Adaptability, a key trait of entrepreneurial women

“All women adapted to what they were dealt and made it work.”
~ Barbara Joan Zeitz

In early October the Network of Entrepreneurial Women celebrated Crain’s Small Business Week with a lovely gathering of small business owners in Glen Ellyn.

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As we perused the menu and got to know each other, Rebecca Sturgeon (LMT, CMLDT) gave us chair massages to relax our muscles and our spirits.

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We ordered delicious sandwiches from Shannon’s Irish Pub’s special menu, which nourished us sufficiently to take in all the information disseminated that day.

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During lunch, Barbara Joan Zeitz presented several historic women who ‘leaned in’ before Sheryl (Sandberg). Relaying the stories of Rose Knox, Helena Rubinstein, Ida Rosenthal, and Olive Ann Beech, we discovered that women can start careers at any age, against all odds, and thrive.

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Rose Knox started a Gelatin business with her husband Charles. The couple refined the time consuming recipe of boiling, straining and clarifying the ingredients for gelatin, and Rose gave away recipes with each purchase. When she was 50, her husband died and Rose took over the business, causing the departure of a male manager. Rose supported work equality by closing the back door so women and men would both enter and exit via the front door of the manufacturing plant. She was  a pioneer in nutrition, test kitchens, labor relations and creating the gel tab.

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Helena Rubinstein brought 12 jars of face cream to Australia from Poland at age 24. She settled in a small sheep grazing village but set about selling style and fashion to the local population. Her cream incorporated lanolin that had an awful aroma for which Helena experimented with scents. 6 years later she had a viable business in Melbourne. Helena pioneered the concept that beauty was a new power. She also established professional standards for beauticians, developed luxurious packaging, garnered celebrity endorsements. After the stock market crash she refocused on establishing salons and developed a financial empire that made her one of the richest women in the world.

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Ida Rosenthal did not buy into the flapper look, which failed to address more buxom women. Her husband, a sculptor, helped her design a bandeau that would offer support within a dress. When the dresses with these built-in bandeaus became popular, the Rosenthal’s developed the first brassiere by joining the two cups together with elastic. Ida’s husband died in 1966, and Ida ran the multimillion dollar company herself until her death in 1973. Maidenform continues to be a popular brand.

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Olive Ann Beech partnered with her husband to establish Beech Aircraft during the era of cross-country air races. World War II called for an expansion to support wartime production, and Beechcrafts became the standard training vehicle for military aviators. In 1950, her husband died. She secured a $16 million loan during the Korean war and expanded her employee base from 2800 to 13,000 that year.  Post-war, Olive Ann focused on space age production in partnership with NASA.

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Barbara recounts the stories of numerous other real life heroines in A Thesaurus of Women and her online column: “CountHerhistory”. Her second book should be coming out by the holidays, and will be a perfect gift for your leading ladies.

“Love is what is selling business”
~ Larvetta Loftin

Janice M Faris, Accountant and Principal/Owner of Janice M Faris, EA, helped us to think about how we pay ourselves as entrepreneurs. It shouldn’t just be about covering costs, but also about the lifestyle we want to establish for ourselves and support in perpetuity. She pointed out that even a not-for-profit pays their employees (and some very well), so that being a non-profit has nothing to do with giving yourself a salary.

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Jan pointed out that it is very important to make retirement part of that income equation, and to take inflation into account as well. Jan can help solopreneurs determine whether to set up as a a sole proprietorship, whether to incorporate or whether to establish an S-Corp and what the tax implications of each are. She and her partner Peggy Goddeau also take a comprehensive look at all your financial inflows, outflows and help project what you will need in the future to sustain your lifestyle.

“We tend to flock.
We have to make our own path and learn from other women.
Just because there is a path doesn’t mean we all fit onto it.”
~ Jan Faris

We discussed how we can improve our brands with marketing strategist Larvetta Loftin. Larvetta’s L3 Eventeurs provides lifestyle marketing, advertising, public relations, and live engagement events to a broad array of clients. Larvetta had us identify our favorite brands, and made the profound statement that the brands we admire share our customers and clients.

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She said that brands that stick to their passion and purpose do better than those who change their business model. It is easy to leave loyalists and brand influencers behind if you do not keep reinforcing your promise to them. Larvetta also emphasized that collaboration is key. Partnering with businesses who share your vision can strengthen both brands. Key questions to ask when developing your brand are:

1. What is our promise?
2. What is our why?
3. What is our influence?

She also stated that branding is not just a logo, and social media is not a strategy, it is a tactic. Branding is a part of marketing and establishes your perceived value. Larvetta enjoys working one-on-one with small business owners to determine their brand and create a strategy with them.

