A Chance Encounter that Changed Everything

I had the most profound marketing/human experience today that I know is going to touch you to the core.

I work odd ours for a marketer. Typically 6:30am – 2:30pm. My twist on 9-5 that works for me and my family.

I escape the busy-ness of the morning routine by choosing a quiet community location close to where I live, to tuck into work over a nice coffee. This morning was at a nearby café in Melbourne’s Western suburbs.  With Wifi, coffee and a power point nearby – I’m all sorted.

Kicking big business goals. Working with colleagues around the globe. Rolling the way I like it.

Then suddenly, at 6am one Tuesday morning, Martha dropped into my world. Completely unexpectedly and in the most surprising way.

She was doing the rooster shift at the local shopping centre (where I later find out she'd done the nightshift), just shy of the end of her shift, when she politely asks if she could vacuum near where I’m sitting, and apologises in advance for the noise.

"Sure" I reply, and smile warmly, appreciative of her friendliness and consideration for my deep focus.

We strike up a conversation and what happens next will blow your mind.

After some friendly chit-chat, we start talking “business” and I discover Martha is in the process of starting her own cleaning business.

I’m intrigued, and offer to give her some pointers.

I ask a little about her background and why she started it. Turns out she’s a single mum caring for four children over her own (plus a nephew) so five children to provide for.

Similar to me in many respects – but I have the benefit of a team to help me - and a long-established career and a business to fall back on.

Martha migrated to Australia as an 11year old and did not go to school. And as a Sudanese-Australian fledgling-entrepreneur and single mum-of-four, here she is, working all night, cleaning shopping centres to create a better life for her children.

And the story gets even better. This woman is amazing. I find out that in her “spare time” she’s also at university studying a bachelor of criminology and psychology. I almost fall off my chair I’m that inspired.

From that moment on, the conversations went like this……

Me: “OK, I have to get this straight, you’re cleaning shopping centres as a contractor, so you can get what you need to start your own cleaning business, so you can provide for yourself and the children, while you study and build a career”.

“Yep” she says.

The next few words just flew out of my mouth quicker than I knew - yet seemed so natural, like exhaling after holding a deep breath underwater.

“I am going to help you do this." I said. "I resonate so strongly with what you’re doing – that I can’t 'not' help you! Would you like me to do this”?

“Yes” Martha replies without hesitation.

We discuss some first steps – which are to collect testimonials from all the cleaning customers she’s worked for so far – and setting up a business Facebook Page.

One thing's for sure she's going to build her business as personal brand not as another “me too” cleaning business.

She has a story to tell, a message that will inspire and purpose that goes way beyond just running a successful cleaning business.

We connect on Facebook as she looks at her watch, conscious of the workload she needs to complete before the centre officially opens and her time is up.

She goes on with her work, gets her kids off to school, then goes home to sleep - before the kids come home from school .-And I go about my day - floored by what I'd just experienced, and the courage and determination I'd just witnessed,.

Then and there I decided I was going to harness every contact, connection, resource I could for Martha, and make this a communal effort to help her build something that will inspire her children, her family, her community, and aspiring entreprenuers everywhere - and, of course, herself!

I decided that given I am blessed know so many brilliant marketers and entreprenuers I'd invite them to be part of the journey.

And here's how I'm going to do it.

I'm going to mentor Martha via a Closed Facebook Group where we'll undertake the journey of building her brand, and from that, her business. We'll do live chats in the group, I'll communicate what her "next steps" are and we'll track her progress in the group.

We'll connect her with people who can help her, people who can connect her, and people who are just there to encourage and deliver moral support (that's important too!)

Because if there's one thing I can attest to, it's the power of a brand to power a business.

And a brand, and a business, created in a purposeful way, can be powerful building blocks in creating an inspiring life.

I've been mightily privileged to experience that myself, and I want that so deeply for others. As many as possible. Including Martha.

So here comes the invitation. If this has struck a chord, and you're keen to follow Martha's journey - whether as an observer, action-taker or supporter, or you just want to be part of the awesome community that comes around Martha to encourage and support her - you are invited to connect with us too.

And watch this space!

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About the Author: 

Nina Christian is a Marketing Futurist & Global Marketing Mentor who helps people do their marketing in a more human way. 

She is a Certified Practicing Marketer (CPM), Life Member and Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute & AMI State Chair (Vic) and for 20 years was director of Braveda (Winner, Best Marketing Agency, Australian Marketing Excellence Awards).

Several years ago Nina saw the world of marketing shifting – this time as people became their own brands.  With this, she created a new business as a thought leader, combining her expertise in brand building with personal positioning, resulting in a breakthrough praxis known as Marketing Me™.

She has a knack for simplifying the complex which comes from being a hands-on mum to five children, and uses this to turn time-sucking activities into easy-to-follow systems and processes that make a lot of sense and get outcomes fast.

There are different ways to work with Nina based on your situation and organisation size - with all of them you'll see rapid transformation and tangible outcomes fast. Book a chat with Nina here.