Current Events – CIBN

America’s Got Talent Business Lessons

Kerry George — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Golden Buzzer: World Taekwondo Demonstration Team Shocks the Judges - America’s Got Talent 2021

Picture and Video courtesy NBC America’s Got Talent

Business Lessons from America's Got Talent

When talking about business, it is usually delivering on your promises and providing a great client experience. The process is different for everyone, but it starts with intimately understanding your client’s needs and creating deliverables that solve real-world problems for your customer.

Building a Team

Once you identify the fundamentals, the most important business element is getting your team working together towards a single objective. That is not always easy. Everyone pulling in the same direction requires discipline, dedication, planning, organization, and execution so you can reach your stated objectives. Your team is only as strong as the weakest member. It’s critical everyone understands they are not working independently.

Hiring the Best People

Remember, one of the most important elements of a leader’s role in hiring the best people, don’t rush to hire. If you must replace a team member, do so decisively. Hire slowly and fire quickly. Sometimes this includes taking another path and changing your initial approach to attain your goal.

Adapting to the Rapidly Changing World

Given how rapidly the world is changing, you will likely have to make continuous course corrections to your business strategy to stay relevant and grow your audience. In a post-pandemic world, being digitally agile and adapting to the digital world is one of the most important investments you can make in yourself and your business.

An Organic Approach

Businesses need not only be about attaining a goal; I believe in a synergistic relationship between work and play. Clients want an organic approach to their lifestyle where they can have the flexibility they want with a successful business that is self-sustaining. This approach can be translated for most things that we do in business and elsewhere if we put in the work.

The World Taekwondo Demonstration Pulls it Together

If someone told me that you could capture everything about achieving success in business through one video, I would have been skeptical. However, I was highly impressed to see that the World Taekwondo Demonstration Team has taken this approach and elements to heart to produce one of the most impressive displays I have ever seen. Unable to perform at the Olympics as expected, they decided to take another path, showing all of us what it truly means to be part of a team in this unlikely display of business success.

By Michelle Ricketts

Overall, health and fitness always played a part in Michelle’s life and continue to be part of her consulting approach today, differentiating her from others in the industry. Michelle guides business owners to develop a self-sustaining business, generate more revenue, and take back time to do things that excite them!

Raised by a strong, independent single mother, Michelle’s vision and values were instilled early. Michelle’s entrepreneurial journey started in the 90s in event planning and speaking. In addition to Michelle’s over 30-year Corporate career in Media, Logistics and Financial Services, her passions shaped Michelle’s experience, providing innumerable opportunities to give back as a volunteer.

Passionate about making a difference, Michelle is on a philanthropic foundation, “Board of Advisors,” building sustainable schools in developing countries and supporting Digital Samurai’s efforts, an entrepreneur focused on reducing youth unemployment in Africa through apprenticeships.

Michelle’s 35 years as an Account Executive spanned credit card processing and financial services, transportation, logistics, media, and consulting, with many projects including managing consultative alliances, live event management, and sales team leadership. In 2021 Michelle completed Wardell International Advisor training and had recently undertaken S.O.S. Sales Objection System group training with renowned trainer Joe Marcoux. Her career and entrepreneurial ambitions have taken Michelle outside Canada, providing extensive experience in multiple markets in North America and beyond.

You can find Michelle Ricketts on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/michellericketts

Were You Crazy Starting a Business During a Pandemic?

Kerry George — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Photo: Surface

Were You Crazy Starting A Business During A Pandemic?

Having been in the corporate world for 30+ years in three different industries and had the opportunity to be downsized, resized, or released three times in my career, what did I do during a pandemic? Launch a full-time business, of course!

With the opportunity to be resized again, I didn't want to go back into the corporate world. Every bone in my body told me I needed to do something different, but I was still searching for where I could add more value. After coordinating my "3-Day Weekend Lifestyle "event series in 2017-2018 for entrepreneurs to use the expertise of various successful business owners, I wanted to take that concept further. It was time to listen to the universe and do my own thing.

I sought an expert to who I had been introduced to 16 years earlier, and I embarked on a journey to launch my business in spring 2020. Yes, we were in a pandemic, so using Wardell International's Value Program absolutely made sense. Business owners need what Mark Wardell spent the last 20+ years developing and implementing, with thousands of clients in 15 countries.

