Friday, October 31, 2008
Supporting Ourselves, cont.
Last February I spoke with Karen Heffner, host of Ageless, a Connecticut TV program celebrating people over 50. In the clip below I describe the workings of my Creative Women's Business Group, which leads to a discussion about the inherent tension between an artist's need for social support on the one hand and solitude on the other.
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A writer/presenter friend of mine and I started a similar group in my hometown. However, after about five meetings we realized the others were either not interested in moving forward or were relying on us to help them move forward.
ReplyDeleteIt's now just the two of us, but together we have booked presentations we wouldn't have booked otherwise. We don't report in, but help each other develop leads, etc.
I have been thinking a lot about the idea of women helping women lately. Personally, I'd like to step it up a notch. My most recent idea has been to find other women with different skill sets than mine and work as a team to help each other accomplish all our goals. I tell my husband if only I had a "team" of professionals to help me, then.... Well, why can't I have a team?
Your post certainly has me thinking!
As I say in the clip, groups like this only work when the chemistry is right. That each of the other three women in my group brings a different skill set to the table is precisely what makes the group so valuable. One is a Wharton School grad who helps us figure out what to charge for our work. She's also great when it comes to creating promotional materials, always reminding us to focus on the WIIFM factor (i.e., the question at the forefront of prospective clients' and customers' minds: What's in it for me?") Another of the women is a former actor's agent. She encourages us to be fearless about approaching people and is an amazingly creative problem solver. The third woman, a photographer, is a technology wizard and our chief nurturer.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Allyn, I love the idea of women helping women.