One Man’s Story of Success Rick Weaver Chief Inspiration Officer Lifeteacher.com | New York, NY MEETING PROFESSIONALS INTERNATIONAL HOUSTON AREA CHAPTER Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Marriott Houston Airport at George Bush Intercontinental

One Connection Can Make A Difference

3 3 Connect

“When we get too caught up in the “busyness” of the world, we lose connection with one another - and ourselves”. “When we get too caught up in the “busyness” of the world, we lose connection with one another - and ourselves”. Jack Kornfield, Ph.D./ Buddhist Monk

Truly effective and lasting human connections require: Authenticity Honesty Humility - No Ulterior Motive - Not Afraid of Telling the Truth - Modest / Ego less - No Ulterior Motive - Not Afraid of Telling the Truth - Modest / Ego less

Association Meeting Planner Hotel Sales Professional Coach, Speaker, Facilitator Developed human connections through meetings & events Developed human connections through the trade associations Developed human connections through education & knowledge

Association Meeting Planner Developed human connections through meetings & events Meeting and exceeding internal client objectives Providing opportunities for attendees to network Highlighting physical without minimizing technological

Hotel Sales Professional Developed human connections through the trade associations Got involved in the association and gave back Developed relationships that went deeper Allowed connections to help me design a new life

Coach, Speaker, Facilitator Developed human connections through education & knowledge Connect individual coaching clients to their dreams Use my platform to impact peoples lives in a profound way Guide attendees along a path of knowledge

There were times in my career that others had to carry me…

3 3 Connect

Connection Methods - Technology Phone/Fax Instant Messaging Blogs/Forums Social Networking (LinkedIn, FaceBook, etc.) Video Conferencing

Connection Methods - Physical Face to Face (whether scheduled or spontaneous) Hand written cards & notes Baby Holding Adult Day Care Volunteering at local charity Get involved in your community Religious or Spiritual Gathering

Connection Methods - Emotional Recognition of a friend, family member or colleague Doing something nice for someone anonymously

In the Experience Economy, the philosophy is that up to now, we have focused most of our efforts on pricing commodities, goods and or services. For some time, we have been emerging into a new era of thought where we are finding that what our customers really want is an experience that keeps them coming back for more.

People Pay For Experiences… …because there is an emotional connection of some kind to that experience. When that emotional connection is there, they potentially will pay over and over for that experience. …because there is an emotional connection of some kind to that experience. When that emotional connection is there, they potentially will pay over and over for that experience.

3 3 Connect

My success has come as a direct result of the connections I made in MPI. My success has come as a direct result of the connections I made in MPI. My success and the realization of my dreams happened because I wasn’t afraid to reach out, step out of my comfort zone and connect.

Ask yourself these 3 questions: 1. Am I making the most of my human connections? 2. In the connections I do have, am I authentic, honest & humble? 3. What’s keeping me from raising the bar and connecting more?

I joined MPI because I had to…… I stayed because

Human Connections Can Make A Difference

One Man’s Story of Success Rick Weaver Chief Inspiration Officer Lifeteacher.com | New York, NY MEETING PROFESSIONALS INTERNATIONAL HOUSTON AREA CHAPTER