Becky Robinson's Blog, page 65

Featured on Friday: TBB Member @KimunyaMugo

One of the things that I love about our team of Buzz Builders is the diversity of backgrounds, jobs, and even physical locations. Whether they are in Kenya, Canada, England, Australia, or the United States, each one brings a fresh perspective and excitement to our book launches.

Prior to joining Weaving Influence, I spent time in Tanzania and my husband and I lived in several southern African countries. Sadly (for us), we never made it as far north as Kenya, but if we’re ever there in the future I will now have one more person to look up!

Meet Kimunya Mugo!
I really appreciate you taking the time to answer a few questions for me, Kimunya! First one: Why do you like being a part of TBB?

I absolutely love the sense of community. This is very important for me as an upcoming entrepreneur, leadership coach, blogger and author. Interacting with established authors and bloggers has been a life-saver that TBB has extended to me.  

What benefit do you think you receive from being a part of Team Buzz Builder?

First, and most important, is that TBB has offered me with a platform to serve. I love that! Second, I have been able to make super-amazing connections. I still remember connecting with Ted Coine and Mark Babbit. It felt like we had known each other for life. That connection has grown to engagement on other platforms. The third benefit is that my knowledge-base has certainly expanded. Not only do I get to serve, the books I have reviewed have now become part of my arsenal of “go-to” references.

So, if someone asked you why they should join, what would you tell them?

Don’t even think twice about joining TBB. It is a caring, engaging and value-laden community. It isn’t just about business. It is your opportunity to make meaningful connections and learning for life.

Let’s get personal… tell me about your work/family/life/hobbies!

I can write a thesis on this I have the most wonderful best friend in Harriette my wife. We have three children, who we treasure and love to bits. They are my top priority in life.  In my free time, I write a blog (http://www.leadbychoice.co/) and coach others on leadership. I am just about to launch my first online course, “Leadership Safari”. I am also an author (and currently working on my second book), communications specialist and parenting coach.  My hobbies include writing, athletics, basketball, guitar, and traveling.

Want to learn more about Kimunya? There are lots of ways to connect with him online, and I suggest using them all!

If you’re on Facebook, Kimunya extends this invitation: “I engage with your comments and mentions on Facebook. LIKE my Page (Lead By Choice) and my Facebook Profile, and let’s rock!”

If Twitter is more of your thing, here’s what he has to say: “I really like the freshness of Twitter! Follow me @KimunyaMugo then send me @mention or reply.”

You can also find him on LinkedIn and Pinterest.

Are you a Team Buzz Builder Member who would like to be featured in one of our Friday posts? Email me for more details!

6 Tips for an Unforgettable Book Launch Party

Although my team and I have launched over 50 books, I’ve attended very few book launch parties. This is partly because we serve busy people all around the country, and very few take the time to plan and enjoy a party for their books.

I recently had the pleasure of attending Dan Olsen’s launch for his new book, The Lean Product Playbook. A perfect San Francisco night, a flat full of exuberant friends, beautiful food: Dan and his friends know how to throw a party.

Here are a few ideas from Dan (and others) to make your book launch party —and your book— unforgettable.

Invite a photographer. Everyone will want a photo with you, and you’ll want to remember this special night. Rather than relying on friends to take photos or risk hitting someone with your selfie stick, invite a photographer to capture your special evening. Perhaps even more important than the photographer is a fast turnaround and sharing your photos online. Consider talking with your photographer in advance about timing so you can amplify the fun by sharing your party pics with your online audiences. Or snap a few photos on your phone to share in the moment and extend the excitement of the event.

Get your signing hand ready and be sure to have plenty of books on hand. I’ve seen a mixture of people selling/signing books and giving books away. Whichever you choose, be prepared to sign books personally for your guests. Dan set up a table of books and greeted guests individually, then took a photo with each guest and their signed book.

Brand your party. Alexandra Watkins’ book launch party included a cake featuring the , cupcakes branded with the cover, and colorful name tags. She also served ice cream from one of the companies mentioned in her book, a company she named. Everything about the party, from the location in her business office/loft to pictures by her famous pink fridge, served to cement Alexandra’s fun, edgy brand.

