Exploring Potential : Speaking at International Women's Day Event 2023
I was thrilled when I was invited to speak at a fantastic International Women's Day event March 2023. It was organised by Yorkshire In Business at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, North Yorkshire. My segment was as part of a panel of 4 local business women sharing our inspiring stories around selected themes, and my allocated topic was 'Exploring Potential'.
Thinking about that topic and my career and business journey, I decided to talk about the potential for us when we don't let technology get in our way! Because we were on the theatre stage, we had the opportunity to play a video projected behind us whilst we spoke so I created a backdrop video which told my technology journey in images.
Some parts of my talk were filmed but not all, so as International Women's Day 2024 rolled around, it reminded me to (finally) get round to taking the footage I had, plus the backdrop video, and record my narration over the top, to capture my time on stage!
It's 5 mins, and you might find it interesting - even just the slideshow going on in the background. Some of you will know what those images tell the story of.
The transcript of my talk appears below the video.
Exploring Potential
It makes me so sad that online technology tools & apps are still viewed with fear and as a barrier by so many women.
When we harness the power of the internet & ‘the techy stuff’ we can
• make our business stronger,
• more profitable,
• serve our clients & customers better,
• make things faster & easier for ourselves,
• and free up our time.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS:
These tools have never been better, easier, or cheaper.
AND YET,
Those barriers in your mind continue to hold you back from exploring the potential that grows from embracing & using ‘the techy stuff’.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN LEARN ENOUGH ABOUT THE TECHY STUFF TO BLAST AWAY THOSE BARRIERS
I know you are here today to be Inspired & to Celebrate & Grow
So you in turn can inspire your audience, your clients, your customers, and be the change they need.
SO LET ME BE YOUR GUIDE and share FOUR POINTERS to help you blast away those techy barriers, explore your potential to embrace and use more 'techy stuff' in your business.
My Story
In the video (behind me) are images of my life in technology. All the places where I have worked using technology. And how I use technology now to help others in my online business.
My life has revolved around technology & training.
I was curious at school when I was the only girl to choose O level computer studies back in 1979, and I’ve always explored the potential of newfangled techy stuff since then.
So you might be thinking, well its alright for you, Sue, you are obviously good at all that stuff.
POINT 1
NONE of my ultra-techy stuff and experience is at all relevant to the online tools we use today.You don’t need to have done any of that.
To use our online tools & apps CLICK, SCROLL, TICK, DRAG, TYPE
You can do that!
POINT 2.
I didn’t magically absorb all that knowledge.
It was all LEARNED.
Just like when we drive a car. Someone had to teach us what to do.
When women tell me they can’t do techy stuff, I will often say to them,
Well what learning have you tried?
Typical answer…. Well none really, I’ve been struggling to work it out for myself!
OR they tried to learn in a way that didn’t suit their learning style
OR from someone who wasn’t skilled in tech training.
I know what a disaster it can be when you can’t learn the tech!
After my business studies degree I got a prized graduate job in the computer department at Nissan.
2 jobs, 2000 applied.
I had to learn the computer programming language and was sent on a course to do so. BUT, the trainer was a rubbish trainer. He couldn’t explain what to do.
He could only explain in terms of another programming language.
I STRUGGLED TO LEARN ANYTHING
This awful start knocked my confidence,
AND REINFORCED the dreadful sexist attitude that existed towards me within the department.
The stress. The doubt.
I feared I was going to lose my job!
And then LUCKILY for me, I was dumped onto a contractor to help him with a project.
I will always be grateful to Brian as he patiently explained how it all worked, what to do, showed me, helped me and suddenly…
It all fell into place, and I FLEW.
I became a respected expert. Worked on complex projects. I even wrote code that wrote code!
I made it my mission back then to learn how to teach techy stuff.
Since then I’ve taught many hundreds of people from around the world the techy skills that have changed careers, businesses and lives.
So POINT 3
You need the right teacher who can teach you in your learning style, and in small practical steps.So do yourself a massive favour, and get some proper training in the techy things you need.
At minimum so you can make informed decisions.
AND MY MOST IMPORTANT POINT FOR YOU TODAY
POINT 4
Instead of stressing about HOW to do something.
Change the question into WHO CAN HELP YOU
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEND MORE TIME SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT PERSON TO HELP YOU
THE WHO BRINGS THE HOW
There was a book published in 2020 called "WHO NOT HOW" by Dan Sullivan.
But this was a comment a client made to me years ago!
"You are the who who brings the how!"I’ve never forgotten that.
The right WHO can save YOU a ton of time and money and frustration.
And help make it easier for you to become the who
who your clients and customers are searching for too!
I HOPE THESE POINTS HELP YOU TO EXPLORE YOUR POTENTIAL.
PLEASE DON’T LET TECHNOLOGY GET IN YOUR WAY.
You know I'm always cheering you on,
Sue xxx
PS. If you are struggling with some aspect of technology, you can book a 'Power Hour' with me, PICK MY BTAIN, and we can get it sorted!