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Transformative Networking with Bonnie Ross Parker: Unveiling Secrets to Empowerment and Purposeful Living · Ready Set Collaborate with Wanda Pearson

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Ready Set Collaborate podcast with Rhonda Pearson, where we will dive deep into the world of networking, collaboration and partnership, unlocking the secrets to a successful team working within innovation.
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: Whether you're an entrepreneur, a creative professional or just someone eager to understand the power of networking and collaboration, this podcast is your go-to resource.
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Join us as we explore the stories, strategies and insights from experts, entrepreneurs and thought leaders who have experienced the magic of networking and collaboration to achieve successful results.
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: Tune in to Ready.
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: Set Collaborate podcast on a journey towards achieving your goals with host Wanda Pearson.
• 0:52
  Speaker 3: Welcome, welcome to the Ready Set Collaborate podcast with Wanda Pearson and I am celebrating my one year anniversary, and what better way to celebrate but with Bonnie Ross-Parker, who was my first guest on my podcast last year.
• 1:06
  Speaker 3: I am so excited to have Bonnie on my podcast and I said what better can I have for my one-year anniversary but Bonnie Ross-Parker, who actually is the owner, the creator of Experience Connections, which is how I got my start, other than being an eye and networking?
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: So, bonnie, I wanted to thank you for coming on this podcast with me and being able to share what you've been doing for over a year.
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: But let me actually talk about, let me read your bio.
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: This lady has so much to talk about.
• 1:37
  Speaker 3: But anyway, welcome, bonnie, welcome, welcome.
• 1:40
  Speaker 3: Welcome to the Ready Set Collaborate podcast.
• 1:44
  Speaker 3: So Bonnie Rose Parker is our award-winning guest.
• 1:48
  Speaker 3: She began her career as a school teacher.
• 1:51
  Speaker 3: Years later, she pursued entrepreneurship as a successful regional director for mailboxes, etc.
• 1:56
  Speaker 3: After 12 years, she remarried, moved from DC to Atlanta and began her lifetime career as a mentor for women, an encompassed author, and established her unique platform, escarus Connections, which is where I started as well.
• 2:09
  Speaker 3: Tagline for her is women make it happen, which is right.
• 2:13
  Speaker 3: Women make it happen, because they made it happen for my business, bonnie, and I truly appreciate that.
• 2:17
  Speaker 3: Bonnie's legacy is teaching the value of networking and collaboration to strengthen and support women personally and professionally.
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: But, bonnie, I wanted to actually add this in here too Americans Connection Diva, bonnie Rose Parker is a high-energy, enthusiastic, successful businesswoman and solopreneur entrepreneur.
• 2:37
  Speaker 3: She is a speaker and author who is passionate about teaching individuals how to set up their game in any networking situation.
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: Her content, rich presentations and interactive workshops provide strategies that are practical and easy to implement.
• 2:54
  Speaker 3: She will help you to stand out in a competitive marketplace, distinguish yourself from everyone else selling similar products or services and learn the best ways to follow a follow through for the best possible outcome.
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: Presenting Bonnie Ross Parker.
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: Thank you, bonnie, for joining my podcast, but what I'm going to say?
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: We are both Scorpios.
• 3:16
  Speaker 3: We have birthdays this month, right, and that's why I started my podcast in my birthday month.
• 3:23
  Speaker 3: And it's been one year of creating the Dream Set Collaborate podcast and I want to welcome Bonnie to this podcast and say what's going on, bonnie?
• 3:31
  Speaker 3: What have you been doing for years?
• 3:32
  Speaker 3: You just got an alpha-cruel job.
• 3:33
  Speaker 3: Bonnie, say hello to the audience.
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: Wanda, you're giving me a chance to actually recuperate and also revisit the year.
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: Also revisit the year, and listening to the bio made me realize that, while I'm not quote in the trenches of experience connections, the fact is that I continue to connect every single day.
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: I cannot, I can't, live my life without it.
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: When I was, when I graduated high school, we got a yearbook.
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: Probably people I don't know if they still do yearbooks today, but anyway, the committee had a saying under each picture and I thought I was a cheerleader and I thought, oh, I'm going to be the most popular, I'm going to be the most likely to succeed and what I really get I got.
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: I was at first so disappointed and then I thought years have gone on, everything that I've done, all of the endeavors that I've rolled up my sleeve and really participated in, really are an example of enthusiasm, and I network to this very day.