Consider a cause. Joanie Connell’s launch party for her book, Flying Without a Helicopter, benefited a local charity. Putting the focus on a cause, especially one that connects to your book and its message, is a great way to create additional excitement and buy-in for your work while doing good in the world.

Give the gift of connections. At her party, Alexandra Watkins introduced me to her friend Charlene Li. I’ll admit, I felt a bit starstruck. Then I posed for a picture. Who at your party could benefit from an introduction to another? During a brief speech at his party, Dan encouraged people to meet one another. Your book launch party could signal the start of a great opportunity for others to connect in ways that could make a big difference for them long-term. Take a moment to consider those connections in advance, then make sure the introductions happen by taking the time to help people connect.

Remind people of how they can help. Your friends and colleagues are poised to become advocates for your book and its message. Use your party as a chance to remind people of the key ways they can help propel you to success as an author. Remind them to buy, review, and share your book with others. Dan spent a few minutes sharing the message of his book, talking about his success so far, and asking for reviews. Some of your friends may need helpful reminders. Read this post for tips on ways to effectively mobilize friends to write Amazon reviews.

Say thank you. Your book launch party is a great place to express appreciation to the tribe that’s contributed to your success. Dan thanked many people, including his wife Vanessa, by name. He recounted the specific ways people helped him along the journey. You can also use social media or the old fashioned mail to follow up on your expression of gratitude by sending a newsletter highlighting pictures from your event and putting those powerful words of thanks in writing. Bonus points for hand-written notes of thanks,

If you can’t throw an all-out party for your book launch, please consider a smaller occasion like a dinner out with friends, to celebrate your book launch. Every book you publish represents a significant investment of time, energy, and effort. You and your book deserve a celebration!

Featured on Friday: The Genius of Opposites Author @JennKahnweiler

Last month, several Weaving Influence “gatherings” took place in West Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida while Becky and her family were on their southern road trip. Since I live “just across the mountain” in Tennessee, I joined the North Carolina gang and was able to meet my co-worker and fellow Weaving Influence Director, Christy Kirk.

We often laugh that we could not be more different – whether it’s physically (her height to my lack of it), politically (we don’t go there!), or personality (she’s the extrovert, I’m the introvert). However, during our time together at Weaving Influence we’ve found a good rhythm and have developed a great working relationship – often because of our differences, not despite them.

Which brings me to the book you see us holding in the photo, and the author-of-focus today for Featured on Friday…

Meet Jennifer Kahnweiler

Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, Ph.D., is a professional speaker and author who helps introverts lead with quiet confidence. Her bestselling books, The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength and Quiet Influence: The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Difference have sold over 60,000 copies and been translated into 14 languages.

Jennifer has spoken at hundreds of organizations including GE, AT&T, NASA, Freddie Mac, Boeing, Turner Broadcasting, the CDC and the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam. [NOTE: As an introvert, I’m getting worn out just reading that list!]

She is a fourteen-year faculty member of the American Management Association and was the “Madrina” (Godmother) speaker at the Universidad Americana’s Commencement in Paraguay. Jennifer has also been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg Business Week and the Wall Street Journal and was featured in a cover story of Time Magazine.

She is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), granted to only 8% of the National Speaker’s Association and heads up the Global Task Force of the Berrett-Koehler Author’s Co-op. Jennifer attended her first National Speakers Association convention in San Diego seven years ago and has been hooked on NSA ever since.

Connect with Jennifer Online

Find Jennifer on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube. Learn more about Jennifer’s work by visiting her website.

The Genius of Opposites is Launching August 17-21!

Coming up in a month, we’re participating in the official launch of Jennifer’s new book (the one that Christy and I were co-holding on our recent meeting), The Genius of Opposites: How Introverts and Extroverts Achieve Extraordinary Results Together (now available to PRE-ORDER on Amazon).

