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Event Summary: Get Business Done on Instagram

28/4/2018

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Source: Femigrants
Another great event hosted by Femigrants, 'Get Business Done on Instagram' training at the Instagram HQ on April 26, 2018.
 
Event Highlights
  • Focus: Instagram Training for Femigrant Business Owners
  • Website: http://www.femigrants.org/ | Facebook: @femigrants |Twitter:@Femigrants| Instagram: @femigrants_foundation, #gbdoi, #femigrants
  • Format:  Networking, Training
  • Attendees: Female founders, Business Women
  • Topics: Tips and tricks to promote your business on Instagram.
  • Flow: The evening kicked off with a lovely tour of the Instagram HQ, Introductions and getting to know the ladies. We then had a lovely dinner and continued with the excellent training.
 
Highlighting Female founders
Check out the vast diversity of businesses the ladies represented:
  • Jessica Phan, Hathorway, Jewelry and accessories made from sustainable material.
  • Daria Tsvenger, Supergirls Club, Online health, and wellness community.
  • Virginia M. Blanco,  NYMPH San Francisco, All natural personal care.
  • Azita Moayeri, D & D Jewelry, Fine jewelry.
  • Anna Seslavinskaya, Be Unicorn, Product design and development for startups, enterprise, and celebrities.
  • Zahra Heidari, belletrendi , Fitness motivation on Instagram.
  • Aijin Deng, Cupertino-Nanning Friendship City Association.
  • Marie-Christin Anthony, MarieChristin Anthony, Coaching and Consulting for professional immigrant women.
 
My Objectives – why did I attend this event?
  • Meet other female founders and learn about their businesses.
  • Learn how to do business on Instagram.
 
Key Insights – what did I learn? 
Services offered by Femigrants
This event was the second Femigrants event I attended. I was amazed to discover the free services Femigrants offers in addition to the valuable community of female immigrants.
Femigrants provide key resources for success, free of charge: online marketing services for business owners; professional networking meet-ups; online live interviews to increase exposure for new and aspiring business owners, and a coaching-mentorship program for aspiring professionals.
I encourage you to join the community and enjoy the services offered.
 
Instagram for your Business
Until I attended the training, I was not aware of how much Instagram can help me grow my business. The statistics shared that 80% of Instagram users follow at least one business convinced me that I need a business page on Instagram.
Four useful tools for a business that Instagram provides include:
  • Business Profile - present your business and share updates in a visually compelling way.
  • Messaging - the ability for your customers to contact you directly and vice versa.
  • Insights - get valuable information about your customers and followers.
  • Promote - increase your reach with the help of Ads on Instagram.
For more information on doing business on Instagram check out: Stand out with Instagram and get Instagram for Business Training. Get inspired by the Instagram Business blog.
 
Tips & Tricks: Using Instagram Stories
Instagram stories offer much value for businesses as well as fun features. Stories can help a business gain more customers and bring traffic to their content. It provides a more personable experience with a brand, product or service.
For more information take the Bring Your Business Story to Life With Instagram Stories training.
 
Supporting each other's Business
It was great to learn more about the other great female-founded businesses. As we shared more about our businesses, we identified different ways we can support one another. Above all the value I got from the training, seeing women support other women was a highlight for me. Let's build a community of businesswomen who support each other's businesses.
 
Sharing our knowledge
As female immigrants, we can all benefit from each other's knowledge and experiences. In the training, we had female immigrants who had been in the US for six months to over 40 years. There was a lot of information exchange. Equip yourself with as much information as you can to make your journey more comfortable and share your knowledge.
 
Final Thoughts
  • Attend as many valuable events as you can. Let's continue to build a community.
  • I look forward to attending other events organized by Femigrants and meeting great women.
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Event Summary: Women's Global Leadership Workshop

26/4/2018

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Attending the Women's global leadership workshop on April 20, 2018, was a highlight of my Events series. I gathered a lot of practical tools and tips for my toolkit. I am excited to share my Insights with you.
 
Event Highlights
  • Focus: Take Charge of Your Life and Invest in Yourself
  • Website: https://wgli.org/ | Facebook: @WGLI08  | Instagram: @wgliorg  | Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/women's-global-leadership-initiative/
  • Format: Keynote, Working sessions.
  • Attendees: Students, Female leaders, Entrepreneurs
  • Topics:
    • Women as Leaders - What makes a powerful leader?
    • Personal Experience and its Impact on Developing Leadership skills
    • Identifying Your Personal Vision and Mission
    • How to Sell Yourself - Tools for Self-Branding
  • Event Page: https://wgli.org/event-list/?eid=10856
 
My Objectives – why did I attend this event?
  • Gather tools and resources for my development as a leader
  • Define my next phase as a leader
  • Learn tips for Self-branding
  • Formulate my personal mission and vision statement
 
Key Insights – what did I learn? 
Women supporting women
Diana Ruiz kicked off the event with a powerful statement "Equity starts when women support women.” Cristina Trujillo crystalized this point by saying Surround yourself with women supported and allies.
Imagine how much stronger we will be with stronger networks. My mission for “Her Perspective” is to build a community of women who support one another on their journey. Encourage the women around you and help them grow. Someone will do the same for you.
 