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: There isn't a day that I'm not introducing someone to somebody.
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: They need to meet, editing an article, and I'll share with you a little bit about that.
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: We were on the cruise and I shared a couple of book titles with some added readers so that we could exchange our favorite books.
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: It just seems that I'm always out there, amanda, looking for a way to just add even a moment of value to somebody, and it's not something that I can't do, it's just it's part of me.
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: Listening to what you said about my writing, and all of that just reminds me that I'm really living my life of purpose.
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: I am, and I'm proud of that, because not everybody can say that they live day to day.
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: You and I are living a life of purpose Yours to bring talent to an audience that might not meet these individuals otherwise.
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: For me, through my networking, my experience as a franchise owner, my experience as a writer all of those things, wanda, bring me to a place of wanting to connect and enrich other people's lives, and I'm proud of it and I own it.
• 5:45
  Speaker 2: So that's.
• 5:47
  Speaker 3: Yes, you should be proud of it because you've done so much.
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: Get into the specific.
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: Anything you ask me is probably going to transfer to.
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: Let me tell you an experience I had where this played out.
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: Let me tell you somebody I met that got empowered because of maybe a message or a book or an idea.
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: So I don't know it's, it's just a fun way to live and I'm doing it in florida, or I'd probably do it wherever I was living.
• 6:10
  Speaker 3: Actually yes, you are, and I really, I really hate that I miss you.
• 6:14
  Speaker 3: I was actually um out of town what your anniversary was being finished.
• 6:18
  Speaker 3: How many years this debt man says that you've been here?
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: 22, started it in 22 and it started in 02, yeah, yeah, 22.
• 6:26
  Speaker 3: So let me ask you this question so what inspired you to focus on fostering connections and building sisterhood among women?
• 6:35
  Speaker 3: What inspired you to do that?
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: All right, the short version, of course.
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: I taught for 12 years.
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: That's a classroom that's interfacing with students, parents, team.
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: That's a classroom that's interfacing with students, parents, team administration and so on.
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: But what really motivated me was my experience with mailboxes et cetera.
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: It's not the new BS store, that experience.
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: When I first went to sign a lease for my first physical space, the landlord said to me I want your lease to be co-signed.
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: Why?
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: Because you're just a school teacher and I don't know if you can really handle what a retail situation requires.
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: I thought you know what.
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: I didn't say it, but I'm thinking I'm a mom, I'm a teacher, I work with all of these people and you're going to tell me that maybe my competence level isn't such Well anyway in these people and you're going to tell me that maybe my competence level isn't such Well anyway.
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: I did that for 12 years and one of the things that I recognized weren't at the time, even though it was one of the most successful area developers in the entire organization I was not recognized by the corporate office as a woman.
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: I was not.
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: And I'm not saying I need to be on the stage, it's just that there was always.
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: There was always things, little details.
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: That never made me feel like I was competent.
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: I know I was Fast forward.
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: After 12 years I remarried.
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: Phil and I are 35 years now.
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: We moved to Atlanta and I got a phone call from one of the gals who was a regional director up in the upstate, in Washington, state of Washington, and she said I can't believe that you sold.
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: And I said I can't believe that you sold.
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: And I said what do you mean you can't believe?
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: Don't you know that?
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: You were the one that sort of was the spokesperson for all the women that were going through the various stages of discontent with the corporate office.
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: And you know what I said to Wanda?
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: I would have appreciated you telling me while I was still in the business.
• 8:21
  Speaker 2: I made a decision when we moved to Atlanta knowing no one, not one person Phil goes to work on that first day after our honeymoon.
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: And what did I do?
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: I joined a chamber of commerce that I didn't know what else to do and I figured I'll join.
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: I started with somebody.
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: I met with the chamber, a concept called the red door red for energy and door for opening and we mentored women no fee, once a week on a Tuesday.
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: We never charged anything.
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: We did it for a year and a half to help women develop the confidence, the competence to have their own business or to create their own entrepreneurial venture, and that led me to eventually create a franchise-type organization.
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: Hence the Joy of Connecting, which became Experience Connections.
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: I don't know if you know this, but the Joy of Connecting.
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: I used to get phone calls or emails Back then.
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: It wasn't even an email.
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: One would tell if it was a dating service.
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: Rhonda, people got brave, it was a dating service.
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: I thought this isn't going to work.
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: So after several years I changed it to Experience Connections.
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: Women make it happen.
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: So there was no confusion about what we're doing.
