Category Archives for "Growing your business through collaboration and partnership"

Event planners. They are the treasured keepers of sanity, savings, and success and the reasons to partner with or hire an event planner for your next event are profuse.

Of course, savvy speakers, authors, and entrepreneurs will try to minimize event costs, perhaps believing that one such saving is to NOT hire an event planning professional. We get it. We’ve been there.

But… the reality of not having a volunteer team, event planning expert, and event support is that everything falls into your lap.

As an event host or speaker, it's not just that you likely will not have the time (or skill set) to manage all these details... it shouldn't be you doing these tasks. If you’re the frazzled one moving furniture, dealing with heating/cooling issues, and handling questions about where the bathrooms are from the attendees, you’re probably not painting the image you wish for yourself as an expert or speaker.

Thank you is one of the important steps in our Raise a Dream 7-step model (you can download the model, which is included in the free ebook on our home page).

Recognizing the support of your sponsors and their contribution and involvement in your big dream, project, event, etc. is not an obligation; it’s an opportunity when done the right way.

And saying “thank you” doesn't just happen after something is complete. You can recognize your sponsor in many ways, at many points of time throughout your project.

Below, you’ll find a valuable list of over 20 ideas for thanking sponsors that I shared on a recent Raise a Dream Facebook Live (you can watch here).

Exactly what is servant leadership?

Servant leadership isn’t about power or hierarchy. It’s about collaboration and partnership. And every organization needs leadership. We all know what happens to a ship when someone isn’t at the helm — it sinks.

Having a captain that stands at the helm and barks orders at everyone will get the job done. Sometimes, it’ll even get the job done well. The problem is that nobody is having any fun in that scenario. Nobody is communicating, learning, or sharing knowledge and responsibility. It doesn’t leave anyone any room to grow -- not for the deckhands, the captain, nor anyone in between.

You see, when “the boss” is the boss, it puts everyone beneath them—it doesn’t build teams, growth, or community.

Yin and yang, masculine and feminine, whatever you want to call it... men and women bring very different energy to relationships. 

Why is this relevant to your business? I’ll tell you.

No matter what business you are in, a successful business is built on relationships. Your ability to understand your own balance of feminine and masculine energy, as well as the balance of others, will directly affect how and with whom you do business.

Let’s be clear that when we talk about the masculine and feminine energy, we are talking about just that—energy. Men and women each possess both masculine and feminine energies and qualities.

As I was presenting on collaboration to a group of inspired entrepreneurs, I found myself thinking that raising dreams is not a solo act.

The image that popped into my mind was a community helping someone to raise their dream, and before I processed the words I said, “It takes a community to raise a dream.”

When I reflect on my dreams that I have put into action, they have always included other people. As well, all the projects and events supporting non-profits that Rebecca and I created before knowing one another all included champions and collaborators.

This was a key factor in attracted funding and sponsorship.

Entrepreneurs know that building your influence and growing your business takes time.  

Collaboration is one key strategy for entrepreneurs to quickly build their influence, grow their business, and increase their revenue and income.

The most important factor is to choose the right people and brands to collaborate with; businesses who share similar values and standards and that have an audience you want to be in front of are the right fit.

When entering into new collaborations (especially with friends, family, and colleagues that you have a pre-existing relationship with), have the important conversations up front.

​Life as an entrepreneur can be lonely at times. It doesn’t have to be that way!

When you collaborate, build powerful business relationships, and expand your community influence, opportunities to make a difference (and get paid) doing what you love will show up.

At Raise a Dream, we always say, "It takes a team to raise a dream." Collaboration and partnering in business and community projects is one important key to success and are great ways for entrepreneurs to expand and grow their influence and increase their profile and their profits.

Charmaine has had the pleasure of speaking for many Rotary Clubs across North America, including Burnaby and New Westminster, BC. Speaking at Rotary Clubs is part of the Raise a Dream’s community and collaboration building strategy.  

Rotary International and their global chapters are great examples of what collaboration and partnering towards social good looks like in action. In fact, Rotary unites more than one million people around the world. The Rotary International website states, "Rotary is where neighbors, friends, and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change."  What a wonderful mission.