Social media has been a hot topic for sometime now. However it remains a challenge for many business owners for various reasons. Last night’s think tank untangled the preparation work involved in establishing and maintaining a blog.

Many resources, ideas and strategies were shared in our conversations on blogging. Here are some of the comments from the evening:

“Love the format!” “Thanks for sharing such great information.”

“What a lovely group of business women.”

“Great ideas shared on where and how to source blog content”.

“Thanks for showcasing how to take the sense of overwhelm out of blogging.”

WiSE think tank ‘take-aways’:

“So much! A reason to blog. Content & ideas with a timeline. More information on the backend i.e. Google,Wordpress etc.” Gayle Walker

“Inspiration and ideas on blogging and linking through to other social media.” Traicha Aspley

“Set goals. Have a plan. Capture ideas.” Gabrielle Droulers

“Basic signposts to get started. Questions for web developer. Useful sounding board.” Catherine Sullivan

“Ideas. Put blog somewhere people can easily find.” Rosemary Manners

“Some good tips and advice on blogging i.e. keywords. Time management.” Veronica Rickard

“Fresh insights into blogging. Thank you.” Michelle McCallum

Testimonials from the evening:

“As always very informative with excellent content & group participation. Michelle takes away the “OVERWHELM!” Gayle Walker Gayle Walker Real Estate

“Extremely useful tips and ideas to get started blogging.” Catherine Sullivan Your Edible Garden

“Very informative & necessary if you want to grow your business by embracing social media, especially blogging.” Gabrielle Droulers Centre for Career Development

“Enthusiasm to get started.” Rosemary Manners Harmony Pharmacy

“There was excellent interaction and discussion re:blogging & social media in general.” Veronica Rickard Stanton Mosman

“Great sharing & open format, current and very useful information.” Traicha Aspley A J Financial Services

“Thank you to those who participated in our ‘blogging’ think tank and for your wonderful feedback last night. It was wonderful to see the concept of blogging untangled for those who have been considering utilising this social media platform for their enterprises and/or personal interests. I look forward to reading your blogs.” Michelle McCallum Colour Design Studio

Thanks to Gayle Walker for inviting WiSE to host this think tank in your Mosman office.

All WiSE events are proudly organised and sponsored by Michelle McCallum

Principal of Colour Design Studio

creating seamless colour schemes inside to out

specifying the healthiest finishes available on-site and online

Colour Design Studio is now on Facebook where you can keep updated on all things related to architecture, interior design, colours, finishes, fabrics and lots  more.

It was interesting to discover ways other business owners are ‘active’ rather than ‘busy’ by selecting appropriate productivity tools to assist them in their personal and professional worlds.

There were many resources shared including:

• books
• techniques
• apps
• scheduling
• time management

Here are a few general comments about the morning:

“Great sharing of quality resources, ideas, tools, tips and techniques”.

“Thanks for the open discussion”.

“I like the way other participants offered support rather than advice”.

WiSE think tank ‘take-aways’:

“A reminder to categorise weekly activity … & to eat that frog”. Helen Crozier

“Tools are good, simple is better. Stick to a few tips that work for you. Sharing these with others will bring a new light to them”. Ilse Cornelius

“Write down three tasks for the day BIG – MEDIUM – SMALL“. Jan Littlejohn

” A new book to read, new apps to download and utilise instantly, a new way to use Evernote and so many other fresh ideas to adapt to suit my work”. Michelle McCallum

Testimonials from the morning:

“As always great sharing of information & ideas. Having a small, intimate group made it even more fun”. Jan Littlejohn Ceremonies with Style

“Very informative! Because we were with only a few people I think it improved sharing and going into depth on each topic. Useful and meaningful.” Ilse Cornelius Jilske Photography

“Thanks for the wonderful morning of sharing productivity tips”. Helen Crozier HelenCrozier.com

“As always WiSE think tanks allow for generous sharing of quality information in a supportive environment. Thanks to the other guests for what you brought to the table”. Michelle McCallum Colour Design Studio

All WiSE events are proudly organised and sponsored by Michelle McCallum

Principal of Colour Design Studio

creating seamless colour schemes inside to out

specifying interior & exterior colours + eco & bio-friendly finishes on-site and online

We covered legal content such as:

• copyright (and moral rights)
• trademarks
• infringements
• case studies
• protecting our rights, brands and self
• defamation and more

Here are a few general comments about the evening:

