or...
Stop being so darned "professional" and take a break today! |
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Welcome to issue sixteen of my ezine. If you enjoyed last month you'll be craaaaazy about this month! 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.
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Mikki and Mom
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This month we honor mothers, after all everyone has a mother or you've been a mother or you've been called a mother. 
Okay, okay, I used that last year but thought it too good not to use again. Maybe I'll make it my
annual Mom's Day opening. Mikki and Jason, THE son!
Because I can.☺
Well, April was action-packed. Here's just a sample of the highlights: spoke to NSA-Virginia (that would be National Speakers Association, my professional trade association) . As a give-back I go around the country and speak at the various chapters to the aspiring and the professionals. It's always rewarding for me and I have a great time. This one was in Chesapeake, Virginia - thank you, Dorothy Erlanger (above).
Spent time in Atlanta, Vegas, NY, Florida and wrapped up the month with another great Speakers School at home with attendees from CA, NY, CO, WA as well as locals. Looking forward to the September one - I enjoy them so much. This was a month of reconnection. Got to enjoy dinner with Greg Covert, whom I hadn't seen in decades. He was a member of my dance company and was here doing "A Chorus Line."  He's been a working dancer since I trained him back in the 80s.
Also had dinner with Jeff Baxter from Oklahoma who always calls himself President of the Mikki Williams Fan Club even though I hadn't seen him in 15 years. I originally met Jeff through friends in the fitness industry and it was great to see both those guys again.
 I attended a magnificent wedding at The Ritz Carlton in Lake Las Vegas
and got to reconnect with all the women from my years in the Westport
Young Women's League. Photo above is Evi Allen, mother of the bride (left), moi, and Kathy Sirico, my best friend of %#!*%?%# years, in our standard pose. I taught the Westport ladies and their children how to dance.☺
 Here's a photo of all of us.
I ended the whole month with a week at my condo in Florida with my crackerjack designer, Jim Malone. After last month's turbo shopping, this was turbo decorating. We're about 80% there and I am so excited. 
My boudoirA little colorful, huh? What a surprise. When Sam saw the pictures of my condo she said, "Oh my God," so I know it's a success!
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 SIGN UP NOW FOR A TELESEMINAR
on
BRANDINGJune 11, 2009 at 12:00 Noon (CST) With Mikki and Mark *******
How To Be You-Nique!
Mikki Williams, CSP
"We're all born unique, we just die as copies." Whoever said that never met Mikki Williams. In her nine entrepreneurial companies she has used the same techniques to create a memorable brand. Mikki will show you how to create your own brand, be it for you as an individual or for your company. Your brand is your competitive advantage and Mikki has created an enduring and memorable one that keeps her in the forefront of her international speaking career.
Mark V.B. Partridge Your B.R.A.N.D. is more than just a trademark. It's the ultimate symbol of your Business, Reputation, Assets, Name and Definition. Your B.R.A.N.D. is THE key to your success in today's world. It encompasses your ideas, innovation and competitive advantage in the marketplace. Mark Partridge has protected some of the most famous brands in the world, including Ritz, Mickey Mouse, Just Do It, Pepsi and Mastercard. He was named one of the Top 250 IP strategists in the world by Intellectual Asset Management Magazine.TELESEMINAR BEGINS AT 12:00 NOON (CST) ON THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2009. CALL NOW TO REGISTER - a great value at just $29.
312.664.8447 or email: samantha@mikkiwilliams.com
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I LOVE THIS BOOK!
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 Setting The Table
The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business
By Danny Meyer
You're probably wondering why I read this book. Well...I'm from New York, I love to try new restaurants, did my Master's work in Hospitality (didn't know that, huh?), I admire innovators, believe business acumen is garnered from all different industries plus Jason, my son had worked for him at Union Square Caf�, one of NY's most revered restaurants that Danny started at the ripe old age f 27. Today Danny is CEO of one of the world's most dynamic restaurant establishments. This book takes the traditional business model and reverses its priorities. Being the maverick that I am I often embrace those business tactics. His philosophy is counter-intuitive to the standard model and his application of hospitality is to the people who work for you, then in descending order of priority, to the guests, the community, the suppliers and the investors. He believes that is the foundation to his success. What have you done lately to push the edges of your business comfort zone?
