Pursuit 365 Day 243: Ami McKay

Cathy is an Award-Winning Business Consultant, Speaker and founder of The Connected Woman Association. She works with entrepreneurs to create and implement strategies to “Stand Up, Stand Out & Step Forward” that will increase efficiency, market impact and ultimately their bank account.

How did you decide on your career, and what made you start?
It was the constant requests for ‘coffee dates’ and ‘can I pick your brain?” meetings that triggered that “AHA!’ moment. Seeing solutions and opportunities where others didn’t was the catalyst for me to become a professional coach and business consultant. It also was the start of the Connected Woman Association [www.theconnectedwoman.com] and the now monthly, Connection Cafe: Coffee with Cathy where women of all ages and stages; markets; industries and levels of business come together to ask questions, celebrate achievements, and offer support. Something I really look forward to each month! Since choosing this career, I’ve been honoured with multiple awards for Coaching and Speaking, [www.cathykuzel.com] but most importantly, by becoming an advisor and consultant to professionals, business owners and thought leaders, I have made a positive impact to the business community. While I may not have taken the ‘traditional’ career path into this role, I am grateful for the skill sets, knowledge and experience I gained in the process. Hands-on experience or what some may call the ‘school of hard knocks’ has been the best teacher. I’m a firm believer that “Knowledge shared is Success magnified” © and I truly wished I had had a ‘me’ to go to as I built my business, so it’s important that I have the opportunity to share my knowledge with others.

What advice would you give someone wanting to build their business?
Connections Count. There is so much experience and knowledge around us and all we have to do is connect to tap into it. A conversation over coffee, a short phone call. Learning to network effectively and leverage your connections is vital. The challenging part is, many people have difficulty initiating conversations so I teach clients and Connected Woman Association members the art of talking to strangers in my “Intriguing Introductions” course. Based on the feedback and testimonials, this course has made a huge difference for business owners.

Let me share a couple of tips when it comes to networking:

Tell people how you help them NOT what you do.
Have a specific ‘ask’. People will gladly help if they know what it is you need. Creating Connections is all about rapport and relationships – not selling. (Ok, technically that was tip #3!)

What keeps you motivated in your business on a daily basis?
It’s so many things! I’ve told my sons that ‘the day you stop learning is the day they plant you.’ so I plan on being on this side of the grass for quite some time! Here’s just a short list of some of the things that make me want to get up in the morning: – learning new things – acquiring new skills –

Do you have a project you are currently working on?
Of course! There’s always something exciting happening! In addition to my upcoming “When Women Talk” Collaborative Book project [www.whenwomentalk.ca] to celebrate the Connected Woman’s 15th Anniversary next year, I’ve been building an online resource/education hub for entrepreneurs – The CSuite Learning Center, a place where entrepreneurs can access knowledge and expertise, they need to begin their journey, grow their current business or to take their idea to the next level. Launch date is scheduled for Spring 2023.

Any final thoughts to share?
Most entrepreneurs measure their success by the amount of money they generate. While I agree it’s important (you’ve got to make money to stay in business!), it’s only a small part of your success. Success is also measured by the people you help, the difference you make in the world, and that you can’t wait to get up and get started each morning. Now go Get Connected!