Month: February 2022

Overcoming Awkward Aims to Help Introverts Thrive in the Workplace

Courtenay, British Columbia/New York, NY, Some people are electrified by the idea of business networking events, cold-calling and striking up conversations with total strangers. But for introverts, new people, new places and new challenges can trigger a knee-jerk reaction to run and hide.

To thrive in any industry where success hinges heavily on an ability to build relationships, an introvert must break free from crippling shyness and social anxiety. Here to help is bona fide introvert master marketer Monica Parkin.

In her ground-breaking new book, Overcoming Awkward: The Introvert’s Guide to Networking, Marketing, and Sales, Parkin shares actionable strategies to create connections, build relationships, and establish loyal, repeat customers.

“How did a shy, socially awkward introvert like me turn into a master relationship builder?” Parkin asks. “Well, the answer is that you can evolve. … I was making myself crazy with all the social cues I did not understand and wondered why this comes so naturally to some people but was so impossibly hard for me. Today, I love the opportunity to go to events, meet people, hear people’s stories and build relationships. I can have the best of both worlds now, and so can you.”

Part memoir, part instruction guide, Overcoming Awkward reveals Parkin’s private struggles, shared with candid honesty and vulnerability. Her “one step at a time” approach, punctuated with personal anecdotes and humor, is easy to follow and implement.

In Overcoming Awkward, readers will learn:
– How to overcome social fears;
– How to build relationships effortlessly;
– Effective social media marketing;
– How to sow seeds for organic growth;
– How to win over angry clients;
– How to expand their comfort zone;
– The value of expert mentorship;
– And so much more.

“This is the definitive guide you’ve been waiting for,” Parkin adds. “Gone is the advice to introverts that they must learn to take on a persona that is light years away from who they really are. You will finally be free to just be you and will discover that your vibe attracts your tribe.”

Monica Parkin is a licensed mortgage broker and successful serial entrepreneur. She is an award-winning international speaker and the host of the Juggling without Balls podcast. She is also a self-professed introvert and crazy goat lady who lives on a small farm with an assortment of furry creatures. She loves to hear feedback from readers and looks forward to opportunities to speak on topics that empower others to feel more connected, confident and successful.

For more information, please visit https://www.monicaparkin.ca/.

Think Visually: Amplify the Impact of Your Ideas

Raleigh, NC — If a picture is worth a thousand words, why do so many of us insist on a thousand words alone?

Visuals transcend language barriers, push thinking in new directions, engage audiences, pinpoint the essence of lessons or conversations, and clarify misconceptions. Simply put: they make our thoughts visible.

Whether you’re in a school setting or place of business, visual thinking strategies can drive collective understanding and engagement. Plus, studies show that information is recalled exponentially more when paired with visuals than without them. So why wouldn’t you use visuals?

Wendi Pillars can’t stop thinking in pictures. She has been an educator for more than two decades in both military and civilian settings—overseas and stateside—with learners of all ages, from toddlers to adults. She uses visuals to explain, clarify, ease anxiety and add humor, finding that this inspires others to be creative, encourages new ways of thinking and fuels the leap from abstract thoughts to concrete action steps.

“Thinking visually can command a world of clarity that may not have previously existed among clients, students, colleagues and more,” Pillars says.

Her insightful, cleverly constructed new book, Visual Impact: Transform Communication in Your Boardroom, Classroom, or Living Room, is an A-Z reference guide full of original illustrations that complement and/or supplement the text on the facing pages. The idea is to help readers fully visualize ideas, see different styles and have a starting point to create their own visuals.

Designed so readers can dip in and out as needed for inspiration, Visual Impact provides clear examples that show readers what visual thinking looks like in reality.

“When you sketch more, you think more,” Pillars adds. “When you think more, you connect more dots. And when you connect more dots, you accomplish more. My markers are ready. Are yours?”

About the Author
As a curiositarian and lifeaholic, Wendi Pillars thrives on thinking creatively and communicating visually to get to the heart of any message. A consummate explorer of ideas, cultures and people, she enjoys crafting concepts that add a cognitive push and being able to share that with others. She is an award-winning lifelong educator with experience teaching, learning and living across the globe, as well as a love for languages, writing and our planet. She can always be found immersed in some sort of project or creative endeavor, ideally one that empowers others to create and think differently, or serves a community need. She currently lives in North Carolina with her 16-year-old son, rescue cat and dog, and beloved bees. Pillars is also the author of Visual Notetaking for Educators: A Teacher’s Guide to Student Creativity.

For more information, please visit www.sketchmorethinkmore.com, or follow the author on Instagram (sketchmore_thinkmore) or Twitter @wendi322).