“You can be a small business but a big brand.”
~ Larvetta Loftin

Karen McCormack covered the new guidelines and brackets for health care.  One key change Karen noted is that being a woman is no longer considered a “pre-existing condition”—when previously there was a large discrepancy between health care costs based on sex. Reproductive and preventive care should be free under the new insurance plans. Ageism has also been addressed with Obamacare, no longer penalizing older people for their age.

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Health insurance is now standardized into tiered plans: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum that vary by the ratio of payments to benefits. This standardization does impact some of the networks insurance providers recognize, so it is important to check with your doctor on what network they are in when making decisions. Penalties for not having health insurance are going up, so it is important to take advantage of the current open enrollment period through Januray 31. As an independent insurance broker, Karen can assist anyone with navigating Obamacare 3.0, whether switching from group insurance to personal insurance, setting seniors up with medicaid and assisting small business owners with group plans. Karen is licensed in 13 states.

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All attendees went home with goodie bags. NEW will be on hiatus through the holidays, but stay tuned for our charity fundraiser in February 2016.

NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup, or like us on Facebook and check up on the calendar there.

Some photos courtesy NetworkHoncho.com.

Crain’s Small Business Week Meet, Munch & Mastermind

Next week is Crain’s 6th annual Small Business Week and the Network of Entrepreneurial Women is eagerly anticipating our third event in partnership with Crain’s Chicago Business. We are looking forward to an afternoon of delicious food, gentle pampering and significant inspiration and business brainstorming.

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The largest educational and business development event in the region for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and those who want to join this world will host 30 programs from Monday, October 5 – Saturday, October 10, 2015. We will gather for a casual lunch at Shannon’s Irish Pub, 428 N Main St, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137, on Wednesday, October 7 from noon to 5 p.m., during which we will learn about pioneering women during a keynote address.

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Crain’s goal is to introduce you to organizations whose mission includes helping small businesses around the city and suburbs to choose from. NEW’s event: Meet, Munch & Mastermind: Inspiring Women to Reach Their Highest Potential is a dynamic Networking Luncheon featuring a keynote address by Barbara Joan Zeitz, followed by mastermind roundtable sessions and optional chair massages. Throughout invigorating roundtable talks designed specifically for women entrepreneurs, participants will spend time learning from experts at each table.

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Author Barbara Joan Zeitz will host our keynote address: Leaning In Before Sheryl!

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Barbara earned her master’s in women’s studies (Roosevelt University, Chicago) in 2003 as an adult/grandmother and launched her ‘final career’ speaking on women’s amazing historic achievements via Powerpoint programs and writing her monthly online “CountHerhistory” column. She self-published her first book in 2012 with her second to be released this year.

Roundtable Talks will include:

Obamacare 3.0 … Everything You Need to Know About Health Insurance for 2016; by Karen McCormack, Independent Insurance Broker.

Karen has been in business for more than 30 years. She started her first company in 1985 and over time transformed her small business expertise, extensive organizational knowledge and exceptional ability to develop long term business relationships into McCormack Consulting Group, Inc.

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Her specialties include health insurance for the self employed, small business owners, individuals, families and seniors. She is dedicated to helping individuals and small business owners through the complex maze when making decisions. Karen partners with her clients, guiding them through the initial decision process and providing continuous service so that they are always up to date as their health insurance needs change over time.

Business Videos and How They Can Increase Your Reach & Wealth; by Chris Pierucci, Owner, Final Draft Business Support Services, Inc.

Chris  is the owner of Final Draft Business Support Services, Inc., a leading business support service specializing in Court Reporting, Legal Videography, Legal and Medical Transcription, General Transcription and Word Processing.

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Final Draft Business Support Services, Inc. also offers their own in-house graphic design team, and virtual offices in their Lincoln Park location for the at-home professional. Chris is the Director of the Ruth McBride Memorial Scholarship, and on the Board of Directors for Girls in the Game. She is also a former Managing Director of eWomenNetwork Chicago, and a current Designer for KEEP Collective.

Chris is certified as a Woman-Owned Small Business with the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, as a Certified Electronic Court Transcriber by the American Association of Electronic Reporters & Transcribers and as a Certified Legal Videography Specialist by NCRA.

“PAYING YOURSELF?” The What, Why and How; by Janice M Faris, Accountant, Principal/Owner, Janice M Faris, EA.

