Guest Article

The Wealthy Spirit: You Are Unique—Market It!

Chellie Campbell, Financial Stress Reduction Expert

Would you like to reframe your self-introduction?

I was introduced to networking by my insurance agent, the late Sharlee Bishin. She came by my office one day, when I had only had my bookkeeping business for about a year. 

We chatted for a bit, and she asked me, “Where are you networking?” I looked at her blankly. “What’s networking?” I asked.

Horrified, she said, “Come with me, dear,” and we were off to a dinner meeting of Women’s Referral Service, a wonderfully friendly group of supportive businesswomen (and men) founded by Nancy Sardella.

It didn’t take me long to figure out that I was doing something wrong. Every person I met asked me what kind of work I did, and I would answer, “I’m a bookkeeper.”

The reactions were swift and instantaneous. People frowned, drew back, changed the subject, or left in a hurry. As an actress, I had developed the ability to know when I had my audience’s attention and it was clear I lost it the minute I mentioned the word “bookkeeping.” No one wanted to have a conversation about that.

Something had to be done. I had heard about Gene Call, who taught the Word of Mouth Marketing class, so I signed up for it.

“You have to be interesting in thirty seconds or people will turn off, peg you in a category from which you will never escape,” he said. “Most people introduce themselves by saying, ‘I’m an accountant’ or ‘I’m an attorney.’ Boring!”

He suggested that you start by describing the benefit you provide to others: “I help people measure their financial success” (accountant) or “I help people protect their property” (insurance agent).

I started saying “I do financial stress reduction.” The difference in the reactions was truly amazing. People laughed, leaned forward, asked me, “How do you do that? Do you give away money?”

One woman threw her arms around me in a giant hug! I could tell by a person’s reaction to that one statement if they were interested in my services. So when I started teaching my course, it seemed natural to call it the Financial Stress Reduction® Workshop.

Reframe your self-introduction today. You’re not “a housewife”—you create beautiful family environments. You’re not a “mother”—you’re a loving support provider. You’re not a “teacher”—you’re a Guru. You’re not a “psychologist”—you help people find personal enlightenment. You’re not a “secretary”—you’re a business facilitator. You’re not a business- person—you’re a money-making machine!

Today’s Affirmation: “I am the most unique and beautiful me I know!”

Chellie Campbell, Financial Stress Reduction Expert, is the author of bestselling books The Wealthy Spirit, Zero to Zillionaire, and From Worry to Wealthy: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Success Without the Stress. She has been treating Money Disorders like Spending Bulimia and Income Anorexia in her Financial Stress Reduction® Workshops for over 25 years and is still speaking, writing, and teaching workshops—now as Zoom classes and The Wealthy Spirit Group on Facebook—with participants from all over the world. Website: www.chellie.com