Why You Should Stop Lurking and Start Participating...

"For those of you that think that it doesn't matter what you write here, I am here to say - you never know who is watching and why.  Something you write on Active Rain might just change someone's life or make that business connection that changes your life.  Maybe not today or tomorrow, but somewhere down the road."

What did I mean by this?  Well I started on a very interesting journey here at ActiveRain back in July 2006.   In retrospect, I had just made a huge mistake (albeit I didn't know at that time) to join a Discount Brokerage.  There was much going on and it was a snap decision.  I learned a lot from that experience and wrote about the process here.  From that writing I know that I gave courage to others to change their circumstances.  It was this that I discovered I was the provider of hope to many.

Fortunately for me, I discovered ActiveRain at the same time and I jumped right in.  I was a sponge, I read everything posted and implemented many things.  I started writing and I started getting better results in Google searches.  I had a top agent question my Google placement.  I said I paid for it.  And in a way I did.  I spent time researching and posting to ActiveRain and later to Localism.  My time is worth something, right?  Localism is your opportunity to shine - are you taking full advantage of it? 

One of the benefits of ActiveRain is the fact that members share with each other.  I started networking with the various members here.  People that I admired, I started sending hand written notes and marketing information.  I started calling new people each week.  I didn't know it at the time, but I was making an impact.  These calls inspired me to start the Member Spotlight.  And those conversations expanded my mind; I was now learning at an even more accelerated pace.  I would learn one thing, master it and then I would be looking to expand my knowledge.  And just when I needed it, I could find it here on ActiveRain.  There is that whole push vs. pull marketing thing in action.  This really is an amazing place and so many great people share and pay it forward to others!  We are the lucky ones -- the members here.

Who know when I joined, that I would be part of the top 10% of members here today?  First off Kristal Kraft named me an alpha voice.  I certainly never thought that possible.  (If you missed it - How Cool is that, one of my first mentors here recognized my efforts!!!)   Then the creators of ActiveRain were watching - they asked me to become one of the Moderators.        

I left the Discount Brokerage to a small Brokerage on Marco Island, with Carolyn Rzaca.  In reality, I had long outgrown the Marco area; I just wasn't ready to admit it.  Carolyn knew and she helped me feel confident to make a change.  She encouraged me to reach out to Teri Isner.  That is what a good mentor does - helps the person to the next level.  I was going to have to leave my comfort zone and I was terrified.    Armed with several mentors I was able to define what I wanted and map a way to it.

I headed to the Florida Association of Realtor Mid-winter meetings in January open minded.  I was excited to meet one of my mentors Teri Isner.  In between my meetings at FAR, I would be meeting with Teri and the folks at Keller Williams.  Teri is a wonderful woman who saw something and we spent a lot of time talking.  She understood where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do.  She opened a whole set of doors for me.  Suddenly things that I wanted to have happen are within my grasp.    The stars were starting to align.  There are some exciting opportunities for me with Keller Williams and long term I may yet make another change.  

It took me a lot of time and consideration to think about leaving Marco Island.  It was scary the thought as I had spent all this time branding myself and writing about Southwest Florida.   What would happen with all that investment that I had just done in Active Rain and Localism?   Referrals to Carolyn are what will happen.  This exciting opportunity happened because of Active Rain.  I would have never had an opportunity had it not been for my participation here. 

Still thinking that waiting in the wings, lurking in the shadows is the best thing to do?