Do you often get frustrated with the introverts or extroverts in your world? It’s true—opposites attract, but their success depends on how they interact. Without careful maintenance and balance they quickly go off the rails, but with Jennifer’s help, you can learn how to turn frustration into an incredible collaboration that yields long lasting results.

On August 4 at 12 pm (ET)/9 am (PT), make plans to join Jennifer and Becky for a FREE webinar on the ideas found in The Genius of Opposites. Register today, and invite a friend – or better still, invite your OPPOSITE!

So… who’s your opposite? Is it a co-worker (as in my case), or is it a spouse (Jennifer, an extrovert, is married to an introvert), a child, or even your boss? If you want to find a way to relate better to them (or get them to relate better to you), I recommend joining the FREE webinar, and then pre-ordering The Genius of Opposites so you can be ready to promote this great resource during the launch next month!

Featured on Friday: Big News @FortyOver40

Normally I open these posts with a little bit of chit-chat about my week, or something the team is doing, but this week the news is too big to hold!

Earlier this week the Forty Over 40 list came out, and not only did our very own Becky Robinson make the list this year, but so did a name you should be familiar with if you’ve been involved with our spring book launches: Cheryl Bachelder!

The team is very excited for all of the Honorees, but we are doing an extra {Happy Dance} over the inclusion of Cheryl and Becky.

What is Forty Over 40?

{From the website}

The 40 Women To Watch Over 40 list celebrates women who are upending the perception that 40 is past your prime. They are reinventing, leaning in, and creating momentum that will be felt by those beyond their community and field of work.

Forty Women to Watch over 40 was created by Christina Vuleta and Whitney Johnson to bring awareness to the reality that innovation gets even better with age.

Christina, creator of 40:20 Vision, a cross-generational mentoring platform and Whitney, speaker, investor and author of Dare, Dream, Do [and the forthcoming book, Disrupt Yourself – Join the Team | FREE July 21 Webinar], both share the conviction that women in their forties and onwards reach new levels of creativity, clarity and confidence.

Who Made The List?

In addition to Becky Robinson (as the Founder of Weaving Influence), and Cheryl Bachelder (as the CEO of  Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen), you’ll also find a producer, a teacher, a photographer, and a comedian, as well as numerous CEOs, entrepreneurs, authors, activists, sports enthusiasts, and more.

If you are looking for inspiring and influential women to follow and learn from, you’ll want to spend some time scrolling through the 2015 Honorees.

Congratulations Becky and Cheryl!

Will you join me – and the Weaving Influence Team – in congratulating both Becky and Cheryl on this honor and wishing them continued success? Send this Tweet Now and then spend some time getting to know the other Honorees. Happy Friday!

Getting Back in the Game

I first met Becky in an Indianapolis, Indiana café sometime in early 2012 at the suggestion of my aunt, author and consultant Jesse Lyn Stoner, a friend of Becky’s. I was in my last year of college and, like many millennial grads who studied liberal arts, totally unsure about my next step. Just minutes after sitting down, I understood my Aunt’s insistence. I remember leaving the restaurant thinking, “that was such an inspirational dinner” – and I don’t even remember what we talked about.

Fast forward a number of months—I am about to graduate and I get a call from Becky who has decided to branch out and form her own company under the clever name of Weaving Influence. I was intrigued, and signed on to work part-time in helping her develop her wide array of skills into a living, breathing business. Our team began helping develop our clients’ websites, doing book launches, managing blogs, writing our own blog and so many other things that go into creating a meaningful, lasting on-line presence.

I learned a lot during the less-than-year I worked with Becky, including what it means to be part of a team that really cares, what a values-centered business looks like, how to make the client’s success our success, and so much more. I pushed myself to pick up many new technical skills that had previously seemed like computer magic, and that would serve me very well in future positions. I got better at managing my time (I worked virtually) and felt proud to be part of such an honest, growing company. When I left to pursue a full-time local opportunity in Indianapolis, I knew that Becky would remain a supportive friend and member of my network and almost three years later, I can still say that is the case.