“So full of relevant information! I really felt a free exchange of ideas”. Elisa Townsend

“Very interesting and certainly appropriate to my interests”.  Jodie Holmes

“Great sharing of information, examples, ideas and support. Incredibly thought-provoking content especially for ‘new marketing’ when utilising social media”. Michelle McCallum

WiSE think tank ‘take-aways’:

“There is too much to list”. Elisa Townsend

“All of this was very helpful”. Helen Crozier

“Get myself protected”. Emma Veiga-Malta

“Some comprehensive checkpoints to my business legal situation. Pitched well to our situation”. Belinda Grundy

“Better flow & clear process when communicating with my clients. Update my terms of business”.  Jodie Holmes

“A clear and concise understanding of the language required to exercise the rights and responsibilities of protection for small business”. Michelle McCallum

Testimonials from the evening:

“What a wonderful evening, it was so helpful and Joanna was so open and full of great information”. Elisa Townsend The Finance Team

“Great topic, learnt a lot! Speaker was very generous. Loved the venue”. Helen Crozier Helen Crozier

“Joanna is very enthusiastic about the content and I have learnt a lot tonight”. Emily Griffiths Emily Griffiths

“Fascinating, informative & a little bit scary!” Emma Veiga-Malta Bespoke Art

“Thanks Joanna for a very comprehensive legal overview for my business. I’ve got some great ideas to implement too”. Belinda Grundy BG Property Styling

“Tonight’s event had fantastic content & was well worth coming along! Very pleased I came along!” Jodie Holmes Seaside Creative

“Joanna’s approach to small business needs is highly professional. Joanna demonstrated how to protect our own IP and how to be mindful of the IP of others whilst dealing with prospects and clients in a professional and communicative way. The content and discussion on the use of social media was of great value”.  Michelle McCallum Colour Design Studio

All WiSE events are proudly organised and sponsored by Michelle McCallum

Principal of Colour Design Studio

creating seamless colour schemes inside to out

specifying interior & exterior colours + eco & bio-friendly finishes on-site and online

Keep in touch: follow WiSE on Twitter. Our username is @WiSE_network

Here are a couple of general comments about the evening:

“Excellent small format meeting and informative discussion.”

“Great discussion and sharing of ideas. Very supportive group.”

WiSE think tank ‘take-aways’:

“Twitter demystified.” Veronica Rickard @veronicarick

“The potential power of using social media.” Lucy Jones @NeuroblastomaAU

“Lots of very interesting info on how to use Twitter.” Rochelle Sommer

“How & when to tweet, use of TweetDeck, ideas for cross marketing.” Karen Bessell  @Karen_Bessell

“I’m continually impressed with the amazing support shown at our meet-ups. Feeling very proud of our tagline: inform, support, connect.” Michelle McCallum @ColourStudio

Follow WiSE on Twitter

Testimonials from the evening:

“Very well run by Michelle, focussed & relevant.” Veronica Rickard StantonFurnishings

“Very engaging & informative – useful for a novice or more experienced social media user.” Lucy Jones SiennaandSidney supports Neuroblastoma.org.au

“It’s been great having a small group to share experiences, ideas and learn from each other.” Karen Bessell ThinkArt

“Very informative, have come away with a wealth of new ideas.” Rochelle Sommer WTAGroup

“Together we’ve untangled Twitter to realise it’s potential and place in enterprise as part of any marketing mix.” Michelle McCallum Colour Design Studio

Thanks to Gayle Walker for inviting WiSE to host this think tank in your Mosman office. You can follow Gayle on Twitter too … @GayleWalkerRE

All WiSE events are proudly organised and sponsored by Michelle McCallum

Principal of Colour Design Studio

creating seamless colour schemes inside to out

specifying the healthiest finishes available on-site and online

Here are a few general comments about the evening:

“Good pace and broad-based discussion.” Gay Flashman

“Loved the content.” Gayle Walker

“Really enjoyed the event. Great group and highly informative”. Megan Thomas

“Liked the informal style allowing everyone to share.” Debbie Eglin

“Open and honest discussion about the realities and relevance of social media for small business”. Michelle McCallum

WiSE think tank ‘take-aways’:

“A new take on social media. Knowledge of each platform.” Megan Thomas

“Great insight into how small biz can tackle social media”. Gay Flashman

“Great interaction and new knowledge”. Gayle Walker

“The Pomodoro Technique!” Debbie Eglin

“Really valuable information about Twitter. Also helpful to hear about the type of content that is best suited for the different mediums.” Bernadette Brennan

