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"We encourage all our fellow men and woman to buy at least two stocks to help with the global economic crisis. We want everyone to step up and help in any way that they can. This is a huge crisis we face, but together we can make a difference. Do not just sit by and watch."
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Saturday, September 23, 2006


This week's featured woman entrepreneur or executive is Jessica Duquette, President of In Perfect Order Organizing Solutions (Los Angeles, CA).

about In Perfect Order Organizing Solutions
In Perfect Order offers organizing solutions for your life and home. From telephone decluttering to closet, garage, and whole house organizing, In Perfect Order has a solution custom-fit for your needs. In Perfect Order Founder, Jessica Duquette, is passionate about helping clients and blog visitors get a unique blend of down-to-earth life lessons, "pattern interrupt" strategies for their bad habits and a home or office that flows smoothly. She has found that once people reconnect with their outrageous and fearless True Self they can more easily release the mental and physical clutter that stands in the way of achieving their life purpose. She works in person with clients in the Los Angeles area, as well as by phone all over the world. Jessica has appeared as guest organizing expert on the Emmy Award winning show Starting Over and her blog has been featured in the Wall St. Journal's prestigious Blog Watch column.


Jessica's Top 10 Tips.


1. Get Yourself Ready.
Letting go is a personal journey that can only be undertaken when you are ready. If this is about pleasing someone else, or because you think you "should", be kind to yourself and wait until you feel a clear 'YES!' before you get started. Listen to your inner voice.

2. Take a photograph
If there is something that you are sentimentally attached to because of the memory or person it reminds you of but you don't love the item, take a photograph and then give away or toss the object.

3. Pick a number, it's easier!
Before you begin, set a numerical standard for your environment, such as, "I will only keep things that I consider more that an '8'." [or whatever number feels right for you]. As you sort through your things, assign them a number, and stick to your policy. It is amazing how well this works for some people!

4. Do I LOVE it?
As you have your hands on the item, simply ask yourself, "do I LOVE it?" If not, let it go. Most people never ask themselves that question, and end up surrounded with things they don't even want, need or care for.

5. Set the parameters.
Make a policy for your collections, such as magazines, i.e. 'I will only keep the issues from the previous three months', or 'I will donate or give away any clothing that I haven't worn in the last year'.

6. Treasure your treasures and let go of the rest.
Create a "memorabilia box", and keep only your most prized treasures there. This way, you can consciously choose the things you love the most and let go of the rest.

7. Use a mantra (or theme song) for freedom.
Use the mantra, "I can keep the memory, and let go of the thing."

8. Remember, nature abhors a vacuum.
Find the joy in letting go. You are not depriving yourself, you are making room for what you really love and need. It gets easier as you go along, I promise!

9. Take the charge off the item.
Create a "decompression chamber" - a shelf or drawer near where you are working, for the "maybe" items. Tell yourself that this chamber can remove the emotional charge you have on the item from the item itself. In a few hours, go back to the item and see if you still want to keep it, once it has been "de-charged". It's amazing how effective this can be!

10. Kiss your clutter goodbye!
Literally KISS the item goodbye. If you used to love something, try giving it a goodbye kiss just before letting it go. Somehow, this closes an energetic door with the item, while acknowledging your feelings about it.


Contact Information

Jessica Duquette
In Perfect Order, Inc.
415 S. Topanga Cyn Blvd #127
Topanga, CA 90290
Web: www.inperfectorder.com
Blog: www.its-not-about-your-stuff.com
Email: jessica@inperfectorder.com



Many appreciations to Jessica for her wise words.



