When I was on my book tour recently a woman came up to me after one of the events and told me the most gut-wrenching yet inspiring story. Here's what she told me:
10 years ago she used her last $11.00 to pay for parking for a trade show.
She had 3 kids. She was broke. She hated her job. She loved events.
She made business cards and paid for the parking to enter the trade show floor.
She stormed that floor as if she'd been in business for years and told everyone she was a wedding planner. She didn't know where the business was going to take her but she had a desire to plan events and had nothing, except $11 to lose.
10 years later and after a whole lot of lessons, she has a thriving business with 10 employees. Her kids are older now and got to see their mom start a business from scratch and crush it, even though Covid 19.
I was so inspired by her. I cried, I hugged her and I wanted to share her story.
And then....the hits just kept on coming.
All throughout that month, while on tour, I heard one story after another story about these amazing entrepreneurs and what they endured to keep their businesses alive.
I thought to myself:
"Do I write this story?" "Do I tell other people the story?" "How can I share this story?"
And then I decided to create a live stream show about it. Let's back up a bit for some context.
A couple of months prior, an industry colleague, Amani Roberts and I had been hosting weekly live stream LinkedIn shows to promote an upcoming conference to which we volunteered. During that process, people kept asking:
"Your banter is so great with Amani, how long have you known him?"
I said: "I just met him last week"
But the dynamic was good and when the conference ended I kept thinking:
"How can I collaborate with Amani again?"
Then I went on a book tour and a bunch of strangers told me their stories.
One day I thought, "That's how Amani and I can work together again. We can tell all these business stories and more on a live stream together."
A show was born and our very first LIVE show is this Monday July 25th at 1 pm.
The show is called "Adventures in Business"
My original idea when it was just me and a mic was to call it SALES TALES--Live, after my book.
When Amani and I decided to team up, we wanted to name it something neutral to both of us. He has multiple businesses. I have multiple businesses. We didn't want it to be centric to one or the other of us so after many iterations of titles, Adventures in Business won the prize for the name.
Now that I re-read this subject line I am wondering if we should have called it "My Last $11" Maybe that will be the next one.
Anyway, we've been meeting, scripting, practicing, working out tech, creating images, getting equipment, and gathering guests. The live show is finally here and I am so excited.
Wish us luck as we embark on our very own new Adventures in BUsiness.
I hope to see you there, in the comments, in the feed on July 25th at 1 pm on Linkedin.
Mandi Graziano is an author, Goldendoodle mom, wife, hospitality consultant/broker, sales coach, college instructor, board member and now Co-Host of a live streaming show. When she's not doing one of the millions of things above she is riding her bike somewhere in San Diego or enjoying time remotely with her family in Ohio or her chosen family and friends in San Diego.