Announcing our Song-writing Contest Winners!

"There's a song in my heart and a mouse in my hand." Heidi Richards

Songs are simply wonderful. Songs affect people in ways that words alone cannot. When words and music come together and a song is born, it evokes emotion, inspires action, connects us one to another and often remind us of fond memories and days passed. And because we recognize the power of song, the WECAI Network™ decided to create a song-writing contest and see what happened.

And something did. I am so excited! I just could not wait to tell you!


We have TWO winners of our Virtual Woman's Day™ Song Writing Contest and you are about to learn just who they are.


Drum roll please...................................


Lynne Reardon of Electric Angel (http://www.electricangel.com/) in California and Bea Kunz of Sage Hill Farms & Antiques (http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com/) in Tennessee came in first and second place respectively.

Lynne submitted the song “Gather the Women” written by her and Midyne Spear.

Bea Kunz submitted the song “The March of Women Entrepreneurs.”

First-place prize is a Global Lifetime membership in the WECAI Network™ (valued at $347). This is the only time since The WECAI Network™ began that we have given our highest membership level to anyone.

“Choosing a winner was a tough decision. While each of the songs was entirely different – Lynne’s entry included both words and music, and Bea’s song included words to the tune of ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ we felt that both of these women deserved the Global Lifetime Membership in the WECAI Network™ because their songs were original, uplifting and just made us feel good.”

Be sure to stop by their websites and CONGRATULATE THEM! They will be delighted to hear from you. And may you have a song in your heart and a mouse in your hand when you do.

Wishing everyone a wonderful day filled with music and memories.


Warmest regards,

Heidi & Suzannah

Thanks for all the Publicity for Virtual Woman's Day™

"Heidi, I have to tell you... The Womens Virtual Day™ was SOOOO incredible. It was a great way to meet and chat with other amazing women in business. I enjoyed the day so much. I wasn't planning on staying the whole day but I couldn't help myself because the speakers and virtual showcases were all so great and interesting, I couldn't stop listening. I learned so much and found so many other business women to form partnership with because of just one day. Thank you very much for having such a great event...I just can't say enough wonderful things about that day! It combined fun with business - it was fantastic! I hope that you are planning on having it again next year!!" Teresa Morrow, Morr Services

Thank you Teresa! And to everyone for your great feedback and support of this historic event. It was so much fun to plan and we certainly look forward to working with each of you to make it even bigger and better next year.

Just wanted to say a big thank you to EVERYONE who posted Virtual Woman's Day™ on your blogs, in your newsletters and on your websites. Here are just a few of the publicity "hits" we received:

Ponn Sabra sent out media releases in celebration of Virtual Woman's Day™. Celebrate Virtual Woman's Day with the Re-launch of EmpowerWomenNow.com and International Women Entrepreneurs` Resource Website Launched to Celebrate Virtual Woman’s Day.

Elizabeth Gordon's session was covered by PR WEB in the media release: Virtual Woman's Day Flourishes

Beverly Mahone blogged about it at: http://boomerworld.blogspot.com/2007/03/come-meet-some-divine-divas-on-friday.html.

Doris Chua of Home Office Women blogged about it at: http://homeofficewomen.com/?p=140

Glenda Watson Hyatte blogged about it at: http://www.doitmyselfblog.com/2007/author-celebrates-virtual-womens-day-on-her-virtual-book-tour/

Jennifer inc blogged about it at: http://www.jenniferinc.com/blog/?p=679

Patty Garza blogged about it at: http://littlebytesnews.blogspot.com/2007/03/fyi-virtual-womens-day-is-coming-march.html

Coach Esther Chambers blogged about it at: http://coachchambers.blogspot.com/2007/03/your-pathway-to-peak-performance.html

Edie Galley of By For And About Women Radio mentioned it to her listeners http://www.byforandaboutwomen.com

NAFE mentioned Virtual Woman's Day™ in their recent enewsletter.

Women's Net mentioned Virtual Woman's Day™ in their recent enewsletter: http://www.womensnet.org.za/news.shtml?AA_SL_Session=3ab381764036e82304e23fe52aba094a&x=3932

These are just a few of the mentions we know of. If you remembered to mention Virtual Woman's Day™ to your colleagues, friends or business associates, please let us know and we will post the link here.

And remember the famous words of Rita Rudner - "Men forget everything; women remember everything. That's why men need instant replays in sports. They've already forgotten what happened. "

Thanks so much for remembering Virtual Woman's Day™!

Warmest regards,

Heidi & Suzannah

Virtual Woman's Day™ Supports The Global Opportunity for Women!

"Hope" is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all"- Emily Dickinson

In honor of Virtual Woman's Day™ - The WECAI Network™ made a contribution to the Women's Global Opportunity for Women Campaign - a project of the Women's Edge Coalition, a leading non-partisan organization whose initiatives benefit poor women worldwide.

You too can support the Women's Edge Coalition by visiting the Shop the Cause section of their website. You can also learn more about their partners, and treat a friend (or yourself!) to a beautiful accessory or something special for the home. Any purchase you make will help create employment for female artisans around the world.

Proceeds from the sale of your purchase will help support the Global Opportunity for Women Campaign.

Special Thanks to Rita Sharma Fox, Co-founder and President of the Women's Edge Coalition for all she and her organization do to make the world a better place for women.

BTW, if you are involved in a global cause for women, send us a note (heidi (at) wecai.org) with the details and we may post it to the Virtual Woman's Day™ Blog. Put Global Cause For Women in the subject line.

In addition, if you have virtual events coming up you would like us to mention, send the information to heidi (at) wecai.org with Women's Virtual Events in the subject line.

Wishing you a great day... and then some.