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How many of you are in sales? Raise your hand! If your hand isn't up, raise it now! YOU are all in sales! You are either selling yourself, your ideas, your product, your services, yes, you are all in sales. And I love salespeople...high energy, enthusiastic, self-motivated people. My personal development program for professional sales people recognizes that sales performance is dependent on what salespeople do to themselves, not what salespeople do to their prospects. You can learn skills that deliver results throughout your professional selling career and how to "grow as a pro." Success rests on understanding the difference between acting like a professional and being a professional.
Sophisticated technology, complex products, consumer protection, and the expertise of today's buyers have all impacted sales methods. It is no longer enough to study a product manual; be vaccinated with persistence and enthusiasm, and start calling on prospects. Selling is a science to be practiced by professionals. In addition to sales approaches that work you need to learn about nonverbal communications that affect buyer reactions and personality traits that get positive responses from prospects. Modeling the characteristics of high-level achievers is key.
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CREATIVE CAPTIONS
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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:
Citizen Cake (restaurant/bakery in San Francisco. Thanks, Victoria Cabot) Valet Girls (Car detailing service, where else? Los Angeles.) *********************************************************** I hope you'll continue to send me ones you know of. Please send to mikki@mikkiwilliams.com
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SHOE-BE-DOO STORIES
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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!"
Most of you know how blessed I am to go to the places I do and to have the experiences I have. This was one of the best: I was invited to speak to college boys on spring break in Cabo San Lucas. Probably my most challenging audience ever...college boys first thing in the morning; hungover, sleepy and not totally "present." I needed to reeeeaaaalllllly prepare for this gig. What shall I wear? I have to be "cool." hence this month's take off on high heeled sneakers to go with my Guess T shirt and hip skirt. Music, ah music...I had no clue what these guys listened to (read my blog today (it's published every Sunday) to get the details on how I used THEIR music). In short, American Leadership Academy was started by the founder of Ticketmaster, Jerry Nelson. Every year he invites about 700 boys who are part of his college fraternity Phi Kappa Psi to go to Cabo for a week at his compound to experience courses in the topics they don't teach in college, i.e, dress for success (NO, I didn't teach that one), life skills, personality profiling, etc. He believes his success in life was due to his fraternity years and this is his give back. It is an amazing story in the details. Read the blog MIKKI WILLIAMS' BLAH, BLAH...BLOG
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WONDERFUL WEBSITES
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I come across so many and so many are shared with me that I thought I'd share with you.
www.stumbleupon.comWith so many new websites appearing daily, this one finds all the new ones that interest you. It's free, it's fun, it's practical.
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MIKKI MOUTH:
QUOTATIONS I WISH I'D SAID AND SOME I DID SAY!
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Enjoy a quote each month from my new book - some funny, some poignant, some professional, some just darn cute!
"Working mothers are guinea pigs in a scientific experiment to show that sleep is not necessary to human life."
- Anonymous
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READER REVIEWS
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"Love getting your newsletter... you make me laugh and smile... which I think is the most important thing in life!"
Fred Hoffman
Paris, France
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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 15,000 members worldwide. It is to my delight to profile one of them each month.
MICHELLE ERNSDORFF
Vice President of Marketing for IBA Molecular, North America
Michelle is a member of my KEY group which combines key employees, small business owners and start-up entrepreneurs who exponentially want to grow themselves and their roles in business while benefiting the overall goals of their companies.
IBA Molecular is a strategic partner for PET imaging centers, hospitals and researchers who want to achieve success and impact lives through the benefit of PET.
