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  Issue No. 50                                        April 2012
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.
Banner-25 years
Banner-10 years

In This Issue
I Love This Book!
Mikki & Friends
25 For 25
Creative Captions
Shoe-Be-Doo Stories
Wonderful Website-ings
Mikki Mouth
Social Media Guru Guy
Titillating Trivia
Econ Recon
The Happy Cooker
He Who Laughs...
Mikki's Mantra
Inspirations
Mikki on the Move
Speakers School
Mikki Williams, CSP

MUSINGS FROM MIKKI


March came in like a lamb, not a lion, and I enjoyed the bizarre but wonderful winter-masquerading-as summer in Chicago weather and then spoiled myself by going to my Florida home as well to further my tan. It was, as you might say, a good month in my quest this year for more normalcy. I know, I know, normalcy and me in one sentence is an oxymoron. I have been doing more and more coaching of all different types, from presentations skills to career transitions, and enjoying all those one-to-one experiences with clients from all over the country in all occupations. I did find time to hit Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina and some stay-at-home gigs as well. In Georgia I spoke at Qualitek with Santosh Nayak, President Santosh Nayak(left), then on to North Carolina for a Vistage meeting plus two local Vistage groups as well with John Page and Tim Trela, two awesome Chairs. Then out to Schaumburg, Illinois for another speech at Magma Foundry Technologies HQ , below with President, Christof Heisser.Christof Heisser





This is a great time in Florida at my home in the Naples area. I had the pleasure of hosting star Vistage speaker Michael Allosso and his talented wife Peggy who is an incredible jewelry designer. It was a milestone birthday for Michael and we celebrated. Michael and Peggy Allosso Michael is a director and an actor aside from his talents as speaker and coach (he was in the last Pink Panther movie!). He was also there to help me with my one-woman show, which I hope to debut next January. It's entitled, "She Came, She Wore, She Conquered...shoes, sex and other stories." Stay tuned on that one.

My good friend, coaching client, former Vistage member and speaker peer, Merit Gest  Merit Gest (right) was nearby visiting her mom in Florida so we took time to enjoy a dinner together at one of my favorite local haunts, Stir Fry. I'm excited that Merit has decided to join us for our annual Gathering of the Goddesses weekend in Vegas in May. If you didn't get the invitation and want to attend just let me know. No, guys, you can't!!

Wrapped up the month in beautiful Scottsdale speaking for the Arizona chapter of EO (Entrepreneurs Organization) (below with Gary Bushkin, President, National Curriculum and Training Institute, left, and Alfredo Molina, Chairman, Black, Starr, Frost Jewelers). EO ArizonaI stayed at the fabulous Camelback Resort and enjoyed the spa and a lunch with good pal and former EO member Mike Campion and his wife Nathalie. One of the many blessings of my career is the opportunity to stay connected to friends all over the globe. The actual event was at El Chorro Restaurant known for their hot sticky buns. Sticky buns


Hope you all had a Happy Easter and a Joyous Passover!




I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Book-April12Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation
Sally Hogshead

My good friend and fellow Chair in DC, Harvey Goldberg, never forgets the day we met and I said to him, "Okay, fascinate me."  Years later who knew I'd be reading a book on the subject.
Why are you captivated by some people and not others? Why do you recall some brands yet forget the rest? In a  distracted, overcrowded world, how do certain leaders, friends, and family members convince you to change your behavior? Fasincation: the most powerful way to influence decision-making. It's more persuasive than marketing, advertising or any other form of communication. And it all starts with seven universal triggers: lust, mystique, alarm, prestige, power, vice and trust.  
Fascination plays a role in every type of decision-making, from the brands you choose to the songs you remember, from the person you marry to the employees you hire. And by activating the right triggers you can make anything become fascinating. And guess what...I found this book absolutely fascinating!

I love this book!!
 
Mikki & Friends 

Join me and some of my fabulous friends for fun and informative tele-conversations!

 

The next tele-conversation is on  

April 25th at 12:00 noon CST.

  

 No cost, no obligation.   