Know your worth and your contribution
Most women don’t know their worth and their investment. Recognizing your worth and your contribution is essential. If you do not believe in yourself and your cause, how can you expect others to believe in you? Start by knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
I  recently wrote a blog post titled  Know your worth! sharing my insights. Knowing what you are worth, and what you bring to the table will help you ask for the pay you deserve. Acknowledging your achievements will make you more fulfilled.
 
Prioritize your self-care
Cristina Trujillo hit the nail on the head with this point - "Make self-care a non-negotiable priority." Danielle DeRuiter-Williams shared the importance of taking care of yourself, knowing what you need and asking for it. She shared her experience in one of the most trying times of her life where she reached out to her closest friends for support. I used to be very good about taking care of myself, ensuring I got what I needed intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually to feel and be my best. However, in 2017 I got carried away with work and neglected my self-care. This led to me not being my best physically and in my relationship. I decided to prioritize my self-care this year. Whatever self-care means to you, please prioritize your self-care. You need to be whole to do the great things you are destined to do.
 
Simple self-branding
Nancy Marmolejo shared a simple way of communicating your strengths to the world through your brand statement. Nancy defined self-branding as a "process of establishing a truthful and authentic image or impression of who you are in the minds of others."
  1. Describe what you do with power words (verbs). My top five power words were: Connect, Empower, Organize, Counsel, Plan.
  2. Then formulate your statement: I (power word) (who or what) so they can (result). One of my statements was "I connect women to people and resources they need so they can be successful professionally.”
 
Who are the women you admire and why?
Rachel Harrelson took us through an exercise of thinking about why we admire some female leaders.  When we were asked to identify women whom we admire, we go to the Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama and so on. Try to list women you know personally.
Three things to consider when you chose women you admire:
  1. Choose women leaders close to you. It will help you feel their success is more attainable for you.
  2. Formulate statements about the women you identified - She is successful because of her….
  3. What qualities does she have? Look at your list; these are qualities you aspire to have.
 
My Next Steps - What am I going to do?
  • Keep working on my personal brand as I grow and develop.
  • Continue building a community of women who support one another.
  • Prioritize self-care as I transition into my next phase.
 
 Final Thoughts
  • Know who you are- your worth and your brand.
  • Tell your story the way you want to tell it.
  • Getting out there and attending events has been a great experience. Check out my other event summaries.

About the Speakers

Diana Ruiz - CEO Women's Global Leadership Initiative.
Danielle DeRuiter-Williams - Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist and Organizational Development Strategist
Cristina Trujillo - Founder & Executive Producer at Reigniting Empowered Expressiveness & Motivation.
Nancy Marmolejo - Personal Branding, Leadership, Diversity. Executive Coaching for Executives, Teams, Entrepreneurs.
 
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5 steps to becoming a mentor

24/4/2018

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Start your journey to becoming a great mentor with five simple steps.
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Mentorship is an important topic that is gaining more traction in the professional advancement arena. Research has proven that professionals that have great mentors are more successful. In this post, I want us to redirect our thoughts to ask a different question around mentorship: Whom can I mentor?
We can all mentor someone out there in some shape or form. The concept of building a community through giving back and sharing our knowledge is one that resonates with me. Let's create a community of women who mentor women.
 
Who is a Mentor?
The definitions of a mentor varied a lot. I decided to create my definition:
A mentor is a trusted coach, adviser, guide, counselor who offers their knowledge, wisdom, and advice to support their mentee's personal or professional development. 
 
Myths about mentorship
We successfully talk ourselves out of giving back and being great mentors. I want to start by debunking three myths I convinced myself were true.
 
Myth 1: “I cannot be a mentor.”
When you think about being a mentor you might think "I do not have anything to share" or "I do not have enough time." We all have something to share. Our experiences when shared can help others grow. Don't hold yourself back from experiencing the rewards of being a mentor.
 
Myth 2: Mentorship can only be in a professional setting
Many companies promote mentorship today, which is great. However, there is a more significant opportunity in our private communities. Think about all how you can make a difference in your professional and private setting.
 
