Cost: $10

Premier Sponsor:

Join us at the home of WXW Co-Founder, Carrie Hensel, for our first-ever WXW Unscripted Exchange. WXW will provide lasagna as a main dish (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options). Come with a pressing issue and a dish to pass. Go home fully fed and with some thoughtful input to help you on your way.

Due the nature of the venue, limited seating is available. We are unable to accept walk-ins for this event. Please register early to secure your spot.

WXW Exchanges are different because they are:

INTERACTIVE – We’ve all attended too many events where a speaker or panel talks at the audience. WXW promises that event attendees will actually talk through specific issues, share stories and struggles, and work together to find solutions.

OPEN – At WXW events, attendees choose the direction and content of the conversation. Questions, issues, ideas – all are encouraged in an open and confidential environment.

FUN – As leaders, we may often feel isolated. WXW is a place where we can have FUN, connect, laugh, talk through our issues, and be ourselves.

Cost: $25

Premier Sponsor:

Join WXW as we kick off 2012 with an Exchange Event focused on jumpstarting your business into high gear. Bring your creative thinking, positive energy, and best ideas to share and build on. Who knows what great thoughts, ideas, projects, partnerships, and sparks of inspiration will come out of this event? Come and find out!

WXW Exchanges are different because they are:

INTERACTIVE – We’ve all attended too many events where a speaker or panel talks at the audience. WXW promises that event attendees will actually talk through specific issues, share stories and struggles, and work together to find solutions.

OPEN – At WXW events, attendees choose the direction and content of the conversation. Questions, issues, ideas – all are encouraged in an open and confidential environment.

FUN – As leaders, we may often feel isolated. WXW is a place where we can have FUN, connect, laugh, talk through our issues, and be ourselves.

4:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Cost: $15

Premier Sponsor:

Ring in the season with other women business leaders at WXW’s annual holiday mixer. This event offers non-stop networking, savory hors d’oeuvres, and tasty wine & beer. At 5:30 PM we will offer a celebratory toast to our attendees’ accomplishments in 2011.

Again this year, we will be supporting the Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan.  If you would like to participate, please bring a donation of  non-perishable food items to our event.  For more information about ways to support Women’s Center, please visit:

http://womenscentersemi.org/how_you_can_help  

Cost: $25

Premier Sponsor:

 Agenda:

11:30 – 12:00: Arrival, Registration and Lunch
12:00 – 2:00: Welcome, Program and Close

In business, it’s not just what you know, it’s WHO you know. Back by popular demand, it’s WXW’s second speed-networking event. Meet the area’s business leaders and engage in meaningful dialogue – in just 3 minutes. Bring at least 50 business cards and be ready to meet new people, make connections, and maybe even swap a few referrals.

The speed networking event will start and end with a mini-workshop that will help you to jumpstart your networking know-how.

• Do you ever feel that you just don’t know what to say or how to start that first conversation? 
• Do you meet new people, but aren’t sure how to follow-up after?

At this mini-workshop, you will gain new tools to add to your toolbox on how to get started with the small talk that leads to the real conversation. You will also learn how to keep the conversation going.

Join WXW and networking superstar, Megan Crosbie, for this fun and fast-moving event! 

Mini-Workshop Facilitator

Megan Crosbie

A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Megan Crosbie is the Marketing Coordinator for the Charles Reinhart Company Realtors, Ann Arbor’s market leader. Megan is on the Board of Directors of Ele’s Place and serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Women’s Exchange of Washtenaw. In addition, Megan is the organizer of YP Underground, a local networking group for young professionals.

Location Sponsor: Eagle Crest Conference Center

Cost: $25

Premier Sponsor:

Agenda:

3:00 – 3:30: Arrival and Registration
3:30 – 5:30: Welcome, Workshop and Close
5:30 – 6:30: Networking Happy Hour

Please join WXW and presenter Vicki Baker, Ph.D. for an interactive workshop designed for leaders (and aspiring leaders!) at all levels. In this workshop, you’ll learn:

1. The top 4 mistakes all leaders make (and how to avoid them), and
2. How to tap into your “inner leader.”

You’ll work in small groups to discuss common leadership mistakes, and then as a larger group to identify common themes and action steps to avoid making these mistakes. Our emphasis will be on women leaders in the workplace and at home. We’ll then use this information to identify ways to tap into your “inner leader.”
You’ll walk away with an individual action plan to implement in your daily life.
Following the workshop, please join us for a networking Happy Hour to extend the conversation!