“Deciding why to use social media – having a strategy and a plan.” Kim Hursky

“I’ll take away lots of new information on social media.” Veronica Rickard

“Tonight’s conversations reinforced that some of the international trends in social media are occurring locally.” Michelle McCallum

Testimonials from the evening:

“Wonderful event that was thoughtfully prepared while being thought provoking and informative.” Megan Thomas GayleWalker.com.au

“An excellent informative evening that scratched the surface of social media. Looking forward to continuing the conversation further and digging deeper!” Bernadette Brennan PremierHomeFinders.com.au

“Fabulous evening full of intelligent women sharing relevant ideas.” Debbie Eglin iExecutive.com.au

“Good quality input covering a very broad topic & well managed by Michelle. Good fun atmosphere.” Gayle Walker GayleWalker.com.au

“WiSE has given me some great ideas to follow up with.” Tracy Adams JustSayAh.com.au

“It was very informative and a great way to start understanding social media.” Kim Husky TheQuarkels.com.au

“Very interesting to hear the potential power of social media.”  Lucy Jones SiennaandSidney.com

“As usual it was a wonderful evening with interesting WiSE women who were welcoming and lovely to be with and to learn from”. Lisa Perkins avatarepcpacific.com

“An interesting group and topic and it would be useful to explore further.”  Veronica Rickard StantonMosman.com.au

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to organise and run think tanks for WiSE over the last 9 years. Last night was engaging and enjoyable as all attendees participated for mutual benefit. The evening and input helped untangle the perceived challenges of social media showcasing the wealth of opportunities. Thank you to those who who attended!” Michelle McCallum ColourDesignStudio.com.au

Thanks to Gayle Walker for inviting WiSE to host this think tank in your Mosman office.

All WiSE events are proudly organised and sponsored by Michelle McCallum

Principal of Colour Design Studio

creating seamless colour schemes inside to out

specifying the healthiest finishes available on-site and online

As always it’s a great pleasure collaborating with Clodagh as she is so generous and willing to empower small business owners with up-to-date and practical strategic online marketing information that can be actioned immediately.

Let’s start with a  little background …

Clodagh Higgins

WiSE first asked Clodagh to present at our social media event in July 2010 entitled Social media … explore, engage, embrace iT! Clodagh has a strong background in the corporate sector. This was the first time Clodagh was to present to micro and small business owners and we were highly confident that she could deliver the brief. And of course, she did. Actually, Clodagh excelled! This is the testimonial as a result of that evening:

“Clodagh Higgins designed and delivered a presentation on the use of Twitter, Blogs and YouTube as part of the Women in Small Enterprise event “Social media … explore, engage, embrace iT”! in July, 2010. Clodagh’s key messages were succinct and delivered in her own unique, dynamic and concise way. Her style resonated immediately with the audience. The level of detail in preparing for this was of an extremely high standard meeting the brief perfectly. Clodagh demonstrates extensive content knowledge and shared it with tremendous passion and flair.”   Michelle McCallum, Founder of Women in Small Enterprise. August 3, 2010

Since that first presentation for WiSE I have introduced and recommended Clodagh to present at the Dept of NSW I&I ‘Over 45 Entrepreneurs’ and ‘Women in Business’ Programs run by IW on the northern beaches. As many of you know I am an advocate of these NSW government initiatives and have supported them over the last decade on Sydney’s north shore, eastern suburbs and CDB.

WiSE invited Clodagh to speak again in 2011. It all came about from a conversation in relation to the latest opportunities in the online world for small business. A second conversation sealed the conceptual idea and the brief and outline was formalised for … ‘How to Make your Website your Most Productive Online Marketing Tool‘.

Clodagh delivered her brand new presentation for us this month.

During the first part of the evening Clodagh explained:

• how and why online marketing has taken the place of traditional marketing
• researching & shopping online from the prospect’s perspective
• how your website is such a vital part of your sales team
• calls to action
• role of ‘keywords’, text and ‘tags’
• how Google ranking works
• the relevance of social media and the role it plays in conjunction with our website
• content using many and varied real life examples

Just 4, of our 20 guests, had seen Clodagh present previously (last year at July WiSE in Mosman). Throughout the evening I was receiving thumbs up from guests, nods in agreement of organising a great speaker and even a lovely hand written note! During the break guests came up to me with high praise for Clodagh’s content and approach.

