Wild Success Live
It is hard to know where to start and i feel that unpacking this epic event will not be straight forward as it had so many levels.
In the build up to Wild Success Live, I felt bursts of gratitude for multiple reasons. I was (and still am) overwhelmingly grateful to have won a ticket for the two day event and that I had the unquestionable support from my family to attend. This, set the scene for the days to come.
At the end of the event, the last presenter asked us to state three emotions that we felt over the course of the event. 1, how we felt at the beginning, coming into this event. 2, how we felt during and 3, how we felt at the end. This is how I will shape my experience, learnings and main takeaways.
EXCITED.
To begin I was so excited to get the opportunity to be in the company of like minded people. I new I would be surrounded by people who I admired and that itself felt special.
I remember as I was driving to the event, the nerves start to trickle in. Showing up to an event without knowing anyone is no easy feet. There is an element of vulnerability, courage and self judgement that cultivates when you are required to introduce yourself with the intent to connect and share the experience with. I actively acknowledged those feelings for what they where and just let it be, I did not let it jade the excitement I felt and really focused on that not letting the nerves take over.
I also, recalled at that moment, advice I gave in a workshop I did earlier that week on confidence. The example I gave was so relevant to the experience I was having and that is ‘confidence doesn’t happen when you walk into a networking event and start shaking hands and introducing yourself, confidence happens once you walk out of the event having done it’ - those people you see working the room, introducing themselves and networking to their hearts content, they felt exactly the same, they just chose to show up and do it anyway. They cultivated their confidence.
So I practiced what I preached and I showed up to the event with the intent to connect and build relationships. Letting the excitement for the event fill my presence.
CONNECTION.
This was the theme throughout the event. Pinned at the very beginning when the MC, Nicole Gibson (https://www.nicolegibson.com.au ), presented the strength and power of connection, deepening relationships and building that body of support. This set the scene for the entire event and was incredibly powerful and deeply moving. You could feel the entire room instantly full in love with Nicole and her message.
This message was intertwined throughout the event, organically. As each presenter delivered their story and message, it all centered back to connection. Wild Success Live quickly became the avenue for people, us, seeking connection while being an entrepreneur.
Hollie Azzopardi (http://www.hollieazzopardi.com) surprised me in many ways. Her ability to deeply connect to the audience. Her openness, honesty in sharing her experiences. And simply because, it was not what I expected, but this was generally a beautiful thing. I admired her ability to bring us all along on her journey while she instilled the power of connectedness and standing true to our own power. I was truly touched.
Ellie Swift (https://ellieswift.com ) is a powerhouse and so in touch with her genius. The way she presented was so inline with business today giving tangible advice and guidance on how to show up and be our true self online. Paraphasing a quote from Simon Sinek ‘Show up to give not to get’, using personal examples on how this changed the way she delivered information and the results she received. Covering understanding your audience, building relationships and adding true value to your community with continuously working on your mindset, which by the way as Ellie states, is 80% of the work. Bringing it back to connection, Ellie ended with ‘connection creates conversion’ it is all about building those online connections.
ACCEPTANCE
This was not exactly a theme throughout Wild Success Live, but more something I felt throughout the two days. Acceptance was touched on through one of the panel conversations between three local (extremely successful) business owners. All mothers and all build their businesses from the ground up. The panel members Jordana Edwards (https://cleantea.com.au ), Joey Juarez (www.donacholia.com.au) and Carol Robinson (Carol’s Place Beauty Salon) openly discussed their successes, challenges and how they fit it all in while raising a family. It all came back to acceptance. Accepting where they where at in their business, accepting (and creating boundaries) around time spent in their business and remembering why they started in the first place.
This possibly hit home for me because of recently listening to Oprah interviewing Elizabeth Gilbert on her podcast, Super Soul Converstations. Elizabeth shares her biggest learning and her biggest challenge is acceptance. Her deepest fear is the fear of people not liking her and this comes down to acceptance. I can relate.
During the networking event at Wild Success Live, I had a really really brief discussion about having a story to tell and being all caught up on wanting or needing a ‘life changing’, epic event to have occurred to enable you to have this story, this justification on why you do the work you do. I touched on how afraid I was to share that I am dyslexic, that I felt embarrassed and ashamed of it. They memtioned it wasn’t a big deal, which I completely agree, because on the flip side of being embarrassed to tell my story, I felt it wasn’t a big deal or a worthy story to tell (people had experienced much more than I had). Leaving this converstation generated those feelings again. I questioned my story and felt I started justifying it to myself. So I stopped and remembered, it is all about acceptance. It doesn’t matter if people don’t think it is not a big deal, I am not talking to them. I am talking to the people who feel it has affected them in a way that they have the attachment and therefore they are limiting their potential (whether this is an attachment to a learning difficulty or something else). It is a story that can change through acceptance and ownership. I can help erase those limiting beliefs and self value, because I have experienced it mainly via my attachement to being dyslexic. That is my story, I accept.
Excited. Connected. Accepted - those are my three takeaways.
Personally, the experience was genuine and beautiful. The event allowed delegates to be vulnerable and they opened up in ways they did not expect. Talked to situations that where dear to their heart, cried, laughed, hugged (heart to heart hugging) and embraced the connections.
Professionally, the converstations, presentations and expertise in the room generated so many ideas that are still buzzing around my head. I feel that my options are endless and dependant on which way I chose to take. I have actions from a mastermind and I have notes galore.
I will continue to download the ideas and sit in this creative, energetic energy I have stolen from Wild Success Live and see where it takes me. Somewhere fun and creative I imagine.
Big shoutout to Lizzy Moult (https://lizziemoult.com ) and her team for the way in which this event came to life. Connection is key. Big love and gratitude.