Heidi & Suzannah

Join us for another Virtual Woman's Day™ Event - eWednesday Chats™

"Once a human being has arrived on this earth, communication is the largest single factor determining what kinds of relationships (s)he makes with others and what happens to (her)him in the world about (her) him." Virginia Satir

Join us on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 11 AM Eastern Daylight Time:

Join us for the next eWednesday Chat™ The Live Conference Solution to Online Networking for Women™ featuring Ponn Sabra - Author of Empowering Women to Power Network (http://www.empowerwomennow.com/) as she shares her ideas to "Network Effectively and Efficiently to Grow Your Business." During her session Ponn will answer the following:

How to increase the quality and number of referrals from your networking efforts

How to effectively follow up without being a "pest."

How to get others to talk about themselves by asking the "right" questions.

How to find out if someone is a true prospect and not just someone looking to sell you something.

How to listen effectively and efficiently.

Some of the best places for women business owners to network and why...

... all this and more!

To join us all you have to do is register (on the right) with your name and email address. If you have already registered - THANKS! We will see you there.

And by the way, we are offering 3 women the opportunity to "showcase" during the next few eWednesday Chats™ - if you are interested in promoting your products and services to an audience of women, send me a message to heidi (at) wecai.org with "eWednesday Chat Showcase" in the subject line. I will send you the guidelines.

(note: eWednesday Chats™ take place in the same virtual conference room Virtual Woman's Day™ did).


See you on Wednesday!

Heidi & Suzannah

Meet the Showcasers of Virtual Woman's Day™

"Hi Heidi, Congrats on an awesome event yesterday! It was great; I blogged about it last night. Are you going to try to make it an annual event? In appreciation of all your hard work, I like to give you the tea and herb package that I won. Have a great weekend!" Cheers,
Glenda Watson Hyatt, Author of "I'll Do It Myself"

"Hi Heidi: Great day yesterday! You scored another winner! Again, many thanks for a wonderful event. Applause, applause to you!"
Rosalind Sedacca CCT, Business Communication Strategist

"Hi Heidi, Thanks for giving me the opportunity to participate. Please give me the url for the website that you want the webscan for as I am happy to do so for you."
Regards, Nipa Shah, Jenesys Group

"I have been so impressed with the level of professionals that have presented today. It has been so informative. I've written every website down and plan to surf while laughing."
Sandra Ilson, CorpLogoWare.com

These are just a few of the things women have said about Virtual Woman's Day™! So to thank everyone, I am listing the Showcasers today with a link to their websites. These women gave of their time, talent and their treasure. Please visit their sites and thank them for their participation in Virtual Woman's Day™.

We cannot wait until we have another opportunity to help these women (and others) show off their products and services. The mission of the WECAI Network™ is to "help women do business on and off the WEB" and events and opportunities like this move us toward fulfilling our mission.

Many thanks!

Heidi & Suzannah

Showcasers during Virtual Woman's Day™ in their order of appearance:


Stacy Wagner, Arbonne International
www.stacywagner.myarbonne.com

Ponn M. Sabra, MPHThe Women’s Empowerment Queen & Best-Selling Author
http://www.EmpowerWomenNow.com (BTW, Ponn will be appearing on the next eWednesday Chat on March 21st at 11 AM Eastern Time)

Jenn Givler, Business Empowerment Maven
http://www.jgivlercoaching.com

Rima McDonald, President – Business Resources Podcast Directory
www.businessresourcespodcastdirectory.com

Nipa Shah, Jenesys Group, LLC - www.nwebsites.com

Esther Chambers, Peak Performance Coach
http://coachchambers.blogspot.com

Teresa Morrow, Business Director - Morr Services, Inc.
www.morrservices.com

Cynthia Frazier, Adjunct Instructor, Writer, Editor, Trainer Consultant and Small Business Coach - http://www.BusinessWomensGrowthSummit.com

Sharon Williams, MVA, PREVA, Marketing Coach, Author “The 24 Hour Secretary”
http://www.the24hoursecretary.com

Glenda Watson Hyatt, Author of “I'll Do It Myself”
www.doitmyselfblog.com

Kathryne-Alexis Weygand - Gaias Own, Ltd.
http://www.gaiasown.com

Mary Ellen Davis, WorkCentralPA.com
www.workmetro.com

Sandra Ilson, Account Executive – CorpLogoWare
www.sandrailson.corplogoware.com

Beverly Mahone, Author, “Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age” http://www.thebabyboomerdiva.com

Gillian Hood-Gabrielson, MS, ACSM, Healthier Outcomes
http://www.healthieroutcomes.com/

Patty Garza, Gifts, Party Supplies and More
http://giftspartysuppliesandmore.com

Teresa H. Berger, MBA, Owner & Virtual Assistant, Innovate Services
http://www.innovateservices.com

ARTY Coppes, Aeolus Coaching and Executive Coaching for Women
www.aeoluscoaching.com

Penny Haynes, Audio/Video & Podcast Marketing
http://www.1stpod.com/

Carol Romashko, Director of Marketing, PINK magazine
www.pinkmagazine.com

Kyle Sheldon-Chandler, KSC Virtual Assistant Services
www.virtualadminksc.com

Tammy Freeman, Founder and CEOSynergi Group, LLC
www.synergigroup.com

Sheila Hull Summers , Sunrise Imports
www.sunriseimports.net

Ann Rusnak, "The Time Diva"
http://www.simpletimemanagement.com

ScharleneRedway, Full Circle Global Mentoring
www.fullcirclementoring.org

Virtual Woman's Day Was a Success - THANKS For Your Support!

"I can honestly say that I was never affected by the question of the success of an undertaking. If I felt it was the right thing to do, I was for it regardless of the possible outcome." Golda Meir

To all the women (and men) who supported Virtual Woman's Day™ by signing up for our event, showing up, showcasing, sharing your expertise and promoting this historic event to your own circle of friends, we THANK YOU!

