READY FOR AN NSPIRED APPROACH TO YOUR BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGY?
CALL TODAY 706-814-8589 OR BOOK A FREE SESSION SO WE CAN CHAT!
SHARON ELWOOD
CERTIFIED NSPIRED STRATEGIST, LEVEL III
Nspiring Others is what inspires me! – Sharon Elwood
About Sharon Elwood
Sharon Elwood joined our Nspired Strategist team in 2022, but she has been working with Amy D. Kilpatrick since 2009 in various roles, including being an Nspired client herself. As an Nspired Strategist, she will help clients develop their marketing and growth strategies.
Sharon's Story
Hello!
I would love to share a little of my own story with you to learn more about me and why I love what I do.
I started with Xerox in 2002, working for the company with their in-house account's print production. In 2008, I was allowed to explore outside sales with a local Xerox agency at Morris Business Solutions. Keep in mind that I knew nothing about sales, and the territory was small, but I was willing to jump in and give it a go. I remember the only tools I had to get started with were a pen, a current customer list, and a phonebook. I was determined to make it work, but I was lost. I had no clue how to pick up new clients and had no resources to show me examples of steps I could take. I felt like I was failing not only myself but my company too. I knew I had to find an answer that would make it easier to grow a book of business.
Enter Amy D. Kilpatrick
In 2009, I met Amy when she was an Executive Director for Business Network International, and she was building a local BNI chapter in Greenwood, SC. I quickly recognized that she had answers to the challenges that I had been experiencing for the past year. Not only did she help our community of business professionals form a chapter, but she also taught us as members how to use the relationships to develop referrals. I attended every training she had, every call she held. I made sure I was the first to arrive and the last to leave to soak up as much knowledge of referral marketing as I could. It did not take me long to realize that Amy was different; she brought energy, passion, and STRATEGY to word-of-mouth marketing that made it look easy. I knew I wanted to know what she knew, so I would reach out and ask her questions. Let's be honest; she gave in and became my mentor. During that time, I learned how to build a referral base and ask for quality clients. As a result, I went from not knowing how to pick up a client to growing a client base that increased my revenue by 45% that first year. My results and how I generated them became the new starting point for all new reps. Today, the company has over 50 counties with five locations across NC and SC.
Since 2009, I have continued to use Amy's programs to maintain my personal income goals. But I gained an appreciation for the power of building a business using this framework when I went thru some personal experiences that challenged my ability to continue my normal pace. The first was when I had a high-risk pregnancy, and I had to stay on bed rest, making routine sales calls impossible. However, I learned quickly that my referrals never slowed down as my referral partners continued to recommend me to my ideal prospects. The relief of knowing that my income would still be maintained took the stress off of me during a time when I needed to be worry-free. The second was much more personal. I admit I built my referral relationships at the beginning for the sole purpose of generating revenue for the company and, in turn, myself. However, when I lost my dad, I realized that the relationships I had built were so much more. I had a community that believed in me as a person, and they showed their love and support when I was going thru this terrible loss.
Over the years, I continued to learn from Amy and grow my business, but she also showed me how to help others grow theirs. In 2016, Amy opened up the Nspired Facilitator program, which allowed me to work with her and the Nspired Team on various workshops and events. I discovered my passion and my purpose with each opportunity. In 2020, I began the process of becoming certified as an Nspired Strategist, which allows me to train Amy's programs to others so that they can have the same opportunity of success that I had. As of January 2022, I am proud to announce that I am officially a part of the Nspired team.
Accomplishments I am proud of:
-
- BNI Chapter Ambassador – Greenwood and Aiken, SC
- Ambassador, Greenwood, SC Chamber of Commerce
- 2015, I was asked to create and implement a new training program for our company's new sales reps
- 2016, I created a new position for the company that would service state and local government accounts
- 2017, I became VP of sales and have helped with the expansion of a new division for the company
Today, I am excited to take all the things I have learned combined with the gifts that God has provided me with and the tools that Amy has built with Nspired and pass them on to others.
My personal goal is to help others Evolve by leading, inspiring, and motivating them as they move through their career.
I've enjoyed working with all different industries, but my passion is small businesses and nonprofits that support our military.
I look forward to Nspiring Others,
Sharon
You can connect with Sharon on her Facebook page @GetNspiredwithSharon
