Issue No. 4 May 2008
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Welcome to issue four of my ezine. If you enjoyed last month you'll be even craaaaazier about this month. It's so much fun! (At least we think so - we're cracking ourselves up doing it!) We've loved reading your suggestions - keep them coming!
The purpose of this ezine continues to be inspiration, humor, business, personal and just plain fun; aka "the don't take yourself so seriously" ezine.
This month we honor mothers (with the pink and blue color scheme - get it?...babies?) and after all, everyone has a mother or you've been a mother or you've been called a mother.
Happy Mother's Day!
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Call me:
312.664.8447
e me:
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NEWS FLASH!
My multi-talented Director of Everything won first place in her age group (old!) in a 5K on April 26th. She doesn't do much racing anymore since she's so old and slow (and we know she likes to be the best at everything!), but she discovered that all the other old ladies have gotten even slower. She actually finished ahead of all but two women in the two age groups below hers (that's because she tripped them all!), and 299 out of 883 total runners.
YOU GO, GIRL!!!
(Here's a picture of Sam getting ready to puke after that all-out effort.)
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MUSINGS FROM MIKKI  The phone calls and emails in response to my MAJOR DECISION about cutting my hair was akin to a national disaster alert. OMG, shame on all you folks who did not scroll down to see it was April Fool's☺
 Spent time in New York City where I got to schmooze with "The Son" as my Jason often refers to himself. Here's a photo of "The Son" with my granddog, Dirk.
April found me speaking in Bermuda. I know, I know, rough job - but someone's gotta do it. As I write this I am stuck in Austin airport as my windy city is living up to its name although it did not get it from the wind but from the politicians.
 Mother's Day will be spent with Jason back in NY and with memories of my wonderful mom who I lost at age 87 - hope I inherited THOSE good genes! She was my inspiration, a strong role model, a single working mom before that became a "redundant term." So here's to you, Bette Rawson.
OH YES, AND...INDY 500 here I come! Danica, eat your heart out☺ Watch the race, I'll either be driving the pace car or the military car to open it on May 25th. Details next issue. I'M SO EXCITED!
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| I LOVE THIS BOOK! |
A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
by Daniel H. Pink
I love this book because it focuses on the creative and left-of-center, where I've been my whole life. It encourages people to use creativity to solve problems, and not just left-brain logic.
 Lawyers. Accountants. Software engineers. That's what Mom and Dad encouraged us to become. They were wrong. Gone is the age of "left-brain" dominance. The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: designers, inventors, teachers, storytellers - creative and emphatic "right-brain" thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn't. A Whole New Mind takes readers to a daring new place and offers a provocative and urgent new way of thinking about a future that has already arrived.
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| CREATIVE CAPTIONS |
I love creativity and as a wordsmith I love double entendres, alliteration, onomato... whatever the heck that one was. One of my quirky habits is collecting names of businesses that display any of the above. Here are two of my favorites:
Lunch at the Delhi (Indian Restaurant)
Citizen Canine (Pet Store)
***********************************************************I hope you'll send me ones that you know of or see from now on.
Please send to mikki@mikkiwilliams.com
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| SHOE-BE-DOO STORIES |
Yes, I own about a billion pairs of shoes. And each pair has a story to inspire, a lesson to be learned, a laugh or an "aha!"
I have been a dancer, performer, teacher and lover of dance all my life. When I sold my studio and stopped dancing, I did miss it. One day I went to the movies to see "Shall We Dance" and it stoked the flames again. I didn't want to go back to my earliest roots of tap, jazz and ballet so I decided to take up the second phase of my dance career which was Ballroom Latin Dance that I used to do professionally in nightclubs and yes, like Dirty Dancing, in the Catskill Mts. My first class back the instructor asked me if I would like to compete. Me? Compete? Why, the very words bring a smile to my lips. Yes, yes and so we did - won two gold medals in my division (she says with all due modesty) and it opened the door to my newest passion. These were the championship shoes.
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MIKKI MOUTH:
QUOTATIONS I WISH I'D SAID AND SOME I DID SAY! |
 Enjoy a quote each month from my new book - some funny, some poignant, some professional, some just darn cute!
"The only reason some people get lost in thought is because it is unfamiliar territory."
Paul Fix
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| VISTAGE VIGNETTE |
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As a speaker resource for Vistage International for 15 years and Chair of two groups for seven years I have the opportunity to interact with some of the most dynamic business leaders. Vistage is the world's largest executive organization with 14,000 members worldwide. It is to my delight to profile one of them each month.
 Sandy Marsico, Sandstorm Design
In 1998 Sandy founded the kind of company she always wanted to work for - a design firm that thrived on exceptional and strategic creative work, one with high energy and a dedicated staff in an environment where there's always room for growth and change, and a solid base of clients lead by outstanding people.
As a creative firm where marketing strategy comes first Sandstorm Design has quickly grown into Chicago's leading boutique agency for marketing, design, and web site usability for organizations including CareerBuilder.com, National Association of Realtors and Lincoln Financial Group.
Sandy's proud to be a member of Mikki's Vistage group. When she's not at the office, you'll find her at home with her husband, 18 month old son and five pound terrier, AND getting ready for Baby #2 due in July. (It's a girl!)
We honor Sandy as the mother, expectant mother and working mother that she is today.
