It’s Summer Mayhem At My House: Planning Events + Trying To Hide The Ice Cream
Does anyone else have a kid that has figured out how to open the fridge/freezer by themselves? I spent the past week getting stuck into client work again, creating presentations and delivering sessions at WordCamp Ottawa 2019.
But you know what my main job has been this summer? Trying to keep everyone out of the ice cream (myself included).
Perhaps we shouldn’t have bought it in the first place but it is a summer treat at our house. Except we now have a toddler who keeps insisting on getting an ice cream to help himself feel better when he’s ‘sick’ or has minor accidents (think stubbed toes, roughhousing with friends, running too fast in the house and taking a tumble).
Quickly followed by a newly walking baby that can hear ice cream sandwich wrappers opening from other rooms of the house.
You name it, as far as the toddler is concerned, the answer is ice cream. And I gotta agree with him 99.9% of the time I believe it does distract you from any immediate pain or worries.
Kids are experts in the art of persuasion.
2) Show you what they need/want and how simple/easy life could be if you make it happen
3) Rationalize why it is a great idea and how you are really both on the same team, it will be mutually beneficial
4) When met with a ‘no’ and when all else fails, they go into full on tantrum mode and try to physically make it happen anywaysEvery day of parenthood is an exercise in pitching, persuasion, negotiation, conflict resolution, communication and patience. Sometimes it would be easier to give in and give them what they want. Sometimes you want to reward positive behaviour with a treat and agree, you both really are on the same team and yes that is a great idea.
This is how good I want you to feel about pitching yourself and your business, products and/or services.
Let’s try not to escalate things to #4 where you’re shouting from the rooftops about how great you are when met with a ‘no’…although, depending on the situation it may call for that and I do believe you should always back yourself.
But ideally you will have convinced those listening to your elevator pitch about:
1) What you do and why you do it
2) How much value you bring and how it pertains to them
3) Why they should want to work with you/buy from you and what the results will be
That by the end of your conversation, they are ready to hand over their ice cream [dollars/contact details/referrals/testimonials].
Willingly, happily, enthusiastically.
Join us on Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
For the next Babies, Business + Breakfast Summer Pop-Up Event, where we will focus on refining your pitch, crafting your message, making an offer and closing sales.
There won’t be ice cream…BUT we’ll have a play area for the kids, a continental breakfast spread, time for networking and an interactive workshop style session with two guest speakers and experts in Marketing and Sales, Carlo Lombard and Rose Cain!
If you plan on attending, view the event info and RSVP via Eventbrite ASAP as tickets are limited. 📆
GUEST SPEAKERS
Carlo Lombard
Carlo is a Marketing Strategist that has worked with world-renowned brands and leading organizations, tech, and media companies throughout his career. He is a Facilitator and Speaker for business events across Ottawa and is the proud Dad of two little girls who are also raving-Celine Dion fans.
Rose Cain
Rose’s career spans over 30 years in the Ottawa tech sector. She is currently VP of Business Operations at Solace, Ottawa Chapter President of the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals and a member of the Sales Enablement Society. She is the proud Mom of Austin, 22 and Jordan, 21 and in her spare time can be found at rinks cheering them on in hockey and ringette.
In the meantime, I will be planning a different a different kind of event this weekend as we prepare to host a joint birthday party for a one-year-old, two-year-old and three-year-old and my parent’s wedding anniversary.
Wish us luck and I hope to catch up with you soon!
Feel free to write with any questions you have about Babies, Business + Breakfast or the work I’m doing bringing my children into business settings – I love reading your emails, comments and messages. 🤓
You can also follow our parenthood + professional development adventures on Instagram, read my latest ‘Babies, Business + Breakfast’ newsletter and subscribe to receive updates, resources and future event info: bit.ly/BabiesBizBreakfast.
Fellow overheated parent signing off,
Amy Lynch
P.S. Send any toddler ice cream negotiation tips you have, I am all ears. 🍦🍨
P.P.S. Curious but not ready to commit yet? Read about our Spring 2019 Pop-Up Event where we focused on ‘How She Built It’ with Karla Briones, Susan Richards and Sunshine Tenasco.
Special thanks to our event sponsors, Algonquin College’s DARE District, for hosting us and to local family lifestyle photographer, Charlene, of Van Veit Creative, for documenting this unique experience.
The vision for Babies, Business + Breakfast
Hiya, my name is Amy Lynch and I’ve been participating in personal and professional development since my two children were newborns (they’re currently one and almost three years old), as a result of the belief I could keep doing what I loved to do as a parent, alongside my children.
It wouldn’t always be easy or comfortable, but along the way I started getting into my own bringing babies into business settings rhythm and in doing so, became an accidental activist.
I started writing about it, speaking with other parents and advocating for more inclusive spaces and business experiences.
As it turns out, others also believe parenthood and professional development don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Like my newsletter readers, event attendees, guest speakers, business sponsors and community partners who join us to mix babies and business, blurring those life and work lines a bit more!
Babies, Business + Breakfast is focused on providing parent-friendly professional development, through an online newsletter and face-to-face event series, designed to start conversations, share ideas and create a sense of community.
Learn more about Babies, Business + Breakfast™.
Get the FREE Babies + Business Mini Guide
Download my FREE Babies + Business Mini Guide To Navigating The Corporate Jungle (With Kids), to encourage parents to explore more, invest in themselves alongside their children, take up space and make room for positive change when it comes to the future of work.
You can also follow my parenthood + professional development adventures on Instagram and via my previous blog posts.
Read about my previous experiences bringing babies into business settings in the following blog posts:
- Speaking At WordCamp Ottawa 2019
- Babies, Business + Breakfast Summer 2019 Pop-Up Event Focused On Marketing And Sales
- Creating Parent-Friendly Business Spaces And Experiences: Transcript Of Lightning Talk For Eastern Ontario’s WEKH
- Baby in the Boardroom: Transcript of my talk for CreativeMornings Ottawa
- How She Built It event recap from May 2019: Mixing babies + business
- Reciprocity and parent-friendly event planning
- Parent-friendly presenting in real-time at CreativeMornings Ottawa
- Visiting Algonquin College’s DARE District with kids
- Visiting Invest Ottawa with kids
- Participating in Impact Academy with a baby
- Attending Creative Mornings Ottawa while babywearing
- Touring coworking spaces as a parent
- Bringing children into the boardroom
Notes From Another Land 