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: And that chapter program is modeled.
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: It's not a franchise, it doesn't have that kind of royalty or anything, but it's modeled after what I knew worked and it's not changed.
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: If you've been anytime recently, wanda, it's never changed its format, it's never changed its mission and that's been.
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: It was 22 years in August, so it's the test of time.
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: And through that, living now here in Florida, I continue to do the mentoring and some of the other things where we can talk about other things.
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: I don't know if that was a long version, but I would want your viewers to know that, whatever they're doing, whatever they're doing, their skill set is important for whatever that next thing is, and I don't think any of us ever should diminish our experiences because somebody else didn't think we were up to the task.
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I didn't know how to thread any of the what do you call it?
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: A cash register, but I learned and then I taught my manager how to do it.
• 10:40
  Speaker 3: I totally get it.
• 10:40
  Speaker 3: That would be my purpose.
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: Yeah, you sure did do your purpose, because I still go to the Spirits Connections.
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: The Spirits Connections do my business, leadership and making those relationships, because I call it sisterhood.
• 10:51
  Speaker 3: You become friends and those are the ones that you can rely on and they do referrals for you and I just love it.
• 10:57
  Speaker 3: I dislike that.
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: Actually, I think I'm going to four this month.
• 11:00
  Speaker 3: Yes, I'm out there.
• 11:10
  Speaker 3: You've probably seen me on Facebook on all the pictures there with the ladies, and Christine is the one that introduced me to Experience Connections when I was with another networking group and I'm so glad that I joined.
• 11:15
  Speaker 3: I'm so glad that I met you.
• 11:15
  Speaker 3: It has helped me to stay focused, because I want to make sure I can connect with other people and also share my connections with them and help them as well.
• 11:26
  Speaker 3: So that's what we're about.
• 11:27
  Speaker 3: That's how we do things.
• 11:29
  Speaker 3: So let me ask you another question what are some of the biggest challenges we're going to face when building authentic connections today?
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: Okay, I would say confidence.
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: I don't know, but that word came to mind.
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: There is a book out and I'm sorry I could email it to you in case you wanted to include it as a resource.
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: There is a book out that I read a few years back that had to do with confidence.
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: It was for women confidence and I would say, oh my God, they've made it where they feel confident, but then they're not sure as competent as they'd like to be when they're competent but they don't quite believe themselves that they're as good as they are.
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: And when we read these names and we realize the uncertainty of people, of talent, it's like how could you not feel that you're confident and competent?
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: So I would say to your viewers that you have the skills.
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: Part of it is being sure to engage people that believe in you, people that encourage you, people that won't discourage you, people that will applaud you along the way, and I think that's really important.
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: I've had several cheerleaders along the way.
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: My husband is and my former husband was mailboxes was a huge cheerleader for me and I think that having a cadre of just two, three, four people that you can trust, and that believe in you, I think is really important.
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: The challenge with networking is most people will go out and they'll say you know, here's my business card.
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: If you need somebody to help you with social media, or if you're about to sell your home, here's my real estate card.
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: And you and I know that connecting with people is a very different thing than pushing what you do.
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: Connection is listening and engaging people in a way that gives you a clue to what they're about and then, in turn, can help you plug in.
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: Oh, you're a real estate.
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: I don't know if this would help you or not, but I have a good friend that's in the mortgage business.
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: I'd love for you to connect.
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: But I have a good friend that's in the mortgage business.
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: I'd love the two of you to connect.
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: Or I know somebody maybe that does social media and I know somebody that's just getting started business.
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: I said, oh my gosh, you're in social media.
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: Give me two of your cards.
• 13:49
  Speaker 2: I've got two friends that are just now launched websites.
• 13:51
  Speaker 2: They might be able to be a customer of yours.
• 13:55
  Speaker 2: To me, it's knowing that you have value and you need to believe in yourself enough to bring that value to whatever it is you're meeting.
• 14:05
  Speaker 2: I meet people in the pool.
• 14:07
  Speaker 2: I meet people in the clubhouse.
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: I meet people at restaurants.
• 14:10
  Speaker 2: If I see somebody reading a book, I'm connecting with that person because I want to know what they're reading.
• 14:15
  Speaker 2: And if I get a recommended great book, I'm in a book club, so I'm always looking for new books and sharing great titles.
• 14:23
  Speaker 3: That's so true.
• 14:24
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I love it and actually we were just talking about this.
