Do the Hustle

"If you want to conquer fear, don't sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."
                                                                         -Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People

It's only been a few weeks since my friend's Dad's memorial - way too soon to worry that my first client might be my last.  The blog's keeping me disciplined, and there's still a lot of research to do. Business taxes, copyright law and billing... it's not exactly riveting summer reading.  So no rush. But still,  in the absence of any marketing tools, I've been starting to wonder when my next lead would present itself.

And then the phone rang.

It was a fellow who knocked on my door about six weeks ago. Back then, he was getting ready to set up shop in the neighbourhood and was introducing himself around. Friendly guy. As it turns out, I have some self-taught experience with the service he was offering, and so didn't see myself as a suitable client.  I wished him well, closed the door,  and went back to making dinner.

This was about a week or two after my big little idea started taking shape.  As I got back to chopping cilantro, I considered the similarities between us, both of us just starting out.  I reflected on how unusual it is these days to go door-to-door.  Good hustle! I thought admiringly.

And that's when I realized: When opportunity knocks, you answer; even if you're in the middle of making dinner.  And without thinking about it too much, I suddenly found myself out the door, chasing after him down the street.

If you know me, you know this is... not characteristic.

Although I may not be a likely client, I explained, I had just had this very small idea to start a writing business in my spare time - nothing corporate, but something personal and human - and if he ever needed some friendly-neighbourhood communication materials to help him get his name out there, maybe I could help?

In that formative moment, we saw each other entrepreneur to entrepreneur. 

It was exhilarating!  Gettin' on my own hustle! Cold-calling the cold-caller!

Neither of us had business cards to share. He wrote down my number and suggested we get in touch in a couple of weeks, leaving us both room to think a little more about what we needed.

As my attention turned to blog platforms, memorial tributes and summer travel, that interaction slipped to the back burner.

And now here he is, back on the front burner. With ideas about his communications needs!

I can already tell it's a good connection - we've now met and talked about all the ways we can support each other as we get set up.

There are so many take-aways from these initial meetings:

1) Time to change my voicemail recording (Done!)
2) Girl, quit offering your services with a question mark: I can help. Period.
3) It is within me to network authentically. (Prepare! Practice! Repeat!)
4) The universe is full of potential clients. My job is simply to connect with them and offer to help.
5) I want this bad enough to chase a stranger down the street!

Photo courtesy of Rawpixel at Pexels

Business "public servant" corporate start  “Free time” “Spare time”“Part time” Side hustle “On the side” “side hustle” “Minding my own business” “Minding Her own Business” “Minding Your Own Business” "Minding his own business" path  career  change government 
new job writing blog Shannon  “Shannon M” “Shannon Marshall” Victoria “BC”“British Columbia” Network, meet clients, introduce, expand, hustle