Casting the Net on the Other Side of the Boat!

I love this map!  It shows us connected with our neighbors the way you see it from a plane flying over.  From "God's" point of view there isn't a border that would separate us other than the distinction of our nationalities...  At Jesmic Jewelry we cast our net on the other side of the border and landed an agency in New England with fourteen seasoned reps that cover seven states with New York as one of them!  

Years ago in my VMP consulting days, I was pondering the Biblical account of Jesus using his disciple's boat to cast off a ways from the shore and use it as a platform to teach the crowds on the shore.  Afterwards, he tells Peter to 'cast out into the deep' with the intention to do some fishing.  Peter complains and explains that there aren't any fish there to be caught.  Jesus says to him, "Cast your net on the other side of the boat" which Peter does and catches a boat sinking, net breaking load of fish.  As I pondered this I had a vision of the US-Canadian border.  I felt in my spirit that I should maybe 'cast my net' across that border and do some promoting of my services in the States. 

I put together a presentation folder, short listed contacts from industry trade magazine for Gift and Tableware Shows and began to call.  The first thing I found out was that ost of the event planners had already chosen their speakers for the current shows.  With my sales training, I then launched into, "If you can't be FIRST, be the BEST SECOND."  So I offered to forward my materials and asked them two things: 
          1. IF your speaker cancels at the last minute, please call me.  All the presentations
           you will see in my media kit are ready to go.  and 
          2. IF you wouldn't mind putting my information in your resource files for when you 
          are picking the next speaker, I would appreciate that.  

I also found out that the average lead time to 'catch a fish' in this side of the boat was 12 - 18 months.  So I knew that I had to have realistic expectations.  I already had great references and testimonials from the Canadian side of the boat... so that helped.  Sure enough the calls began to come in and the doors opened.   Denver. L.A., New York, Atlanta... until the border crossing people decided my credentials didn't fall under the NAFTA agreement and I was sent back, missed my flight, and no one in the US wanted to risk that.  End of the 'boat load, net breaking catch'... but while it lasted it was great! 

Today we have another 'boat load, net breaking' opportunity and are excited to get everything in lace to handle the multi-currency and shipping.  We are ready.  We are excited and we have thrown our net on the other side of the boat and caught a couple of fish already.  It's all good!  LOVE out neighbors to the South!