Michelle joined the company as a Sales & Marketing Representative, was promoted to Director of Marketing and then ultimately to Vice President of Marketing. Prior to joining IBA she spent five years in a hospital-based oncology and cardiology nuclear medicine technologist role.
Michelle was instrumental in changing the position of IBA from a technology-focused organization to a healthcare leader whose mission is to protect, enhance and save lives. She has an unwavering passion for helping cancer patients and ensuring that they have knowledge of and access to the type of care that will ultimately save their lives. Anyone who meets her experiences that passion and her dedication to what she does.
She is a triathlete and finisher of the San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon in 2008, a volunteer for Special Olympics and went on a mission to help a children's organization in Nicaragua. Michelle is originally from Dubuque, Iowa and the middle of five children, aunt to nine nephews and a niece, AND a Cubs fan.
For more information call Michelle at 815.739.0825 or email her at me@iba-group.com
For more information on Vistage International click here:
Vistage International
If 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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Dear Darling Son (and That Person You Married),
Thanks for the Mother's Day card, and please don't worry. I'm just fine considering I can't breathe or eat. The important thing is that you have a nice day, thousands of miles away from your ailing mother. I've sent along my last ten dollars in this card, which I hope you'll spend on my grandchildren. God knows their mother never buys them anything nice. They look so thin in their pictures, poor babies.
Thank you so much for the flowers, dear boy. I put them in the freezer so they'll stay fresh for my grave. Which reminds me -- we buried Grandma last week. I know she died years ago, but I got to yearning for a good funeral so Aunt Viola and I dug her up and had the services all over again. I would have invited you, but I know that woman you live with would have never let you come.
Well son, it's time for me to crawl off to bed now. I lost my cane beating off muggers last week, but don't you worry about me. I'm also getting used to the cold since they turned my heat off and am grateful because the frost on my bed numbs the constant pain. Now don't you even think about sending any more money, because I know you need it for those expensive family vacations you take every year. Give my love to my darling grandbabies and my regards to whatever-her-name-is -- the one with the black roots who stole you screaming from my bosom.
Happy Mother's Day!
Love, Mom
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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.
Chocolate Covered Fortune Cookies6 Fortune Cookies 1 Milky Way Bar (2.05 oz) 2 tsp. milk � cup chopped walnuts  Microwave Milky Way Bar and milk in microwave safe bowl in 10 second increments to melt, removing to stir each time. Dip half a fortune cookie into melted Milky Way then into walnuts. Place on a piece of wax paper and refrigerate.
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FABULOUS 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. SHERRY LEBED DAVISSherry and I met when she hired me as a consultant for her business in Philadelphia over #$%&* years ago. She moved to Seattle where she lives with her husband Jeff and their dog Simon, and I moved to Chicago but our friendship outlasts time and distance. It seemed fitting this month to profile Sherry's great work due to the many cancer walks taking place this spring. Sherry parlayed her love of dance and skill of inspiring others with her brother's medical expertise to create a unique, fun and creative movement program that now expands to cover many different diseases and modalities. Sherry has also become a sought-after professional speaker. Meet Sherry!
Sherry Lebed Davis is one of the foremost authorities on the use of movement and therapeutic exercise for the healing and prevention of complications from breast cancer surgery, other cancers, Lymphedema and related treatments. She is the co-founder with Dr. Marc Lebed and Dr. Joel Lebed of The Lebed Method, "Focus on Healing," a program designed to aid in the physical and emotional recovery of chronic illness. Sherry travels both nationally and internationally training instructors for Lebed Method, while doing presentations to many medical organizations, patient advocacy groups, Survivor Celebration Days, Wellness organizations, The Armed Forces, as well as Key Note presentations on Cruise Ships for Cruises for the Cure. Sherry has been seen in People Magazine, Health Magazine, Oxygen, Spa Magazine, MAMM, Coping, CURE, NY Times, Seattle Times, LA Times, Today Show, Life Time Live, BBC and much more.... Sherry has authored a book published by Random House, Thriving After Breast Cancer, Essential Healing Exercises for Body and Mind, and has produced two videos regarding her therapeutic exercise program with a third on the horizon.
