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or...
stop being so darned professional and take a break today!
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| Welcome! 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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Happy Father's Day ALL!!
Last year I celebrated June as a wedding issue so this year I thought I'd acknowledge all you wonderful dads.
I've done my usual traipsing all over the country and found time for some serious play.
I organized the First Annual Sexy Savvy Superwomen do the Six S's in Las Vegas.  My goal was for five women to bring one friend each from all over, so in essence, women meeting women. It was fabulous, and next year will be HUGE! We had an awesome time - we stayed at the new, hip Cosmopolitan Hotel, dined at Kim Kardashian's Sugar Factory, fed on fabulous tapas at Julian Serrano, and munched on yummy food at Blue Ribbon Sushi. Saw "Defending the Caveman" which was the umpteenth time for me but many hadn't seen it, and we did the Six S's and no, I'm not telling. What happens in Vegas...
Ended the weekend with a fabulous tour of Zappos, (I opened, as a speaker earlier this year for CEO, Tony Hseih). (Me with Duron, below.)
Oh yes, I worked this month too! Here I am at Skidmore Studio with CEO Tim Smith (below left).
Then on to Don Strange Ranch for my first encounter with a Longhorn. And with President Brian Strange  (below right)! This was just three days after Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton were married there.
I took a week to chill (or rather, sweat) at home in Naples, Florida with buddy, Kat Coleman. The love bugs were still there and I know it's hard to tell in the photo below but those little suckers are plastered all over the grill and bumper of that truck! Ugh! 
Went to Boston to speak at the Friends of Mel Conference, very inspiring - you must read the story . (that's me with Pauline Alighieri, below).
Also reconnected with fitness pals that I hadn't seen in 20 years, Josie Gardiner and Joy Prouty, creators of Zumba Gold... (below)
AND I had New England steamers, YAY!
Finished first week of June with a gig at the Better Business Bureau in Phoenix - verrrry hot! (Pictured with CEO Matt Fehling below.)
Then on to Seattle where I got to spend time with BFF Sherry, and speak at the very hip MulvannyG2 Architecture. Here I am (below) with Mitch Smith, CEO.
All in all it's been a very busy and exciting month...except for all the canceled and delayed flights (l love my job, I love my job...).
Honor your dad this month (and don't forget your mom too) and in doing so you honor yourself.
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I LOVE THIS BOOK!
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Social Boom How to Master Business Social Media to Brand Yourself, Sell Yourself, Sell Your Product, Dominate Your Industry Market, Save Your Butt, Rake in the Cash and Grind Your Competition Into the Dirt. by Jeffrey Gitomer OK, OK, so he's my friend but he's also one of the country's leading sales gurus, never mind country...world!!!! You probably know his other books: The Sales Bible, The Little Black Book of..., The Little Red Book of... I digress. But this...this...is the ultimate in-your-face (his style, his personality - that's why I adore him!) book on the difference between social media and BUSINESS social media. For a completely different perspective on how to use social media Jeffrey shares ideas on how to use Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, YouTube in ways that you have never thought of by attracting, engaging and connecting people through value. He doesn't have a process, he has a formula. I love this book!!!
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Join me and some of my fabulous friends for fun and informative tele-conversations!
Don't miss the next tele-conversation on
Wednesday, June 29th at 12:00 noon CST.
No cost, no obligation. Just CLICK HERE to register.
TELE-CONVERSATION WITH MIKKI
AND DAVID AVRIN
It's Not Who You Know, It's Who Knows You!
How to Raise Your Profile by Building Your Brand
After recent speaking gigs in Singapore and Bangkok, 6'4" marketing speaker David Avrin says he felt like he was in Gulliver's Travels! Known as The Visibility Coach, David travels across America and around the world helping business owners and entrepreneurs dig deep to clearly differentiate themselves from competitors. An energetic and highly-irreverent presenter, David Avrin says that most business owners spend years, if not decades, building their company or their professional practice but most spend only a matter of minutes crafting the words they use to describe what they do. (And no, your people don't make the difference!) Best-selling author and veteran speaker David Avrin will help you look deeper to ferret out what truly separates you from your very talented competitors. Your head will be swimming with new strategies and tactics to transcend commodity and raise your visibility.
