Corporate Partner Corner
Special benefits and offers from our corporate partners for NAWBO members.
Making Wise Investment Decisions?
What’s happening in world of investments and strategies to help you make wise decisions?
Find out what the Wells Fargo Investment Institute Global Investment Strategy Report says. Download Wells Fargo Global Investment Strategy Report.
Why Words Matter: A Recap of the July Event
Guest Presenter Gary Purece
We welcomed Gary Purece as our speaker at the July 21 meeting. His topic was timely and very informative. He said that asking six key questions during any conversation with anyone would help to communicate clearly and respectfully.
The questions are: Who, What, Where, When, Why and What If. Asking these questions will cause people to feel valued. When people feel valued, they stay longer and give more to the organization.
There are two things to create through words:
- Credibility/Trust
- Decisive/Assertive
Stories are a key element in communication by using CASST which is an acronym for Central character, A complication, Setting, Series of actions, Theme. It is the way leaders talk. If you want to download his presentation, CLICK HERE.
President’s Message – August 2015
Dear NAWBO-Silicon Valley,
As most of you know, July 1 begins the new fiscal year for NAWBO (both nationally and here in Silicon Valley). It is the official passing of the baton from one board of directors to another; the start of the implementation of a new strategic plan, and a chance to evaluate. The incoming board of directors for fiscal year 2015/2016 held its annual strategic planning retreat in late June. This is a great group of women business owners ready to shake thing up a bit at NAWBO-SV. You’ll see many familiar faces on this board, and a few new ones. Before I share what’s coming up – let’s give another big thank you to Maxine Goulding, our outgoing President, for the amazing job that she and her board did for our organization last fiscal year!
Now, here are some things you can expect to see in the upcoming year, beginning this month!
First, we have built in more of the social and networking events that our members have told us they really like. While our educational speaker presentations will still feature informative speakers, not every meeting will be in that format. Every quarter, we plan to have at least one meeting dedicated to networking, without a keynote speaker – and hopefully at some unique locations. We’ve informally spoken with several of our corporate partners and many are willing to host us at their facilities for these networking events. (See info about our August meeting below.)
Next, we are structuring our year by breaking each quarter into a specific focus or theme for our members. For instance, our Q1 (July, August & September) will focus on Communication. Our July speaker, Gary Purece, embodies that topic with “Why Your Words Matter”. Our August 18th event is a “field trip” to Plantronics in Scotts Valley. Plantronics specializes in telephone headsets – definitely communication! And our September speaker Cynthia Riggs, will present about building your own “One Page Business Plan” – being able to communicate it effectively. Ms. Riggs is a resource that has been made available to us as part of our National NAWBO affiliation. Our Q2 (October – December) will focus on Finance related topics – stay tuned!
Finally, there will be more opportunities to share your expertise with NAWBO-SV! We will be asking for member input and a few volunteer hours during the year to assist on committees and special projects. The beauty of this group is that every member of our organization has a unique skill set, and we’d like to share those within our membership. One way we’d like to do that is to encourage more member attendance at monthly meetings. Each of you has paid your dues and chosen to make NAWBO a part of your network. Let’s all come together monthly and share our unique ideas. And while we’re at it, bring a friend. Guests will be invited to come to two meetings and then asked to commit to membership. A robust membership and attendance at meetings strengthens everyone’s membership. One way to commit to meetings and get them calendared is to purchase the annual pass for meetings if you are an active member. It’s a member benefit to enjoy. At $425 to prepay the year, you essentially get 2 free meetings. And who doesn’t like FREE? For more information, contact our office at info@nawbo-sv.org.
We have plenty of other exciting things in the works this year and will share them as soon as they are finalized. I’m so excited to have the opportunity to work with an amazing board of directors and all of the members of our organization. Thank you for being a member. We look forward to hearing your ideas for the upcoming year. If there’s anything that I can do to enhance your member experience, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Fondly,
Monika Miles, 2015-2016 President, NAWBO-SV
Great Storytelling Starts with a Great Story
The May NAWBO-SV event was about storytelling. We all know how important storytelling is to build a connection with your clients and potential customers. We hear it over and over again from marketing experts. But the biggest roadblock for many of us is that we don’t’ think we have a story to tell that is compelling or will resonate with our target audience.
