It’s just over 4 months, or 18 weeks or 129 days until I begin my journey to row around Great Britain.
But let’s be honest, my fundraising campaign is pants! In fact, I wouldn’t even call it a campaign. I have raised £4,000 of the £21,000 and I am really behind schedule.
I could give all kinds of excuses as to why I haven’t pulled my finger out; I’ve recently moved house, relocated to a new area, I’ve got a new job, I’ve been training, I’m tired – but they are exactly as I have described, excuses!
The truth is I haven’t spent enough time gathering contacts. I haven’t put enough effort into raising the money and approaching sponsors and I’ve been procrastinating.
My job sees me attend several business networking meetings each week. This morning I had the pleasure of attending a free workshop called ‘Win More Business’ hosted by Pro-Actions at Brentwood City Council.
Pro-Actions is a business support company offering a “results-focused approach” to small and medium-sized enterprises throughout the UK. Their key to success is “combining great business coaching, advising, consulting and mentoring” to people like myself, guiding them to succeed in their business and with their life goals.
I went to their workshop with the intention to network and learn new skills for my job, but sometimes the conversation at these events turns to hobbies and I get introduced as ‘the girl that’s rowing across the Atlantic.’
It became apparent to me at today’s workshop I am handling my fundraising campaign all wrong! I should approach it more like a business rather than a hobby, and that means writing a business plan with clear goals and objectives, along with a marketing strategy. It also means ditching the stuff that doesn’t matter and isn’t creating results.
Andy Linnett, the workshop leader and CEO of Pro-Actions highlighted that every successful business starts with a business plan. The thought of writing a business plan makes me shudder. I haven’t written one since I opened my beauty business back in 2003. That business grew from strength to strength, year upon year for 9 years and I wonder if that’s partly because I had a plan?
I am delighted to be meeting Andy next week to chat about how he can help me with my job and also my ‘career’ as an ocean rower and adventurer. I clearly need to get back to basics, focus on the stuff that matters and will benefit from some expert guidance.
From now on I am going set clear goals and operate
Thank you Pro-Actions and Brentwood City Council for providing me with an eye-opening and educational morning. In just 3 hours I learnt more than I have done in the last 3 months about what I am to do to become successful in both my career and an adventurer.
If you would like to contact Pro-Actions to see how they can help you in your business or career, please visit the following links:
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Call: 03333 440 517
Email: enquiries@pro-actions.com