Workshop Presenter: Vicki Baker
Vicki Baker is an Assistant Professor of Economics and Management at Albion College in Albion, Michigan. She teaches Management, Organizational Behavior, Consulting, Leadership, and a first year experience called Lessons Learned at “The Office”. She recently served as the Interim Director of the Gerstacker Institute, Albion College’s honors program in business. Prior to joining Albion College in August 2007, Vicki was an Instructor of Management & Organization at the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University for three years. Her research focuses on doctoral student development/learning, developmental networks and mentoring, and ethical and moral decision making.

Trendsetter Sponsor: Eastern Michigan University Professional Programs and Training

Location Sponsor: Eagle Crest Conference Center

Cost: $25

Premier Sponsor:

Time Management: How to Get Stuff Done

Are you…

• Feeling pulled in a thousand different directions?
• Tired of being stuck in overwhelm?
• Finding that you are not making time for your highest priorities?
• Constantly saying that “I have no time for…?”

Do you want to…

• Learn how other smart, successful women manage their time effectively and get things done?
• Feel more in control of your time and activities?
• Find out how to move from “to do” to “done” in your work/life?

Attend WXW’s September 15th event to hear from local professional women who have mastered the art and practice of managing their time and getting things done – including one who has made effective time management her area of expertise. Find out what their biggest time challenges have been and how they overcame them. Listen to what they discovered about themselves as they made implemented more effective time management practices in their work and life.

Then join us for our patented Exchange Sessions to share your own strategies for getting control of your time and tasks and get ideas on how to make time for those things that will help you achieve your own personal vision of success.

Panelists include:

Susan V. Brown, PLC
Chelsea Family Law

Jennifer Ladley
Relationship Manager, KeyBank N.A.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders
CEO, Real Life E®

Panel moderated by Beth Stoner, Principal, Delta Possibilities, LLC

LOCATION SPONSORED BY:

AGENDA
7:30 – 8:00 am: Arrival, Registration & Continental breakfast
8:00 – 8:15 Welcome and Introductions
8:15 – 9:00 Panel Discussion
9:00 – 9:45 Exchange Sessions
9:45 – 10:00 Wrap up and Close

3 ways to Continue the Conversation:

1. Connect on Social Media. Connect with the women you met on social media. From the stack of business cards you collected, find these women on LinkedIn, Facebook and/or twitter. Connect, friend and/or follow them. Using any one of these social media platforms is an excellent way to continue the conversation.
2. Grab coffee, lunch, dinner or drinks. Follow up with the women you met and invite them to coffee, lunch, dinner or drinks. Getting together one-on-one is a great way to get to know someone. This gives you an opportunity to talk more about business or simply just make a new friend.
3. Create a Networking Group. After last year’s May Forum10 Martha Mackres organized a Monday Morning Mavens group. Martha invited everyone she met at the May Forum to coffee to continue the conversations that were started at the event. The group continues to meet monthly, sharing their experiences and ideas while building lasting relationships.



I always feel guilty when I leave for a conference – is it going to be worth the expense and the time away from the office? Should I really be spending time and money “working on the business” when there are so many other pressing concerns in my inbox?



I recently attend the Inc Magazine’s GrowCo 2011 Conference in Las Vegas with the usual worries running through my head. However, as I sat in our conference room after I returned, surrounded by my team engaged in lively discussion about customer service and company culture, I realized the worrying was the true waste of time.



The next time you question whether or not a conference is worth it, ask yourself four questions:

1. Will the office really fall apart without you?
2. Is your company where you want it to be?
3. Is there anything left for you to learn?
4. Is there anyone left for you know?



A stagnant company is a dead company – don’t let your worry about missing something at the office keep you from being inspired by the people and ideas we encounter at conferences like GrowCo or the WXW May Forum.

1. Introduce and initiate. Go ahead and initiate with a hello! Even if you recognize, or slightly know someone, re-introduce yourself. By taking ownership and initiating a conversation, you will feel more in control to drive the direction of the exchange.




