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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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I LOVE Chicago. Truly, I am the poster child for this city.  If you've never been here, especially at this time of year, you are missing out. I have traveled the world and this is absolutely one of the greatest cities...clean, vibrant, friendly...Chicago rocks! I just came in from a five mile walk along the lakefront and snapped some photos.  Then back home where I snapped again in front of my building. 
June is Father's Day, graduations, weddings and the start of summer. What a great month! I just returned from the Skittles House aka my Florida home where I got to hang with fellow speaker, Barbara Glanz   (right), enjoying dinner at Stir Fry.
Then new buddy, Deb Essayian (below), took me for a walk at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary where I got to enjoy nature and wildlife on a 2.5 mile raised boardwalk that takes you through four distinct environments including a pine upland, a wet prairie, a cypress forest, and a marsh where I got to see a crocodile. Well, okay, not really about the croc. 
Enjoyed a great lunch at Ted Turner's Montana Grill (yum, bison burger!) with Florida Vistage Chair, Barbara Monti (below).
The highlight of the month was definitely my 2nd Annual Gathering of the Goddesses at the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas. Sixteen fabulous women from New York to Los Angeles came together to meet, mix, mingle and enjoy an action-packed weekend led by yours truly. You are all invited next year. Mark your calendars now: May 24-27, 2013 (sorry, guys...gals only!). 
Special thanks to Merit Gest for surprising me by buying up all my "cover girl" magazines and giving to all the gals, pictured below reading it in our private cabana at the pool!
That's it, folks. What happens in Vegas...
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From lounging to lunging, cover girl to reality show...Mikki is one busy girl!
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Taking the Lunge Trailer
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Mikki's part of the reality-based program, Taking the Lunge, which follows five individuals (MIKKI) as they (MIKKI) fit fitness into their busy lives.
Watch Taking the Lunge online starting this Thursday night, June 14th, at 8pm CDT Just click on the Taking the Lunge Livestream button at the top of the Facebook page and you can check in and chat with cast, crew and other fans of the show.
Can't wait to see you on June 14th for the series premier!
READ MORE
Taking the Lunge social media pages:
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I LOVE THIS BOOK!
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Bossypants
by Tina Fey
I don't normally read books outside of business or self-help but once in a while I turn to memoirs which this can loosely be classified as. Tina Fey is one funny dude-ette. Amazingly witty, laugh-out-loud funny!!!
To quote Tina, "Why is this book called Bossypants? One, because Two and a Half Men was already taken. And two, because ever since I became an executive producer of 30 Rock, people have asked me, 'Is it hard for you, being the boss?' and, 'Is it uncomfortable for you to be the person in charge?' You know, in that same way they say, 'Gosh Mr. Trump, is it awkward for you to be the boss of all these people?' Contrary to what I believed as a little girl being the boss almost never involves marching around, waving your arms, and chanting, 'I am the boss! I am the boss!'"
If you want a good laugh and to learn something about leadership in the process, go get this book!
I love this book!!
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Join me and some of my fabulous friends for fun and informative tele-conversations!
The next tele-conversation is on
June 15th at 12:00 noon CST.
No cost, no obligation.
Just CLICK HERE to register.
TELE-CONVERSATION WITH 
Ron Kaufman
Uplifting Service, The Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Your Colleagues, and Everyone Else You Meet
Ron Kaufman is one of those rare birds who spends as much time in the air as he does on the ground. With a passport as thick and well-used as a big stack of pancakes, Ron is based in Singapore and travels non-stop helping leaders at the world's largest organizations build uplifting cultures of spectacular internal and external service. From his early college days as captain of the Brown University Ultimate Frisbee team, and emcee at the World Frisbee Championships in the Rose Bowl, Ron keeps the energy of large audiences spinning with upbeat ideas and immediately practical actions. In this one-hour tele-conversation Ron takes you behind the scenes at Singapore Airlines, Changi Airport, Xerox, Microsoft, Amazon and Nokia Siemens Networks, showing you exactly how they win and why they are featured in his New York Times bestseller, UPLIFTING SERVICE: The Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Colleagues and Everyone Else You Meet. You will fly away from this event with proven strategies and new actions you can apply immediately to boost the loyalty of your customers and your employees. So get your ticket and buckle up for this fast-moving, value-creating conversation with one of the world's leading authorities on Uplifting Service Culture!
July's guest: Patrick Ungashick
Tuesday, July 24th at noon CST
3 Common Exit Planning Sins
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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...Many of you who have heard me speak or know me, know that I don't believe in a "bucket list." Too negative...things to do before I die! I believe in an "experience list"...things to experience while being fully alive. I have had my list for decades - I add and check off as I go. Here's part of my list of some experiences done, and some aspiring to.
BTW, if you can help make any of them come true (as many did - including Courtney Cole who helped make my Indy experience happen - thanks, Court!) please, please let me know!
