I was blessed to share my story at the farmers market this past weekend. Judith, a friend of the honey vendor right beside me, was dancing to a Christmas playist provided by the Christmas Cookie Lady. I joined in to keep myself warm, because it was Buffalo cold and it sparked a ‘dancer to dancer’ connection.
She caught a couple moves I did and gave me the approval face of ‘not bad’ you seem to know what you are doing. She watched me dance a couple songs and then share my vinaigrette with a few clients before her friend told her I used the clover honey in my vinaigrette. After a few songs and down time in between customers, she made her way over to started a conversation that lasted about an hour.
She was truly impressed by my dancing but also impressed by my sale skills. So I told her that I own a dance studio, and then it a made sense to her. She said, “That’s why you move so well.” Then she asked about my product line and how I became a chef.
Most times, I give the short version of my life story because people tune out after a while, but she was interested from the moment I opened up my mouth. She appreciated what I was saying and the creative things I have done with my business over the years. So I took her through the moment I fell in love with food with my grandmother in Jamaica, to my career in the pharmaceutical industry, to the present moment of me creating a product line to sell at the market.
As I told my story I could tell her interest was building which normally doesn’t happen. She wanted to know more, and I could tell she was getting ready to pitch a way that she could help me with this new addition to my business. She said, “Hi I am Judith, and I affiliated with the IC success program at the Innovation center at BNMC.” She proceeded to tell what the program was about and how it could help me take my product line to the next level.
Why am I sharing this with you? Because I want you to be yourself, do things that align with your higher self, and go after the things that truly move you. Maybe this program does take my product line to the next level or maybe it teaches me things I have been wanting to learn. The thing that matters most is that because I was dancing to Christmas music and dancing fully invested in sharing my product line with everyone at the farmers market, I gained a connection that genuinely wants to see me succeed. I was once told that you never know if the next person you meet holds the key to your success. So believe in what you do and share it with joy. Will this conversation lead to more success? The only answer to this question is beyond the new door that was opened through a dance connection.