The second part of the evening entailed guests, with existing websites, receiving a website  audit, a complimentary 18 point report on how their website currently rates & where improvements can be made plus collaborative feedback from Clodagh and other attendees. Guests who are currently designing and developing websites received loads of cost effective ideas for their website projects.

 Here are some general comments about Clodagh’s presentation. Read what guests had to say.

“Excellent.” “Brilliant.” “… found this presentation extremely informative and direct … direct ideas.” “Great speaker. Enjoyed every minute.” “Clodagh was so engaging, fun, warm and I am calling her tomorrow for help with my business.” “Very knowledgeable, fun & easy to stay engaged.”

WiSE ‘take-aways’ from this event:

“Re-assess my site”. “Motivation.” “I need a blog.” “Better understanding of website design.” “It’s really helped us know what our priorities should be and easy steps to achieve these.” “There are lots of things to do and change with my website but I got really good advice and happy to put it to the test.” “What to focus on and put energy into when building/setting up own website.”

“The most important tools to let my (future) website do the work.” “Great overview on various strategies to improve a website.” “Change to my website.” “To make a plan to auction on my site. Get my blog started.” “More work to be done.” “Lots of tips for website.”

“Everything! All the questions I have had the last 6 months about my website and what’s wrong with it.”
“The report was practical and useful – lovely to go away with something useful/tangible.”

“I don’t feel overwhelmed anymore … this event proves it’s all possible.” “Great to hear clear, concise, direct and highly practical information.” “The presenter & guests were all so generous in sharing ideas and tips. Thank you.”

Here are a few photos from the evening followed by guests’ testimonials:

Justine, Katrin & Sal

Emily, Marika & Ryan

Jan, Megan & Martina

Lindsay & Leila

Belinda, Clodagh & Harald

Clodagh Higgins presents

Testimonials from the evening:

“The information was clear and useful and I will definitely be putting it into practice.” Emily Griffiths EmilyGriffiths.com.au

“Clodagh presented a really informative and funfilled night – full of practical and helpful tips on maximising our website”. Megan Brown SurelineGraphics.com.au

“Thank you for such an informative evening, it has inspired me in so many ways for my business.” Justine Whitfield NaturalForm.com.au

“Very informative, entertaining and full of energy … loved the speaker, great advice”. Katrin Mende TalismanJewellery.com.au

“A very insightful presentation Clodagh. Entertaining and very informative. Great takeaway ideas to implement.” Marika Martinez WomensOwnAdventures.com.au

“Hell of absolutely helpful information presented in an interesting and funny way. ” Harald Grabner

“Great talk. Inspiring. Easy to understand. Pure fun.” Martina Grabner

“It was a great presentation I could listen to and learn from.” Charline Manier, Pearls de Tahiti

“Clodagh really got the message across. I learnt so much in 3 hours!” Leanne Sorby

“Very informative session. Appreciate effort put into presentation and of course website assessment.” Jan Littlejohn CeremoniesWithStyle.com.au

“Clear, concise but overall entertaining.” Lindsay Asquith Women2Work.com.au

“This was engaging, useful and fun! … You have clearly invested time and energy into this thank you so much!” Belinda Grundy BGPropertyStyling.com.au

“Informative & funny! Kept us smiling & interested.” Salena Knight FlowerChild

“It was an absolute pleasure working with Clodagh in preparation for this event. It was so rewarding to experience Clodagh’s informative and energetic delivery of this vital content for small business owners. The small website modifications presented by Clodagh can make a big difference to small business online success.”
Michelle McCallum Colour Design Studio

Our next event is on Tuesday, July 26 (6-9pm) in Mosman. It will be an interactive WiSE Think Tank … ‘Social Media Untangled’.

All WiSE events are proudly sponsored by Colour Design Studio

creating seamless colour schemes inside to out

specifying the healthiest finishes available on-site and online

My personal fund raising goal for Cancer Council in 2011 was $3000. I decided to host 2 events to reach this goal. Many family members and friends are not able to attend our annual weekday event so I hosted a private morning tea at our Pittwater residence on Sunday, May 22. This casual event raised a healthy $760. Besides raising funds we enjoyed a healthy homemade morning tea.