Not a single Wardell client has gone out of business during this challenging time. They have survived. Some have even thrived by pivoting to meet the moment. It is primarily due to the self-sustaining, strong foundation the Wardell system has helped them build.

We have been able to help business owners get clear on one thing, and one thing only... no process, no profits! The money is in the Systems! Some owners think they don't have systems, but whether you sell widgets or watermelon, McDonald's or Microsoft, everyone needs processes and systems. That is how small companies grow into large, profitable corporations. Everyone is a small corporation just waiting to grow.

What about you? How is your business now? As we open up again, the exciting thing is how you move forward. Those who have been doing the work, putting in the hours, making connections, networking, and following up during the pandemic should now start seeing the fruits of your labour generating success. This is part of the journey that you embarked on two years ago. Following your process and your strategy takes you closer to the goals and strategic objectives you set when you started.

When people ask you if you were crazy starting a business during a pandemic, you can say, "Of course not." If I hadn't started it, then right now, I'd be two years behind! Entrepreneurs who see possibilities and take decisive action will succeed!"

So what do YOU see? Obstacles or Opportunities?

Do you need to jump-start your business? Ask me how you can take advantage of the opportunities all around you At michelle.ricketts@cohesionservices.com

You can find Michelle Ricketts on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/michellericketts

The Secret of Business Success

Kerry George — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000

By: Kerry George

The Secret That Nobody Is Talking About

A secret is something that is not known or seen. I propose that there is a secret of business success that nobody is talking about. Everyone should be talking about this secret of business success because it is that important and powerful that it would change the history of business today, even in this current economic situation. The secret of business success that I am referring to is networking. Those who do it, and do it well, know it’s power. Those who don’t do it, or don’t know that it is the secret to business success fail at an alarming rate. Warmed-up referrals are just one reason one needs to be networking. Though warmed-up referrals will keep a business going and they are extremely beneficial to the bottom line they are the smallest reason one should apply networking as their secret of business success.

There are hundreds of reasons that businesses fail and only a handful of reasons that businesses succeed. One of the advantages that we have been able to offer our Members at CIBN Connect is that they are surrounded by other successful business owners in the network. The business coaches get them on the right track. They learn tax tips from the accountants. They learn investment strategies from the financial advisors, the mortgage brokers, and others with good qualifications but more importantly real-life experience. Some of the secrets of
business success that the learn from one another are truly astounding.

You don't know what you're not told

Consider for a minute that the average consumer does not know that they could own more than one house and pay the same mortgage every month. They don’t know that they likely qualify to own 5 homes instead of one and could be renting the others. They think that would be hard. They think that they don’t know how to be a landlord. They think it would be a financial burden. Why don’t they realize that it is easy and that it would put them into the top income earners of the country? Nobody ever told them. They never met anyone else who did it. They never met a mortgage broker who told them. They only ever went to a bank and the bank is not motivated to tell them this information. This is common information exchanged in our great business network!

The average business owner is grossly underinsured as well. They don’t even know how to properly insure their mortgages on their homes. They once again let the banks lead them in these decisions. They even buy life insurance from the banks! It is hard to believe they missed all of the consumer reports on television, but they did! Check this one out! They have never sat down with a professional insurance provider and talked about their futures with someone who has taken training from multiple providers and has great answers with possibly lower rates available to them. Where would they learn this information? At a networking meeting they would meet people with real answers. Some of these answers contribute to the secret of business success because these professionals also cover how to insure one’s self-employed income in case of sickness or accident, as well a how to have enough life insurance for the family and the business partners. Without these professionals at hand, disaster ensues later. Those in our network who have worked with other professionals tell exceptional stories of how having the proper insurance saved their lives and their businesses when it mattered most.

