Tag Archives: eWomenNetwork

How Do You Know Whether You Have a Viable and Solid Network?

on February 2, 2012 in Relationship Networking

 

 

 

 

When it comes to networking, it’s not at all about the number of names and addresses you have – that is only a database. Your network is defined very differently. Here’s a clever way to measure whether you have a powerful relationship network.

Ask yourself this question: “If you were arrested today for networking effectively, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

Imagine for a moment the number of people who would be passionate to speak as your witness, to stand in line in the cold, rain or blistering heat so they could convince a jury that they know from personal experience that you are guilty – guilty of helping others achieve their dreams. Now, if the number of witnesses in your defense is small, don’t worry.

Just think of the opportunity that is in front of you! So now it’s your turn. I’ve got five exercises to help you get started to become the powerful relationship networker I know you can be.

  1. Remember back over the last year, and think of two people whom you’ve been meaning to bring together. Send each a note of introduction to the other. Better yet, splurge by offering to connect them both at a local coffee house. Stay for 20 minutes or so to make the introductions, start the conversation, and ensure that rapport and connection has been established. Then excuse yourself early and let the connection between the two you’ve introduced take on a life of its own as they begin to collaborate.
  2. Go back over the last month and recall all the times you networked. Were there promises you made to someone that you just haven’t had time to keep, or for some other reason, neglected to keep? Don’t procrastinate another minute. Make that happen today.
  3. Take inventory of your networking constituents. Discover any gaps in your network. Develop a plan that focuses on the strategies you will follow in order to address these gaps within a certain period of time.
  4. Send a thank-you note in one form or another to two people who specifically helped you get new business in the past few months. Buy a number of thank-you cards, put stamps on the blank envelopes, and stash them in a variety of places (such as the glove compartment in your car, your journal, a desk drawer, and your purse). Start the habit of sending at least two or three thank-you notes a week. It may seem like a monumental task at first, but you will soon learn to incorporate that action into your day.
  5. Consider three things you plan to buy in the next month – small or large – and see whether you can find women-owned or women-run businesses in your area to buy from. Don’t hesitate to let them know that part of your decision to do business with them is because you want to support women. Get good service somewhere? Make sure you tell ten other women about it!

Developing great relationships and a solid network takes persistence and consistency. The opportunities will be endless and the results will be profound.

Post by: Sandra Yancey, Founder & CEO of eWomenNetwork

What are some ways you ensure your network is viable and solid?

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Cricket Lee and FitLogic®

on September 1, 2011 in Motivation & Inspiration, Women in Business

Guest Post by Brandy Mychals, BrandyMychals.com, eWomenNetwork 2011 Business Matchmaker of the Year

Cricket Lee, founder of Fitlogic®, a patented fit system that will revolutionize the way clothing is sized in the fashion industry, attributes much of her success to her daughter.

When Cricket began her development of Fitlogic in 2002, she and her business partner were both single mothers.  Cricket recalls those early days as trying. The first time her company fell apart, in 2003, her partner called it quits.

She suggested that Cricket give up on her vision as well, claiming the concept was “too big” for her and that if Cricket wanted to take care of her daughter, she would have to find something more stable.

“At that moment I had a choice– to either give up and quit or to teach my daughter to go for her dreams and never give up no matter how difficult. I can’t say it’s been easy for us… but when I asked her what she wanted me to do as things got more difficult, she always said: ‘Go for it, Mommy!”

And go for it, Cricket did, researching what would become Fitlogic: an “operating system” for apparel, making it easy for consumers to find their size without the hassle of the fitting room, alterations or returns. Fitlogic will standardize fit from one brand to another regardless of style, price or channel giving women the opportunity to buy the items they like without worrying about whether or not it will “fit” their body.

Not only was Cricket’s daughter her greatest cheerleader, but she was also fundamental to the development of Cricket’s Fitlogic system. Part of the Fitlogic magic is Cricket’s insight that women’s bodies are not all shaped as “hourglasses” as antiquated fashion industry standards have based fit on for decades. Instead, we come in different shapes and apparel should reflect that in order to “fit” correctly. “When I first started, I was using ‘straight’, ‘curvy’, and ‘round’ with square, triangle and circle symbols [to describe different body types.] [My daughter] said: ‘Mommy, no one wants to be called straight!”