To reach my goal this meant that we had to raise $2240 on the following Friday. Fortunately, there were some generous and thoughtful people in attendance. Due to this we raised $3440 on the day!  A huge heartfelt thank you to those generous people who kindly donated funds to assist Cancer Council in the wide ranging work they do in research, education and support for various cancer treatments and programs.

There are many thank yous for this year’s event … thank you to …

• Sean and Helen Byrne, owners of Hawthorn Mosman, who supported our fund raiser in so many ways

• our guest speaker, Giselle Cooke, from Lotus Health in Neutral Bay, for an engaging and thought provoking presentation on integrative medicine

• Sally Osborne from Belle Property in Mosman for being the highest bidder in the ‘healthy hot ticket auction item’ of Slow Cooking for Fast People: an organic dinner, cooking demonstration and workshop for 10 people kindly donated by Leila Lutz from Momentum for Life and Jo Rushton from 6 Wisdoms.

• Lesley, Helen Byrnes’ mother, who kindly knitted our special auction item set of a tea cosy and hot water bottle cover. Thanks to Stel Cusmiani from Angove Family Winemakers for being the highest bidder!

• the many enterprises who donated over $4000 worth of prizes for our raffle, prize drawer and auction

• our auctioneer on the day Gayle Walker from Gayle Walker Real Estate

• everyone who bought raffle tickets and donated in the general donations to Cancer Council !!!

Thanks to these enterprises who donated prizes and donated generously to Cancer Council:

• Ana Brandao from Living in Harmony Classical Feng Shui
• Emma Veiga-Malta from Bespoke Art
• Belinda Grundy from BGHomestyling
• Loretta Walford from Ameliorate
• Marika Martinez from Womens Own Adventure
• Martina Grabner
• Veronica Rickard from Stanton Furnishings
• Stel Cusmiani from Angove Family Winemakers

Thanks to these enterprises who donated prizes:

• Sindar Kaur from Omagine
• Dr Prue King from Lotus Dental
• Tanya Lehmann from Cebelle jewellery
• Sarah Anne Evans from Karmea Fitness
• Clare Fulton from Mosman Spine and Health

Scroll down to view some of the photos from the morning tea.

Some take-aways from our morning tea:

‘I met some interesting women, women who also work alone and benefit from networking’, ‘there are “options” should the worst news be delivered, ‘better understanding of cancer recovery’, ‘more knowledge about integrated oncology & hope for cancer patients’ ‘to trust my instincts’, ‘listen to my own body’, ‘be even more proactive about my health’, ‘really need to further improve on looking after self & kids and share the message’, ‘information, new friends and contacts’, ‘confirming, yes I have the power to take control of my health’, ‘interested to come again’, ‘there are more choices in cancer management and treatment’, ‘more knowledge, new friends’, ‘stay positive’, ‘be proactive about your own health’, ‘loved networking with other business owners and thought Giselle’s talk was excellent & interesting’, ‘the power of choice’, ‘seek out integrated medicine’, ‘stay positive and have regular check-ups’, and ‘there are some very thoughtful and generous people in the WiSE community’.

Some testimonials from our morning tea:

“What a fantastic event. The food, the guests and the speaker. It wasn’t long enough”. Sally Osborne, Belle Property Mosman

“Thanks Michelle for another inspiring and heart felt event. And all for a good cause”. Ana Brandao, Living in Harmony

“Another warm and informative event about the essentials of life and life management”. Lyn Morehen, Tallulah Landscapes

“This was an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded women and be inspired by a inspirational speaker. An excellent event”. Bernadette Brennan, Premier Home Finders

“Wonderful event – from the heart. I thoroughly enjoyed the great speaker and the venue. All for a good cause as well. Thank you Michelle”. Marika Martinez, Womens Own Adventure

“An inspired event, practical and current thinking”. Pamela Bennett SPRE Pty Ltd

“Difficult but necessary topic that was delivered with grace and compassion and has opened my eyes wider”. Kirstie White, Envy Branding and Design

“A lovely way to spend a morning giving to a worthwhile cause”. Megan Thomas, Gayle Walker Real Estate

“Absolutely great, will come again”. Beata Steiner, Beata Steiner Shiatsu

“Giselle is an amazing woman & great to learn there are more alternatives for cancer research”. Belinda Grist, Design Avenue

“Loved the presentation – great information that held my interest throughout”. Sharon Turton, Journey Naturopath