Our presenter, Stephanie Nivinskus, CEO, Sizzle Force Marketing, has spent most of her life storytelling — first as a journalist and then as a marketer. She told us that everyone has a story that can be developed and showed us the impact they can have. She offered two storyline strategies as samples: 2×4 Style and the Startup Story.
The “2×4 Style” is coined from the concept of a more dramatic, “hit them over the head with a 2×4” storyline that consists of 1) identifying the messy situation or issue; 2) identifying what is standing in the way of a resolution; 3) creating a hero that is going to champion the quest; and 4) stating the lesson that the hero learned through the process. It draws the listener through the story to a climax where the hero is triumphant. This could be a story about a client or project you had, or a challenge that you overcame in your business.
The Startup Story is more focused on telling your own personal journey of how and why you started your business. Many business owners have a good story for why they started their business — they are passionate about something, they had a personal tragedy, challenge or life event that sparked their entrepreneurial path. Many of these types of stories are inspirational and motivating.
There are many other types of storylines, but Stephanie stated that no matter what the story, four key elements to focus on are:
- Make your audience picture the story
- Dramatize the problem
- Introduce your own personality
- Somehow acknowledge your customers within the story
President’s Message – May 2015
Dear Members and Friends of NAWBO-SV,
We had an amazing time at NAWBO California Propel Your Business Conference in Sacramento. The turnout from our California Chapters was great and it was good to reconnect with our sister Chapters (so much networking went on – yeah!). NAWBO California went all out and put together a fabulous agenda for us this year. They had a lineup of speakers that was outstanding. Besides hearing our very own Jennifer Dizon, NAWBO-CA President, opening up the meeting and other sessions we had, Kathy Warnick, NAWBO National Secretary/Treasurer; Betty Yee, State Controller; Rachel Michelin, ED/CEO, California Women Lead; and many more.
In addition, I want to give thanks to the event committee members for Propel Your Business: Laura Neubauer, Chair NAWBO-CA, Jennifer Dizon, NAWBO-SV, Hilda Kennedy, NAWBO-IE, Tamara Badkerhanian-Ganev, NAWBO SD, Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, NAWBO LA, Lori Kammerer, NAWBO Sacramento, Shaila Mistry, NAWBO OC. Tina Loza, NAWBO IE chaired the Business Woman of the Year Award, and Monica Nainsztein Rodriguez and the NAWBO Sacramento Chapter planned the evening reception.
Thank you NAWBO-CA!
Our next meeting, this month, is a meeting you do not want to miss. We will have Stephanie Nivinskus presenting “How to Tell Your Story and Give Your Small Business a Big Voice”. In addition, a special session will be given by Stephanie on how WE can tell our stories – exciting takeaway.
Our June event will be honoring our Corporate Partners, so this is your chance to meet our partners and network.
In July NAWBO-SV is turning over the President’s gavel over to Monika Miles, President Elect. Monika has planned a new format for some of our meetings and frankly I am excited to be participating – new ideas, new venues and plenty of networking.
I do hope you join us at any or all of these events.
To your success!
Maxine Goulding
NAWBO-SV Chapter President
Business Owners: The Clock is Ticking — Mandatory Sick Pay Leave Starts July 1, 2015
Submitted by Judy Pearce, HR Results
Be on guard for mandatory sick leave pay! Even if you have just one employee, you need to comply with this radical change in California employment law.
The Basics: Virtually every small business owner must participate by giving all employees (including part-timers and temps) three days or 24 hours of paid sick pay per year. There is also a mandatory poster that should have been on all California employers’ walls by January 1, 2015.
You can download the poster here.
You’ll find useful Q&A’s here.
If you need any assistance locating information about the new law, please email me at judypearce@hrlegalresults.com and I will try to help.
NAWBO at Silicon Valley Business Journal Biz Women Mentoring Monday
The second annual Mentoring Monday was held on March 30, 2015 all over the country. The Silicon Valley event was held at Villa Ragusa in Campbell.
