Useful Knowledge That Makes a Measurable Difference
(The Measurable Difference Impact Story)
Everyone wants to do better.
In Business.
In relationships.
In life.
Doing better is one of the few human traits we all have in common and it’s the underlying purpose behind The Measurable Difference. The brainchild of Vince Fowler, the Founder and Chief Challenger of the Status Quo for The Measurable Difference, the event strives to spread “wisdom worth executing.”
These 25 minute talks, followed by a 25 minute open networking session, are designed to inspire and empower people to do better all around. Following the third and final talk of the event, they hold a Q&A panel where the three featured speakers come back to the stage and help the audience problem-solve.
“Life isn’t black and white, and there are a lot of ways to accomplish a certain task or challenge in life, and so I look for different speakers to come in who are largely business owners.”
The idea for TMD came from a combination of Vince’s enjoyment for sharing the lessons he’s learned in his career and because, at the time, he wasn’t getting hired. Originally, he knew people weren’t going to just attend if it was just him, which ultimately led Vince to invite other speakers. Plus, leveraging other people’s networks would ensure there would be more people in the room. A bigger audience would make it a lot easier to meet people who might need his services; or each others, which was why he developed the networking sessions after each speaker.
As with every great idea, The Measurable Difference didn’t come fully formed and the event went through an evolution of formats. He experimented and tested the number of speakers that worked best, how long the event should be, and even whether or not to charge for it. Finally, Vince decided on the three speaker, half day format for a cost of $40.
“We need an opportunity to share wisdom or share knowledge on a larger scale, and one on one coffee dates, as great as they are, we can scale knowledge and share knowledge a lot faster if we create a platform for it.”
As the event has grown and evolved it’s featured some prominent speakers who are there to learn, share knowledge and give back to the business community. That’s one of the major qualifications necessary to be a speaker – have experience and wisdom people learn can from.
One of the best examples of this mission was having Joe Forzani, of The Forzani Group, share his 30 years of lessons learned in the business world. Then there was the journey of perseverance as told by Kyle Shewfelt, a gold medal Olympic Champion. He gave the audience insight on what it take to really achieve something great.
“It goes back to our mantra of ‘Wisdom Worth Executing.”
Every presenter and talk comes from a different perspective on various subjects. They share experiences on what it takes to achieve a goal, ways to leverage relationships and what you can do to get creative when setbacks happen. There’s also the lessons on seeing things through when you make mistakes, the necessity for building a strong support system and learning through proper reflection. These are all things that audience gets to take home.
“These are lessons that pay dividends.”
Every event delivers actionable information, that not only benefits the audience, it also benefits Vince as well. As a business coach in his other company, Vested Interest Group, the lessons he learns from every speaker improve his skills and abilities, and that directly benefits his own clients.
The Lessons Learned Along The Way
One of the biggest takeaways Vince got from The Measurable Difference experience was re-defining what the term “team” really means.
“My definition of team for us is anyone and everyone around us that buys in to what our vision, mission and core values are.”
For Vince, the first piece of the team puzzle starts with looking at his immediate supporters like a spouse, family or friends. He then looks at all the people in his life who support his companies including his staff and any contractors he may work with.
In his opinion, the key member of his team is the client. He understands the value of earning and treating them with respect at every phase of the relationship. That respect turns into support for both sides, making for a deeper bond.
The final piece of the team puzzle comes in the form of the vendors he works with such as bankers, psychologists, lawyers or accountants.
“These are all the people I reach out to to help solve my customers’ problems.”
Vince understands that a business is only as good as the people you have around you. Nurturing and understanding that positive relationship leads to more positive results. He knows success is only as good as the foundation of the team that supports him, and that’s just one of the many valuable lessons learned throughout his journey.
Vince knows that when people pay for the event, and give their time to show up, they expect value. So in a move to better deliver that value, Vince implemented a message coach.
“Ego’s are a bit blind. We can’t see our own issues as we prepare for a talk. It’s really nice to filter our talk through a message coach. Not so they can tell us we were right or wrong, because we are the expert on the subject matter, but they can provide feedback on [the talk].”
By having a message coach filter the messages in each talk, and keep the speaker on track, it ensures that the speakers are delivering high value for the attendees, making “a real measurable difference.”
“We believe [in] wisdom worth executing, and…to share knowledge without expectation.”
As Vince looks to the future, the number one thing The Measurable Difference will deliver is value.
It’s not about more events or expansion, it’s about making sure it’s worth it for the people showing up.
Do you know of a business that has wisdom worth sharing in our next Impact Story? Click here to nominate a business today!
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