You can reach Sherry by phone at 425.745.0842, email her at sherry@gohealthysteps.com or check out her website at www.gohealthysteps.com.
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MIKKI'S MANTRA
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Be outrageous...it's the only place that isn't crowded.
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INSPIRATIONS
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As the wordsmith that I have always been, from my high school honors in English (and French) to my calling as a professional speaker, each of the "inspirations" that I share every month are from years and years of collecting words that have inspired me.
This is a poem written by a very special friend of mine, Niki Androniki who "gifted" it to me long ago on Mother's Day.
My Gifts
My day, my special day...I give myself true gifts,
No grandstanding, money, presents or shallow face lifts.
I give myself the gift of love, honor, self worth and the best of health,
And many more things I define as a true sense of wealth.
I give the gift to the daughter, the wife, the earner, a chance to be free,
And capture my own life, my own breath... the true essence of "me."
I give myself the gift of clear foresight, without looking behind or around,
With no rose colors to blur my vision, I stand firmly on my own good ground.
To repeat, I give myself the gift of the present and looking ahead,
Not behind on reminders that once made me mentally dead.
I give myself the gift of wholeness and openness, as I walk high and proud,
To reflect my true self to others, even when I'm "off," boisterous or loud.
I give myself the gift of true friends, family and others that may come along,
And I will forgive and forget those in the past who have done me wrong.
I'm no spring chicken, but a graceful swan halfway there,
I give myself the gift of will to live each moment without a moment to spare.
Being that I am half way there...
I give myself the gift of better self-care.
I give myself not just sustenance, but good food for my total well being,
And will fight the pull of toxins, not worthy of a one sec pseudo-good feeling.
I give myself the gift of motion and vitality to keep me active and strong,
Not to mention tightness tomorrow as gravity pushes me down and along.
The ultimate gift I give to myself is when I'm frail and old,
I'll still have my inner spirit alive and well, and as feisty and bold.
So, I will celebrate my day today in the most special way,
But will give myself the gift of celebrating the same way, each and every day.
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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 just invite her to dinner or shopping!
Click here for her calendar:
Mikki On The Move
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The next Speakers School is September 24-25, 2009. It's for people at all levels: novices, wannabes, CEOs, professionals or anyone who needs to improve their communication skills. Click here to register: Speakers School
Read a testimonial from one of the fabulous attendees of the February School:
"Returning to Mikki's Speakers School for a refresher course was most enjoyable and valuable. Mikki is always offering fresh, updated material. A great experience!"
Cathy Emma
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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 Mikki or Samantha |
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MIKKI WILLIAMS, CSP
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Mikki Williams, CSP is a professional speaker/trainer, specializing in business dynamics and human potential as well as a Resource Speaker for Vistage International, the worlds largest CEO organization. She is a small business consultant, runs tri-annual Speaker Schools, Chairs two Executive Think Tanks, affilated with Vistage International and is a Life Architect, helping people design their lives and businesses through a coaching model. To learn more about Mikki Williams Unltd. and all the services provided
CALL ME: 312.664.8447
FAX ME: 312.664.8460
E ME: mikki@mikkiwilliams.com
SEE ME: www.mikkiwilliams.com
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 Baby pictures of the dynamic duo!Mikki Williams (L), CEO (Captain of Ebulient Optimism) and Samantha Hoffman (R), Director of Everything.
Wouldn't Mom be proud???
Thanks for spending time with us!
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All contents � 2008, except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. Duplication or reprint only with expressed permission from Mikki Williams. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. All contents provided as is. In our extensive research we've made every attempt to be accurate in attributing quotes, poems, jokes and the like and want to apologize in advance if we have not given proper credit or given it erroneously. |
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