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Upon
asking Lucy Rosen, Founder of the Business Development group,
what it takes to run a business as a single mom she answered,
“lots of Tylenol.” We
laughed for a bit, but on a serious note many are probably
hitting the Tylenol due to the volatile marketplace. One which
some have pegged as a precursor to recession… the downward
economic spiral that both Wall Street and Main Street are
currently experiencing.
With
poor company earnings reports the blue chips and tech stocks are
under par as compared to recent years, and that has investors
scrambling. It also has small business owners on alert as the
trickle down effect from a less confident consumer base is bound
to effect business.
The
Support System and Saying “no”
The
right support system, an incredible sense of organization, and
knowing when to say ‘no’ are some of the key components to
survival in this economy according to Lucy. She adds, ”you
need to learn to say no to the things that pull you away from
your schedule of what you need to do and how you need to do it,
so you’re not running around like a chicken with your head cut
off.” So Lucy insists that you need to learn to ask for help,
the support system and people who are willing to help you make a
big difference.
“I
have a wonderful babysitter, I have a wonderful staff, I have a
terrific housekeeper, I don’t do the things I don’t want to
do,” adds Lucy with conviction who says she doesn’t want to
spend her weekend’s doing laundry when she can work five more
hours on her business. Not wasting time, she says is part of the
strategy – she decides what’s important, and when to do it.
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Lucy
Rosen and her daughter
Samantha
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Part of
that is being in a supportive relationship. “If you don’t
have a good relationship there are two ways of dealing with it.
Either dump it, or realize that it’s your roadblock to
success.” She says if you realize it’s what’s stopping
you, figure out a
way to deal with it or overcome it.
Unless you have a supportive mate, Lucy comments that
your business issues and concerns may fall on deaf ears and that
may be discouraging especially for a woman running her own
business. “The whole thing about relationships is it’s
either going to keep you afloat or you’re going to be closing
your doors.”
Lucy
has garnered a reputation for overcoming obstacles and getting
things done. It’s made her a favorite for the media. During
the last month she and her business have been highlighted in The
New York Times, Newsday, News 12 Long Island, and Networking.
She began in Manhattan in the eighties and brought her expertise
here to Long Island, all while being a supportive voice for
women in business.
Women
on the Fast Track
As the
founder of Women on the Fast Track – a worldwide networking
organization – she has spread her belief in the need to
connect and be supported by like-minded women of strength. It
sprang from a desire to create better networking relationships
among women.
“Groups
of seven to ten women meeting or e-mailing on a regular basis
who can act as a support system,” Lucy says is a deviation
from the typical networking situation where you get a mix of
women, many of whom hail from the exact same professions.
Women on the Fast Track is a deliberate selection of
women with diverse skills getting together to purposefully
network. “You have one accountant, one PR person, one doctor,
one graphic designer that I feel comfortable driving business
to.” She
handpicked these women according to expertise, reputation and it
flourished in a one-on-one networking situation. “This is like
in-your-face networking. They could say, Judy what do you need
this month. How can I help you move forward in your business.”
The
idea caught on and now Lucy runs groups in Europe and Romania.
There’s a formula she follows. It’s based on the premise
that the more you give, the more you get back. “Give it and
give it and give it,” and Lucy says you continue to funnel
business to others and yourself. She has a circle of ten women
who know everything about who she is and what she does. That’s
where most of her business comes from, the nurturing of the
network. It’s one of the vital steps to success.
“As much as you are willing to contribute to people,
you want to work with people, who are willing to contribute to
you."
Be
Visible
One of
the reasons Lucy says she gets great press is her knack for
visibility. “You have to get out and be visible in the right
places.” That means being on the right committees, with the
right organizations, sitting at the right tables and being a
resource for people. If you are a resource, Lucy says people
will remember that, and it just adds to your visibility. And
make your short and long term goals visible in your working
space. It’s a great way to boost morale among employees, and
enhance your own disposition on a daily basis. You can keep a
check on the goals, and the timing associated with reaching
them. She has a ten-year marketing plan, a five-year, a one year
and a six month plan. Long term goals and short term objectives.
In fact everyone she works with all know the goals, she has them
hanging around the office.
“Everyone knows everything I do, has something to do, with
reaching these goals.”
The
Future – Nurture the Network
Lucy’s
daughter Samantha is already learning about the importance of
support and networking. Lucy just had a birthday party for
Samantha and her entire class was invited. Lucy didn’t want
any of the kids to feel left out. Samantha agreed. You just
never know which one of them you may have to work with someday.
As for Sam’s future prospects, she says she wants to be an
entrepreneur, a dancer and a rock climber. Along with her
friends, Sam’s got a lot of family support and an enthusiastic
disposition. “ I told her she could do anything she wants.”
Or any THINGS she wants.
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