It is better to be called to the front of the room than to be in the front of the room and called back is a quote that I keep in my database because of the truth it holds. When natural gas trader turned businesswoman Miara Shaw first started on her entrepreneurial journey she loved operating in the shadows of her business. Happier to put her clients in the spotlight, Shaw wanted to simply utilize her network to connect women who needed resources with those who had them. She was a line connecting the dots. Then she had her “aha moment” when a friend told her that she was just as valuable as those in her network with resources that women wanted to connect with her too. She had to come to the front of the room and accept her place. But was she ready? Yes, she was.

In 2013, her business plan came to her dream; only she didn’t know that was what it was. Six months after her mother’s death, it was if her mother was giving her one last gift. See the dream came to Shaw on her mother’s first birthday since her passing. It came in so clear Shaw recalled. She saw lots of women, a conference, and plenty of colors. The dream was so profound it left her emotionally drained and ready to take action all at the same time. Still unclear about the direction the dream and her mother were directing her in; she shared the dream with her grandmother. With wisdom beyond Shaw’s years, her grandmother said, “You helped take care of your Mom, you did what you were supposed to do and now it’s time for you.” Shaw says the trajectory of her life was forever changed.

Her first step was to host one live event for women to network in the same space. No surprise that it was an instant success. Women immediately started asking when her next event was. More networking events began to fill her calendar. Success led to her hosting mini workshops showcasing her network of women with resources. She had no desire nor did she think her own skills needed to be shared until her “aha moment.”

After one of her events, a friend came to her to say, “M. Shaw these events are great but I really think you should be at the front of the room. Women are coming to see you, to hear you, to connect with you, as well as the other women. So you hiding in the back is not going to continue to work.” Do women want to see me? (Shaw thought.) Nah, I can’t do that, said the little voice in her head. “How I’m supposed to put myself in the front and be the visible leader?” Shaw questioned. But how couldn’t she be when now she knew the need was there. Phase two of her plan was launched.

Before the next phase could begin to show any signs of triumph, Shaw had to get over her personal fears about moving to the front of the room and balance her corporate job. She sought personal help from life coaches and “unearthing who was Maven Miara” (her business alternate ego). That self-discovery allowed her to learn that she was not living in her purpose. She was born to help other women discover their purpose as she had just done. Her purpose was to help women move from stuck to execution with a balanced rhythm.

Her “stuck” was fear and lack of believing in what she was born to do. Her execution was to believe in her purpose and taking the steps to deliver what the world and herself needed her to do. The revelation was eye-opening for Shaw. Her next step was establishing M. Shaw Relations and on the horizon was becoming an author, motivational speaker, and hosting more workshops and conferences.

Having found her balance rhythm, Shaw now lives a CPR lifestyle – Capable, Prepare & Ready and she helps other women get CPR certified by finding their balance rhythm by creating communities through connections. “What I found with that is that if we make a human-to-human connection with someone we might not need or they may not need from us at that moment but what I call that is making deposits into the relationship account. So that when you need to make a withdrawal you have access to that because you have already made those connections. That’s the value of being at events because we are really intentional about creating communities and cultivating that community at the live events that I host,” said Shaw.

Couple with making connections, Shaw focuses her clients to have clarity about their vision and goals. “When I start working with a client or doing any type of coaching offerings I always start with clarity that is the very first piece,” said Shaw. People often have an idea but don’t know how to make it come to fruition. Clarity helps make it visible and that is why mentors and coaches are so important. “The value of having of clarity and connection is that people help us move forward without having to make all the financial mistakes, all the connection mistakes, and all of the launch errors that would happen.”

“One of the reasons I do this conference in January at the start of the year is if you can have clarity and strategy at the beginning of the year that just really increases your chances for success throughout the year,” commented Shaw.

Women and men can find their mentor and coach and start to build their community at Shaw’s live events. Yes, I said men are invited. Although Shaw talks a lot about women, men can benefit from the information shared at her conference. Houstonians first opportunity to take advantage f this in 2019 is happening January 25-26, 2019 at Shaw’s The Hope for Purpose Experience at Microsoft Tech Center with special guest Brandice Daniel. Founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row, Daniel is most recently noted for her collaboration with Nike, Project Runway alum Kimberly Goldson, and contemporary lifestyle designers Undra Duncan and Fe Noel on LeBron James HFR x LeBron 16 sneaker, a shoe that celebrated black women.

Shaw says, “Everyone needs hope for the purpose they are trying to deliver to the earth. We need support and hope to continue on that journey.”

During the conference, attendance can find their inspiration of hope for the purpose of their business, relationship, and health. “I have really started to help clients and audiences focus on developing you as a person and how to better you so that you can be the best in your business.” In addition, attendees can learn strategies to overcome larger obstacles in a business like earning enough profit. Shaw’s advice is to create at least one solid stream of income, a digital product that can grow while you work on other pieces in the business. Attendees will be able to focus on their relationships with a panel discussion moderated by Shaw’s husband, Maurice, with a panel of men, and participate in other segments on health and business with a panel of industry experts that include LaShanna Leonard, Dr. Teriya Richmond, Dr. Prudence Brooks, Dr. Jacque Colbert, David Anderson III, Dale Lemon, Ian Chestnut, and Dexter Kyle.

Conference goers will start to develop their balance rhythm to take them from stuck to execution. Shaw’s own balance rhythm is reached by her setting boundaries for herself. She becomes clear on what problem she has to solve and whom she solves it for. When a problem is not in her lane that is when she says “no.” Shaw also sets start and end times to her workday since she works at home. And she prioritized her workouts like they are business meetings on her calendar. These are just some of the tricks Maven Miara does to keep herself in check.

Make connections and find clarity as you move from the back of the room to the front of the room, not just professionally but personally with the help of Miara Shaw at The Hope of Purpose Experience. Get more information on joining the Maven Nation at miarashaw.com.