Speednetworking with chocolate

3 March 2014March 3, 2014Maike van WijkLeave a comment

We had a blast closing out Galentine’s month at Anna Shea’s Chocolate Lounge last week.

In spite of another polar vortex front several suburban ladies were lured by the chocolate bar, and we cozied up to the fireplace to imbibe.

The Pistachio Pomegranate cupcake was delicious, and I opted for a Bailey’s Chocolate cocktail this time.

Erica and I had done some chocolate research and found some great nuggets to present as chocolate trivia.

Then Karen launched us into speed networking, which was energizing and inspirational. Due to an odd number of attendees I sat out most rounds, which introverted me didn’t mind at all. It was great watching the energy build and connections grow.

We are super-duper excited to celebrate Women’s History Month with a women’s history expert, Barbara Joan Zeitz for our Meet & Munch on Wednesday, March 12.

Spending time with my Galentines is always so uplifting.

Seeing Curly Girl Design represented was a bonus surprise.

Here’s to a delightful week for everyone.

Photos by Maike’s Marvels and NetworkHoncho.com

Galentine’s Day at Salon Four 14

17 February 2014February 17, 2014Maike van WijkLeave a comment

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.

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

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.

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.

We had fun playing Patty-Cake with our mittens.

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

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?

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.

Warming up with Tea in Geneva

29 January 2014January 29, 2014Maike van WijkLeave a comment

“We each have gifts and we should explore them.”
~ Flying for Hope

Last week a few fired up ladies braved the cold to warm up to tea, entrepreneurial inspiration, and some ecochic shopping at NEW’s Tea Women and Wellness event.

Our energetic attendees included holistic wellness experts, charity founders, storefront managers and technological innovators.

Shari Ralish introduced us to three of her favorite blends: Smokey Chai, Peaceful Synergy and Romance. We also had snacks to complement the teas.

As we gathered in the circle, we learned how each woman reinvented herself from a wide variety of backgrounds, and were inspired by the vast amount of ideas and occupations in the room.

“It was very inspiring
to hear of all of the new business adventures taking off.
I was also very impressed with all of the women
who braved the cold and showed up ready to talk business and network.
Very professional.”
~ Peaceful Parlour

Of course we couldn’t resist shopping Shari’s fabulous eco-friendly, locally bought and fair trade products, which includes children’s toys that don’t require batteries, earth friendly home goods and decor, and energy clearing items.

With National Hot Tea Month in full swing, the tea accessories were abundant as well, including the hand-blended teas to fill them with.

Shari also offers energy healing workshops, such as Feng Shui for Romance on February 9, followed by a Downton Abbey inspired Jewelry Show that day, Animal Communication on March 22, Crystal Singing Bowls on April 22 and regular psychic medium readings.

It was a wonderful evening filled with numerous dates for future connections, and we look forward to our next Meet & Munch on February 12.

Hats were not required for this tea party, but the ones in Peaceful Parlour are quite adorable.

“Memorable experiences are
when you go to places that are different from the rest.”
~ Geneva Smiles

Photos by Maike’s Marvels and NetworkHoncho.com

Closing out the NEW year

17 December 2013December 17, 2013Maike van WijkLeave a comment

The Network of Entrepreneurial Women closed out the year with a lovely party at Anna Shae’s Chocolate Lounge in Barrington last week.

We warmed ourselves by the fireplace as we enjoyed the whimsical and girly setting.

Chocolates are made on site here, and we couldn’t resist sampling pieces.

I imbibed in the delectable S’mores Martini.

We exchanged business cards as we discussed what’s new and big in our businesses.

Then we had fun with a pub-style trivia quiz on which both teams did quite well.

They didn’t go home empty-handed.

After wishing each other happy holidays we were on our way to more merry-making.

The three NEW cofounders crafted our fun and varied calendar for 2014.

The recipe exchange continued with a buttered rum demonstration.

It was delicious.

We will see you in January for our next event!

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 the events will be listed as well.

Introducing NEW to Lemont

22 November 2013November 22, 2013Maike van WijkLeave a comment

Last week the Network of Entrepreneurial Women had a blast at Aurora Rose Boutique in Lemont.

I was excited to showcase this shop to our members, since I knew it would be a good fit.

We got to sample delicious goodies from Tastefully Simple, had chocolate Martinis provided by Dove Chocolates, and sampled the new Tiesta Teas Aurora Rose Boutique just started carrying.

During our introductions we enjoyed meeting new ladies and learning what’s new in each others’ lives since our Halloween party.

NetworkHoncho announced new features to their up-and-coming small business networking platform.

Everyone was delighted by the plethora of gift ideas in the store.

Some of us couldn’t resist taking something home.

Aurora Rose has some fun holiday activities planned, so like their Facebook page to get the scoop on announcements and new products.

The next Network of Entrepreneurial Women event is on December 11 at Anna Shae’s Chocolates in Barrington. The combined Meet & Munch and Wine, Women and Wellness event features Nifty Educational Wisewoman Trivia, where we break up into teams, make up awesome team names, and then test our knowledge of women and winter themed trivia.