We could not have done this without all your help and support. The day was filled with laughter, learning and life! And we want to continue the celebration.

We are posting the interviews with our four guest experts, Mindy Gibbins-Klein, The Book Midwife® who shared her program, "Your Message, Your Magic", Elizabeth Gordon, The Flourishing Business, an Advisory Firm for Entrepreneurs talked about Creating Strategic Alliances to Grow Your Circle and Your Business, Linda Hollander, the Wealthy Bag Lady talked about "5 Ways to Attracting Corporate Sponsors - Do What You Love and Have Someone Else Foot the Bill" and Janice Taylor, Author of "Our Lady of Weight Loss: Miraculous and Motivational Musings from the Patron Saint of Permanent Fat Removal."

If you missed any of these interviews, just click on their names above and listen to what they had to say!

In addition 26 fabulous women "showcased" their products and services. You will be reading more about them on the blog in days to come.

And finally, we need your INPUT. Please take a moment to complete a brief survey about Virtual Woman's Day™

It is located at:
http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB2269T8XMVWW. Your feedback is important to us and will help us in planning future celebrations. Your name will be included in a drawing for The PMS Principles: Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business by Heidi Richards.

Thanks for stopping by and most importantly thanks for your support! Stay tuned for updates on Virtual Woman's Day™ - in the days to come we will be posting our "showcasers" winner of our Song-writing Contest and we will be making a BIG announcement about our Second Annual International Women's eCommerce Day™ (scheduled for September 2007).

And as you go about your day, remember these words by Donna Fargo: "I really think happiness is very closely aligned with success, and may almost be an interchangeable synonym. Happiness (like success) also comes from doing what we feel called to do in life; however, it's also obvious no one can experience one without the other."

Warmest regards,

Heidi Richards & Suzannah Richards
Co-founders, The WECAI Network™

Taking Life by the Mouse - on Virtual Woman's Day™

"It's time to take like by the mouse... and have some fun!" Heidi Richards

Good morning to all! I am so excited! The BIG day is finally here! As I sit at my desk and ponder about what today will bring, I am excited and a little nervous. Excited because I know that there are more than 130 women looking forward to today as much as I am! Nervous because like any event planner, I want it to be perfect.

And it will! Because we have some fabulous women sharing their expertise, showcasing their products and services and we have prizes! Lots of prizes. Throughout the day several lucky women will have a chance to "win" some products and services generously donated by our showcasers and other business women attending today's event.

Be sure to check out our schedule of events: http://virtualwomansday.blogspot.com/2007/03/virtual-womans-day-schedule-of-events.html

Read about our four guest experts:
http://virtualwomansday.blogspot.com/2007/03/four-women-will-share-their-expertise.html

and find out what the prizes are:
http://virtualwomansday.blogspot.com/2007/03/virtual-womans-day-countdown.html

http://virtualwomansday.blogspot.com/2007/03/we-are-giving-away-prize-every-15.html

http://virtualwomansday.blogspot.com/2007/03/prizes-prizes-prizes.html.

And by the way, there is still time to join us! Just enter your email and name in the box on the right and you will receive instructions. Be sure to confirm registration when you receive the email otherwise you won't get the instructions.

Looking forward to meeting you during Virtual Woman's Day™ - "Where women connect virtually to share their stories, promote their products and make new friends."

Warmest regards,

Heidi & Suzannah

Virtual Woman's Day Registration Details

"There's always room for improvement, you know - it's the biggest room in the house." - Louise Heath Leber

This morning I received several emails from women who have registered for Virtual Woman's Day™ asking about how to participate so I thought I'd put the info in here.

This is a webinar event - not a teleconference. That means that the entire day takes place in a web conference room on your computer desktop. You will need speakers to particpate and a microphone if you would like to talk "live" with other guests. You can get an inexpensive microphone at Radio Shack such as the Radio shack omni directional clip on computer microphone or a similar type store for under $15 USD.

We use a Plantronics SP 500 headset by Logitec with built-in microphone (costs about $50 USD).

To download the conference room, you must first confirm your registration with aweber - when you do, you receive an autorespond message giving you the conference room URL and password. If you cannot locate that message from aweber (which would have been sent when you signed up), let me know via email at heidi (at) wecai.org. I will send them to you.

Thanks so much for taking time out of your day! I am looking forward to greeting more than 100 women tomorrow!

If you are having challenges with anything today or anytime, remember these words by Mother Teresa, "I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much."

Warmest regards,

Heidi

Virtual Woman's Day™ Countdown!

"Take a look at those two open hands of yours. They are tools with which to serve, make friends, and reach out for the best in life. Open hands open the way to achievement. Put them to work today." - Wilfred A. Peterson

The hands of many have been busy the past two weeks planning an event we hope will make history and have a positive impact on many! And the countdown has begun. In less than 24 hours, Virtual Woman's Day™ will be a reality! And we are excited!

As of this morning we have 113 women registered for this all-day event.

We have received more prizes to add to the offerings.

We have made a contribution to the Women's Edge Coalition for their Global Opportunity for Women iniatiative in recognition of Virtual Woman's Day™!

And we have had some great conversations with women around the world in honor of Virtual Woman's Day™

If you have not yet done so, we invite you to join us tomorrow for a great day of fun, learning and connecting with women around the globe - "take life by the mouse!" You will be glad you did!

Looking forward to welcoming you!

Warmest regards,

Heidi & Suzannah


BTW, here's some added prizes:

Brownies by Brownies on the Brain donated by Micki Takac (value $35+)

A FREE skin care consult and $50 in Arbonne International Products by Stacy Wagner (value $100)

A Complete detailed WEBSCAN by Nipa Shah (value $550)

A Spa Basket donated by Mary Ellen Davis (value $25)

2 - one-year subscriptions to PINK magazine donated by Carol Romashko (value $40)

An autographed copy of "Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age" donated by Beverly Mahone (value $20)

Coupons, Podcast, Prizes, and More!