These things combined with the additional training that we offer from head office on networking, sales, and social media help our Members find the secret of business success. So much so, that even in the recessed economy from 2014 - 2019 here in Calgary (Which was one of the hardest hit oil and gas communities in the world) that we did not lose a single participating Member to business failure during that time. In 2017 alone there were over 6000 businesses that failed in our downtown core. Not one was a CIBN business. Not one. I am talking about active Members of course. We have had people who paid the membership fee and then disappeared. I have no way of knowing how they are doing and I would be surprised if was well. Their lack of commitment to the process would usually spill over into other practices. I am talking about Members who pay their fees and who attend a weekly referral club regularly. These Members get warmed up leads which keep them going. The other Members try hard to connect them to potential clients and they sort through the masses for each other finding
the needle in the haystack. These Members take the free training that is provided for them from CIBN Connect. These Members attend the additional mixers and the events that we offer throughout the year and among these Members we have many success stories.

Success

In our membership we have a bookkeeper who was making only $30,000 his first year with us and today three years later is making $150,000. We have an auto mechanic that this year in 2020 the 19th year of his business hit record numbers during the Covid Summer! We have had a network marketer who went to the top of their pay scale and has since left us to travel the world. We have had a print and promo business that was 35 years old grow by 37% in their second year with us. We have life-time Members who will never vacate their industry seat until they retire or die. Networking works, when one works their nets.

Networking

Networking is critical and in networking with the right group of people one can learn the secret of business success. A business that is out on it’s own without the input of mentors, coaches, trainers, collaborators, supporters, and experienced helpers will succumb to the hundreds of reasons that businesses fail. Most of the time the failure is due to a lack of knowledge that they would have gained by being part of a great network that educated them and supported them when they needed it the most. Have a look at our Membership Page and get started today. Don’t wait to find the secret of business success that you need.

Check out our Memberships - CIBN (thecibn.com) to see how to join today!

As the CEO at CIBN Connect, Kerry George inspires business owners with vision and passion and allows them to thrive in every circumstance.

Kerry is a professional networker who has attended over 6000 networking meetings and has been a keynote speaker for hundreds of online and live events.

As you can imagine, a few things have gone wrong in running that many events. Kerry always keeps a sense of humor during the chaos, which has allowed her to continuously be in good spirits to help other entrepreneurs work through their stuff. (linkedin.com/in/kerrygeorge)

3 Strategies to Thrive in this Pandemic

Kerry George — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 12:00:00 +0000

Our Founding Member, Barbara Hemphill, shares her 3 strategies for how to thrive during this Pandemic:

"The truth will set you free," often credited to Mark Twain, is a poignant reminder for all of us as we move toward a new unknown future. We frequently hear people talk about what Covid has caused. I think it would be more accurate to acknowledge what Covid has revealed. Before the pandemic, we were running so fast that there was no time to reflect on our lives. Now, we have an opportunity to change our lives entirely by addressing 3 strategies for how to thrive during this Pandemic:

1) My relationships
2) My mission
3) My plan

Strategy 1 to thrive in this pandemic

My Relationships

Now is the time to decide where we put our faith since it is evident that many of the beliefs and institutions on which we counted are not stable. It is foolish to ignore the fact that I will die someday. What belief do I hold that will make the rest of my days on this earth bearable, or better yet, joyful? Are there people I need to forgive or thank?

Strategy 2 to thrive in this pandemic

My Mission

What do I want people to remember about me? What do I want to accomplish in this life? As Proverbs states, "Without a vision, the people perish." Answering these questions requires quiet time, which is more available now than ever in my life. Instead of watching the news, which only creates fear, I can spend time in Bible study, prayer, and meditation, which offer me peace and hope.

Strategy 3 to thrive in this pandemic

My Plan

My company, Productive Environment Institute, uses a five-step plan for helping our clients
move forward in their mission:

1) State your vision;
2) Identify your obstacles;
3) Commit your resources;
4) Design and execute your plan; and
5) Sustain your success.

Notice the common word in each of these five steps is "your." God created each of us with the desire that we accomplish our work and enjoy our lives. One caution: The most challenging step is #5: Sustain your success. Very few, if any, of my plans worked out the first time, but if I continue to focus on my vision, I can continue to move forward and encourage others to do the same. Together We Are Better!

Barbara Hemphill

Barbara began her career in the organizing industry in 1978 with a $7 ad in a New York City newspaper. Often referred to as the "Paper Tiger Lady" from her bestselling book Taming the Paper Tiger, she founded the Productive Environment Institute to train and certify consultants in her unique organizing methodology.

