I know this sounds like a sales pitch but I assure you, it’s not going to be that. I want to share my personal experience in case it can help you the way it has helped me. Life has a way of taking us down some weird and wonderful paths. You never know who you’re going to meet, or how that meeting may alter your life. With that in mind, I want to share with you how hiring a publicist changed the course of my life forever – for the better. This is about how the right person asked me the right question to refocus me in a way I didn’t even know I needed.
I met Crystal Richard at a social media convention in San Diego, California in March of 2019 through mutual friends.
While I only spoke with her in passing a few times over the course of those 3 days, she seemed like a really nice person with a beautifully sunny disposition. I began following her on social media and was quite impressed with her entrepreneurial side. Like myself, she was a multi-passionate entrepreneur. Crystal owns her own PR firm and often shares the work of her impressive roster of clients. She also had a personal blog that helps you develop a coastal crush on her home province of New Brunswick. Crystal also has an apparel company of sea-worthy designs she was regularly promoting and attending trade shows with.
While struggling with my own overloaded work schedule, I reached out to Crystal to ask if we could have a chat about how she juggles her own busy workload from multiple businesses. Over a zoom call, we got to know each other, as well as share trade secrets about how we each operated. It was extremely helpful, plus Crystal’s energy and enthusiasm is something that should be bottled up and distributed to the world. It’s contagious, in the best way.
As my businesses expanded, I felt it was time to look in to professional help to spread the word of what I was doing, as well as look for new opportunities. I didn’t have time to write press releases or make media contacts on top of everything else I was doing. I reached out to Crystal again, and we scheduled a discovery meeting to see if we were the right fit. That one meeting was priceless.
I feel like I am actually living a dream. A dream I realized when the perfect person asked me the perfect question.
Crystal asked me a series of questions, but the hands down most important one was “what are your dream goals?”
Dramatic pause.
What were my dream goals? I honestly wasn’t sure. If felt like when you wake up kind of remembering a dream, but can’t quite get the details. I had a vague idea, but suddenly wasn’t sure what I was working towards. Like ‘I want to be a whatever-figure business’ – but doing what? What is my end game? I knew I was working hard on my businesses, and I wanted them to grow and succeed, but what were MY actual dream goals? After sitting back and thinking about it, I outlined a few things for Crystal but once we got off our call I REALLY stewed on it, and it lit my heart on fire. If I could be anything in the world, what would it be? I am in that position now? I knew it wasn’t working 60 hour weeks tethered to my laptop in an office.
One thing I really wanted to pursue was writing. I had done freelance writing for the local paper in St John’s, Newfoundland on the side. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but never considered it as something I should pursue. Now here I am, sitting at my desk in our Airstream trailer (affectionately named Clutterbug) in a field by a creek without cell service. I’m looking at the trees surrounding me, and listening to the gentle rain pinging on the aluminum shell while writing a travel article about my favourite places in Nova Scotia. I feel like I am actually living a dream. A dream I realized when the perfect person asked me the perfect question.
Maybe you’re not in a position to hire a publicist, and that’s ok. If it’s something you’ve considered or think you might be interested in knowing more about, I obviously suggest you reach out to Crystal. She’s your biggest cheerleader – you just don’t know it yet. The moral of the story is that sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes to help you see things more clearly. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help or to even just discuss options and brainstorm. In the meantime, I’d like to extend the same thought provoking question that she did to me, that lit my heart on fire:
What is your dream goal?
Take your time. Think it out. And most importantly, don’t limit yourself with this answer. Dare to dream big.
Now how will you get yourself there? Start with the goal and work back from that. If you need help with that question or answer, reach out to a close friend, someone who’s doing what you want to do, a coach, or feel free to pop me an email. Let’s reach our dream goals together!