Articles

Yesterday Was A Good Day


Friday, June 12, was a good day here at Debworks.

I enrolled two new customers to Melaleuca. I accepted an offer to represent the media at a conference in Chicago next week. I completed two issues of my newspaper and posted many blog posts to the www.readhampton.com so my readers won’t miss a thing while I’m gone. We got my dad to rehab to help strengthen his weakened muscles.

That’s a whole lot of good luck in one day!
But wait, is it really good luck?
Actually, no it’s not. Good luck is really just when preparation meets opportunity.
Let’s take a closer look at how these events came about.
I have been having conversations (in person, over the phone, via email) with my two new customers. The young lady, I first did a presentation for her ONE YEAR AGO. She’s a new friend from my community. We have spoken once a month since June 2008 about Melaleuca. No pressure – just a few tidbits of information and asking “are you ready to be a customer?” I gave her information so she could compare our products to what she is currently using. She called me yesterday and said she was ready. We did the deal right over the phone – and she is now happy.
The young man I enrolled last night is a busy man. He’s got a family and a demanding job. The hardest part for him was sitting down with his wife for one hour and viewing our online live presentation. After about four months, we both finally had last night at 8 p.m. open – and we watched the presentation online. He’s a smart guy – and realizes the value of the products and the company and how his life will be improved by being a customer. We completed his enrollment online. Easy breezy.
I got a twitter Wednesday suggesting I should fill out a form to be eligible to represent the blogging/twitter media at a conference in Chicago next week. I filled out the form. I got an email Thursday night offering the position to me! I did accept and will be attending the conference and writing about it. I started studying in depth social media last October. I was laid off and realized I needed to have multiple streams of income. I’ve done (and continue to do) my homework. I attended the Successful Outstanding Bloggers Conference in May, where I met many like minded people. I started Debworks as a business this month. Reporting about this conference is just perfect. I will be learning about using social media for businesses – and also how to be using it internally. I’ll meet the presenters and get interviews with them. It will provide another avenue to my business that I can roll into what it is I can do for my clients.
I collect stories, conduct interviews, take pictures and talk to people about Franklin County all the time. I also write all the time. It’s nice to have plenty of articles and news for the times when I need to compile all that information in one day. It’s a process. One that works for me.
My dad’s heart works at 20% and won’t get better. It’s hard for him to get around – and he uses a walker. For the last six months, he’s been sitting in his chair an awful lot. He says it hurts to walk. His feet hurt. His head hurts. His body hurts. My brother and I do what we can to get him out and about. Lately, it hasn’t been working. Mom and I went to Public Health (a great group here locally that supports our community and offers services and advice to all income levels). They suggested we talk to his doctor and get a prescription for physical therapy. We went the doctor and had the conversation and he heartily agreed.
Yesterday we took dad for his first appointment. He got a chance to tell a professional (not his family) what was happening and what he wanted. She worked with him – made him sweat! He’s got to stay active or he will lose his mobility. We’ll be going three times a week for a month. She will give him exercises to do at home. Sometimes you just need a third party validation to what you know is right. The payoff for me? My dad will live longer and have a better quality of life.
So was I lucky Friday? Nope. I was blessed. See what a little work and perservence will do for you?

picture is of a home office I particularly like from Jeremy Levine Design.

2 Comments

  1. Danielle on June 13, 2009 at 4:39 pm

    Awesome stuff Deb! When you lay the groundwork things do happen – people just need to remember that it might not happen on the timeline they expect!



  2. Deb Brown on June 13, 2009 at 9:41 pm

    Danielle,
    Isn't that the truth? I dripped on the one lady for a year. In the meantime, we've developed a great relationship – so it will be a stronger one for the time put into it!