What the heck is the MVBWN? What do they do? Executive Board (9/09 - 6/11) P resident Michele Colicci Michele’s Waxing Essentials 723-1569 P resident e leCt Veronika Freeman dotcalm / dotcalm domains 733-3411 t reasurer Collette aurand Black River Bookkeeping, LLC 831-2721 r eCording s eCretary gina trzepacz-timpano Yorkville Memorials 736-1781 CorresPonding seCretary linda Fake,allied Member,asid Uniquely Yours 429-3911 iMMediate Past President Julie steele Gustafson and Co. 697-2345 o ur M eMbers at l arge tricia badgley Women’s Business Center of NYS 733-9848 barbara dougherty O’Hair Unisex Salon 737-1244 Caroline levitt, esq. Levitt & Gordon, Esqs. 724-2194
©2010 dotcalm
“Get to Know Us”...Come and learn all about the MVBWN, Meet the Officers, Committee Chairs, Get Involved, Find Out What’s in it for YOU at our September 15, 2010 Dinner Meeting at Delta Lake Inn, 8524 Fish Hatchery Road, Rome, NY 13440. We are in Rome not only to try this great new restaurant but to encourage Rome Women Business Owners to join us and get a $5 discount off their dinner price. Think about interning with either a board member or committee chair to see what’s involved and attend a board meeting to see what goes on and how much fun we have. Get involved, network with us and get the most out of your membership. There are three kinds of women: those women that always get involved, those women that never get involved, and those women that say what the heck let’s get involved! Why not be one of those what the heck women and get involved in your network! Networking and registration start at 6:00 pm. Dinner will be a fresh garden salad, dinner rolls and butter, choice of Grilled Bourbon Steak with mushrooms, onions and peppers; or Chicken Francaise with garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and Bread Pudding for dessert. Reservations are required and must be made by Thursday, September 9th by calling or emailing Olga Grandinette at 794-1554 or olga.grand@yahoo.com
The Meeting Schedule for the Rest of the Year: October 20 — Valley View November 17 — Ventura's January 19 — The Blue Flag Room
February 17 — The Albany Street Café March 16 — Allee's April 20 — The Franklin, Rome
From Our President, Michele Colicci
I would like to express my deep appreciation to every person who was involved in making our June event An Evening of Glamour & Goodness with guest of honor Donna Kratzenberg-Grippe a huge success. The extensive planning and hard work by our fund chairwoman, Laurie Ann Dowell made this whole event spectacular. The decorating was fit for a glamorous Hollywood star all planned and implemented by Linda Fake. Linda, your creativity is amazing, thank you. A special thank you to Maria Moriarty of Valentino’s for her beautiful presentation of wonderful appetizers, pasta’s and chef carved roast beef. This isn’t the first time Maria has put on a delicious spread for our members. We’ve had a few dinner meetings with her over the past few years. Thank you to everyone who brought amazing baskets filled with everything from Italian products, beauty & skincare, games, outdoor planters and great gift certificates from so many businesses in our greater Mohawk Valley. We really are a talented group of women who know how to put on a fun party. There are so many people that I’d like to mention individually, you all know who you are, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’d like to celebrate our other two stars of the evening, Olga Grandinette and Laurie Ann Dowell, each winning the $500 endowment award given to a worthy member or members of the MVBWN. Congratulations and I know you both have started the process of putting your award money to good use to further enhance your businesses. The board is generating many ideas for our fall year and we’d like everyone to be a part of our programs coming up. Stay tuned for our newsletters and please if you would like to join for the 2010-2011 year, earlier is better or you can wait for our September 15th dinner meeting. I have a second year to fulfill and I would love all of you to be part of this great organization for 2010-2011. Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Michele Colicci, President
Member News...Member News...Member News... What have you been up to this summer? Well, some of our members enjoyed a riverboat cruise aboard the Hiawatha, on the Susquehanna River in Williamsport, Pennsylvania! Carol Buczek (Tours By Design) was joined by Barb Dougherty and Betty Able Jellencich on TBDs second journey to the PA region for her signature tour of regional sweets and crafts!
