The Women Entrepreneurs Blog @ Simon

Overcoming Obstacles

by Jackie Marchand
President, WomenTours, Inc.

In my job, I must constantly work to overcome one obstacle after another. I design and coordinate bicycle tours for women, and achieving success is not always an easy feat.

Our flagship event is an annual 2-month bike ride across the country, from California to Florida. I used to think that if the trip was conducted enough times, it could finally be perfected. After years of thinking that next year would be the year, I realized that with every year would come another challenge.

...Roads close for construction and we have to reroute our cyclists. Heavy rain makes the Mississippi River rise; our ferry won’t run, so we have to commandeer cars to drive our bikers two hours over the nearest bridge. The only hotel in town tells us it’s changed ownership and lost our reservation. We scramble to find a hotel in another town, hoping our cyclists will have enough energy to bike there...

Certain uncontrollable factors make it nearly impossible to create the perfect tour. However, it is possible to overcome obstacles that arise. Breaking conflicts down into manageable smaller tasks makes them easier to tackle. I call on my staff, our tour guides, our cadre of consultants (accountant, attorney, etc.) and my colleagues in the industry for help. Sometimes, they come up with the wildest ideas that turn out to be the simplest solutions. Every year gets easier as I learn what’s worked from the past.

The women who sign up to bicycle the 3000 miles across the country probably share a similar sense of frustration followed by triumph. Their tour, at first, must seem so insurmountable, but with a little training, a daily cue sheet outlining the bike route for the day, and a host of support, they find themselves at the Atlantic Ocean two months later.

Tip of the Week: Attend a Conference

by Elisabeth Hager, MD

Preparing to attend a conference takes more than booking a flight and hotel room. Any time you leave the office you spend valuable resources – time, money and attention to name a few, and you should plan to optimize your return on investment. To do so takes advanced planning. Once you have decided that the conference is worth attending based on content, take the next step and research other attendees.  

Conferences bring people who you may have been trying to connect with to a central location, allowing one-on-one meetings to be efficient and cost effective. Conference planners often have registration lists available to conference attendees, so you have the ability to call ahead to schedule a meeting around the conference proceedings. Alternatively, you can call a particular person of interest and ask if they are planning on attending. If nothing else, you have just made another connection.

Because of the value of networking, many conference planners build in formal times to meet and greet, although sometimes a one-on-one may work out best if scheduled for a more quiet time and place. You may find that the annual meeting in your area of interest becomes the most cost effective way to connect with others who are dispersed geographically.

Tip of the Week: Travel

posts by Alyssa Gruber

You need a vacation when...

You are overwhelmed with work and are at a standstill.
As hard as it is to relax at  this point, you’ll never know where or how to start if your brain is clouded with chaos. Forcing yourself to become mentally organized is a waste of time and energy. Extra frustration, stress, and pressure will only set you back  further. Try focusing your attention on what you can control, and plan a short getaway to your place of choice. For many, spending a day at the spa is a great way to unwind and refresh. Others may find relief by engaging in a more distracting and adventurous activity. How about whitewater rafting or a  parachute jump for a daycation?

You are stuck in a rut.
Sometimes, people are so accustomed to their ways and day-to-day routine that they fail to maintain focus on their job objective. Certainly, creativity gets consumed by drudgery. Repetitive patterns are restrictive and  confining; if there is not enough freedom within the job, there is always freedom on the road. Take a break. Veering outside the lines and to traveling for a week or two may send you back to work redirected and re- inspired.

There is no one formula for success and achievement, but we do know successful people know how to play as well as they work. Everyone "just needs a vacation" now and then. Recognize it and use it to refuel and renew. Your business will thank you for it!