Cricket’s daughter– who was then nine years old– offered her this advice: “Why don’t you call it curvy 1, 2 and 3?” The numbering system stuck and is the method Cricket uses to this day to describe the trademarked “shape fit” part of the Fitlogic System.

Cricket’s daughter is now the model for her website, Fitlogic.com. “That was her dream– to be a model. Since she helped make my dream come true, I thought: why not help her create hers?” Cricket’s daughter, now 18 years old, has grown up with Cricket’s business and learned valuable lessons along the way. “She has learned not to place her reliance on material things or people, but to know she is the sole creator of her world and experiences.”

Cricket’s dream to “make women feel good about themselves when they shop in the knowledge that they are perfect just the way they are” is fast becoming a reality. Her first product introduction began this summer at the eWomenNetwork International Conference on July 16th. Kym Yancey, President of eWomenNetwork said: “We are really excited about sharing Cricket’s message and the Fitlogic® System with the more than 500,000 women business owners connected to our International network.” Although Cricket intends to standardize all types of apparel, only pants are available at this time.

Cricket has been featured on the Today Show, the cover of the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Fox and Redbook. Often described as a “serial entrepreneur and marketing visionary”, Cricket has created campaigns for British Airways, JCPenny, Ralph Lauren, Ford Models,  Hanes, Saks Fifth Avenue and many others. She holds world patents and 72 awards for Creative Excellence in Advertising including a National Addy Award.

Join Cricket Lee on Success Institute, 9.14.11, at 1:30pm CST as she and Kym Yancey discuss:  Moving a Mountain:  How to Raise Big Money, Attract Top Publicity, & Launch Your Big Dream

 

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Five Tips For (Fiscal Year End) FYE Success

on September 1, 2011 in Education, Government Contracting, Women in Business

Guest Post by Judy Bradt, Summit Insight, LLC

This may be the most important Federal FYE ever.

The late budget has skewed buying to…NOW.
These five tips can help you stay ahead of the game!

#1: Revisit Your Forecasting

  • Take one more look at your target agencies’ forecasts and bid boards. Anything new?
  • Look hard at your own forecast, and pick out the projects that best match your capabilities.
  • Identify relevant small business specialists — and call on them for updates on your hot projects.

#2: Ask for Referrals from Your Best Customers

  • Ask your best customers for introductions! It’s the least expensive — and most powerful — source of leads you have.
  • Ask for leads within their agency
  • Ask who they know in another agency who might value your expertise or products.

#3: Stay Top-of-Mind

  • When did you last check in with your best clients, partners, current and past contacts?
  • Call long-time, one-time and former government clients to remind them of your value. Offer something useful — an article, a link…
  • Ask if they’d like fresh info, or need to reorder from you.
  • Call on marginal accounts. Often the company to get the order is the last one the agency spoke with!
  • If the box of cookies or treats is worth less than $25, ask the contracting officer or the OSDBU if you can bring in some refreshments for the team
  • (True story: At fiscal year end, when I worked at the Canadian Embassy, I’d bring a batch of cookies into the Admin section.You have no IDEA how much faster my paperwork got processed.)

#4: Use Multiple Touches, Tactics, Channels

  • Use multiple tactics (PR, events, email, direct mail, web, telemarketing).
  • What channels are others not using? Have you looked into…
  • Federal News Radio? See what co-anchors Amy Morris & Tom Temin are covering, and ask them if they’d like to interview your federal client’s recent success (and your contribution…) Catch Amy on Twitter — @amorris_wfed
  • Twitter — check out http://www.blog.govtwit.com/ and discover how you can reach hundreds of influential government buyers that your competitors are overlooking!
  • Visit GSA Sales Query, even if you don’t have a schedule. How are the leaders in your GSA Schedule category, reaching THEIR clients, through ads and online?
  • Promote year-end offers to government customers through telemarketing or emails.