"Begin doing what you want to do now.We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand - and melting like a snowflake." Marie Beyon Ray

Join us on Thursday March 15th for Virtual Woman's Day™ "Where women connect virtually to share their stories, promote their products and make new friends" . This Virtual Online Conference begins at 8 AM Eastern and runs throughout the day (to 8PM Eastern).

And by the way, there is absolutely no charge to attend. We will have participant "showcases," prizes will be given away every 15 minutes throughout the day and we have four guest experts who will talk about weight management, self-promotion, attracting corporate sponsorships and creating strategic alliances. All this and a song-writing contest!

There's still time to register and get your company listed in our blogroll. And as an added bonus, everyone who visits this site can Download Shop for Success Coupon Book brought to you by the Strictly Business Network.

You can also listen to the eWednesday Chat™ on How to use Virtual Networking to Grow Your Business featuring Rima McDonald and Cynthia Frazier (two leaders on Strictly Business). These two women met online and have since created many cross-promotional opportunities for one another and others since they first connected. Click here to listen: http://www.businessresourcespodcastdirectory.com/AudioFiles/SB001.mp3 - This one-hour webinar is filled with valuable advice on how to increase your bottom line with Virtual Networking.

Looking forward to welcoming you to this celebration of women!

Warmest regards,

Heidi & Suzannah

Women's Firsts and WE Magazine for Women

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee." ~Marian Wright Edelman

In October of 2006, WE Magazine for women made it's debut (http://www.wemagazineforwomen.com) and I had the priviledge of writing about women. I was inspired by all the accomplishments women have made (and continue to make) to the world and wrote about Women's Firsts. Many of these women are no longer with us, but their legacy, the differences they made have lived on.

In celebration of Women's History Month, I am sharing an excerpt with you.

Did you know that Ann Franklin was the first woman to hold the title of newspaper editor (1796), Mary Kies was the first woman to be issued a US patent (1809) Arabella Mansfield was the first woman lawyer (1869), Lucy Walker was the first woman to successfully climb the Matterhorn in Switzerland (1871), or that 15 year old Annie Moore - from County Cork, Ireland was the first immigrant to pass through Ellis Island(1892)?

Vida Goldstein was the first woman in the British Empire to run for a national office. She ran for the Australian Senate (1902). Baroness Raymonde de la Roche of France was the first licensed woman pilot (1910), Rosika Schwimmer was the world's first woman ambassador. She was appointed the Hungarian ambassador to Switzerland (1918), Marie, Cecile, Yvonne, Emilie and Annette Dionne, were the first quintuplets to survive infancy. They were born near Callender, Ontario to Oliva and Elzire Dionne (1934)

You may know that Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova - Russian cosmonaut was the first woman in space (1963) and that Elizabeth P. Hoisington was the first female general in the US armed forces (1970), Barbara Walters was the first female newscaster on a US TV network news program (1976) and Wilma Mankiller (gotta love that name!) was the first woman to lead a major American Indian tribe. She was elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation (1985). But did you know that Elizabeth Ann Oliver was the first woman to have her baby's birth broadcast live over the Internet (1998)? Makes you think that some women will do anything to say they were first!

Here's to women continuing to lead the way in history and in our lives.

If you have not yet done so, be sure to register for Virtual Woman's Day™ taking place all day on Thursday March 15 (this week!). We look forward to welcoming you.

Warmest regards,

Heidi & Suzannah

Women's Gifts to the World are Many

"I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver." Maya Angelou

"For millennia women have left their mark on the world, at times changing the course of history and at other times influencing small but significant spheres of life. Only in the past century, however, have concerted efforts been made to mention women's contributions in history books. Moreover, changes in status for many women in modern times—the right to own property, to vote, and to choose their own careers—may obscure the accomplishments made by women of earlier eras. In profiling 300 women who changed the world, Encyclopædia Britannica has chosen those whose contributions have endured through the ages." You can read about these fascinating women at: http://www.britannica.com/women


So many women have given so much to the world, it is always inspiring to read their stories. One such story that inspired me is that of Eva Zeisel. So I thought I'd briefly tell you about her today.


Eva Zeisel (born in Hungary November 13, 1906) is an industrial designer known for her work with ceramics, primarily from the period after she immigrated to the United States. She was imprisoned during the Stalinist purge of the 1930s, then evaded Nazi forces before finally settling in New York City. Her best known work includes the eccentric, biomorphic "Town and Country" line of dishes, produced by Red Wing Pottery, the "Museum" line from Castleton, which was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and the Tri-Tone line by Hall. In 1998, a limited run of reproduction Town and Country pieces was sold through MoMA.

On December 10, 2006, The Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park, San Diego, opened a major centennary retrospective exhibit "Eva Zeisel: Extraordinary Designer at 100," showing her designs from Schramberg (1928) through to current designs for Nambe, Chantal, Eva Zeisel Originals and others (2006). The exhibit will run until 6/10/2007. She went on to design more than 100,000 everyday products, including the Town and Country line for Red Wing Pottery.

In commemoration of her 100th birthday, Chantal released a numbered, limited edition teakettle Zeisel recently designed— "Centenarian Kettle" - her first kettle. With an ergonomic handle, a brushed stainless steel body, and a reasonable $79.99 price tag, the new Eva Kettle is almost as cool as the story behind it.

To read more about Ms Zeisel, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Zeisel

By the way if you are interested in purchasing the Centenariaun kettle, you can order it online at: www.bloomingdales.com.

