Have you asked for help today? This week?

I was at an event for Entrepreneurial Moms earlier this week.  It was me, getting out of my comfort zone and trying to network.  Sigh.  Talking to strangers.  Not my strength.  But I did it.

The speaker was Paula Pyne of Uplift! Consulting (http://upliftconsulting.com/) and she was great.  My take away from her talk and the group's contributions - which won me a 30 minute consultation with Uplift! Consulting - was the need to ask for help.  A common theme for me and my life is the need, or maybe it is just a perceived need, to do it all myself.  Sometimes it is based on the perception that no one can do it as well as me, or it would take too long to show someone how to do something, or that I don't really trust others.  Lots of issues for me to address in there, that's for certain.  However, what I have noticed over the past little while, as I try to get my business up and running, is that if you ask, people generally will help.  That's right.  Ask and you will receive.  It's biblical and true.  Some examples:

Need to have a poster reviewed because it doesn't look quite right and you can't articulate everything that makes it unappealing to the eye?  Ask your good friend who is a Marketing guru.  It only took her a few minutes to point out what bugged me and would have taken a lot longer to figure out.  Thank you.  I am truly grateful for your help.

Need a mentor to help get through the first few months of start-up craziness?  Did you know that your neighbour/friend has a sister-in-law who owns two successful franchises in a different line of business and is more than willing to share her wisdom?  She had someone help her in the early days, too, and wants to give someone the same hand up that she received.  Phew!  I'm glad I caught the bus downtown that day and we got into conversation.  I am looking forward to our coffee/tea/beverage of choice and the rich conversation we will have.

Sometimes help is offered and you just have to accept it!  For example, my small business banker is responsible for scheduling the small business showcase area at two branches of TD Bank.  I am now set up to have a display and a ballot box where I will be giving away three hours of professional cleaning for clients at one branch in March and another in July.  I didn't rest on that, though.  I know someone who works for TD Bank and I have asked her if she has a showcase table and who I should talk to about booking it.

If you want to gain momentum, ask for help.  People want to help.  It makes them feel good, too.