#5: Update & Share Your Capability Statement

  • Add in your latest contract wins & vehicles, update your contact info, product info, certifications, keywords, NAICS codes.
  • Most contracting officers and small business specialists appreciate getting your latest capability statement. Ask your best contacts if they prefer email or hardcopy or a link.
  • Ask if they’ve got a few minutes to critique your latest draft capability statement — What’s missing? What else would they like to see? Helpful to you, AND keeps you top of mind.

 

Don’t miss Judy Bradt on Success Institute September 13, 2011, 1:30pm CST to learn why A Woman’s Place is…On the Contract!

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Smart Women Buy

on August 25, 2011 in Education, Women in Business

Guest Post by Jeanie Douthitt

Did you know that women’s buying power tops $2.4 trillion annually and that they control or influence 85 percent of all household purchases?  For years, women have been recognized as the chief purchasing officers for their households and they still are the primary decision makers for household goods.  But women also drive the big-ticket expenditures for themselves, their families and their businesses.  For example, women drive the purchases of:

  • 91% of new homes
  • 80% of health care
  • 93% food
  • 65% new cars
  • 93% over-the-counter medications

Have you ever had a light bulb moment that you thought could change your life? It actually feels like lightening striking you.  That happened to me after I had been in real estate for a short time and again recently when I was trying to figure out how to take my business to the next level.   The first time it happened after a very good girlfriend called me and reminded me of the “less than positive” real estate experience she had gone through when buying a home as a single woman.  My friend actually had a homeowner say to her “Honey, do you think you can afford this house?” while seeing his home.  Unfortunately, that was just one of many hurdles during her journey to finding her dream home. She had recently suffered great loses with the deaths of both parents and her divorce.  Added to her worry, she had been diagnosed with cancer and that was the driving reason for her decision to purchase a home.  My friend implored me that I “MUST” help single women buy or sell homes.  That was the beginning of my journey to create Smart Women Buy Homes, a program for single women.

In my research, I found single women buy approximately one million homes a year.  Between 2002 and 2003, women spent $550 billion buying homes.  That dollar amount is expected to continue to rise according to a study done by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing.  This information combined with the current housing market and record low  interest rates means more home buyers can purchase homes and attain more affordable mortgages.  Jenay Bowen, a Senior Loan Officer with Service First Mortgage  says, “We often talk about the PRICE of buying a home versus the COSTS of buying a home.  Of course, price is a key component of the cost.  The other key component is the interest rate of the mortgage.  Just a small increase in interest rates can have a BIG impact on your monthly payment. For example, a $100,000 loan at a current interest rate of 4.75% for 30 years would equal a principle and interest payment of $521.65 a month.  This exact same home with a $100,000 loan at 8% for 30 years would equal a principle and interest payment of $733.36 a month.  This is a difference of over $200 a month just because of the higher interest rate.  If you are looking to buy a home and are waiting to see what will happen with prices, remember interest rates will also impact your housing cost”.

So why are so many women buying homes now?  Women are earning more money than ever before in our nation’s history.  They are waiting longer to get married. Becoming more educated and financially stable has given single women the confidence to procure a home.   Single women are now building their own financial nest egg, which includes home ownership.  No longer do women feel like they need to settle down with a husband before they buy a home.  Purchasing a home gives them a sense of security economically, and a place to live when they retire.  Since women understand a good home investment brings equity, many of them are investing in a second home.  Single females accounted for 13% of all second /vacation homebuyers in 2001/2003 according to the Realtors Profile.

With the number of women purchasing homes increasing, there is a real demand for experienced professionals to help navigate single women through the home buying process. InCharge Debt Solutions article “Single Women Are Buying Homes in Large Numbers”, points out that the biggest obstacles to single women are the lack of information about the home purchasing process, and understanding the dynamics of credit issues. This leaves many women feeling intimidated by the whole home buying process. Because the real estate market offers many challenges for a novice homebuyer, it is essential to find a real estate professional that understands the wants and needs of single women homebuyers. Single women can realize their dreams of home ownership through Smart Women Buy Homes, a program specifically designed to help women through the home buying process.