Wishing you a terrific day... looking forward to welcoming you to Virtual Woman's Day on Thursday, March 15th!

Warmest regards,

Heidi & Suzannah

Virtual Woman's Day Schedule of Events March 15, 2007

"To tend, unfailingly, unflinchingly, towards a goal, is the secret of success." Anna Pavlova

And that is exactly what we are doing during the first annual Virtual Woman's Day™ Event taking place on Thursday, March 15, 2007 from 8:00 AM Eastern time to 8:00 PM Eastern time.

Just in case you were curious, here's the schedule of events:

Kickoff begins at:

8:00 AM with an introduction to the WECAI NETWORK™, and declaration of winner of our Song-writing Contest.

8:30 to 10:00 AM - Virtual Woman Showcases

10:00 AM to 10:45 AM - "Your Message, Your Magic" with Mindy Gibbons-Klein, the Book Midwife

10:45 AM to 11:15 AM - Q & A and Informal Networking

11:15 AM to 1:00 PM - Virtual Woman Showcases

1:00 PM to 1:45 PM- "Creating Strategic Alliances to Grow Your Circle and Your Business" "with Elizabeth Gordon of Flourishing Business

1:45 PM to 2:15 PM - Q & A and Informal Networking

2:15 PM to 4:00 PM - Virtual Woman Showcases

4:00 PM to 4:45 PM - "5 Ways to Attracting Corporate Sponsors - Do What You Love and Have Someone Else Foot the Bill" with Linda Hollander, The Wealthy Bag Lady

4:45 PM to 5:15 PM - Q & A and Informal Networking

5:15 PM to 7:00 PM - Virtual Woman Showcases

7:00 PM to 7:45 PM - "Our Lady of Weight Loss: Miraculous and Motivational Musings from the Patron Saint of Permanent Fat Removal" with Janice Taylor, Author

7:45 PM to 8:00 PM - Networking and Closing Remarks


If you haven't already done so, be sure to register for Virtual Woman's Day™ - we are looking forward to welcoming you!

And by the way, there's still time to enter our Song-writing Contest. You can read more about it at: http://virtualwomansday.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html. Contest is open to women around the globe. Here's the link again the the contest application form - http://www.wecai.org/virtualwomansdaysong.doc.

If you have any questions about Virtual Woman's Day™ , send your message to heidi (at) Wecai.org.

Hope to see you there!

Heidi and Suzannah

We are giving away a prize every 15 minute on March 15, 2007

"Winning the prize [1963 Nobel Prize in physics] wasn't half as exciting as doing the work itself." Maria Goeppert Mayer

And speaking of prizes, we have them! In fact, when you participate in Virtual Woman's Day™, you have the opportunity to "win" a prize every 15 minutes throughout the day. Our "showcasers' have generously contributed the following additional prizes:

Two Gift Bags from Sagehill Farms, Culinary Herbs and Tea Blends donated by Bea Kunz (value $40 each)

1/2 hour of coaching along with a copy of "Too Busy To Get Anything Done" ebook (value $267 ) donated by Ann Rusnak

Two Tickets to the Business Woman's Growth Summit donated by Cynthia Frazier (value $249 each)

Power Marketing E-book and Create A Powerful Business E-book, donated by Jenn Givler

Admission to choice of Power Marketing ($190 value) or Create A Powerful Business ($285 value) group coahcing programs by Jenn Givler

Home Improvement Tips E-book donated by Teresa Morrow

4 Bars Handmade All-natural Soap (value $12) donated by Kyle Sheldon-Chandler

2 tickets to Entrepreneurs Partnering for Success Luncheon donated by Scharlene Redway

30 minutes of Executive Coaching over the phone with ARTY Coppes

$50.00 Gift Certificate for product or personal blend consultation donated by Kathryne-Alexis

The Truth About Burning Body Fat Report (value $17) donated by Gillian Hood-Gabrielson, MS, ACSM

One month FREE advertising on the Women's Health and Fitness Podcast Directory, ($50 value) donated by Gillian Hood-Gabrielson, MS, ACSM

Entrepreneurial Freedom by Lauren Hidden & Jeannine Clontz (value $20) donated by Teresa H. Berger, MBA

Choice of tote bag or umbrella or travel drinkware donated by Sandra Ilson

And there's still more to come! Check out: http://virtualwomansday.blogspot.com/2007/03/prizes-prizes-prizes.html for more prizes. We will be posting prizes up to the day of the event. Check back often!

Looking forward to welcoming you to Virtual Woman's Day™. If you have not yet registered, just enter your email address and name in the registration fields on the right of this blog.

Warmest regards,

Heidi and Suzannah

Listen to Catherine & Heidi talk about Marketing When Money is Tight

"You must learn day by day, year by year, to broaden your horizon. The more things you love, the more you are interested in, the more you enjoy, the more you are indignant about, the more you have left when anything happens." Ethel Barrymore

Did you miss the eWednesday Chat™ this week? If you did, you can still listen to Catherine Franz of the Abundance Center and Let’s Talk Marketing Radio share her words of wisdom about Marketing Your Business When Money is Tight."

You can broaden your own horizon when you listen to this lively conversation filled with excellent advice.

You can listen to this program at: http://www.womenofwisdom.com/AudioFiles/catherinefranz.mp3

To check out upcoming eWednesday Chats™, visit: http://www.eWednesdaychat.com.

Be sure to sign up for Virtual Woman's Day™ taking place on March 15th and join hundreds of women around the globe as we laugh, learn and listen together.

Warmest regards,

Heidi & Suzannah

And be sure to sign up for Virtual Woman's Day™ taking place in less than a week! Just enter your email address and name in the registration boxes on the side of this blog.

Inventing Women!