There will also be a Holiday Recipe Exchange, with goodies to sample. This will be our only event for the month to give everyone time to close out the year and enjoy quality time with their families.

Have a great weekend!

All photos courtesy NetworkHoncho.com.

Art for Healing: an evening at the Awakenings Center

2 October 2013October 2, 2013Maike van Wijk1 Comment

Last Thursday the Network of Entrepreneurial Women took in vibrant art, delicious snacks and some vino at the Awakenings Foundation Center. The foundation unveiled My Fire: the Alchemy of Abuse by author and artist Gabriel Orion Marie, a new exhibit in their gallery.

“She’s alive, she’s healed, and she’s sharing it with us.”
~ Jean Cozier about Gabriel Orion Marie’s exhibit

We connected with fellow entrepreneurs, most of whom were drawn to this venue from a professional interest as (aspiring) therapists and counselors. After the introductions, Awakenings Founder and President Jean Cozier introduced us to the art work gracing the high walls of this loft space.

“We were moved by the art
and heartened by the positive impact it has had
on the artists and by the greater understanding shared
and communicated to the viewer.
It was a lively, enriching evening, and
we were so glad to learn more about the foundation and gallery.”
~ Erica Thomas

The Awakenings Foundation administers the Judith Dawn Memorial Fund for the Arts, a program that makes financial awards to survivors who wish to pursue the creative arts as a means of healing, empowerment, and expression. The fund has awarded $75,000 to 80 grant recipients since 1998.

The Awakenings Center showcases art work by multiple artists who have used art as a way of healing from their sexual abuse. As she administered the Memorial Fund, Jean felt that people were looking for a way to present their story. Jean started with her personal collection and then began curating different artists, including memorial fund recipients. In addition to visual art, the foundation seeks to host performing arts such as music, dance and literary expression.

The Awakenings Center is part of the Ravenswood Art Walk this year and expects to have 800-1,000 visitors come through its doors. Currently, the gallery is staffed Wednesdays through Fridays from 11 am to 4 p.m., but setting up an appointment by e-mail is recommended. The center is open to hosting group events, which can be arranged by e-mail as well.

After this enriching evening, the NEW co-founders planned the remaining events for the year over savory and sweet desserts. You can see what’s coming up on our Meetup page.

Photos courtesy NetworkHoncho.com

Meet, Munch & Mastermind at Crain’s Small Business Week

27 September 2013September 27, 2013Maike van Wijk1 Comment

“Great group of women
who truly care about expanding each other’s businesses!”
~ Casie Fields

Crain’s Chicago Business is hosting Small Business Week from September 30 through October 4, and NEW-The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is excited to participate and to be featured in the magazine!

We will host Meet, Munch & Mastermind, an afternoon of roundtable discussions, in Glen Ellyn on Tuesday, October 1 from 2 to 6 p.m.   Participants will attend 30-minute sessions of discussions on Healthcare Reform, Social Media for Business and Creativity in Business.

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 discussion. Each session will provide opportunities for brainstorming personal concerns/questions related to the topic discussed.

Shannon’s Irish Pub, 428 N Main St, Glen Ellyn, where we had a delicious lunch at our initial Glen Ellyn outing, is hosting our group, and we’ll of course follow the business masterminding with a networking dinner.

“The great thing about Progressive Networking is
that you learn about other women’s awesome businesses,
and you even get feedback which helps your own business.”
~ Erica Thomas

Roundtables will include:

Understanding Healthcare Reform: facilitated by Karen McCormack, Independent Insurance Broker
Creativity in Business: facilitated by Wax and Wire Artist Maike van Wijk, Chief Marveler at Maike’s Marvels (me)
Social Media for Business: facilitated by Erica Thomas, one of two lead programmers at Networkhoncho.com

The entire half day event is free. Each participant pays for her own dinner from Shannon’s Irish Pub Special Event Menu  . RSVP at MeetUp or via Facebook.   Learn more about previous Network of Entrepreneurial Women events.

“Fantastic group of women! I am looking forward to next time!”
~ Lina Bauer

Lighthouse relaxation

20 September 2013September 20, 2013Maike van WijkLeave a comment

Last Wednesday the Network of Entrepreneurial Women gathered at Blue Violet Body Works for networking, a lighthouse tour and mini-spa treatments.

We had a lovely time learning more about the Elgin business community and its amazing entrepreneurial women.

These women are doing amazing things in the Elgin community and the entrepreneurial community as a whole.

Blue Violet Bodyworks offers a variety of massage therapies, including swedish, lympatic, craniosacral, deep tissue, reiki, reflexology, shiatsu, essential oils and athletic. Each massage room is themed, offering a different kind of energy.

We were treated to restorative mini-massages and mini reflexology sessions. There was ample time for networking as well.

The munchies were delicious and the climb up the lighthouse gave us a unique perspective of Elgin.

All NEW co-founders were recipients of a gift certificate drawing, so we look forward to revisiting this location and exploring Elgin’s upcoming events.

