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Never stop learning - it is something that my mom told me while I was growing up (and yes, she still tells me this today). Speaking at an elementary school this past week (and at my former high school a few weeks ago) for Career Day reminded me that we should never stop learning as entrepreneurs, for multiple reasons:
1. I had the opportunity to practice my public speaking skills.
Not only did I have to capture an audience of roughly 20 kids for each presentation (yes, there were multiple), but I also had to hold their interest for at least 20 minutes. While other speakers had arrived with charts and samples of their work, I arrived empty handed. I wanted to be interactive with my audience...so I pulled them into some games of confidence development, how to sit during an interview, how to introduce themselves, and how to give a great handshake...seeing as how this is what I do with my own students/clients. I spoke very off the cuff - I did not have a presentation prepared, I just knew that no one knew what I did better than me...so I went with that and made a very engaging presentation. I would not been able to do this, however, had I not learned in the past what makes a good presentation vs. a boring one. I aim to never be a boring speaker. Over time, I have learned that a speaking engagement can be more than me just speaking...making everyone connect with you is the most important thing. People rarely remember what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
2. There is always (at least) one person who does not care about your message. Learn how to handle them.
Ok, there were plenty of kids listening to me, let me be honest, but there was one in particular who had no clue what was going on. In fact, we went around the entire room of kids and introduced ourselves and what we wanted to be in the future...come his turn, he had no clue what was going on. His teacher ended up prompting him and he played along...but it just reminded me that you could be the juiciest peach in the entire world...and there will always be at least one person who doesn't like peaches. This is not the end of the world; you must learn to pick up the pieces and continue on.
3. Dress the part...brand, baby, brand.
Getting dressed in the morning is always a challenge for me, but when it comes to speaking engagements, I know that I must "look the part". While the Career Day coordinators encouraged us to dress in the uniform of our job, I realized that I do not have a standard uniform. Instead, I try as often as possible to dress to represent my brand. My brand is about being fearless, determined, and victorious...about trying to never fade into the background, but instead, stand out from the crowd. Over the years, I have learned that a brand is not just about your logo or company colors. A brand is how people feel about your company; the "taste you leave in their mouths" after they interact with you. For this particular speaking engagement, I knew that I did not want to look like a 'boring professional', but that I did not want to wear anything too short or too tight. I went with a simple black pant romper, black heels, a cropped blazer, and a necklace (full makeup included). I knew that I wanted to present a very confident, put together image. When I walked through the doors of the school, the staff immediately took notice and said, "you must be the image coach". Young girls who passed me said, "omg, I love your romper" and "your outfit looks awesome"! That's what I wanted to present - I confident, put together, fearless persona and that's what I did - they knew what I was there for before I even opened my mouth. Success.
Did I get paid for speaking at Career Day? No.
Did I get to choose the classes I spoke to? No.
Did I choose to do a powerpoint? No.
Over the years, I have learned that every opportunity you take should be a learning experience. We should never stop learning how to connect with people, how to translate our brand without words, and how to relate to people of all ages. There are things in your industry that you should never stop learning too...but the main idea here is that you should never stop learning.
Never pass up an opportunity because you don't get to speak to your ideal audience (you are learning relatability). Never pass up an opportunity to speak because you are not getting paid (you are honing your speaking skills)! And never pass up an opportunity to learn more about yourself; that in itself is the ultimate reward.
