NAWBO® Central Illinois - The PULSE

Free Business Services Workshop on November 5th

Join Illinois State Representative Jehan Gordon for a free Business Services Workshop from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon on Thursday, November 5 at the Peoria NEXT Innovation Center at 801 W. Main St. in Peoria. This will be in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Employment Security, and will highlight a number of topics, including unemployment insurance claim protests, tax credits for new hires, mock adjudication interviews, new employee bonding programs, and TaxNet.

Experts from the Illinois Department of Employment Security will be at the discussion to answer questions about these topics.

In addition, Rep. Gordon is hosting a Starting Your Business in Illinois Workshop with the Small Business Development Center later that day from 3 pm to 6 pm at the same location.

If you have questions or would like to attend, please call Rep. Gordon's constituent office at (309) 681-1992 or e-mail repjehangordon@gmail.com. The invitation letter and flyer are attached.

Doris Symonds Interviewed by CNN Money

Doris Symonds, NAWBO Membership Chair, was recently interviewed by a CNN Money writer. She was listed as a vital resource for small business start ups. As a NAWBO member, Doris is very proud to represent the organzation on a global level.  
 
Find out why Peoria ranks #5 among midsize metro areas as the best places to launch a business!  http://money.cnn.com/smallbusiness/best_places_launch/2009/snapshot/254.html

Need a research project completed for your business?

From Eden Blair, Ph D., Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Foster College of Business Administration, Bradley University:

I have at least one student and possibly others interested in doing an independent study in entrepreneurship.  One of the possible ways of doing this is by acting as a research consultant for an entrepreneurial organization or small business.  Unlike an internship, this will be a research project to help your organization gather data about something that interests them.  Depending on the number of credit hours a student needs, these projects would take between 20-80 hours of work time for the student.  You would be required to meet with the student and me once at the beginning of the semester (Jan or Feb) and once for the presentation of the research at the end of the semester (Apr-May).  Other than that, any meeting between the student and you can be negotiated.

Possible projects include:

• Research on a topic of interest to you and related to entrepreneurship (like methods of innovation, women in entrepreneurship, etc.)
• A market analysis
• A feasibility analysis
• Development and gathering of a survey to customers, employees, etc.
• Focus group of customers or employees
• Developing creativity and innovation techniques to get better creativity out of your employees

This is free to you.   Most clients have been pleased with the work of the students (most are final semester seniors and entrepreneurship majors).  I will work with the student and the client to determine what is fair and reasonable in terms of work.  I'll be grading the final project, so I expect students to do a good job.

Please contact me at the below info if you are interested.  I will only be able to manage  1-3 projects, but projects on hand will make it easier to attract students.

Stephanie LH Calahan Selected as Finalist for Prestigious "Most Innovative Organizer" Award

NAWBO Sisters -

I'm bursting at the seams with excitement and wanted to share with you.  The National Association of Professional Organizers-LA Announced the Finalists for their 2010 Awards and I am on the list!

 

Some glorious person (or people) nominated me for the "Most Innovative Organizer" award by NAPO-LA.  The Most Innovative Organizer award is given to the professional organizer who is blazing trails within the industry in terms of his or her business structure, website, products, or services.  I got the call earlier last week and was shocked because I did not even know that I had been nominated, much less make it to a finalist position.

 

The NAPO-LA Organizing Awards is like the Oscars for the Organizing World.  The Awards recognize the best in the professional organizing industry.  Professioal organizers who set the standard for home and business productivity will be acknowledged for their accomplishments, along with those products and services that help consumers and businesses organize anything and everything.  Recipients will receive their awards at the public gala celebration on January 30th, as National "Get Organized Month" comes to a close.  Huge Hollywood-style red carpet event right in the heart of Hollywood CA.

 

Then I went out and looked at the list of the other finalists and found that I'm affiliated with a number of them!

- Best Organizing Product Retailer - Stacks and Stacks -  have been an expert author for Stacks and Stacks' Clutter Control Freak Blog for the last two years.

- Best Office Organizing Product - NeatDesk™ by Neat® - have been on The Neat Company's consumer advisory panel since 2007.

- Most Helpful Organizing Technology - iPEP by Productive Environment Institute - have been a certified iPEP specialist since the technology was introduced.