• 14:28
  Speaker 3: But what are some effective ways women can support each other's personal and professional work?
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: One's Maya now.
• 14:36
  Speaker 3: Yeah, what are some effective ways women can support each other's personal and professional work?
• 14:44
  Speaker 2: Okay, I think it comes back.
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: Similar to what I just said is it's very hard for me to meet somebody not to meet them but to meet them and to not want to do what I can to move them along.
• 14:57
  Speaker 2: Okay, I want to give you a very quick example.
• 14:59
  Speaker 2: I was in the clubhouse, I was being tended to about something at the you know, at the front desk, and there was a couple behind me when I turned around and I had my UConn hat on.
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: I just come from the pool.
• 15:09
  Speaker 2: Uconn is the University of Connecticut.
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: I'm from Hartford.
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: I turned around and there was a couple behind me and I and he's, and I said, oh, hi, I hope I didn't take up too much time.
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: And he said no, and they said to me we just moved here and there are a couple of things we need to go over, and I said, oh, I said if you just moved here, you need to have a contact.
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: I'd be happy to give you my business card.
• 15:31
  Speaker 2: I have a calling card, not really a business card, because I think it's hard sometimes to navigate when you're new.
• 15:40
  Speaker 2: Then he said to me I see you're wearing a UConn hat.
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: And I said, yeah, I'm from Hartford.
• 15:43
  Speaker 2: Did you go to UConn?
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: No, my brother and my former husband did.
• 15:46
  Speaker 2: My daughter this is what he says.
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: My daughter teaches at UConn.
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: Where did you go?
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: I said I went to a small college this is somebody that's waiting at lunch.
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: It's called Leslie College in Cambridge.
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: Would you believe he was the director of Leslie College after I left?
• 16:00
  Speaker 2: And what is the likelihood that UConn and Leslie College in Cambridge, massachusetts, would create a connection with a couple that just moved into my community a week before?
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: They have since been over.
• 16:14
  Speaker 2: We have since been to their house.
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: They checked with us when it came, when we had the storms, we checked.
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: Now that's something I do.
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: Somebody else would probably say, oh, excuse me and go on their way.
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: Phil sometimes teaches me and teases me.
• 16:27
  Speaker 2: When I was growing up, my mother would stop to talk to everybody and I'd say come on, mom, let's mooch Bonnie, wait one minute.
• 16:33
  Speaker 2: It feels like enough already.
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: We're going to be late.
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: That's just an example.
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: I'm not in a networking group right now.
• 16:43
  Speaker 2: I am the co-leader of a book club.
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: I am part of a women's organization and on their scholarship committee I'm a member of the Jewish Heritage Club.
• 16:54
  Speaker 2: We just had our meeting last night.
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: So I'm involved in things and I do my best and we raise money for money for what we do, stuff for the holidays and food for Thanksgiving, but I'm no longer in a networking.
• 17:07
  Speaker 2: I did try it, wanda, but they were really in business and I'm more about the business of connecting.
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: I didn't feel like spending $250.
• 17:15
  Speaker 2: Jews.
• 17:16
  Speaker 3: Given that I'm not, I don't promote my book that much anymore as Jews, given that I'm not, I don't promote my book that much anymore.
• 17:21
  Speaker 3: I know I understand, because actually we belong to our Kennesaw Business Association and Marriott Business Association.
• 17:26
  Speaker 3: But I'm getting more connections with experienced connections with the Augustine Girls, with the Women of Woodside, kyle Women's Association, so I'm part of that Becoming a networking queen.
• 17:36
  Speaker 3: I guess that was like the networking way, but we had similar personalities.
• 17:40
  Speaker 3: I think that's because we both Scorpio, because I didn't say anything.
• 17:43
  Speaker 3: My father used to talk to everybody and I'm like, okay, so then I had to think about it.
• 17:49
  Speaker 3: About a month ago I said, oh my God, I can't turn it to my father.
• 17:52
  Speaker 3: I just started talking to people.
• 17:53
  Speaker 3: Oh yeah, so how do I start?
• 17:55
  Speaker 3: It's just a conversation and you don't know how you can put that smile on people's faces when you just take that time out to compliment them.
• 18:03
  Speaker 3: And I'm about, actually, when I do my mentoring with the middle school girls, I actually teach them affirmations.
• 18:10
  Speaker 3: So affirmations are how you can stick positive and get somebody else a positive compliment, because they just they go up to something that day and by me talking to that couple that just moved there, you gave them a reassurance that okay, this is good.
