It all began when I was just two years old and was in dance school. I was the youngest student the dance studio ever had. After everyone else shuffled off the stage at the end of my dance recital, I was brought back on, all by myself, for one last solo performance. I remembered how scared I was but with the spotlight shining on me in the center of the stage, I was instructed to blow kisses with my hands out to the audience. The crowd cheered and applauded. Some even blew kisses back to me! It was that moment that taught me to embrace my fears and learn to love being in the spotlight. As the youngest of five children, I often got most of the attention. Being the baby of the family came with many advantages. I was cared for by my older siblings until I was no longer the living baby doll and not fun to play with anymore. As I got older and attended school, getting attention became more difficult.
I started exploring ways that drew attention to me like sharing personal stories and getting people to laugh. I freely shared knowledge and offered help to others without expecting anything in return.
Getting attention from others can be done in various ways, but it’s important to remember that the context and your intentions matter. Seeking attention should be respectful and positive, and it’s essential to be considerate of others’ feelings and boundaries.
When I started my business in 2002, I created a group called the Motivational RoumdTable. I didn’t realize it at the time but by stepping into a leadership role, I was attracting attention and becoming known in my community. In 2005, I became the Executive Managing Director for an international women’s organization called eWomenNetwork and organized monthly Accelerated Networking events. This took me from being locally recognized to being international. It was during this time that I received the award for Women in Business Champion from the U.S. Small Business Administration, I even got a letter from President George W. Bush!
In 2010, I started my podcast called The Accomplish Radio Show. The show was broadcast every weekday for one hour. As the host of the show, I interviewed many guests who had appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show. Many of them shared their interview with their fans on social media and I gained exposure to my brand as a result. The show has had over 110,000 listeners to date and people still replay old episodes.