Fast forward to now, and I’m back on the Weaving Influence team. A whole lot has changed for me in the past few years, including my last name as I got married in January. I have been living in Jerusalem, Israel for over two years, studying and then working for an energy-efficiency startup here in the holy city. That’s a picture of my new home town in this post’s image.

As I sit at my desk in my new home office, I hear a father talking to his son in Hebrew on their way home from pre-school. I hear horns honking and birds gathering for their daily afternoon sojourn on our rooftop. I can see the train that goes straight to the Old City where my husband studies and, if the sky is clear, the bare, rocky Judean Mountains in the distance. Thank G-d, I am very blessed.

As a new, or new-again, member of the Weaving Influence team, I am amazed to see how much the company has grown. First of all, when I started there were four to five team members, and now there are over thirty, many working remotely like me, and a large handful working together with Becky in the new office space in Lambertville, MI. The client base is more varied and professional than ever, and services have expanded to include full-fledged PR services, web and graphic design, webinars, and much more. Weaving Influence has become an entire network of forward-thinking employees and clients who are really making a difference through their work.

I never could have imagined where life would take me when I sat down with Becky three years ago as an idealistic want-to-be writer, unsure of what the future held. After holding a number of professional positions and re-locating to a new country, I have learned a lot. Professionally and personally, I have come to see that what is meaningful is not what just what serves my own creativity or interests. Meaning and satisfaction comes from what I can contribute to the world by using the unique talents gifted to me. I am truly grateful for this opportunity to work for a company that really embodies the value of giving to others, and to learn from Becky and all of her amazing, inspirational team members and clients once again.

Featured on Friday: The Out of Office Edition

It’s a long weekend for many of us at Weaving Influence, which means “Out of Office” auto-responses are going up and we’re dusting off our grills and gearing up for fireworks and family time. Or if you’re an introvert, like me, perhaps you’re looking forward to a quiet weekend with your books!

Whatever your plans for the weekend, I hope you’ll make time to click through some of these great book launch links and register for some of the exciting events we have coming up.

FREE Summer Education

Monday, July 13 at 12 pm (ET), join us for Resolving the Heart of Conflict with Jim Ferrell of The Arbinger Institute – Register Now
Tuesday, July 21 at 12 pm (ET), an exclusive one-hour webinar with Disrupt Yourself™ author Whitney Johnson – Register Now

Book Launch News

We’ve just completed the launch of two great books, The Disciplined Leader by John Manning, and Wired for Authenticity by Henna Inam, but nothing is slowing down around here!

This month we’re gearing up for the launch of The Anatomy of Peace by The Arbinger Institute (July 13), and next month we’re planning for Unseen Tears by Beau Sides (join his team), and The Genius of Opposites by Jennifer Kahnweiler (join her team).

Just because the launches are over (or haven’t happened yet) doesn’t stop the buzz – which we love! Take a minute to click through these links for The Disciplined Leader and Wired for Authenticity, and check out the buzz that is already building for The Genius of Opposites!

Dan Forbes hosted Henna and her post: “Why I Wrote a Book About Authenticity“
Chantal Bechervaise shared her interview with John Manning
Julie Winkle Giulioni, co-author of Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go, hosted “Who Are You BEING as a Leader?” for Henna
Bonnie Marcus, author of The Politics of Promotion, interviewed Jennifer Kahnweiler on Forbes
And Jennifer shared her take on it, as well as Bonnie’s book, on her blog (we love cross-promotion!)
Joseph Iliff shared his thoughts about The Disciplined Leader in this LinkedIn post (NOTE: that’s a great way to help promote an author!)
Working Woman Entrepreneur hosted Henna on their podcast – Listen Now

Just In Case You Missed It

You know Becky has her own website now, right? She’s posting there on a regular basis, and I’d encourage you to add it to your list of favorite spots on the internet. Here are links to her three most recent posts, just to get you started…

Letting Go and Showing Up
If I Could Work My Business Like A Puzzle (Florida Edition)
How Moms Manage Kids and Work in Summer

You Tell Me! What are YOU doing on this holiday weekend (or, if you’re not in the U.S. – what are you doing this weekend)?

