Business Networking through Nonprofit Committee Participation

by Karen Perry-Weinstat, Event Journal, Inc.

Business networking comes in many styles and formats.  Its goal is to establish a community of business colleagues with whom to share leads and contacts.  We’ve all heard the expression that  “people buy from people they trust.”  When you receive a warm referral from a trusted colleague or vendor, potential clients are much more receptive to doing business with you.

In the old days, people of privilege belonged to private and country clubs, exclusionary places where they mixed amongst themselves. In the 1990’s, upwardly mobile white collar professionals saw the merit of being well-connected and formed less restrictive groups.  The networking “boom” was born.  Lead generating, industry-protected groups blossomed.  Activities of business trade organizations proliferated.  Golfing on public courses became an outlet for those who didn’t or couldn’t join in the private club circuit.

Today, designated “networking” groups create new opportunities, emphasizing attendance at frequent meetings and regular appointments between formal group meetings.  Participants are encouraged to build relationships that go beyond the surface.  They form a business “family,” that often leads to opportunities to expand their circles and do business.  Despite the more open environment these groups offer, they are often restrictive in available openings, lead expectations and referral requirements.

Participation in trade organizations offers an opportunity to meet others in the same industry or profession.  This is a great outlet for professional development and networking with others of similar interests.  It’s also a perfect backdrop to make connections for future job opportunities.  What’s lacking, however, is the diversity of people with different skill sets and introductions to those with whom you might conduct business.

Volunteering as a committee member to support a charity for a fundraising event or a community initiative can be extremely meaningful.  An unexpected benefit is that you often get back far more than you give.  This can include both personal satisfaction and business opportunities.  Participants in such groups bond over shared goals, a commitment to a cause or enjoyment of the activity.  Relationships form over time and in a more natural environment than in designated networking groups or industry-specific organizations.

Participation on a committee can provide you with opportunities to grow and expand your leadership skills.  Committee sub-chairs and chair people emerge from the pool of volunteers.  For many, this offers a first chance at a leadership role and can provide the chance to build skills required for professional advancement.

The best kind of networking creates genuine relationships that endure over time and space.  Participation on a committee is a natural way to meet and work with others.  The qualities that people bring to a committee are the same as they bring to their business.  Reliable, knowledgeable and trustworthy people are most likely to be recommended.  For those who do not deliver on commitments or behave with integrity, committee participation can show their true colors and actually hurt their business.

Helping a charity by getting involved provides a warm network of like-minded individuals for business referrals and introductions.  Step up and give of your time and expertise without condition!  You’ll never regret it.

Working With Troubled Youths—Raising a VOICE of Hope for Others

By Angelica Harris Founder Excalibur Reading Program

      Rage is a horrible thing!  I am Human Activist/Author and Advocate Angelica Harris.  I am the survivor of domestic and sexual abuse.  A theatre and history major, I became addicted to legal amphetamines to lose weight. Due to being molested and nearly killed by my mentally ill mother, rage, anger and self-doubt ballooned me horribly.  Coming off the speed was hard and I sought out the illegal kind…Black Beauties and Street Reds—God only knows how I never was caught. It took a great high school teacher and his kindness to wean me off the drug   Writing poetry silenced the pain, as well as acting on a show called “Dark Shadows” and Off Broadway.

      Years later I was raped, I felt worthless. I married and had my own family and dealt with a seriously ill spouse and a son with special needs. I too have a daughter who thank God is not affected by disorders.  I began to realize through social workers and therapists, the impact that my abusers had because I always felt inadequate as a mother, wife, and person.

      During these years I began to write again, a gift lost in the mud of life, published 5 times and opened a non-for profit Excalibur Reading Program-a literacy and arts program, after my Excalibur book series. Later I wrote my memoir “Living With Rage-A Quest for Solace” my personal story.  I began networking and was invited to speak to organizations, and have been interviewed on radio and television.

      Through my Unicorn Project-Raven’s Hope I work, for the Queens District Attorney’s Second Chance program, I mentor youth offenders and with HOUR Children youths whose parents are incarcerated. . Within my center I tell them they are worth everything, and that I believe in them.

