Last week I returned from the Caribbean island of Jamaica, known for its lush mountains, rainforests, and reef-lined beaches. While I enjoyed soaking up the sun and relaxing by the water, my stay in Jamaica was so much more than a beach getaway.

The focus of my trip to Jamaica was 2017 Women of Global Change Summit. From June 25 to July 2, WGC leaders from across the United States and France united to learn, grow network and give back. In our short trip, we demonstrated our commitment to acting with integrity, building camaraderie, fostering business expansion, and serving communities to achieve positive change. The beach views were gorgeous, but the WGC’s vision was far grander.

A Taste of My Jamaican Journey

Arriving on Sunday, June 25, members from WGC chapters across the country arrived at the Royalton Negril to enjoy a day of leisure and social networking. Each attendee, a business leader in their own right, was excited to come together to learn, grow and serve. We visited with old friends and quickly built new friendships. That evening, over 40 WGC members enjoyed a warm “Welcome Reception” where we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves and get to know the other business leaders.

WGC Founder Shellie Hunt, a business leader and visionary I respect greatly and am honored to call a friend, opened the Summit on Monday with a focus on “Serving, Leadership and Expectations”. She spoke to the group about the power and value of taking time out of our business professional schedules to “show up and play full out”. Showing up means taking the action steps necessary to achieve growth in your business, while playing “full out” represents always bringing your “A” game and conducting yourself with integrity. In the spirit of getting to know ourselves better in order to realize our potential, we took several leadership qualities tests as well as a first impression questionnaire.

Education and Skill-Building

One of the reasons WGC members attend the Summit is so that we can learn valuable lessons from our fellow business leaders that we can take home and integrate into our businesses and our lives. Over the course of Monday and Tuesday, we had the opportunity to hear from several inspirational speakers as well as first time attendees, including:

• Linell King, MD, the author of “Mastering Vitality: 7 Simple & Sustainable Steps to Lose Weight, Live Pain Free, Energize Your Life and Gain Power Now”, who delivered an important presentation on Optimal Health Vitality.
• Becca Tebon, a holistic health and fitness coach and speaker who talked about how to create a sustainable healthy lifestyle.
• Sara Woo, founder of Sara Woo Media, a full service digital marketing agency, who gave an outstanding presentation on Social Media 101 and communication effective strategies.
• Arvee Robinson, “The Master Speaker Trainer”, international speaker and author who discussed the importance of becoming a polished speaker to generate leads and make an impact in your industry.
• Inthirani Arul, an author, international speaker and human relations trainer, spoke about her SoulPath Exploration and how to lead a life of compassion, respect, and integrity to become a better leader.
• Sherita J. Herring, expert non-profit strategist and speaker, did a phenomenal job educating and empowering us to secure grants in the nonprofit world.

We were also privileged to hear from some of last year’s memorable speakers such as corporate trainer, speaker and author of “Leading the Game”, Jake Watson, who delivered an amazing presentation on the Building a Leader Foundation.

One of the highlights of the personal development training was a presentation on “Marketing to Millennials” given by Cheyenne Hunt. Her talk shed light on how to humanize your brand and show vulnerability so millennials take notice.

Cheyenne partnered with Gavin Leal to teach the WGC Youth Initiative, a program designed to support children and teens in becoming conscious and responsible global citizens while developing their self-image and life goals. I was thrilled by the inclusion of this empowering “next generation” initiative in the Summit program!

I look forward to the honor and privilege of bringing Cheyenne in to speak to our WGC Atlanta chapter and other members of our local community about this remarkable program in the near future.

On Wednesday, we shifted gears from education to relaxing and had a fun-filled day visiting the Mayfield Falls, a series of picturesque waterfalls. The group kicked back, relaxed and enjoyed a day of team building, fun and sun!

Uniting to Serve

Thursday was by far the most memorable and meaningful day of the trip. We departed early for our WGC Humanitarian Service Project to the Santoy Basic School. With the group numbering almost 40 people, we arrived engaged and ready to serve.

For over 6 hours, we came together to serve this school in a very big way. The school was days away from being closed by the government because it was in a state of disrepair. We immediately got to work by emptying the school of its desks and chairs and giving them all a fresh coat of paint. We donated a plethora of badly needed supplies for the students.

Several skilled men and women in our group moved a wall in one classroom to create a larger, more functional space and built and painted a wall in another classroom. We also removed old flooring, lay a brand new tile floor and cleaned the outside school grounds where the students enjoy playing sports.

The lesson was loud and clear: never underestimate what a group of committed WGC members can do when they come together in SERVICE. Words could never express the gratitude and love that these children and their parents, teachers and principal had for the blood, sweat and tears that went into bringing the school to life again. Personally, it warmed my heart to learn that some of the students’ parents had also attended the school when they were children. I will forever remember the love and appreciation we were shown by the grateful members of this warm, vibrant community. They will hold a place near and dear to my heart.

I walked away from that day of service blown away by the impact we had and the bond of sisterhood and brotherhood created between us. On a hot and tiring day, everyone maintained high spirits, took care of one another, and did everything in their power to execute the project. You can’t put a value on the friendships cemented and love shared amongst the WGC team and with the Jamaican community.

WGC Founder Shellie Hunt summed the experience up succinctly: “Those that serve succeed.”

