1. On maternity leave and you're dreading your return to work


2. Preparing for a performance review with your boss or manager


3. Flirting with the idea of self-employment, but you're not sure if it's the right option for you


4. Getting a lot of job interviews, but you're not landing any jobs


5. Bored with your current position and you want to switch gears


6. A female entrepreneur who wants to increase sales without cold calling

It was a natural transition. As a project manager in the technology sector, I was responsible for maintaining goals and timelines, resolving conflict, coaching my direct reports to achieve their best and always looking for ways to succeed. In my coaching business today, I rely heavily on the skills that made me great as a project manager so I can develop excellence in my coaching clients. As a coach, I help my clients reach their desired goals, achieve their best and look for ways to exceed their own expectations, yet I'm also blunt. Call me the Empowerment Diva.

When schmoozing, it's all about giving information, helping people to connect with others, building rapport with new contacts and nurturing ongoing relationships. These are all feminine qualities that women are born with, therefore, networking for women should be as natural as giving birth. Also, because women hate cold calling or hard selling, networking is a perfect way to build your business because it relies on your God-given traits that are innate.

What advice would you give to women entrepreneurs who are reluctant to attend networking events?

First, you're networking already. Whenever you refer a plumber to your neighbor or a mechanic to a family member, you're participating in the value of connections.

There is a natural fear to schmoozing. I recommend that women:

1. Practice small talk on every day people. I tend to chat with the cashier at the grocery store, the waiter at the take-out counter or the chap behind the dry cleaning counter. These are all great opportunities to practice your small talk.


2. Read up on new trends and events. Being current is a great way to spice up your small talk. Understand what's going on in your world and read a few books on the bestsellers list so you're never in an uncomfortable position.


3. Practice, practice, practice. Go to 2 or 3 networking events and approach friendly faces. Then, practice your small talk, dress professionally, smile a lot and just relax.

Overall, just act natural. Nothing says that you're weird if you're trying to follow some networking formula or process that you read on a website or in a book. Networking isn't a process, it's an art. And only when you treat this art as a natural extension of who you are will you be successful at it.

What advice would you offer to a woman who needs to balance full-time conventional employment with building her business?

Many women tend to look short-term, getting caught up in office politics and bad bosses that are plaguing them today. They become so wrapped up in their problems, they forget to plan ahead.

I remember when I was working full-time and trying to run a business on the side. It was tough, but it wasn't until I put a plan of action together that I started to see results. It took 12-months for me to leave my full-time job for good, but I've been self-employed ever since.

In my teleclass where I teach women the techniques to leave their job for good in 12-months or less, I recommend that they put together a plan, with tasks and target dates to get things done. Without an action plan or a roadmap, you can expect to continue spinning your wheels.

Who have been your mentors on your professional journey?

I don't have any mentors. Instead, I admire qualities in many people and thank the good Lord that I already embody those traits or I'm close to it. I visualize a lot, dreaming about what I'll look like, where I'll be living and what type of lifestyle I will have in 5- or 10-years. Whenever people ask me who are my mentors or who's my role model, I say: "Me, in 10-years." I am proud of my achievements to date, however, there's still more work that needs to be done.

If you could offer these Wild Women Entrepreneurs one tidbit of wisdom, what would it be?

Having a spiritual connection to a higher being is critical to your success. Whether you meditate daily, do yoga or attend a church, mosque or synagogue, connecting daily with your creator or the universe is so important to understanding how your business will impact your community.

Often, I bring spirituality into my coaching sessions to help my clients connect with their purpose in life. Now, just to be clear, I never dump my own beliefs on a client, however, if they expressed that they're spiritual, I help them to connect their spirituality with their mission and business.

Without building that spiritual connection, we can't ever expect to understand our greater purpose in life. And for many women who want to start their own businesses, they do so to leave a legacy behind, as well as to be independent and spend more time with family. Understanding where you should spend your energy helps you to connect your business to a wider strategy. You can only do this by asking a higher being for guidance and inspiration.

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