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Saturday, September 16, 2006


This week's featured woman entrepreneur or executive is Kathy Dimmick, Co-founder and CEO of United Imaging Partners (Austin, TX).

about United Imaging Partners
Kathy Dimmick is the co-founder and CEO of United Imaging Partners, the largest, fastest growing 3D/4D prenatal ultrasound providers in the United States. With more than 90 locations nationwide, United Imaging Partners offers expectant parents a way to bring images of their unborn baby to life. United Imaging Partner's network of partners has accounted for more than 80% of the industry's growth in the past year alone. 3D & 4D ultrasound technology represents one of the hottest new business opportunities in the country today and are recognized as a leader in the industry. Under Kathy's leadership, United Imaging Partners has become part of the 3% of all women-led businesses that has grossed over a million dollars in annual revenues.


Kathy's Top 10 Tips.


1. Gather insight and knowledge from people in the know so you can build a business as rewarding as it is profitable.

2. Be in business for yourself, not by yourself.

3. Control your business and your destiny, but don't lose sight of the fact that you'll need help along the way.

4. Surround yourself with people who have drive, determination, persistence, perseverance and an entrepreneurial spirit.

5. Discover your strengths and be passionate about what you do.

6. Set long term goals.

7. Take risks.

8. Be direct - say what you mean.

9. Lead by example. Inspire, motivate and coach employees to be their best.

10. Have a sense of humor - and use it often.



Contact Information

Kathy Dimmick
Co-Founder and CEO
United Imaging Partners
www.unitedimagingpartners.com
Ph: 877-502-4636
eMail: info@unitedimagingpartners.com


Many appreciations to Kathy for her wise words.



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Saturday, September 09, 2006


This week's featured woman entrepreneur or executive is Jody DeVere is President of AskPatty.com (Sarasota, FL).

about AskPatty.com
Shopping for and buying a car can be a challenge for women. AskPatty.com, Inc. is a safe place for women to get advice on car purchases, maintenance and other automotive related topics. Women can submit their automotive questions online via AskPatty.com's website and blog and get answers from a panel of automotive women experts. AskPatty.com's President, Jody DeVere has more than twenty five years of sales and marketing experience. Her leadership roles include President of the Woman's Automotive Association International, (www.waai.com) the premier women's organization for women automotive professionals, member of the Women's Board of the Car Care Council, and member of the SEMA Businesswomen's Networking Association (www.sema.org/sbn). During Jody's career she has served as National Director of Sales for the Automotive Division of CallSource; National Director of Sales and Marketing for HemaCare; Director of Sales and Marketing for RiverOne, Inc., a subsidiary of I2; founder and Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Memory Network, a division of MediaGrif Interactive, Inc.; and National Director of OEM Sales and Marketing for Packard Bell, CalABCO division.


Jody's Top 10 Tips.


1. Be technology savvy!
Learn to utilize all the technology tools available to automate and optimize your business and provide a rich seamless online experience for your customers.

2. Have a heart!
Chose a genuine heart felt cause related program for your consumer women to participate in as well as your employees.

3. Specialize!
Find a unique unfilled niche as a business solution and fill it, be narrow in your product offering rather than wide. Find an unfilled need and fill it!

4. Hire smart!
Hire key employees that are smarter than you and have expertise that complements you. Don't hire clones of yourself.

5. Do the math!
Understand how to manage the financial aspects of your business independent of your financial planners, CPA's and bookkeepers. Manage your business by the numbers, understand cash flow and how to manage forecasts and cash flow analytics. Keep a watchful eye on expenses.

6. Use strategy!
Research the market you are entering to understand the dynamics, culture and nuances and who the big players are and create a short and long term sales and marketing strategy to capture a percent of that niche market.

7. Beta Test!
Do beta test your products and get user feedback BEFORE you launch, let these beta testers help define the best product offering in a live setting.

8. Promote!
Be fearless about promoting your business and services by meeting with the most sought after customers in your niche market early on and gain their buy in and endorsement. At the least, their immediate feedback on your offering will help define the obstacles of entry. Build a brand name not just a product or service offering.

9. Customer First!
Listen to your customers, they will tell you the 'what and how' of marketing and selling to them ....if you listen closely. Make the customer experience your #1 priority.

