When I first started my business, I reached out to several creative thought leaders and business owners and asked them to join me for a workshop. I gathered some of the coolest, most progressive, badass business people I know. To my delight, and slight surprise, each and every one of them said they would be delighted to join me for a test run workshop. This was not only an opportunity for me to show off what I knew and fine tune my workshop and coaching skills, but it was an excellent opportunity to learn from each of them — giants in their fields.

That very first workshop was truly an exceptional experience. Everyone loved it and afterward, each of them reached out to thank me. One of them even turned into a one-on-one coaching client!

Fast forward to a few weekends ago. My partner and I were attending a fundraiser for the About Face Theatre. I’m very passionate about this organization and sit on the Board of Directors. I had the opportunity to catch up with an attendee from that very first workshop. This guy is so cool; he runs a major catering business in Chicago and has been in the industry for over 30 years. During our chat, he shared with me that many of the tips, tricks, and systems he learned at my workshop have truly changed the way he does business.

I learned that he has totally shifted the way he interacts with clients, sets boundaries and manages everyone’s expectations. With a big smile on his face and a ton of excitement, he said, “Heather, I have been in the industry for 30 years. What I learned from you has completely changed the way I do business.”

His company has grown tremendously in the last year and they are blowing up all over the Chicagoland area. And the real kicker? This guy attributes much of that success to some of the things that he learned in that first workshop!

Clearly, I was overjoyed with that conversation and it left me on a tremendous high. A few weeks later, I’m still thinking about it and smiling. I had no idea that my very first workshop would create such a level of impact for someone. It just goes to show that you never know what your impact will be. Make sure you’re always on top of your game and connecting with people. No matter what you think the profit or upside will be, there is value in every single interaction.

Do you have a story about impact? A time when you’ve discovered that you made a difference in someone’s life without ever really knowing it until later? How have you impacted someone else in a positive way? How will the things you are working on right now impact others?