Maxine Goulding, Monika Miles and Jennifer Dizon enjoy the event.
Attendees learn about the National Association of Women Business Owners. (photo courtesy of SJ Business Journal)
Check out more photos from the Silicon Valley Business Journal who sponsored the event.
Top 10 Coolest Companies to Work For Based in the Bay Area
Submitted by Steller Solutions
As one of the most innovative business hubs in the U.S., the Bay Area provides an oasis to startups as well as Fortune 500 companies. Encompassed by San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, the Bay Area is home to a diverse workforce with dedicated, engaged employees. From unique employee appreciation to giving back to communities, businesses in the Bay Area know that happy employees create cultures where great work thrives.
Who made the the list? In March, Stellar Solutions (CEO Celeste Ford—a long time NAWBO-SV member) was named one of the Top 10 Coolest Companies to Work For Based in the Bay Area — alongside some pretty big name companies including Twitter and Yelp.
Can Silicon Valley Small Businesses Compete for Millennial Talent?
Submitted by Cecilia McCloy, Integrated Science Solutions, Inc.
The Silicon Valley area is home to some of the most prestigious universities in the nation. But can small business employers who don’t offer free lunch, concierge service, or allow pets to come to work compete with those that do? You bet! Jerry McGuire aside, for most new graduates it isn’t all about the money. Millennials are looking for more. Of course the base salary has to be reasonable, student loans need to be repaid, but small businesses can offer a litany of intangibles that bigger companies can’t. Millennials want to make an impact, want to learn and grow, want to take initiative, and work with interesting people.
Small businesses can easily afford opportunities in all these areas and more. Working directly with a business owner lets recent graduates see all areas of a business. Millennial hires will have plenty of opportunities to learn and grow in a small business. You can’t be just a specialist hire in a small business, employees need to juggle multiple hats. Employees are often given responsibility for projects or products sooner than at a larger firm. If you have a great idea the business owner wants to hear it! Anything that will move the business forward is worth listening too. Business owners often contribute time, energy, and money to the local community non-profits. Millennials want to make an impact in the world. Business owners should think about competing and recruiting newly minted graduates. New ideas, eagerness, and enthusiasm is well worth the price.
Good Health is Profitable
By Robin Nielsen, NC BCHN®
http://www.togrowyoung.com
“There is nothing touchy-feely about increased profits.” Arianna Huffington
It’s dollars and cents vs. health and happiness. They both go together because having healthier happier employees = increased profits. The statistics are overwhelming.
Reducing stress is key to productivity and retention. Happy people generate positive energy. And healthier employees, and those who feel their company is investing in their health, are likely to be happier.
That’s why there is a lot of data that supports the profitability of health and wellness programs in the workplace. In fact, most industry studies have shown that the ROI on a well-run employee wellness program can be as much as $3-$6 for every $1 invested, with savings realized 2-3 years after implementation.
The cost not to focus on employee wellness are big numbers as well. The average health care cost per employee was about $10,000 in 2013. And when you add in the average cost for absenteeism and inefficiency that is estimated to be another $14,000 per employee. That’s on average $24,000 per employee.
Over 70% of health care spending is caused by modifiable health risks such as lack of exercise, high blood pressure, being overweight, high cholesterol, etc. These are all preventative; but unhealthy lifestyle choices can lead to chronic diseases, costing businesses even more.
The “cubicle” mentality has created lots of sedentary employees causing many health issues.
So how do business owners keep their employees motivated and engaged, healthy and happy? Employers need to make a commitment to an ongoing mindset of employee wellness.
The foundation for this mindset needs to include:
- Providing access to nutritious food and drinks
- Encourage stress reduction (yoga, meditation programs, coaching)
- Improve social connections
- Integrate exercise and movement
- Create healthier live-work balance
- Ensure employees have opportunities to learn about making healthier lifestyle decisions.
