Women’s Exchange of Washtenaw

So many good choices, you won’t be able to pick just one.

After feedback from last year’s May conference, indicating that women wanted more WXW in a day, we have added morning workshops that are meant to be as interactive as they are informative. Each workshop will be facilitated by amazing local business leaders, who are prepared for your burning business questions.  It will be a morning designed so that you leave with something tangible to use for reference in the future.  So pick the workshop that helps you redirect your thinking, hone a skill, get you talking more, solve a problem,  see in a new direction, or find more hours in a day.

>> REGISTER NOW

Here is a list of workshop offerings:

• Creating and Executing Your Vision – Facilitators:  Eleni Kelakos & Carrie Hensel. In this session, participants will assess the vision for their company, team or career. They will identify their passion, purpose, and key strengths and then develop a vision statement to guide them on their path. Additionally, they will develop an action plan for implementing their vision. Attendees will learn how to articulate the vision in inspiring ways, set strategies and goals, and measure your progress toward your vision. Participants will leave with a vision statement and a plan for communicating their vision.

• Online Social Networking, How to Use Facebook, LinkedIn, and Other Web Tools for Your Business – Facilitators: Catherine Juon & Marisa Smith. In this session, participants will learn about the various social networking websites like Facebook, Plaxo, LinkedIn, Twitter, and more. Attendees will identify the websites that will benefit their business and leave the session with a concrete plan for how to use each website to their company’s advantage.

• Marketing, Drafting a Plan to Tackle Your Market – Facilitators: Debra Power & Rhonda Foxworth. In this session, participants will assess the effectiveness of their current marketing initiatives and determine if they are reaching their target market. They will identify the “needs” or “pains” of their target market, and determine how to position and differentiate their company and its product or services. Participants will also learn about marketing tactics (advertising, PR, websites, etc.), and determine which tactics could bring in more prospective sales leads and media contacts. Participants will leave the session with a marketing plan for the coming year.

• Financial Strategies & Managing Cash Flow – Facilitators: Diane Gilson & Mary Hayes. In this session, participants will learn about financial strategies for the health and growth of their companies. Workshop facilitators include an accountant and a banker who will discuss how to determine yearly budgets, manage expenses, establish payment terms for customers, and anticipate future needs for financing. In addition, attendees will learn how to manage and measure cash flow by improving receivable cash while managing payable expenses. Participants will leave the session with techniques for accurate cash flow projections, nifty tips to encourage customers to pay on time, ways to control costs, and options for funding including lines of credit, loans, and alternative methods of raising capital.

• Leading from the Middle – Facilitators: Dolly Bond & Lynette Cable. In this session, participants will learn how to be leaders even when they are not in top leadership roles at their companies. Attendees will identify their leadership abilities, determine the power dynamics of their teams, assess the power of strategic partnerships, and discuss the importance of effective communication with their teams, bosses, and upper management. Participants will leave the session with an assessment of their leadership style, and strategies to become better leaders, inspire positive change, plow new directions, and improve company processes.

• Time Management and Productivity – Facilitators: Beth Stoner & Tracey Roy Williams. In this session, participants will learn sound time management practices that lead to increased productivity. They will discuss how to prioritize multiple concurrent and sometimes competing tasks, make the most of their workdays, and find balance between work and life. Participants will leave the session with a plan for managing their time in a more effective, efficient and meaningful way that makes your business and life more balanced and productive.

This panel is so high powered that Maria Thompson could power her company’s batteries with the energy.

Get inspired May 15th when the WXW will host three amazing women doing business in Washtenaw County. Maria Thompson, Debi Scroggins, and Kimberli Cumming, each representing a different sector, will share their stories and wisdom, and answer audience questions.   Moderated by Mary Morgan, this year’s panel should prove to be high energy (with Bearclaw Coffee in the house, you can’t help being high energy), and full of lessons you can use in growing your business.

Don’t miss the fun, see the complete schedule and register now!

The Panel:

Maria Thompson, Government Solutions Group of A123Systems, Inc.

Maria A. Thompson is President of the Government Solutions Group of A123Systems, Inc. (formerly T/J Technologies, Inc.), one of the world’s leading suppliers of high-power lithium-ion batteries. A123Systems is known internationally for its Nanophosphate™ lithium ion battery technology, and represents the largest lithium-ion R&D team in North America. In 2008, Ms. Thompson was honored by the Minority Enterprise Executive Council as one of 25 Powerful Minority Women in Business. She was chosen as one of Crain’s Detroit Business Most Influential Women for 2007. Among additional awards, too numerous to list here, Ms. Thompson was also invited to speak to the U.S. House Committee on Small Business as part of the Small Business Administration’s 50th Anniversary. Ms. Thompson earned a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan Business School. Prior to starting T/J Technologies, Ms. Thompson worked at Steelcase and IBM, where she earned numerous company awards. She and her husband, Dr. Levi Thompson, have 2 daughters.

