Blind Enthusiasm. The Blog.

“Sometimes you have to jump out the window just to see if you can fly.”

Ray Bradbury

I started this blog in January of 2021 with this quote. I have always felt that I had something to share and it was a dream of mine to create a space where I could do that but anxiety, overthinking, and a predilection for perfectionism stopped me from acting on that desire for many years. And then, one day, I got really fucking tired of not doing the thing I always said I wanted to do and I just sat down and did it. I did it without any kind of plan or goal. I did it because NOT doing it made me feel like shit. I did it because deep down, I knew I could. I just needed to let go of fear.

Letting go of that fear and starting this blog was one of the most important decisions I have made for myself as an adult. Not because it set me on a trajectory of success beyond my wildest dreams (thank you to my tens of followers on Instagram) but because it allowed me to prove to myself that I could do something that I thought was hard and that I was afraid I would be judged for. I overcame self-doubt and just did the thing that mattered to me. And wouldn’t you know it? Good things happened when I took that risk and even more importantly, it prepared me for what was to come.

Deja Vu and Deceit

This past winter, I found myself, once again, perched upon the ledge of an opportunity, staring into the unknown, wondering about my flight capabilities. Things were shifting in my life, I was struggling to find my place and I once again saw a chance to create something that would be my own, where I could make an impact and carve out a future for myself doing something that I love. So, I stepped into the land of “what if?” and in February of this year, I launched my own business called BE Connected.

Now for some brutal honesty. If you happened to cross paths with me in the last seven months and inquired about my profession, I probably gave you my usual spiel – “I am the co-owner of a company called Camelot Interiors and we specialize in custom blinds and shades.” This is both the truth and a lie. I do still own Camelot with my husband, but the reality is, I no longer work in the day to day operations of the business. I’ve been lying to people about what I do. At first I wasn’t sure why I was doing this. Was it a habit? Surely it was just a knee-jerk reaction to the classic but tired query “So, what do you do?” and I just needed to practice the new words that were supposed to come out of my mouth. But as months went by and I continued to sing the same old blind lady song, I became genuinely curious about what the hell was going on in my brain. After some thoughtful contemplation, I think I’ve managed to identify at least some of the reasons for my deceit:

1. I’m embarrassed by the looks of furrowed confusion that inevitably follow when I tell people I am a networking consultant (a title which I am NOT loving but can’t seem to replace with a better alternative).
2. I’m worried other people won’t see this as a real business and because I am a textbook people pleaser, I can’t bare the thought of being judged by anyone, let alone the people I care about.
3. I’m terrified of failure, and by not coming clean about my shift away from Camelot Interiors, I can give myself a small measure of protection if things don’t work out.

Well friends, not only am I tired of living a lie, but I also think that I’m doing myself a great disservice. I’m pretty sure there is some kind of law of the universe that ensures you won’t achieve what you want to when you dangle one foot into the abyss while keeping the other foot surely planted on solid ground. If, at the end of the day, I can’t say that I did absolutely everything to make this work, then am I protecting myself or just selling myself short? I am an “all in” kind of gal and I haven’t been going all in on this venture. It’s time to change that. It’s time to jump. So here I am, declaring to you that I am a networking consultant (seriously, if you have any other suggestions on a title, I’m all ears). I am the founder of BE Connected, and I help people build their businesses through building meaningful relationships – and coffee!.

FAQs

Here are some quick FAQs about BE Connected.

What’s with the name?

BE is short for Blind Enthusiasm, which is our company motto at Camelot Interiors (Get it? Window coverings. Blinds. We love what we do. Enthusiasm. I’m overselling it, aren’t I?). It’s more than just a pun; it encapsulates my joy as an entrepreneur working with my husband, the wonder of building a fulfilling life, embracing growth and risk, and discovering meaning in unexpected places. It signifies the simplicity of what I value and my quest to understand our interconnectedness and how together, we can thrive.