President’s Message – March 2015
Dear Members and Friends of NAWBO-SV,
February is over and we are into the second week of March – I am amazed at how time flies – in business and personal arenas. It reminds me to live in the moment and not stress out with things like “what ifs”, “I need to get this one thing done before I call it a day”, or saying to yourself “did I forget anything”. These and other similar words do cause us stress, whether we like to believe it or not. A very dear friend of mine told me “What’s the worst that can happen?” When I ponder this question I can relax. Try it.
We had a great presentation at our meeting last month “Health, Wealth and Well-Being for Women”. Our dynamic duo; Deira Gerritsen, co-founder and Executive Director of Lucina Maternity Foundation and Dr. Jennifer Rozenhart a highly sought-after Silicon Valley wellness educator, were wonderful. They educated us on:
- How businesses benefit from instituting wellness programs
- Why, as women business owners, we need to take care of ourselves first
- Strategies to implement small changes that will have a huge impact for the health and wellness of the people in your ecosystem
I don’t have employees, but I related the last bullet item to my family. It fit.
I would like to invite you to attend the last of our three-part business series this March 10th: “The Leader’s Brain: What Neuroscience Tells Us About Leading Effectively” with Silvia Damiano. Silvia is the founder and CEO of the About My Brain Institute and the author of the book Leadership is Upside Down. See more details at Programs/Events tab on our website.
I wish you all success in all that you do and keep it healthy for wealth and happiness.
Maxine Goulding
NAWBO-SV President
Technology Trends in the News
Adrienne Wong, TeamLogic IT of Mountain View
In 2015, it’s all about keeping your technology close and your business operations closer. Take-with-you software, security and gadgets that help you efficiently and effectively grow your business from anywhere – while protecting what you already have -are the name of the game this year. If you are looking to take the next big step with your small business, consider the following hot technologies:
Cloud Computing
If you aren’t taking advantage of cloud technology, you could be missing out on the most secure method of file storage available and the convenience of being able to access and share your files from nearly anywhere. Consider the small business-friendly, Hybrid Cloud, which offers affordable and fast disaster recovery that combines the convenience of local backup with the strength of the cloud.
Cyber-Security Protection
Stories of security breaches at major corporations dominate headlines but, according to the National Cyber Security Alliance, small businesses are far more susceptible to cyber attacks than their larger counterparts. Make it a priority in 2015 to put a plan in place to protect your business from cyber threats.
Unified Communications
With businesses depending more and more on mobile technology for working on the go, unified communications will become increasingly important in 2015 and beyond. UC integrates voicemail, email, SMS, web, desktop sharing, and video conferencing, etc. UC encompasses all forms of communications that are exchanged via a network.
President’s Message – August 2014
Dear NAWBO-SV Community,
I hope everyone’s summer is off to a fabulous start. We at NAWBO-SV are taking a meeting hiatus in the month of July, but are working behind the scenes to return with continued excellent programming in August. Please see our website www.nawbo-sv.org for upcoming program details.
July marks the beginning of NAWBO-SV’s fiscal year, and I am pleased to announce our new Board of Directors.
- President – Maxine Goulding, California Special Occasions
- President Elect – Monika Miles, Miles Consulting Group, Inc.
- Immediate Past President – Jennifer Dizon, Hood & Strong LLP
- Secretary – Adrienne Wong, TeamLogic IT of Mountain View
- Treasurer – Beatrice Schultz, Westface Financial
- Programs Director – Hilary Hendershott, Family Wealth Consulting Group
- International Affairs Director – Griselda Quezada-Chavez, Q&C Exim
Please join me in congratulating this wonderful group of women, and the energy they will bring to our chapter in the coming year. The Board is busy planning its annual retreat, and will brainstorm about new and different ideas to provide enhanced benefits to our members and corporate partners. Stay tuned.
We look forward to seeing you again in August. As always, we welcome your feedback on how to make this a better chapter.
Very truly yours,
Jennifer Dizon
NAWBO-SV President
2013/2014
SUCCESS and [A Word to Get Rid of Forever]
Submitted by: Hilary Hendershott, Family Wealth Consulting Group
I’ve been thinking about NAWBO and what it is to be a business owner.