Why You MUST Stop Creating New Content

Whenever I consult with clients, I share a lot of helpful, wise advice that I would do well to listen to and implement myself.

Top on the list is the importance of repurposing content. The clients we work with have decades of experience; most have been writing articles and blog posts for years.

Yet, because most are also busy building businesses or working traditional (and BIG) jobs, they struggle to find time to write new content.

For some context, I’ve been writing online for about 6 years and have published nearly 1000 blog posts. I imagine the authors we support likely have far more content, individually and collectively, that they written over the years, both online and offline.

And yet — we all feel the pressure to produce new content, while the content we’ve previously produced contains great value and insight, but remains unseen, like treasure hidden beneath the dirt.

This morning, for example, I sat down to write this post and mentally checked off a list of possible (new) topics, while a quick search of my blog archives unearthed two helpful posts on the topic of repurposing content that are likely both under-read and under-shared. This post talks about the wealth you have in previously created content and how to leverage it effectively while this post speaks specifically to creating a system for cataloging your legacy content.

Why do we feel the pressure to write new content when we have already penned hundreds of thousands of words? Partly, I believe, because we haven’t taken the time to properly evaluate the content we’ve previously created; we haven’t organized it to make it accessible; we don’t have a plan or vision for how we can repurpose and redistribute it.

If you, like me, have already created a wealth of content that you’re not adequately leveraging, consider a break from creating new content. Instead, invest your time in creating a library of the content that you’ve already written, then work out a plan to repurpose and share your past work.

This also frees you to engage others in sharing your message with the world, because though it’s difficult to outsource thinking creatively, it’s far easier to enlist an assistant or editor in re-packaging content that already exists. Or, if you repurpose your own content, you will invest far less time than if you write something by starting from a blank page each time.

The content you’ve created in the past has tremendous value.

When you bring the best of what you know to the world, you are rich — and you enrich others.

Featured on Friday: #AnatomyOfPeace Author @Arbinger

Summer is officially here, and my stack of books to read is quickly growing, with no relaxing beach chair in sight! However, before I began collecting leisure books, I had the opportunity to read through the revised and updated edition of The Anatomy of Peace by The Arbinger Institute team.

Although a departure from the kind of books we normally promote, the past few weeks have (sadly) proved why the timing of this book’s release is perfect. In a world where anger and hate are acted upon and clear heads do not always prevail, the message of The Anatomy of Peace could not be more timely – or more needed.

If you’re interested in gaining a resource that could help you make a difference in your community or your section of the world, then keep reading!

Discover The Arbinger Institute

Founded in 1979, The Arbinger Institute has worked with thousands of individuals and organizations to transform performance. Arbinger’s public profile was dramatically increased by the global success of its first book, Leadership & Self Deception. The book quickly became a word-of-mouth bestseller.

Arbinger’s second international bestseller, The Anatomy Of Peace, demonstrates the power of Arbinger’s work in resolving conflict. Arbinger publications are now available in over 30 languages and have sold over 2 million copies.

Arbinger is recognized as a world-leader in improving organizational culture and conflict resolution. Arbinger’s clients range from individuals who are seeking help in their lives to many of the largest companies and governmental institutions in the world.

Connect with The Arbinger Institute Online

Find Arbinger on: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Learn more about the work of The Arbinger Institute by visiting their website.

Don’t Just Read… WATCH!

I took 4.5 minutes to watch this video, and I’m so glad that I did. It’s totally worth it… grab your lunch and click “play”!

Support the Launch of The Anatomy of Peace – July 13-17!

Coming up next month, we’re participating in the official launch of this important book, The Anatomy of Peace (now available for pre-order on Amazon). Get involved by telling your online communities about it using the resources found HERE.

Every single day we encounter conflict. Whether you’re a participant or observer, whether it’s among family, friends, or colleagues, conflict surrounds us. While we can’t avoid conflict, we can certainly choose how we respond to it. 

