Connect  with Omi Diaz Cooper on Linked In!

Connect with Esther Apple on Linked In!

Connect with Heather Fraser on Linked In!

We are proud to announce that Indigo Events won the Spotlight Award 2009 Event Solutions as Marketing Professional of the Year!!!
“It was like the Oscars,” Gladys Mezrahi, CEO of Indigo Events. “It was very exciting and nerve wrecking but we did it!”

Congratulations Gladys, we hope this year brings much more prosperity and continued success!

We’re always looking for our members in the news, but we can’t spot them all. If you see a member in the news, please contact our communications manager at pr@nawbomiami.org and tell us about it!

Through inheritance, business ownership or investing, women now own or control a substantial portion of the personal wealth in the United States. And they are set to inherit more wealth down the road as the boomer generation begins to transfer significant wealth to the next generation. Yet, achieving financial security is a formidable challenge still facing many women today. Of the 60 million wage and salaried women working as of March 2005, for example, just 47 percent participated in a retirement plan, according to the US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration.

And life occasionally throws unexpected curveballs. These can include personal setbacks, such as an extended illness, loss of job, or divorce. They also involve financial problems, such as a general downturn in the stock market or an unwise investment. Further, women are often challenged to manage and juggle their commitments to a career, family, children, and aging parents. With so many responsibilities and challenges, it’s understandable that some women find it difficult to set aside time to take charge of their financial future.

The good news is that women are successfully meeting these challenges head on and actively involved: getting professional advice, saving and investing for retirement and planning for their future. This is of critical importance, as women today are well-positioned to take charge of their finances. The male/female income ratio continues to improve. And since 1982, women have outpaced men in college graduation rates. Female business and home ownership is rising as many women seek to own or manage their own economic assets. And more and more women are making saving and investing priority in their lives. Most importantly, they are not sitting back and waiting for spouses, friends or employers to provide them with the solutions. Most women will be in charge of their own finances at some point in their life, either by choice or by chance.

When it comes to financial solutions to meet life goals, for women, one size does not fit all. Here are eight things women can do now to focus on what matters most – lifetime goals and how to plan for them:

1. Understand your current situation; evaluate where you stand financially
2. Set your financial goals; be clear on what you want your future to be
3. Evaluate your savings and investment portfolio and how it could be a powerful source for future income
4. Select appropriate wealth-creating vehicles to meet long term financial goals
5. Develop – and stick – to a budget
6. Secure your protection needs, first. Make sure you have enough insurance to protect you, your family and your economic assets against unexpected life events
7. Seek the advice of financial professionals
8. Stay educated on issues that impact your finances and life goals.

Knowledge is power! Increasing your financial knowledge is the right start on the road to financial empowerment and making those important decisions for the future.

Luisa M Bravo, R.F.C.
Registered Representative
(305) 971-8522 phone
(305) 408-0227 fax

Registered Representative of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Securities products’ services offered through PAS, a registered broker/dealer. 1 (800) 600-4667. Financial Representative, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. LM Bravo is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. PAS is a member of FINRA, SIPC

By Anne B. Freedman, president, Speak Out, Inc.
President, Greater Miami Chapter, NAWBO
www.speakoutinc.com

Whether you’re networking internally, to get new business, or to attract volunteers or sponsors for your organization — can you say what you’re all about in less than 30 seconds? With impact? That’s the typical time it takes to ride with someone in an elevator who says, “So tell me about yourself!”

Here are some pointers:
1. Avoid giving a “laundry list” of what you do, i.e., “We provide underwater basket weaving services, insurance for water damage, pick-up to collect your basket, delivery, cleaning, wrapping and technical assistance. We also provide submarine rides to see the weavers and photographs as souvenirs.” Instead, highlight a particular aspect of your uniqueness so you’ll be remembered.

2. Know and be able to articulate the chief benefits of your product, service or company as part of your self-introduction. What are the direct benefits such as saving money, time, brand awareness, problem-solved, entertainment or increased profitability? How about the indirect benefits such as recognition, approval, or status? Remember, nobody, except Mom, really cares what exactly you do, only what you can do for them!

NAWBO provides ways to take care of your PR initiatives.

At the NAWBO Conference in Phoenix, SBTV.com were invited to interview NAWBO members!

Two of our NAWBO members from the Miami Chapter took the opportunity to chat with SBTV.com

Click here to see Anne Freedman: interview  about ways to Own the Room and Get the Deal.

Click here to see Valeska I. Jacques discuss how management headaches are helping business owners.

Top Ten Ways to Gain a Winning Competitive Edge – In Any Economy

Written By: Jeannette Kraar

www.manageyoursuccess.com.

Phone: 305-856-9993

Email: pmi@manageyoursuccess.com

In our fast paced global economy, companies have to stay current and savvy to be a competitive player in their market and their industry. The companies who understand this remain open to change and plan for it by taking a proactive approach. They build in succession plans, growth projections and support processes.

Company’s who resist, still go through change — but these organizations are forced into a reactive mode that is usually far less effective or successful. Entrepreneurs who choose to manage their businesses in the same old ways often find themselves in the precarious position of being stagnant and ineffective — ending up obsolete and unable to successfully compete.

Here’s the good news: Understand a few simple guidelines and add them to your strategy to build your competitive edge and keep your business thriving – Consider these new conditions of “business as usual”:

1. Stay informed – follow current market trends and industry dynamics. Identify and study your toughest competition.
2. Understand the needs of your customers and the markets you serve through research conducted on-line and on off. Then follow through to meet, or better yet, exceed expectations.
3. Be a creative, pro-active solution provider. Understand changing concerns, market conditions and industry trends so you can anticipate needs. Ask yourself, how can we do this better? What would add more value to our product or service? What is the biggest, most common objection or problem our clients face? What changes are affecting the market right now and what is projected over the next six months? How can I improve the “drivers” that affect my bottom line – quality, quality, revenue generation or profitability?
4. Think in specifics to communicate with your clients with clarity.
5. Get connected and stay connected. As a business owner build strong, long-term relationships and grow your business with referrals using effective advertising, marketing and appreciation programs. Customers buy from and refer to businesses they “know, like and trust.” This type of relationship building happens over time and through numerous contacts. What do you do to stay connected?
6. Build strategic partnerships and collaborations to expand potential business, market penetration, referral networks and learning opportunities.
7. Make energy, enthusiasm and results the mainstay tools in your skill set.
8. Continuously work to improve your oral and written communication skills.
9. Take responsibility for positioning your business so you can take advantage of future opportunities within a three to five year window. It’s critical to step back from tactical implementation and invest time in strategic planning.
10. Evaluate and adjust on a consistent basis. Make this part of your regular professional and business development practices.

Get more competitive now with our FREE Gap Analysis. Download it here: Entrepreneurial Gap Analysis

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE TO OUR EZINE, PLEASE EMAIL PR@NAWBOMIAMI.ORG

The Southeast Chapter gathered in Orlando for a 2 day full of workshops and socials.