2. Use an icebreaker. An icebreaker not only provides a way to meet new people, but also helps jumpstart conversations. For example, using an icebreaker such as “Tell me about the type of work your firm is involved in” instead of simply saying “hello” can lead to a fruitful conversation, rather than an uncomfortable silence. Some other valuable icebreakers you might use are:

- “Bring me up to date on your latest project.”
   - “What do you find to be the most enjoyable aspect of your job?”
   - “Tell me about your history with ________.”
   - “How did you come to find yourself in the health care field?”




3. Express interest and make an effort. You have to be interested if you want to be interesting. Part of your job as a convers-ee is to get the other person to talk. Listen to what your conversational partner is saying and ask relevant follow-up questions. Take cues from them and make a mental list of questions you can ask to get them to elaborate. If you’re talking to Mary in the marketing department, ask what she’s working on, what the new marketing strategies are. This is a great way to brainstorm about future projects, find out about potential clients or build a lasting business relationship. That being said, be sure not to ask so many questions that you come off as an interrogator. There should be a flow and balance when communicating.




4. Overcome pregnant pauses. It’s up to you to keep the conversation going if there are some uncomfortable pauses. Use your setting for ideas to reinvigorate the discussion. Say, “It’s great having our sales conference in a warm, tropical place. Have you been to Mexico before?” Use pauses as an opportunity to compliment your international counterpart. Try, “I’m impressed with what you’re doing for our Asian business. You’ve made some huge improvements in our technology department over there.” This is also a great time to interject with any material you’ve previously prepared.




5. Establish personal boundaries. It is fine if you want to let someone know where you went to college or how many children you have, but be mindful of how much personal information you provide. Sure, your relationship could benefit if you find out both your husbands are attorneys, but evaluate the value of the subject matter and its impact on the rapport. If the dialogue gets too sidetracked into personal details, the business-networking angle can become lost. Revealing too many personal details in a business setting can be inappropriate. Use your best judgment to maximize the content of the conversation.




6. Exit thoughtfully. In many business situations, it’s important to make contact with several people and move around a room. And, sometimes there is just a good time to move on. Find an appropriate point in the conversation to make an exit. Say, “I really enjoyed talking to you about today’s meeting. I have your card and I’ll be in touch with you this week so we can discuss it further.” Make a plan that is actionable and give a specific time when you’ll follow up. Most importantly, if you say you’re going to do something, do it!

About the Author:
Debra Fine is a former engineer who developed her programs to teach technically oriented professionals conversational skills and business networking techniques. Debra’s programs are held regularly for Fortune 500 firms as well as financial, legal, health care, real estate, government, engineering and entrepreneurial organizations. Her best selling book The Fine Art of Small Talk (Hyperion) was published to excellent reviews and feature stories in USA Today, Entrepreneur Magazine and The Chicago Tribune. Debra’s new book The Fine Art of the Big Talk focuses on winning clients, delivering great presentations and solving conflicts in the workplace. Her recent media appearances include the Today Show, the Early Show, CNN and NPR Morning Edition. Additional information about Debra can be viewed at www.DebraFine.com.

Debra Fine is the Keynote Speaker at WXW’s dynamic, all-day May Forum for women business leaders on Friday, May 20th. Register before Friday, May 6th to receive the early bird discount!

Sponsor: KeyBank

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is right around the corner, and the Women’s Exchange of Washtenaw is going to be there again!

On Wednesday, June 29th, we are welcoming you, your family, and fellow WXWers out for some summer fun.  Join us under the tent from 6:30pm to 9:30pm for some delectable nibbles & munchies. Wine, beer, soft drinks and bottled water will be available for purchase.

Along with reconnecting with familiar WXWers and meeting lots of new ones, here’s what else the Summer Festival has planned…

Family friendly fun @ Top of the Park:
6:30-8pm KidZone (hands-on activities)

Adult activities @ Top of the Park:
6:30pm Los Gatos taking the stage (musical performance)
8:00pm Zap Toro taking the stage (musical performance)
10pm Stay to watch “Inception” under the stars (feature film)

For more information on the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, including directions & parking, please visit their website.