After meeting Ann Evanston, MA, Social Psychologist, social networking expert and the woman behind the Warrior-Preneur brand, I became curious about the “warrior” and wanted to know who Ann was when not on stage giving a presentation.
Who is Ann Evanston, the Warrior-Preneur and what does she do?
In a climate where so many companies have lost creditability, Ann teaches people how to use their personality to connect with and attract or “pull” clients to them instead of squeezing clients into buying their products or services.
“We don’t trust big faceless corporations; we want to know who we are doing business with.”
With her social psychology background and an understanding of human behavior, Ann teaches her clients, whether a small business owner or a person climbing the corporate ladder, how to get results.
Ann designed her signature teaching methods from combining techniques of great warriors and strategies from great leaders and entrepreneurs. “I teach how to find the voice that you need to be able to create collaboration, buy-in, ownership, leadership, in order to influence others, to understand intrinsic motivators of others, so you will get the results you desire.”
For more than twenty years, Ann has been teaching her unique methods and developing business and corporate leaders all over the world.
First impressions are lasting
I remember the first time I saw Ann Evanston, the Warrior-Preneur, was at a local Bay Area meetup group, The Entrepreneur & Small Business Academy, led by Patrick Schwerdtfeger.
At the meetup, there were more than one hundred business owners and entrepreneurs present. Though, I did not have the opportunity to meet Ann that night, of the fifty+ people who gave brief introductions, Ann was one out of four people, besides the host that I remembered.
I am not sure whether it was her message about having a “Thrival” mindset, the name “Warrior-Preneur” or both that stuck, I just remember thinking, “there is something about her?”
Credibility–check!
To my surprise, my second encounter with Ann was at an eWomen Network event in Oakland about a month later. When I arrived, Ann was one of the first people to greet me. I instantly recognized her from the meetup and before she could say anything, I said, “Hey, you are the Warrior Woman.” The Warrior-Preneur had been branded in my head from a 30-second sound bite from a month ago.
At the luncheon, I witnessed Ann’s effectiveness as a communicator and presenter, when she gave a presentation about online social networking, a phenomenon that is difficult for many people to completely grasp. With ease, she demonstrated her expertise and knowledge by explaining multilayered web 2.0 online social networking tools and applications that can take a person several months to learn.
Ann’s credibility as an expert was proved golden by multiple women who testified about her professionalism, wisdom and genuine concern for others. If Ann never said one word at the luncheon, the testimonials alone were enough to sell you on her value.
A genuine gift
Later, during a telephone interview with Ann, I realized, her energy, was what left me thinking “there is something about her” from an earlier encounter. I am not a metaphysical, the earth, moon and stars kind of person, but some people have ability to set a charge off in others and Ann’s energy, a genuine gift, is magnetic and it “pulls” you to her.
After our conversation, I noticed a change in my energy level. Though she was not coaching me or intentionally trying to pump me up, by the time we finished, I was fired up and ready to take on the world.
The warrior is within you
Ann Evanston is not a brutish or untouchable warrior, who exists in the confines of her own reality, like those seen on television, but a warrior that rallies the troops and ignites fire and passion among people who need help.
Operating in truth, she meets people on their level and helps them tap into their power, the warrior inside to take charge and produce results.
I asked Ann what advice she would give a single mother who wants to start a business but is too afraid to do it? In true warrior fashion, she said:
“You cannot be afraid of fear… if you are waiting because you think there are certain perfect things that have to be in alignment for you to work, it will never happen. Embrace the entrepreneurial spirit within you and allow that spirit to lead you to success.”
According to William Arruda, the “guru” of personal branding, “a personal brand is authentic to you, differentiating from your peers and relevant and compelling to those who are making decisions about you…it is your unique promise of value.”
Undoubtedly, the Warrior-Preneur brand is authentic. Ann walks her talk and lives what she teaches people. Not many people can call themselves a warrior and pull it off. However, for Ann being a warrior is not a contrived, false image but it is who she really is. After meeting her, talking with her and hearing others speak of her, I discovered that the Warrior-Preneur and Ann Evanston are one and the same and you can’t get any more authentic than that.
To learn more about Ann Evanston, the Warrior-Preneur and to get her new book, The Power of Leadership: On Being the Leader Producing Results, visit www.Warrior-Preneur.com