• 18:24
  Speaker 3: I just met a nice lady that actually we connected and that is so important.
• 18:29
  Speaker 3: As far as how the connection is, I want to ask you another question here.
• 18:32
  Speaker 3: So how do cultural and societal norms and pathways want to connect?
• 18:38
  Speaker 2: Well, I'm not sure about that.
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: I live in a very diverse community.
• 18:42
  Speaker 2: I will tell you, this was last year.
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: I did receive an email from Carol, who heads up Carol, and Tracy head up the organization, and, without going into detail, there was a woman that wanted to become an XC leader which is transgender.
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: And she wanted my reassurance, which of course she got right away my reassurance that that would be okay.
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: And I'm like Carol, we are all about inclusion.
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: And she said, bonnie, I know that and I know that about you, but I don't want anyone at all to question our decision when I know that this is what you teach and this is who we are.
• 19:26
  Speaker 2: If somebody is not happy with that, they can find another organization.
• 19:30
  Speaker 2: I just wanted to hear it from you.
• 19:32
  Speaker 2: Our inclusivity is for everyone and I've had conversations with women, particularly women of color, and I've had conversations with women, particularly women of color.
• 19:43
  Speaker 2: There I was part of a book club, a subgroup.
• 19:46
  Speaker 2: We had quite a lively six months reading books on racism and I spoke to one of the gals and she said that she's aware of it.
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: She said, but she finds that participating with JLC and Experience Connections.
• 20:00
  Speaker 2: She said I've never been uncomfortable, I've never felt like there was any division between me and my culture, my growing up or my Blackness, and the organization and the women that I connect with, and I felt that was a huge endorsement for what we stand for.
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: If you don't believe in what we stand for, which is support, honoring, accepting, helping and whatever.
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: We've had women that have lost their businesses Maybe they were network marketing and then closed.
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: We've had individuals that have lost spouses.
• 20:32
  Speaker 2: We've had individuals that have had to face really difficult situations as a breast cancer survivor, really in difficult situations as a breast cancer survivor and we have found in our organization line I know this for a fact that we rally by anything that requires support.
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: We're just not about business, we're about life support.
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: And if life support is dealing with those dealing with uneasy situations, we're there, we're there, and if you're not, you don't belong in our group.
• 20:59
  Speaker 2: Easy situations we're there, we're there, and if you're not, you know belonging in our group.
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: I'm very committed and strong about that.
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: I view cultural differences as being a plus.
• 21:06
  Speaker 2: I certainly don't view it as being a border.
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: Ever I wish more people would view life as having.
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: I think I love that when oneness instead of division of events.
• 21:18
  Speaker 2: We could have a little quick conversation after this yeah.
• 21:22
  Speaker 2: Conclusion.
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: But, yeah, represent the entrepreneur, the person that works for somebody else, starting a business, needing support because they're looking for an idea and they want to see toss an idea around.
• 21:38
  Speaker 3: I love what you just said there because diversity.
• 21:40
  Speaker 3: I'm from Chicago Illinois and the city.
• 21:43
  Speaker 3: And my father was a regional sales manager for Gillette and Mount Rabbitours.
• 21:49
  Speaker 3: So, he was a young manager and then he became the regional manager and people didn't accept him at first, but when he got out there and started working with the people, they realized they could trust him and by him doing that we moved around a lot.
• 22:03
  Speaker 3: So we were in diverse neighborhoods.
• 22:05
  Speaker 3: It was different for me because I had never been exposed to it, but I'm so happy that I was able to experience that and me being diverse.
• 22:15
  Speaker 3: And it doesn't matter who you are, what you do, but I'm accepting to anybody and that's just my personality and that's what God wants you to do.
• 22:23
  Speaker 3: He don't want you to school people because of this and that.
• 22:26
  Speaker 3: So I'm so happy you said that, and I do want to mention that Carol Neal and Tracy Randolph they're actually the CDO and COO of Experience Connections right now and they've been maintaining and they actually, by every time we join both with experience and connection, they tell you a story.
• 22:43
  Speaker 3: They tell you a story how you came about creating this for women, which is great.
• 22:48
  Speaker 3: I want to ask you another question, then we're going to start winding down.
• 22:51
  Speaker 3: What advice do you have for women who feel isolated or struggle to find meaningful connections with others?
• 22:58
  Speaker 3: I think you talked about that a little bit.
• 23:02
  Speaker 2: Maybe you can add to this.
