I am wonderfully blessed to be part of the NWA Bloggers Group despite being sort of haphazard about blogging (16 months since my last post on this blog). They are a warm, fun group that has started #NWARKCares to show the power of our collective voice on a single issue each month. I’ve supported the group on Twitter, FaceBook and Instagram, but not a blog post. This month our issue is Women in Politics/Leadership.
How do I lead?
The Belford Group – Adult Internship Program
I am also wonderfully blessed to be the CEO of The Belford Group. I co-own the Marketing and Application Development business with my husband. This fall I got to realize a dream I’ve had for over 10+ years. We launched our first formal class of Adult Internships (in contrast with our typical college internships). Our Adult Internship Program is for stay-at-home moms that are looking for practical experience & skills to help them transition back into the workforce. Our first official class includes 3 incredibly talented women that enrich my life every day. This is how I lead.
Since April, 2009 I have been a member of Razorback Toastmasters. I was first invited by an incredible female leader, entrepreneur and mentor, Kim Hodous.
She invited me to Toastmasters, I politely told her I had been trained by Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul) and didn’t need a public speaking club. She bluntly said, “Are you going to practice on your paying clients?” Gulp. I was at the next meeting. Over the last 4 years, I have met some incredible people literally from around the world. I have competed in evaluation contests and speech contest here in NWA, Little Rock, Memphis and most recently, I was a semi-finalist in the World Championship of Public Speaking in Las Vegas. Currently, I serve as the District 43 Public Relations Manager serving Arkansas, part of Mississippi and part of Tennessee.
My favorite part of Toastmasters is watching someone join the club scared out of their mind to stand up and speak. Then over the next several months watching them blossom and grow in confidence and skill. This is how I lead.
- Going where kids are.
- Building personal relationships with them.
- Winning the right to be heard.
- Providing experiences that are fun, adventurous and life-changing.
- Sharing our lives and the Good News of Jesus Christ with adolescents.
I have the opportunity to serve on the Washington County Committee that provides support for the local YoungLife leaders as they carry out the mission of YoungLife. I am humbled continually by the boldness that these leaders display when pursuing the hearts of adolescents – they also go to great lengths to be fun and relevant!
We are currently looking for YoungLife Alumni – if you experienced the fun of YoungLife, we’d love you to join this FaceBook group. This is how I lead.
Kiss-A-Pig
Soon it will be announced that I am a 2016 candidate for the Kiss-A-Pig fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association on March 12, 2016. I’m excited about the opportunity to raise money for this group because I recently lost my beloved Uncle Bob to complications from diabetes. This is how I lead.
Over the years
I’ve held various other roles/offices including: PTO President, Girl Scout leader, church small group leader, BNI President & Vice President, Chamber member, softball coach, mentor and board member. For me, leading is serving, giving and contributing. I look forward to many more opportunities to serve because this is how I lead.
How do you lead?
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