Expand Your Fempire Podcast #91 Transcript

The Importance of Socialization in Your Business 

Welcome to Expand your Fempire with Caterina Rando, the podcast for women in business on a mission. Sharing ideas to support you to grow and thrive. Now here’s your host, Caterina Rando.

[00:00:00] Caterina Rando: Welcome back to another episode of the Expand Your Fempire Podcast. This is your host Caterina Rando, and I am blissing to be with you today. Over the weekend, I was in a hot tub with two amazing women in business. We were at the home of branding expert extraordinaire Anne Bennett after we had been in a conference for a few days. She invited me and some of the other gals that were at the event to come and hang out in her hot tub. Now I’ve known Anne over the years, we had never shared a meal together or hung out. And I thought “you know, I think this is an awesome and amazing gal. She’s extending an invitation. Let me grab my swimsuit and go hang out in the hot tub”. And I did, with her and her fabulous friend Olympia, who I’ve also met over the years, and never had a chance to sit down and have a nice visit with Olympia either. So I thought it would be fun. Well, it was super fun. We mastermind, we shared resources. That really wasn’t the intention, but when you get three business gals together, what happens? You say, “do you know about this? Do you know about that? Have you tried this? Have you tried that? What do you think of this? What do you think of that?” That’s what happens. It was an amazing evening. Well, a lot of good came out of it. And this prompted me to want to talk to you about the power of socializing in your business for more sales, for more success, to deepen your relationships.

[00:02:19] You may or may not know that I recently went on a 15-day cruise, round trip, San Francisco through the Hawaiian islands. When I got off the ship, not only was I refreshed, rejuvenated, relaxed, I had also signed up someone on the ship to come on my next bliss retreat. That was a big sale. I was socializing while I was also connecting, sharing about the retreat, inviting this person to come. And they were a yes before we got off the ship.

I recall after one of our retreats, a woman came to me at the very end and she said “you know, Caterina, I’ve had so much fun this week and I’ve also done more business, and I’m coming home with more sales closed than if I had spent a week in my office behind my computer”. I’m sharing that with you because I want you to think about how much socializing you do in your business.

[00:03:36] One of the things that’s happening these days is that we’re all starting to socialize again. You may or may not know that I have a center in San Francisco called the Thriving Women in Business Center, which was my dream for many years, really for five years from making the decision to open a center to being able to open it, and then it was open for a year and then the pandemic started and it’s been mostly dark for the last couple of years. We recently opened it back up for my Thrive at Sales Train the Trainer program. I loved it. The ladies loved it and we’re starting to book people into the center again. I always give all of my clients one event that they can host at the center at no cost as part of their VIP client benefits. Now, because we’ve been virtual for two years, I have to catch up with them on my promise to them, which means if they want to use it twice this year at no cost, they can absolutely do that. Ladies are starting to book. They’re starting to host workshops. We are planning social events.

For my birthday, which was right before the pandemic, I had a casino night. It was so fun. Invited friends, invited clients, to come and learn how to play cards, and play cards, and connect, and have a beverage, and have some food. And inevitably, when this happens, business happens too. I want you to think about how you can infuse more socializing in your business. And also when you go away to business events, get there early, stay late, because a lot of the excitement happens in the hallway, happens after at dinner, after the whole thing is over, when people are sitting around and visiting, because everyone’s had such a great time, they don’t want to leave. Whenever you go to a conference or a business event, make sure you stay at the hotel where the event is being hosted. Yes, the Airbnb down the block or across the street or a mile away might be cheaper. What happens though is you miss out on all of the hallway conversations, the bar conversations, the sitting around the fire pit, having a visit. All of this is really, really important for solidifying relationships, deepening relationships, making connections, sharing ideas, sharing resources.

[00:06:39] Now that we’re starting to socialize, I invite you to amplify your socializing. What can you do to socialize on a consistent basis? Because as you know, as I know, consistency over time creates results. One of the things that I’ve decided for my business is that every quarter I want to have some kind of business getaway. In Q1, I went on my amazing trip with my friend, Traci, on our Hawaiian cruise. I not only got refreshed and rejuvenated, I sold a retreat on the cruise. That was Q1.

Q2, I went to a conference with my amazing coach, met a lot of amazing women, connected, reconnected, visited.

Q3, I’m going to North Carolina for a conference on scaling your business, to do more focus on my business, but also while meeting and connecting and visiting.