• 23:03
  Speaker 2: I think one thing that they can do and I'm not looking to plug it at all, but I think if somebody goes to Facebook and they put on their experience, without the E experience connections, it comes up experience connections, networking for women.
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: It's a great way to just meet new people.
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: I don't do LinkedIn, I don't do a lot of the TikTok or some of the other platforms, but there is a way that you can go in there and just visit, comment on somebody's comment, or they're looking for something and maybe that's something you can help them with.
• 23:35
  Speaker 2: Or you might want to engage.
• 23:37
  Speaker 2: Maybe somebody's running a network marketing, direct selling business and you follow them, for you know a few posts and you say this I can't, I like her pictures, so that's what she has to say.
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: If you're not comfortable right now and you're listening to this with the face-to-face I certainly think that engaging online is a first step.
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: There are a ton of networking organizations, networking books and so on, but maybe that's a safe platform for now Experience connections, networking for women and find some commonality Phil and I share.
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: We each have our own platform, but we share our website, bonnieandphilcom.
• 24:18
  Speaker 2: That's easy, bonnieandphilcom platform, but we share a website, bonnieandphilcom.
• 24:23
  Speaker 2: That's easy, bonnieandphilcom.
• 24:23
  Speaker 2: I would happily hear from anyone that wants to click on my website and get in touch with me.
• 24:27
  Speaker 2: I speak to women a lot.
• 24:29
  Speaker 2: I'm happy to offer an opinion.
• 24:31
  Speaker 2: Here in my community I now have a writer's group.
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: I've worked with now 14 women on writing a book.
• 24:37
  Speaker 2: I don't work with women that are outside the community, but if somebody's interested in writing I can certainly help with resources.
• 24:45
  Speaker 2: There's plenty of opportunity now for women and you're sitting home and you're not out there or doing things to connect and you really don't have an excuse.
• 24:56
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 24:57
  Speaker 2: I will tell you, wanda, that Carol and Tracy really saved this organization, because when COVID hit, I never even knew what Zoom was.
• 25:06
  Speaker 2: When I started, with mailboxes, everything was by hand.
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: Everything was the royalty reports and the rosters, and now everything is done online.
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: I've got four portals one for the dentist and one for the general practitioner and one for this, and so we have a lot of resources now, and it would really surprise me for somebody to come forward and say I really don't know where to begin.
• 25:30
  Speaker 2: You begin by beginning, but we want to make you work from there.
• 25:36
  Speaker 3: So that's great, because actually they say that Carol has.
• 25:39
  Speaker 3: I'm not kidding, bonnie has retired, but she hasn't retired, so you can see why she hasn't retired.
• 25:45
  Speaker 3: She's standing doing what she's doing.
• 25:47
  Speaker 3: It's still out there in the community still helping people to connect, and I love that about you, bonnie, so tell us about and that's how we just talk about resources for connection.
• 25:56
  Speaker 3: I know you have some books, two of the groups you recommend for when they're looking to foster deeper connections and sisterhood.
• 26:05
  Speaker 2: You mentioned about the affirmation, so let me go back to that for a minute.
• 26:09
  Speaker 2: Years ago, I learned the following and maybe this is just a helpful thing.
• 26:13
  Speaker 2: I know sometimes I do this when I'm trying to fall asleep I am strong is a very powerful phrase.
• 26:19
  Speaker 2: It's a sentence I am means I exist.
• 26:22
  Speaker 2: I learned to be able to do Wanda, I want you to do this.
• 26:27
  Speaker 2: 100 I am statements, 100.
• 26:30
  Speaker 2: I am awesome, I am beautiful, I am capable, I am determined, I am enthusiastic, I am faith-based, I am helpful, I am kind, I am intuitive, I am helpful, I am kind, I am intuitive.
• 26:43
  Speaker 2: I can tell you that if you go through, if your listeners, your viewers go through I am they're going to come down to about 35 and then they're going to quit.
• 26:56
  Speaker 2: But if you come up with 100 I am statements which you can do.
• 26:58
  Speaker 2: I am vulnerable, I am worthy, I am compromising, whatever it is you can come up with those and repeat them twice a day.
• 27:07
  Speaker 2: I can tell you you hope those are confidence, because we are all those things.
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: There isn't anything that we're not except in our mind.
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: If we know that we're capable and we're kind and we're trusting and all that, there really isn't anything that can hold you back and the more confident and the more confident you become, the more connected you become.
