Hair She Is...! Mikki Williams' Ezine

Well, the highlight of my month, I can't tell you about, how's that for an opening? I went to the Eye Ball (yes, I came up with that name, are you surprised?), an event to raise money and awareness for the Illinois Eye Institute. I am a consultant to the Board of Directors and in that capacity I was involved with the silent auction. Little did I know that my hand would be going up consistently in a bid (or rather fight) to win an amazing prize at the live auction. It will be a gift for my darling son Jason who will have a significant birthday this year so you'll have to wait 'til October to find out (or else call me!

)

Spent some fun time at my Florida digs with my BFF Chris from Wales (yes, as in the UK).

Mikki and Chris

The rest of the month I was with clients in Florida, NY, California and South Carolina. While in South Carolina I reconnected with one of the first dancers I ever Mik and Jana

trained, Jana Connors, over 30 years ago. She is now a mom of four living in Spartanburg, SC.

My dancer, Jana

I went to the Opera and sat through FOUR hours of The Marriage of Figaro. Ouch, never again. Then went to see Celia, the Musical which I loved because I love Latin dance and music but the whole show was in Spanish and no, I do not understand. Here's a little preview.

Capped off the month seeing Billy Elliott, the musical. Other than the dancing (which I love) I was not as thrilled with the show as I expected to be. Being with my friend Chris from Wales this month helped a little with the foreign language...British.

Here I am with one of my favorite clients on a return

engagement to Hot Dog on a Stick, and they are all proudly wearing their uniform.

It was another great month!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!

e World is Fat
The Fads, Trends, Policies, and Products That Are Fattening the Human Race
By Barry Popkin

If you've read The World is Flat (and you should) then this title will resonate a little more with you. The author is a renowned obesity and nutrition expert. His book is about global obesity and his research project of following four families in the U.S., India and Mexico to prove his theories.
The one he appears to be most passionate about is his adherence to the fact that this epidemic is about human biology vs. modern society. He particularly attacks the soft drink industry and does not neglect the obvious sugar-laden, nutrient deficient, supersized products that contribute to this gluttony. This book was not a typical read for me but I was attracted to the title by the play on words (which you know I love), my background in fitness, and my ever-present need to challenge myself. I was indeed drawn to this expert's opinion on such a controversial subject. It was out of my reading comfort zone and so all the more reason to tackle it.

Mikki will be teaming up with some of her fabulous friends and peers to create unique training days.

THE NEXT TELESEMINAR:
Mikki in Gold

A Conversation with Stephanie Gunning

Mikki and
Stephanie Gunning
Your Book Is Your Business Card

April 29, 2010 at Noon CST

This discussion is for business professionals, speakers, and experts in different fields, who are interested in attracting more clients, booking more speaking appearances, introducing themselves to new customers and generating sales at the back of the room.

During our conversation, we'll discuss:

Benefits of doing a book
How much time and energy is required
Why you need a book proposal
How to find a literary agent
What a publisher can do for you
Advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing
How digital technology has changed publishing

CLICK HERE for instructions on how to join us on April 29th.

Not being a "regular" public speaker I tuned in to Mikki's teleseminar to remind me of all the things that a good speaker will do. Having hired Mikki as a keynote speaker in the past I knew that whatever pointers she was giving out were going to be not only useful but would be presented in a way that I could remember them. It was an hour well spent.
Nancy Cueroni
Executive Director, National Marine Distributors Association

My presentation He Who Laughs Lasts! aka Humor in the Workplace!! On April 13th I'll be doing my first ever webinar (oh Miss Techie that I'm becoming, woo hoo!) on this very topic with Lighthouse Consulting. Here are some points from that upcoming event.

First of all, click on the slide at right to view my presentation as it's meant to be. Due to technical challenges my friends at Lighthouse Consulting, Dana and Ellen Borowa, were unable to reproduce my slides as I sent them and (horror of horrors!) when I saw that the color, cartoons and unconventionality had been taken out of them, I was aghast. Okay, I wasn't aghast (I just like that word) but I did have a mini freak-out, especially since I speak on branding and constantly refer to consistency of brand, and the Lighthouse slides were clearly NOT me. Since they could not replicate "me" I am including a link to Mikki-ized slides lest you think you tuned in to someone impersonating me.

It's Time to Bring Humor to The Workplace!

There's not much to laugh about in these challenging economic times, the new normal as it is called, with companies failing and jobs disappearing. Humor in the workplace is exactly what is needed. I'm happy to say I'm busier than ever because more people need humor now, as well as hope and inspiration, my key subjects. What is the value of HITW? Well, I'll tell you...it boosts morale, fosters creativity (which is really problem solving), increases teamwork, reduces stress and more (but you'll have to tune in on April 13th to find out).

I'll be sharing 15 ways to create HITW. Here are a couple examples: create a humor bulletin board where employees can post funny cartoons, quotes, bumper stickers and jokes. Appoint a CFO Chief Fun Officer.
If you're not having fun reading this ezine then YOU need to attend this webinar!

Date: Tuesday April 13th
Time: 11am PT
Duration: 45 minutes
Cost N/C

To sign up, please click here. We'll reserve your space and send dial-in information to you.

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:

Cycle Path (We're crazy about biking Bike Shop)

Hello Deli (Delicatessen)

***********************************************************
I hope you'll continue to send me ones you know of.
Please send to mikki@mikkiwilliams.com

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!"

Wasn't this just the perfect Easter color? Wore these to one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago, Atwood Cafe, then to see the award-winning musical, Billy Elliott. I had just seen the Nicholas Sparks movie,The Last Song where you know someone's gonna die and you're gonna cry several times so my Easter/Passover treat was a much needed happy day.

