iGB Affiliate 55 Feb/Mar | Page 81

INSIGHT HOW BEING AUTHENTIC CAN RETURN GREAT RESULTS Lee-Ann Johnstone of Paysafe Group looks back at how adopting a fresh approach to her work and business towards the end of last year drove her in new and rewarding directions, and she recommends that you do the same in 2016. IT’S A NEW YEAR and we all use this time to make resolutions and bring about change. I therefore want to start my column with a quote from a good friend of mine (Mel, a successful bingo affiliate) that is: “Be authentic to yourself and it will reflect in what you do – as that’s what makes others buy-in to it.” Seems this advice rings true, as I started being authentic to myself in the latter part of last year and it has changed the way I work. It allowed me to focus my efforts on doing what I believe in, what made me happy and brought about the birth of a unique collaborative event for affiliate learning – AffiliateFEST. To me, being authentic means working with purpose, loving what you do and spreading your energetic work vibe around Answer: Change your vibe, and engage your tribe! Be cognisant of where you find yourself today - find the right people and the right tools to help you bring about change. Then take time to learn from that change. This is what will give you the head space to plan and strategize where you want to be in the future and what you want to be focussing on, as you expand your business, your program or yourself. Stop talking and start doing It’s really that simple! If you aren’t sure where to start (I have struggled with this at times too), find people who motivate, inspire and help you to get back on the right path. Being South African, I want to quote a very wise man “Saying NO to people, projects and so called ‘opportunities’ that aren’t 100% right for you or your business gives you the bandwidth and headspace to tackle the things that are.” your immediate tribe (those who work with and alongside you) so that they too can help you build your business. I talk to a lot of affiliates and operators daily and have discovered that many seem to be missing out on this authenticity in their businesses and in themselves. Some have fallen out of love with what they are doing or what their business is about and where it is going. This happens sometimes, and it’s by no means a measure of you or your businesses success. But…how do you ensure you find your true authentic self and go back to working with renewed purpose? who said: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Nelson Mandela. Saying NO to people, projects and so called ‘opportunities’ that aren’t 100% right for you or your business gives you the bandwidth and headspace to tackle the things that are. The more you help people in business, the less help you need. Collaborate with others in the same space, talk with colleagues, strangers and with your customers too. This is possibly one of the most powerful things I learned about how to be authentic with myself and the projects I delivered. Last year, NETELLER bought the Skrill Group and I found myself quickly collaborating with my competitors. Embrace working with people you haven’t worked with before and you may find some surprising and exciting results occur. *Technavio’s analysts forecast the global online gambling market will grow at a CAGR of 10.73% (in terms of gross gaming yield per year) during the period up to 2019.” The market is buoyant and new brands are launching regularly with unique propositions to service this growing industry. If you’re new to iGaming, have already launched your affiliate business or are working for an operator in this sector, chances are you’ve got an idea, a niche or a brand that is already investing in the long term. Keeping abreast of digital and it’s constant change is not easy. It’s good to take stock and step outside of what you are already doing in order to learn something new. You will meet new like-minded people, you’ll feel energised about your thoughts and ideas and you may even find fruitful relationships which start to make these ideas - a reality! Andrew Edwards – CEO of MadAboutBingo.com recently shared his own authentic working experience with me: “My business grew dramatically after I learned to ‘let go’ and empower my staff to perform on their own. It meant I was able to refocus my attention on the SEO and coding side of my business, which is what I specialise in and love doing. I’m being more authentic to my business vision which reflects in how my sites have performed since.” iGB Affiliate Issue 55 FEB/MAR 2016 75