Myth 3: There are no potential mentees around me
Typically, after we have moved on from not believing we can be a great mentor, then we think no one around us needs mentorship. Look around you, who are the girls/women that come to you for advice? Who are the people you want to help grow? I am sure you have someone in mind.
 
Why should you become a mentor?
There are many benefits for a mentor and mentee in a mentorship relationship
For you the mentor
  • Provide you an opportunity to help and give back - There are women you can help.
  • You learn a lot by sharing and teaching.
  • Practice your leadership skills.
For your mentees
  • Women around you can learn from your experiences
  • Practical tips from people who have experience
  • Someone to talk to - no one should be alone on her journey
 
5 simple steps to becoming a great Mentor
Step 1: Prepare yourself
Before you embark on this journey, be clear on what value you want to derive from a mentorship relationship.
  • Create a list of your objectives for becoming a mentor – to stay motivated; it is essential to feel like you are getting value out of the mentorship relationship.
  • Define your resource commitments, e.g., Time, Finances and other resources. What are you willing to invest in this relationship?
 
Step 2: Identify areas you want to mentor in
Be clear on what you want to offer your mentees. Identify your mentorship areas by doing the following:
  • Make a list of areas people come to you for advice.
  • Add skills and knowledge you have that you want to share.
  • Identify some leadership growth areas you have.
My mentorship areas are: planning, achieving your goals, professional development, changing your perspective, taking the first step, taking control of your finances, discovering your strengths.
 
Step 3: Seek out potential mentees
As with every relationship, it is essential to choose your mentees carefully. Remember even your peers might be great mentees.
  • Think about whom you can mentor in your network
  • If you do not have anyone in mind - ask ladies on Facebook if they need a mentor. People will reach out once they know you are open to mentoring.
Once you have identified potential mentee, have a quick conversation with them. The objective is to check if this mentorship pairing will work. Talk about your potential mentees’ needs to see if they match what you can offer. It is ok if you have to say no at this point. Encourage them to keep searching and have multiple mentors and not expect everything from you.
 
Step 4: Start your mentorship relationship
Once you and your mentee decide to start a mentorship relationship - make it official and start working together. To make your mentorship relationship effective, consider doing the following:
  • Align with Mentees objectives: Clarify what your mentee would like to get out of the mentorship relationship
  • Establish ground rules: Increase efficiency of your mentorship relationship by establishing ground rules with your mentees. Set the right expectation.
  • Meet regularly: Personally, I set up regular checkpoints with my Mentees. In these meetings we discuss the following:
    • Overall wellbeing - How are you feeling generally?
    • Goals -  progress they are making towards their goals
    • Support - how can I help?
    • Follow-Up - check in on action items we discussed in the last meeting.
  • Prepare before meetings: To make our time together effective, I make sure I prepare my talking points or questions I want to ask in advance. I also encourage my mentees to come prepared. I take a more structured approach because I want to make sure we both get the best from our time together. 
  • Discuss communication methods and frequency outside of scheduled meetings.

Step 5: Learn, Adjust and Pivot

Be prepared to adjust and make changes to your mentorship relationship to ensure you and your mentee are getting value. The mentorship relationship might not meet the objectives set. It is important to reevaluate and make changes accordingly. Mentorship is a learning journey; we can all get better at being mentors through practice. 
 
Call to action - Become a mentor
I want to challenge you to kick-off your mentorship journey. Identify a mentee within the next three months, start mentoring and share your experience with me.
 
Final Thoughts
  • You can be a mentor at any phase of your life.
  • Learn and grow through sharing.
  • Being a mentor not only benefits your mentees - it enables you to grow a lot.
 
Great Resources
  • 6 Things Every Mentor Should Do
  • What the Best Mentors Do
  • The Right Way to Be a Mentor
  • Five Questions Every Mentor Must Ask
  • Mentor People Who Aren’t Like You
  • How To Be A World-Class Mentor To Others
  • Being Experienced Doesn’t Automatically Make You a Great Mentor
  • Becoming the Mentor I Want to Be vs. the Mentor I Need to Be
  • How to be an Incredible Mentor
 

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Starting Mastermind groups

19/4/2018

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Lately, I have been exploring different ways to start building the Her perspective community. In my research of different formats, Mastermind groups stood out to me in different ways. I liked the collaborative nature and the fact that all members could contribute their diverse skills and perspectives encouraged me a lot.
In the spirit of "if you want to be part of a community that doesn't exist build one," I am starting Mastermind groups for women.
 