“Giselle is an enthusiastic and engaging presenter with a fantastic topic”. Veronica Rickard, Stanton Furnishings

“A lovely way to connect and learn”. Nikki Cooper, Xpress Web Video

“A wonderful event to support a worthy cause. Fun & worthwhile.” Steliano Cusmiano, Angove Family Winemakers

“A great way to socialise with other woman in business and support cancer.” Anna Keusgen, The Health Practise

“Really enjoyed Giselle Cooke. Her positiveness & enthusiasm really inspired me”. Marcella Zemanek

“What a great morning! Perfect weather, stunning venue and surrounded by wonderful people. Thanks for being part of our 7th ABMT”. Michelle McCallum, Colour Design Studio

Photos from our morning tea:

Hawthorn Mosman	Beata, Emily & Jo	Leila, Ana & Emma
Nikki, Isabelle & Marcella	Barbara, Gayle & Martina	Tanya, Stel & Joyce

Pamela, Lyn & Kirstie	Sally, Megan, Anna & Bernadette	Sharon, Angela & Loretta
Guests enjoying morning tea & social networking 1	Guests enjoying morning tea & social networking 2	Giselle Cooke engages guests in her talk

Next WiSE Event: ‘How to Make your Website your Most Productive Online Marketing Tool’ … a workshop presented by Clodagh Higgins on Tuesday, June 28 (6-9pm) in Newport.

Save the date for our next Mosman WiSE gathering on Tuesday, July 26 (6-9pm).

Thank you to our April attendees for braving the wet weather and joining us in Mona Vale on Thursday evening to attend the branding presentation delivered by Hana Guenzl from Deep Vision addressing the power of the 4B’s … ‘Be | Become | Belong | Bond’ .

Prior to the presentation we had plenty of time to mingle and meet each other. It’s always such a pleasure to reacquaint with those I’ve known for a while as well as welcome new guests to our gatherings.

Following this opportunity of social networking. Hana delivered a great amount of information through models and case studies.

Some of the content from the evening included:

• new world marketing
• traditional marketing vs new marketing
• new tools, methods & techniques
• our customer is our partner, friend & even competitor
• relational & experiential marketing
• creativity & idea generation
• the four business personalities and so much more!

This was followed by a group discussion on branding where we got to hear about individuals’ branding experiences. It was fascinating to hear how different people approach branding.

Some of the ‘take-aways’ from the evening were:

‘think like my consumer’, ‘people matter most’, it’s about your customers and what you can do for them’, ‘I need to work on my branding statement’, ‘really enjoyed meeting women in business …’, ‘to become more passionate and express ourselves’, ‘keep building my brand essence’, ‘inspiration’, ‘rethink’, ‘check-in on my new branding’, ‘it’s all about experience & caring for your clients’, ‘I enjoyed making quality connections’.

Some testimonials from the evening were:

“Informative and thought provoking. Hana’s passion for branding is addictive!” Sarah-Anne Evans KarmeaFitness

“Hana is a passionate presenter with a deep knowledge of branding which rubs off on you”. Geoff Grist GeoffGrist.com

“Hana is a very passionate professional & passionate branding expert. You can feel her passion behind every word & action”. Martina Grabner

“Enjoyed Hana’s story telling”. Emma Veiga-Malta Bespoke Art

“Informative”. Jan Littlejohn Ceremonies with Style

“I really enjoyed coming tonight and look forward to the next one”. Caz Ogden ing homewares & giftware in Avalon & Mona Vale

“Thanks for the insight & expertise this was perfect timing and information to launch my re-brand thanks!” Belinda Grundy BG Homestyling

“What an eclectic group of people. I thoroughly enjoyed making quality connections with everyone. I found the thought of ‘customer can be a competitor’ interesting as collaboration is  a very hot topic at the moment”. Michelle McCallum Colour Design Studio

Here are a few photos from the evening …

Sal & Kirstie	Caz & Katrin	Belinda & Geoff
Megan & Maureen	Hana & Martina	Katrin, Caz, Sol & Sarah Ann

Hana kindly organised some prizes for the evening. The fortunate recipients were:

Sarah Anne Evans  from Karmea Fitness who won an organic skin care pack from Purestuf

Maureen Wildman from Sureline Graphics who won a Gucci scarf from Ussedand Abbussed

Emma Veiga-Malta from Bespoke Art who won a ‘Free Branding Health Check Consultation’ from Deep Vision

All guests received a ‘$100 off’ voucher from Moi Moi Jewellery.