Next month's Tele-Conversation will be on Thursday, July 28th at noon CST:
Jeff Blackman's Peak Your Profits!�
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BIZ BYTES
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 My first three years of professional speaking was mostly international work...by choice. A desire to "experience" the world was one of my primary motivators in pursuing this career. As a new feature I will share my fascinating journeys. Hope you will enjoy the recap with me. AHAs in AUSTRALIA Another AHA! Never listen to judgmental descriptions of countries, cultures and foreigners. They're like the old game of telephone; the story changes from each person to each person. It is not true that all Germans are serious, all Frenchmen don't like Americans, the Dutch are cheap, the Irish drink and party all the time, the English are stuffy and the Aussies are male chauvinistic.  The twenty-plus hour plane ride was well worth the trip. Do leave some sleep adjustment time on either side. On my first trip I had images dancing through my head of kangaroos, koalas, and men who looked like Mel Gibson. My best friend Kathy accompanied me and together we allowed for some after-speech time to tour the country. AHA!: You don't tour Australia unless you have a lot of time. I asked one Aussie how far it was to the Great Barrier Reef from Sydney. All of their answers referred to flying time, not driving time.
READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE
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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:
Your Unique Pursonality (handbag store)
Mustard's Last Stand (hot dogs)
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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!"
This month's shoe is called Lynn after my friend, Lynn LaPalermo.  How do I know Lynn? I dated her brother Tom who used to talk about her so much I felt I knew and liked her already. Tom and I spoke last year and he told me Lynn was involved with Babor Cosmetics and Skin Care, a very high end line that I've experienced at spas. He introduced Lynn and me  via email and she offered to send me products. I in turn invited her to my annual July 4th birthday party and the rest, as they say, is history. Lynn and I became fast friends. She is now working on developing her own spa while marketing Salon Lashe on Oak Street in Chicago, the latest and greatest in eyelash extensions (I'll never tell!)!
BTW, if you tell them you saw this article you can get a 50% discount! Yes...50%. Such a deal!
For pricing or ordering the shoes, go to www.ateliershoes.com/mikki and mention you saw them here for a 20% discount. |
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WONDERFUL WEBSITEings
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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.wanelo.com
(Find unique products and stores you've never heard of)
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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!
Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance. ~Ruth E. Renkel |
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MILLENNIAL INSIGHTS
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Kristen DaRosa is an adventure-seeking young consultant specializing in relationship management and marketing. Her Chicago-based consultancy is dedicated to helping her nationally-based clients do just about anything related to the art of 'talk'. DaRosa is an ambassador for a premier MBA school where she facilitates relationship management with global corporations. She will be sharing with us her perspective on what many call "the entitled generation."
The Generational Paradox
Over the last year I've wound up in more than one debate over the future of Gen Y-ers, some healthier than others. I have a friend who once said that he lives his life by two rules. Number 1: Don't judge. Number 2: Don't [insert 'bleep' over profanity] judge. If you visit my home you'll see that in my office I have an entire wall that's covered by quotes, rules, goals, dreams, wine bottle labels, my niece's drawings and other such keepsakes that are meant to inspire and remind. That rule is on there and has become a part of my daily mantra. Don't judge.