Here's the "done" list first: 1. Drive at the Indy 500
2. Tango in Argentina 3. Oktoberfest in Munich 4. Celebrate milestone birthday on French Riviera
5. Champagne at the Hemingway Bar in Paris
6. Singing Irish songs drinking a Guinness in Dublin
7. Cooking School in Portugal
8. Calgary Stampede
9. Safari in Africa
10. Tony Awards, NYC
11. Sundance Film Festival in Utah
12. Lunch in the Israeli Desert
 13. Snowshoeing in Banff14. Boquerones on Costa del Sol, Spain
15. Tea at The Savoy in London
16. Classical concert in Prague
To be done:
17. Dude Ranch in Montana
18. Yacht the Greek Isles 19. Waltz in Vienna on New Year's Eve
20. Mint Julep in Millionaire's Row at the Kentucky Derby 21. Hear Andrea Bocelli sing in Tuscany
22. Ride the Orient Express
23. Attend Cannes Film Festival
24. Aspen Food and Wine Festival
25. Carnivale in Rio
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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:
Relish the Thought (Hot Dog Stand)
Disgraceland (Consignment Store)
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SHOE-BE-DOO STORIES
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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.
Yes, this is mine..new, outrageous and purchased for the Gathering of the Goddess weekend I wrote about in musings. Was in Nordstrom shoe department (what a shock!) on the day the shoe arrived. They know me there (another shocker!) and brought it out for me to be the first to try it on. As I paraded the shoe department in this work of art, all the men sitting around waiting for girlfriends and wives (or both!) commented on how cool, how sexy, how wild the shoe was. THAT was all I needed...it was mine. I wore it at Goddess weekend in Vegas (where else?) and it got the same play by play from passersby. What fun! Woo Hoo!!
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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.
Shopping List - FreeGreat little app if, like me, you're tired of all the little Post-Its you leave around with items for your shopping list, or if you get to the store and find you've left your list at home. Just enter your item in this free app, then when you've picked it up delete it. Easy! And it's all in one place.
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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.invino.com
Join this free, membership-based site to shop amazing wines
from top vineyards at up to 80% off
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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!
A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success."
- Robert Orben
Order the book today!
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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.
The Most Valuable Thing I've Ever Done in Business... and You Can Too
In 2003, I was on a business trip in California. At the time I was CEO of the telecom software company CoManage, and was visiting a potential customer or partner - I no longer remember exactly.
Alone that evening I was sitting in the hotel bar reading The Wall Street Journal, sipping a glass of Cabernet. I was exploring the details of another stellar quarterly earnings report by eBay. The Internet go-go days were returning, at least for them. It started me thinking about exactly what made eBay so successful. I'd bought and sold products on the site and it wasn't really a life-changing experience. Their site design and user experience was at best "okay." After another glass of wine I concluded that their success came from one key idea: At its core eBay is an engine that can identify and connect two people with an obscure but shared interest in trading a specific product. As a twenty-year telecom veteran, I started wondering about connecting people with an obscure but shared interest in trading, not products but information. In short, if people could connect with others to talk about their favorite sports, politics, religion, business, hobbies, arts, or whatever, and it could be streamed live on the Internet and recorded and published in a directory (think iTunes), well that would be interesting. And then, like radio, you could insert advertisements relevant to these valuable micro audiences, make money and share that revenue with the content creators. Today, this service is called TalkShoe.com and almost 500,000 iTunes podcasts have been created on the platform since 2006. But I nearly abandoned the idea less than one month after starting the company. Here's the story of how TalkShoe came to be, and the single best trick I've ever learned in business (hint: it involves social networking).
READ THE REST OF DAVE'S STORY You can find more formal details here:
wesocialize.biz
To contact Dave directly:
dave@WeSocialize.biz
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TITILLATING TRIVIA
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Origins of Father's Day  The campaign to celebrate the nation's fathers did not meet with the same enthusiasm as Mother's Day--perhaps because, as one florist explained, "fathers haven't the same sentimental appeal that mothers have." On July 5, 1908, a West Virginia church sponsored the nation's first event explicitly in honor of fathers, a Sunday sermon in memory of the 362 men who had died in the previous December's explosions at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in Monongah, but it was a one-time commemoration and not an annual holiday. The next year, a Spokane, Washington woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother's Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she was successful: Washington State celebrated the nation's first statewide Father's Day on July 19, 1910. In 1972, in the middle of a hard-fought presidential re-election campaign, Richard Nixon signed a proclamation making Father's Day a federal holiday at last. Today, economists estimate that Americans spend more than $1 billion each year on Father's Day gifts.
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ECON RECON
| Introducing my newest columnist, the "economist with a personality" (my title not his) ...
Brian Beaulieu  is 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!
The Congressional Budget Office released a statement that said the U.S. economy could contract by 1.3% in the first half of 2013 if the Bush-era tax cuts expire and the automatic federal spending cuts become a reality. That certainly does not make people confident and put them in a mood to expand business through expenditures.