Revisiting why I started this platform
In my first blog post titled  What I want from my blog, I shared the following objectives:
  • Support women like me on their journey
  • Build a community of smart women who can share and support each other
  • Be a safe place for you through life transitions and adapting to change
  • Build local relationships
  • Share our leanings
 
What is a Mastermind Group?
  • A mastermind group is a peer-to-peer mentoring concept used to help members solve their problems with input and advice from the other group members (Source: Wikipedia)
  • A mastermind is a peer-mentoring group of individuals who meet on a regular basis (in-person or virtually) to push each other to work to their highest potential and hold each other accountable. (Source: Why a Mastermind Group Can Accelerate Your Success (And How to Form One))
  • A mastermind group is simply a meeting of highly motivated folks who share a common goal and are looking to encourage and help each other improve. (Source: What is a Mastermind Group?)
 
Why am I starting Mastermind Groups?
The mission of the Her Perspective Mastermind groups is to connect women who can help one another achieve their goals in specific areas of their lives.
 
Why join a Mastermind Group?
There are so many benefits of joining mastermind groups, such as:
  • Have accountability partners.
  • Learn and share with other women.
  • Build a valuable community.
  • Expand your perspective.
  • Extend your network.
  • Get feedback on your ideas and plans.
  • Get new ideas.
 
Starting point: What I heard?
Earlier this month I polled 20 women in my network to probe interest in joining a mastermind group, and this is what they said
Top 3 main reasons why ladies will join a mastermind group is:
  1. Learn something new
  2. Support Others
  3. Collaboration with Others
Top 3 areas where ladies would like more support include:
  1. Setting & Achieving your goals
  2. Career Advancement (Promotion, Salary)
  3. Financial Empowerment
 
Call to action
If you are interested in achieving your goals faster, please fill out the Mastermind Groups Survey. I have linked some vast resources to help you discover the opportunities Mastermind groups present.
 
Next Steps
Over the next months I am committed to doing the following:
  1. Create a pilot group of women with similar Interest areas.
  2. Onboard pilot group members.
  3. Start pilot group.
  4. Share some success stories.
  5. Learn and create other groups.
 
Great Resources
  • Join a Mastermind Group? Here’s What You Need to Know
  • 7 Reasons To Join A Mastermind Group - Forbes
  • Why a Mastermind Group Can Accelerate Your Success (And How to Form One)
  • Why You Should Consider Joining a Mastermind Group
  • What Nobody Tells You About Mastermind Groups
  • Go Beyond Simple Networking and Organize Your Own Mastermind Group
  • 6 qualities the best paid mastermind groups offer
  • How to Launch a Successful Mastermind Group
  • Create a “Mastermind Group” to Help Your Career
  • Why You Should Build A Mastermind Group
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Start your financial planning - six simple steps

17/4/2018

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Do you have a financial plan?
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Recently at an event I attended, I heard a scary statistic - "20% percent of women are comfortable with their financial knowledge. The number is low because they lack planning or fail to take action" (Source: 2015 Insurance Barometer Study). The good news is "Women are eager for information about financial planning and investing - 92% of women want to learn more about financial planning" (Source: Money fit women study).
Continuing the "Her Finances" series, let’s discuss a tool that will help us take control of our finances and achieve our financial goals- Financial planning.  In this post, I will focus on what a financial plan is, how to create your financial plan, the continuous process of financial planning and share some resources for additional research.
 
Starting point
I encourage you to say the following about your financial journey:
  • I am financially independent.
  • I can achieve my big financial goals.
  • I will think big and not limit myself.
  • I will pursue financial education and empowerment.
 
What is Financial Planning?
There are many definitions of financial planning. Here are some that I liked:
  • Financial Planning is an ongoing process to help you make sensible decisions about money that can help you achieve your goals in life; (Source: What is Financial Planning?)
  • It is the long-term method of wisely managing your finances so you can achieve your goals and dreams, while at the same time negotiating the financial barriers that inevitably arise in every stage of life (Source: Financial Planning Defined)
  • An outline of a person or family’s financial goals and the steps that are necessary to reach them. (Source: Financial plan - Investment & Finance Definition)
 
Why do you need a financial plan?

Creating and managing your financial plan has many benefits. A financial plan will help you:
  • Achieve your financial goals faster.
  • Gain confidence in your financial status and the goals you can achieve.
  • Prepare for life and financial responsibilities.
  • Track progress towards your financial goals.
 
My financial planning journey
Until about three years ago my financial planning was focused primarily on growing my emergency fund and my savings. I set goals that I wanted to achieve and worked towards them. My commitment made me very successful in achieving my saving goals.
With my move to the US in 2015, I began to re-evaluate my financial goals, get exposure to other options and widen my perspective on financial planning. I updated my financial plan and started educating myself on different ways to achieve my financial goals. A few new areas I discovered were saving for retirement and investing in stocks. I am looking forward to exploring more areas as I learn more.
 