I wanted to take my business to the next level.  Unsure of which direction to go, I attended the Chairman’s Circle with eWomenNetwork and lighting struck again!   I began to understand that women are making buying decisions every day.  Though these choices are not all as large a financial decision as purchasing a home, women still are looking for very definite things when making their purchasing decisions and I have the ability to facilitate this process through my business.

While working with women, I learned a lot about them and what they really want.  Women want information. They want to know the basics of the product/service and then some.  Every aspect of a product/service is important to women. The size, color, material, weight, look and feel, warranties, etc.  They want to know it all so they can make an informed decision.   Women want to be respected as savvy consumers; supported and educated during the sales process rather than have an advisor take the role of the know-it-all expert using acronyms and terminology they do not understand.  Using pictures or showing women in a more visual way goes a long way towards helping them understand and feel more comfortable with buying decision.  Going at a woman’s pace during negotiations, without rushing her to close the deal today, will serve all parties. Women generally take longer to make a buying decision, however, once satisfied with their purchase and experience with your business, women statistically are more loyal then their male counterparts, and more apt to go online and write a positive or negative review.  Women want to work with someone they trust and respect.

With the knowledge I gained while working with these women, I saw a real need to replicate what Smart Women Buy Homes offered them.   I launched Smart Women Buy, a service for women focusing on the consumer experience as well as the provider experience.  We help women by providing them insights, clarity, direction, and resources for the products and services that they plan to purchase.  In addition, we train and certify those who provide services to our Smart Women buyers.  As a consumer, you can count on Smart Women Buy to give you information that is direct, no-nonsense and uninfluenced by advertising. And because there are no sales here,  just good information to educate you in your purchasing process, you can make the right buying decision for you. We only align with providers who care about women consumers and treat them the same way “they” want to be treated because we understand that that is how Smart Women Buy.

 

Jeanie Douthitt is a Platinum Member of the Chairman’s Circle

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Want to Get YourBuzz for Business?

on August 22, 2011 in Marketing, Social Media, Technology, Women & The Media

Photo-http://ht.ly/69QRW

Do you want to know what customers are saying about your business online?  Managing social media conversations can be time consuming and distracting.  There are a variety of products in the marketplace to help you manage discussions, post comments or retweet.  Our favorite is YourBuzz , a free application from American Express® OPEN, which offers a unique means of monitoring, managing and growing your online presence across social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook  with the added benefit of giving you access to your ratings and reviews on Yelp, Foursquare, Citysearch, Yahoo!Local, Bing Local and Superpages.

This app allows you to:

  • View customer reviews, ratings and online mentions in one place;
  • Respond, retweet, or create a new conversation;
  • See how you stack up against the competition; and
  • Get recommendations on action to take.

The YourBuzz application has some valuable features, including a scheduling feature so that you can pre-plan your marketing communications.  It also provides reporting with trends information, ratings by source and even ratings versus your competition.  By drilling down into the contacts area you can determine influencers based on their connections and review the geographic distribution of your network.  You also have the ability to view, edit and create profiles on these sites through YourBuzz.

If you are utilizing any combination of these social media and ratings/review platforms as part of your online marketing mix, then be sure to check out YourBuzz.  Let me know what you think!

is a valued and trusted sponsor of eWomenNetwork

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Six Things I Learned at the eWomenNetwork 2011 Conference

on August 8, 2011 in Annual International Conference & Business Expo, Events, Motivation & Inspiration, Relationship Networking, Success Stories, Women in Business

Guest Post by Vikki Loving, The InterSource Companies

This was my FIRST eWomenNetwork Conference!  I know, I know what you are saying – “Girl, you have really been missing something special!”  You would be so right!

Here is some of what I learned:

Women Power – It has been a long time since I immersed myself in women-only activities.  I have many girlfriends, however most of my work has been with men.  I forgot what it was like for someone to say,  “We need a girlfriend over here!” and up rushes more than one person to help, to hug and to offer a hand.

The Importance of Purpose – “There are two days that are important in your life, the day you are born, and the day you figure out Why”.  Sandra Yancey, thank you for that line in your keynote speech!   I know WHY I was born.  In my role as an Executive Recruiter and as an Executive Coach I will certainly use that line!  The power in knowing what you are good at, what you have to sell to others and what you are built to do makes all the difference in how motivated you will be in your life.  When you can answer that question the rest becomes an adventure!

