Networking – Page 2

Want a Mentor? Look around you.

March 2, 2011 By Jan Triplett 3 Comments

Business Success Center prospects tell us in their initial meeting they want a “Mentor” to advise and guide them to solve a specific problem or achieve a specific goal.

I completely understand. I’ve had several wonderful mentors. My godmother, Northwestern University professor Alvina Krause, had “teas”. At these salons, I learned the fine art of conversation. My grandmother taught me the importance of family. My mother helped me find my voice and be comfortable being myself. She always said, “We grew up together”. Maybe so, but she was my guide.

There were important male mentors, too. My brother Bill (aka WC Triplett, II) has worked for Presidents and Senators, Tibet and Tienanmen, written best sellers and significant treaties. He showed me how important it is to get involved. Ed Van De Vort gave me confidence because he believed everyone was capable. [Read more…]

Scary Business

November 5, 2010 By Jan Triplett 1 Comment

I was just interviewed by Patricia Rogers of the Austin Business Journal . Ms. Rogers is the List Director for ABJ, writes the Growth Strategies and does some wonderful profiles. She asked me a lot of good questions and I learned something about her. She’s from Houston, we share a love of animals especially horses, and, luckily for Austin, she didn’t follow the advice of her uncle to stay out of journalism (he was a journalist in Houston).

What’s your scariest business moment. Mine? No one would show for a seminar I was giving. Photo from Flickr by Aunt Owwee

One question she didn’t ask was about a scary moment in business. Mine was scary and the most fun. Last March I did a program for SXSW “Networking for Introverts”. Why was I concerned? What if no one showed up? That didn’t happen. As a matter of fact the room was full to overflowing.

I wondered if they would participate. Not good for a speaker when everyone is silent. No worries here either. I found that if you give an introvert an opportunity to talk, they’ll take it. They came up with good comments and questions. It was a blast that I wish I could repeat. [Read more…]

Why Independent Businesses Must Do More Than Donate

October 25, 2010 By Jan Triplett Leave a Comment

RG4N worked to keep Austin Neighborhood & Small Independent Business friendly.

Next month, it will be four years since I became the Business Liaison Chair for Responsible Growth for Northcross (RG4N).

I chose to get involved because I am a business owner, a small business activist and I live and work in the area.

Last night was the VIP opening of the more neighborhood-sized WalMart on Anderson Lane in Austin, Texas. The RG4N board was invited and several of us went including the original President, Paige Hill.

Our efforts to stop the supercenter were not about size as much as about the impact of that size. That impact includes traffic, litter, security, safety issues for those with disabilities, crime, air and water quality. It was also about the impact on locally owned stores that do not fare well with a big box, especially a WalMart, nearby. [Read more…]

The Networker Magazine Remembered: Overtime Roach Article Reprised

August 3, 2010 By Jan Triplett Leave a Comment

Austin, Texas’ small business and entrepreneurial history is long and full. There were special support meetings called “Satellite Network Meetings” all over town and even in Round Rock long before there were Meetups and Bootstrap groups.

Masthead banner from The Networker 1981, originally sponsored by the Commission on the Status of Women, City of Austin.

And, there was The Networker, a small monthly publication especially for women. From June 1980 to its last issue in August 1987, I wrote, managed or was its editor. We covered politics, interesting women, events around town, the arts, business, sports, education, healthcare, and jobs. We covered issues from the ERA to “Should women fear computers?” And, yes, that was the title of an article. We covered women magicians like Judy Wilkes and Valerie Cordell, early aviators like Pearle Ragsdale, truck racer Shawna Robinson, women firefighters and women at war. Young and old, of all colors, creeds, and backgrounds were included in our news. We even did some interesting articles about men including Cactus Pryor and cartoonist Ben Sargent. [Read more…]

4 Concerns about the City of Austin’s March Small Business Summit

April 22, 2010 By Jan Triplett 1 Comment

City of Austin Seal

I would like to congratulate Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell and the City Council for holding its first Small Business Summit in March.

Forty of us were invited by Council Members and the Austin Independent Business Alliance to come and give our thoughts on the major ways the City could address business owners concerns. I was invited to participate by Council Member Laura Morrison, who was the former President of the Austin Neighborhoods Association among her other achievements. [Read more…]

Urbane Direct Mail Piece That You Gotta See

February 5, 2010 By Jan Triplett 2 Comments

I have done direct mail pieces over the years that I liked and got great results with. One memorable black and white piece even got a 20% conversion because we had the right list, the right offer, as well as the right creative graphic.

You may not agree, but I really think direct mail still has an important role to play in marketing strategy. No, Virginia, it’s not dead and this piece proves it.

Just look at it. It’s a Happy New Year card with a purpose. It came in a clear wrapping to intrigue me. Sent to my home address. I LOVE IT. [Read more…]

Think Before You Buy

January 21, 2010 By Jan Triplett 3 Comments

A message to my neighbors in Central Austin and to any community that has had to live with the fallout from having a big box store push its way in.

Northcross IBIZ District

The first spade of dirt has been turned. The bulldozers are busy. The piles of broken asphalt and dry earth are mounting up.

When I try to make my normal walk from my office at the Chase Tower around the Northcross triangle, I can’t. There is a metal fence with a plain green cloth stretched from the middle of the parking lot all the way to Anderson. I can’t see what is happening except through holes where the cloth doesn’t fit quite tightly enough to exclude me. [Read more…]

Bloggers Helping Bloggers

December 19, 2009 By Jan Triplett 1 Comment

Secret Cabal of Bloggers Group, started to help bloggers help fellow bloggers. Graphic by Julie Gomoll, Jules Says.

I think I am pretty organized. I think I am disciplined. But, boy oh boy sometimes I need a little help from my friends.

Especially when it comes to blogs. I don’t know about you but I sometimes get writer’s block when it comes to blogs. Or I get started and then get pulled away to do other critical things. So I have several half done that I really want to finish.

My friend Julie Gomoll and I decided to do something about that for others like me. We are co- hosting our first blogging party get together to “get one done and posted” this coming Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2-4pm at our BSC (Business Success Center) offices Chase Bank Blg 7600 Burnet Rd. We are located across from St. Louis Catholic Church/cross street is Northcross Blvd – go in the tower, not the bank.

The goal: to inspire each other and other fellow bloggers. The clublet is called The Secret Cabal of Bloggers. Click for more info and register at EventBrite.

Bring your laptop and we’ll provide munchies. Walk away with your next post and new friends.

No charge. Not a class. Only requirement is your willingness to share ideas, support and encourage others. “It can take a village of business owners to finish a blog.”

We hope to make blogging fun again.

Hope to see you there.

Here’s to our success!