The struggle in trying to understand how my generation has managed to ascertain such negativity is really just that - a struggle. Listening to people judge my peers isn't easy and I find myself defending, even talking out of turn, in an emotionally-driven attempt to change perception. The following video is something to be celebrated as it sums up the generation paradox and turns backwards thoughts into a forward, uplifting mantra that my generation can live by.
 | | Lost Generation |
Kristen_darosa@hotmail.com
Visit Kristen's blog:
WhineAfter5
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TITILLATING TRIVIA
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Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year? Scroll down to the very bottom for the answer. |
| ,WASSUP WITH WELLNESS |  John Godoy is a wellness coach and fitness trainer to Chicago's business and entertainment elite. He is the founder of JGF (John Godoy Fitness), specializing in the vitalization of health and wellness and in the development of active lifestyles. Godoy is a former head University sports coach and a published health and fitness expert, a regular Ironman competitor and trains in the martial arts. His certifications include the National Academy of Sports medicine (NASM), The CHEK institute and the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). ARE YOU A GRAPE OR A RAISIN? Here's the scoop: your body is approximately 75% water. Water plays a vital role in the critical internal processes of the body - ranging from digestion and waste elimination, to the lubrication of joints, body temperature regulation and circulation. Most of us suffer critically from dehydration - yet we don't realize it. Visualize a firm juicy red grape - now a dry wrinkly raisin - this is essentially the contrast between good hydration and poor hydration - the only difference is that a lot of the damage from dehydration occurs inside our body rather than outside and thus we cannot see just how much of a raisin we actually are. Are you drinking enough water? Among the symptoms of dehydration are fatigue, loss of mental clarity, high blood pressure, dry skin, and a weakened immune system. Research has shown that we need to drink at least half our weight in ounces of water daily to remain in a healthy state. Soda pop, caffeine, and juices don't count because they need more water than they provide to clear out the sugars and chemicals and junk that theyput in our body. Many people are concerned with issues such as environmental waste caused by plastic bottles, BPA - an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics, and the quality of municipal water supplies. Well, the merits of each concern can be argued - however it is beyond the scope of this article - thus I propose a solution that appeases the concern of all parties: reusable BPA-free portable water filtration systems - essentially Brittas for your backpack. These filtration systems contain a replaceable carbon filter embedded in the bottle itself so that any clean water that is used to fill it goes through a filtration process as you drink. Each filter is good for several hundred refills. Two great products are the Camelbak Groove and the Bobble. There you have it - a healthy, convenient, portable, BPA free, environmentally friendly, clean product! Stay healthy and happy drinking! john@johngodoy.com www.johngodoy.com
312.804.8498 |
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HE WHO LAUGHS...LASTS!
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Things Dads Would Never Say
"Can you turn up that music?"
"Go ahead and take my car. Here's 50 bucks for gas."
"Here, you take the remote."
"I LOVE your tattoo. We should both get new ones."
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SOCIAL MEDIA GURU GUY
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Dave Nelsen 
Dave's formal title is President, Dialog Consulting Group.
From 2005 to 2009 he was CEO of TalkShoe, a social media company now serving more than one million monthly listeners...and the fabulous company I use to produce my monthly teleseminars.
Social Media: Quantity vs. Quality
Recently I discovered a social media measurement service called www.Klout.com. That's as in: "Who's got clout?" My question is, do you have clout? Do you need it? How do you get it?
Greatly simplifying, Klout measures a person's influence based on how many friends they have on Facebook and how many followers they have on Twitter. I'm not saying that those are bad measures of influence. In fact, if in business I'm deciding whom to influence, I want to influence the influencers. Klout is a valuable tool.
Still, as a social media professional I've made two radical decisions regarding business social networking:
#1 I don't try to be everywhere or to be all things to all people. Businesses have limited resources; do one thing well, rather than five things poorly. For business social networking, I use only LinkedIn, not Facebook, not Plaxo, not Spoke, not Ryze, not ... anything else.
#2 I connect with (or follow) only people I actually know. And respect. As a result, even though I was one of the first 99,000 members of LinkedIn, and 99,900,000 members have followed, today I have fewer than eight hundred connections. But they're real connections. When I ask them for something I usually get it. And when they ask me for something, I'm happy to assist.
Social networking is a lot like real life. When you invest in your relationships they pay dividends. Yes, it's a little counter-intuitive but I say go for quality over quantity.