The evening began with women enjoying the most stunning bespoke artwork on display on the walls and chairs! We truly felt the sense of being in an artists’ space and gallery. There we enjoyed some bubbles, canapes and relaxed social networking. We all got to meet someone new!

It was then time to hear from our guest speaker. Besides sharing the formula for successfully realising her dreams, Suzanne spoke openly and warmly about her experiences from her earliest years and how they affected her choices in life. How they drove her to always follow her dreams. We heard the most amazing stories about how Suzanne once dreamt about: being a ballerina (and was then the youngest girl, at the age of 10, to be accepted into a London ballet school) and meeting a princess (then later in life worked with Lady Diana Spencer).  There was also a story about how Suzanne worked with Formula 1 racing drivers! Suzanne shared other stories of what drove her to aspire to always dream, have an undying belief in those dreams, take action regularly to work towards her dreams and to be grateful for what she had in her life and be proud of what she has achieved.

Suzanne uses the C.B.A.G. formula which she gave a detailed explanation of through examples, story telling and asking guests to interact by sharing their dreams and experiences. Put very briefly: C – create, B – believe, A – act, G – gratitude. There was much more detail and depth about each part of this model as well as guests sharing the techniques and tips they’ve used to set and achieve goals and realise big juicy dreams

There were many take-aways from the evening. Here are some of them.

“Don’t forget what you are working for”, “ensuring I constantly revisit my goals & think big beyond the now!”, “inspiration”, “ignore the dream stealers”, “be positive”, “keep on dreaming”, “everyday act toward my dream”, “dare to set big, juicy dreams and act on them daily” and “fresh ideas”.

Testimonials from the evening:

“A wonderful group of welcoming, inspiring women who support you in achieving your dreams. And Bespoke Art is a beautiful shop.” Lisa Perkins avatarepcpacific.com

“Suzanne has so much energy it’s impossible not to feel inspired and revived” Emily Griffiths EmilyGriffiths.com.au

“Excellent topic and inspiring delivery” Hana Guenzl DeepVisionImage.com

“Great people, great connections”. Rosemary Manners, Harmony Pharmacy

“Suzanne positively glows with inspiration” Emma Veiga-Malta  Bespoke-Art.com.au

“A wonderful speaker & excellent information to make dreams become a reality”. Rosie Netterfield RosieNetterfield.com

“Inspirational & calming.” Lyn Morehen TallulahLandscapes.com.au

“Suzanne’s talk was a pleasure to attend and personally so inspiring – thank you!” Belinda Grundy BG Homestyling.com.au

“What a perfect space Bespoke Art was for an evening of talking about goals and dreams. Reminds me of my 2011 goal for creativity! A great evening.” Michelle McCallum ColourDesignStudio.com.au

Until next we meet here are two WiSE ways to keep in touch. ‘Like’ WiSE on Facebook here and learn about all kinds of events and other enterprises. ‘Follow’ @WiSE_network on Twitter for other events, enterprises and information that may interest you.

Here are a couple of  photos from the evening. I completely forgot to take photos until the very end … after most guests had left. Here’s what I did capture.

Emma & Suzanne

Suzanne, Lisa, Emily & Hana

We then moved to our seats for the 2 presentations of the evening … ‘Celebrating the Journey’ by Victoria Ugarte from Postcards from Millie and ‘Celebrating the Life’ by Mariette Rups-Donnolly from Powerhouse Presentation

Victoria and Mariette delivered such unique, individual, emotive and thought provoking presentations. I particularly loved the way they challenged the audience to go beyond their comfort zones and truly contemplate many things like exploration, thinking, mindsets, relationships, actions, challenges, choices, connection, reality of being a woman and what that means. It was also fascinating to witness the response of the audience too. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive!

Here are some of the comments about and responses to the presentations:

“Very inspirational“.  “Great insights“.  “Follow your heart, the child within knows“. “Fabulous energy“. “Funny, passionate, fun“. “Stick with what makes your heart sing and travel“. “Totally unexpected and loved it“. “Very touching. I had tears in my eyes“.

Thank you Victoria and Mariette for the being so abundantly generous with your time, wisdom, experiences and for making ‘Celebrate 2010′ so unique and memorable. I truly admire you both for being willing to step up and give so honestly and openly!