Q4, I haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet. I’m open to possibilities. Here’s why it’s good though. It is socializing. It is connecting. It also is invigorating. It is uplifting. And you may have forgotten how good it feels if you’ve been mostly at home and on zoom for the last couple of years.

[00:08:13] Recently, I also was in the same city with three of my clients that live in other parts of the country. And because they were all there at the same time as I was, I took them all to dinner. Because guess what? Breaking bread with people, or whatever kind of cuisine you enjoy, doing it together with people that you want to get to know better, especially if they’re your clients and potential clients, is something I strongly encourage you to do.

[00:08:49] Not too long ago, I was in a clubhouse room. There was a wonderful lady in the room, Phyllis, who I’d only met virtual, and I told her that I was in Southern California where I know that she lives, and I invited her, or she invited me I can’t remember, to have dinner. One hour after the clubhouse room ended, we were eating some great Mexican food together. And what else were we doing? Sharing resources, running ideas by each other, asking each other if we knew so-and-so and if we’d been to so-and-so’s thing and making connections, making contributions, getting to know each other better and uplifting each other. I don’t know if we’ll do business.

What I do know is we’re new friends, we’re new resources. We’ve expanded our network in a wonderful way. I have people to put her in touch with, she has people to put me in touch with as a result of sitting down for some great enchiladas and the best guacamole I’ve ever had at El Matador restaurant in Newport beach. Both of our lives are uplifted. I want you to think about what can you do to add more socializing to your life? What I really want you to do is look at where you can add socializing consistently.

[00:10:21] Barbara MacDonald, who is the owner of Native Design, one of the most amazing graphic designers you will ever meet in your life, she is also my graphic designer. For 27 years, she told me she’s been in business and I think she’s been my graphic designer for at least 25. I called her today when I was getting ready for this podcast, because I wanted to ask her about something she does. For the last 20 years, the 15th of every month, she hosts a dinner. She does all the cooking. She hosts a dinner. It started way back when, when her daughters were growing up, she wanted to connect with families in the area, families with children, neighbors.

Twenty years later, I called her and I said “you know, Barbara, you’ve been doing that 15th of the month dinner for so long, how’s it been for you? How’s it been for your business?” And she said to me “let me think about that”. And she said “well, I’ve done business with this person and this person and this person and this person”. And then she said “oh, and Paolo, he restores race cars. And you know what? I do all the numbers for his race cars”. And she probably does some other things for the race car restoration business too. She said “one third of the people that come to this dinner that is really friends. I’m doing business with them. They are my clients.” Now, not only are there the business benefits. She said “you know what? Whatever is bothering me, whatever is stressing me about the world, whatever’s going on with my family, as soon as the 15th comes –and by the way, all my clients know don’t ask me anything on the 15th, I’m in my kitchen, I’m cooking dinner for my community– and when they come for at least a few hours, everything is right with the world”.

This is a great example of a consistent something to socialize that not only has great business benefits, but also uplifts so many lives. Everybody that comes to the dinner on the 15th, they look forward to it. They can’t wait for it. They wouldn’t miss it. Of course, Barbara is an amazing cook as well, which, you know, a good home-cooked meal is definitely worth putting on your calendar. It’s contributed to her and others in so many ways.

[00:13:23] I want you to think about this. I want you to ask yourself, what can you do to add more socializing to your life and your business? And to put the two together? Because it doesn’t have to be in a hot tub. It doesn’t have to be at a dining room table. It doesn’t have to be in your house. What can you do to get people together? You know, one of the business women’s networking groups I’m involved in, the ladies get together a Saturday every month and go for a hike. That’s a great thing to do with other businesswomen. I’m all about getting the ladies together.

[00:14:07] Many years ago when Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill were all in the news, I got together 25 business gals and a few enlightened guys to get together for dinner and to go hear Anita Hill give a speech. It was quite an evening. Are there special events going on in your community that you can get people together for? My sister, you may have heard me mention, who owns Angelina’s Cafe and Catering in San Francisco, at 6000 California Street, where you will get the best sandwiches, salads, and cappuccino of your life, every Halloween, she takes pictures of all the kids in their costume on the corner in front of the cafe. She gives Polaroids to the parents, and of course, they can take their own pictures with their phones. Every Christmas she has Santa at Angelina’s. She gives the parents and the kiddos hot chocolate. She has them decorate cookies on the sidewalk and the whole neighborhood gets together. This is an example of something consistent that is happening to have people connect. Socializing is also cultivating community and cultivating community is very good for business.