- Best National Makeover Reality Television Program - Extreme Makeover – Home Edition(ABC) - Last October I participated with a number of NAWBO sisters on the strategy and implementation production/builder team for a local build. 

- Best Publication Featuring Organizational Information - Real Simple® Magazine - Real Simple has quoted me in several in stories.

- Most Valuable Educational Resource - National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) - very proud member.

Voting for the 5th Annual Los Angeles Organizing Awards opens on October 15 and closes December 15. Winners will be decided by popular public vote and will be announced at the Awards.  Vote here: https://web.memberclicks.com/mc/quickForm/viewForm.do?orgId=napola&formId=34041

 

A BIG THANK YOU to all of my NAWBO sisters that continue to encourage me as I grow my business.

 

NAWBO Sisters -

I'm bursting at the seams with excitement and wanted to share with you.  The National Association of Professional Organizers-LA Announced the Finalists for their 2010 Awards and I am on the list!

 

Some glorious person (or people) nominated me for the "Most Innovative Organizer" award by NAPO-LA.  The Most Innovative Organizer award is given to the professional organizer who is blazing trails within the industry in terms of his or her business structure, website, products, or services.  I got the call earlier last week and was shocked because I did not even know that I had been nominated, much less make it to a finalist position.

 

The NAPO-LA Organizing Awards is like the Oscars for the Organizing World.  The Awards recognize the best in the professional organizing industry.  Professioal organizers who set the standard for home and business productivity will be acknowledged for their accomplishments, along with those products and services that help consumers and businesses organize anything and everything.  Recipients will receive their awards at the public gala celebration on January 30th, as National "Get Organized Month" comes to a close.  Huge Hollywood-style red carpet event right in the heart of Hollywood CA.

 

Then I went out and looked at the list of the other finalists and found that I'm affiliated with a number of them!

- Best Organizing Product Retailer - Stacks and Stacks -  have been an expert author for Stacks and Stacks' Clutter Control Freak Blog for the last two years.

- Best Office Organizing Product - NeatDesk™ by Neat® - have been on The Neat Company's consumer advisory panel since 2007.

- Most Helpful Organizing Technology - iPEP by Productive Environment Institute - have been a certified iPEP specialist since the technology was introduced.

- Best National Makeover Reality Television Program - Extreme Makeover – Home Edition(ABC) - Last October I participated with a number of NAWBO sisters on the strategy and implementation production/builder team for a local build. 

- Best Publication Featuring Organizational Information - Real Simple® Magazine - Real Simple has quoted me in several in stories.

- Most Valuable Educational Resource - National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) - very proud member.

Voting for the 5th Annual Los Angeles Organizing Awards opens on October 15 and closes December 15. Winners will be decided by popular public vote and will be announced at the Awards.  Vote here: https://web.memberclicks.com/mc/quickForm/viewForm.do?orgId=napola&formId=34041

 

A BIG THANK YOU to all of my NAWBO sisters that continue to encourage me as I grow my business.

 

Lindsay Brown is our New Public Relations Director!

New member Lindsay Brown has accepted the role of Public Relations Director.  The board is thrilled to have Lindsay join bringing her energies and public relations skills toward promoting the news of members and the Chapter.

November Meeting Topics

Our November 18th meeting will feature the theme, "Building a Culture of Philanthropy." It will begin at 4:30 with an Educational Moment led by Pam Neff  Neff Accounting….Pam will offer insight to tax benefits to charitable giving.

Our Dinner Speaker is Linda Sahn Executive Director of District 150 Foundation.

Be sure to join us by RSVPing to secretary@nawbo-cil.org!

A look ahead...

Our December 16th will be our Holiday Party led by Andrea Flairty 

You're Invited to the Women in Business Bi-Annual Conference

Women in Business Bi-Annual Conference
Marketing Your Business On A Shoestring Budget

Featured Speakers include Debbie Delgado, Ronda Daily, Becky Davies, Shad Sleeth, and Yona Lunken

CONFERENCE DETAILS:

Date:   Thursday, December 3, 2009

Location: Embassy Suites Conference Center, 100 Conference Center, East Peoria, IL 61611; Riverfront Grand Ballroom, Rooms G, H, I & J

Cost:

• $50 - Whole Conference
• $35 - Panel and Workshop Only (afternoon)
• $35 -Networking and Keynote Speaker Only (evening)
• (Add $10 if paying after 11/3/09)

For more information, and to register, go to http://www.talktodorisnow.com/test/index.php/events.

