Like many entrepreneurs, I start my day off with morning prayers followed by meditation. My routine begins promptly at 5AM. I hit the ground running, as there is so much to do and so little time. In my house, there is no snooze button. Let the multitasking begin…
Some of my morning tasks consist of answering emails, text messages, taking phone calls, reviewing the accuracy of my website, scheduling consultations with new perspective clients, blogging, all in addition to preparing my presentations for QVC, HSN, Evine Live, and retail stores. Lastly, I make sure I have business cards on hand, a strategy, and a plan in place for what my day holds.
Last month, on top of all of my morning rituals, I had to prepare for the Inc. Magazine Women’s Summit. I had the honor of being invited as a special guest. The Summit was held in New York City on 66th Street and 11th Ave. Typically, I am invited to attend several conferences throughout the year and always appreciate an invitation and warm welcome, but this conference was different. Of course, I was grateful for this invitation, I was truly excited to attend the Summit because I knew I was going to meet a room full of amazing multitasking female entrepreneurs (like me!), who share the same mindset and goal to lift and inspire those around them. No matter how much you think you know in this world, there is always room to learn more! This, my friends, is why networking is so important. There is nothing I love more than learning from others and sharing my tips and tricks, which is why being a blog contributor for Black Enterprise is such a passion of mine.
The lineup of speakers at the Inc. Magazine Women’s Summit were simply spectacular! Truthfully, I was incredibly impressed with the lineup. So many big personalities lined that stage. One standout speaker was the queen of multitasking, in my opinion, real estate mogul, entrepreneur and Shark Tank’s lady of power, Barbara Corcoran. Barbara spoke on many fascinating topics with her great words of wisdom that inspired and moved every woman in the room. My favorite takeaway… keep pushing forward. Don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way of success. I utilize this mantra every day in both my personal and professional life.
Barbara carries herself with grace, swagger, and style. I personally loved every word that she uttered. Barbara spoke very candidly about her poverty-stricken upbringing and her desire to change her poverty into wealth. The proof is in the pudding; she did it, and she continues to run her firm and help others become millionaires daily, all while jet-setting all over the country! The secret here… YOU CAN DO IT TOO! When asked how she keeps up with her hectic schedule Barbara responded as such, “I have an incredible team of people who help to keep me on task.” I can relate to this. The truth is, if you don’t have a team of champions behind you lifting each other up, two hands at a time, why do you even have a team?
Then there was Venus Williams, center stage, empowering everyone in the room. Oftentimes, it’s hard for me to find words when I am deeply inspired. What I can say is that Venus Williams, tennis pro, entrepreneur, and owner of the sportswear line, EleVen, is a powerhouse. Venus has a strategy for her every move in order to win against her opponent on the tennis court. I can happily say she is now doing the same off the courts by working on her brand, her business, her EMPIRE! I found Venus to be extremely kind and humble, far beyond my wildest imagination. She is truly a beacon of light, hope, and inspiration. When Venus was asked how she could possibly do all she does, her answer was the same as Barbara’s, she said it would not be possible without her team. Teamwork makes the dream work!
There were many other fascinating women who I marveled at when they shared their journeys. A few other standout women included; Lisa Price, inventor and founder of Carol’s Daughter, Randy Zuckerberg, iconic businesswoman, Melissa Ben-Ishay, founder of Baked By Melissa, and the list continues. The level of confidence in the room was palpable. It was an honor to be invited to such a prestigious event. All of the incredibly successful entrepreneurs mentioned above are human. They juggle their busy schedules, their family lives, and their social lives. Believe it or not, they also have setbacks and triumphs. How do they manage to run their empires? The answer is simple, teamwork. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, teamwork makes the dream work. If you don’t surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed, success will be a much more difficult journey and more than that, less fun.
What a refreshing Summit… As much as we think we can do it all ourselves, we don’t need to. My clients are some of the most successful people in the industry and they have a team of champions behind them, lifting not only other team members up but everyone they come in contact with! I was riveted by one fascinating story after another and certainly honored to be among such great women who empower us all to be more and do more. If you only take one thing away from my blog, please let it be that there is no “I” in team. In order to birth pure, genuine success, let us all lift each other higher. Until next time.
Lisa Ascolese, famously known as “The Inventress,†is a true mentor, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, inventor, and independent product agent. Please visit her at www.inventingatoz.com.
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