Linking Individuals and Businesses to financial goals is achieved with solid planning. Jan’s experience as an accountant for 36 years taught her that listening is the key to finding appropriate solutions unique to each Individual or Business. Her goal is to provide education as to available options. She believes that a clear understanding is the foundation to a sound decision.

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Jan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy from Northern Illinois University, an Enrolled Agent Certification with the I.R.S., holds FINRA Securities Registration: Series 6, Series 7, Series 63 and Series 65, completed training in Collaborative Law and regularly attends ongoing Continuing Professional Education programs required to maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills.

She is a Member of the National Association of Enrolled Agents, served for 20 years as a Member of the Board of directors and Executive Board of the Downtown Wheaton Association , is a recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award for the Downtown Wheaton Association, and co-chaired the Downtown Wheaton Association Annual Gala and Fine Art Fair for 10 years. She also received the Outstanding Service Award from the DWA from 1988-2009 and was among the 1986 Who’s Who of American Women.

Attendees will each have the opportunity to eat, learn, network and connect with women business owners from diverse backgrounds, experience and industries. They will also receive chair massages by Rebecca Sturgeon, LMT, CMLDT.

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Rebecca is a graduate of the Cortiva Institute – Chicago School of Massage Therapy and holds a certification in Manual Lymphatic Drainage. She currently practices at the Heartwood Center in Evanston.

Sign up here to join lively, enlightening education and be provided opportunities for brainstorming personal concerns/questions related to the topic discussed. You can follow Crain’s Small Business Week online here.

NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup, or like us on Facebook and check up on the calendar there.

Business Librarians are awesome!

This month the ladies of the Network of Entrepreneurial Women visited the Schaumburg Public Library for a wonderful presentation of business resources.

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We gathered in one of the large meeting rooms, which are available for organizations and business use by reservation. There are also smaller discussion rooms accommodating 5 to 8 people for small business meetings.

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The Schaumburg Public Library is the second largest library in the state, after the Harold Washington Library and the Chicago Public Library’s 81 satellites.

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Business Liaison Librarian Patricia Smolin had selected a few fun titles for us to peruse. She is very engaged in networking to keep a pulse on what small business owners and local entrepreneurs need as resources to enhance their business.

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She began her presentation by assigning each of the attendees a Dewey Decimal system category, including 700s for The Arts, 332 for Financial economics, 300 for social sciences, 921s for biographies, 610s for Medicine and health, and 005 for Computer science and information.

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Our focus that day was on the 650s, however, pertaining to business resources.

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Patricia oversees library resources and programming for Personal Finance & Investing, Jobs & Career and Small Business. She guided us through several resources the Schaumburg Public Library has available to patrons, including: Business Articles and Research, Business Directories, Company Research, Market Research, Industry Surveys and Small Business.

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In addition to walking us through the online databases, Patricia also recommended 3 print titles that would be of use to business owners. “I put a lot of value in print,” she said. “What is online may be faster, but it might not be better.” Her recommended print resources include: the American Salaries and Wages Survey for salaries by position (updated every 2 years); Redbook, an annual publication on advertising media, and Best Customers, which offers demographics on consumer demand and generational categories.

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As we toured the various sections of the library I encountered a blast from the past with my former employer’s business resource poster on prominent display. I still have the Almanacs I contributed to almost 2 decades ago.

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Patrons have access to all databases and resources on-site when they visit the library. By connecting your laptop to the library’s wi-fi, you can access the databases SPL is subscribed to. The library has a large computer assistance center that loans out laptops and offers classes.

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Those holding a Schaumburg Library card as their home library can also remotely access the resources their tax payers pay for. Library visitors with a library membership in good standing can check out books as a reciprocal borrower but must return them to the Schaumburg library. Alternatively, they can ask for the check-out through interlibrary loan with their home library.

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Businesses with a local establishment in Schaumburg are able to apply for a business library card. Home libraries we represented included: Elmhurst, Evanston, Hyde Park, Indian Trails, Saint Charles and Wheaton. Patricia stressed that patrons should bring up a resource they need with their home library. Librarians are actively looking for ways to serve the community, and making your needs known is the best way to do so.

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She stressed however, that librarians can only direct you to resources, but not provide legal, personal, or medical advice (all have been asked of her!). Patricia does rely heavily on her network of professionals to refer any concerns patrons have to such professionals.

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The library includes a large teen room with their own section of meeting rooms in which no adults are allowed. The teen room also has a green room with a digital production studio that is open to local businesses by reservation.

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Children over 8 can be unaccompanied in the KidsZone. This area is monitored and adults without children cannot roam freely in that section.

