Understanding the Mission in my 9th year of Business

Charli Magic-EmpoweringBrands-98

This week, I took some time to reflect on my last nine years of being a business owner. I found it hard to pinpoint one lesson or theme to the journey.  I believe it is because I constantly grow and change each year. So, I’ll focus on this last year and three things that became very clear to me.

Understanding Mission

I have always felt that I didn’t quite fit in this industry.  Not because I am a woman, WOMEN fit here. ( my staff edited Girl to Woman here… I love thinking of myself as a girl… Just a girl underestimated but determined to shine – I think that is why I love Gwen’s song, “Just a Girl”).  I had felt at odds because I didn’t make or design anything. I often join organizations where I am listed as a media partner without “real” membership, a right to vote, or permission to be present in certain settings.  This created doubt in my mind if I truly belonged. I questioned if I could truly make a difference in the industry. This had been my limiting belief. After much reflection, I know I create and design things all the time. Having said that, I think my asset to the industry is my voice.  Communication, our voice, is one of the most valuable tools we have in the toolbox! I understand now the value of communications and how much our community needs media to share stories where the world can understand them.  It is also our job to use our voice to share the hard stories and to let leadership know when something is important to our industry.  As I worked with my team to create the #EmpoweringIndustryPodcast, I felt myself come alive. The voice of industry… a mission that I could proudly champion.  I am truly interested in the lives of the people who help our world run. I have met so many people over the last 17 years in the pump & equipment industry, and I am happiest when I am giving back to this community.  Connecting engineers and operators, sales and marketing, CEOs to interns, and welders to fashionistas!  This really inspires me, and I can see the difference it makes in the lives of others.  So my purpose hasn’t changed – I am still very much a part of this industry, and I love connecting and sharing stories of the amazing workforce that makes up… Industry!

Taking Care of myself

Ok. I am not expert in self-care, but I have made time to study it and improve. To be able to improve, we must be able to focus.  If you want focus, your brain must get the H2O it needs to work!  Otherwise, there will be no real focus happening… So, drink more water! It’s a habit worth forming! That wasn’t the hard part for me. My biggest challenge was giving myself permission to rest. I like to work. I like to travel. I like to meet with the best in our industry, but I found that I didn’t make time each day to reflect or reset.  Looking back, I think breathing was just too much of a pause sometimes 🙂 I have been learning how to stop and take time to just breathe. As a woman of faith, I start my day with a moment with God.  It is wonderful to know there is a purpose for your life each day and that you are loved without having to earn that love through works. If you start your day looking at how you can add value to other people’s life, it really makes a difference in your conversations and your work. Then, I plan my breaks throughout the day.  As a person who doesn’t like routine or stopping when a project isn’t finished, it was hard. But, I realize I am a better thinker when I shift gears for a bit when I feel my body tiring.  This doesn’t even have to be just sitting and doing nothing (this is stressful for me).  I can just do something different for a while. Usually I walk outside and check on my roses or go play a quick tennis match with my daughter (this is me just running after balls really). Sometimes I take a moment to paint or color, or take a good nap with my NapBar box! Then, I can come back to the project refreshed and with a renewed mind.

Encouragement from a network

I think the number one reason for our company’s success is the power of our network.  This Community has embraced my #charlimagic and continues to support me every day.  They have also supported our team, and for that I am truly thankful! I have an amazing team who loves our community as much as I do and enjoys serving the needs of our customers each day.  I am truly thankful for everyone who has helped me grow the Empowering Pumps & Equipment platform where we connect, inform, and educate the industry with purposeful content. We will continue to be your information and connection hub for the pump & equipment industry!  I would also like to recognize the women and men who have joined the Empowering Women in Industry Community! You have encouraged and inspired me this year to chase those big dreams and know that I absolutely belong in this industry with all you amazing leaders. I am truly thankful for you and look forward to another amazing year together!

A moment to reflect on #WEFTEC and #EmpoweringWomen2019

Empowering Women 2019

Last week was one of those weeks you want to replay over and over! Every year, we prepare for WEFTEC like we are preparing for a marathon.  We know it will be tough both mentally and physically.  There are so many people to see and technologies to learn about. There are service projects and networking events that leave you feeling energized and exhausted all at once.  I was so incredibly proud of my team.  Each person knew their role and executed it with excellence.  As we focus on improvement and innovation in our company daily, we know we could do better with more resources and better planning.  Having said that, we will continue for a few more days admiring a job well done before we move on to all the tasks that must be done… Y’all believe that right LOL… My team is already executing the follow ups!

We do have more to celebrate!!!  Not only did my team master #WEFTEC week, we also executed the Empowering Women in Industry Conference & Awards Gala, successfully!  I have been to a lot of events over my 16 years in the industry, and I will say this one is my favorite!  Not because I got to see the vision I had come to fruition, though that was unbelievable, it was because I watch women’s lives change!

I watched a timid engineer transform into a speaker and even a dancer (before any champagne, I might add).  I watch women connecting with women they had never met; sharing some of their most intimate and challenging stories. The best thing about this was the energy!  It was not an energy of male-bashing or judgment.  It was a group of women actively working to find solutions and help their fellow women in industry succeed!