First, I believe the likelihood of the U.S. Congress allowing the tax cuts to expire is slim. The CBO report gives the Congress perfect cover to do what they want to do anyway, which is to leave well enough alone. The rule in politics is to delay a decision until a decision is no longer needed. A delay seems likely and thus no immediate harm to the economy. What is interesting to note is that they are saying that hiking taxes hurts the economy. You don't hear that from politicians who are in favor of hiking taxes on all or part of the tax base. There is recognition here that the money is better left in the private sector where it will do the most good. The report was, in that regard, very refreshing.
There is also the recognition of the hurt caused by a sudden reduction of a hundred billion dollars in spending by the federal government. The potential impact is harder to measure because it does not happen often, but logic would tell us there is a need to dial back slowly on government spending or else a recession will ensue. Look at Greece, Italy, and the U.K. as examples. The argument for a gradual decade-long reduction is thus enhanced. Please do not misunderstand me; I believe federal and state spending needs to be matched to revenue. The reality is that there is a short-term cost associated with that action.
Lastly, note that the talk of a downturn in 2013 is new to the news media and to Washington, but ITR Economics has been warning clients about this for the last several years. The only difference is that we expect the economy to begin to slip slower in the latter half of the year with a potential for actual recession beginning late in the year.
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THE HAPPY COOKER
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That was the name of one of my businesses and oh, come on, I know guys cook, too.
Near my FL home, Ted Turner's Montana Grill serves bison burgers which I now love so sharing a recipe with all of you.
Bison Burgers with Cabernet Onions and Wisconsin Cheddar
Bison meat is very lean and is best served rare or medium-rare.
Yield: 4 servings
 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided3 cups sliced onions (about 2)
3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine
1 pound ground bison (buffalo)
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
4 organic hamburger buns
6 ounces sliced Wisconsin white cheddar cheese
Dijon mustard
1 small head of escarole, leaves separated
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium- high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and saut� until tender and golden brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to saut� until very tender and well browned, about 15 minutes longer. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.
Preheat broiler. Gently mix meat and next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle burgers with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook until well browned, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Open buns and arrange, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Place cheese slices on bun tops. Broil until cheese melts and bottom halves are lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Spread bottom halves with mustard. Top each with a few escarole leaves, then burger. Spoon onions atop burgers, dividing equally. Cover with bun tops; press lightly.
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HE WHO LAUGHS...LASTS!
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Things a Dad Would Never Say"Can you turn up that music?"
"Go ahead and take my truck. Here's 50 bucks for gas."
"I LOVE your tattoo. We should both get new ones."
"Here, you take the remote." | |
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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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INSPIRATION FOR FATHER'S DAY
| To all fathers in celebration of your day...
Before I Was Myself, You Made Me, Me
Before I was myself you made me, me
With love and patience, discipline and tears,
Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,
Allowing me to sail upon my sea,
Though well within the headlands of your fears.
Before I was myself you made me, me
With dreams enough of what I was to be
And hopes that would be sculpted by the years,
Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,
Relinquishing your powers gradually
To let me shape myself among my peers.
Before I was myself you made me, me,
And being good and wise, you gracefully
As dancers when the last sweet cadence nears
Bit by bit stepped back to set me free.
For love inspires learning naturally:
The mind assents to what the heart reveres.
And so it was through love you made me, me
By slowly stepping back to set me free.
-Unknown
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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.changingthepresent.org
Visit this site to make a donation in someone's name to one of hundreds of worthy causes, from animal welfare to children's education and more.
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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 13-15, 2012 in Chicago
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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:
September 13-15, 2012
February dates to come
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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:
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 (certified speaking professional, an honor bestowed on less than 600 speakers worldwide) specializes in business dynamics and human potential. She has been named one of the top speakers in the country by Meetings and Convention Magazine along with Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, Colin Powell, Lou Holtz and Mike Ditka. Mikki is also one of the top tier speaker resources for Vistage International, the world's leading executive organization, and Group Chair of two of their peer advisory boards in Chicago.
Her company Mikki Williams Unltd. produces Speakers Schools in Chicago three times a year, a monthly ezine: Hair She Is...!, a blog: Mikki Williams' Blah Blah...Blog and a monthly tele-Conversations series: Mikki & Friends. She is sought-after for business, life and presentation skills coaching through her firm Coaching, etc... She also facilitates The Mikki Mouth Club, an annual subscription-based presentation skills coaching membership.
If you need other speakers she can book you the best through her uncommon speakers bureau Outrageous Orators...speakers who rock.
To hire Mikki or learn more about any of these services:
CALL ME: 312.664.8447
FAX ME: 312.664.8460
E ME: mikki@mikkiwilliams.com
SEE ME: www.mikkiwilliams.com
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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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