• 27:28
  Speaker 2: The more connected you become, the more fulfilling you are.
• 27:33
  Speaker 2: I am fulfilled because people should be, and to want to do is probably.
• 27:39
  Speaker 2: If you said to me, bonnie, what is the number one thing that keeps you going every day, I'm going to say connections.
• 27:44
  Speaker 2: Connecting with people, learning about them, being resourceful and just knowing that I offered a smile, I offered a kind word.
• 27:53
  Speaker 2: I'm part of the Helping Hands Committee here in our community.
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: Some people need something.
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: I'm out there dropping off food or going by to visit.
• 28:02
  Speaker 2: I just, I don't know.
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: Connection is my mom's legacy to me.
• 28:06
  Speaker 2: It's the connection I've given to my daughter, elizabeth, who is an unbelievable connector and thank you.
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: She's Aunt Elizabeth, because all of her friends whose kids now live in New York go to Aunt Elizabeth for everything.
• 28:20
  Speaker 3: I love it and I love that about you, bonnie, because that's what I do Actually.
• 28:23
  Speaker 3: I mentor middle school girls.
• 28:25
  Speaker 3: Oh good, and one of the things that I actually have in my book my book.
• 28:29
  Speaker 3: I have a chapter on affirmation.
• 28:31
  Speaker 3: I am so in middle school girls.
• 28:35
  Speaker 3: I have them.
• 28:36
  Speaker 3: Before they walk out the door, they have to tell me a positive affirmation I am beautiful, I am strong, I am beautiful, I am strong, I am smart.
• 28:44
  Speaker 3: All of those I am makes a difference of what they are, because I want them to ask and I want you to take this on, and I want you to put it on your mirror and say it every day, because that's how you build up your strength and positivity in yourself.
• 28:56
  Speaker 3: And being confident, because a lot of these kids don't have confidence in themselves.
• 29:01
  Speaker 3: They just because it's a cool world out here.
• 29:03
  Speaker 3: So you got to keep it going.
• 29:05
  Speaker 3: I'm going to bring it down here, bonnie.
• 29:07
  Speaker 3: You have been such an inspiration to me.
• 29:09
  Speaker 3: I appreciate it, so tell the audience how they can get in touch with you.
• 29:13
  Speaker 2: The best thing is really online.
• 29:15
  Speaker 2: That's the easiest, bonnianshowcom.
• 29:17
  Speaker 2: You go there, you'll see my husband's and you can click on his website.
• 29:21
  Speaker 2: Mine I'm on Facebook, bonnie Ross-Parker, and my phone number, my email are there and I'm happy to hear from somebody.
• 29:31
  Speaker 2: If you need a book recommendation, fine.
• 29:33
  Speaker 2: If you're thinking about entering a tech selling, network marketing business and you're like Bonnie, I'd like your opinion, that's fine.
• 29:40
  Speaker 2: If you're thinking that, maybe you'd like to find out more about creating a chapter where you can get all the mentoring, the support, the business development.
• 29:49
  Speaker 2: The WANDAs of the world go to experience without the E experienceconnectionscom and see what's there.
• 29:56
  Speaker 2: There's so much.
• 29:58
  Speaker 2: There's valuable support for somebody that wants to step up and have the confidence to say I could use some help.
• 30:06
  Speaker 2: Wrap-up I wanted to know as we write for our community paper and one of the things that our articles 500 to 600 words.
• 30:15
  Speaker 2: We've been doing it for three years.
• 30:16
  Speaker 2: The title two months ago was Just Ask, just Ask.
• 30:19
  Speaker 2: And it was all about knowing that asking is really a benefit to the person you're asking, because we want to help but we don't know who needs it, we don't know what kind of help.
• 30:32
  Speaker 2: And if you say, bonnie, I would love you to redo this direct selling company or tell me more about what experience connections could do for me.
• 30:41
  Speaker 2: Just ask and I'd be happy to help.
• 30:44
  Speaker 2: And of course, wanda's always there to help too.
• 30:45
  Speaker 2: But those of us that appreciate the value of connections are always looking to make more.
• 30:53
  Speaker 3: I love it.
• 30:54
  Speaker 3: I love it Just ask.
• 30:55
  Speaker 3: And it says just ask and you shall receive.
• 30:57
  Speaker 3: If you don't ask, my parents always said if you don't ask the question, that's not the dumb question, but you have to ask in order to have people to know for yourself.
