This afternoon I am flying to Brisbane to speak at the launch of the audio edition of the book “Broken to Brilliant”. 

This is a big deal for me. 

I will be on stage with Karen Jacobsen, better known as The GPS Girl, Aussie Karen (who can be heard in over 400 million Garmin GPS devices as well as being the voice of Aussie Siri).

The reason I get to speak is because I introduced Karen to Kate Smith, director of the charity Broken to Brilliant. 

Kate’s mission is to help survivors of domestic violence to rebuild their lives, hence Broken to Brilliant.

I first heard about Kate and the work she is doing a few years ago, through the Amasssing Ladies Leadership retreat. We raised money to help publish the book. At the time I had not met Kate, but through my membership with Amasssing, it wasn’t long before I met and interviewed Kate for my radio and TV shows. 

When Ross and I were leaving to go to America, we donated a heap of office furniture to Kate as they prepared to establish their first headquarters. 

Not long after we arrived in America, Kate asked me if I could recommend anyone to read the book to create an audio version. 

Having just interviewed Karen for my TV show, I immediately thought of her. 

It was easy to make the introduction and they took it from there. 

However, this is background information because the message I really want to give you today is to “go ahead and join”.  

I met Karen through my friend and mentor from the National Speakers Association, Lou Heckler. 

As a member of the association, I attended a training with Lou and then did some one on one coaching with him. We became friends with Lou and his wife Jonellen and met up with them a few times when we were in America. 

On one visit, years ago, when we were heading to New York, I asked for some introductions through the Speakers Association. Lou introduced me to Karen via email and she graciously invited me and Ross to afternoon tea at her apartment in New York. 

I was so excited to be seeing a real life New York apartment, that it wasn’t until a few hours before our meeting that I looked up Karen on the internet. OMG! I was so intimidated. She was famous, she was so successful, what could I offer her, why would she be interested in me? 

Of course Karen and her husband Tom and son Hayden were gracious and we enjoyed a fabulous afternoon together and from there kept in touch and over the years caught up whenever Karen had time in Australia or we in America. 

Now to the punchline – if I hadn’t joined the Speakers Association nor Amasssing Ladies, I would never have met Lou, Karen or Kate not to mention many other friends. 

I’ve coined the phrase “Networking Ancestry” because it’s your network that enables you and others to collaborate and help each other.  

If you don’t join and become part of a network, you’re missing out on friendships, business and who knows what opportunities. 

So my message today, if you have been invited to join a group of some sort is “go ahead and join”.  

You just never know who you will meet and how beneficial that membership might be.