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The library also hosts book discussions through the fiction department. It also has a vast selection of CDs, DVDs, sheet music and other media.

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There was a plethora of international resources in all areas, since the library actively engages with the international community. The library hosts English as a Second Language assistance and citizenship classes that are always full.

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I am eager to cross-reference SPL’s resources with what my local library has to offer, and know that the Skokie Public Library also has a treasure trove of resources. Harold Washington’s business section is vast as well. Go find out what your library has to offer!

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Photos courtesy NetworkHoncho.com

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NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup, or like us on Facebook and check up on the calendar there.

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Discussing being your best boss

“I believe in recharging as often as possible.
Go somewhere luxurious to luxuriate.”
~ Niquenya Fulbright of Building Bridges Consulting

Last week the Network of Entrepreneurial Women held a discussion on treating ourselves. As we nibbled on savory paninis and vegan chocolate pralines at Let Them Eat Chocolate, NEW co-founder Erica Thomas provided tips on how to become better bosses to ourselves, while facilitating a lively discussion around self-care.

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Erica stressed that as our own boss, we have to be the best boss, in order to keep our business functioning and energized. “Burnout can ruin a perfect production schedule,” Erica said. “Avoiding burnout has to be prioritized as highly as project goals.”

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Our attendees covered the full spectrum of women business care taking needs, including 2 nutrition and wellness experts, a fashion designer, a wardrobe stylist, a brand consultant, a technology consultant, and a small business coach. With our introductions we had to state how we treat ourselves. These treats ranged from booking luxurious getaways to pampering in retail and at home spa places.

A “2011 study found that frequent small pleasures,
like double lattes, pedicures, or soft socks provides
more happiness than infrequent large ones like sports cars or vacations.
Research shows that breaking up enjoyable experiences into brief events
— such as two 20-minute massages at different times
rather than one 40-minute massage —
gives people more pleasure. “

~ 33 Ways To Be Happier by Dina Spector

While massages and manicures and pedicures were popular, the majority of ladies present love to take a (jacuzzi) bath. To soak our stressors away, this article suggests taking a champagne bath, and offers a less extravagant milk and honey recipe a la Cleopatra. Before that bath, My Health Beet’s Svetlana Burak recommended dry brushing to exfoliate and detoxify.

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Highlighting that treats do not have to be high-cost or difficult to implement, many women also enjoyed getting lost in a story, whether through a popular TV series or by being transported into a book. Savoring a delicious meal or anticipating a glass of wine at the end of the day also served as pleasurable rewards for a job well done.

“Self-care is such a buzz word that it’s often tossed around
without people really thinking about what it means to practice it.
The truth is that integrating self-care into life is a choice
and a practice, and it only happens successfully
when someone is conscious and consistent about it.”

~ During Your Next Launch, Don’t Neglect Self-Care by Kate Swoboda

One way to treat ourselves better is by stopping to review what we have achieved. We each grow and learn every day, and looking back on a to-do list from a year to 6 months ago can indicate milestones we may not recognize as we adopt new skills into our regular routine.

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When asked what we would give our best employee suggestions ranged from a day (completely logged) off to family outings to writing down a daily or weekly list of accomplishments. Realizing that acknowledgement of things well done is a key motivator, we encouraged each other to print certificates of achievements for the things we sometimes fail to recognize.

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Getting in touch with nature also offers the opportunity for a re-set and turns out to be extremely helpful for the brain. John Haltiwanger writes that people who appreciate nature are happier, healthier and more innovative.

“Natural environments stimulate the brain
in ways civilization cannot,
exponentially improving our cognitive abilities
and igniting our imaginations.”
~ John Haltiwanger

Erica suggested that solopreneurs evaluate their businesses based on Crain’s “Best Places to Work 2015.” The selection criteria included: quantitative issues about pay, promotions, health care and other benefits, hiring practices as well as fairness of pay, vacation time, relationships with management and co-workers, career development and other day-to-day workplace issues.

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Being self-employed can cause for some pitfalls of bossiness. Key to preventing burnout is to also acknowledge our biorhythms, which we can sometimes try to push through. Once again, the best places to work example came to the rescue with the question “Would you work for someone who made you come into the office during a blizzard?”

“It’s OK that you don’t do everything.
It’s OK that someone else does it for you.
You have the wisdom to understand:
‘that’s not my strong suit, that is not my best quality’.”
~ Brand Consultant Cierra Cole

Delegation was also discussed and encouraged, whether it be training a 3-year old to shred papers, engaging older children in answering the phone, or outright hiring someone. Erica stated that we tend to take the longest doing the things we don’t like to do, and outsourcing that task to someone else can free us up to more productivity. Being a perfectionist can hinder that process, but one member pointed out that getting it done is better than for it to be perfect.