The “Connected” aspect is straightforward but worth clarifying. Over the past 6 years, I immersed myself in the world of networking. Not only did this lead to significant business growth for Camelot Interiors, but also to an inspiring community that fuelled my desire to give back, forge profound relationships, and make a positive impact in my corner of the world. Through this journey I have learned that when we connect to what matters, we all benefit.

So….is this is a business??

Sure. In the fall of 2022 I was feeling a little lost. My husband and I were making plans to begin a slow exit from Camelot Interiors and although he is ready to retire, I plan to work for at another 10-15 years (both for practical and existential reasons), but I wasn’t quite sure what the future would look like. So, I did what any neurotic middle aged woman who over-analyzes absolutely everything would do…I made a list. My list was an inventory of what I wanted my work life to look like, what my skill set is, what I am passionate about and what brings me joy. I determined that I wanted to be able to work remotely and set my own schedule. I wanted to work with entrepreneurs and stay connected with the business community in Edmonton. I am skilled at and enjoy creative work, public speaking, collaborative problem solving and there is nothing that gives me more joy than watching someone else succeed. I am passionate about giving back to others in any way I can AND I freaking LOVE networking!

But, is it a business that can make money?

Truth? I actually had no idea at the beginning. But here’s the incredible thing about the power of networking – when you want to take a risk, the people that you have spent all your time building deep meaningful connections with will want to see you succeed and they will do what they can to help you. I launched BE Connected with the support of the Co-Executive Directors of BNI Alberta North. I literally came to them with an idea and they didn’t even question it, they simply said “Yes! What can we do to help?”. Just knowing that these incredible human beings were in my corner gave me the courage to take the first step and launch. Shortly afterward, I started working with them as their Member Placement Coordinator.

And then you know what happened? A few weeks later I received an invitation to attend a hockey game with one of the Co-Founders of YBB Connect, which is another wonderful organization I’ve been involved with for several years, and they wanted to talk about what I was doing and how we could collaborate. Shortly after that, I was announced as their new Director of Networking.

Within the first couple of months of launching BE Connected, I had two contracts in place with two organizations that I am passionate about and I was spending my days working with people I care for and respect. Am I making tons of money? Good lord, not at all. But the potential is there and I’m lucky enough to have the time and support to build this into what I know it can be.

What are my goals?

I have zero goals. I can’t help but marvel at how much it frustrates people when I tell them this. Cue the gasping wide eyed astonishment. “Surely, you can’t embark on a business venture without a meticulously detailed plan complete with specific benchmarks, an execution strategy and key performance indicators!” they insist. The short answer is, I can, I did, I’m good with it and any frustration you feel over my failure to conform to whatever advice the latest top selling business book is giving probably has more to do with you than it does with me. BUT, if you need something a bit more conventional to ease your mind, I’ll call what I’m doing an “emergent strategy” (which is a real thing that I’m sure you can find in a best selling business book somewhere).

I purposely started BE Connected with zero expectations. It’s important to me that it emerges and evolves on its own accord rather than me moving it in a particular direction because I’ve already decided, arbitrarily, what it is supposed to look like. I genuinely believe that taking on the role of an active passenger, with curiosity as the foremost focus, will unlock doors to unforeseen opportunities and provide me with the chance to collaborate with incredible people. This approach, while unconventional, may just lead me down a path that I hadn’t even thought of. Indeed, it already has.

Defenestration

So there you have it. I have officially and publicly defenestrated myself and there’s nothing left to do but see if I can fly. My conscience is clear (as much as it can be, given that I was raised Catholic) and I hereby swear to tell the truth from here forward when asked what my profession is. I will keep working on a phrase more authentic to me than “I am a networking consultant” but in the interest of maintaining my life philosophy of progress over perfection, it’ll do for now.

I would love it if you would come and follow along with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, subscribe to this blog and most of all, join in on the conversation. I’ve witnessed the incredible potential that unfolds when we forge meaningful connections, and I invite you to come along for the free fall. I have no idea where we’ll end up but I can guarantee that wherever we’re going, we’ll BE Connected.