[00:15:48] I’m hoping based on our time together, you are going to amplify your attention on socializing to grow your business. With that in mind, I want to give you a few super tips to support you to be effective with your intention to amplify your socializing.

[00:16:10] First one. Look at your calendar right now through the end of the year. I don’t care if it’s January or November, for the rest of the year. Look and see where you have any social anything on your calendar, and after that time on your calendar, I want you to schedule half an hour or an hour right after, if it’s something you’re doing virtual, or the next morning, if it’s something you’re doing live and in person, and I want you to block out a little time for follow-up.

“Followup? Isn’t that something I do after networking or after a workshop or a situation for business. Why do you want me to do follow-up after socializing?” I’m gonna tell you why. Because we want to socialize for more sales, for more connections, for expanding our network. You might be socializing and you might say to Mary Jane or Sheila that you got a great hairstylist for them, or you might say to somebody that you have a great app based on what they said. Now with an app, you’d probably pull out your phone and show them right there. The thing is though that there are always things that we talk about with socializing that we need to follow up on. And I don’t want you to forget, and I don’t want it to get too far away from the social situation before you do your follow-up.

The other thing is when you meet people in social situations, you want to go to your Facebook, your LinkedIn, your Insta, your club, and you want to follow them. And on one of those platforms, whatever one it seems like they’re most on, you want to send them a little note that says “Hey, Sheila, it was great to meet you at the XYZ. Look forward to getting to know you better, keeping up with you here”. Now, if any of these people are someone you would like as a client you’re then also going to put them on your prospect list.

Additionally, you’re going to invite them to come to your monthly workshop, or you’re an invite them if they want to have a conversation, or you’re going to invite them to another social situation that you think they would enjoy.

Recognize, if you don’t have time set aside on your calendar, even when you don’t even know if you’re going to need it, you’re not going to find any time to do your social follow-up. Putting things on your calendar makes them happen. Of course, you gotta use your calendar and I’m hoping you’re doing that too. Also, I want you to be intentional around your socializing.

I also, though, want you to set goals around it. A goal might be that you’re going to host a monthly something, like Barbara, who we talked about earlier. A goal might be that you’re gonna go to an event once a month, where you’re gonna meet new people, a social event, not a business event. A goal might be you’re going to go to a conference unrelated to your business where you’re going to meet like-minded people once a quarter or twice a year. You might set a goal that every month you’re going to do one new meetup in your city to make new friends where you live. Whatever it is, I want you to set three goals for yourself around socializing, because here’s what I want you to know: we could all use more amazing people in our life. We can all use more amazing people in our network. Many of us are significantly uplifted when we get together with people. I’m in the middle between introvert and extrovert. That means I love to be with people. It also means I need some time to myself. Even if you’re an introvert, you can decide how and when and where you want to be with people. Recognize the point is have fun, connect. Also though, be strategic about how this can support your business. Because my friend, you have massive value to bring, there’s a lifetime supply of people to serve. The more you connect with people, the more clients you’re going to get, the more referrals you’re going to get, the more people that know you exist, have met you, have liked you, the more opportunities are going to come your way.

[00:20:34] By the way, if you haven’t connected with me on Clubhouse, join our rooms. On Monday, we talk about blissing in your business. On Fridays, we do networking, we share our wins for the week. It’s a great way to engage with people and connect virtually.

[00:20:50] Okay, my friend. It’s time for you to amplify your socializing, to amplify your sales, and start by setting some goals, more importantly, though, getting in action. This is Caterina Rando, cannot wait to be with you again here at the Expand Your Fempire Podcast. And by the way, if you’re missing any episodes, we have many amazing episodes that you may not have listened to. They are info-packed. You can listen to them wherever you get your podcasts. You can always go to caterinarando.com/podcast to listen to any episodes you’ve missed. Also go to caterinarando.com/links to have many free resources to grow your business, checklists, videos.

Hey, you can download our Expand Your Fempire app, and also you can follow the link to come to our next free workshop. Again, my friend, I’m going to say it one more time: you have massive value to bring, there’s a lifetime supply of people to serve. Get out there, connect with people. You will find you will uplift more lives. You will uplift yourself. And that’s what business is all about. Bing bing bing. Love to you. Talk to you next time

We hope you enjoyed this episode of Expand Your Fempire with Caterina Rando.