Six simple steps to start your financial planning
Step 1: Know your current financial situation
Start by being very transparent about your current financial situation. Before you begin setting your goals, you need to take stock of where you are today. Knowing your financial status will help you establish your starting point and set you up for success. Include your income, debt, current savings as well as other financial commitments.
 
Step 2: Define your financial goals
What are your financial goals? To be successful, you need to know what you are working towards. In my research on financial planning, I found the following essential categories: Savings, Debt, Emergency Fund, Investments, and Retirements.
  • Savings: Set your saving goals. In my experience, you are more successful if you are saving towards something like a certification, vacation or a new house.
  • Debt: Getting out of debt should be a major goal. The most common debts that you want to pay off as part of your plan are student loans, credit cards, and other loans.
  • Emergency fund: Are you financially prepared for emergencies? Years back I got advice to start building my emergency fund to cover three months of my fixed expenses like rent, food, health insurance, etc. Ever since I started working, I have been strict with building my emergency fund and not touching it.
  • Retirements: You might be very young and think that retirement is very far away. Personally, I plan to retire by 50 and work on my passions projects. At 32 now, 50 is not too far away. The fundamental question to ask yourself: How much do I have saved for retirement now? e.g., through work pension plans and how much do I still need in my retirement fund?
  • Investments: Especially for mid-term and long-term financial goals, investing in property or the stock market might be an option. Investing is an area I am currently exploring and would discuss in a more extended blog post.
 
Step 3: Create a financial plan
Like with everything we want to take control of, we need a plan. A financial plan helps you achieve your financial goals more efficiently. Set target dates and milestones to achieve your goals.
For example, if your goal is saving up $12,000 for a down payment on a house. You want to be clear on how much you can save monthly and how long it will take you to save up to your goal.
You want to be able to have a clear answer to the question: What can I do today to achieve my financial goals?
 
Step 4: Start implementing your plan
Now that you have a plan; it is time to take the first step and start working towards your plan. Practice being disciplined and staying committed to your plan.
 
Step 5: Track your progress
At all times, you want to be able to answer the question - How close are you to achieving your financial goals? Knowing where you are will either confirm that your plan is working or highlight areas you might need to change. Regularly measure the progress you are making towards achieving your financial goals. Seeing progress will encourage you to continue your journey.  
 
Step 6: Review and adapt your plan
I recommend at least a monthly review of your plan. As we go through life, changes to your financial plan will be required. You create your plan based on some assumptions if they change you want to ensure your plan matches your learning. Plans are living documents, feel free to update.
 
Call to Action: Start creating your financial plan
  • Take courses and educate yourself.
  • Use available local resources provided by your financial institutions.
  • Consult with a financial advisor.
 
Final Thoughts

  • Take control - Be more active with your finances.
  • Start your Financial education - learn about new concepts and tools.
  • Learn from others - speak to people around you.
  • Work with your partner - For those of you in marriages, align your goals with your partner.
 
Great Resources
  • Financial Planning Basics - Personal Finance 101
  • Millennials: Here are eight ways to create a financial strategy on your terms
  • Six ways to avoid being young and in debt
  • The Financial Goals to Set in Your 30s, According to Sallie Krawcheck
  • Money fit women study
  • 2015 Insurance Barometer Study
  • How to Create a Financial Plan
  • The Gender Gap in Financial Literacy: A Global Perspective - July 2017
  • Money Habitudes - Financial Statistics
  • Creating a Personal Financial Plan
  • YouTube Channel: The Financial Diet
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How to get the most value from Events

14/4/2018

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As part of my orientation plan for 2018, I set a goal to attend more events this year. In the past months, I have worked towards my goal by attending 14 diverse events. Also, I started sharing some of my learnings on my Events blog posts.
After sharing my insights, I got questions about how I find, why I attend and the value I get from these events. I am excited to share my knowledge on how I select, prepare, participate in and wrap-up events. I get great value from events, and I want you to get value too.
 