Just CLICK HERE to register.    

Mikki in Turquoise

TELE-CONVERSATION Patrick RenvoiseWITH  

PATRICK RENVOISE

Neuromarketing: Understanding the Buy Button in Your Customers' Brain

 

Buy button Patrick is a French born nerd (nobody's perfect!) who spent his life marketing super computers at Silicon Graphics. He sold billions of dollars of computer stuff to other nerds at NSA, Boeing, Shell, Canon and more. Unfortunately Patrick wasn't smart enough to sell his Silicon Graphics stock (the benefits of portfolio diversification was not part of the French curriculum for computer nerds) so after losing all his money ten years ago he turned his attention to his real passion: the human brain.   

After years of research Patrick discovered the role of the Reptilian Brain in the process of decision making and he published the only neuromarketing model available today. He received a Masters in Computer Science from the National Institute of Applied Sciences (Lyon, France) a sister University of MIT where they breed computer nerds.
What you can learn from a French nerd:  

--Why and how your customers use their reptilian brain when they make the decision to buy from your competitors

--The only 6 stimuli that can reach the reptilian brain of your customers

 
Tom Searcy

Guest for May: Tom Searcy

May 25, 2012 at noon CST 

How to Close Deals Like Warren Buffett - Lessons from the World's Master Deal Maker

  

25 FOR 25
In recognition of my 25th year as a professional speaker I am going to attempt to list my 25 favorites of various categories over this year. One of my favorite quotes is from Yoda... "There is no try, only do." 
So here goes...

Top 25 Movies (okay, okay, so I like chick-flicks. I could have done
a list of 250!)
I LOOOOVE movies!   
 
The Fabulous Baker Boys 
Breakfast at Tiffany's 
It's a Wonderful Life 
Love Actually 
Message in a Bottle 
Funny Girl Funny Girl 
The Notebook 
Heaven Can Wait 
The Holiday 
The Thomas Crown Affair 
The Wedding Date 
Dirty Dancing 
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers 
Cinema Paradiso 
 Gone With the Wind  
Serendipity 
GWTW
Shirley Valentine 
Something's Gotta Give  
Splendor in the Grass  
Marjorie Morningstar 
Pretty Woman 
When Harry Meets Sally 
You've Got Mail 
Imitation of Life 
An Affair to Remember (the original one) 

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:   

Penne from Heaven  (Italian restaurant)

 
Bone Jour  (Pet Store)

 

 

Keep sending these, they're outrageous! Please send to [email protected]


SHOE-BE-DOO STORIES

As change is one of my themes for the new year, here is a different version of this column for 2012. People knowing my love of shoes send me countless versions and articles they come across.   

 

The perfect shoes for Spring...no, I don't own them but I wish I did!

Shoes-Apr12

 

 

 

WONDERFUL WEBSITEings

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

 

 

www.indiegogo.com 

Everyone should have the opportunity to raise money. Now everyone does. People all over the world use their platform to raise millions of dollars for all types of campaigns. No matter what you are raising money for, creating a campaign is simple. Tell people what you are doing, how they can help and what unique perks they'll get for becoming contributors.

 

 

AWESOME APPS
A new addition! We know you're all app-crazy so we thought we'd add to your madness...and please send us your favorites.
imapmyride

 

 

Can't afford a real, live cycling coach? Then download one for free. Here's a good one for bikers. 

 

iMapMyRide - Free

Turn your iPhone into a cycling partner that tracks your speed, distance and route. iMapMyRide also has a GPS locator that connects you with your biking friends. You can see what courses they've charted and follow their progress as they ride. There's also a friend feed feature that gives status updates for all your buddies' workouts. It helps everyone keep motivation high - and at the end of the day, you can find each other for a well-deserved post-workout snack.

MIKKI MOUTH:

QUOTATIONS I WISH I'D SAID AND SOME I DID SAY!

Mikki Mouth

Enjoy a quote each month from my new book - some funny, some poignant, some professional, some just darn cute!     

    

Isn't it appropriate that tax month begins with April Fool's Day and ends with cries of "May Day!"?  

