Women's Exchange of Washtenaw

Whew!  I am sure I speak for more than just myself when I say that May 15th’s Forum 2009: Now We’re Talking was a whirlwind of information, encouragement, and connections.  More than 200 women attended the full day of activities, including:

- morning workshops (The general consensus was that we all wished we could have attended ALL of the workshops.)

- lunch with remarks from State Representatives Pam Byrnes and Rebekah Warren (Both women offered encouragement to get involved in state legislation – it can be lonely being the only women on a committee in Lansing!)

- an opportunity to sit and personally ask questions of our high powered panel (An inspirational mix of real advice, business stories, and experience from Debi Scroggins, Bear Claw Coffee, Kimberli Cumming, The Women’s Center of  Southeast Michigan, and Maria Thompson, A123Systems, moderated by the engaging and effervescent Mary Morgan,
Ann Arbor Chronicle.)

- a full two hours of exchange sessions (The sound of so many women sharing business wisdom…if only WUOM would record it for their “Sounds of the State” segments…)

- amazing door prizes (A big thank you to all of our door prize donors, a full list of gifts will be posted soon!)

- MORE networking during the happiest of happy hours.  (Need we say more?)

I was ready for Monday morning with a plan of action and I suspect it was the most productive day I have had in years.  A big thank you to all of the workshop facilitators, and a big thank you to all of the day’s volunteers!

Keep the conversation (and connections fresh) by joining our groups on LinkedIn and CollectiveX.  Workshop booklets from the Forum 2009 will be posted to the CollectiveX site, so if you wish you had made it to a morning session keep a look out!  You can also follow the WXW on twitter (search for WXWBusiness).

In celebration of WXW’s yearly forum (May 15) and because WXW women tend to be so gol’ darn lippy and self-assertive, Concentrate asked five WXW participants to “talk about women in business, the opportunities and challenges of doing that in Michigan, what you’d like to see improved, where things are going, etc.  The more personal and opinionated you are the better. ”

If you haven’t learned by now, here’s a reminder – you don’t have to ask WXW participants to be OPINIONATED. Once you meet Rebecca Lopez Kriss, Marisa Smith, Carole Baker, Debra Power, and Carrie Hensel, you’ll quickly come to realize that we dish open, honest business talk all day long to anyone who will listen.

> Check out our blog stories here.

Our blog topics for Concentrate include…

• Carrie Hensel – Do Women Really Do Business Different from Men?
• Carole Baker – Taking the WORK Out of Networking
• Marisa Smith – Build Your Own “Old Girls Network”
• Rebecca Lopez Kriss – Where Have All the Young Professional FEMALE Entrepreneurs Gone?
• Debra Power – The POWER of Women

P.S. We hope you LOVE our mugshots above.  We’re so opinionated that it sometimes gets us into trouble.

Here is a little note we just got from Michigan’s Governor, Jennifer Granholm:

“I want to thank the Women’s Exchange of Washtenaw…Its efforts are not only helping women become successful entrepreneurs, they are also helping to move Michigan forward especially in these challenging economic times.”

Sincerely,

Jennifer Granholm, Governor

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 Thompson, photo by Steve Kuzma

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

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

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

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.

Carrie Hensel and Norman, the LaBeagle

The February 18, 2009 edition of Concentrate featured WXW’s co-founder, Carrie Hensel. In the article, Carrie discusses her winding career path, her philosophy of “fun” in business, and her motivations for starting WXW.  Carrie notes -

Debra and I “decided we wanted to form a business group and wanted it to be for women who are leading or part of growing companies,” Hensel explains. “Though there happens to be a lot of support for start-ups, there isn’t as much for established companies that are 5, 10 or 15 years old and face different challenges.”

“Our tag line is ‘Now we’re talking’ and that’s what we do (at WXW events). That is really where the magic happens,” Hensel says. “It sounds cheesy, but that’s the place I want to be — when you’re talking to people and figuring stuff out.”

We encourage you to attend a WXW event to find out what the magic of conversation can do for you and your company.

> Read the entire Concentrate article here.

WXW is hosting a networking event and exhibition opening at the Ann Arbor Art Center on Thursday, July 31st from 5-7 PM.

Event attendance will be limited to the first 120 registrants. Online registration will begin on July 9th. The event is $10 per person and proceeds go the the Art Center. Wine and appetizers will be served.

During WXW’s May event, attendees told us they wanted more opportunities to network, form strong connections, and continue the “exchange” of ideas, stories, and lessons learned. Our next event on July 31st will provide a good venue to keep the exchange going.

The exhibition, titled “A PLACE AT THE TABLE,” explores the way women artists have found (or have not found) their place or chair at a traditionally male-dominated “table”. The artwork should provide great fodder for conversations between women business leaders, many of whom have found their own place in a male-dominated industry or company. The exhibition is the first exhibition of the new Michigan Chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art.

Attendees at the WXW inaugural event on May 7th will have the choice to attend one of four fun, interactive, breakout sessions. Topics include…

1. Managing Growth –

Most of us believe that a growing business is a successful business – because clearly unsuccessful businesses don’t grow. But growth is a tricky issue for most companies. To grow, you need to increase sales. Then you need to deliver your product or service. Then you need to continue to sell more and
deliver more…but what if your company falters as you try to scale up? What if you’re overestimating your sales projections? What if you can’t hire the right people quickly enough? What if the processes that worked when you were a smaller firm begin to break down as you expand?

In this breakout session, the group will want to talk about the struggles, successes, problems, and solutions of their growing companies. Whether you’re a company of one or about to hire your 150th employee, this session will help you begin to analyze your business and determine how you’d like to efficiently grow.

………………..

2. Learning to Lead & Creating Culture –

What exactly does it mean to be a LEADER? If you’re the boss, the manager, or the person calling the shots, then you’re automatically a good leader, right? Well, probably not. Just because you’re bossy doesn’t mean you’re an inspiring leader.

Managers and bosses focus on systems, processes, structure, and control. Leaders focus on a direction, a path, and a shared dream. Ultimately, leaders focus on TRUST between PEOPLE. Good leaders know how to inspire and empower others to turn a company’s vision into action.

So, how can we learn to be leaders? This session is for women who want to become better leaders. Participants will discuss how to build trust, communicate a compelling and inclusive vision, empower their teams to be creative & innovative, and create a strong, positive, open culture within their companies.

………………..

3. Relationship Building –

Good salespeople will often say that networking is everything. In reality, networking is only the beginning. Shaking hands and exchanging business cards shouldn’t be the end of the process—it’s actually the first step in building lasting, rewarding business relationships. A business relationship goes beyond networking to create a bond of trust and respect. As you build relationships you will see the reciprocal benefits. You’ll earn referrals, you’ll build your business, and grow!

Are you searching for a new ways to build meaningful relationships? During this breakout session, participants will think beyond the standard notions of networking and discuss how to forge relationships that matter—with prospects, clients, trusted advisors, potential partners and collaborators.

………………..

4. Visioning – You Made It Past the Start-Up Phase – Now What?

Like most business owners, you invested all your time, energy, and ideas into beating the odds and starting a successful company. A few years later your company is coasting along – revenues are steadily increasing, and you have a solid team. You shouldn’t have a care in the world, right? Wrong!

Do you feel like your business is stuck in a rut? Do you feel more like a manager and less like an entrepreneur? Are you struggling to find more meaning in the work your company does? Attend this breakout session to rethink your company’s vision, rekindle those entrepreneurial flames, and take your company to new heights.