There are a couple of things I’m excited to announce here: the first is that SkinnyGirl Margarita is now available to buy in Canada ($15/btl)! The other announcement is that Bethenny came to Canada and I met her (note the evidence in the photograph to your left)!

It’s kind of funny with the timing of this encounter. I had just written my last blog post on why I adore Bethenny Frankel and how she has been such an inspiration to me – both personally and professionally. Within a week of writing it, I found out that she was coming to Canada to sign bottles of her newly launched drink! Right then, I was on a mission like no other: to meet her in person and (hopefully) get her to sign one of the many Bethenny-branded items I had. Would it be her yoga DVD? One of her books I had on my shelves? Or the latest Forbes Magazine where she graced the cover? I know I couldn’t get her to sign them all, so I settled on her latest book, A Place of Yes because I started reading it at a time in my life (now) when I needed a book to provide some inspiration and because I related so much to Bethenny, so I knew it would resonate with me. Ironically enough, I have gotten to know the yoga/pilates expert who was in Bethenny’s video with her, Kristin McGee and I will be visiting her in NYC this summer and she will sign the DVD for me. I love networking particularly with smart, sincere women who have been successful building a business based on their passion.

After lining up for 30 minutes outside, Bethenny finally arrived at the liquor store on Bute/Alberni in downtown Vancouver. Now, I will be the first to admit that I can get star struck (ask any of my girlfriends, its true). There is something surreal about meeting someone in person who you only know through television or in the media and there is a side to me that didn’t think I would ever have such an opportunity. I had been watching Bethenny for a while, starting with The Real Housewives of NYC and now on her own TV shows, Bethenny Getting Married & Bethenny Ever After. But the TV shows are just one element to the whole brand. Like I mentioned in my last post, as a business woman, she is one tough cookie but very smart. She built a brand from nothing all by herself, and didn’t let the critics stop her. When Beam Global Spirits & Wine came along and acquired her SkinnyGirl Margarita drink, Bethenny said 2 years ago none of the big liquor brands were interested in a low-cal, all natural margarita drink because they didn’t think it would sell. All these companies were being run by men who didn’t realize there was a need in the market for such a drink targeted towards women. Boy were they wrong. Through hard work, dedicated, tenacity and well, balls, she didn’t take no for an answer and kept going for her dreams. 2 years and $100 million dollars later, SkinnyGirl is now available across North America and is flying off the shelves quicker than you can say “holy margarita balls!”

As I moved up in the line and approached Bethenny, my heart was pounding because (a) I couldn’t believe I was in her presence and (b) I had no clue what the hell to say without sounding like a total idiot! I had so much to tell her but in reality, at signings like these, you gotta keep the line moving because you are 1 of 200 people trying to accomplish the same thing, and I knew Bethenny was onto city #3 of her cross country tour. How does the girl do it?! Also, I thought this would be a great opportunity to bring her a little gift so I brought along 2 of my books that I wrote with the Smart Cookies and cute Smart Cookie t-shirt. A female entrepreneur isn’t a success without a little shameless self-promotion, am I not right?!

All in all, she was an absolute delight even if I did only get to meet her for all of 60 seconds. For all the long days, flights from coast to coast, sleeping in hotels, being away from her family, and signings she has had to do, she seemed genuinely happy to be there because if there is one thing Bethenny isn’t is selfish. She is fully aware that she would not be where she is without the support of her true fans and she was every bit the lady I thought she would be. Genunine, sincere with a big smile on her face.

Thank you for making my Saturday Bethenny. Let’s hope we meet again.

NYC isn’t for everyone. I know some people hate the city because its way too crowded, congested, loud and obnoxious. For me, it’s the land of opportunities, not to mention where (some) dreams come true. I believe there is something for everyone in NYC. Whether you like art galleries, museums, nightlife, restaurants, sightseeing or fashion, it is a city that never sleeps and will always amaze you. I tell everyone who hasn’t been there that they will love it or hate it, but either way, they have to experience it once in their life to truly get a feel of the city to answer that question.

Coming from the east coast, I feel some kind of bond to NYC. Maybe it was my obsession with 80’s movies like Baby Boom, Working Girl, Wall Street or the Secret of My Success or maybe it was listening to my father talk about his fancy business trips to the city. Either way, I felt like it was the land of opportunity and I knew one day I had to be there. 25 years later, I am (hopefully) getting closer to turning my dream a reality.

Thanks to my other business, The Smart Cookies, I have had the fortunate experience to travel to NYC often on business. Now with the launch of my own business, Bratface Marketing, my goal is to expand the business and gain clientele in the city. I love Vancouver and it is my home base where I have built a strong network, but I have never wanted to limit myself to just the west coast. I think for any smart businessperson, its important to build networks outside of your city in order to grow, if that is indeed your intention. How do I plan on doing this? Well, for starters I am currently on a plane to NYC, which I have completely funded on my own (with some creative and affordable steps along the way) in order to chase my dreams.

For the past year, I have actively pitched, networked and schmoozed with former colleagues and influencers who have helped introduce me to some pretty amazing people. Not to mention my sheer boldness of just approaching and introducing myself to some phenomenal business people through networks such as LinkedIn of all places (check out my video on How to Network Like a Bratface). With a little tenacity and a whole lotta guts, I was successful in connecting with some successful business people who have willingly accepted my invitation for coffee while I am in NYC. Before I meet with them, it was important for me to nail down the reasons why I was meeting with these businesspeople. Keeping in mind that I knew their time was valuable, I didn’t want to waste their time either and ensured I had certain questions and reason why I wanted to meet with them. Without being too obvious about hopefully using my services one day, I really just wanted to learn a bit more about their business and needs in the hopes on day to work with them. As I mentioned before, it’s important to meet face-to-face with people and really sell yourself. Personality is hard to come by over email, so connecting with them in person is my first goal. Telling them more about Bratface Marketing, our focus, what it is we do, and how we can help their business is second.

I will report back on my trip once its over and share any thoughts on it. To date, I have 8 meetings booked, so wish me luck!