Phase 1: Selecting an event
It is essential to spend time selecting events. I would encourage you to be very intentional about the events you attend as you are investing your valuable time and resources.
What is your objective?
Be clear on what you want to get from an event before you attend it. Some reasons I attend events include networking, meeting new people, sharing my ideas, learning something new, discovering trends in my industry as well as expanding my perspective.
What type of events are you interested in?
Know the topic areas that interest you and where you need growth. My focus areas are primarily women in leadership, women in tech, professional development, career advancement, entrepreneurship, social media, client acquisition and financial empowerment.
What events are coming up in your area?
Start your search on popular platforms for upcoming events that match your objectives and interest areas. Platforms I use regularly include ticket websites such as Eventbrite, company websites, networking websites like meetup and other sources.
What is your selection criteria?
It is crucial to have simple criteria that help you select events wisely. Personally, I recommend the following selection criteria.
  • Topics - Is this an area that interests you? Should you be interested in this topic?
  • Speakers - Are they people you know? Are they known experts in their field?
  • Price - How much are you willing to pay for an event to make it valuable?
 
Phase 2: Preparing for an event
Personally, I have discovered that I get the most value from an event when I prepare before I attend it. The time spent on preparing for events differs depending on my investment. Some activities I recommend you do in preparation for events include:
  • Research event description, topics, and agenda.
  • Check out speakers on LinkedIn and their work.
  • Invite friends to accompany you or look for people in your network who might be interested in attending.
  • Outline 3-5 objectives for the event.
 
Phase 3: Participating in the event
You are prepared and want to get value from the event now let's discuss things to do at the event.
  • Ask questions and contribute - Be an active participant.
  • Network - meet people, exchange business cards, add people on LinkedIn.
  • Take notes - you want to be able to refer to your learnings at a later stage.
  • Share on social media - this is new, and I am on a learning journey.
 
Phase 4: Wrapping up after the event
As a project manager, I have learned that it is essential to spend time reflecting and wrapping up an event afterwards. My learnings are amplified when I do the following after the events I attend:
  • Check if event met your objectives.
  • Summarize learnings and next steps.
  • Share your experience with friends or colleagues - I recently started sharing in my Events blog posts.
  • Plan your next event.
 
Call to action
  • Find an event in your area of interest around you and attend.
  • Apply my tips and adapt accordingly.
  • Please share your experience with me.
 
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Building your professional portfolio -  HER JOURNEY

9/4/2018

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Do you have a professional portfolio?
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When I started my new job in US, no one knew about the work I had done previously and who I was professionally. I had to introduce myself professionally. I found it very difficult to talk about the work I had done and my accomplishments. I quickly learned the importance of having my professional portfolio and started creating one to cover my work experience in Germany. Today, in addition to my regular Resume/CV, my professional portfolio is a crucial artifact in my toolkit. I encourage everyone to create and maintain your professional portfolio.
In this post, I share some fundamental principles and my Mentees’ journey to creating her and maintaining her professional portfolio.  This post is co-authored by Jovian Chen.
 
What is a professional portfolio?
  • A professional portfolio is an organized collection of relevant documents and artifacts that showcase your talents, most relevant skills, and charts your professional growth. (Source: Developing a Professional Portfolio).
  • It is a snapshot of your work that highlights your value, skills, experience, and accomplishments.
  • Your portfolio can include a professional bio, project outline, work samples, positive feedback/review, awards/recognition, training, growth areas and much more.
 
Why do you need a professional portfolio?
I like the view shared in the themuse article "Why You (Yes, You) Need a Professional Portfolio" on why you need a professional portfolio.
“Think of it like this: As a professional (regardless of your field), you are a business of one. When a company chooses to employ you, it is “purchasing” your business’ service. You can think of your professional portfolio as a marketing brochure for the services you are selling. By showcasing your skills, abilities, and achievements, your portfolio helps your customers (your employers) and prospects (your potential future employers) understand what services you provide and why they are special—and worth the purchase price!”
Your professional portfolio can help you do the following:
  • Track your progress and growth.
  • Present yourself during job Interviews.
  • Provide proof of your work for performance reviews.
  • Provides you with concrete leverage for salary negotiations.
  • Motivate you by showcasing your achievements.
 
Jovian's journey
Jovian is an Asian American who grew up in Southern California. She is a thriving interactive Project Manager. She specializes in leading User experience and Innovation projects.

How long have you been keeping your professional portfolio?
I have been keeping a work portfolio for almost two years now. Initially, my only existing documentation of my work experience was my resume, but I realized that the descriptions I had were very high-level. Resumes are great for providing an overview of my entire career and educational background for recruiters, but my portfolio enabled me to have growth conversations within my company that extend beyond three bullet points. Similar to how resumes are updated continuously, I do the same for my work portfolio. 

Why do you have a professional portfolio?
I started keeping a portfolio at the suggestion of Marie-Christin, who has been an amazing mentor and professional sponsor to me. Keeping a portfolio allows me to share updates during our monthly check-ins easily. It provided a visual overview of the skills I have acquired and challenges that I have faced on various projects. My portfolio also served a key role in starting a conversation on the promotion process with my manager. Most importantly, I was able to set aside time to reflect on my career path and receive feedback.  

