Summary: Featured Guest Luana Darby Luana Darby grew up listening to her grandmother’s stories about growing up in Kansas in the early 1900s. This piqued her interest and developed into a passion to learn more about her roots, which turned into a successful business helping others find and tell their story. Luana received a bachelor’s degree in Family History from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in library and information science from San Jose State University. Luana is a past president of the Utah Genealogical Association and is active in several professional organizations including the Association of Professional Genealogists. She has spoken at many local, regional and national conferences on a variety of technology and genealogical research based topics. Luana is the owner of Lineages by Luana and co-owner of American Patriots and Pioneers Research Services. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, her research expertise includes the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, with a special interest Palatine German research - tracing Germans immigrants of the 1700s who settled in Colonial Pennsylvania. Contact Links Lineages by Luana One Action Genealogists Can Take Right Now "Take the time. Set out your strengths and weaknesses. See what things you really enjoy and have a passion for and head yourself in that direction." Recommended Book Professional Genealogy edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills Pennsylvania German Pioneers by Strassburger and Hinke (note: there are 3 volumes) Productivity Tool Drop Box – Tool for sharing large files Advice "Network and if you're just starting, find a mentor." " Action Item This week we continue with the theme of networking - but with a twist. Have you ever received emails from people requesting services that you don't provide? What do you do with those emails? Ignore them? Delete them? Create opportunity for yourself by providing value for potential (or non-potential as the case may be) clients and colleagues. When you receive an email such as this reply back that you don't provide the service but that you can connect them with someone who does. Then provide the email address or website for the person who most closely matches what they need. The person will appreciate the time you took to help them and may even return someday to be a customer of yours. ACTION: Check back through your email from the last 4 weeks. Are there any emails that you've ignored? Emails from people asking for services that you don't provide? Take the time to respond to those people by referring them to colleagues who do do that sort of work. In doing so, you will provide value in your response and will look very professional to the person who contacted you. Direct Link to this post: http://www.TheGenealogyProfessional.com/luana-darby