Carry a Credit Card – After an evening of Chocolate Decadence you might find, as you are walking back to your room, the opportunity to speak to someone you wanted to connect with at the Conference.  For me it was Marcia Wieder!  There is something about her that just glows.  And as the universe would have it, she just happened to be in the lobby sitting there and available.  She still had space in one of her wonderful workshops, an enrollment form in her tiny little purse and I happened to have my credit card securely tucked in my Spanx!  I am grateful for the moment to connect with Marcia Wieder and for remembering to carry a credit card.

Structure will Set you Free – Thank you Lisa Sasevich!  I know for myself that I love spontaneity and the ability to change priorities as I see fit.  Lisa’s main stage presentation showed me the value of structure and the flexibility to be spontaneous all in the same moment.  She helped me remember that “you cannot ask others to invest in you at a greater level than you are willing to invest in yourself.”  While our many family members back home think we are off at the Conference playing, it really was a BIG week of investing, absorbing all that you can learn and remembering that a commitment of time and resources can set you free.

New Friends – You meet the most amazing people, like Dr. Michelle Robin the author of “Wellness on a Shoestring” and the founder of Your Wellness Connection, a healing center in Kansas City.  I met Nikkea Devida, founder of Accelerated Results Expert, a songwriter and a female veteran. Nikkea‘s heart has been moved to write a tribute song to female veterans. She would like to sell the song and have all the proceeds go to the eWomenNetwork Foundation to help the women’s veterans initiative.  These are just two of the women I met who instantly made a difference in my life and in the moment of knowing them.

Sell Your Thing – It is not enough to be knowledgeable about what we do for a living. It is important as well to teach others to do what we do and better yet, make money doing it!  All the speakers provided us with great content, great ideas, great advice and they were all willing to teach us what they do and how they do it.  It made me reflect on the eWomenNetwork saying, “lift as you climb”.

I am back home and busy creating product offerings that I can share with my client companies and with my executive coaching clients.  My new post-Conference focus is to teach my clients the process I utilize to find the absolutely RIGHT Person to Hire and the absolutely RIGHT Job Fit.  Even though I have recruited for companies ranging from Coca-Cola and Dell Computer to smaller companies with fewer than 50 people, I never once thought about selling them the process I use rather than the service I provide.  I LOVE the thought of teaching others how to do what I do!

Thank you Sandra and Kym Yancey for your vision, for your commitment to excellence in all things and for your willingness to bring us those who will put a hand out and help others along the way.

 

Vikki Loving is a Platinum Member of the Chairman’s Circle

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How to Drop Fear

on August 2, 2011 in Coaching Corner, Education, Women in Business

Guest Post by Pragito Dove, Discover Meditation Training, Inc.

Fear is the absence of love. And the problem with something that is absent is that you cannot do anything with it directly. Fear is like darkness, which is the absence of light. There is nothing you can do with darkness directly, because it is an absence of something — which leaves you nothing to work with. But you can bring in more light.

Switch on the light. If you want darkness, switch off the light again. You work directly with the light, not with the darkness. The same is true with fear and love. Don’t bother with the fear—focus on love. You can do something with love immediately. Start loving.

Love is born within us, it is an intrinsic quality. We can just start giving love, sharing it, allowing it to flow out of us. As we do that, it grows. Don’t hold back; don’t be miserly with your love. If we don’t use our natural qualities they become blocked, grow stagnant, and wither away. That’s what happens to embittered people—they become frozen by their refusal to share their love.

When we give love, in the very giving we become richer because our love starts radiating outward. And then our fear starts to naturally disappear. It simply cannot exist in the face of so much love.

So it is not a question of dropping fear; it is a question of sharing your love, and then the fear vanishes of its own accord.

MEDITATION: Start Loving!

BENEFITS
The more you do this technique, over time you feel the joy in your heart expanding and your fear dissolving.

Become more and more loving, and you become more and more joyful. Don’t worry about whether or not your love is returned; that is not the point. Joy follows love automatically, and fear is dissolved automatically. The beauty of love is that its result, its value, are intrinsic. Love does not depend on the response of another, because it is totally yours.

