It s a shame I've been sitting on this book for about two years now. A friend of mine gave me Never Eat Alone , by Keith Ferrazzi a couple years ago (thanks Rey), and it s been on my bookcase ever since. It was resting there not because I didn't want to read it, but because I already had so many others in the pipeline. I finally got around to reading it last month and I definitely recommend it. In very simple terms, Ferrazzi explains why networking is important and how to do it. From how to make call lists to planning dinners to personal branding to goal setting, it s all here. He also maintains a valuable blog .
Inevitably there will be times when you have setbacks or things don t go your way. Maybe you didn't get a job you thought you were sure to get. Maybe you lost a job unexpectedly, didn't win a contract, or lost a major client. Your car always seems to break down right after you've had some other unexpected expense. These kinds of situations immediately place us in crisis. They don t feel good, but sometimes they re what we need in order to grow. The beautiful thing about crises is that they force us to take a step back and reevaluate what s going on in our lives and rediscover what we truly want and need. When we get over that initial shock and feeling of disappointment, we might realize that maybe that job wasn't really the best for us anyway. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't what you really wanted to spend your life doing. Maybe that friend was holding you back instead of pushing you forward. The way I deal with crises of these sorts is simple: If something doesn't go my way professionally, I try to create a situation that would be more rewarding than the situation originally planned. A while ago, I was offered a job that looked very promising. After I accepted the offer, they pushed the start date back three times, later informing me (via e-mail) that they wanted to bring me on in the near future but I should feel free to explore other options. I was extremely disappointed. I felt disrespected and angry, but decided to make the best of the situation and follow my dream of working internationally. I then flew to Santiago, Chile and had great professional and personal experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Later, reflecting back on the original opportunity, I realized that working for a company that avoids a start date three times and then can t pick up the phone to explain the situation is probably not where I need to spend my time. Use setbacks as an opportunity to put your goals in order and act on them. In the moment, it s difficult to look at a setback as temporary, but they are. They happen to everybody. It s how you respond to them that will determine how they affect you.
Menrva Labs Was Featured in the West Seattle Blog
On Saturday, I visited Village Green Organic Perennial Nursery in West Seattle/White Center, Seattle. Three hours later, I found myself deeply interested in how we can support our local businesses and local economy while building pride within the community. That’s when I thought, “hey, let’s do a cash mob here.” The concept of a cash mob, although relatively new, is a simple one. It’s basically a flash mob where people show up at a specified time and place, and bring a specified amount of money to purchase goods from a locally owned and operated business.
After making the announcement public, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Check out the article featured in the West Seattle Blog. To register for the cash mob, check out the Facebook Event Page.
Details:
Date: Saturady, April 28, 2012
Location: Village Green Perennial Nursery
Bring: $20 and energy
Link: Facebook
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Menrva Labs Founder Michael B. Maine Offers Free Personal Branding Workshops In Downtown Seattle
Seattle, WA - April 2, 2012 - In order to help connect people with their passions, appropriate networks, employment opportunities, and greater happiness, Michael B. Maine, founder of Menrva Labs, is developing a free personal branding workshop series that is open to the public. The workshops will be held monthly beginning April 16, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at One Union Square. They are designed to engage attendees to identify their strengths, passions, and essence to empower them to acknowledge their true value proposition.
The turn of our economy caused a tremendous number of people to find themselves unemployed. The strong competition within the job market has made many job seekers more deliberately evaluate the value they offer to an organization and the people around them. With job and financial security now in question, people have discovered that being laid off, while never a pleasant experience, may have actually saved them from perpetual dissatisfaction by allowing them to pursue endeavors they are more passionate about.
“In an age,” says Angie Jordan (MBA Candidate, 2013), “where networking is becoming the primary way in which business is done, I think it is critical to be able to easily and confidently speak about one’s personal value and how that can benefit others. I look forward to refining my ability to do that at this workshop!”
Maine says, “The idea is that each person should leave each session with a better understanding of who they are and what they have to offer, as well as the tools and mastery of those tools to effectively deliver that message.” When asked why the workshops are free he states, “I never want access to be an issue.”
Michael B. Maine created Menrva Labs in 2009 with the mission to promote social change by increasing social awareness. Menrva Labs provides socially conscious marketing services to individuals, small businesses, and non-profit organizations.
Contact:
Michael B. Maine
mail@michaelbmaine.com
www.michaelbmaine.com
Ph: 214.699.1758