Rage is a horrible thing, but if we believe in the future of our youths, we can quell it and give hope and healing to others to go on to higher grounds.

The only thing more powerful than rage is…..a VOICE!

     

Most unexpected events take place- What IF?

by Sharlene Jamison

Most unexpected events take place....of course when we don't expect it....

What if you are a single parent, the only source of income in your household, and your raising three young Middle School kids

Do you have a plan in place to help send them to go to college? How are you protecting your dreams, in the event there is a job loss? Will you be able to maintain your standard of living?

Are you prepared for life's WHAT IF moments?

Preparing a plan can prepare you for the possible pitfalls that may affect your entire family way of living.

Sharlene Jamison, Financial Consultant, of the Meridian Financial Company can help you navigate your future...for the WHAT IF in life.

Scenario #1

Making Financial Plans During Our Glory Days…

Barbara has high hopes for her children. Although she didn’t attend college, she dreams about sending her children to college.

She was raised in a low income neighborhood and made some poor choices based on her environment. Nevertheless, she has always been a visionary for change. She owns her home and at age 45 a top producer in sales career, earning a high six figure income.

She has been employed by her company for a number of years. Unfortunately, the company has decided to downsize, firing a few employees and Barbara a single mother of three has been selected. Even though her performance and earning are at their peak this is an unexpected event.

Financial Concerns…

Did Barbara have a backup plan?

Did she save during her high income earning years?

Did she contribute to a college saving plan for her kids?

Did Barbara have a plan for this what If moment?

The WHAT IF has taken place in her life? WHAT IF that happened to you...After all IF is the center of LIFE.

Sharlene Jamison, Financial Consultant, can help you navigate your future...for the WHAT IF in life, She offers securities through Cadaret Grant & Co, Member FINRA/SIPC, and is affiliated with The Meridian Financial Company,

Are you practicing proper business etiquette?

by Jacqueline Lawson

Here are Five Proper Business Etiquette Tips:

1. Returning Phones Calls - Zig Zigler the motivational speaker said it best. “Isn’t it amazing on how much stuff we get done the day before vacation”. We all do the things we want to do and put off the things we do not want to do. Bottom line is this…..it is simply rude not to return a call. There are too many ways to make a telephone connection not to return a phone a call (Skype, Land Line, smartphone, flip phone, text message, VOIP).

2. Responding to Emails - Promptness is a must. I’m someone who gets an email and responds as soon as I am able to. I may even send a text message, just to acknowledge receipt and a timeframe of when I can respond in more detail. An excellent timeframe to respond is 12, no more than 24 hours from when you first looked at the emai

3. Respect Time - Respect your own time by being realistic in your plans for the day, week, month, and year. If you unintentionally don’t honor someone’s time, apologize profusely and work to amend the situation. When someone wants to meet or talk with you, make them give you a solid time and date. Do not allow people to pressure you to do something because they have an “emergency” or want to do something today.

4. Be One Time – It is good idea to plan your meeting time days before.  Know the travel route time, either by car or public transportation. Make sure you have gas in your car so you don’t have stop to make a purchase which takes from your travel time. Call or email the day before to confirm that the meeting is still on.  Lay out your outfit the night before, and try it on to make sure it fits!

5. Keep Promises – your reputation is your business, and your business is your reputation.  Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t make promises you know you can not keep. Give them what you promised what ever it is, you need to give them what they need, or there is no point in the promise.

Why ‘Baby Boomer’ Women Can’t Afford to Retire… Tips To Bounce Back and Bounce Better

by Eli Davidson

A shocking report in the Los Angeles Times showed that single Baby Boomer women are at the greatest risk of living in poverty. Why? This is due because of lower wages, more spending and only bringing in a single paycheck. Many of us Baby Boomer women have to dramatically downsize our lives as we grow older. Instead of basking in retirement, many of us cannot even mutter the word ‘retirement’ let alone think of it. Instead, many of us have to work three jobs to stay afloat. But why?