Barbara's most recent book, Less Clutter More Life, reveals that physical and digital clutter is emotional and spiritual clutter symptoms. The most common question she gets is, "Where do I start?" The first step to go from Overwhelmed to Optimized is an Assessment — she invites you to visit www.ProductiveEnvironment.com to get your Productive Environment Score in less than 5 minutes.

You can also locate Barbara on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin/in/barbarahemphill/ or her website at https://barbarahemphill.com/

Are you crazy starting a business during a Pandemic?

Kerry George — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Learn about how and why one of our members, Michelle Ricketts, started her business amongst a Pandemic:

"Having been in the corporate world for 30+ years in three different industries and had the opportunity to be downsized, resized, or released 3 times in my career, what do you do during a pandemic? Why launch a full-time business, of course! Well, let me start from the beginning and take you back a few years. I've always loved my career as an Account Executive, primarily sales-focused, but I've got to admit I was never the best salesperson. Still, I was great at working with my clients, guiding them to align with what they needed and what we offered, relationship-building to move forward. One of my colleagues once said I was “like a dog with a bone.” I saw things through to the end, so I had longevity in my career.

Then, with the opportunity to be resized again I didn't want to go back into the corporate world. Every bone in my body told me I needed to do something different, but I was still searching for where I could add more value. After coordinating my "3day Weekend Lifestyle" event series in 2017-2018, for entrepreneurs to use the expertise of various successful business owners, I wanted to take that concept further. It was time to listen to the universe and do my own thing. I sought an expert who I had been introduced to 16 years earlier, and I embarked on a journey to launch my business spring 2020. Yes, we were in a pandemic, which is why using Wardell International’s Value Program, absolutely made sense.

Now is when business owners need what Mark Wardell spent the last 20 years developing and implementing, with thousands of clients in 15 countries. Not a single Wardell client has gone out of business during this challenging time. They have survived, some have even thrived by pivoting to meet the moment. This is primarily due to the self-sustaining, strong foundation the Wardell system has helped them build. In our mastermind format, we use the collective expertise of the group, but we also bring the Wardell perspective to the table. We provide education and tools for clients to build, systemize, strategize and scale their business while increasing profitability and value. We have been able to help business owners get clear on one thing, and one thing only… no process, no profits! The money is in the Systems! Some owners think they don't have systems, but whether you sell widgets or watermelon, McDonald's or Microsoft, everyone needs processes and systems. That is how small companies grow into large, profitable corporations. Everyone is a small corporation just waiting to grow.

We start clients with our “Business Strength Test” so they can understand where they are now. Then we work on four stages, and six key areas of business, helping owners understand that processes and systems directly impact their bottom line. We have found clients see early success as they work through our Process to Profits (P2P) success formula, part of our Value Program.

When people ask me if I am crazy starting a business during a pandemic, I say, “Of course not, in times of great upheaval, all things are possible! Entrepreneurs who see possibilities and take decisive action will succeed!” So, what do YOU see? Obstacles or Opportunities? Do you need to jump-start your business? Ask me how you can take advantage of the opportunities all around us."

Michelle Ricketts

Michelle's Mission transforms her client's business to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams and do a happy dance regularly.

Her services include building a business that contributes to the entrepreneur's personal and professional growth and even the growth of their adjacent communities.

Her focus is on growth, and community originates from childhood. Michelle was raised by a strong, independent, single mother who instilled the necessity of having a vision and strong values from an early age. These values shaped her experience, providing innumerable opportunities to give back to her community.

You can find Michelle Ricketts on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/michellericketts

The 3 People You Must Talk To About Your Shaky Business

Kerry George — Sun, 01 Nov 2020 21:00:04 +0000

Is your business pretty shaky right now? You would not be the only one struggling with a shaky business during the last few months. Business owners all over the planet right now are suffering at an unprecedented rate. Revenue is down, and everybody is on a huge learning curve trying to do things differently than they have ever done things before. So who can you go to when times are tough to get a different perspective on where to start?

