Article of Interest: Which Social Network Do You Use to Grow Your Business?

There are a zillion social networks to choose from. Well, not that many, but enough. Which one do you use? Has it helped you grow your business? Just who is your demographic? What's in your strategic social media plan?

Fast Company offers up some good advice (answers to the above questions) in, "Social Networks Are More Than Networking."

After you read it, let us know how you are effectively leveraging the use of social networking platforms to increase your bottom line.

Click here for your complimentary Fast Company The Social Media Bible Ten Commandment ball (pictured above). Just print, cut, glue, and be inspired! Warning ... set aside plenty of time.

Interview of Interest: Alice Krause Chats With Dr. Marsha Firestone

Friend and colleague Alice Krause, author of the News on Women blog, interviews our founder Dr. Marsha Firestone, Women Presidents' Organization, about entrepreneurship and women business ownership. Here are the four questions addressed:

1. What inspired you to start your organization?

2. What steps do you think are necessary for an entrepreneur who wants to move her business to the next level?

3. What can entrepreneurs do in the current economic climate?

4. What advice do you have for women who are just starting out?

Go here for the interview and to learn what Dr. Firestone has to say.

Event of Interest: LATINA Style Business Series Thursday, June 18

We are a proud partner to the LATINA Style Business Series -- the most successful ongoing business development for LATINA entrepreneurs in the nation since 1998.

Join us Thursday, June 18th from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

To learn more and to register, visit here.

Event of Interest: Sixth Annual ATHENA PowerLink "S.H.E." Reception 6/4

As a proud partner, join us Thursday, June 4 from 6:00-8:00 p.m., at the Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall, as we celebrate the value that business advisors provide to entrepreneurs. The S.H.E. Reception connects successful women business owners with seasoned entrepreneurs and professionals. Both men and women are encouraged to attend.

This year, three companies are candidates for the award:

· LawyerLink (www.lawyerlinksolutions.com); Owner: Jennifer Bertoglio
· Patient Impact (www.patientimpact.com); Owner: Patty Riskind
· Noggin Labs (www.nogginlabs.com); Owners: Traci & Brian Knudson

Register today to find out who the 2009 Business of the Year and Advisory Panel of the Year awards go to.

Learn more about ATHENA Power Link, here.

See you there!

Added 6/8/09: Patient Impact takes home the ATHENA Power Link award. Congratulations to WPO Chicago member Patty Riskind! And we also extend our heartfelt congratulations to both Jennifer Bertoglio and Traci Knudson for their amazing work too! Much success to all in the future.

Event of Interest: WIPP Regional Conference in Chicago 5/21

Join WIPP and small business river guides to navigate the federal contracting rapids.

Thursday, May 21, 2009
9:00 - 5:00 p.m.

University Center
525 S. State Street
Chicago, IL 60605

Event Chairs

• Barbara Kasoff, WIPP President
• Terri McNally-Beals, President, Global Capital, Ltd.
• Francine Manilow, CEO and Founder, Manilow Suites
• Hedy Ratner, Co-President and Founder, Women's Business Development Center

Register here.

Article of Interest: 15 Tips To Keep Your Company Growing

Run out of ideas on how to keep your company growing? This article will help you chart a fresh course.

Read it here.

Event of Interest: Women's Leadership Breakfast 5/29/09

The Executives' Club of Chicago Women's Leadership Breakfast, "I Wish I Would Have Known That: Lessons for New Leaders," will be held Friday, May 29, 2009 at the The Fairmont Chicago (Imperial Ballroom, B2 Level, 200 N Columbus Drive) from 7:00-9:00 a.m.

WPO Chicago is a proud partner of this empowering high-level women's program (look for our tabletop with brochures).

Registration is 7:00 a.m. Seated Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. Panel Discussion, 8:00 a.m.

Moderator:

Judy Hsu
Morning Anchor
ABC 7 Chicago

Panelists:

Dolores Kunda
President & CEO
Lápiz and Leo Burnett Puerto Rico

Marilyn Carlson Nelson
Chairman
Carlson

Kara Walsh
CEO
Metromix LLC

Registration Deadline:

5/15/2009

For more information and to register, visit here.

I hope to see you there! Feel free to contact me to pre-arrange a meeting (ldelaney(at)globetrade.com)

News of Interest: Jane Morgan Awarded NAWBO Chicago "Woman Business Owner of the Year"

Please join me in congratulating WPO Chicago member, Jane Morgan, CEO, 411 Solutions International, for receiving the esteem award of "Woman Business Owner of the Year" through NAWBO Chicago.