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It was lovely to lounge in a welcoming and comfortable space while bonding over indulgences. We look forward to revisiting Let Them Eat Chocolate in Andersonville, and are excited to spur each other on in our respective ventures.

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Continuing our theme of wellness and self-care, our next Wine Women and Wellness Event will coincide with a Women Out Walking presentation. NEW member Svetlana Burak of My Health Beet is partnering with Kim Leider, a Training Leader with Ava Anderson Non Toxic to present: “Clean Living Inside and Out” at the Evanston Public Library on Thursday, May 28 from 7 to 8:30 pm.

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Group photo courtesy NetworkHoncho.com.

NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup, or like us on Facebook and check up on the calendar there.

 

Learning and growing with NEW

NEW’s Crain’s Small Business Day was a blast, and full of nuggets of wisdom by our fabulous guest speakers. During our meet and greet ladies mingled and were introduced to NetworkHoncho.com with their pop-up of a new small business networking tool that is currently in beta launch.

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Members and visitors also perused my wares at my pop-up table.

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Then we gathered around for formal introductions and a business card exchange, with a variety of very interesting businesses represented.

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After learning more about each other we split into three groups for roundtable discussions.

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Peggy Goddeau discussed retirement planning, highlighting how inflation and taxation do not increase at the same rate, and we thus have to base our retirement planning on projected true buying power. She recommends a balance between cash flow and debt management based on three categories of assets: protection, savings and growth. As a financial advisor with The Heartland Group, Peggy offers consulting services for anyone at any age to ensure their retirement is on the right track.

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Dr. Crystal Foreseman Landers offered wellness tips which included an 80/20 rule for eating whole foods (80% of the time), and allowing for 20% of not-so-nutritious meal or snack decisions. This would allow for 2 ‘cheat’ meals a week, creating less pressure than a vigorous diet. She also recommended having lean protein with each meal to counteract food cravings, and paying attention to what we are eating instead of multitasking while we chew. She also recomended drinking 1/2 of your body weight in ounces to stay properly hydrated.  Dr. Crystal offers additional naturopathic health tips at Living Tree Natural Health, Inc.

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Author and speaker Niquenya D. Fulbright discussed the 4 P’s of profit, which are not price, product place or promotion, but passion, purpose, partners and productivity. She recommends that to achieve a goal, we need to make a list of weekly steps to get there. This makes long-range planning far more effective, because we know we can do one thing a week in a specific category, and then feel more accomplished about doing another thing the next week. She also stated that sunk cost should never be considered when making a decision (and who isn’t guilty of hanging on to something just because we spent so much time and money on it already?). As President and CEO of Building Bridges Consulting, Niquenya transforms dreamers into successful entrepreneurs by giving them the tools to turn their passion into a viable business.

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After all this insightful learning it was time for a pint and we gathered around to dine on our host Shannon’s Irish Pub’s delicious food.

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NEW will gather tomorrow in Geneva for our November Meet & Munch. We will revisit the lovely Peaceful Parlour for some tea time and to gather ideas for eco-friendly holiday shopping.

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Peaceful Parlour is an eco-friendly shopper’s paradise located in Geneva, IL. The boutique offers products that are locally made, USA made, natural or organic, hand crafted and made from renewable or sustainable materials. Their focus is to find products with environmental and community benefits, supporting local artists, small businesses, fair trade and women co-op groups around the world.

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Due to Thanksgiving, this will also be our only event for November. No Wine, Women and Wellness on 11/27, since we’re all likely to be gathered around dinner tables.

Photos copyright NetworkHoncho.

NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup, or like us on Facebook and check up on the calendar there.

Masterminding Roundtables on Wednesday

Next week is Crain’s Small Business Week, and once again the Network of Entrepreneurial Women is participating in the event. On Wednesday, October 8 we will host three guest speakers at Shannon’s Irish Pub in Glen Ellyn. First, we’ll have a pop-up trunk show, at which I’ll have some pieces and other members will showcase their products and services. Then we will have Mastermind Roundtable sessions with our guest speakers, after which we will network and place delicious food orders.

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The 30-minute roundtable talks are designed specifically for women business owners. After each session, you’ll have the opportunity to rotate on to a new table with a different group of fellow participants to enjoy another lively, enlightening talk. Each session will include expert speakers and provide opportunities for brainstorming personal concerns/questions related to the topic discussed.