"It makes sense that women invent so many products to make life easier, after all, we are the ones who buy and use them." - Heidi Richards

In celebrations of International Women's Day, I thought I'd share a list of inventions by women:


Many Battery container Nancy Perkins 1986
Beehive Thiphena Hornbrook 1861
Canister vacuum Nancy Perkins 1987
Car heater Margaret Wilcox 1893
Circular saw Tabitha Babbit 1812
Computer program Augusta Ada Byron 1842
Cooking stove Elizabeth Hawk 1867
Dam and reservoir construction Harriet Strong 1887
Direct and return mailing envelope Beulah Henry 1962
Dishwasher Josephine Cochran 1872
Drinking fountain device Laurene O'Donnell 1985
Electric hot water heater Ida Forbes 1917
Elevated railway Mary Walton 1881
Engine muffler El Dorado Jones 1917
Feedback control for data processing Erna Hoover 1971
Fire escape Anna Connelly 1887
Globes Ellen Fitz 1875
Grain storage bin Lizzie Dickelman 1920
Improved locomotive wheels Mary Jane Montgomery 1864
Improvement in dredging machines Emily Tassey 1876
Improvement in stone pavements Emily Gross 1877
Kevlar, a steel-like fiber used in radial tires, crash helmets, and bulletproof vests Stephanie Kwolek 1966
Life raft Maria Beaseley 1882
Liquid Paper® correction fluid Bette Nesmith Graham 1956
Locomotive chimney Mary Walton 1879
Medical syringe Letitia Geer 1899
Mop-wringer pail Eliza Wood 1889
Oil burner Amanda Jones 1880
Permanent wave for the hair Marjorie Joyner 1928
Portable screen summer house Nettie Rood 1882
Refrigerator Florence Parpart 1914
Rolling pin Catherine Deiner 1891
Rotary engine Margaret Knight 1904
Safety device for elevators Harriet Tracy 1892
Street cleaning machine Florence Parpart 1900
Submarine lamp and telescope Sara Mather 1870
Suspenders Laura Cooney 1896
Washing machine Margaret Colvin 1871
Windshield wiper Mary Anderson 1903
Zigzag sewing machine Helen Blanchard 1873

Thanks to my friend Leslie Freude who posted this on the RYZE Winning Women Network

And here's a few to add to the list (from Factmonster.com):

Blocks Adeline D. T. Whitney 1882
Apgar tests, which evaluate a baby’s health upon birth Virginia Apgar 1952
Chocolate-chip cookies Ruth Wakefield 1930
Disposable diaper Marion Donovan 1950
Ironing board Sarah Boone 1892
Paper-bag-making machine Margaret Knight 1871
Rotary engine Margaret Knight 1904
Scotchgard™ fabric protector Patsy O. Sherman 1956
Snugli® baby carrier Ann Moore 1965
Submarine lamp and telescope Sarah Mather 1845

Wishing everyone a wonderful International Woman's Day! Be sure to sign up for Virtual Woman's Day™ and join hundreds of women around the globe as we laugh, learn and listen together.

Warmest regards,

Heidi & Suzannah

Four Women will Share their Expertise During Virtual Woman's Day™ March 15, 2007

"I can honestly say that I was never affected by the question of the success of an undertaking. If I felt it was the right thing to do, I was for it regardless of the possible outcome." — Golda Meir

Most people would agree that success is a journey worth travelling. Many also believe success is a state of mind... that being the case, there are millions of successful women in varying "states of mind" when it comes to their own success. We would like to make your state of mind and the journey a more positive experitnce. To help you with your journey to success four exciting women who are experts on topics of interest to women will be speaking during Virtual Woman's Day™ taking place on March 15th

Here's the lineup:

10:00 AM Eastern Time:
Mindy Gibbins-Klein, The Book Midwife® will share her program, "Your Message, Your Magic"

No matter what kind of work you are doing, chances are you have come up against competition and you’ve realized that you need to stand out from the crowd. Not only do you feel you need to be the best, but you also need to communicate that clearly to your market.

One of the best ways to communicate your message to your market is by writing and publishing books, e-books, articles and blogs, and by speaking to relevant audiences. Building credibility, creating opportunities and producing an income stream are all reasonable objectives for business people aspiring to write and speak about their subject. Indeed, we have seen a real increase in the number of books being published, as well as online and offline articles and blogs. Are they all reaching their objectives? Mindy Gibbins-Klein (The Book Midwife ®) doesn’t think so. In fact, she believes that the message can get lost or even hurt a business owner’s reputation when it is delivered poorly.

In this fascinating and interactive talk, Mindy shows us how to unlock the secrets of powerful and authentic communication. She also explains why it is not enough to just ‘get a book into the market’, as so many people seem to be doing these days.

Each of us has a special message to share with the world, and there is room for everyone. The ‘magic’ comes from getting that message in the right format at the right time, for the right group of people. And you will learn how to do just that in this thought-provoking session!


Mindy Gibbins-Klein is a dynamic ball of energy, igniting every person she comes into contact with. She became a sales trainer and coach in 1988 and since then has helped thousands of people to improve their skills and motivation.

Having been exposed to positive mental attitude material at an early age, she argues that being positive is not an American idea but rather a state of mind every person deserves and can achieve. After hearing Mindy speak, many people feel inspired and empowered to start making things happen in their lives and the lives of those they care about.

Best known as The Book Midwife ®, Mindy passionately promotes the idea that all books deserve to be written and published, and she gets great satisfaction from helping people stop talking about it and start writing. Mindy is a popular speaker, both here in the UK and abroad. Each year, Mindy speaks to hundreds of people on the subjects of writing, publishing and impact, challenging audiences to commit to and communicate their life’s purpose.