The Business coach

Keep your eyes open for a good business coach. How do you know that they are a good business coach for your shaky business? You want to look for somebody who has some level of success. He want to would deal with somebody who has clients already who are prospering. He should not have a shaky business. This person should be able to supply you with fresh ideas, but also time tested strategies that will work in the current economic crisis. They will help you with things like changing your mindset, rethinking your marketing, building systems that work, and restructuring your life and business for success. Business owners who use a business coach are 10 times more likely to succeed than the 80% of business owners who go out of business in their first 5 years. One of the things that most of the failures have in common is that they do not seek advice from professionals who could assist them.

The Accountants and/or Bookkeeper

Do you know how much money is coming in? Do you know how much is going out? Do you know what you're spending it on? Do you know the things that you're spending money on that are giving you a return? Are there things billing out on your credit card that you haven't even checked on? What area of your business is the most profitable? What does it cost you to acquire one customer? Do you know the answers to these questions? If there is anybody who may be able to help you decipher them it is your accountant, or your bookkeeper. Not only will they be able to narrow down what is profitable in your business by looking at the numbers, they will also have other clients who are being profitable right now in this economy. They will know some of the things that those clients are currently spending their money on that is making a difference for them so they do not have a shaky business. You need to make an appointment with your accountant, or bookkeeper today and find out what they think you need to do in order to become more profitable.

The Networker Or The Connector

Do you know somebody who did does a lot of networking? Do you know somebody who is a natural born connector or who is connected to a lot of people? This person is someone who goes to a lot of networking meetings, and they are widely known in your city, not just in one industry but in many industries. A real connector is not somebody who is famous within just one niche market. A connector is known in multiple markets by many people from several industries. They know who does a good job in marketing, who can help you get the best investments, where to find that amazing accountant, and what is working right now on social media. They know this because they are connected to many professionals and they glean that information from their network.

A connector will save you money by introducing you to fairly priced professionals who get the job done right the first time. A connector will make you money by introducing you to clients who are interested in your products and they have the budget to start spending today when a well earned referral is given.

If your shaky business is struggling right now you need some professionals to get back on track. You may have to cut costs by stopping payment on services that are costing you money. Yet these jobs that they are doing still need to be done. Who will do a good job and give you a better price? Who knows they answer to that question in your city? The connector does. Maybe you need some updates to your website or you need a new website so that you can move more product online right now. Where you gonna find this person? You must know already that it is unprofitable to hire your nephew who suddenly finished marketing. Yes, he can make something pretty but he can't make something profitable because he's never had to earn a dollar in his life. You must know by now that if you risk hiring somebody from the internet that you have never met then you risk forfeiting your deposit. The person who knows the people you need to know is the connector. He has met a website designer that he has seen do regular business with an accountable group of people over a long period of time. If you make a deposit with the person that he refers to you, you are way more likely to have a finished website that produces profitability in a timely manner.

The networker who has been doing it for years knows places that you can cut corners and save money. He knows about government programs that you could qualify for because he has heard other people in his network talk about them. He knows a business coach that won't bleed you dry and actually produces results. He probably knows people you should talk to about cutting your household expenses and the cost of your mortgage as well.

Where do you meet this person? You meet him in a weekly networking meeting where business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals get together to give each other warmed up leads. Find out who is in the room who's been doing networking for years. Get to know that person first. The Connector will be a great asset to you and your shaky business.

Join CIBN Connect and we will be happy to introduce you to all three of these people immediately.

There are many excellent coaches in our network. Here are a couple members you might consider using: Shawna Quigley (https://www.quigleycoaching.com/) and Nicki Chang (https://nickichangpowless.com/)

As the CEO at CIBN Connect, Kerry George inspires business owners with vision and passion and allows them to thrive in every circumstance.

Kerry is a professional networker who has attended over 6000 networking meetings and has been a keynote speaker for hundreds of online and live events.

The Kerry George Story

Kerry George — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 22:24:13 +0000

Like many people I did not think about doing what I do now, when I was a child. Nobody wakes up one day and says, "I think I will pursue a career in networking. Maybe I will run a chamber of commerce or something like that..."

What Did Kerry George Want To Be When She Grew Up?

Like most little girls, I wanted to be an actress. Then I went down a different path. Eventually, I became a business owner who just needed to get more clients. I was a single mom who entered into the business world as a means to try to make enough money to support my family and to give them the things that they were going to need as they were growing older and looking at college.

