Entrepreneur Magazine's Growth 2.0 Conference

by Eydie Stumpf.....

Wow… I just attended the Entrepreneur Magazine’s Growth 2.0 Conference in Long Beach, CA with Marilyn Peters!

It was amazing on so many levels!

Robert Kiyosaki was the keynote speaker. He had a very casual, easy going way of speaking. He spoke to us as if we were his friends. I liked that approach. There was no air of superiority as many speakers seem to reflect.

There were a number of breakout sessions which we were able to choose from. I chose Low Cost Marketing, Build Your Network, and Advanced Internet Marketing. Mostly, these workshops validated what I am already doing. It also re-motivated and re-generated my energy and passion.

The best part of the event was that we had the opportunity to network with so many new people! I actually signed on 2 new clients! What excited me most, however, was the Los Angeles Regional Development Director for Constant Contact approaching me. She wanted to talk to me about training Constant Contact. Wow…. what a break!

So, in January, 2009 I will be speaking with her at a training workshop in Orange County, CA.

In our regular day to day business marketing we spend many hours networking. Networking is great…it gives you the opportunity to meet up with people and educate them about what you do. You build relationships and trust amoung within your community.

Networking at Chamber events, leads groups, and other organizations is a great way to build your business. However, meeting with the same people time after time does get old. When you are networking each week at the same leads goup and nothing is happening…you might want to take stock of the situation and make some decisions.

Networking in new environments is key to your marketing strategies. It gives you a fresh perspective and different outlook on your business. Meeting up with people you don’t normally connect with can open up so many more opportunities….if not right then and there, but in the future!We NEED to take the time to attend events where we don’t know ANYONE! We NEED to give ourselves the opportunity to connect with fresh faces with open ears.

We also NEED to meet these new people to educate OURSELVES. There are businesses out there we’ve never heard of….with services or products which we might need to help our own business grow. We NEED to keep re-educating ourselves so we don’t go stale and fall behind. ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ takes on a new meaning these days! Not keeping up with the newest lawn mower, or new vehicle… but keeping up with what is happening in our world… with those things we need to help our businesses stay current and profitable.

My favorite quote is, ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten’. If your regualr networking is not getting your anywhere… change… go somewhere else. Find new people to build relationships with and move your business to the next level.

So, thank your Entrepreneur Magazine for pulling this event together for us! It gave me much to think about, re-inspired me and now I am taking steps to re-evaluate my goals for 2009!

And thanks Marilyn for taking me along!!

Much Success for 2009,

Eydie :)