Our next event is at the Awakenings Foundation Center on 4001 North Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago on Thursday, September 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. You can RSVP here.

The Awakenings Foundation is a center which supports the healing of survivors of sexual abuse through artistic expression. The artwork of Gabriel Orion Marie will be available for a special preview, and the new Judith Dawn Memorial Gallery will open its door for the first time. The evening will also feature a tour of the Main Gallery along with wine and light refreshments.

The mission of the Awakenings Foundation is to support the healing of artists who are survivors of rape and/or sexual abuse, and to share their stories with the public as a means of raising awareness about the problems faced by survivors in our culture. Most survivors find it empowering to share their stories and get feedback, and this gallery offers an exhibit space to do so. The Awakenings Foundation hopes that visitors leave with a greater sense of understanding and compassion for all who struggle to heal from sexual violence. It is estimated that one out of every three girls, and one out of every five boys, will be sexually violated in some manner before they turn eighteen.

The Awakenings Foundation also administers the Judith Dawn Memorial Fund for the Arts, a program that makes financial awards to survivors who wish to pursue the creative arts as a means of healing, empowerment, and expression. Currently, the Gallery is staffed Wednesdays through Fridays from 11 am to 4 p.m.

We’re super-excited to be part of Crain’s Business Week.

Our ad was featured in the September 9 issue, and the program will include 30 minute roundtable sessions on:

Understanding Healthcare Reform: facilitated by Karen McCormack, Independent Insurance Broker
Social Media for Business: facilitated by Erica Thomas, a lead programmer at NetworkHoncho.com
Creativity in Business: facilitated by me.

A casual dinner will follow, where attendees will each have the opportunity to eat, network and connect with women business owners from a variety of industries from throughout Chicagoland. Shannon’s Irish Pub is hosting the event at 428 N Main St, Glen Ellyn, IL on Tuesday, October 1 from 2 to 6 p.m. RSVP 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.
Can’t make this week’s event? RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup. You can also like us on Facebook, where the events will be listed as well.

Syncing at Symphony’s

6 September 2013September 6, 2013Maike van Wijk1 Comment

Last week the Network of Entrepreneurial Women enjoyed a delicious meal at Symphony’s Cafe during our progressive networking dinner event.

photo courtesy NetworkHoncho, Daisy Chain Dress from Hello Holiday

Evanston has so many wonderful dining options that I had not yet tried this restaurant, but I was not disappointed. Their goat cheese appetizer was a luxurious way to kick off the evening. I had their risotto twice since I took some of it home (too busy chatting), and their chocolate mousse desserts had already been praised to me by locals.

photo courtesy NetworkHoncho

NEW Co-Founder Karen of McCormack Consulting had prepared ice breaker questions to get our conversations started. Ultimately the conversations flowed easily, but it was wonderful to learn more about each woman.

For the most intriguing question: “What is the most interesting thing you’ve ever done in your business, past or present?” NEW Co-Founder Erica of reported the following responses.

Marianne Guinee made such a change from what was already a successful (but time intensive) career to a more relaxed, fulfilling position as Marketing Director for Melaleuca.

Lina Angelov, owner of Linita Creations said that making jewelry was the most unusual thing she did: “I never thought I was creative enough,” she said. However, Lina said, “I realized I did have the creativity in me.”

Karen York, Professional Organizer and Owner of Organize Me, recalled a particularly “rewarding situation” when she met the challenge to assist a client that was moving and had several vital events scheduled “all in less than a week”.

We ended the evening gathering all around one table and lingering over dessert. Speaking of bonding, I was thrilled that both Karen and Erica wore my earrings (unplanned)!

photo courtesy NetworkHoncho

Our next event is in Elgin at Blue Violet Body Works (2000 Larkin Ave Suite 301, Elgin , IL). The center is located in a lighthouse building and provides a variety of massages, reiki and reflexology services. Our group will enjoy mini treatments and munchies while networking with local businesswomen and entrepreneurs. We will also tour the center and meet some of the practitioners.

Can’t make this week’s event? RSVP for our upcoming events at Meetup. You can also like us on Facebook, where the events will be listed as well. We’re super-excited to be part of Crain’s Small Business Week, which I’ll share more about in an upcoming post.

The Swap Shop in Glen Ellyn

3 June 2013June 3, 2013Maike van WijkLeave a comment

Last Thursday the Network of Entrepreneurial Women held its first Wine Women and Wellness event. Our destination of choice was the Swap Shop Resale Boutique in Glen Ellyn.

The Swap Shop is a woman-owned consignment store focused on brand name fashion pieces that they wish to make available to women at more affordable prices.

We held our introductions after which instant connections were made, sipped a little bit of wine, and then started browsing.

The shop is arranged by size, and also has a section of new arrivals and popular brands. I was drawn to the “Love from Amsterdam” rack, which happened to be the place to get the summer dress I was looking for (stay tuned for that on Friday).

Several ladies purchased jewelry.

We caressed some purses and admired lots of shoes.

The Swap Shop has hundreds of consigners, who naturally also become regular customers. Because of its success, a second store has recently opened in Hinsdale.