July/August Birthdays of Our Network Members Sharon St. John – 7/1
Kim Jones – 7/17
Maria Moriarty – 8/4
Chiara Kingwater – 7/3
Carol Buczek – 7/23
Cheryl LaFayette – 8/10
JoAnna Rae Corso – 7/5
Betty Abel Jellencich – 7/30
MaryBeth Young – 8/16
Laurie Ann Dowell – 7/16
Marilyn Arndt – 8/3
Cathy Conklin – 8/23
Upcoming Member and Community Events august 26, thursday - Marie’s Handcrafted Jewelr y Annual Summer Sale, 12N to 6pm at the Jewish Community Center, 2310 Oneida St. Repeat customers receive 10% off total purchase! august 31, tuesday - Business After Hours, GLDC & EDGE, 5:30-7:30 pm, at the new EDGE office, 584 Phoenix Drive, Rome, NY 13441, $5 Members, $10 Non-Members. Join us for a summer picnic of hotdogs, hamburgers, cold refreshments and live music from Gravity! RSVP 337-1700 by August 26, make checks payable to Rome Area Chamber of Commerce, mail to chamber:139 W. Dominick St, Rome september 23, thursday - Women Ties Annual “Inspiring Success” Retreat, see pg 4 for ad
Benefit for Kathy Zito
MVBWN Member & Friend to Many Cancer Survivors
Sunday, August 15, 4 to 10pm Sickenberger Lane on Varick Street ONLY $20 50/50 • Door Prizes & Raffles • Bands/DJ Cash Bar (Free Beer on Tap) • Great Chesterfield’s Food For more details contact Danielle Zito at 507-1704 Donations still being accepted, call Danielle for pick-up.
Committee Chairs Dinner Chair olga grandinette Remax Reality Results 724-7069 D ireCtory C hair Veronika Freeman dotcalm / dotcalm domains 733-3411 enDowment Committee Chair sharon st. John MV Small Business Development Center 792-7547 F unDraising t eam laurie dowell - chair Buffer Zone Nail Salon 724-2769 Collette aurand Black River Bookkeeping, LLC 831-2721 linda Fake, allied Member, asid Uniquely Yours 429-3911 Mary Moore ShipRite Parcel, Copy&More 797-2898 historian Julie steele Gustafson and Co. 697-2345 m embership C hair Collette aurand Black River Bookkeeping, LLC 831-2721 ASSISTED BY: Julie darling Alzheimer’s Association/CNY 617-4025 n ewsletter C hair Veronika Freeman dotcalm / dotcalm domains 733-3411 p rogramming C hair donna rebisz Women’s Business Center of NY 733-9848 w ebsite C hair Veronika Freeman dotcalm / dotcalm domains 733-3411
Wonder what the Network’s Board does over the summer? One of the Board’s goals this summer is to define each Board Members and Committee Chairperson’s positions. Some of these have not be updated since the network was formed! We anticipate that this will clarify the duties of each position and help those who wish to volunteer to understand what is required of them. If there is something you have a question or comment about, or something you’d like to see the network do/accomplish/participate in - please let us know! We’d like to be able to include those in our goals for the upcoming year and assign the appropriate person to each task to make it happen. Send Michele or Veronika an email today; we’ll bring your ideas to our Sept. Board Meeting - which, by the way, anyone can attend!
How to be a Successful Woman in Business From boomerdivanation.org according to a study conducted by McKinsey & Company, to be successful as a woman in business, you need to have these five important attributes. Meaning You must find your own strengths and put them to work in the service of an inspiring purpose. Meaning enables people to push themselves to the limit. If you find and stick with your strengths in a job, you’ll be happier and more productive.
Managing energy You need to know where your energy comes from, where it goes, and what you can do to manage it. Today’s executives work long hours, and many women come home to a “second shift” managing household tasks. “We’ve found that work-life balance is a myth – so the only hope women have is to balance their energy flows,” the consultants observe. “This means basing your priorities on the activities that energize you, both at work and at home, and actively managing your resources to avoid dipping into reserves.” Identify the conditions and situations that replenish your energy, and space out your energy- sapping tasks through the day instead of bundling them all into a single morning or afternoon.
