*Vol 2007 - Issue 3* *March 2007 * /*Post Office Box 23874 Chattanooga, TN 37422 */ *MARCH MEETING * *Beverly Inman-Ebel* Beverly Inman-Ebel, author, speaker and founder/CEO of TLC, Talk Listen Communicate LLC is this month's speaker. Many of us know Beverly for another prominent role she has played--as a past national NAWBO president. Beverly will be talking with us about the Leadership Legacy, and as any of our NAWBO sisters who have heard Beverly present in the past know, she is a compelling and enlightening speaker. (Check out the two-page profile of Beverly starting on page 30 of the March 2007 issue of Blush Magazine.) To sign up for the event, either email Nesha at Nesha_steele@bsbst.com or try out our new Event Registration section on our Website. Click here to register for lunch or go to www.chanawbo.org and click on Event Registration. Luncheon: *Thursday, March 15* Sign in: 11:15 AM Lunch: 11:30 AM Location: Mountain City Club 729 Chestnut St Cost $17.00 Register by *Tuesday March 13* Email Nesha_steele@bsbst.com or register online at www.chanawbo.org All reservations must be paid *WELCOME - NEW MEMBER* *Amy Walden * Walden Security P.O. Box 4374 Chattanooga, TN 37405 423-267-6724 www.waldensecurity.com *OUR MISSION STATEMENT* Empower women business owners through education, opportunity and support, to achieve success economically, socially, and politically *NAWBO CHATTANOOGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2006-2007 * President - Celeste Friend Immediate Past President - Marj Flemming Vice President - Julie Bestry Secretary - Katrina Chesney Meeting Management - Mary Robertson Treasurer - Deborah Wooten Membership Chair - Julie Bestry Newsletter - Pat Egen Publicity - Deborah Levine *Membership Chair news - Julie Bestry* March is that it's once again the NAWBO national membership campaign. Our prospects and former members received email from me last week, reminding them that anyone who joins in March 2007 with have their one-time $25 joining fee waived. Plus, Wells Fargo, NAWBO's 2007 National Membership Recruitment & Retention Underwriter, will award one new (or re-joining) member with a "Fiscal/Physical Fitness Package"--a financial consultation with a Wells Fargo professional banker and an opportunity to pursue a physical fitness endeavor of their choosing at a local spa or health club. For those of you who are ALREADY members, this is the perfect time to encourage friends and colleagues--other stellar women business owners you know--to visit our meeting and get to know all that NAWBO has to offer. If you invite visitors to join us, please share this email with them or make a reservation on their behalf with Nesha_Steele@BCBST.com. (Chapter policy reminder: reservations made but not canceled more than 24 hours prior to the luncheon will be billed.) For the rest of you who have been considering joining but were waiting for the perfect time, that time is NOW. If using the mail or fax method, please either use the special March 2007 NAWBO-Chattanooga membership application (PDF) attached to the email I sent earlier, or email me for a new one. If you'd rather go the high-tech route to join, just click the following link: http://www.nawbo.org/join/index.php *President's Column By Celeste Friend* Hi Ladies! For those of you who attended the February NAWBO Meeting I would like to apologize for the sparse lunch and explain. When I set up the meal with the Mountain City Club, I asked for a soup and salad lunch since it was a cold, ugly day. My contact never told me that the portion sizes would be tiny and that we would leave a lunch meeting hungry. In my defense, it seems logical that a food professional would try and explain that our group would be unsatisfied with the order placed. I guess it was just one of those ?miscommunication? issues that we all get to deal with on occasion. Again, my apologies. Did you know that March is NAWBO membership month? That means that anyone joining in March doesn?t have to pay the membership application fee. If you or someone you know has been debating joining NAWBO, this could be a very good opportunity for you to take the plunge at a reduced cost. As they say at Nike, ?Just do it.? Have a prosperous March, Celeste ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *2007 Annual NAWBO Convention* The NAWBO annual convention is right around the corner. Make sure to attend monthly meetings to hear the plans for our 'cavalcade to Atlanta.' Event Details 2007 Women's Business Conference - Location: Atlanta, Georgia May 31-June 2 - Westin Peachtree Plaza Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Are you prepared to position your business for growth? Are you ready to make connections with women entrepreneurs from across the country and around the world? If so, NAWBO invites you to our 2007 Annual Women?s Business Conference. Known as the Gateway to the New South, Atlanta continues to look toward the future, and it has proven to be a stimulating environment for aspiring local women to make their mark. To name a few: * The city?s mayor, Shirley Franklin, was the first woman elected to that office in 2002. Named a Best Leader by US News and World Report in 2005, Franklin has worked tirelessly to advance Atlanta?s business climate. * Billionaire Ann Cox Chambers is an owner of Cox Enterprises, which publishes the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and operates Cox Communications. * As CEO and founder of Jenny Pruitt and Associates Realtors, Pruitt has been named one of the Top 100 Brokers in the US by REALTrends. * CEO Pin Pin Chau steers Summit Bank Corporation toward its goal of serving immigrant groups and entrepreneurial businesses. * The work of these successful women and others like them combines to create an exciting business culture in Atlanta. Please join us in this history-rich and forward-thinking city for NAWBO?s 2007 Women?s Business Conference and be inspired to take the next progressive step for yourself and your business. Hotel Details The Westin Peachtree Plaza 210 Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30303 404-659-1400 800-WESTIN-1 Special conference rates (available until April 29, 2007): $169 single/double (plus tax) $189 triple rooms (plus tax) Book a room online or call 800-WESTIN-1. *Go to www.nawbo.org for more details.* *PULL OUT YOUR CALENDARS! Make sure you have these important dates marked:* --Thursday, April 19, 2007 (our April meeting) --Thursday, May 17, 2006 (our May meeting) --Thursday, May 31-Saturday, June 2, 2007 (National NAWBO annual conference...in Atlanta! And remember, NAWBO members get a significant discount on conference registration fees!) */Did you know?/* Email is not a new word. Queen Elizabeth sent her first email 30 years ago. *PAGE TWO* *7 basic communication tips - How to be a better boss* 1. Be a better listener. Pay attention to your employees. 2. Make time for employees. Regular, one-on-one meetings with your team members are important; if employees work remotely, meet by phone. 3. Get the word out to those affected as efficiently as possible. Take great pains to reach those who should be in the know about workplace changes coming down from above. 4. Put out a consistent message about your values. Knowing who you are, and what you stand for, can help your employees make better decisions on their own (or at least decisions that you will like better). 5. Give regular feedback; avoid surprises. Employees shouldn't first learn about significant performance issues in an annual evaluation. 6. Be effective in speaking to groups. 7. Don't hide behind e-mails. Most delicate matters must be discussed in person. /Source: Microsoft Small Business Center Articles - Leadership/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chattanooga NAWBO Website National NAWBO Website Send us your comments and articles: info@chanawbo.org or click here: Editor Email disclaimer: http://www.bcbst.com/email_disclaimer.shtm