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 or...
stop being so darned professional and tak a break today!
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Issue No. 68 October 2013
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Welcome! If you enjoyed last month you'll be craaaaazy about this month!
The purpose of this ezine is inspiration, humor, business, personal and just plain fun: aka the don't-take-yourself-so-seriously ezine.
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In case you've missed past issues of the ezine Click here to visit the archives. |
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NOW ON YOUTUBE:
Many people have said they wish they could have heard my acceptance speech when I was inducted into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame - some have even asked me to recite it to them. Well, now you can all hear it for yourself. How cool is that? (I love this technological world we live in!)
I just got the YouTube link to the night of the awards ceremony and you can not just listen, but you can watch it here:
CPAE Speakers Hall of Fame!
And...I was interviewed by
Megan Webb-Morgan for Vistage.
Read the article here:
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September and October were busier than ever...in a good way!
Vistage's annual All-City was held in Chicago, for a pleasant change, at Soldier Field, home of "Da Bears."
 Left: Mary Hoffman, Sr. Marketing Director, John Page, Chair/event organizer, and Dave Dastur, founding member of my CEO group. All three of my Vistage groups were well represented.  Off to the Chicago Chapter of my National Speakers Association (Steve Beck, President and Vickie Austin at right) to support my good  buddy, Barbara Glanz (below) who was guest speaker. Speakers School was a blast! Such a great group. They came from Portland and New Jersey and all points in between.  They bonded, they learned, and they got very close, as you can see in the photo! TEC Canada held their retreat in Chicago so I could be their speaker (I don't take little planes to Winnipeg!) so I dashed over  to the hotel after Speakers School, with some students in tow, in time to deliver my signature speech, "A Balancing Act: Walking the Tightrope of Life." (Jeffrey Kraemer, member/host at left). Then it was time for the annual spousal retreat for my KEY Vistage group which we spent in Saugatuck, Michigan. Some of the group arrived in time for Friday night dinner at Saugatuck Brewing Company (below).  Then my travel blitz kicked in: Chicago, Colorado, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Connecticut, New York. Whew! In Colorado Springs I stayed at a unique and fabulous resort,  Garden of the Gods with Chair and good friend Karen Meenan (right) and with host Lynn Kehler (below). 
Off to Pennsylvania next, and found myself speaking at Charlie "Tremendous" Jones' daughter's Life Books center (Tracey Jones, below).  What an honor to meet her and to be in his spirit. He's a legend in the speaking industry. As I took Metro North to Connecticut (yes, I do trains!) memories came flooding back of when I lived there years ago and took Metro all the time. Such fun! Had a great time catching up with BFF Kathy Sirico  (below) at The Delamar on the water in Greenwich, CT. I spent the end of the week in NYC, celebrating THE son's #$*&@ birthday (below).  Then took an early flight home to get to Bodhi Spiritual Center only to find myself in the middle of 40,000 people running the Chicago Marathon! At least I got to listen to Elvis while I dragged my luggage down the city streets trying to find a way to get home.  Just FYI, I will not be in costume for Halloween. I am in costume every day! See you next month!
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  A message from the Risdall Marketing Group:
Mikki rarely does public seminars except for her Speakers School, so we at Risdall Marketing Agency in Minneapolis are thrilled to announce a three hour workshop on presentation skills:
Speak Loudly and Carry A Big Shtick
on November 13, 2013 from 9:00 am to noon.
For further info, contact Sara Dziedzic:
sara@risdall.com
or click the image at left to register.
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David and Goliath
Underdogs, Misfits, and The Art of Battling Giants
I was excited to read Malcolm Gladwell's newest book based on how much I liked The Tipping Point, Blink and The Outliers, all of which I endorse wholeheartedly. It became even more inspiring when someone suggested I read this one, as it was in alignment with the message in my acceptance speech this summer when being inducted into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame (see the link at the top of the ezine to hear the six minute speech).
In this book, the author challenges our thinking about obstacles and offers a new perspective on what it means to be discriminated against or suffer from a myriad of setbacks. He accomplishes this through history, psychology and his infinite storytelling talents. All of his books set out to make us think about the way we view the world around us.
Now go get this book!!
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Mary's Gone Crackers (Organic crackers) |
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WONDERFUL WEBSITEings/AWESOME APPS
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www.vayable.com
Choose from more than 5000 insiders in 600 destinations offering unique experiences
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MIKKI MOUTH Things I Wish I'd Said and Some I Did Say!
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Enjoy a quote each month from my book - some funny, some poignant, some professional, some just darn cute!
Old Cherokee wisdom: "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world weeps and you rejoice."
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Potatoes and turnips were the original Jack-O-Lanterns. Irish children would carve and light them to use during the gatherings on Halloween.