I had a knack for marketing so I thought that I would turn that into a business, much like other business owners who think that they are good at something or they have a good product to sell. The problem was I really didn't know anything about business and I really knew even less about how to get clients for myself. The bills were piling up, and I was in debt, and I needed to do something fast that was going to turn that situation around.

I stumbled on networking by accident. A friend of mine had been to a networking meeting so they invited me to come along and meet some people from industries who might hire me for my marketing services. Someone there showed an interest so I decided to go to another meeting. It did not take very long and I landed my very first customer networking, by following up with somebody that I met at a networking meeting. Then I was hooked.

It motivated me to go to networking meetings more regularly. I attended a weekly group where people got to know like and trust me and it became quite profitable. I compared my success there to another group that I was attending monthly. I realized that while I enjoyed the monthly group, it was more of a social setting and it was not actually delivering new customers to me.

I found a mentor who had a lot of wisdom and years of experience in the networking space. He helped me to overcome biases that I had about networking that were holding me back. I thought that exactly the right people had to be in the room for it to be worthwhile for me. I believed that I should land a client right in the meeting. I figured my connections should have a certain level of status for them to have any value. He showed me that these expectations would keep me broke and that I would miss money on the table because I was overlooking opportunities. He taught me how to make connections and how to make money even when the candidates did not at first appear ideal.

One of the best lessons that I learned about networking during that time was when I went to a meeting that was two hours drive away. It was extremely inconvenient, early in the morning, and on the day of a massive snowstorm, and only four people showed up. It was difficult to not be discouraged, but I followed his lead as he treated everybody there like they were the most important people that could be there and we began the meeting anyway. I wrote $70,000 worth of business at that poorly attended meeting. As a new business owner that was remarkable! I discovered that day that it was not the size of the event that mattered, and it had nothing to do with my preconceived ideas of who was going to be a good customer.

Over the next decade I learned a lot about networking. I liked networking so much that I decided to let my marketing business go. Along with some partners, I bought a networking organization and soon after I bought another one. I started working with those who had been networking for more than 25 years and I gleaned everything that I could from them. I did interviews from people who were wildly successful at networking. I asked them all kinds of questions about why they were making so much money going to networking meetings. I took that information and I created courses that I can share with our membership base to help them become more successful in their networking endeavors. This is where our boot camps came from and how we developed the foundational pieces to our Networking Success Path.

Who Is Kerry George Today?

Today, I love what I do. What is there not to love? I get to work with entrepreneurs day in and day out. I get to help troubleshoot their challenges. I get to assist with their challenges. I get to participate in their journey. I get to do all of this online and sometimes in live meetings while drinking coffee, wine, and beer. I get to be the friend of movers and shakers and see the world through their eyes. It is an exceptional life!

We have been able to take business owners from every industry and give them a great return on their investment for networking with us. For many of our members networking is their sole method of marketing. It sustains them in good times and bad. These are real people in business for themselves like John Neilson who owns Franklin Auto who has had a really great year even with the events of 2020. People who needed networking, who needed each other for support, and who bought in to all of the things that CIBN Connect offered for them.

Over the years we have added components to assist our members with their social media and online challenges. This was an area that I held a lot of expertise in and I was really to share it with our organization. The Social Media Boot Camp has been a game changer for many of our members who are struggling and frustrated. In the more recent world pandemic that we find all of ourselves in, this information about social media and online training has kept many of our business owners and business from going out of business. It has helped other members in our organization tap into new sources of revenue in the greatest economic challenge of our times.

Networking works! Social media works! These things together creates a new form of social networking that is unstoppable. They will work for you in your business as well.

Join us!

And connect with me Kerry George on LinkedIn. Let's network!

As the CEO at CIBN Connect, Kerry George inspires business owners with vision and passion and allows them to thrive in every circumstance.

Kerry is a professional networker who has attended over 6000 networking meetings and has been a keynote speaker for hundreds of online and live events.

