"You have to see failure as the beginning and the middle, but never entertain it as an end." — Jessica Herrin
Let us tell you a story on how to overcome challenges and face failure. Note that some names have been removed from this article for privacy reasons.
---
The Golden Network was extremely excited to host the second installment of the Entrepreneur in the Spotlight series of events.
Our team created those events for our members and followers to learn valuable entrepreneurial tools and tips through intimate and exclusive conversations with successful entrepreneurs.
Everything had been set for this second event to be successful until the night before when our guest speaker cancelled due to illness. This event was based around our interviewee, so this unavailability had the potential to derail the entire evening.
How does one react when faced with such unsettling news?
Our CEO Victoria Salem was faced with two choices. Either cancelling the event which could cause great disappointment for our members and guests who had already signed up. Or find a solution.
Because we always want to keep our members happy, the first option was out.
So How can I fix this?
The most important thing to do when facing a challenge is to remain calm while assessing the situation and establishing solutions. To help you do that, remember that there are always solutions to any problem and that there are worse situations to be in (we know, easier said than done right!?).
Victoria wondered about the easiest way to find a new speaker on such short notice and the answer came naturally: her network. She practiced what she always preaches and reached out to a few selected contacts to find a replacement speaker. And she succeeded! Through her network, Victoria found a new amazing entrepreneur right on time for our event.
“No matter what kind of challenges or difficulties or painful situations you go through in your life, we all have something deep within us that we can reach down and find the inner strength to get through them.” — Alana Stewart
The beauty of failure
The guests took time to get to know each other while enjoying the drinks The Parcel Yard generously provided us with. The room was buzzing with networking until it was time for the interview to start.
Victoria kicked it off by explaining the ordeal she went through that exact morning, giving us a lesson on the importance of facing challenges head on. We could only agree given that the event was a great success.
She shared her feelings at the moment she heard the news, her feelings when she woke up the next morning hopeful with ideas in mind and her feelings when she found a solution. Since we all face unexpected news on a daily basis, we could all empathize with her story.
She then introduced our guest speaker, a successful entrepreneur helping companies improve their productivity. The talk was extremely informative and enjoyable, making it obvious that our last minute addition was a very experienced public speaker. However our interviewee's most valuable insight from the evening was not an entrepreneurial tip; it was a lesson on failure and how valuable it can be.
It was agreed by all that the word “fail” was simply an acronym for First Attempt In Learning. And this is especially true if you adopt the right mindset. Indeed, one of our interviewee's most memorable quotes was related to what she hates and loves most about being an entrepreneur: "I am the master of my own destiny". That means her mistakes and failures are much more impactful on her company’s performance and her own's.
Remember, failure will teach you the lessons that will lead you to success. When you fail, you eventually get through the issue and you always come out smarter. That is if you are willing to learn.
Therefore, we should value our mistakes as much as our successes because they teach us what to avoid and forge our path to success (even if it may not feel like that at the time).
In the end, we had fantastic feedback from our guests and our interviewees, according to them the event went very smoothly and they all had a great time!
What is it about The Golden Network?
A camera crew was present for the event and took the time to ask the attendees a few questions about their feeling about the event and networking in general.
The most memorable answer?
“I enjoy The Golden Network events for a simple reason. No one ever stands alone! If anyone sees an attendee standing by their lonesome, they make sure to include them in a group or conversation”
-----
Remember that you can network everywhere and that you have to find where networking feels most comfortable for you.
We hope you enjoyed and learned from this article! If you would like more advice and tips, take our Art of Networking online course or book an individual coaching session.