On July 13 at 12 pm (ET)/9 am (PT), make plans to join Becky and Jim Farrell, a Managing and Founding Partner of The Arbinger Institute (and co-author of The Anatomy of Peace). During this FREE, 1-hour webinar, you can discover tools that will help you create lasting solutions for the conflicts you face. Register today, and invite a friend!

Don’t forget to check out book’s NEW website, and start spreading the word as we get ready for the launch. Are you a leader who wants to find resolutions, or a parent looking for peace in your home? Start by pre-ordering The Anatomy of Peace and then join us for an exciting launch next month!

Truths From The Wrong Trail

My town, Tallahassee, is trail-rich for runners. On a recent evening, a group of us planned to preview a trail that would be used for an upcoming race. We met at a specified gate, which was closed behind us, and ran about a mile to the entrance of the trail. From that point, the trail was supposed to take about 2.5 miles, after which we would run back to the gate.

I knew I would be at the back of the group (I am always at the back of a group of runners), but I felt relatively familiar with these trails because I had run portions of them before. I also had previously run with this group and seen how careful they were to make sure everyone was accounted for, even when their directional signs had been removed by the county the previous week (the county thought their event was over).

What’s the worst that could happen?

On this particular evening, the coordinator had planned to put out directional flags for the upcoming race on Saturday, but they had been forgotten, which didn’t seem like that big a deal. Someone actually said, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

We gathered for the initial review of the course, standing at a course map. What I heard was “You’ll be starting at this entrance, then follow the orange blazes on the trees for the whole course.” Clearly I missed the part where he said “and follow the ‘Oak Hammock Trail’ signs.” This was an important part of the instructions!

After we ran the mile to the trail entrance, the coordinator said to me, “Okay, you are going to come back out here at this multipurpose road, then you will turn right and go to our cars. He also said he would catch up with me on the trail.

Losing My Way

I continued on, enjoying the beautiful night and the pleasure of running in the midst of nature. I came to one “decision point” about 3/4 of the mile in to the trail portion, and retraced my steps several times until I found more orange blazes, then I kept going.

And going.

And going.

I came to a multi-use trail a few tenths of a mile before I expected to be hitting the road I needed. For some reason I had “Trail W” in my head, so I kept going since I was at “X” and had just passed “Y.”  The road also had a different feel than the one we had started on … too much wet clay.

When I got to the “W” marker, it was evident that wasn’t right either — there was a marker but no road.

That was when my mind started whirling. Although the trail isn’t that far from a road and civilization, I was definitely turned around. It all looked familiar from previous race events but this was not an event (in the “race” sense of the word) so there were no directional flags and no volunteers. I stopped running and started walking, because I needed to stay calm and think. Even though I am a slow runner, choosing to run instead of walk was putting more distance between me and a solution.

Here’s where technology comes in! I Facebook-messaged the coordinator with a message that said “still on trail” and gave my phone number. Although I knew the gate wasn’t locked and he had shown us how to open it, I still was rapidly beating myself up with the idea that I was keeping my fellow runners from being able to move on with their night — someone would have to make sure I made it out of the woods!

Ultimately a fellow runner, looked me up on the map (I was able to provide some visuals) and found a service road he could use to pick me up. I was so happy when Walter and his dog, Magnus, pulled up!

What does any of this have to do with business and life? Let’s discuss four “truths from the trail”:

Instructions Matter

At the beginning of our outing, I was preoccupied with taking a picture of the group to share later on our Facebook page, and failed to listen attentively to the instructions. There are times in life when it is okay to let your attention wander. When you are about to be in the middle of the woods where many trails are marked with orange blazes (not just the one you need), however, missing one phrase in the verbal instructions can be a problem.

Making a concerted effort to stay fully focused on instructions can be the difference between success and failure.

You Won’t Always Get as Much Guidance as You Expect

In the previous week’s run, all of us overcame the issue of the “missing signs” easily. The course was more compact, and the group leaders were able to keep up with everyone (even us slow runners) by stationing themselves at critical intersections. In this case, the combination of the forgotten directional flags, vague trail signage, and my poor listening was a recipe for a deviation from the plan.