1:00 PM Eastern Time:
Elizabeth Gordon, The Flourishing Business, an Advisory Firm for Entrepreneurs will talk about Creating Strategic Alliances to Grow Your Circle and Your Business

One of the keys to building a successful business, is developing strong relationships. Companies often ask Flourishing Business for advice when choosing vendors and professional service providers that are the right fit for their organization and that will support and enable them to achieve their business potential. Likewise, forming strong strategic partnerships and alliances with other like-minded companies who sell to a like-needed target market makes good business sense. Flourishing Business been laying the groundwork for them for over 12 years now around Atlanta and around the world.

"If small to midsized companies want to stand a chance against their larger competitors they need to put aside those fears and misgivings and see that partnerships can be a smart path to profits." In this session Elizabeth will share her insights on Creating Strategic Alliances that pay off - where to look for them, what to look for when creating strategic alliances, how to approach and cultivate potential partners, and how to set and achieve goals once the partnership has been established.

Elizabeth Gordon, founder and President of The Flourishing Business, LLC, is a visionary leader who has a passion for helping others achieve their entrepreneurial dreams and enjoy more of the best in life. With a vast and diverse background in many business arenas, Elizabeth regularly has the opportunity to share her business acumen with clients, large and small.

Elizabeth specializes in improving the optimizing the growth potential of early and mid-stage companies, with an eye for both sales and operations. She has consulted for companies like Krispy Kreme, Bank of America, 24 Hour Fitness, the Province of British Columbia, Ameriquest Mortgage and hundreds of mid-size businesses in industries ranging from high tech to machine shop.


4:00 PM Eastern Time:
Linda Hollander, the Wealthy Bag Lady is the Author of Bags to Riches and the founder of the Women's Small Business Expo - we will interview her about the "5 Ways Attracting Corporate Sponsors - Do What You Love and Have Someone Else Foot the Bill"

Have you ever thought about attracting corporate sponsors for your business, charity, speaking or events? America’s most successful companies partner with sponsors. Why not you?

Linda Hollander, the Wealthy Bag Lady, can help you. She is the founder of the Women’s Small Business Expo and the author of the best-selling book, Bags to Riches: 7 Small Business Secrets for Women in Business. Linda has consulted with many large and small businesses to help them profit from the awesome power of corporate sponsors and has 20 years of experience in business.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

* How to identify your potential sponsors
* How to attract these sponsors
* The biggest mistakes most people make
* Creating your sponsor benefits package
* Leveraging the media to get corporate partners
* Crafting your pitch letter
* Spotlighting your assets
* Know how much money to ask for (Don’t sell yourself short)
* Getting your sponsors to renew again and again

Linda Hollander is known as the “Wealthy Bag Lady”. She started out worse than broke. She was buried in debt and couldn’t find a way out of the poverty trap. She and her best friend, Sheryl Felice, used their girl-power to the max. They launched a packaging business called The Bag Ladies which sells custom-printed paper and plastic bags to leading-edge companies. She talked to the nation’s top business and financial experts. She searched long and hard for the best method of building lifetime wealth, and decided to create her own success formula using pieces of the puzzle she collected from her various wealth sources. Linda has become the industry leader in teaching entrepreneurial women how to go from Bags to Riches. Her powerful success strategies will change your life forever.

7:00 PM Eastern Time:
Janice Taylor, Author of "Our Lady of Weight Loss: Miraculous and Motivational Musings from the Patron Saint of Permanent Fat Removal"

This is going to be a fun, interactive session with Janice "dishing out fat-free, calorie-free, carb-free, guilt-free heaping helpings of divine diet inspiration!"

Weight loss artist*, Janice Taylor, most certainly did not wake one morning with a smile on her face and enthusiastically say, "Whoopee, I'm fatter than ever. I'll go on a diet. This will be fun!"No. She rolled out of bed, pulled up her size XXL elastic-band pants and said, "Oh my, even these are tight. I must stop the fat monster from further multiplying before HE takes me over entirely." She prayed for guidance.

What is a Weight Loss Artist™??? You ask? A Weight Loss Artist is someone who makes art about food instead of eating it and loses weight in the process. Janice permanently removed over 50 pounds of excess weight five years ago.

In between these four sessions, many women will have the opportunity to showcase their products and services, network with women around the globe, win some valuable prizes and make great connections. Be sure to register early - just enter your email and name on the right and we'll send you the details.

Hope to see you there!

Heidi & Suzannah

Tomorrow is International Woman's Day!

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead

Since its birth at a Socialist International meeting in Copenhagen in 1910, "International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, International Women's Day has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual International Women's Day conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women’s Year' by the United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world have also observed International Women's Day annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life."

Although started to raise awareness of the plight of women around the globe, today International Women's Day has a strong focus on celebrating women.

Source: InternationalWoman'sDay.com

Just as those first women made history with International Women’s Day, we too are making history with Virtual Woman’s Day™ on March 15th!

If you have not yet registered there's still time. As of 9 AM Eastern time today we have 57 women confirmed!

Just enter your email address and name on the right side of this site and we will send you instructions on how to participate.

Hope to see you there!

Heidi & Suzannah

eWednesday Chat™ - Where Women Connect Online

"Do not be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it you can make it so". Belva Davis

Want to connect with like-minded women? Want to test out the conference room before Virtual Woman's Day™ which is taking place on March 15th? Join Heidi Richards and members of the WECAI Network™ for our next eWednesday Chat™ The Live Conference Solution to Online Networking for Women taking place on Wednesday, March 7th- 4pm Eastern with Catherine Franz of the Abundance Center and Let’s Talk Marketing Radio. Catherine will share her expertise about Marketing Your Business When Money is Tight – Here’s the scoop:

MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS TODAY is no easy task especially for the small business owner with little or no money to spend. In this session, our expert will share her ideas about how you can market your small business with the resources and the energy at your disposal. She will talk about market research, advertising, sales, public relations, direct marketing, product promotion, pricing and distribution—and other things you can do to get the word out about your company and capture your market share without spending a bundle.