Debi Scroggins, Bear Claw Coffee

Debi Scroggins founded the Bearclaw Coffee Company with her husband, Doug Scroggins, in 2002.  Prior to founding Bearclaw Coffee, Debi spent seventeen years as a Customer Service Supervisor at the Detroit hub for Minneapolis-based Northwest Airlines, Inc. Her previous employment includes a stint in the food service industry at Bill Knapp’s, a Detroit-based restaurant chain. Debi’s 30 years of food service and customer service expertise have served her well in handling the daily challenges of running Bearclaw Coffee Co. She has an extensive secondary education including a B.B.A. from Eastern Michigan University as well as a Franchise Mini MBA from Nova Southeastern University. Debi is a Certified Franchise Executive through the International Franchise Association and is a charter member of the Women’s Greater Michigan IFA Business Network.

Kimberli Cumming,  The Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan

Kimberli Cumming, MSW, LMSW, is Executive Director of The Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan, a nonprofit women’s resource center based in Ann Arbor providing affordable counseling, financial, legal, and job-related services.  Kimberli has served as Executive Directer since July 2005, after serving as Assistant Director since 2001. As Women’s Center director, she is responsible for the administration and operation of all agency activities, including long-term planning and vision, budget management and development; program planning and evaluation; and grant-writing and reporting. She maintains a dynamic working relationship with the Board of Directors and provides supervision and support for five employees, 12 graduate student interns, and over 100 volunteers. She is a graduate of University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

Moderator: 

Mary Morgan, Ann Arbor Chronicle

Mary Morgan is publisher of The Ann Arbor Chronicle, an online local news publication that she and her husband, David Askins, launched in September 2008. Previously, she worked at The Ann Arbor News for 12 years, most recently as opinion editor overseeing the newspaper’s editorials, letters to the editor and reader-submitted opinion essays. Prior to that she was business editor at The News and wrote a weekly column on local business issues. She has a master’s degree in linguistics from Indiana University, and has taught English as a second language in China and the Central African Republic.

Although these comments came up during out February Exchange “Women in Volunteer Leadership Roles,” the information certainly remains relevant to women who are trying to balance work, life, AND volunteer commitments.  –

In general, responsibility for maintaining work-life balance is a two way street:
The volunteer must maintain boundaries, and the non-profit must be realistic and clear about what is expected of a board member.

FOR BOARD MEMBERS
Questions a board member (or potential  board member or committee member) should be asking:

• What is expected of me?
• What can I realistically give to the organization, given my other obligations?
• Do I want to be a leader or a worker bee?

Once you determine these answers, follow these tips:

• Set boundaries and say no if you can’t do something.  It’s better than promising and then not following through, leaving others to scramble around to fill the gaps
• Be careful of the organizations you get involved with.  If you are a Type A person and the organization is laid-back, you may drive each other crazy, even if you believe in the cause.  Maybe you need to write a check to that org, and find another one to be involved with as a board member.
• Interview the non-profit before you commit.  And don’t be afraid to ask for financial information.  Depending on the organization, the board may be financially liable for parts of the organization.
• Don’t over-commit.  It may be better to give 100% to one organization, instead of 10% to 10 different organizations.
• If you don’t want to utilize your professional skills in your board position be clear about that.  For example, if you are a lawyer, but don’t want to spend all of your volunteer time doing legal stuff because you want a break, make sure you set proper boundaries.
• If you are unable to give away professional services as part of your board service, make sure that is clear.

FOR NON-PROFITS
Questions a non-profit should be asking itself:

• What do we need from our board members?
• How are their skills and time best utilized?
• How much time are they expected to give per month?
• Are we using their time wisely in meetings?
• Is our style a good fit with our board members’ personalities?