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Roundtable Talks will include:

A casual dinner will follow, where attendees will each have the opportunity to eat, network and connect with women business owners representing a variety of industries from throughout Chicagoland. Last year’s event was a blast and we look forward to toasting each other to missions accomplished since that gathering.

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NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is an exciting, fresh group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking in the Chicago suburbs and beyond. Focusing on no nonsense networking, the group holds fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds together.  NEW was founded in 2013 by by Karen McCormack, Independent Insurance Broker, Erica Thomas, one of the two lead programmers to create NetworkHoncho.com, and Wax and Wire Artist Maike van Wijk, Chief Marveler at Maike’s Marvels.

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The NEW art of networking involves events that remind us why we love being entrepreneurs, and introduces attendees to other radiant, inspirational women entrepreneurs as we form a community that is open-minded, focused and friendly. NEW: Inspiring, enlightening and encouraging women to reach their highest potential.

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Naturopathic doctor and multi-disciplinary healer, Dr. Crystal Foresman-Landers, OTR/L, ND, received her doctoral degree in Naturopathic Medicine in 2012 from National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois and her Occupational Therapy bachelor’s degree in 2000 from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has vast experience in women’s health, chronic pain management, pediatrics, and chronic health conditions. Dr. Foresman-Landers is certified in Sensory Integration therapy, and is also a practitioner of Myofascial Release, Craniosacral Therapy and Kinesiotape. She is passionate about the ways to return to optimal health through a whole person approach which includes improving immune system and gastrointestinal health. She is devoted to restoring wellness by focusing on an integrative approach that includes strategies for chronic pain management, preventative medicine and detoxification strategies.

NiquenyaFulbright

Niquenya D. Fulbright is President and CEO of Building Bridges Consulting, a small business consulting and executive coaching firm specializing in transforming dreamers into successful entrepreneurs. Ms. Fulbright possesses over 15 years’ experience partnering with small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders to bridge the gap between where they are now and where they need to be to build successful, sustainable, and profitable business models. Her love of mentoring, teaching, coaching, and networking with visionary dreamers has led her to assume positions such as the Co-Area Director of the Chicago chapter of Networking in High Heels – a national networking group for professional women in business, Strategic Director for the CTW International Ministry – a nonprofit whose mission is to raise awareness and restoration for victims of sex trafficking, and Volunteer Coach (Formerly Director of Training & Recruitment) for New Life Coach Inc. – a nonprofit organization that provides six weeks of free life coaching to underprivileged individuals. Ms. Fulbright also provides Workforce Development and Entrepreneurship training, coaching, and consulting for several Chicago Housing Authority programs administered through the Chicago Urban League on the south side of the city.

PeggyGoddeau

Peggy Goddeau is a Financial Advisor with The Heartland Group. She made a very thoughtful decision to transition out of medical practice and leverage all her training and experience into the financial services industry. Her passion is to work with small business owners, individuals and families, to develop protection-based, financial strategies that are holistic and flexible, which optimizes all of their resources to help achieve tangible wealth and financial security. She does this by guiding them through a five step process which will: Clarify, Organize, Evaluate, Educate, and Develop/Implement (CO-EED) those strategies. Registered Representative of and securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Hornor, Townsend, & Kent, Inc. (HTK)  Registered Investment, Member FINRA/SIPC. The Heartland Group is independent of HTK. A4CM-0729-03E2

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The entire half day event is free. Each participant pays for her own dinner off of Shannon’s Irish Pub Special Event Menu. RSVP on Meetup or Facebook.

NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup, or like us on Facebook and check up on the calendar there.

Bragging about each other

“If we can’t self-market, we’re inhibiting ourselves.”
~ Erica Thomas

Last week the Network of Entrepreneurial Women gathered at 57th Street Books in Hyde Park to discuss How to Brag. NEW Co-Founder Erica Thomas led the discussion with research on how women are conditioned to not boast about their achievements, since if they do they can be perceived as too pushy, resulting in women self-editing.

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Tips Erica provided included:

  • Make a bragalog: Tell a short story that weaves in your brag points. Inserting relevant facts into a story makes your speech more  memorable
  • Have someone brag for you: bring a wing-woman along who can introduce (and boast about) you, and then reverse roles.
  • Put your brags into a joke: rather than specifying how long you’ve been in business numerically, use a difference reference, like “I’ve been in business since the earth cooled.”
  • Pay attention to the person you are networking with: In listening to their needs, you can insert relevant ‘brag points’ during the conversation

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We discussed our own personal pitfalls and brainstormed additional strategies, such as cataloguing 3 positive things about yourself/business and using those in your bragalog. We also discussed how many skills are perceived as “innate” to women, such as caregiving, nurturing and teaching, that economically and anthropologically they aren’t valued as a learned skill.