You can find more formal details here:
wesocialize.biz
To contact Dave directly:
dave@WeSocialize.biz |
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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.
CUBAN STYLE BURGERS
Serves: 4
 1 lb 80/20 ground chuck,
Salt and freshly ground pepper
� cup best quality mayonnaise
3 cloves roasted garlic, pureed
� cup Dijon mustard
4 soft, classic hamburger buns
4 slices thinly sliced smoked ham
8 slices thinly sliced Swiss cheese
2 dill pickles, sliced into � inch thick slices
1. Preheat grill to high. Form the meat into four �-inch thick burgers. Season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides and grill for 2-3 minutes on both sides for medium doneness.
2. Combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread both sides of each bun with mayonnaise and mustard. Place a slice of cheese on the bottom portion of each bun, place the burger on top of the cheese, then top the cheese with a slice of ham then another slice of cheese then the pickle slices. Place the tops of the bun over the pickles, wrap the burgers in aluminum foil and place on the grill. Using a heavy pan or a brick wrapped in foil, press down on the burgers for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lower the lid on the grill and continue grilling for 1-2 minutes or until cheese has melted and the bun has become pressed and firm.
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MIKKI'S MANTRA
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Be outrageous...it's the only place that isn't crowded. My quote was chosen again from over 5,000 submissions to be featured in The Woman's Advantage Shared Wisdom Calendar for 2011. I'm on July 3rd (a coincidence since my birthday is July 4th) and the chosen quote was "Life gives you choices, not chances and it's those choices that determine the quality of your life."
For more information call 919.841.0401
or visit The Woman's Advantage
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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.
What Makes a Dad  God took the strength of a mountain, The majesty of a tree, The warmth of a summer sun, The calm of a quiet sea, The generous soul of nature, The comforting arm of night, The wisdom of the ages, The power of the eagle's flight, The joy of a morning in spring, The faith of a mustard seed, The patience of eternity, The depth of a family need, Then God combined these qualities When there was nothing more to add, He knew His masterpiece was complete, And so, He called it ... Dad
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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 |
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The next Speakers School is in session on
September 22-24, 2011 in Chicago
 | | Why Should You Come to Speakers School? |
REGISTER NOW!
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: Getting Booked
Speakers School is for people at all levels; novices, wannabes, CEOs, professionals or anyone who needs to improve their communication skills. And who doesn't??
Upcoming Speakers Schools:
September 22-24, 2011
February 23-25, 2011
REGISTER NOW!
I have attended Speakers School three times and learn more each time. My ratings as a speaker continue to improve as a result. It's very generous of you to allow attendees to return over and over again for merely the cost of food and handouts, what a value proposition!! Worth the original time and money investment ten times over. YOU and your professional acumen are worth the cross country trip alone.
Sherry LeBed Davis, CEO
Healthy-Steps
www.gohealthysteps.com
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VISIONARY VOLUNTEERISM
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Visionary - adjective (esp. of a person), thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom
 I speak of volunteerism is my speeches. I tell stories to inspire and challenge audiences to volunteer as individuals, as responsible business and community leaders. as parents/grandparents, and to get their children involved early. By the way, volunteerism is the number one way to raise self-esteem. What are you doing in this visionary effort? Each month I will give you a link to a site where you can volunteer. Please send me a link to your favorite volunteer opportunity to post.
www.greenbeanscoffee.com/coj 
Buy a cup of joe for a soldier serving far from home and have it delivered with your own personal note of encouragement...
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Become a fan on Facebook, 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 every Sunday
for a new post:
Would love for you to join my Facebook Fan page. Just click the icon below:
In case you've missed past issues of the ezine
Click here to visit the archives.
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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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Our summer outfits - we're business-casual here at Mikki Williams Unltd.
Thanks for spending
time with us!
ANSWER TO TITILLATING TRIVIA:
Father's Day!
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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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