WONDERFUL WEBsightings

I come across so many and so many are shared with me that I thought I'd share with you.

www.thepeopledecide.us

A great way for citizens to be better informed and have their voice heard in Washington on issues of the day.

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!

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" - Robin Williams

Order the book today!

REVIEWS

Such a nice testimonial from Vistage Chair Steve Johnson!

My groups had asked for a program on public speaking, and this week we got to "test drive" Mikki's new program. [Speak Loudly and Carry a Big Shtick - not a new program for me, but new to Vistage.]
She wowed them - 5.0/5.0 from both my CE and my Key group [I'm so pleased - that's the highest rating you can get!]. Every one of them got great value to help them improve their communication and therefore leadership skills. Plus they had fun!
You can't miss with Mikki.
Best regards,
Stephen I. Johnson

HE WHO LAUGHS...LASTS!

This seems fitting for April Showers!

JUST JEANNIE, THE SOCIAL MEDIA MAVEN

Jeannie Walters helps companies enter into the social media mayhem - by connecting with customers, prospects and colleagues in new and powerful ways. Tips from Jeannie:

Get Creative & Have Fun

What do people like to talk about it? Many times, it's not your business - sorry! The key to engagement is finding ways you can connect with others in real ways. People like to have fun, laugh, and relate to others like them. If all you're doing is discussing your business and yourself it's not going to engage people, no matter what social media tactic you use.
So get creative. A hospital in Madison, Wisconsin started a Facebook group for anyone who had been born there or had babies there. The group jumped in and started talking with each other, plus this helped promote good feelings about the hospital. Some famous brand mascots - a gecko, a man made of tires, and others - have their own Twitter accounts and Facebook Fan pages. That loud, quack-y duck? He runs contests for his fans.
You may be thinking your business can't do this because your connections are serious about business. But here's the truth - we're all people. Guy Kawasaki, with more than 200,000 followers on Twitter, posts many things that are just about the fun or bizarre. Think about how you can insert a little fun or playfulness into how you interact with people. This approach also helps build trust, so when you do talk business, people will be more likely to listen!

Questions about social media? Questions about social media? Email me at Jeannie@360Connext.com
For more info see me at www.360Connext.com

Follow Jeannie on Twitter

THE HAPPY COOKER

Yes, that was the name of one of my businesses and oh, come on, I know guys cook too.

Cappuccino Torte

Capuccino Torte

1 lb. margarine
2 tbsp. powdered espresso (not granules)
� cup Kahlua
� cup sugar
1 lb. semisweet chocolate chips
8 eggs

Melt margarine, espresso, Kahlua and sugar in double boiler or microwave. Add chocolate and stir till melted. Beat in eggs one at a time. Prepare and 8" cake pan with a piece of waxed paper, cut to fit into the bottom. Grease sides and wax paper bottom. Pour mixture in baking pan. Place pan in a larger baking pan and fill larger pan halfway to top of 8" pan with hot water. Bake 350 for 35 minutes. Chill at least 8 hours or overnight. Unmold onto platter, serve with berries.

FUN, FABULOUS, FEARLESS FRIENDS

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.

INTRODUCING...this month's teleseminar guest, Stephanie Gunning
Bestselling Author, Editor and Publishing Consultant

I was introduced to Stephanie by my BFF Sherry Davis who had worked with her and now I have the pleasure. Stephanie is the secret resource of some of the top-selling and best-known authors. A former senior editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell and HarperCollins, she dropped out of the publishing scene to become an actor. The truth is that she had never really fully escaped the publishing industry. Even as she was honing her craft as a performer Stephanie was offering consulting services to a number of top literary agencies and editing manuscripts.

Liking to call herself the Audacious Editor (her Twitter moniker), Stephanie advises and edits emerging and bestselling authors during the day. At night she is an afficionado of Manhattan's social dancing scene.

These days she runs a one-on-one coaching program (www.GetaBookDeal.com) for serious aspirants who are seeking a publisher for their nonfiction book project. She also works as a developmental editor for manuscripts of authors in a variety of nonfiction categories.

Contact Stephanie at 212.787.8637 and abundantwords@aol.com

MIKKI'S MANTRA

Be outrageous...it's the only place that isn't crowded.
My favorite quote is featured in The Woman's Advantage Shared Wisdom Calendar, one of only 365 chosen from over 3,500 submissions.
The Woman's Advantage is a line of information products designed exclusively for successful women business owners. For more information call 919-841-0401
or visit The Woman's Advantage

INSPIRATIONS

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.

RISK

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true feelings.
To play your ideas, your dreams before the crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return. To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risk must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, and has nothing and is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow and love.
Chained by their certitudes, they are also slaves.
They have forfeited freedom.
For only a person who risks. . . is free.

---Anonymous

MIKKI ON THE MOVE

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

SPEAKERS SCHOOL WILL BE IN SESSION ON APRIL 22-24TH AND THERE ARE A FEW SPOTS LEFT!

Day One: Presentation Skills
Day Two: Learning Lab (Your opportunity to practice what you learned in Day One. You must have completed Day One to participate.)
Day Three: Marketing Your Speeches

The next Speakers School is September 23-25, 2010.
It's for people at all levels: novices, wannabes, CEOs, professionals or anyone who needs to improve their communication skills.

Join my Facebook Fan Page, follow me on Twitter, connect with me on LinkedIn, catch me on YouTube, look for me on Plaxo:

Don't forget to check out my blog:

In case you've missed past issues of the ezine
Click here to visit the archives.

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

MIKKI WILLIAMS, CSP

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

Thanks for spending
time with us!
Mik&Me 4.10

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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.