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“When someone is boosting you up,
don’t get flushed. Stand up and be proud.”
~ Joan

We then went around in a celebration circle and each person told the group what they admire about another person in the circle. It was a lovely experience that made many of us blush, and helped us perceive ourselves as more brag worthy.

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We have some courageous, optimistic, determined, get-it-done, supportive, generous, caring, listening, dedicated, driven, brilliant women in our group, who truly do “use their powers for good,” as Erica said.

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I look forward to our next Meet & Munch, which features a discussion about stress. You can find us at Hub 83, 6 Executive Court, South Barrington, from 2-4 p.m. On Wednesday, July 9. Ann Marie Berg, a Wellness Consultant and Health Coach, will talk about stress management, share relaxation techniques and facilitate a discussion around de-stressing.

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“There’s nothing wrong
with telling people the truth about your business.”

~ Erica Thomas

NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup, or like us on Facebook and check up on the calendar there.

Joyful Dining at Symphony’s

Last week the Network of Entrepreneurial Women gathered at Symphony’s for a joyous dinner.

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Since our group was intimate we skipped the anticipated progressive dinner and conversed about business challenges and joys instead.

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We brainstormed where to promote ourselves, celebrated one attendee’s milestone of needing to hire, and discussed our goals for the year.

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It is exciting to watch our members’ businesses evolve and I look forward to seeing dreams achieved as we move forward.

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Next up is a visit to the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, one of only a few museums in the nation that focuses exclusively on the history, culture, and arts of the American Indian and First Nation peoples of the United States and Canada.

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We will gather at the museum for a docent-led tour ($10 charge) and then explore our creative side with a craft, after which we will network with each other. You can RSVP here.

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NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup, or like us on Facebook and check up on the calendar there.

Photos courtesy NetworkHoncho.com. She Wore Blue Coat from Hello Holiday, sweater dress from Style & Co, spiral collar by Maike’s Marvels.

 

Celebrating Character, Courage and Commitment

“There is no royal flower-strewn path to success.
And if there is, I have not found it f
or if I have accomplished anything in life
it is because I have been willing to work hard.
Perseverance is my motto.”
~ Madame C.J. Walker

Women’s History Month has come to a close, but women continue to make history on a daily basis. At NEW‘s last Meet & Munch women’s historian Barbara Joan Zeitz provided us with a list of inspirational business women. While Barbara generally focuses on unsung heroes in her books, she made an exception for this presentation and mentioned trailblazers who have been recognized in the business world.

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Nonetheless, a few of the women mentioned were new to me. Our attendees, ranging from business consultants to communicators to social media specialists were all keen on empowering women. Barbara’s mission is to share women’s history so each woman can learn and own her own history.

“We’re not competitors, we are compatriots.
Read your history.
Know your past, know your present, because it is your future.”
~ Barbara Joan Zeitz

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Madame C. J. Walker ‎ was one of the first female millionaires in U.S. History, founding a hair product business in the 1920s after losing her hair and then training other African American women to become ‘franchisees’ before franchising was a concept. She trained agents in South America and focused on teaching black women to be self-sufficient.

Julia Morgan was the first female to graduate Berkeley with a civil engineering degree  and the first female licensed architect in California. She rebuilt the Fairmont Hotel in 1906 and designed 700 buildings in her life time, including Hearst Castle. In spite of her status as one of the most distinguished women architects in America who pioneered the use of steel- reinforced concrete, Julia Morgan was listed as Hearst’s secretary, rather than the designer of his castle and the surrounding 127 acres.

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Muriel Siebert moved to New York in a used car with $500 in her pocket. She changed jobs three times because men earned more than her. When she applied with her initials rather than her full name she had more employment success. Upon applying for the New York Stock Exchange she was turned down by 9 sponsors, which put her in a  catch-22 because the bank insisted she have a sponsor and the sponsors insisted she have a loan. She became the first woman on the New York Stock Exchange and subsequently the first female Superintendent of Banks in New York (an SOB, as she called it). She started a personal finance program for High School Students in New York, which became a model for nationwide programs.