BTW, everyone who attends Catherine’s session will receive a complimentary half hour marketing consultation.

Just go to http://www.ewednesdaychat.com/ for more information and to register.

Plan to stop by tomorrow and network, learn great ideas to grow your business and BTW – it’s Catherine’s birthday – wish her a happy birthday too.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Heidi and Suzannah

Prizes, Prizes, Prizes! Join us March 15th!

"I've learned that you don't have to win first place to win." Kim Zmeskal

There's a famous quote that goes something like this: Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing. Well I disagree. I think particpation is everything and winning is only a small part of it. You have to get in the game to win in the first place. And in the case of the Virtual Woman's Day Online Conference, everyone will come away from it with something. It could be a prize given by one of the showcasers, it could be a showcase (if you are one of the first 27 to register), it could be new knowledge shared by our guest experts and guests. But you have to participate to receive any of these benefits.

"The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better." Barbara Pletcher

We have received some great prizes thus far and I couldn't wait to share them with you! They include:

An autographed copy of Ponn Sabra's Best-Selling book, "Empowering Women to Power Network" (value $19.95)

1 month FREE advertising in the Business Resources Podcast Directory (banner size 130x150pixels)

"Nuts and Bolts of Branding" ebook by Sharon Williams - ($37.00 value)

2 months banner ad placement on Marketing Podcast Directory donated by Sharon Williams ($100.00 value)

An autographed copy of Heidi Richards book - "The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business" ($19.95 value)

10 business card ads in an issue of WE Magazine for Women ($47.00 value each). Check it out at http://www.wemagazineforwomen.com

All this and more! Stay tuned... And keep in mind Amy Ruley's words of wisdom; by making the commitment to partcipate, you deserve to win! Looking forward to welcoming you to Virtual Woman's Day™. If you have not yet registered, just enter your email address and name in the registration fields on the right of this blog.

Warmest regards,

Heidi and Suzannah

Everyone wants to win, but I think winners believe they deserve to win. They've made the commitment, they've followed the right path, and they've taken the right steps to be successful. Amy Ruley

Women's Happenings All Over the Net!

"Enthusiasm is contagious. Be a carrier." Susan Rabin

So many things are going on during Women’s History Month – it seems honoring women is something we celebrate with enthusiasm and passion. I just wanted to share a few of the women I know doing their part to make their mark during Women’s History Month.

Beverly Mahone Author, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age is sponsoring a "Women on the Move and Making History" Contest, where one lucky winner will receive $75 for guessing the correct answers. Another winner will receive $25. The questions won't be easy but I'll be offering a hint :) THERE IS A CATCH...... You must be a subscriber to my Live to Be Drama Free Newsletter because only the subscribers will be eligible to enter this contest. You can subscribe by going to her website: http://www.talk2bev.com

Rebecca White of HYTR Radio in Toledo is going to do a show on National Women’s History Month. Stay tuned… more information to follow.

Angel Brown Women’s Business Gallery - created a whole month's worth of Women's History weekly assignments for her daughter, who is 14, and who she just started home schooling a couple of weeks ago. It's so important for young women to understand how far along we've come and how we can continue to shape the world from the female perspective. What a great opportunity to help her daughter further develop into the amazing young woman she's already blossoming into!

Bea Kunz of Sagehill Farms and a friend are hosting a luncheon next week for the women leaders in their city. They plan to use the resources they garner through these contacts to research and make available to the local library the history of one or two women who played a vital role in the founding of their city/county.

WAIT! There’s more…

I will be posting events as they are sent to me. If you are a hosting an event in celebration of WHM, drop me a note at Heidi (at) wecai.org with “WHM Event” in the subject line.

Be sure to register for the Virtual Woman’s Day™ Online Conference taking place on Thursday, March 15, 3007 – there is absolutely no charge to attend. Just enter your email address and name in the boxes on the right of the blog. Looking forward to helping you promote YOU!

Regards,

Heidi and Suzannah

Women Make History While Promoting Their Products and Services!

"Looking repeatedly into the past, you do not necessarily become fascinated with your own life, but rather with the phenomenon of memory." Patricia Hampl

Women from around the world will make history when they participate in the Virtual Woman's Day™ Celebration taking place on Thursday, March 15, 2007.

There are at least four ways to promote your products, services, blog or personal webspace via the Virtual Woman's Day™ Celebration.

Want to have a link to your website with your name on the blog home page? All you have to do is register for the Virtual Woman's Day™ Online Conference - and you will be listed.

Want to promote your products and services, etc. during the Virtual Woman's Day™ Online Conference? This is on a first-come, space available basis. We have 27 slots available, so if you among the first 27 women to respond, you will be given the opportunity to share what you do with attendees of our conference. All showcasers will be asked to donate one prize to be given away during their showcase. Of course, showcasers are welcome to donate more than one prize :)! All contributors will be listed in the blog and email invitations (that go out to approximately 20,000 women around the world).

You can contribute a prize to our event and get your name out among attendees. Even if you are not among the first 27 women to respond, this is another excellent way to "showcase" your products and services.

Attend the Virtual Woman's Day™ Online Conference and network with other women around the globe - make great connections and share your resources.

If you submit an entry into the Virtual Woman's Day™ Song-writing Contest, you could have the opportunity to have your name mentioned in all promotional efforts.

If you are planning an event during Women's History Month that is open to the public, be sure and list it on the Women’s Online Calendar. It's free!

And by the way, the Virtual Woman's Day™ Online Conference is also FREE! Don't wait - sign up today!

Looking forward to seeing you and celebrating Virtual Woman's Day™ with you!

Warmest regards,

Heidi and Suzannah