On Saturday April 5, 2014 I attended the first AFPRO Leadership & Entrepreneurship Conference in Montreal, Canada. This was an event that provided workshops on developing business skills, competence and acumen that lead to success within the Black entrepreneur and professional community.
I love to see events like these being put on in my city. It allows young professionals like myself the opportunity to learn and network with seasoned and budding professionals within Montreal. These events provide the right space for business empowerment through knowledge. Great job to the organizers for providing a platform for Black businesses and professionals to teach, learn and grow in education.
Some of the information provided during the professional workshop really added value to my already existing thoughts.
Three things reaffirmed to me in these workshops:
1. Be Social + Be Online = Be Visible – Being visible online in 2014 is a must! Though some would like to think that having great word of mouth business or an updated CV can propel your company, product or service to the next level. The reality is that with growing competition and growing reach, you’re likely to get left behind & so does your idea without the proper visibility. Don’t underestimate the power of tools such as LinkedIn and Facebook (if used the right way…ahem) .
2. Showing passion and confidence in what you do & who you are will attract business. You are your greatest marketing tool & having goals that you attain can lead to more opportunities and possibilities. The world is yours if you’re willing to listen, learn and act!
3. The 5 P’s of empowerment go a long way in creating the company or career you want and building a strong network along the way. Its about having the personal perspective, brand, strategic plan and process that will lead to success.
I would have loved to have more opportunities to network (some of the workshops were delayed, which meant that the 4@6 didn’t quite happen. I was anticipating this throughout the day, however I got the opportunity to network with some interesting people at lunch and throughout the afternoon. Sometimes the best networks are cultivated when you take the time to get to know a few people rather than work the whole room.
I was so busy networking that I forgot to take a few pictures. Next time… However I found a video that will give you some footage from KanTV, albeit in french on the event.
Looking forward to attending future events such as these & sharing my experience on my website…