Let’s Get Personal: 1 Crucial Piece of Business Owner Advice from a Stranger

Image: This Rad Love

Last Friday I had my last wedding rehearsal of 2015! While I was waiting for everyone to arrive, a woman at the venue struck up a conversation with me, asking me if I was there for the tour. I explained that I was a wedding coordinator, and was actually there to rehearse for a wedding I was working tomorrow.

Besides being a terrible business owner and not having business cards on hand (*makes mental note to stuff more cards in ALL my bags & wallet*), we had a great small talk convo (her daughter was planning on getting married at the venue next year) about DC weddings and the venue itself and went our separate ways.

A few minutes later, the woman returned and said, “I hope you don’t mind me giving you some business owner feedback, but I am actually a life coach/mentor by profession and I just thought I would share something with you. When you introduce yourself, give your first AND your last name. Men tend to do this automatically, for some reason, women don’t.”

Wow.

First, I NEVER say no to free advice. You don’t have to take it, but in this case, what an awesome point this woman made. She explained, if we left our meeting, and all she could remember was my first name, Bree, and she Googled it….how far would she get? Talk about a missed business opportunity. Or if she met someone at a bigger company, like Mary at Macys, and placed a phone call to Macys and they asked which Mary she talked to, they would have no idea which Mary she met without a last name.

Second, damn. I never even thought about it but it was SO true. I almost ALWAYS just introduce myself as only Bree, no last name. Along with never having business cards, I also terribly don’t often mention my business name after I say my name. Why not?! Where did that even start?

Well thanks to this stranger’s sage advice. I can now add this to the short list of big impact changes I’ve made as a business owner this year. Along with no longer saying just, I will now be Bree Ryback, of Capitol Romance, to any new person I meet.

Own it – your name and your business. Why shouldn’t I?

Happy Friday Romancers ~ have a great weekend!