Women Balancing Business: July 2015

Meeting Information

MEETING DAY AND LOCATION:

Women Balancing Business (formerly Moms, Inc.) meets the 3rd TUESDAY of every month from 10:00 AM until Noon at:

The Olney Library, 3500 Olney Laytonsville Road (Rt. 108), Olney, MD 20832 (in the small meeting room).

Mark Your Calendar for 2016 Meeting Dates: Jan. 19, Feb. 16, Mar. 15, Apr. 19, May 17, June 21 (topics and speakers are subject to change)

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Women Balancing Business will be taking a hiatus for at least the summer. Our last meeting will be on Tuesday, June 21 from 10 - noon at the Olney Library. Please join us!

Speakers List (see full monthly Speaker details below group information section)

6/21/16 Meeting:

No Guest Speaker - Let's just talk and celebrate ourselves! What's happening with your business as we approach mid-year? What will you be doing to fit some summer fun in with work, family, and life? We've had two recent speakers helping us get going with our ideas, our planning, and facing our resistance. Let's share, brainstorm and be there to support each other.

Membership information is below. Please contact group leader, Donna Dettling at WomenBalancingBusiness@gmail.com if you have questions.

For content prior to May 2015, please visit the previous Mom's Inc. site at www.momsincss.blogspot.com

Membership Guidelines and Fees

Membership Guidelines and Fees:

To join Women Balancing Business, simply attend a meeting. Your first visit is free. If you enjoy the group and would like to become part of it, please ask for a Membership Application Form. Our annual dues are $75 per year and are renewed each July 1st. If you join mid-year, your renewal will be prorated based on the month you joined. There are no refunds. Please make your check payable to 'Women Balancing Business' and mail with your application to: Donna Dettling, 8728 Tryal Ct., Montgomery Village, MD 20886, or bring them to the next meeting.

We have added another level of participation, a Drop-In Fee of $10 per meeting (payable at the meeting), for those who can only attend occasionally. We hope this will encourage visitors and previous members to come back when they are able, if they are hesitant to commit to membership due to schedule conflicts. They will not receive the full benefits of membership, but will be able to enjoy the meetings and speakers.

Benefits of membership:

1) Accountability for business and personal goal setting and growth

2) Receive and provide support within the group and with guests

3) Networking with like-minded business women

4) Learn from expert guest speakers on various business and life topics

5) Opportunities for member spotlights at meetings and on web page

6) Business listing on the Women Balancing Business web page

7) Participation in Women Balancing Business social media groups and events

Policies:

Since we are not a leads generating networking group, we do not restrict the number of members who belong to each business category. In Women Balancing Business, the emphasis is on friendship and support in all aspects of our lives, rather than competition for business. In this spirit, we hope that members in the same category will be able to co-exist.

Friday, July 31, 2015

August 18, 2015 Meeting

Becky Briggs, Our Gift Biz

How to Build a Winning Client Appreciation Strategy

During this engaging presentation, Becky Briggs, of Our Gift Biz, will instruct us on ways we, as business women, can Build a Winning Client Appreciation Strategy if we:

Stay Top of Mind with those who matter most
Create effective Touch Points
Design a Strategy that works for us

Becky Briggs is Founder and President of Our Gift Biz, a gift boutique providing solutions to clients and customers while taking the guesswork out of gift-giving! She has a multifaceted background in retail, financial services, consulting, and marketing. As a strategic advisor for clients in a variety of sectors, Becky brings a savvy business acumen and strong corporate experience/etiquette to gift-giving. She strategizes with companies to create "a campaign for nurturing, retaining and growing client relationships." As an entrepreneur, blogger, designer, marketing enthusiast and speaker Becky provides an unparalleled, customized gift-service to clients who need assistance with gift-giving where style, gratitude and customer touches are paramount. Becky is a resource for those who want to create a meaningful and memorable unique gift-giving experience for both the giver and receiver. She trains companies how to develop strong strategic partners and unfolds the mystery of marketing successfully in today's world. Client appreciation and retention are paramount in increasing profits and she helps clients create strategies that ensure their company is always TOP of Mind!