Once you determine these answers, follow these tips:

• Develop a communication plan to maximize efficiency.  Who is in charge of setting agendas? Who sends emails? How far in advance are meetings scheduled?  Can you use electronic communication tools like Google groups to make things easier?
• Try not to have too many cooks in the kitchen – set a clear organizational structure for your board and subcommittees.
• Make sure the mission of your board is clear and repeated often.
• Recruit people who have the skills you need and are passionate about your cause.
• Consider writing job descriptions for your board members so the expectations are clear.
• Create opportunities for differing levels of commitment so people can participate at different levels without letting you down.
• Don’t under-utilize your board – they may have connections to help you get other things done in their organization.
• Don’t assume that board members want to do their “every day job” as part of their board service.  A web designer on your board may not want to be stuck designing your non-profit’s website for free.
• Be careful of people who are involved in too many non-profits – they may be spread too thin, but are too nice to say no to you.

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SPECIAL DEAL: WXW Economic Stimulus – Buy One Full-Day Ticket, Get One Free >> REGISTER NOW

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This year our second annual conference is called “WXW Forum 2009 – Now We’re Talking.” After feedback at last year’s May conference, WXW attendees told us they wanted “more, more, more!” So this year we’re offering an all-day event. In the morning, we’ll host intensive and interactive 2-hour morning workshops facilitated by amazing local business leaders, who are prepared for your burning business questions. After lunch, we’ll hear from a panel of the region’s leading business women. Then attendees will choose from eight different breakout sessions. And finally we’ll wrap up with a happy hour that includes wine, food, music, and the best networking opportunities in the state.We expect 300 attendees from the Ann Arbor area, Southeast Michigan, and Northeast Ohio.

The full agenda follows. (Oh gals, this is gonna be good!)

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Agenda – Morning Session

9:30 AM – Morning Registration

9:45 AM – Welcome & Intro to Workshops

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM - Workshops

Choose one of the following workshops:

• “Creating & Executing Your Vision” – Eleni Kelakos (Kelakos Enterprises) & Carrie Hensel (Inner Circle Media)

• “Online Social Networking – How to Use Facebook, LinkedIn, and Other Web Tools for Your Business” – Catherine Juon (Pure Visibility) & Marisa Smith (Whole Brain Group)

• “Developing Your Marketing Plan” – Debra Power (Power Marketing) & Rhonda Foxworth (Bank of Ann Arbor)

• “Financial Strategies & Cash Flow Management” – Diane Gilson (Info Plus Accounting)& Mary Hayes (Michigan Commerce Bank)

• “Tactics for Time Management & Productivity” – Beth Stoner (Delta Possibilities) &Tracey Roy Williams (Reinhart Realtors)

• “Leading from the Middle – Learning To Be a Better Leader” – Dolly Bond (Madonna University) & Lynette Cable (Key Bank)

> Click here for descriptions of each workshop

12:00 PM – 12:45 PM – Light Lunch: Munch & Mingle

Agenda – Afternoon Session

12:30 PM  – Afternoon Registration Begins

1:00 PM – Afternoon Welcome & Intro

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM – Panel of Local Business Leaders

• Debi Scroggins, CEO, Bearclaw Coffee
• Maria Thompson, President of the Government Solutions Group of A123Systems, Inc (formerly T/J Technologies, Inc.)
• Kimberli Cumming, Executive Director, The Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan
• Moderator – Mary Morgan, Publisher of the Ann Arbor Chronicle

> Click here for panel bios

2:15 PM – Break

2:25 PM – 4:15 PM – Breakout Sessions

Choose one of the following sessions:

• Entrepreneurial Leadership – How to work ON the company vs. IN the company
• Team Building – Employee Recruitment and Retention
• Marketing Tactics
• Sales Strategies
• Customer Service & Retention
• Extreme Networking
• Strategic Opportunities For Growing Your Company
• Creating and Communicating a Vision for Your Company

4:30 PM – Wrap Up from Breakouts

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM – Happy Hour (technically, it’s 2 hours!)

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WXW Background

WXW hosts monthly events for women business owners, entrepreneurs, managers, and aspiring leaders. Each May we host a gigantic conference.  In the first year over 200 people attended this event. They came from the Ann Arbor area, as well as Detroit, southeast Michigan, and Toledo. Through dynamic break out discussions, these attendees really talked about their companies, careers, successes and struggles.

When you attend a WXW event, two things are certain – you will learn a lot and you will make lasting connections. WXW attendees are often surprised at their first event because our format is so unique. Upon occassion, they ask, “But where’s the speaker or panel of experts? ” When we tell them that we rarely have scheduled speakers and instead we have round table discussions where our attendees can really talk about their own experiences in business, they are surprised and intrigued. By the end of their first meeting, most WXW attendees become big fans of the unique format and they understand our tagline first hand – “Now we’re talking…”