For more information on Sandstorm Design go to www.sandstormdesign.com or call 773.348.4200.
For more information on Vistage International click here: Vistage InternationalIf you are interested in becoming a member of a Vistage group anywhere in the world, or a speaker or a Chair, drop us a line:mikki@mikkiwilliams.com |
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HE WHO LAUGHS, LASTS!
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 Mother Humor
My boyfriend bought me a g-string for my birthday. It was soooooo inappropriate. It's a good thing my mother's birthday was two days later or I'd still be stuck with it.
Refrigerator Humor
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| THE HAPPY COOKER
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 Yes, that was the name of one of my businesses and oh, come on, I know guys cook too.
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
1 cup butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350. In a saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool, 15-20 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the flour and chips. Pour mixture into a well-greased and lightly floured 9 X 12 pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. |
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CHAIR'S CORNER
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This is Chair's Corner - no, not that kind of chair - these are my colleagues with Vistage International, the ones like me who "herd cats" aka lead CEO groups.
 Would you bet the roof over your head that you have an idea whose time has come? Vicki Thomas did, and she was right. She's president of Thomas & Partners Co., Inc., a successful organization that specializes in marketing promotions to what she calls "The Midlife Market." She's nationally recognized as an authority on marketing to people age 50 and older.
Vicki co-authored Banking on Boomers, how banks can strengthen their relationships with customers. She is also the author of At the Root of It, why men and women over 40 color their hair.
Vicki is also a Small Business Chair in Fairfield County Connecticut for Vistage International (like moi!). She's in the process of building her groups so if you're reading this and know any qualified candidates, well then stop reading and nominate someone for Vicki's groups. She's dynamic, smart and creative, and you will grow your business exponentially under her leadership.
Contact Vicki at thomas34@optonline.net or vicki.thomas@vistage.com.
Look at her website TheVickiThomas.com or call her at 203-227-5574.
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MIKKI AND FRIENDS
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If any of you remember the movie or Broadway show "Auntie Mame" or if you're old enough to admit you remember it, then you might recall that Mame was famous for her eclectic circle of friends. I pride myself on that same principle of knowing so many diverse people and calling many of them my friends. I would like to profile them and their expertise by offering this monthly addition of tips, tactics and techniques shared by experts in their field. Although someone once told me not to refer to myself as an expert as an ex is a has-been and a spurt is little more than a drip.
 When you look at Sherri Heckenast you don't think, race car driver, but that's where you'd be wrong. Sherri grew up watching her father race at Chicagoland's Santa Fe Speedway. The sport got into her blood and as she grew up she knew that was her calling. At 16, when other girls were going to the mall and buying prom dresses, Sherri started in the 4-cylinder racing division and was the only female to win a feature in that class at Santa Fe. A few years later she went on the road, following a series called Northern Allstars. In 2001 she was Rookie of the Year and finished 16th in overall points with 100 male competitors.
 Sherri's also the creator of the exciting extreme school bus race which my Vistage group had the thrill of participating in.
Now, Sherri's on the other side of the fence; she owns Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway, the Taj Mahal of dirt racing, and focuses on promoting. You probably can't read it in the photo of Sherri's car (right) but on the hood it says, "BAD ASS BARBIE CAR." !!! Don't you love it?
For more information visit: kentuckylakemotorspeedway.net
or contact Sherri at raceteaM99@aol.com
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| MIKKI'S MANTRA |
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Be outrageous...it's the only place that isn't crowded. |
| INSPIRATIONS
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I gave this poem to my son Jason on his 25th birthday: IF I HAD MY CHILD TO RAISE OVER AGAINby Diane Loomans
If I had my child to raise all over again,I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.I'd finger-paint more and point the finger less.I would do less correcting and more connectingI'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.I would care to know less and know to care more,I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.I'd do more hugging and less tugging.I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.I'd model less about the love of power And more about the power of love.
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MIKKI ON THE MOVE
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 Check
out where Mikki will be speaking and piggyback your company or
association event, or simply invite her to dinner or shopping!
Click here for her calendar:
Mikki On The Move
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SPEAKERS SCHOOL with Mikki Williams, CSP
The April Speakers School was a great success. Read a testimonial below from one of the fabulous attendees.
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The Next Speakers School will be September 25-26, 2008.
It's for people at all levels: novices, wannabes, CEOs, professionals.
Click here to register:
Speakers School
"The school definitely exceeded my expectations and I left energized and excited about all the possible "what next"'s. I tell everyone who asks what it was like, that I relate it to getting to talk with a professional athlete who brings you to the realization of just how much work needs to go into being really great at their sport, however they share enough tricks of the trade that you still think you might be able to do it too. I certainly won't be on ESPN anytime soon but maybe on a speaking circuit? Thanks for that."
Steve Conine
President
AccuStaff-Reno
Reno, NV
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To
book Mikki for your next event as a keynoter, emcee, panelist, seminar
or workshop leader (she doesn't do floors or windows) or for more info
on Vistage, Speakers Schools, Coaching or Consulting or anything else
that's on your mind, contact Samantha or Mikki
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Thanks for spending time with us!
 Baby pictures of the dynamic duo!
Mikki Williams (L), CEO (Captain of Ebulient (ooh, fifty cent word for Sam!) Optimism) and Samantha Hoffman (R), Director of Everything.
Wouldn't Mom be proud???
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Hair She is...!
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