Recently I discovered Love Walk Café in Camberwell, South London. It’s welcoming, stylishly decorated and serves a delicious breakfast all day. One of its coolest features is the quote from Robert Browning on the inside of the awning:
A young admirer said, “There is no romance now except in Italy.” Browning thought for a moment. “Ah well I should like to include Camberwell.”
Love Walk Café is less than a mile away from my home, where I’ve lived for 12 years, and I’ve only just discovered it.
So this local gastronomic discovery made me think, “What other hidden treasures are right there underneath my nose that I don’t want to miss?”
There are my clients for a start. I fought really hard to win them in the first place. So I remind myself why I feel so passionately about helping them to change the world. This enables me to see them with fresh eyes and bring new energy and commitment to delivering fundraising results.
And my precious support network, the people in my corner, I don’t want to miss them either. When I meet with them they nurture, acknowledge and love me. So I feel renewed and brave and ready to turn my business vision into reality.
When I want to develop new corporate partnerships it’s vital I use my network too. I advise charities that want to create new partnerships that it’s best to begin close to home, with contacts they already have. They may believe they don’t really know anyone. But usually, when we look closer, we discover they have some very exciting connections. Our success rate is much higher when we approach someone we know. Meeting a warm prospect means I walk in on a red carpet, if I go in cold I’m walking on broken glass.
Sometimes I believe that the success and happiness I seek is over the next ridge waiting to change my life (just like it happens in the movies). But this preoccupation with “over there” can mean that I miss the hidden treasure right here underneath my nose… until I open my eyes and notice it.
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