A selection of photos from ‘Celebrate 2010′

Approaching the venue	Looking along Mosman Bay	Rose, Kaye, Leah & Dianne
Victoria & Wendi	Clodagh, Tania, Nickie & Leah	Carolyn, Mariette & Elisa
Sue, Wendi & Susan	Lisa, Rory & Dominique	Ana, Rose & Linda
Victoria presents 'Celebrating the Journey'	Mariette presents 'Celebrating the Life'	Michelle, Victoria & Mariette

Following the presentations we had a group discussion and individuals shared their stories. As a result some deeper connections were made. Then it was time for more networking. It was so good to see guests making quality connections.

Here’s what some of the ‘take-aways’ were for the evening … “what you give is what you get in life“, “get out of my comfort zone more“, “dig my journal out“,  “nice connections“, “the warmth and acceptance of women from all walks of life”, “the passion of each speakers’ experience“, “inspiration“, “connect head to heart – meditation“, “a wonderful feeling of empathy with business women“, “motivation and new contacts“, “the message of connecting with ‘self’“,  “reconnect with things I used to love as a child“, “don’t be shy/new day, new dawn, new life“, “friendship“, “there’s always something positive in every experience in life …. we just have to open our eyes and look for it” .

Testimonials

“Michelle, a fantastic event with dynamic inspiring speakers, a great group of ladies to network with”. Tania Beck RedRooAdventures.com.au

“Very professionally informal, inspiring and great networking”. Nickie Race-Jones LCF Fun Languages

“I came for a look see and I’m leaving gently challenged & very inspired”. Linda Rysenbry NowRelate.com

“Fabulous, completely different!” Carolyn Dean Wellsites

“Tonight I loved the ‘celebration’. I felt inspired, touched and met some amazing women. Thank you!” Ana Brandao Living in Harmony

“Michelle is a wonderful host and the WiSE women are Wonderful, Interesting, Supportive and Engaging”. Lisa Perkins avatarepcpacific.com

“What a diverse and innovative group of women and what an enriching evening. Thank you”. Victoria Ugarte Postcards from Millie

“Thank you Michelle – a very enjoyable evening”. Dominique Beck

“Excellent speakers, good networking”. Mavis McGregor CreatingWhatMatters

“Very informative and inspiring”. Susan Ingall

“What a lovely surprise tonight to hear from 2 passionate women who connected with our hearts”. Rosie Netterfield RosieNetterfield.com.au

“A positive experience to an event I knew nothing about beforehand”. Fay Frischer Lawyer Lane Cove

“Very different! Fun, inspiring … brought to tears”. Elisa Townsend The Finance Team

“It’s great to be inspired within or without. Anything is possible”. Rory Harper Decoroom

“Makes me realise how many possibilities are out there!! Great ideas”. Leah Steele TriNature

“Wonderful speakers, so inspiring and uplifting and a great way to celebrate 2010 taking inspiration into next year”. Kaye Khan-Panni KayeKP

“Tonight was inspiring, encouraging and provided a night of great connections. Thanks”. Karen Bessell AroundTheWorldin80Plays.com

“A great end of year event full of energy and fun”. Rose Cox Purple Prodigy

“Amazing speakers with a room full of inspirational ladies. A privilege to be here.” Clodagh Higgins Get Focused Consulting

“Both Victoria and Mariette were sensational and inspiring speakers. They have made me think more purposefully. This was a thoroughly enjoyable evening. I loved Mariette’s singing.” Marika Martinez Women’s Own Adventures

“I shall never tire of hearing the stories of other women. I find it truly uplifting and absolutely fascinating. Hearing your stories is like being taken on fabulous journeys. Thank you to all of the women whom I’ve met because of WiSE. The last 8 years have truly been a celebration“.  Michelle McCallum Colour Design Studio

Keep in Touch

WiSE now has a community page on Facebook Please visit us by clicking here. We hope you ‘like’ us on Facebook. You may even see postings about you or your business there. Thank you to those who have supported the WiSE Facebook community so far!

Last drinks … ‘First Friday at 5′ northern beaches ‘sundowners’

If you’ll be anywhere near Mona Vale this Friday, December 3 from 5pm – 6:30 pm please join us for some social networking. This event is open to women and men who’d like to join us for some Christmas cheer. It’s free. You just need to register here for ‘First Friday at 5′.

Thanks for a fabulous year of connecting. Have a happy and safe festive season and I look forward to seeing you in 2011.