We are very proud of her and wish her continued success in business.

Event: Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) Annual Conference in San Diego a Huge Hit

I just returned from our 12th Annual Conference in San Diego recharged and refreshed after listening in on a series of inspiring keynote speakers and workshop presenters. I will report out on all the "aha moments" later this week.

In the meantime, enjoy the photo taken at the back of the Loews Coronado Bay Resort.

Sound Advice: How To Make Hassle Free Conference Calls

We are excited about our upcoming conference in San Diego, as reported here (seventeen WPO Chicago members are attending). In between now and then, we are fearlessly putting to bed lots of client projects to ensure our time is well spent and totally focused at the conference. Sound like you too?

In getting things done, we discovered there are a couple of online tools we can't live without. Here are two where you can make hassle free online conference calls:

FreeConference.com
Calliflower

Scope them out and let us know what you think (we have no affiliation whatsoever).

See you soon in sunny San Diego!

Blog Post of Interest: Small Business Marketing Guide

If you are looking for solutions on how to get your direct marketing right, pay a visit to the Small Business Marketing Guide -- brought to you by HP -- where DIY (do-it-yourself) brand marketing strategies will help you grow your business.

Learn more here.

Blog Post of Interest: How To Adapt To Our New Economy

Change doesn't mean an about face for no good reason or doing more of the same: calling on more clients, joining more social networking platforms or working longer hours. That won't help.

Conditions have changed dramatically so that means you have to adapt and adapt fast and furiously.

How do you decide what to do or say in a constantly changing business terrain? According to Peter Bregman at HarvardBusiness.org, you must first ask yourself three questions:

1. What's the situation? The outcome you want to achieve? The risks? The time pressures? The needs?
   
   
2. Who else is involved? What are their strengths? Weaknesses? Values? Vulnerabilities? Needs?
   
   
3. How can I help? What are your strengths? Weaknesses? Values? Vulnerabilities?

Now you are ready to decide what you will do or say.

Choose the response that leverages your strengths, meets people where they are, and is appropriate to the situation you're in.

Read the entire blog entry here.

News of Interest: Measures To Unlock Credit For Small Businesses

Are you feeling the credit crunch? Most certainly you are yet it's the small business owners, like us, who are the real drivers of economic recovery and job creation. The latest evidence announced by the White House indicates that there will be a series of measures to help address the credit crunch facing many small firms.

The White House and Small Business Administration (SBA) hope to address these problems with three new policy directions.

Learn about them here.

We plan to discuss these measures at an upcoming WPO Chicago chapter meeting April 21 with the help of two experts: a bank and tax executive. Our goal is to learn everything we can about how to access funds for our businesses when they become available and at the same time, minimize taxes.

Event: Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) Annual Conference in San Diego April 23-25, 2009

The Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) will hold its 12th annual 2009 International Conference, entitled Sustainability: Securing the Future, in San Diego on April 23-25 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort, hosting more than 500 successful women entrepreneurs for keynote speakers, workshops and discussions.

The conference encourages WPO members to share business strategies and experience with other successful women from all over North America, as well as learn from interactive seminars and speakers. Further, it will provide potential members who qualify a unique opportunity to experience the impact the WPO has on women business owners professionally, and personally.

Keynote speakers will include:

1. Meg Whitman, Former President and CEO of eBay
2. T. Boone Pickens, Founder and CEO, BP Capital
3. Janice Bryant Howroyd, CEO, Act-1 Personnel Services and WPO Board Member
4. Adam Werbach- Global CEO, Saatchi and Saatchi S

Additionally, the conference will feature a program led by Judi Sheppard Missett, CEO and founder of Jazzercise Inc. According to entrepreneur Judi Sheppard Missett, there are three elements in music that compare to building a business — the bass beat, the cadence and the melody. Missett will demonstrate how her trilogy is the key to any thriving business and will lead you in an interactive journey to explore a proven formula for success.

Catherine Corley, Vice President of Business Marketing for Sam’s Club will moderate a panel of four successful WPO CEOs who have outstanding sustainable initiatives, including Laura J. Allen from Vision Education & Media, Hallie Satz from HighRoad Press, Katherine Putnam from Package Machinery Company, Inc., and Susan Daywitt from SLM- Facility Solutions Nationwide.

ACT NOW: Click here to go to the WPO's official conference site.