Our Gift Biz specializes in custom-designs and finding the perfect gift, along with creating a meaningful, memorable, unique gift experience that WOW's the recipient every time! Our Gift Biz is known as a leader in developing strategies to redefine the client experience and this expertise is critical to doing business today. The firm consults with many clients who struggle with how to spend their marketing dollars wisely and need new solutions for the future. Companies choose to outsource their gift-giving needs to Our Gift Biz because of their track record for how best to say thank you.

Becky Briggs - (804) 516-9103 - www.ourgiftbiz.com - bbriggs@ourgiftbiz.com

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

July 21, 2015 Meeting

Colleen Strube, Send Out Cards

Master Relationship Marketing

Personal and business relationships are more important today than ever before. We are at the pinnacle of the information age. With the Internet, search engines and social media platforms, people find out about you, personally, and about your business, before you have the chance to make your first impression in person. So today, the better you are at MASTERING RELATIONSHIPS, the better you will be at thriving in your personal and business life. Why? Because today more than any time in history, people don't care how much you know since they can research anything online. You separate yourself personally, and in business, by showing people how much you care.

Becoming a MASTER at RELATIONSHIP MARKETING is about focusing on the first word, RELATIONSHIP, over the second word, MARKETING. It's about mastering relationships in 3-core areas: Relationships with your SELF, Relationships that are PERSONAL, and Relationships in BUSINESS. Colleen will address ways we can improve all of our relationships and enhance our client and colleague experiences.

Colleen Strube is a connector. She enjoys meeting new people and having fun at what she does. She is a member of several networking groups including Team Network, Real Estate Coffee Connection, Mt Airy Chamber, Mid-Atlantic Networking, Mt. Airy Women in Motion, Heartlink, Our Community Connections, and the list continues. Colleen's passion is helping others to Connect, Develop, Succeed in life and business. Colleen has a BA in Management and Computer Science & Information Systems. She has also earned her MBA. She has been a SendOutCards distributor for over 8 years. She focuses on helping and supporting individuals and companies with Master Relationship Marketing.

https://www.sendoutcards.com/colleenstrube

Strategic Solutions

Ms. Marsha Suggs Smith began MS Smith and Associates in 2015, to provide strategic solutions that meet the needs of startup businesses. For those already in businesses, MS Smith and Associates helps begin the transformational change that will make that business a leader for the future.

In 2010 prior to beginning MS Smith and Associates, Ms. Suggs Smith began MSS Concierge of Maryland, LLC (www.MSSConcierge.com) after her education leadership career, to help clients reclaim their personal time. "We want to 'make your life free and easy.' No matter the job, we can handle your requests. "

“My demanding life as a wife, mother and executive, provided the management and lifestyle experiences that are so important to helping my clients. I was a team leader, educator and coach in Montgomery County Public Schools, MD. I was a local, state, national and international union leader traveling throughout the United State and the world. At the end of that career, I knew I wanted to use my skills in a new direction. I know how difficult it can be to start a new business career or to move to the next step for future sustainability.”

Marsha Suggs Smith is a highly experienced, business management consultant with an impressive record of accomplishment and years of pro-active experience in strategic planning, problem solving and crisis management. She has the knowledge and professional networking experience to get the job done.

MS Smith and Associates adapts to new projects, work cultures and colleagues easily. “We use skills and knowledge from previous projects to solve new problems and challenges. Our consultants listen first and they speak second. Their primary goal is to help other people and their businesses.We have built trust because of our dedication to helping our clients accomplish their goals.” We can help new business owners with startup basics, business strategic advice and planning, financial planning, marketing strategies, coaching and presentation skills, and keynote speakers.

If you are starting a new business or transitioning your business for future success, we can give you the advice and motivation you need to elevate your business. For confidential and professional personal assistance, you can contact Marsha at MS Smith & Associates or call 301-529-9003. Check out our new website, http://www.MSSmithandAssociates.com .

Women Balancing Business

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