Boomers Spend, Baby, Spend

‘The American Dream’ portrays the idea that having more is equated with being more. The bigger the house, the bigger the car and the bigger the shoe collection is correlated with being higher on the socio-economic ladder.

Breadwinning Women?

In the past, many ‘Baby Boomer’ women in their relationships had no direct control of their finances. I know that I fell victim indirectly to this same feat. It was not that we did not care; we were just not educated in managing and budgeting our capitol. Many of us feel and act uncomfortable around the topic of money. We (and I found myself guilty of this in the past) wish that there was a man to come to the rescue and save the day.

What Rainy Day?

Hmmmm. What to do? Do you buy a new pair of Cheetah print Sling-backs or put an extra $100 in savings?  (My closet has the tell tale signs of my shoe addiction.) Instead of saving for retirement, Boomers have spent their lives ‘living in the now’. Unfortunately, many of us have not saved enough to support our lifestyle leaving us in debt.

Bounce Back and Bounce Better

Regardless of your age or situation, the time to take action is today! It’s NEVER too late. It has been gratifying to see that even if you have had a rocky financial road, you can make a change anytime you decide. Trust me, I know. I had $88,000 of corporate credit card debt as the result of losing my marriage and business the same year. In four years I paid off my debt and moved from a pool house to a lovely home.

As a mentor to women entrepreneurs, I encourage women to stand in their value.  It has been extremely rewarding to me to see women in their 60’s make successful career changes. You are never too old to take control of your life!

Tips:

* Get Real

If your financial goals and needs are fuzzy, you will never be able to get ahead. Take a month and track all of your expenses and your income. If credit cards have been a problem, take a month and just use cash for your expenses. It is astonishing how cash will wake you up. When it’s gone it’s gone. I have found it helpful to put cash in separate envelopes. Groceries, gas, entertainment, medical, etc.

* Write Down Your Goals

Seeing is believing. When you write down your goals, you are first acknowledging the situation, the first step to a turnaround. By putting your goals on paper, you are creating your plan of action and that you will achieve.

* Do Not Let Fear or Shame Stop You

Many women feel ashamed of being in tight financial situations. Remember there is strength in numbers, so take refuge with a friend. Many times, money problems are more strenuous and difficult to talk about than relationship problems. Step up and get out, seek the help you need. Just speaking to another woman can help you get back to enjoying your life.

* Get Help

Seeking financial assistance will help to alleviate the problem. By speaking to experts who are trained in this field of expertise, they will be able to give you hands on information and support to steer you in the right direction. As you reach out  will learn there are other ‘Boomers’ just like you dealing with the same issues.


You can bounce back!

Wonder Woman Is A Fraud

by Maureen Berkner Boyt

1.  Learn to be an effective delegator. This means setting everyone up for success. You need to be explicit about expectations of results, timelines, and levels of decision-making authority. Know that your team may do something differently than you would have, but that the end result is what is important.


2.  Share with your team that you have set a goal to be a better delegator and create a stronger team. Ask them to call you on it when they see you acting like Wonder Woman. Add an item to your team meeting agenda where the team will quickly grade your delegation effectiveness and give you suggestions for improvement.

3.  Use the power of questions to elicit the best from your team and family. Here are some good questions to start with: What do you think we should do? What ideas do you have? What do you think the next step should be? How would you handle it?


4.  Ask for help in your personal life. You should not be the only one taking care of the house, shopping etc. If your family is unwilling or inconsistently stepping up, get a new family. Joking! Pay someone. Your time is far too valuable to spend cleaning toilets. If you’re worried about the money, ask that this be the gift you get for your birthday and the holidays.

5.  Be kind to yourself. Guilt is self-limiting. There is always going  to be someone that you think ‘has it all together’ who is bringing a 3-tiered cake to your kid’s soccer game when you brought the pre-made Rice Krispie treats. You are doing the best you can, and it is enough. You’re the only one who compares and cares.

Temporary Staff, the Main Stream Alternative

by Nancy Molloy, Managing Director, CompliStaff, Inc.

Changing health insurance law effecting small businesses with just fifty employees is forcing hiring managers to seek taffing solutions that make sense in order to ensure peak productivity, growth and profits.