Questions? Contact Doris Symonds at dsymo92699@aol.com.

Lapsed Member Campaign

Central Illinois Chapter NAWBO Membership!
 
National NAWBO is hosting a Lapsed Member Campaign.
 
To help former members come back to NAWBO, National is offering a $35 membership discount. The $35 discount is available through November 30, 2009.

I need your help to notify former CIL-NAWBO members of this campaign!  Please share this message with former members you know. Just a friendly phone call or inviting email is all it takes.

Working together we can increase our membership. Here’s to a great campaign!

Doris Symonds
CIL-NAWBO Membership Chair

Inside NAWBO Newsletter

Inside NAWBO - Get the latest member news and information from NAWBO!

Click on the cover to go to the Table of Contents page.

Enterprising Women Digital

The Latest issue of Enterprising Women Digital is now available. To subscribe and continue to receive future issues, click here.

http://online.enterprisingwomen.com

Book Club Reminder

I moved book club back one week due to the Pathways Conference schedule.  Hope to see you there!

What:  Never Eat Alone, Part 2

When:  Thursday, October 29th

Where:  I know You like a book

Time:  6:30-8:00

Penny Kramer
309-693-9600

American Free Enterprise Dream Big Campaign

The American Free Enterprise. Dream Big campaign is one of the most important and necessary initiatives in the Chamber's nearly 100-year history. As a nation, we face major policy challenges--but none greater or more important than reviving the economy, restoring the 7 million jobs lost to the current recession, and creating the 13 million more jobs that will be needed over the next decade.

A recent survey by the U.S. Chamber found that while people support free enterprise, they do not clearly see how it benefits them as individuals. Respondents also expressed concern about the future of the free enterprise system and believe that the private sector will and should take the lead in the nation's number one challenge--job creation.

At the U.S. Chamber, we believe that the values of individual initiative, hard work, freedom of choice, and the free exchange of trade, capital, and ideas can lead America back to prosperity. Only free enterprise will create the innovation, the opportunities, and the jobs our nation needs. That is why we are launching this campaign.

Here are some of the campaign's core components and ways for you to get involved:

• National Advertising Campaign: View our innovative national advertising campaign built to inspire Americans to celebrate the role of free enterprise in meeting our nation's next great challenge--creating 20 million new jobs in the next decade. View and share the ads.
• American Free Enterprise Pledge: Sign your name to proclaim your support for and intention to help strengthen the free enterprise system. Sign our pledge.
• Dream Big Video Competition: Participate in the online video competition that invites Americans who personify free enterprise--business owners, startup entrepreneurs, and future business owners--to tell their stories of how free enterprise allows them to pursue their dreams. Stay tuned to www.FreeEnterpriseAmerica.com for information about submitting videos.
• Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award Program: Apply or nominate a small business owner for this recognition program, held in conjunction with America's Small Business Summit, that honors successful business owners and entrepreneurs who have contributed to the vibrancy of American free enterprise. Stay tuned to www.FreeEnterpriseAmerica.com for information on submitting nominations.
• Free Enterprise Forums: Take part in a series of bipartisan community-based discussions on the role of free enterprise in job creation and innovation to help spread the free enterprise message throughout the country. Stay tuned to www.FreeEnterpriseAmerica.com for additional information about events in your area.

You have a critical role to play in this historic endeavor. We are all free enterprise, and each one of us must become involved in preserving America as the great land of opportunity.

We encourage you to get involved in these activities as often as you can. Please join us by signing the American Free Enterprise Pledge today and encourage others in your community and across the country to get involved.

Sincerely,
Thomas J. Donohue
President and CEO
U.S. Chamber of Commerce

NAWBO Membership Ambassadors

Members now have an assigned representative they can connect with and continue to keep abreast of what is going on within the Chapter. Ambassadors are the ears to the members for questions, contacts, illnesses, death notices, you name it. Whatever is going with a person within the chapter, your assigned ambassador want to know.

To find your ambassador, open this document - NAWBO Ambassador List

If you have any questions, please contact our Membership Coordinator Doris Symonds at dsymo92699@aol.com or 309-224-9665.