How did you build your professional portfolio?
  1. I started by chronologically listing the projects I had worked on thus far, summarized by a table of contents.
  2. Then I broke down each project into areas that I wanted to focus on, such as Responsibilities, Skillsets, and a Growth Plan. (See example at the bottom of the post)
  3. I reviewed my portfolio with my mentor, and we discussed the goals I have set for myself. During this time, I made sure to ask for her input to gain a new perspective on a particular challenge or method of project management. I also included a list of managers/advisors that I have worked closely with that can speak to my performance.
  4. To conclude, I created a simple slide that outlined high-level goals that I want to achieve. 

What is the most significant benefit of having your portfolio? How has it helped you so far?
In addition to my resume, Linkedin profile, and personal website, my portfolio is a centralized workspace where I can take a deep dive analysis into my career trajectory. Each version helps me track milestones in my professional journey. I encourage you to do the same! I know that several years later, I will be able to look back and piece together my journey and track my growth. It is helpful to see how my goals have evolved. Now I have a reference document whenever I am asked about my background and work experience.

What were some of the challenges you faced initially or still encounter with your portfolio?
  • Reviewing what I have worked on and organizing my experiences in a textual format allowed me to revisit the different tracks of work that I owned. Finding the time to have internal reflections was more challenging than I thought. It was interesting to note that although my role centers on managing projects for clients, I struggled to find time in managing my own “career project.”
  • Another challenge I faced in creating my portfolio was determining the optimal format. Excel, PowerPoint, Word document? Eventually, I found PowerPoint to be my preferred choice due to its ease of use, customization, and presentation. The content of my portfolio is always changing, and I can say the same for the format as well. Once I start my reflection and sift through past challenges, lessons, and goals, I feel a sense of accomplishment and anticipation for the journey ahead.  
What are the top 3 lessons you have learned through the process?
Lesson 1: Set actionable goals each time you make an update on your portfolio. Ask yourself:
  • “What can I still improve on?”
  • “How have I grown since my last revision?”
  • “Who can help me achieve these goals?”
Lesson 2: It is easy to get caught up in the details of your day-to-day. Find time for yourself to journal, talk with a mentor, anything that will allow you to zoom out and see the bigger picture.  
Lesson 3: Share this with someone that can help you achieve your goals. Learning from other people’s experiences is extremely valuable, and it is essential to start building a community that will support you.  

Final thoughts
  • Thanks, Jovian for sharing your journey with us.
  • Every woman should have a professional portfolio.
  • Start building your portfolio today. See some great resources below.
 
Great resources
  • Why You (Yes, You) Need a Professional Portfolio
  • Developing a Professional Portfolio
  • How and Why You Need To Make a Career Portfolio
  • Professional Portfolio Examples and The Pros and Cons of Each Type
  • Creating Your Professional Portfolio
  • Preparing a Portfolio
  • 51 Items to Include in Your Job Career Portfolio
  • Set Yourself Apart: How To Create Your First Professional Portfolio
  • Why You Need a Professional Portfolio

Jovian's Example
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2 Comments

My Life in Germany: Year 1 and 2

2/4/2018

2 Comments

 
I want to share my story so women on their relocation journey know they are not alone with their challenges.
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In August 2001, my relocation journey continued with a move to Germany from Nigeria. I was excited to start the next phase of my life - Studying. Looking back, I can see how unprepared I was for my move. I had no idea what opportunities and challenges awaited me and how the journey will change my life. A phrase to summarize my first two years in Germany is "It is all fresh, new and very scary."
 
This post continues the "Her relocation" series with a very personal story of my life in Germany. This post is the beginning of a series of posts of how I lived, struggled and thrived in Germany. My 14-year journey cannot be compressed into a single blog post. I will break my story into the following phases:
  • Year 1 - 2: It is all fresh, new and very scary.
  • Year 3 - 5: Feeling stuck and not seeing progress.
  • Year 6 - 10: I can make this work for me.
  • Year 10 - 14: Ok, it is not that bad. I can live and thrive here.
 
Why am I sharing my story?
You might be wondering what value I see in taking a trip down memory lane and sharing my story. I have three reasons for writing these posts:
  1. Retrospective: Looking back to remind myself of some of the challenges I overcame.
  2. Encouragement: Support other women who are on a similar journey.
  3. Sharing: Share tips, learn from one another to succeed on our relocation journey.
 
My Story:
Let me tell my story with the help of key challenges I faced.
 