Temporary staffing, sometimes referred to as contingent staffing or contracting, is designed so that a manager can have more hands on deck whenever needed, with no expense or obligation beyond the term of the engagement.

Skilled temporary personnel are professionals just like you and me.  And today’s temps do everything from packing crates to running businesses; they are doctors and lawyers, they are CCO's and COO's as well as analysts and paralegals and auditors.

Temporary staffing offers flexibility for a line item that has traditionally been a fixed expense - personnel.  In the temporary staffing model you pay a fixed hourly rate excluding lunch hour and other time off and gain the skills and talent needed for only as long as needed, with no long-term commitment. And, you can staff up or staff down depending upon workload demand.

The staffing company is the employer of record and assumes all obligations with respect to payroll taxes including unemployment, worker’s compensation and healthcare, as required by law.

The opportunity to engage the skills you need, when you need, with no long-term commitment, is flexibility where it counts!  If you are not employing temporary staff as a staffing strategy, please do not delay or you risk losing an important competitive advantage.

Gayle’s List Shaking up the Way Women Do Business

Gayle’s List Shaking up the Way Women Do Business - Gayle's List is comprised of Women to Be Heard!  They are smart and will share important information needed for everyday life, business and personal.

Are you smart and want to be heard?   Contact me to find out how.  Be part of Gayle's List.....are you ready? 

gayle@gaylenaftaly.com for more information and to find out how to be included, what it takes and why!

Editorial Schedules Aren’t Just for Magazines

By Lydia Sugarman

Whenever I meet with a prospective client, a recurring theme is a lack of time. Everyone seems hard-pressed these days to “keep up” much less add new tasks to an already over-committed schedule. But, it has become obvious that having a public presence via social media is critical to success.

Regardless of professional status, e.g. management, employee, self-employed, entrepreneur, there are common time sucks that cause us to http://pinterest.com/ waste time at work

There are tons of different time management tools and techniques. Before I ever knew it had a name, I used a form of http://pomodoro.com which involved intense bursts of effort broken up by short breaks where I’d get up from my desk and walk around the office, eh, interrupting others. What can I say?

So, what’s my point anyway? This is supposed to be about Editorial Schedules!

Exactly!

Once you’ve identified the social media tools that best fit your business and your market by developing personas, you’re off to a great start. The goal is to ensure that it doesn’t fizzle out like a sparkler on the fourth of July.

That’s where an editorial schedule comes into play. Just as in the Pomodoro Method, the stages of planning, tracking, recording, processing and visualizing are fundamental.

Planning (aka Laying the Foundations!)

Developing editorial schedule/s. This is your To Do List and should give you a good grasp of the effort and time needed to accomplish your objectives of Tweets and other short-form blog posts, longer blog posts, and email broadcasts.

Tracking (aka What, Where, When!)

At Venntive, we use a combination of iCal and our own easy-peasy Projects app to set reminders and manage deadlines for creating and publishing content. But, you can take it a step further by implementing the Pomodoro technique of working in 25-minute increments to achieve your goals.

Recording (aka Write!)

This is the content creation stage. Recording encompasses everything from book marking articles to creating and editing your content itself. Make notes, bookmark articles, and even save to Draft in your blog whenever an idea hits. During that half hour in the morning where you go through your email and catch up on news and scan relevant online articles, newsletters, and emails, you will be presented with a wealth of ideas.

I love having a widget on my browser to save to Wordpress and Blogger as drafts. This is a great way to quickly save ideas and make a few notes to come back to later. You can do the same with email broadcasts that you come back to finish. Again, we use our own tools to save social posts as drafts to send or re-send later or schedule to go out at a later time.

Processing (aka Send!)

No matter how many years may have passed since one’s very first newsletter broadcast, there’s always a little thrill of excitement combined with a level of trepidation. Before you hit Send, at least, on longer pieces, it’s a good idea to get a fresh pair of eyes double-check spelling, grammar, how it reads, and do all the links work.

For longer posts and emails, i.e. blog, you might opt for weekly, biweekly, or even monthly.