Connecting You must identify who can help you grow, build stronger relationships, and increase your sense of belonging. People with strong networks and good mentors enjoy more promotions, higher pay, and greater career satisfaction. They feel a sense of belonging, which makes their lives more meaningful. “The leaders we interviewed also talked about the importance of having individual relationships with senior colleagues willing to go beyond the role of mentor – someone willing to stick out his or her own neck to create opportunity for, or help, a protégé,” the consultants say. Since women who promote their interests vigorously are seen as aggressive, unco-operative and selfish, such sponsors are vital for female leaders to get ahead.
Positive Framing You must adopt a more constructive way to view your world, expand your horizons, and gain the resilience to move ahead even when bad things happen. That doesn’t mean being unrealistic. Optimists, research shows, are not afraid to frame the world as it is, because they are confident they can manage its challenges and lead their team to action. The key is self-awareness. If a meeting goes badly, for example, limit your thoughts to the temporary and specific impact, keep your thoughts impersonal, and move on.
engaging You must find your own voice, becoming self-reliant and confident by accepting opportunities and the inherent risks they bring, as well as collaborating with others. Hard luck won’t necessarily bring its own rewards so women must create their own luck, taking ownership of opportunities. It starts by finding your voice – making sure after you learn enough about issues and situations that you also speak out. The women interviewed for the study also accept risk as part of opportunity, and are willing to take sharp career detours when necessary.
An Evening of Glamour & Goodness “A Red Carpet Affair� Honoring Donna Kratzenberg-Grippe was a great success! We had over 125 in attendance, we raised a goodly amount of monies, both for our MVBWN Endowment Award and Donna's two charities! I would like to thank Linda Fake of Uniquely Yours and Collette Aurand of Black River Bookkeeping for being both my right and left hands during the planning and preparation of this event, ladies you two are awesome! You gave our MVBWN a lot of your time, creativity and good natured spirit, thank you, thank you! I would also like to thank all who helped prep the day before the event and those that helped out that evening! I would like to thank Maria Moriarty of Valentino's; what a great location, good food and a beautiful atmosphere! Thank you, Madame President, for allowing me to run wild with this event and all your help. I would like to thank all the members of our MVBWN who donated items, time, and energy in making this evening a successful event.
Laurie Ann Dowell, MVBWN Fundraising Chair
The Winners of the 2010 Endowment Awards I would like to thank the MVBWN Endowment Committee for naming me as one of the 2010 Endowment Award Recipients! By receiving this award of $500 I was able offset the cost of a piece of equipment that will help me to remain competitive, safety conscious and current as a Nail Tech. I was truly surprised and quite thrilled! I have already purchased the equipment and have been putting it to good use! I purchased a Pedicute, a portable pedicure spa style foot bath that uses disposable liners so there is not a chance of spreading any type of disease from client to client. Having the Pedicute will help me to maintain the sanitation standards and practices that my clientele have come to expect and deserve!
Thank you again! Laurie Ann Dowell, Buffer Zone Nail Salon
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Endowment Committee for all the work they do and the tough decisions they have to make to choose a member they feel deserves the be awarded the $500 Endowment. I was so pleased and happy to be chosen. My husband was so proud and glad he able to be present to see me being honored. I have made good use of the award, being a real estate agent with Remax Realty Results is a wonderful career, but it does have expenses as do many other businesses. With the market not as strong as it was in the past the income has dropped but there are still many fees and costs to run my business, so the money was definitely a great help.