Note: If you pre-qualify for WPO but are not a member yet, you are still able to attend our conference. Please contact us (if you are located in Chicago) at 773-381-1700 or email ldelaney(at)globetrade.com to learn more. Elsewhere, call 212-688-4114. Hope to see you there!

Event: The Executives' Club of Chicago Women's Leadership Breakfast (3/20)

The Executives' Club of Chicago Women's Leadership Breakfast, "Positioning Yourself For Board Success" will be held Friday, March 20, 2009 at the The Hilton Chicago (720 S. Michigan). WPO Chicago is a proud partner of this empowering high-level women's program.

Registration is 7:00 a.m. Seated Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. Panel Discussion, 8:00 a.m. For more information and to register, visit here.

Click on logo below for immediate PDF download of program:



See you there!

Article of Interest: Walls of Separation

Are you inadvertently building a wall between your company and your clients? I am sure by now you caught Tropicana's recent rejected package design. If you haven't, watch Peter Arnell explaining why it failed. It will fill you in. Then you'll know what I am talking about.

But back to you and your business. Are you keeping in good touch with your customers? Do you think you have a better relationship with them than they do to each other?

Not all brands seem to be increasingly "out of touch" with their own customers (for example, the Women Presidents Organization). Yet here's what David Armano thinks over at his Logic+ Emotion blog that might be some of the walls that are separating customers from a business.

One is particular is:

Tone Deafness
If you've lost the ability to connect and empathize with your customers, then you've become tone deaf. This means you can look at the data, the demographics and the numbers but never really understand, relate or "get" them in any meaningful way. So it's natural that your preference of communication will be one way vs. a dialogue. It's easier to maintain. Tone deafness becomes a barrier when you can see your customers, but can't figure out how to touch them anymore.

Read more here.

Now it's your turn. Care to share on what you are doing to see and touch your customers -- to relate to them on every level? We are all ears.

Article of Interest: Six Ways To Make Web 2.0 Work

As the popularity of Web 2.0 has grown, so has anxiety over how to use the range of technologies to our advantage. Many companies are experimenting with the tools or deploying them on a trial basis.

To help companies navigate the Web 2.0 landscape, the authors identified six critical factors that determine the outcome of efforts to implement the technologies. They are as follows:

1. The transformation to a bottom-up culture needs help from the top.

2. The best uses come from users—but they require help to scale.

3. What’s in the workflow is what gets used.

4. Appeal to the participants’ egos and needs—not just their wallets.

5. The right solution comes from the right participants.

6. Balance the top-down and self-management of risk.

You won't want to miss this article published at The McKinsey Quarterly on "Six ways to make Web 2.0 work" which presents a vast array of opportunities -- for companies that know how to use Web 2.0 (including blogs, podcasts, wikis and social networks).

Web 2.0 promises further gains, although the capabilities differ from those of the past technologies (Exhibit 3 above).

Go here to learn more.

Article of Interest: 7 Reasons To Be Grateful You're An Entrepreneur Right Now

A WPO Chicago member sent me the article, "7 Reasons To Be Grateful You're An Entrepreneur Right Now," and I think it is spot on, especially this part:

In a crisis, entrepreneurs have no choice but to keep moving, even if it’s tough going. But heavy lifting builds big muscles. The only real choice now is to go forward, and you will grow your capabilities and learn a lot by doing so.

Sound like a plan? We think so. And naturally, the Women Presidents' Organization is here to help you every step of the way.

Let us know what we can do to assist and tell us how you plan to grow your business even during turbulent times.

Sound Advice: Consumer Leaders Report

"9 on 9" -- Edelman's Consumer Leaders Report is a fascinating look at how the year behind will shape the year ahead. Nine of Edelman's consumer experts weigh in across the globe.

The following topics are covered:

1. Time for some action
2. Without content there is no conversation
3. How Obama's campaign broke through
4. Mexican consumers gear into crisis mode
5. The merging of the ox and the consumer in 2009
6. 9 digital truths for 2009
7. It's about the daily moments of living, working and playing
8. Chinese consumers in 2009
9. An intimate globe, what will this mean in 2009?

Find out if your business is prepared for what's ahead.

Download the 20-page report immediately by clicking here.

Sound Advice: TED2009

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. What started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds has since grown beyond comprehension.

TED2009 corrals doers and thinkers who are challenged to give the talk of their lives in less than twenty minutes.

It's similar to what we do everyday as presidents of companies to engage our employees, suppliers, colleagues and constituents -- but without the fanfare.

Worth a look.