• 31:06
  Speaker 3: I love it, bonnie, and Bonnie is one that actually can help you with that.
• 31:10
  Speaker 3: So I'm going to put in the show notes all of the my gosh.
• 31:13
  Speaker 3: She has so many books and so many things that she's involved with, especially the magazine, and I definitely would love for you to connect with her.
• 31:22
  Speaker 3: You're in Florida, but they have experienced connections all over.
• 31:25
  Speaker 3: When you go to one, don't just go to one.
• 31:26
  Speaker 3: Go to other ones and you're going to see some of the people that you went to the first one at another, that's used it, but you got to know those relationships.
• 31:32
  Speaker 3: Relationships are what actually helped you with your business, but also you may just want to go to meet women.
• 31:38
  Speaker 3: It was just a breath of fresh air.
• 31:40
  Speaker 3: That's why I said I'm not.
• 31:41
  Speaker 3: Finally.
• 31:42
  Speaker 3: I've been doing this for, as she says, 2018.
• 31:45
  Speaker 3: So I've been with you all for six years and I really love it because now people know me and you know what I got the best compliment from one of the young ladies.
• 31:56
  Speaker 3: She said, wanda, when you walk in, you're like a breath of fresh air, like a sunshine, right A sunshine.
• 32:00
  Speaker 3: And I said for a fish, a whale, a sun, a sun.
• 32:01
  Speaker 3: And I said that was the best compliment that I've got, because I don't know how I'm coming close to people.
• 32:05
  Speaker 3: I just know that I like people and that's the scope on this, ronnie.
• 32:09
  Speaker 2: Yeah, you have a big car, wanda.
• 32:10
  Speaker 2: You do great work in the world and you found a niche that really not only inspires you and the people that you meet, but inspires your viewers.
• 32:19
  Speaker 2: And we're just in this together and I want to be at the second anniversary.
• 32:23
  Speaker 3: Yes, you will, you will, I tell you.
• 32:25
  Speaker 3: You're such an inspiration to me.
• 32:26
  Speaker 3: Thank you so much, Bonnie.
• 32:31
  Speaker 3: But definitely connect with Bonnie.
• 32:32
  Speaker 3: Bonnie will spark an electric show.
• 32:32
  Speaker 3: They can learn so much from her of what she's still doing and that's how she's staying young.
• 32:38
  Speaker 3: Look how good she looks, Lynn, Look how good she looks y'all.
• 32:41
  Speaker 3: But thanks again, Bonnie.
• 32:42
  Speaker 3: So I appreciate you being on my show my first anniversary and you're definitely going to be on my second anniversary.
• 32:51
  Speaker 3: So we are definitely moving on, because you know what I love to collaborate.
• 32:55
  Speaker 3: That's why I named the podcast Rainy Sick.
• 32:58
  Speaker 3: Collaborate with Wanda Chris and make sure you connect, you follow, subscribe and we're also on YouTube as well.
• 33:05
  Speaker 3: Make sure you do that because that way you can see exactly how my audience and I'm going to have this on YouTube as well, Bonnie.
• 33:11
  Speaker 3: So this is coming out, I think, the second week of November yeah, the third week of November this podcast will end, but definitely make sure you share and follow.
• 33:20
  Speaker 3: Once again, Wanda Pearson, Ready Set, Collaborate.
• 33:24
  Speaker 3: Thanks again, Bonnie, for being on this podcast for me.
• 33:26
  Speaker 2: All the best and happy birthday coming up.
• 33:28
  Speaker 2: Happy birthday to you too.
• 33:31
  Speaker 3: Yes, we celebrate our own month, Bonnie, so it's birthday area.
• 33:34
  Speaker 3: So when you all get to see this podcast, make sure you wish Bonnie a happy birthday, Thank you.
• 33:39
  Speaker 2: Only be 81 times, so it's worth celebrating.
• 33:41
  Speaker 2: I'm telling you, you're the awesome eight I wouldn't be like you when I were around.
• 33:49
  Speaker 2: Okay, okay, the best truth thanks, bond.
• 33:50
  Speaker 1: Thank you for tuning into this episode of ready set.
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: Collaborate.
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: For more information about the host head to WDPearsonAssociatescom and that's P-E-A-R-S-O-N.
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: Want to connect?
• 34:07
  Speaker 1: Send an email to Wanda at WDPearsonAssociatescom and, as always, stay tuned for the next episode of Ready Set.
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: Collaborate.