I’ve been thinking about the big concepts like success and then, because my brain works the way it does, I think about its opposite.
There’s a word called failure. I think about this word as I watch my cat in the backyard. He is a hunter. He eyes his prey—a bird? A mouse? He watches carefully. He notices movement. He anticipates where the bird will go when he pounces.
Cats never take to the couch and bemoan their failures. Failure doesn’t exist in the cat world, and, I surmise, it doesn’t really exist in the human world either. It’s a thing that we think. (Thank you, Dr. Seuss).
Failure is conceptual. It is a made up human condition that exists in language that seems to start the emotional rollercoaster rolling. It lives, if it lives anywhere, as a word or thought. Independent of a human being trapped in culture and conditioning, it does not have anywhere to take up residence.
It certainly doesn’t belong in any NAWBO member’s vocabulary. Simply put, we made failure up—and, to make matters worse, we forgot that we made it up. We use failure as if the concept were real to bully ourselves and others. The truth is this: You’ve set out to do something. You’ve either done it or not done it. If you did it, and didn’t achieve the desired results, you simply keep calibrating to achieve your desired results or lose interest.
You don’t fail. You can’t. Failure doesn’t exist. It’s important to ponder—as failure, or the fear of it seems to keep people out of claiming the life that is available to them—the life they want. If you’ve tried saving, tried investing, tried earning what you feel you’re worth, tried being “good” at anything—well, keep trying. Or stop. Yoda says: “Do or do not do. There is no try.”
As it turns out, there is no failure either. Human beings created failure in language, and if it doesn’t serve you, you can create something else. What else would you create? What stories would you rewrite?
Secure Your Financial Information While You Vacation
Submitted by: Rashida Lilani, CFP®, CMFC®, Lilani Wealth Management
Planning a getaway for some rest and relaxation? Before you can embark, one of the “to do” items on your list should be ensuring that your financial information is safeguarded during your travels. Taking precautions and preparing for the unforeseeable may not seem as important as packing sun block or that bathing suit, but will seem like a brilliant idea in the event something does go awry.
The following is a good basic list of things to do:
- Copies, copies, copies: Make copies of your driver’s license, passport, credit cards and carry all relevant contact numbers in the event your wallet is stolen or lost. Leave a set of copies at home with a friend.
- Travel light, wallet included: I personally have trouble traveling light; especially when it comes to shoes. How can one not pack enough shoes, right? However, one thing I always make sure to do before I leave on a trip is to empty out everything from my wallet except for my driver’s license, ATM card and a couple of major credit cards.
- Use plastic: The zero-liability policy offered by most major credit cards makes it the obvious choice for payments, providing recourse in the event there is fraud or your card is stolen.
- Carry cash: As convenient as it is to use plastic, cash is still king. Not all places take credit cards and it’s a good idea to have some cash on you.
- Stay alert: Pickpockets love tourist destinations. Remember, they can tell the tourist from the regular folk; your tan and your flip flops will give you away for sure. Clean out your rental car before you return it, making sure no personal information is left behind.
There’s rarely a thing called the “perfect vacation” but you can certainly prepare. So do the best you can and have a wonderful time!
President’s Message – April 2014
Dear NAWBO-SV Community,
Spring has arrived! What does that mean for your business? Spring indicates the end of the first quarter of the year. Have you met your goals? If not, there is still time, and you may need to modify your efforts or revisit those goals for the rest of the year. It also is tax time and time to get your records in order.
Speaking of records, spring also brings spring cleaning. Visit your records retention policy and take the opportunity to purge those business and personal records you no longer need.
Lastly, spring is a time of renewal and fresh starts. Take the opportunity to renew relationships or forge new connections. As mentioned elsewhere in this newsletter, NAWBO SV is having a membership drive. Invite your friends and colleagues to join NAWBO and create new relationship opportunities for them, while strengthening or renewing your existing relationships.
We look forward to renewing your relationship with us at future meetings. We welcome your feedback on how to make this a better chapter.
Very truly yours,
Jennifer Dizon
NAWBO-SV President
2013/2014