~ Author Unknown

   

 

Order the book today! 

SOCIAL MEDIA GURU GUY

Dave Nelsen

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.    

 

 Congrats Dave Nelsen

CrowdSourcing

 

The next time you need to have something designed or redesigned - say, your logo, your website, or your product package - you can call your favorite graphics design firm or you can "crowdsource" it and save a pile of money. Wait, there's more: You'll likely get to see more than one hundred custom designs before choosing your firm. How cool is that?

You've heard that the world is flat and this proves it! Social networking allows us to connect with people not just having specific interests but also with specific skill sets. At www.CrowdSpring.com, you can reach 100,000+ "creatives" no matter where they live.

Access the site and click on the appropriate project type to get started. Use the handy red/yellow/green meter to determine the best "award" for your type of project (it's not just a job; it's a contest they can win). And then be amazed as talented designers from around the world show you their best work before you have to buy.

And you don't take anything as a finished design. Instead you rate it 1 to 5 stars (5 being best) and provide feedback. The more direction you give, the more iterations you'll get. Try doing that with a traditional design firm.

I've used this service a half-dozen times myself. The most I've ever spent was $1,201 for a complex eCommerce website design. It's an amazing, almost magical process...unless you run a traditional design firm.

 

You can find more formal details here: 

wesocialize.biz 

To contact Dave directly:

[email protected]

TITILLATING TRIVIA


April 1stAccording to popular lore some folks, out of ignorance, stubbornness, or both, continued to ring in the New Year on April 1st and were made the butt of jokes and pranks on account of their foolishness. This became an annual tradition according to this version of events, which ultimately spread throughout Europe. Some of the best-known pranks in recent years were mounted by advertising agencies. In 1996, Taco Bell ran a full-page ad in the New York Times announcing it had purchased the Liberty Bell and would rename it the "Taco Liberty Bell." Burger King pulled off a similar prank in 1998, announcing the rollout of its "left-handed Whopper," supposedly designed so that condiments would drip from the right side of the burger rather than the left.

ECON RECON 

Introducing my newest columnist, the "economist with a personality" (my title not his) ...
Brian Beaulieu Brian Beaulieuis Vistage's chief economist, one of the country's leading economists, MY Vistage member, a phenomenal speaker, brilliant businessman and a special friend. CEOs worldwide rely on his forecasting as they plan their business year. And for anyone trying to understand the economy, Brian speaks and writes in English not in that foreign language called economicspeak. Enjoy!

Does Anyone in Washington Do the Math?

The U.S. Treasury currently owes $10,700,000,000,000 (that is $10.7 trillion) in public debt. The average interest on that debt is 2.24%, which leaves the taxpayer with an annual interest payment of $225 billion. This would pay for half of the 2012-estimated payment for Medicare. $5 trillion of this debt is due in 36 months. $8 trillion must be refinanced or paid back within seven years. That is not an insurmountable problem as long as interest rates stay incredibly low.  However, what happens when interest rates move up? Have you noticed lately that the U.S. Government Long-Term Bond Yields are edging up?
The government borrowed at an average rate over the last two decades of 5%. This would put the cost of interest payments at $535 billion, or more than this year's estimated Medicare bill.  A 6% interest rate brings the bill to $642 billion.
Now factor in that the national debt will be only growing in the decade to come. What you end up with is the inescapable conclusion that the US Government will have to increase revenues in order to fund this spending problem. Even Paul Ryan's budget proposal calls for more and more government spending in the future.
A near-term solution would be to sell as many 10 and 30-year bonds as possible while interest rates are still low, thus locking in a long-term favorable rate. This cannot be mandated but it can be encouraged by offering interest rates that are more attractive to longer-term investors. We are going to sell the debt anyway, so the level of debt on the US is unchanged, but there is a long-term benefit.The longer-term impact is that the interest payments remain relatively affordable through time; especially as global inflationary pressures take hold. The Federal Reserve Board's Operation Twist is designed to do the opposite. The Fed is keeping interest rates low in order to hopefully stimulate the economy now and let the future take care of the payment problem.

