Lydia Fenet - The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You: Command an Audience and Sell Your Way to Success

Thank you for downloading this Simon & Schuster ebook.

Get a FREE ebook when you join our mailing list. Plus, get updates on new releases, deals, recommended reads, and more from Simon & Schuster. Click below to sign up and see terms and conditions.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Already a subscriber? Provide your email again so we can register this ebook and send you more of what you like to read. You will continue to receive exclusive offers in your inbox.

We hope you enjoyed reading this Simon & Schuster ebook.

Get a FREE ebook when you join our mailing list. Plus, get updates on new releases, deals, recommended reads, and more from Simon & Schuster. Click below to sign up and see terms and conditions.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Already a subscriber? Provide your email again so we can register this ebook and send you more of what you like to read. You will continue to receive exclusive offers in your inbox.

Gallery Books

An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

1230 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

www.SimonandSchuster.com

Copyright 2019 by Lydia Fenet

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Gallery Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Gallery Books hardcover edition 2019

GALLERY BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or .

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.

Jacket design by Emma A. Van Deun

Author photograph Brian Haklisch

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.

ISBN 978-1-9821-0113-8

ISBN 978-1-9821-0115-2 (ebook)

For Mom and Dad, who taught me everything I know. Your love has provided a safety net that allows me to reach higher and higher without a fear of falling. No one has ever been given more loving and unconditional support than I have by you. Thank you for everything. I love you.

For Chris, the best husband, father, and friend I could have asked for in life. You are my rock, and I could not have done this without you. I love you.

For Beatrice, Henry, and Eloise. There are no words to describe my love for you. I will love you for eternity.

For Charles, Andrew, and Hilary, who pushed me to run faster and jump higher. You are my inspiration and my motivation.

Y ou were curious, right?

Thats why you picked up this book.

Somewhere deep down you believe that you have a voice that needs to be heard, that you have what it takes to not only succeed but also excel in life. Maybe you feel this way because it was what your parents or teachers told you. Or maybe you believe it despite what people have been telling you all along. All you know is that you are ready. Ready to make your voice heard and ready to reach the goals that you see in front of you.

What I want you to know is that you are the only person who can change the course of your life. You can be whatever you want to be and you can do whatever you want to do. But you will need to learn how to use the voice inside you to sell your way to the life that you want.

To excel in life will take commitment, hard work, and dedication. You will need to create a road map that keeps you focused on what you want to achieve. There will be rejection and failure along the wayand you may worry those failures will define you. Trust that you will grow stronger with each failure. In time you will understand why you needed to go through those moments in order to be prepared for even more challenging life experiences. And most importantly, you will pass your knowledge along to others who are just starting on their journey or need a little motivation so that you will bring along a network of people who are inspired by you and hold you accountable for the goals that you are setting. And you will do this for them.

I know this because I am you. Twenty years ago I would have walked into a bookstore and picked up this book because deep down I always knew that I wanted to live an extraordinary life. I always believed that I had what it took to succeed, but I didnt yet know what that meant or how I would get there. As you will read in this book, it took me many years working tirelessly, learning lessons the hard way, utilizing the network that I was always growing, taking risks, and trying again. I took every opportunity that presented itself and found a way to maximize it. There are no shortcuts in life, but my hope is that you will read this book and achieve your goals in the shortest time possible for you. And then set new, higher goals and keep reaching.

I am writing this book to tell you anything in life is possible if you see roadblocks as hurdles instead of barriers. There is nothing you cannot do if you put your mind to it and commit to following through. If I can find time to write a book on deadline while juggling the schedules of three children, spending time with my husband, and managing a full-time career and a night job as a charity auctioneer, you can achieve your dreams too.

Nobody picks up a book titled The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You unless that is who she wants to be. I want this book to change your life. I want it to inspire you, motivate you, and push you to be the best you can beand to raise up other people along with you while you do it.

The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is me.

But most importantly, the Most Powerful Woman in the Room is you too.

L ydia, you are on in two minutes, says the stagehand dressed head to toe in black, sporting a headset while standing right next to me.

I take a deep breath and look down at my pile of notes, twisting the top of my gavel over and over in my right hand. Adrenaline starts to course through my veins as I stare out from the darkness of backstage at the faces of 1,000 audience members staring up at a perfectly edited video explaining the mission of the charity.

Lydia, you are on in thirty seconds.

He hands me the microphone. I close my eyes and my mind becomes laser-focused on the perfect opening line. So much is at stake in the first five seconds of an auction. If I dont come up with something dynamic enough to hold the attention of the audience, within seconds the noise from 1,000 guests will completely overpower the room, and I might as well join someone at the table for a drink because no one will be listening to me.

Lydia, stand by for the Voice of God announcement, he said, referring to the man who announces the next speaker from behind the stage curtain. Go in 5, 4...

I walk quickly from the wings onto the stage, adjusting my eyes to the bright lighting and surveying the crowd. I have chosen my dress carefully: a power red that is eye-catching enough to attract attention but also shows that I mean business. My long brown hair is curled to show that I put in the effort, but having three small children running around at home means that I rarely have time for Drybar before going onstage in the evening.

3, 2, 1...

Please welcome Lydia Fenet, managing director and lead benefit auctioneer for Christies Auction House!