I am so incredibly grateful that God allowed me to be the one to put a team of empowered women together to #BeTheChange we want to see in the world! The verse that drove me all year was this…

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear or to be timid, but of Power, Love, and Self-discipline”.  

I hope it will also help motivate others to action! We must do the work… we are courageous, we are loving, and we can become our BEST SELF through self-care and education!

I am so thankful for all the women who shared their stories and expertise with our industry… I can’t wait to see everyone again in New Orleans on Oct 8, 2020!

Of course, after an event that touched so many, we have a lot of interest.  If you want to be involved in Empowering Women in Industry, please contact me sooner rather than later at charli@empoweringwomeninindustry.com

Invest in Yourself

Charli-invest-in-yourself

What comes to mind when you read Invest in Yourself?  Is it buying yourself that new outfit? Shopping at Whole Foods? Or being able to invest in your 401K?  Whatever came to mind, I want to challenge you to rethink what this means to you.

I was recently discussing how we often sign up for training events with a sincere intention to attend and improve at a specific subject / area of expertise. In some cases, for whatever reason, we don’t attend. I find myself asking, “What is it that makes us follow through with that commitment?” Does personal development need to be forced by our employers to make sure we put enough attention on it to actually do the task?  Or is it a matter of money?  Is the only way our minds can see value in a commitment if it is tied to money?  Coming from a background of sales, this is something I will continue to research.  In the meantime, allow me to call attention to the importance of personal development and investing in your skills.

Wikipedia defines Personal development as “activities that improve awareness and identity, develop talents and potential, build human capital and facilitate employability, enhance the quality of life and contribute to the realization of dreams and aspirations. Personal development takes place over the course of a person’s entire life.[1] Not limited to self-help, the concept involves formal and informal activities for developing others in roles such as teacherguidecounselormanagerlife coach or mentor. When personal development takes place in the context of institutions, it refers to the methods, programs, tools, techniques, and assessment systems that support human development at the individual level in organizations.

Let’s start with improving awareness and identity.  If we don’t spend time reflecting on our own abilities and how we can improve, we will be in a constant state of confusion.  Not understanding what direction to go or what strengths we possess to get us there.   Understanding who we are or who we would like to become is the first step in personal development.  Spend some time to understand your talents and goals.

Building Human Capital and Employability. This should have Human Resources rejoicing as well as demanding investment into personal development.   How can HR really show that they are building the human capital within their organizations?  I believe there is fear that if we help train our employees to be better at their jobs that they may acquire those skills then leave the organizations.  This fear has increased in recent years with millennials entering the workforce.  I too have struggled with the investment and the ‘unknown’ in an employee’s commitment, but there is no room for abandoning our responsibility to training and building our employees within our organizations.  If you treat your employee well, even if they leave, they will send connections and even sometimes sales back your way.

Invest In Yourself

Self-help… now I am a big fan.  I probably have more books in this area than any other, but this can only go so far.  We must network and grow by connecting with people who are better than us. Networking with role models and mentors who have already figured out much of what we are trying to accomplish.  Joining a network of peers in your industry is one of the most valuable gifts you can give yourself. I say give to yourself, because you don’t have to wait for your boss to sign you up for these opportunities. If you understand the importance of this to your development as a person and an employee, you can easily make the case for this.

As I think about this for our own conference, Empowering Women in Industry,  I have never been more confident in the amount of value something like this will give to your life.  At $350 for a full day of learning skills, networking, and celebrating industry success with dinner and music, I will take back that overpriced purse or wine and take another look at really investing in myself.

So, if the research says we must tie dollars to our commitments to make sure they happen, that is all set up for our event – just know that this is not what is motivating our event. Our event is motivated by the desire to help you invest in yourself. You are worth investing in!!! When you grow, and we grow together, we can #BetheChange.

“Personal development is the belief that you are worth the effort, time and energy needed to develop yourself.” ―Denis Waitley

3 Ways Men Can Support Empowering Women in Industry

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As we continue to build a community of women in male-dominated industries and finalize plans for the Empowering Women in Industry Conference & Gala, I can’t forget about the 79% of our audience that are men.  I want to assure you that shining the spotlight on women in industry will only increase value to you and your organizations.  It does not devalue men.  The end goal is a Diverse workforce.  However, to get there, we must build a more inviting space to be more inclusive; diversity only works when coupled with inclusivity. And inclusivity works both ways.

Just this week, as I planned my #IWD2019 event, I asked a few men to attend.  I got responses like “I don’t want to be in the minority” and “I would stick out like a sore thumb there.” This is the same feeling women have when they are the only woman in the room. It is their passion for this industry and professional goals that drive them forward and over the obstacles which sometimes unintentionally get anchored in front of them. Through my research and life experiences, I know there is a need for a “women supporting women” environment. In a male-dominated industry, this is harder to find.

On a positive note, I have found close to 400 women in my network (when I originally thought it was more like 20) who are actively seeking this supportive network.   What we focus on is what we see! My network ratio has always been 80/20 male.  We just experienced a 1% change because I focused on connecting with women… I am focused on building role models for our industry and our children.  And I need your help.  So, you might feel a little uncomfortable, but know that supporting this initiative is better in the long run. Many women who have a passion for building and problem solving feel uncomfortable and alone most days on the job, so let’s start showing our support for them.

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