 THE HAPPY COOKER

Little girl chef

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

 

Very Special April Fruit Cake  

You'll need the following: 
A cup of water, a cup of sugar, four large eggs, two cups of dried fruit, a teaspoon of baking soda, a teaspoon of salt, a cup of brown sugar, lemon juice, nuts, and a bottle of whiskey. 
Sample the whiskey to check for quality. 
Take a large bowl. 
Check the whiskey again. To be sure it is the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. 
Repeat. 
Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. 
Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again. 
Make sure the whiskey is still okay. Cry another tup. 
Turn off the mixer. 
Break two leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. 
Mix on the turner. 
If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers pry it loose with a drewscriver. 
WhiskeySample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity. 
Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Who cares? 
Check the whiskey. 
Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find. 
Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. 
Don't forget to beat off the turner. 
Throw the bowl out of the window, check the whiskey again and go to bed.

HE WHO LAUGHS...LASTS!

Laughing baby

A distinguished young woman on a flight from Ireland asked the priest beside her, "Father, may I ask a favor?" 

"Of course. What may I do for you?"

"Well, I bought an expensive woman's hair dryer for my mother's birthday that is unopened and well over the Customs limit, and I'm afraid they'll confiscate it. Is there any way you could carry it through Customs for me? Under your robes perhaps?"
"I would love to help you, dear, but I must warn you: I will not lie."
"With your honest face, Father, no one will question you." she said.
When they got to Customs, she let the priest go ahead of her.
The official asked, "Father, do you have anything to declare?"
"From the top of my head down to my waist, I have nothing to declare."
The official thought this answer strange, so he asked, "And what do you have to declare from your waist to the floor?"
"I have a marvelous instrument designed to be used on a woman, but which is, to date, unused.
"Roaring with laughter, the official said, "Go ahead, Father...next!"

 

 

MIKKI'S MANTRA

Be outrageous...
it's the only place that isn't crowded.
  
   

  INSPIRATIONS

 

If you can start the day without caffeine or pep pills,

If you can be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food everyday and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when loved ones are too busy to give you time,

If you can overlook when people take things out on you when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,Sleeping dog

If you can face the world without lies and deceit,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

If you can do all these things ...  

Then you are probably the family dog.

 


VISIONARY VOLUNTEERISM

Visionary - adjective (esp. of a person), thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom   

People Touching PeopleI 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.      

 

 

I could have put this under web-sitings as well and I put it here as it serves several purposes.  InerTRAIN is a company I use to provide me with a  virtual personal trainer on the road. It is an innovative concept with great results.  Visit www.indiegogo.com/inerTRAIN. between now and April 28th to help them reach their goal to raise as much money and awareness for the great work they're doing and give away some really cool, one-of-a-kind perks in return!

 

                
Favorite Speaker

MIKKI ON THE MOVE

Airplane

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 logo 
The next Speakers School is in session on    
April 26-28, 2012 in Chicago
 

 

Speakers School video 
Why Should You Come to
Speakers School?

 

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?   

    

 REGISTER NOW!  

    

OR...BRING SPEAKERS SCHOOL TO YOUR COMPANY.  

IT'S A  GREAT VALUE.   

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS THE CORNERSTONE TO SUCCESS.

Help your employees improve their presentation skills, whether they're

speaking in front of a group or in a one-on-one situation.  

Successful business people know it's important to have an edge these days, and Speakers School provides that with Mikki's how-to techniques you can use, not theories you'll forget. Excellent communication skills set you and your staff apart and help take your business to the next level.

CALL NOW FOR MORE DETAILS: 312.664.8447 

OR SEND AN EMAIL TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION.

 

Upcoming Speakers Schools:

April 26-28, 2012

September 13-15, 2012   

February dates to come   

Become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, connect with me on LinkedIn, catch me on YouTube, look for me on Plaxo: 

 
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 Blog

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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:

[email protected] 

        

SEE ME:

www.mikkiwilliams.com 

Spring has sprung!
Mikki & Sam
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.