Again, Thank You, Olga Grandinette, Remax Realty Results
Daysteps: A Planner System for Women, By Women...by Isabel Isidro a successful business often starts with a gem of an idea. but to succeed in the marketplace today, given the competition and the economic realities, it typically “takes a village” to implement and nurture that idea. Kelly Wagner was looking for a dayplanner that can inspire her and give her confidence to pursue her goals and life’s daily activities. However, she was unable to find the right product in the market. realizing that other women may be seeking the same tool as her, she decided to create her own dayplanning system that will address the needs of women looking for balance in their lives while trying to achieve personal growth and fulfillment. she had an idea of the kind of dayplanning system that will address her needs. instead of pursuing her idea alone, Kelly gathered three friends to help bring her idea into reality and translate it to a successful business. bobette Kyle is an internet marketing expert; laura thake is a graphic designer, while Cecilia george was a long-time stay at home mom who have just returned to the work force as an office manager. With the women’s different talents and abilities she values, Kelly knew she has the right team working together. thus, the daysteps planning system was born. WomenHomebusiness.com talked with the women of daysteps on how the idea came about and the challenges they are facing as they build the business. learn from this dynamic group of women:
What is daysteps? How is it different from other day planners in the market today? in a broad sense, daysteps is a lifestyle. it is the personal desire to become more accepting of life right now while achieving life balance, self-improvement, and personal fulfillment. it is the process of making these changes part of a daily routine and integrating them one day at a time, one step at a time. our first product–the daysteps Personal lifestyle Planner–helps women do this. this planner is different because it combines lifestyle, appointment-tracking, and goal-setting features. it encompasses many key aspects of life and is designed to motivate the user to become the person she wants to be; to feel calm and capable about carrying out daily activities and reaching intentions. its unique features–monthly priorities; nutrition, water, sleep, and fitness trackers; ‘Clear your Head’ pages; and ‘Fill your Heart’ sections–help bring inspiration and balance into her life.
Kelly & Laura
Who is the target market of this product? our ideal customers are women who both run a household and have significant other responsibilities (a home business, for example). she would like to achieve better life balance and move toward fulfilling her life dreams, as well as become more satisfied and accepting of where her life is right now.
Why should women use the daysteps planner? How does this planner empower women? Women should use the daysteps planner because, unlike other planners, it addresses many aspects of life they are involved in (their feelings, personal goals, and household activities, for example). yet, it is flexible enough that each woman can “make it her own” by using each section as she prefers. it empowers women by giving them tangible ways to move toward their own goals on their own terms each day. We recognize that each woman has a unique set of values that should define her personal vision of success. We consciously put together the planner to take this into account. We avoid the typically stressful, “more is better” mentality to goal achievement and organization. instead, this planner nurtures each woman’s value system to help move her toward peace, fulfillment, and balance. you can read the rest of the article at WomenHomebusiness.com.
Are You a Woman Doing "Is running your business like a man hurting you?" This is a question Alexis Martin Neely asked a roomful of women entrepreneurs last week in Los Angeles. Alexis is the founder and CEO of the Family Wealth Planning Institute, a business strategist and a go-to legal expert for many television news shows. She also was the host of the inaugural "Powerful Feminine Leadership" event held, not in a typical hotel conference room, but rather at a West Los Angeles yoga studio called Hub. It's no secret that women have had to play a certain game to make it in the business world, i.e. be the bitchy boss, dress down their femininity, or abide by the rules of a hierarchical structure. Today, however, women are running their own businesses in increasing numbers and are making their own rules. According to the Center for Women's Business Research, women-owned businesses comprise 40 percent of all privately held companies in the U.S. and women entrepreneurs are among the fastest growing groups of business owners. Compare this to our mother's time when, in 1970, women contributed 2-6 percent of the family income. Now the typical working wife brings home 42.2 percent of the income, and four in 10 mothers--many of them single mothers--are the primary breadwinners in their families. While women are clearly making great strides in the business world, there is a sense of disconnect and lack of satisfaction going on for many women. In other words, even though they may have a huge track record of accomplishments, they don't necessarily feel good inside. Take Alexis, for example. She is a mother of two and has run several successful, lucrative businesses. In her first business, a law firm, she hit a million bucks of revenue and said the money was great, but ... "I was doing business like a man, and it hurt ... a lot." It's a provocative statement, and in an interview with me she explained. She ran her law firm "like a man" because everything she learned about business was from men. First through her dad, and then through the mentors at her law firm. "I was constantly focused on the competition of it all and trying to get ahead -- always trying to be
more ... always more." She explained that she was completely disconnected from her body and that all of her decisions were made from her mind and intellect. "I was constantly looking outside myself for the answers," she said. "I never really knew if I moving in the right direction." Alexis knew she had to examine her life. There was a divorce to contend with and an unsettling numbness in her body that left her feeling disconnected from herself. With the guidance of a coach, she realized she needed to take better care of herself. One day Alexis went to a yoga class and started feeling again in her body "in a big way," as she put it. "What I learned is that all of my power is in my body," she said. She then vowed to lead her second business more like a woman. Within 18 months, her business hit the seven-figure mark, she says. What does leading a business like a woman really mean? What does it look like? "First and foremost, being a powerful feminine business leader means knowing how to tap into the only divining rod or crystal any of us ever need for all of our answers -- our bodies," said Alexis in our interview. Wanting to give the Powerful Feminine Leadership attendees an experience of this, Alexis invited renowned Tantrika Charu Morgan to lead the group of us women entrepreneurs in some feminine movement and meditation. Charu, sensing this group of women was ready to 'drop in' deeply, gave us our first instruction: "Relax your vagina," she said. While there were a few giggles, those passed quickly and the invitation to relax in this way was welcomed by all. We hip swirled, shook our bodies loose, and danced our unique expression. "If women aren't fully embodied, it is difficult for them to access their true source of power," says Charu.