“If you find that you don’t like what you’re doing you can change it.
There’s no law that says
you have to continue to do the same job if you’re not feeling satisfied.
Your mind is capable of doing a lot of things.”
~ Muriel Siebert

Lena Himmelstein-Bryant ‎ was widowed with a young child after 16 months of marriage to David Bryant. She designed maternity wear at a time when women were placed in seclusion. She sold out the day her ad was published. The letters in her name were transposed at a bank, and she didn’t correct it, thus becoming Lane Bryant. She moved on to full-figured women’s wear and was the first to offer employee benefits.

Coco Chanel was placed in an orphanage at a young age who became a store clerk when she grew up. She built a fashion and perfume empire, took women out of corsets, and made slacks acceptable high fashion for women. She was fiercely independent and moved in elite circles where she networked very well. Barbara said she exemplifies the value of women and how to embrace your gender.

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Elizabeth Arden ‎ started her career as a nurse. She learned of a cream that treated burns and combined science and technology for beauty. Her first salon was opened in 1910 which expanded to a $20 million empire. She marched for women’s rights with 15,000 Suffragettes and was the first woman to be featured on the cover of time in 1946.

Meg Whitman joined eBay reluctantly in 1998 when it had 30 employees. Her restructuring and management grew it to 15,000 employees and $8 billion in annual revenue by 2008. She was noted for redefining business principles by implementing procedures that steer and influence rather than control, focusing on conversing rather than commanding, and asking questions instead of giving answers. She was noted for saying that bottom line success comes from experimenting and failing rather than doing nothing when bold action is needed.

“My rules in life are to believe in myself,
keep a positive attitude and
hold on to my integrity.”
~ Maria de Lourdes Sobrino

Carrie Marcus Neiman was a fashion buyer with her brother for the Neiman Marcus store her husband owned. She brought ready to wear to the Dallas market and transformed it into a fashion capital.

Maggie Lena Walker dreamed of owning a bank at a time when women couldn’t own property. She founded the first women-owned bank, St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, which after merging with two other banks in the 1930s continues to be the oldest continuously operated African American owned bank.

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Maria de Lourdes Sobrino came from a family of lawyers but had no interest in law school. She instead became a serial entrepreneur by starting a flower shop, which failed, a travel business that tanked during an economic downturn, imported crafts that didn’t prove lucrative, and opened a sandwich shop. In 1982 she put her savings into 300 cups of Gelatina, which became the multimillion dollar Lulu’s Desserts. As the owner of the fastest-growing Hispanic-owned business in the U.S., she served on the board of NAWBO-LA, Latina Style Magazine, D.C., Working Families for Wal-Mart.

Joy

We chatted more about these women of Character, Courage, and Commitment and left encouraged and enlightened. A Thesaurus of Women: From Cherry Blossoms to Cell Phones, is available on Amazon, via Barbara herself (who is working on her second book), and at our event host, Town House Books.

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Join us for Meet & Munch among Beads at A Bella Bead next Wednesday, April 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. in Glen Ellyn. Open since October 2013, the store offers beading supplies for jewelry making, including loose beads, strand beads, clasps, findings, Swarovski crystals and lamp beads. Owner Sharon Dotson will demonstrate crystal clay, and we can peruse all her sparklies while we network. A Bella Bead Boutique is located at 485 Main Street, Banyan Tree Mall Unit D in Glen Ellyn, Il  60137.

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“My life didn’t please me, so I created my life.”
Coco Chanel

NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup or Facebook.

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Networking photos courtesy NetworkHoncho.com, with the historic women’s headshots pulled from Google.

Galentine’s Day at Salon Four 14

Last Wednesday NEW visited Salon Four 14 for some pre-Galentine’s Day pampering. It was sunny day and the temperature had increased significantly, making us all giddy with joy.

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Co-Founder Karen had brought a 12-pack of cupcakes from The Sugar Path as well as some chocolate.

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We toured the cozy space owned by Heather Haftl, and learned that we can relax our scalps in the lather lounge with a head massage, pamper our hands with paraffin treatments, and watch our hair color get mixed at the color bar, after which it gets cut and styled of course.

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The salon, which has been in business for four years, also offers custom make-up blends. Dipping our hands in warm wax after a hand massage was delicious.

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We had fun playing Patty-Cake with our mittens.

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It was lovely to meet ambitious ladies who have such a positive approach to life.

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We will close out the month of love on Thursday, February 27, from 6 to 8 pm at Anna Shea’s Chocolate Lounge. Who can say no to chocolate cocktails?

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All photos courtesy NetworkHoncho.com

NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis, usually the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Thursday of the month. RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup, or like us on Facebook, where and check up on the calendar there.