I would like to thank all the WGC members and contributors who sent donations of clothing, health products, first aid kits, personal hygiene items, toys, educational resources, stuffed animals, and the painting equipment we needed for our service project. We could not have made the impact that we did without your generosity and support.

Another Opportunity to Serve

On Friday, our WGC group was invited to partake in another opportunity to serve and each of the 40 members of our group showed up without hesitation. Shellie Hunt assigned one monumental task – to raise $10,000 for the Jamaican school children. The assignment had to be completed within just 3 hours with the caveat that we could not accept a donation over $100 from any one individual. Inspired by the challenge, we came together as a group and devised a plan of action. We formed groups, created a news blast, set up an online payment system and assigned roles including treasurers, a timekeeper, social media strategists and more.

After reaching out to our own private contacts, we were successful in raising an impressive $10,300 in the allotted 3 hours! By the end of the week, that figure had grown substantially. The WGC community and Shellie Hunt were proud and privileged to present checks to several local schools that will make a powerful and lasting impact.

This is what coming together for a cause looks like in ACTION!

Celebrating Leadership

On Saturday, the final presentation of The Youth Initiative was delivered and a graduation ceremony was held. The children did an unbelievable job presenting their business plans. Our group was so inspired and impressed by their visions and action plans that members of the WGC community offered to build websites; provide coaching and support; make valuable introductions; and fund initiatives to help these youth launch their entrepreneurial programs.

After the graduation, members of the WGC were also presented with awards and certificates celebrating their leadership and other valuable contributions to humanity. All WGC members at the Summit were recognized and honored as Advocates of Global Change for their contributions to their Chapter and their exemplary leadership. My involvement in the organization has given me the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from many of these business leaders and world changers. 

I was also honored to receive the 2017 WGC Member Services Award recognizing my “outstanding success and achievements as a business leader in the community of Atlanta, service as President of the WGC Atlanta Chapter, and commitment to serving the community.” While the honor bestowed upon me was completely unexpected, it was very meaningful and touched me deeply.

Investing in Yourself Matters More Than You Think

Some entrepreneurs I meet pass up on personal and professional development opportunities because they’re busy managing their business while juggling their other personal responsibilities. I understand the pressures business owners face and appreciate that time is a treasured commodity. But if they knew the immeasurable value of taking time to invest in themselves and their growth, they would make the time. Investing in your professional education and finding ways to give back to your community allows you to:

• Learn new skills and tools to enhance your business and make you a better, more effective entrepreneur
• Achieve greater productivity and work life balance
• Expand your sphere of influence by networking and collaborating with people you would never have met otherwise
• Build relationships with potential prospect and referral partners
• Making meaningful introductions or referrals to help those you meet achieve their goals
• Learn lessons and gain knowledge from other experts and professionals you admire and respect
• Engage in dialogue and share ideas with other professionals in your field and related fields
• Serve with individuals who share your values and act with integrity
• Support meaningful initiatives in your community and beyond
• Become a lifetime learner who constantly strives for growth and personal excellence
• Raise the bar of personal and professional achievement in your life
• Open doors to new and potentially lucrative opportunities
• Take on responsibilities you may not have tackled before in your own business
• Gain powerful insights that can be taken home and applied to your own business
• Develop a greater understanding of who you are, what value you have to offer and what makes you unique

What you are able to learn from behind a desk or within four office walls is limited. Some of the most valuable – and profitable – business lessons are learned when you step out of your daily routine and embrace new learning experiences.

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I encourage my clients to invest in themselves and seize opportunities for growth by seeking out volunteer opportunities and attending business conferences and networking events. These experiences will not only enrich your life, but will also open doors that allow your business to prosper.

I challenge you to ask yourself:

• Are you pushing the boundaries?
• Are you learning new skills?
• Are you meeting people that inspire you to approach things differently and reach higher?

If you feel your personal or professional growth has stagnated and you are unsatisfied with the status quo, challenge yourself to identify and embrace new learning and volunteer opportunities.

I believe every entrepreneur can LEARN, GROW, ACHIEVE, and PROSPER with the right focus, mindset, commitment, consistency and system for success. I teach entrepreneurs a system proven to produce RESULTS and unlock the potential for building a profitable Legacy Business.

Contact me today to invest in yourself and “Double Plus” your income THIS year.

Don’t Miss Next Year’s Summit!

If you’re a business entrepreneur with a passion for serving and have always wanted to explore the Mediterranean, listen up! The 2018 WGC Summit will take place on a cruise from July 6th to July 13th with stops in Italy and Spain. We will be given a private tour of the Vatican and complete our humanitarian project in Spain. If you would like more information about attending next year’s WGC Summit, please email me at celeste@thewomenofglobalchange.com.

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Up Next: You’re Invited

We invite our local community to visit us on July 27, 2017 from 11:00 to 1:00 p.m. at the 1818 Club for the WGC Atlanta Chapter meeting. Pre-registration for the event is $25.00. Click here to pre-register. If you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact celeste@thewomenofglobalchange.com.

We are also opening up several other chapters across the United States. I am honored to help launch the Toronto, Ontario Chapter in the summer, 2017. To become a presenting sponsor or sponsor at this premier Toronto event, contact Celeste Giordano here. For additional information about WGC, please visit our website!

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Join Celeste at the 4th Annual Entrepreneurship and Small Business Summit on July 12th & 13th. She will be a Panel Expert and Break Out Speaker. Click here for more information.

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Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “double-plus” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with almost 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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