As I'm here in my orthopaedic office getting some paperwork done, semi-dreading going to two different meetings, I've realized I've got the wrong attitude about meetings. The first one is an organizing meeting for the Nationwide golf tour's local event here in Raleigh. The people on this committee are great folks, generous with their time, and very influential in the community. These are the people I should be paying money to meet and talk about my small business! I've got to keep that in mind. Every interaction with someone in the course of the day is a chance to further the "brand" of Athletic Nation, both for our specific gym and for potential franchisees who will open gyms in the Triangle. So, I need to remind myself to use these opportunities I've got in my life to provide the value I know my business has to others. I'm not selling them, I'm offering an improvement to their lives they may not have right now.

The second meeting is the more formal networking event we all know of: The Cary Chamber of Commerce After Hours Event at the RBC Center. It should be cool, with lots of local small businesses represented in a neat setting. Clay G., my GM, and I are both attending and I hope to make some good contacts. Clay is getting really good at this stuff - I still need to force myself out of my shell. Again, our business has value to people - I need to make sure they know about it, that's all.