Choose a person or pet to be loving toward. It makes no difference to whom you are loving—a dog, a tree, a stranger in the grocery store. Smile at people in the street, be more loving toward yourself.

Join Pragito Dove on Success Institute,  August 9, 2011 at 1:30pm CST, to Revitalize your Entrepreneurial Enterprise with the Power of Laughter Meditation.  Learn how to revitalize your entrepreneurial enterprise while discovering inner calm!


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What is a Tweetup?

on July 10, 2011 in Annual International Conference & Business Expo, Events, Social Media, Women & The Media, Women in Business

Guest Post by Lisa Larter, Lisa Larter Consulting

 

At a Tweetup:
  • Bring lots of business cards
  • Know what your Twitter handle is (some people will only remember you as that)
  • Tweet from the event so people know you are there
  • RSVP using the Twtvite link
  • Be Social, smile lots, and have fun
  • Don’t forget to include the #Hashtag!
  • If you don’t have a  twitter account, come to the BeSocial booth and we will help you set one up

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Philanthropy…The Missing Link in Your Business?

on July 7, 2011 in Chairman's Circle, Education, eWomenNetwork Foundation, Motivation & Inspiration, Women in Business

Gail Sullivan, Founder & CEO of  BECAUSE WOMAN, LLC

Philanthropy… The Missing Link in Your Business?

I recently attended a businesswomen’s luncheon on “Giving Matters” and heard one of our community’s most distinguished philanthropists state, “The joy of living is in the joy of giving”.

Surely you have heard the old adage that is sometimes described as the Principle of Giving:

“Give and it will come back to you – good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.”

Many of the happiest and wealthiest individuals that I have met over the last several decades have commented that the “key” to their success has been in their generous giving.

Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way, and that’s why philanthropy is one of my company’s key components.   Consider the following ways to add value to your company through giving, and watch for the positive returns

5 Ways to Add Philanthropy to Your Business Plan

1. Put together a Philanthropic Budget.

Consider setting aside a portion of your monthly business income to be specifically used for philanthropy.  There is a vast range of non-profit organizations in every community that could use your help.  Every gift, great and small will be considered a blessing.

It’s so easy to say, “ I don’t have any money.” But then, when I think of how easy it is to waste dollars at a time on things that don’t really matter (like those daily fancy coffee drinks that are filled with calories that I’m trying to avoid or the newest office supplies that are bought in excess and never used). Contrary to all that, my philanthropic giving can help organizations achieve something that really does matter.  You know what?  I’m embarrassed that I haven’t given more and more often.  Now is the time to change that!

Not enough cash flow?  Consider budgeting your philanthropic services.  501c3 organizations always appreciate service gifts.  For example, the local catering company caters 2 big non-profit fundraising events a year; a florist supports her favorite charity by providing the centerpieces for their annual fundraising event; and an entrepreneur of a local hair salon provides free haircuts, on the Saturday before school starts, to kids in a lower income neighborhood. What an awesome way to contribute!

2. Volunteer.

Philanthropy can also be in the form of service. Consider volunteering to help out at an annual event for a cause that you are passionate about.  This is something that you can do personally as well as getting your employees involved.  You will be amazed at how many people will join with you in your efforts to give back to the community.

For the last several years I have joined our local Boys and Girls Club to help hand out gifts to the children at their annual Christmas party.  The first year my two daughters joined me.  The following year several co-workers decided to come with me and continue to give to this day. Eventually the company I worked for became a sponsor of one of their annual events. It appears that philanthropy can be contagious.

3. Master the layups.

There are many community organizations that provide some of the most basic essentials for people in need.  All of us can make a huge difference just by consistently giving our gently worn clothing to the Goodwill, or extra food to the local food bank.  Consider having a seasonal giving drive for these events right in your office.  Allow clients to participate and accept donations as well. These are easy layup shots that any business can incorporate.

4. Take it to the next level.

Do you sometimes feel that your gift is so small and wonder what good could it possibly do?  A giving “team” boosts donation dollars to the next level. That’s right, get others involved… family, friends, co-workers, clients and even prospects. Does your company hold any type of annual event?  Consider adding a raffle in which all the proceeds go to a chosen non-profit group or cause.  Allow all attendees the opportunity to participate.