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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.
Ten Steps to Success in Social Media
It's not atypical for a company to decide to launch a Facebook page or begin Tweeting because they've seen others be successful in such campaigns. However, selecting your tool should actually be the sixth step in your process, not the first.
If you sell B2B (business to business), just look at your B2B competitors and their misguided efforts to employ Facebook and Twitter. Someone in their Marketing department may have heard that these services are hot (indeed, both are among the top 10 most trafficked websites in the world, but dominated by business-to-consumer (B2C), media/press, and personal applications) and followed like lemmings. Even a B2C company must make several decisions before selecting the most appropriate social tool(s) for its purposes.
My guess is that in business, you rarely charge off on a new initiative without a plan. The same should be true for social media. Here are 10 steps for planning a social initiative that has a higher probability of success for your business. Document these steps in writing, in 2 to 3 pages, to both think through and inform everyone on your team of your strategy and associated tactics:
Step 1 - Define Your Objective(s)
Step 2 - Analyze Your Competition
Step 3 - Identify Your Target Audience(s)
Step 4 - Select a Compelling Value Proposition for Each Target Audience
Step 5 - Select Your Keywords
Step 6 - Select Specific Tools and Budget
Step 7 - Specify Owners; Ensure Accountability
Step 8 - Develop Activity/Participation Metrics
Step 9 - Develop a Promotion Plan
Step 10 - Measure Your Results
Keep in mind that social is just one component of your overall marketing plan. Remember to keep investing in your website, product brochures, customer forums, trade shows, email marketing, public relations (PR) and good ol' IRL (in real life) networking that comprise an integrated marketing strategy. In a world of mouth, every component has a role, even as the resource allocations shifts among tools.
You can find more formal details here:
wesocialize.biz
To contact Dave directly:
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B rian Beaulieu is the "economist with a personality" (my title not his) . He is 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!
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SORRY, BRIAN IS ON VACATION...PLEASE CHECK BACK NEXT MONTH.
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Learn more about the future at www.itreconomics.com or by sending an email today to Kim Clark: kim@itreconomics.com |
LIFE LESSONS...FUNNY, FIT  OR FABULOUS
Submitted by John Godoy
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John Godoy is a healthy lifestyle expert. Through personal coaching, training and healthy lifestyle seminars, John guides clients in developing and sticking to the healthy habits necessary to tap their bodies enormous energy reserves - enriching their personal and
professional lives.
His website is www.johngodoy.com
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NOW...not one, not two, but THREE divisions of
The Mikki Mouth Club!
CLICK HERE for more information
If you want Mikki's expertise at an affordable price on an ongoing basis The Mikki Mouth Club is for you.
Questions? We've got answers!!
Just call 312.664.8447 or send us an email
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That was the name of one of my businesses and oh, come on,  I know guys cook, too.
Witch's Brew
Makes about 3 quarts Punch is one of the easiest ways to set the Halloween mood. All you need is a cauldron or a pointy black hat and ice block "hands."* Not every blend of fruit juices takes well to the with-or-without option of alcohol, but the combination of sparkling cider and cranberry juice cocktail, subtly enhanced with a spice syrup, both support an optional dose of dark rum.
 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
5 whole cloves 3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled ginger 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup sugar 1 (25 1/4-ounce) bottle sparkling cider (about 3 1/4 cups), chilled 4 cups cranberry juice cocktail, chilled 1 (1-liter) bottle club soda or seltzer, chilled 1 cup dark rum (optional) Ice blocks in any shape (see cooks' note, below) Bring cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, water, and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, uncovered, 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, then chill until cold. Combine all remaining ingredients, except ice, with syrup in a punch bowl. Add ice before serving. *To make hand-shaped ice, fill powder-free, latex-free rubber gloves with water and tie wrist end securely, then freeze.
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 A cabbie picks up a nun. She gets into the cab, and the cab driver won't stop staring at her. She asks him why is he staring and he replies, "I have a question to ask you but I don't want to offend you.
She answers, 'My dear son, you cannot offend me. When you're as old as I am and have been a nun a long as I have, you get a chance to see and hear just about everything. I'm sure that there's nothing you could say or ask that I would find offensive."
"Well, I've always had a fantasy to have a nun kiss me."
She responds, "Well, let's see what we can do about that: #1, you have to be single and #2 you must be Catholic."
The cab driver is very excited and says, "Yes, I am single and I'm Catholic too!"
The nun says "OK, pull into the next alley."
He does and the nun fulfills his fantasy.
But when they get back on the road, the cab driver starts crying. "My dear child, said the nun, why are you crying?"
"Forgive me sister, but I have sinned. I lied, I must confess, I'm married and I'm Jewish."