10. Have fun!
Building a new business is a roller coaster experience. The stress, working long hours and many ups and downs can overtax even the most experienced entrepreneur. Take a pause each day to have some fun and celebrate with your team. ( We do the Ask Patty Dance!)


Contact Information

Jody DeVere
President
Ask Patty, Inc.
www.askpatty.com
Ph: 888 854 9929
eMail: jdevere@askpatty.com


Many appreciations to Jody for her wise words.



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Saturday, September 02, 2006


This week's featured woman entrepreneur or executive is Mary Hunt, former ad agency and business marketing executive turned author.

Mary is re:invention's 40th featured 10 Tips For 10 Million Women Expert! That amounts to 400 success tips for working women available 24/7 in re:invention's toolbox - pass it on!

about Mary Hunt
Mary Hunt writes to encourage social change through better consumer business. After 30 years experience as an ad agency executive, marketer and consumer, she has seen trust erode under the weight of mass marketing and big box stores. In her book, In Women We Trust, Mary looks at the growing movement of women-helping-women, what bonds those friendships and what can business learn from them (and apply). The book takes 9 intangible traits of friendship and translates them into 90 tangible trust points. As companies struggle to find their footing in a mixed media world, it's going to take a lot of trust from both sides of the buyer/seller equation.


Mary's Top 10 Tips.


1. Be a canary of commerce. Women finally have the money, position and "voice" to change how business is conducted. Let the world know when a product, service or working relationship is going well (or not). It only takes a few canaries to get the blogosphere singing a new song and show what you stand for.

2. Trust your gut, and then live it loud. If you dropped out of corporate to start your own business, most likely you did so because that structure didn't work for you. Don't repeat the pattern only this time with you at the top - do it differently, do it better. Trust those feelings that made you leave and create a structure that makes them go away for yourself and all who you employ or sell to.

3. Have "Sincerity of Purpose" in all that you do. You'll be exposed a thousand different ways on the web, especially if you have a blog. Know your message and internalize it for good cyber karma - remember, what goes around, stays around.

4. Go for asymmetrical balance. Think equitable, not equal. An equitable relationship is built on recognizing each other's gifts, and equal one has everyone constantly sizing up the pieces. Asymmetrical balance is more in tune with how women relate to one another.

5. Give yourself a trust point check up. Encourage your customers tell you what they trust about you, your product or your service. Ask them tell you what they trust about other companies product, service or sales force and ask them what they don't trust as well. They might be more honest giving negative attributes about someone else and you'll learn the same lesson.

6. Look for tangible ways to express the intangible trust points your customers just gave you. "We trust you because you always answer the phone." Translation: add more people to the phone, increase its hours of operation and increase the training in customer service.

7. How's your reciprocal currency rate? B.P. (Before Power, through economics or position) women had to rely on trusted relationships to get anything done. Be sensitive to women's more giving nature. Don't give services away; just be more open to the "give" and less to the "take." If the rate of exchange is one sided in either direction, you don't have a trusted friendship that can help sustain repeat business or word-of-mouth recommendations.

8. Activate your customer's voice. They came to you for inspiration, direction, and context on top of the product or service. Encourage them talk as much as they want to about how they are going to use your offering in their life. Help them express themselves. It's not a tactic to close a sale, it's being civilized and certainly friendlier.

9. Collect friends, mentors and customers who "get" what it is to be female-friendly and slide by those who aren't there yet. You don't have time to fight the gender wars, let it go and do what works for you and yours. There are plenty of women (and men) in already your group who appreciate the new direction.

10. Give back to yourself, your employees and to the world. The very act of giving sets off an internal recognition that you have enough - enough time, enough money and enough energy. Working from a "point of advantage" puts life in perspective and makes you less greedy. You become the kind of person or business that others trust and want to hang around.


Contact Information

Mary Hunt
Author and Former Ad Agency Executive
www.inwomenwetrust.com
email: mary@inwomenwetrust.com


Many appreciations to Mary for her wise words.



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RETURN TO TODAY'S RE:INVENTION BLOG POST.

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