In this episode, Amy talks about momentum and finding momentum in your career. She tells a story about a pivotal moment in her career and how she found the momentum she needed through a conference and an amazing supportive community. 

Mentioned in the Show:

Lou Mongello: https://www.loumongello.com/

Love my Museum Facebook Group, a community for museum professionals: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lovemymuseum

Today on the podcast, we're talking about momentum and

2

finding momentum in your career.

3

I'm going to tell you a story

about a pivotal moment in my

4

career and how I found momentum.

5

Let's get started.

6

Welcome to the Love my Museum podcast.

7

I'm your host Amy Kehs,

and I love museums.

8

I'm also a brand strategist and

communications expert for museums.

9

I've owned my own business for 24 years.

10

And my journey with museums

began even before that.

11

I started as a volunteer.

12

Moved on to an internship and

eventually became an employee.

13

In 2000, I left my job and I

started my consulting business.

14

for museums.

15

For the first 19 years I

worked as a freelancer.

16

My clients would call me for

17

projects like exhibit openings.

18

Film projects or public

relations for festivals.

19

And once the project ended, so did my work

and then I'd wait for the next phone call.

20

I didn't have business cards.

21

Oh, website.

22

A logo.

23

Or any social media.

24

presence.

25

It was all word of mouth.

26

And that worked for me, especially

while my kids were small.

27

I could pick and choose projects at

that fit into our family schedule.

28

But by 2019, things

started to feel stagnant.

29

My kids were getting older

and I wanted to do more.

30

I wanted to help more

museums and expand my impact.

31

And that's when my husband suggested

attending the momentum weekend workshop.

32

At three-day conference

in Orlando, Florida.

33

Organized by Lou Mongello.

34

He's the host of the successful.

35

WDW radio podcast and the workshop

focuses on helping entrepreneurs

36

turn their passions into.

37

Thriving careers.

38

This was the first business

conference that I ever attended.

39

And I left feeling incredibly inspired.

40

It really reignited my excitement

about my business and it gave

41

me the space to dream big again.

42

10 20 20 happened.

43

And.

44

My museum clients were

forced to close their doors.

45

But this unexpected break, can

you give me time to focus on my

46

business and those new ideas I had

gained from the momentum workshop.

47

One of the most important

lessons I learned.

48

Was that.

49

Continued education doesn't have

to mean going back to school.

50

You don't need another degree or to

audit university courses to grow.

51

There are so many other

ways to keep learning.

52

After the conference, I

dove into group courses.

53

Workshops.

54

Podcasts.

55

Books.

56

An expert advice.

57

To not only improve my own

business, but also bring new tools.

58

And strategies to my museum clients.

59

And now my goal is to become

a resource for others.

60

Helping make their jobs easier.

61

And there are museums

a better place to work.

62

Another major takeaway from

momentum was the power of community.

63

The people I met, there were so welcoming.

64

And supportive.

65

And that didn't end when the weekend

was over, we have stayed in touch.

66

We provide accountability for each other.

67

We answer each other's questions.

68

And that sense of community and

support was something that I

69

didn't realize I was missing.

70

Okay, now that you've heard my story,

here are a few tips for creating your own.

71

Momentum in your career.

72

That I wish I had known 24 years ago.

73

Momentum is that forward?

74

Push that.

75

Keeps you moving towards your goals.

76

In your career.

77

It's that continuous progress and energy.

78

You know, like in physics getting

started, it can be the hardest

79

part, but once you're in motion,

it's easier to stay emotion.

80

I wish I had set clear small goals.

81

Many of us have big dreams,

but no clear path to get there.

82

And breaking things down into

actionable achievable steps is key.

83

For example, at the moment I'm workshop,

I set those big long-term goals.

84

But I also created short term ones.

85

These could be as simple as learning a

new skill networking with five new people.

86

Or maybe pitching an

idea to your supervisor.

87

Each small goal you achieve helps

to build that forward energy.

88

Make sure that you

celebrate your small wins.

89

I still need reminder to do this.

90

And use them as proof of your progress.

91

At the end of the momentum

conference, we write down three

92

things we want to accomplish.

93

We give our postcard to Lou and

he mails it back to a Slater.

94

It's a nice reminder.

95

And often I've already achieved the goals.

96

By the time I get the postcard.

97

But sometimes it can also be a nudge.

98

That I need to keep going.

99

Speaking of keeping going.

100

Consistency is crucial.

101

Momentum is built by showing up every day.

102

Even when you don't feel like it.

103

If you're putting in consistent effort.

104

It can add up over time.

105

Building a supportive

community is equally important.

106

Surround yourself with people

who inspire and challenge you.

107

Now, let's talk a bit about

strategies for building that momentum.

108

Make sure that you're staying

open to new opportunities.

109

Momentum doesn't just come from

working hard in your current role.

110

It's also about adaptability.

111

This might mean taking on projects,

outside your comfort zone.

112

Another great way to build

momentum is through visibility.

113

Star positioning yourself as an expert

by contributing to your museum's

114

blog or offering to give internal

presentations to your coworkers.

115

You might even apply to

speak at museum conferences.

116

The more visible you are, the more

people recognize your expertise.

117

Well, it's easy to get

caught up in the desire for.

118

That immediate success.

119

Remember to also still think

about those long-term goals.

120

Where do you want to

be in five or 10 years?

121

Make sure that the momentum that you're

building aligns with those bigger goals.

122

Your momentum though.

123

Won't always be linear.

124

There'll be times when things.

125

Slow down or take an unexpected

turn and that's okay.

126

Reassess your goals and

adjust if you need to.

127

Maybe you'll need an extra year

her to say, I don't know, launch

128

a podcast, or maybe you'll realize

you're on the wrong path altogether.

129

And that's fine.

130

Take the time to reassess and pivot.

131

If necessary.

132

Sometimes in your journey,

your spark might fade.

133

Like minded.

134

And when that happens, reconnect.

135

Go to a conference like I did.

136

Listen to a podcast, check

in with your community.

137

Maybe find a mentor who can

offer a new perspective.

138

And remember it's okay

to change direction.

139

If you feel like your momentum is

stalling because you're on the wrong path.

140

Don't be afraid to pivot.

141

Okay.

142

That's all for today.

143

I hope this episode has inspired you

to build momentum in your career.

144

Remember momentum is a process it's about.

145

Staying focused, consistent effort.

146

Being open to new opportunities.

147

And surrounding yourself

with the right resources.

148

If you'd like to continue the

conversation, join my new Facebook

149

group for museum professionals.

150

The love my museum.

151

Facebook group.

152

I'll leave a link in the show notes.

153

Thanks so much.

154

I'm so glad you're here.

155

Thanks for listening.

156

I'll see you next time.