Backup plans should always ask “how will I fill in the blanks if I need more help than I originally anticipated?”

Staying Calm = Power

If I tried to write out the thoughts in my head as I tried to solve my problem, there would be a lot of run-on sentences, a general lack of organized thought, and abundant exclamation marks. Something like “Ohmygoshtheymustbesoworried WhereonearthamI Whatifmycargetslockedin? Iamsostupid! Itisgettingdarkfast WhatwasIthinking Ohmygosh Isthatarootorasnake Ohmygosh.”

As Hilary Oliver states in this post, “if we remain calm, we retain our power.”

Accepting Offers of Assistance ≠ Weakness

I would rather solve problems myself (which has led to more than a few pieces of feedback over the years about my need to delegate) and don’t want to inconvenience people. As this incident pointed out, there are times when we are not enough without other people.

We are strongest when we humble ourselves to ask for help.

 

Notes from the #witour: Work-Life Fit

We drove over 1400 miles through 8 states, over 5 days, for a combined total of over 26 hours of road time to meet 10 team members and 3 clients. The #witour.

Along the way, we fit in a visit with an old friend I hadn’t seen in 15 years, a scenic hike, a tour of two iconic Atlanta spots, and several hours of pool time for the girls.

We enjoyed several amazing meals, including one prepared by team member Megan Constantino and two drive-in meals.

I asked one of my girls, “Does this feel more like work, or more like vacation?”

“Vacation!” she said.

Since I love work, I didn’t really mind that it felt like work to me: all the best parts of work. Here’s why:

Beautiful Places – The #witour took us through the mountains of WV, TN, and NC; I worked poolside plenty and never once sat at a desk. Portable, take-anywhere work frees me to work where-ever I go.

We met with the WV team at Athena Farm & Vineyard, a lovely wedding venue, and enjoyed a tour of the property via golf cart. This picturesque place is a perfect wedding destination, secluded and peaceful.

Beautiful Food – While I don’t know that I’d call the drive-in food we ate beautiful, we savored several really wonderful meals, including the Mexican feast sponsored by our client Bill Treasurer. Bill not only picked up the tab for the largest meal of the tour (5 team members, one spouse, 5 kids), he also ignited some rich conversation among the team about work and leadership. (Thank you, Bill). My kids proclaimed Early Girl Eatery their favorite #witour meal. This Asheville spot is not to be missed!

Beautiful Accommodations – Chip Bell donated a night at the Atlanta Hilton, which provided a very convenient and comfortable center for our Atlanta site-seeing. Jennifer Kahnweiler welcomed us to her neighborhood pool, the favorite swimming spot of the trip.

Beautiful People – There is nothing like being with people face to face. I loved every moment of meeting in person with our team members and clients. It was especially fun for several team members to meet one another for the first time, including Carrie Koens and Christy Kirk, who have worked together for a couple of years and had not met in person.

Beautiful Memories – Several meaningful moments comprised the #witour. I loved seeing my kids interact with team members’ kids, especially the youngest ones. My girls loved holding Max’s daughter and Megan’s son. I loved talking with Whitney Heins over coffee, wondering together about the new world of work and how circumstances and connections brought her to our team.

Teneya Fouts took the girls on an exculsive tour of Chick-Fil-A’s headquarters while I met with Mark Miller. Beau Sides gifted us with an abundant snack basket to refresh us on our journey, complete with Krispy Kreme Donuts (we can’t get those at home!)

In leading a virtual team, there can be some lonely and disconnected moments. This tour reinforced my belief that bringing people together is one of the most important investments I can make in my business.

We followed up the #witour with my annual working vacation, spending time with my parents in Florida. Quick shout out to entrepreneurs Jack and Allison Braton with congratulations for their thriving new restaurant. If you are in the Leesburg, Florida area or travel to central Florida, be sure to stop at Turners! Don’t miss the Fried Green Tomato Caprese salad and Jack’s bacon jam!