The nun says, "That's OK, I'm on my way to a HALLOWEEN party my outfit is just an old habit." |
Be Outrageous...it's The Only Place That Isn't Crowded.
~Mikki Williams
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At my big birthday gala last month, my fellow Vistage Chair and cherished friend Gary Arakelian spoke this original creative heartwarming poem to the crowd of 70 friends who gathered to help me celebrate. This truly belongs under my category of "Inspirations." Thank you, Gary.
OUTRAGEOUS Unlimited
...A Special Tribute to Mikki Williams
 She's outrageous and outspoken, and just as smart as a whip, Always on, always flamboyant, and usually full of lip... An east coast gal, from the boroughs of New York, Da' Bronx, to be precise, is where she arrived by stork... Just a girl and her mother, always together, never alone, It would be the East Village, where they'd decide to call home... Back then she was brunette, with a very natural mane, As you'll hear, over time, not much stayed the same... A non-conformist by heart, she combined "All that Glittered" with "All That Jazz", And became a professional dancer, with incredible 'Style' and 'Pizzazz'... As an adult, she was drawn, further north up the coast, Where she'd marry Gabe from college, her "sweetheart" she'd boast... It was there she met a friend named Martha, her neighbor next door, Who later became quite famous, for her cooking and d�cor... But the true love of her life, would soon come along, It was her baby boy Jason, who would grow handsome and strong... Though life delivered some challenge, Mikki was always quick to respond, By starting new businesses, and going way above and beyond... The Happy Cooker was one, and another The Body Firm, One was a sort of health club, the other a wordplay for a culinary term... Consulting, speaking and coaching, she began building her success, All the while wanting more, she'd be quick to confess... And it would be her great style, which would emerge as her lore, Using her flamboyance and life experience, she would help others to soar... To lift them higher and challenge them further, than they ever thought they'd go, And by just listening to her stories, they couldn't help but grow... Then she came to Chicago, her love of life all in tow, Transformed as a blonde, with her hair tied high in a bow... She hit the town by storm, coaching companies and starting schools, Helping leaders increase their profits, and to learn to speak not like fools... It was the stages of Vistage, YPO and NSA, where she would hang out her shingle, As she cruised and toured the world over, to speak, teach and mingle... By the thousands they would come, to listen and learn from her truth, Of her trials and tribulations, and all she experienced from her youth... Then along came the awards, and the accolades galore, And it would be the coveted CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame where she'd finally score... Having received honors and been acknowledged to be among the very best, Mikki has demonstrated for everyone that we can all achieve our quest.... Mikki Williams Unlimited is what she created from scratch, But Mikki Williams herself is first a mother, a friend, a colleague...and an inspiration to us all, whom no one can match. With Much Love & Admiration... Your Friend Always, G |
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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.
Help make Purple Heart Homes Co-founder Dale Beatty (my Speaker School attendee) the 2013 CNN Hero of the year. Please...vote every day.
Go to http://heroes.cnn.com and vote for Dale Beatty. He, along with nine others, are now in the top 10. Each one of the top 10 will get $50,000. Just as in American Idol or Dancing with the Stars the winner will be chosen based on who is able to wage the most successful vote campaign. If Dale is selected as the CNN Hero of the year he will receive $250,000 for Purple Heart Homes which will put at least seven more disabled veterans into renovated homes.
DO IT NOW! Click the picture below and vote for Dale Beatty.
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The next Speakers School is in session on September 26-28, 2013 in Chicago and now you will be learning from
the NEWEST MEMBER OF THE CPAE SPEAKER HALL OF FAME which, in case you don't know, is a very big deal, and honor, for a professional speaker!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
CALL NOW FOR MORE DETAILS: 312.664.8447
OR SEND AN EMAIL TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION.
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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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Mikki Williams earned the dual designations of CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and CPAE (Council of Peers Award for Excellence) from The National Speakers Association, an achievement attained by fewer than 1% of all professional speakers. She 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, a monthly ezine: Hair She Is...! and a blog: Mikki Williams' Blah Blah...Blog. 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 with three distinct divisions...Speaker Source, Accountability Academy and Keynote Kamp. If you need other speakers, she can book you the best through her Outrageous Orators...speakers who rock, an uncommon speakers bureau.
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!
Happy Halloween!
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If you enjoyed this ezine and know others who would like to receive it, please forward this along to friends, family and colleagues! Use the "Forward e-mail" link at the bottom of this newsletter.
To unsubscribe please use the link at the bottom of this newsletter (but we'd rather you didn't!). All contents � 2012 Mikki Williams, 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. If you are the owner of the rights of any of this content, please contact us so we may arrange for appropriate permission and give credit. |
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