Covid 19 Our Moral Responsibility

Kerry George — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 15:51:03 +0000

Coronavirus And Business Ethics

Yesterday we suspended our weekly referral club meetings, our special events, our masterminds, our training seminars, and every group gathering that we put on live. There are 400 a year in Calgary alone, so there are quite a few that we suspended this week. We moved all operations to Online Networking and offered our Members and other entrepreneurs the help that they needed to network remotely.

Why?

It seems there are so few cases in our community. It does seem that way doesn’t it. Have a look at this research though. The issue here is that with every case we see, there are potentially hundreds of cases that are not making the news. Many of the carriers of this sickness, don’t feel that sick, so they do not realize they are spreading the virus.

The Alberta Government put a stop to meetings over 250 people. We have many smaller meetings. However, if people are carrying this around, how many people are we infecting in a day? I go to a lot of meetings. There are days when I personally see over 250 people. What if I was carrying this disease? Would you want me at your table?

Reality

Between 1% to 5% die from Covid 19. It seems small when you write it out real fast. However, that means that for every death you have in a community, at least 100 people have the virus. Early numbers that were seen in Washington state started recording deaths before they knew they had infection. That means lots of people were walking around with the virus and they did not know it. The real numbers of those carrying the virus is much higher than those being tested because they have symptoms.

Covid 19 And Our Moral Responsibility

Most people think “I am young. I am healthy. I have a trip planned. I am not at any great risk.” They are correct. Covid 19 kills mostly older people, and others with preexisting conditions, but isn’t that a selfish perspective? What about those you encounter when you get back. Are they young? Are they healthy? Are they at great risk?

In the news yesterday was a very sad story of a Calgary infant fighting for her life. Mom and dad who were young, and healthy and not at great risk, took a trip to a “safe” destination. There had been no reports of Coronavirus in Las Vegas, so why worry? I bet they would give anything, to change their decisions now. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. They had no idea that their exposure could lead to the exposure of their child.

The way to stop the growth and flow of this things is to stop interactions with other human beings. It stops it. That is why the Ontario government made such a fast move to shut down the public school system. It is why in Alberta our Universities suspended classes. This is why the NHL and the NBA suspended their seasons. They did not want to. They will lose millions in revenue, but the fact is, it can’t spread if we don’t give it bodies to spread to.

It is not an easy proposition for many of us. My world is a world surrounded with business owners. This will hurt many of us who rely on daily interaction of humans to make the money we need to pay our staff, to keep our lights on, to feed our families. Two weeks off could put some of our business owners out of business. More than that could damage some of their credit ratings beyond repair. Calgary businesses do not have money in reserves like we used to. It has been a hard economy for the last few years which has depleted resources. I did not want to cancel our live meetings. It is where we make our money, but I have a moral responsibility to our Members and to our city. If we keep meeting, we could have one person come in and infect 25 in one event. Those 25 leave and infect hundreds before anyone has the first cough.

Our Membership base is diverse. There are many cultures, men and women, with a strong spread of age. Yet more than 50% of our Members would be over 40. Most of them look healthy to me, but what if they are not? More importantly, how many of them are caring for elderly parents? I happen to know that number is significant without even poling them. I listen when they speak.

It would be irresponsible to keep our meetings going live right now. Imagine if I was personally carrying the virus. I attend dozens of events in a month. Some of the meetings have a dozen people. Some have a few hundred. I have given out 1000 business cards in one month. What if I was feeling fine? Imagine how many people I shake hands within a week? Imagine how many people rush up to me and hug me without giving it a thought. Then they go home and they hug their kids, their grandchildren and their aging parents.

As a leader in our network and a leader in my city, this was the right thing to do. I will not be taking any trips, because I want to be a good example right now. I will not be attending any meetings larger than 3 people who stay at a distance, in a well ventilated area. I will not be shaking anyone’s hand. I will wave. I will wash with soap and hot water many times a day and endure dry skin. I will do 95% of all business interactions through Zoom or the phone. We will continue to have all of our networking meetings including mixers, using an online format, as long as this situation is playing out. Why? It is the responsible thing to do. We want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

What part will you play in this?

As the CEO at CIBN Connect, Kerry George inspires business owners with vision and passion and allows them to thrive in every circumstance.

Kerry is a professional networker who has attended over 6000 networking meetings and has been a keynote speaker for hundreds of online and live events.