Missing my family 
For the first time in my life, I was alone without my twin sister and mother whom I spent every day with until I moved to Germany. In 2001, staying in contact and communicating with my family was very difficult. There was no WhatsApp back then and phone calls to Nigeria we extremely expensive. I went for long stretches of time without being able to talk to my family. I did not get to see my family for the first two years - Wow. I am so happy that technology now offers us multiple ways to stay in contact with our loved ones no matter where they are.
 
Culture shock
Before I moved to Germany, I had visited for summer vacation. A vacation does not prepare you for living in a country. Living in Germany was very different from my life in Nigeria. Unlike many people who relocate, I did not have the "honeymoon phase" when I moved to Germany, I went straight to feeling disappointment, confusing feelings, and frustration. My biggest challenge was getting used to how much longer it took people to interact with you. I later learned how to approach people differently and build bridges.
 
Grown-up Life is hard
I was only 15 when I moved to Germany, so the first years were fast-tracked growth years for me. I had to deal with aspects of life that my mum or other adults in my life took care of in Nigeria. Growing up we went through some difficult times; however, my mum was a rock and shielded us from a lot. Now being in Germany, I had to grow up, face everything that came my way and makes difficult decisions for myself. It started with choosing the course I would study in University. I learned the most valuable lessons from getting it wrong.
 
Finances and Jobs
Who knew babysitting would one day provide means for me to support myself financially? My first babysitting job was for a Doctor from England/Barbados, married to a German and new to Germany. I met her on a train when she was pregnant; we became friends when she finally had the baby I was happy to help and earn some money too. Babysitting served me well for my first years. There were many valuable lessons I learned about increasing, managing and stretching my income.
 
Not feeling at home
When I just moved to Germany, the questions people asked me the most were "where are you from?" and "when are you going back home?". I would quickly learn that to succeed in Germany; I had to start building a home and a community. I lived in a tiny village with nonexistent diversity which made having a community impossible. After a few months, I moved to a slightly bigger town where it was somewhat easier to build a community. I started the long journey of making Germany my home.
 
Language barriers
Living in a tiny village in Germany, no one spoke English, and I could not have a conversation in German. The communication barrier had a significant impact on me as someone who likes to talk to people. I took my language course seriously and practiced on anyone willing to listen - especially on the train. Being able to communicate helped me study, get a job, build a community and settle down in Germany.
 
Weather:
I arrived in Germany in the middle of summer. Excellent time to move there. Autumn was a little cold but ok. Then winter came. I was not prepared for what winter will do to me. My first winter was real winter with a lot a lot of snow and temperatures of -20 degrees centigrade. I had never felt so cold in my life and wasn't prepared at all. Also, why was it getting dark at 4 pm? I am not sure I started liking winter later, but I got used to it and got very warm jackets.
 
Holidays and Key Events
Celebrating birthdays and major holidays like Christmas alone was very hard. Being a twin, I have always had a birthday companion. My first birthday alone, when I turned 16 was very lonely. If you are Nigerian or know any Nigerian, you know Christmas is a very big deal. I can tell you that my first Christmas was very cold and unhappy. Strangely, celebrating alone taught me to be comfortable with being alone and valuing the times I get to celebrate with my family more.
 
10 Tips to win in the first years 
Are you in Year 1 or 2 of your relocation journey? You might feel like you will never settle into your new home. I can assure you that things will get better slowly but surely. These are some lessons learned from my experience and the experience of other women.
  1. Be prepared - be aware of emotions you will go through in the first years. Especially the negative emotions like anger and fear.
  2. Ask questions - you will be lost. Get all the help you can get. Don't waste time trying to do everything on your own.
  3. Have a plan - you need to know what you want to achieve in your new country and act.
  4. Make it your new home -  take steps to build your new life here. At times when things get difficult, do not flee.
  5. Build your support system: make new, very close friends - you will need a local support system.
  6. Strive for financial independence - learn the path to making money in your new home. Having your own money will make things easier.
  7. Discover your new home: travel, see different places. You might find something you like.
  8. Learn the language - take language classes from the beginning, speak to locals
  9. Attend events - get out of your house. Attend social and professional events.
  10. Don't preserve the past - you are in a new country now, focus on your life here and try not to keep looking back to where you were before.
 
Final Thoughts
  • Learning: There are great lessons to learn through the challenges you face. Start learning!
  • Be positive: I stayed optimistic because I believed things would get better - I still have this view today.
  • Gratitude: As I close out this post, I would like to thank the lovely ladies who were there for me and helped me through my first years. You know who you are!
  • Read more "Her relocation" posts.

Please share any additional tips you have in the comment section below.
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    Marie-Christin Anthony
    -Learning and sharing

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