warmest wishes,
Sarah Lockhart-Martin
Don’t break the elastic- Maya Angelou (some heart felt words)
Don’t break the elastic!
In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.
Maya Angelou said this:
‘I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.’
‘I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.’
‘I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.’
‘I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a life.’
‘I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.’
‘I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back…’
‘I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision..’
‘I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one…’
‘I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug or just a friendly pat on the back…’
‘I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn…’
‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’
A weekly networking tip
A tip to think about about this week, whether you are new to networking or an old hat, you can sometimes forget the simplest things.
Never run out of business cards: Every networking event that you attend you must make sure you have more than enough business cards to hand out. People will not take you serious if you run out of business cards. Find out ahead of time the approximate number of people expected to turn out for that particular event.
Remember to take any promotional material you have too.
Make sure it has all your details on, your name, company name, correct contact details, looks smart and professional.
Handing out photocopies or scruffy pieces of paper portray an amateur approach to business. Be profession at all times.
Life and love….
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn’t supposed to ever let you down probably will.
You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it’s harder every time. You’ll break hearts too,
so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You’ll fight with your best friend. You’ll blame a new love
for things an old one did. You’ll cry because time is passing too fast, and you’ll eventually lose someone
you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you’ve never been hurt because every
sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you’ll never get back.
Don’t be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.
Life as we know it….
life is endless, even after we’re gone, memories live on, someone whispers a name, a moment remembered, a life reflected..and then gone so precious is every day, every hour, every minute, every second.
I pity those who don’t see this, who are blind to the shortness of it all, who hold grudges, anger, resentment deep within, never forgiving or trusting again too short for this, too much energy is wasted, we should embrace every day, see the miracles that unfold before us, be grateful and thankful….appreciate the ones who are we hold close to our hearts….never never say it’s too late
breath every breathe, to feel someone’s touch, see as if each day has never been seen before, love unconditionally…
live very moment……………………………………..who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Flickr Photos
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