In 1970, women contributed 2-6 percent of the family income. Now the typical working wife brings home 42.2 percent of the income, and four in ten mothers--many of them single mothers--are the primary breadwinners in their families.
Business Like a Man? "There is a sweet spot for women in business that allows us to bring the most powerful qualities of the divine feminine to our leadership while maintaining enough masculine energy to move things forward." - Alexis Martin Neely
The key is women coming together. From this, women from the corporate culture of focus and drive can learn to soften and connect with their core truth. On the flip side, those of us who are operating from intuitive callings, and at the same time have big visions of successful businesses, can learn from the corporate experience of the other women. I think the true power of feminine leadership comes from women learning from each other.
Feminine leadership, however, is not just about feeling groovy inside. Nor is it just about sitting around in a circle all day talking, sharing ideas and visions. It's about dropping into that deeper part of ourselves, finding a way to communicate our message in a clear, concise way, and connecting with the support systems we need for our business to thrive. For a woman in business, the GO, GO, GO attitude of competition and comparison runs the risk of burn out and undernourishment. While these elements are necessary to keep us driven, focused, and moving forward, bringing to business the feminine elements of asking, receiving, intuition, appreciation and collaboration will serve us well. We need both. Alexis admitted that she was a bit nervous about putting on this kind of event. I interpreted that to mean this was because it was more raw and vulnerable than your typical "women in business" event. I think, however, it is this vulnerability and authenticity that makes for a great female leader.
Interested in These Women? Here’s How to Find Out More... To learn more about Alexis and her Powerful Feminine Leadership Mastermind and Mentorship, visit her website: www.powerfulfeminineleader.com. To learn more about Charu and her Tantra course offerings, visit www.embodytantra.com
Tabby Biddle, M.S. Ed., is a writer, editor and reporter who specializes in women's issues and amplifying the voices of women changemakers. She works with women entrepreneurs, women's organizations and aspiring nonfiction writers to help them get their message out. You can also follow her on Twitter.
Don’t forget... As a member, you can bring items to sell/display to each meeting (there are designated tables for items) - and anyone can donate an item for the “Split the Pot” drawing! Both good ways for people to get to know you and your business.
We give a $25 Guest Speaker Coupon that is redeemable at any MVBWN business; the Network will reimburse you when it’s redeemed. This is the Network's way of showing our appreciation to our presenters.
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Did you know being a member of MVBWN allows you to attend many of the Mohawk Valley Chamber events at the chamber member price! You can save over $100/yr!
Members can purchase a full page ad in the newsletter for $20, 1/2 page for $15 or a business card sized ad for $10. Contact Veronika for details!
As a new member of the network, you are entitled to a name tag, membership certificate, and you’ll have your business information printed into our annual directory as well as on our website. You will also be able to apply for our annual endowment fund. If you need a new, magnetic name tag, please contact our membership chair, Collette Aurand at 831-2721.
m ailing a DDress mVbwn po b ox 512 n ew h artForD, ny 13413 www.mVbwn. org