A Career Inventor, Supports People in Becoming Revenue Accelerators: Meet Donna Smith Bellinger

Most “Boomers” or GenXers will likely consider a career change vs. retire from the workforce. In fact, many of us are in the midst of our “Second Act!” In the book Comeback Careers”, Mika Brzezinski and her sister-in-law Ginny Brzezinski remind us, “career reinvention is possible at any age.”

What does reinvention look like for those of us in the midst of launching our next career? For many, this is a two-part process. Part-One of reinvention requires a shift in mindset or attitude.

Said another way, reinvention is not something you can hand-off for someone else to figure out. You have to believe in your ability to reinvent before you actually do anything.

In his book Reinvent Yourself “James Altucher says, “I found when I outsourced my self-esteem to only one outcome, disaster resulted. Reinvention was the key to ensuring that the outcomes in life were positive ones.”

Donna Smith Bellinger embraces reinvention by ensuring her work, affects more than just the bottom-line. Her commitment to results focuses “not the transaction but the testimony.” Donna ensures her process will “make a difference in the quality of life” for her clients. She also supports people in taking actions needed to build strength as business owners, even if they are part of a larger company. From Donna’s point of view, “no matter who writes the check, we are all in business for ourselves.”

When I asked Donna why she chose to support people as they work through these types of challenges, she replied,

“I have the opportunity to share what I have learned through my career to assist others in shortening their learning curve. The economy is rocky and the facts are that most businesses that start even in a good economy face huge challenges. Being able to create and control their own “economy” is now a survival skill.

As Donna continued sharing her journey to reinvention, I was eager to learn more about what happened that drove this commitment. This prompted the following question:

Lynn: Who influenced you early in your career/life that inspired you to be a sales expert?

Donna: My 1st sales manager claimed he hired me because nobody ever told him no. He saw something in me I did not see in myself, The skills I acquired helped me speak from the stage, television and radio as well as being featured in the press which are all useful I the sales process.

L: What types of challenges does your business address?

D: In sales, the tendency to rely heavily on technology can turn business development into a price war. I assist my clients in implementing big business best practices in their smaller business. Also, the ability to differentiate yourself through conversation and build value in relationships by “Consistently communicating your competence” is key. One of my most popular seminars is: “Communicating across gender generation & geography”. 

L: What happened that made you want to start a business doing this type of work?

D: My corporate sales career was in education and tech, neither of which were diverse when I began my career. There is so much that is not taught relating to face to face business development.  I know, because I have taught at the collegiate level. It took a lot of probing, trial and error to find the right combination of services that satisfied me, and what the client will pay for. The former was harder than the latter.

L: What are three painful lessons you learned while running your business?  

D: 1: I found out early in my gender and cultural bias was a real thing. Unfortunately, in internal cultures those views are sometimes still supported. This is a part of why I co-founded a technical firm years ago.

2. Don’t co-mingle business and personal finances. Seek a professional to assist you from the first dollar earned.

3. Be unapologetic in your competence and  fearless in taking chances to change your life.

L: What's next for your business? 

D: My personal goal is to travel and train. I am offering more virtual opportunities to my clients and communities, via webinars and masterminds (ELEVATE Your Sales Mastermind);   My team and I are working on taking my work to other states and countries in 2020 and 2021. I continue to expand my work with professionals ready to reinvent themselves at various stages of their lives and careers.

L: What advice do you have for others?

D: With the right attitude, persistence always beats experience Invest in yourself. If your employer doesn’t provide the support you need, seek it out. It is your life and dreams that are at stake. And in all things (thank you Eleanor Roosevelt): Never allow anyone to tell you no, who does not have the power to tell you yes. 

Donna's journey as a career inventor worked through obstacles at every step. She exudes resilience in business and has a memorable story we can all learn from.

To learn more about how to ELEVATE Your Sales, go to www.donnasmithbelliinger.com.

Donna, thank you for allowing me to share with thousands of people why you are the hero of your own story.