I recently held a company event and had determined to give a percentage of the income to a local cause.  I was disappointed when I realized how small that donation would be. I decided to brainstorm about how I could give more. I took a third of the money I was going to give and bought an amazing raffle prize for the event and announced where the proceeds were going.  The donation ended up being almost 3X what I was originally going to donate. Bravo!

5. Never underestimate the value of a small gift, and don’t hold back on giving a larger gift when you know the time is right.

“Despise not the day of small things!” Everyone starts somewhere. Become a consistent giver in the small opportunities that exist, and over time, you may develop into an experienced, generous philanthropist.

As you begin making philanthropy a key component in your company, begin to notice what happens.  Time and time again, I end up with so much more in return.  The effects are amazing!  The people I work with seem happier.  Somehow, this “giving” component allows for something great to occur in the workplace.  Goodwill manifests itself and my clients and prospects like that.  My business begins to change, for the better.  I feel like I begin to change for the better. And all this just makes me want to give more.

Recent research also shows that there is a correlation between philanthropic giving and sales.  (Network for Business Sustainability, Use corporate philanthropy to grow your top and bottom line, Source:  Strategic Management Journal, How corporate charitable contributions enhance revenue growth. (2009) Baruch Lev, Christine Petrovits and Suresh Radhakrishnan)

If you are attending the eWomenNetwork Conference in Dallas this month, you will witness firsthand the impact of generous giving.  Throughout the year there are many opportunities to give to the eWomenNetwork Foundation.  You will be inspired at how your philanthropic contributions can accomplish great things!

 

 

Gail Sullivan is a Platinum Member of the Chairman’s Circle

 

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Strategic Visioning: Know Your Worth!

on July 1, 2011 in Education, Motivation & Inspiration, Relationship Networking, Success Institute, Uncategorized, Women in Business

Guest Post by Dr. Venus Opal Reese, DefyImpossible.com

Your net-worth will never exceed your self-worth.

Ali Craig - My Business BFF

If you find yourself doubting your ability, or worried about money, or scared about the future of your relationship, or stressed about your kids, or angry with your body for not being able to do what it use to, I would like to share some strategies that have made my transition from suffering to sailing through my growth process gentle and fulfilling. These strategies are part of my new series, “Net-worth through Self-Worth: Breaking the Inner Glass Ceiling” Blueprint!

Let me clarify: when I say self-worth I do not mean self-esteem. And I don’t mean self-efficacy. Self-esteem is a psychological term about your appraisal and evaluation of yourself in terms of your belief and your emotions. Low self-esteem means you think badly and negatively about yourself; high self-esteem means you think well and positively about yourself. The presupposition is that there is a “self” already there for you to think negatively or positively about. What is more, self-esteem is based on your own self-appraisal and self-evaluation. It is based on what you are saying to yourself. Self-efficacy is your belief that you can accomplish a particular goal. Both Self-esteem and self-efficacy are self-determined.

Self-worth, as I am using the term, is based on valuation. Valuation is a finance term, an ethics term, a property term, and a philosophical term with regard to personal valuation: dignity. Valuation is not dependent on internal measures; valuation is determined by outward assessment of an asset to a particular group, community, or market. When I am working with my clients, they don’t have a clue about the value they bring to all the lives they touch. Neither did I. I did not know my value so my sense of self-worth was completely skewed. I would give my services away for free, date people I had to convenience that I deserved respect, and kept friends around me that made me feel like cramp. I would only buy second hand clothes from Retheads and the Goodwill because I did not want to waste money on frivolous things. If I did not need it to survive, then it was a luxury. And all of the affirmations in the world where not helping me change my company or my behaviors. I thought I was going crazy: was I just a glutton for punishment? Was I out to sabotage myself? Was I mentally tied to my broken past?

