In my last blog post, I talked about how wonderful it is that we women entrepreneurs love to share and collaborate. However, there is a down side to this generous spirit. Because we tend to be such natural givers, many of us give away our value without even realizing it.

Does this scene sound familiar to you? You are chatting with another business person or perhaps a potential client who upon hearing about your expertise, starts peppering you with questions about their particular situation or problem.  You respond by trying to help solve said problem and before you know it, you’ve spent a significant amount of time coaching this person for free. You have just experienced a business booty call.

I recognize this scenario because I used to be an active participant in many similar situations. The result of such a conversation had a strange effect on me. First, I would feel a sense of deep satisfaction knowing I had made a positive influence in someone else’s life or business. It also boosted my confidence seeing I had enough knowledge and expertise to be impactful. Then, however, I would start to feel kind of sick to my stomach.

I would realize I had just [Read more…]