When people focus on self-esteem and self-efficacy, they are looking inward for evidence that they are good and capable. But if you think you are a looser or stupid, how effective will it be to keep going to that well? When you shift your focus to self-worth you begin to look outside of you for evidence that your brain can believe. Have you ever noticed that no matter what anyone else tells you, you believe what you truly think, deep down inside? So short of spending thousand of dollars on someone’s coach, on self-help books or in program after program, perhaps its time to flip the script.

Please be clear: if you are not well, then please get professional help. This conversation is not for people are not well or who are clinically depressed; this conversation is for those of us who are disappointed and disheartened with life. We thought life would look a certain way or we would be further along than we are or we would have married someone rich. But life said no. Now we are making due: some areas are good, most are “OK” and others are just “fine.” I am speaking to successful, well people who are willing to do the real internal work to go from good to great and from great to exceptional.

Here are three Net-worth through Self-Worth strategies that will reveal to you your self-worth and move you forward in fulfilling your destiny:

1. Mirror Mirror: Go to a mirror in your house and if you are committed to immediate results do this in the buff. Stand in the mirror and utter the most powerful statement in the universe: I am. First you will notice how distracted you are with your nose or a pimple. Stay with it. Be with all of your imperfections. Accept them. Breath through them. Don’t give up on you. Stay with you. You are training your brain to not bailout on you. Say “I am._____” and keep saying it until you are moved to tears by who you are. Say as many “I ams” as you can think of. Let your body feel the sensations as you rebirth you to yourself. If you can speak you powerfully looking yourself in the eye and really connecting to you, you create new brain patterns of recognition of who you are for yourself. By so doing you bring dignity to yourself for yourself. Personal valuation.

2. What would your life look like if…: Pick 5 to 10 people you know who love you. Give each of them a call and or have lunch with them. Ask this question: what would your life look like if I had never been in it?” And sit back and learn the value you have brought to their lives. This is a life-changing exercise. It is the one that put me on the path of knowing my worth. Write it down for future reference.

3. Identify your angels, advocates, and ambassadors: For success in business and in life you need people who are not you or your family members to champion you to yourself through their actions and the world. I call them my Triple As: your angel takes care of you, has your back, and provides gifts and assistance based on what you will give the world through your genius. My angel is Kym Yancey, the President of eWomenNetwork.

Kym Yancey - My Angel

He has helped me see me in ways I would never have granted myself. He has done so by demonstrating his belief and faith in me by providing me opportunities, telling me what to do and where to go for training, and by putting his name on the line on my behalf. That’s an angel. An advocate is someone who will fight for you in your absence. This person is a warrior and will go to bat for you, even if it means they have to fight you for you!!! Lisa Nichols is my advocate.

Lisa Nichols - My Advocate

She fights for my bigness in spite of me. She gifted me her Ultimate Success package so that I could keep growing into my calling. She championed me to me and stood for me to keep going, no matter what. An ambassador is someone who will sing your praises from the hill tops, especially when you can not see the forest for the trees. I was at the See Jane Succeed Live event with Michele Dekinder -Smith and I had an upsetting “aha!” moment. We were doing an exercise and were directed to write down the people who were supporting us in our business. When I finished my list, all the names I wrote were family and friends. I did not have a single business person on my list. Do you realize how incongruent it is to have a business but not a network of business friends to help you with your business? I was devestated. Michele changed what she was talking about and took the time to let me know that I was making new friends and that it was like going school for the first time. And I said, “but I don’t have any business friends!!” through my tears. Michele said, “You do now. I am your business friend. Who else wants to be Venus’ business friend?” I got business cards, hugs, and hope. That’s what an ambassor provides.

Michele De-Kinder Smith - My Ambassador

In terms of self-worth, begin to look outside of yourself with regard to the asset you are to others and to the world. Let that determine the valuation you place on you, your time, and your talents. By so doing, you will commend a higher fee and speak yourself as a profound contribution to all the lives you touch. When you value you, you honor you by the company you keep and how you treat yourself. Treat you with dignity by virtue of all you give. You truly are priceless.

With all the love my heart can hold…

Join Dr. Venus Opal Reese on the eWomenNetwork Success Institute as she discusses “Breaking the Inner Glass Ceiling:  5 Secrets to Big Money and a Life that Defies Impossible!” 1:30pm CST, July 5, 2011

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