21 Posts - The Best of Virtual Woman's Day 2007!

Thought I'd end the year with a recap of our best posts of 2007.

So here goes:

February 28, 2007 (our very first post) Virtual Woman’s Day Hits the Net!

March 12th – Women’s Firsts and WE Magazine for Women

April 6th – Promote Your Expertise on the Women in Business Podcast Directory

May 25th – Nancy Michaels – Establish Yourself as an Expert

June 6th – 17 Tips to Get the Most out of RYZE Social Networking

June 20th – Of Contests, Blogs and the Media

July 17th – Back to School Grants & Scholarships for Women

July 26th – Tagging Women Who Blog

August 1st – Promoting Your New Book, 13 Great Ideas

August 2nd – More Great Book Promotion Ideas

August 8th – Being a Guest on OPP – Other People’s Podcasts to Promote Your Book

August 17th – And the Female Blogger List Grows

September 10th - Blogging for Business Resources and Even More Great Women Bloggers

October 4th – Lucky 13 Women Bloggers Share it all

November 1st – Show Her the Money

November 2nd – Our Woman Bloggers List Grows

November 16th – 111 Woman Bloggers Reads Like a List of Who’s Who

November 29th – 1000 Great Giveaways Could be Yours

December 5th – Join us Online for Growing an Million Dollar Business

December 6th – Link Love, an Epidemic, Not Yet


Thank you for reading Virtual Woman's Day and making it a popular choice for women online.
May 2008 be your best year yet!

Heidi Richards Mooney, Founder & CEO - The WECAI Network™

Be sure to visit our other blogs in the New Year:

Women's Media Summit

AND

WE Magazine for Women

Who Are YOU?

Today on the 24 Blogging Days 'til Christmas, Dina shared her tip about posing a question on our blog. So I thought I’d like to ask you to share a little bit about you - I really want to know who the readers of Virtual Woman’s Day are.

And in return I am going to tell you a little bit about me! So here goes....

In addition to being the mother to 3 beautiful adult daughters Jennifer, Alexis (deceased) and Suzannah. I have 2 gorgeous grandchildren who share the same trait as their father (and I have) - having red hair, that is. Their father, btw, is more than a son-in-law - he is more like a son, than an inlaw.

I am married to my soul mate although we are newlyweds we have been together for 16 years. I knew him even before we crossed paths (spiritually).

I love to read, write, ride my Honda Rebel (I am a bit of a Rebel myself) travel to unusual places (My husband and I went to Egypt shortly after 9-11 for a conference/cruise) and I have been to Kuwait, Qatar and a few other places in the middle East (as a special guest of the US Military).

One of my favorite things to do is to surf the web for interesting people and cutting edge information.

About my Businesses:

President and Chief Goddess of a Thriving Florist (celebrating 26+ years in business) – http://www.edenflorist.com/

Founder & Chief Visionary of the Women’s eCommerce Association, International http://www.wecai.org/ – a network of women, organizations, resources to help women do MORE business on and off the WEB.

Publisher and editor-and-chief for WE Magazine for Women – The Digital Magazine for the Total Woman – http://www.wemagazineforwomen.com/.

Professional Speaker & Published Author specializing in "Helping Small Businesses Grow" and my niche is women business owners.

My personal mission in life is to help other women become more successful in all aspects of their lives.

Looking forward to hearing from you and reading "your story."

Heidi Richards Mooney

Adding Women Bloggers to my list of Favorites

"The only race you have to win is the race against yourself - there will always be someone faster and stronger but there will nev.r be another you, so look within and push your own personal boundaries." Kimerly Adamson

If you have been following this blog, you know that I have created my own list of women bloggers which was inspired by the "W" list started byValeria Maltoni (which I hope to be included in one day) - After all I write 4 blogs - We Magazine for Women, Virtual Woman’s Day, Women’s Media Summit and Heidi Richards. And will be launching my newest blog in the next two weeks (shhhhhh.... it's still a secret). The race with myself is on!

In the next few days you will see my full compilation here.

However, today I wanted to add to that growing list because these women are not necessarily household names (yet), and their blogs are definitely worth perusing and subsribing to.

They are:

Personal Life Media with Susan Bratton

Bamboo Women with Jeannette Fisher

Bannerisms with Kerry McCoy

Have Fun, Do Good with Britt Bravo

Home Office Woman with Doris Chua

Clutter Diet Blog with Lori Marrero

Brain Based Business with Dr. Ellen Weber

A Woman in Business with Erica Brooks

ProActive with Sally Falkow

Career Diva with Eve Tahmincioglu

Be sure and stop by their blogs and say Hi!


Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO - The WECAI Network™ - www.wecai.org
Join us for the Women’s Media Summit, October 17, 18, 19 & 24th – The Small Business Public Relations & Media Marketing Event – www.womensmediasummit.com

5 More GREAT WOMEN Bloggers (part two)

The list just keeps on growing! The "W" list that is.

And I have 5 more great women bloggers to add to it.

They are:

Niquenya D. Fulbright of http://www.chicagolifecoach.blogspot.com/

Tonya Ramsey of http://lifebydesign.wordpress.com/

Lorraine Cohen’s Powerfull Living blog - http://www.powerfull-living.biz/blog/

Nicole Graham of http://www.moderngoddessonline.com/blog.

Faith Smith, Founder and CEO of http://www.brastrapping.com/

Be sure and check each of them out. You can tell they love their audiences by the conversations they start and the exceptional advice they share.

BTW, stay tuned for our next 1st Fridayz™ event which takes place online and via web and teleconference - our focus will be Blogging for Business and we have 4 exciting guest interviews for you and 20 women bloggers will have the opportunity to "showcase" their blogs during this 36 hour networking and educational event. The fun begins on Friday, September 7th at 8 am and goes thru 8pm on Saturday, September 8th! If you are interested in attending or participating in the showcase, send me a note to heidi (at) wecai.org.

Teresa Morrow of Key Business Partners is Chairing the Showcases. Be sure and stop by her great blog too and say HI!

More details to follow....

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

Heidi
The WECAI Network™

GET IT WRITE is here!

"Writing a book is a lot like giving birth, it can be a painful, labor intensive exercise … Once your ‘new baby’ is born, the real work begins.” - Heidi Richards, President WUN Publications, INC.

Check out the newest ebook by members of the WECAI Network™ today….

GET IT WRITE! – The Women's eGuide to Writing, Publishing and Promoting Your Book by 20 Best-Selling Authors

For many people the thought of writing a book can seem overwhelming. In fact, people who have never written a book think it takes a lot longer than it actually can and often does take. Some writers spend years laboring over every word in their book and therefore, a project that could take one to two years to complete takes several. And others find a way to get their book onto paper in months, weeks and even days!

That’s why GET IT WRITE! was created. To help you to better understand the process of writing a book, getting it published and coming up with strategies to promote your book once it’s done. Because once it’s published, the real work begins. Whether you go the traditional route or self-publish (or somewhere in between) you must be willing, able and available to promote the book – sometimes in a very short timeframe.

The real question is not will you get your book written. If you have the drive, determination and commitment to the project, your book will get done. The real question is will anybody buy it – or read it? This 94 page ebook is jam-packed with ideas and strategies to write, publish and promote your book.

Part One of GET IT WRITE! takes you through the process of writing, including finding time to write, overcoming writers’ block, generating ideas for your writing projects, copywriting musts, whether or not to work with a co-author, and more.

Part Two of GET IT WRITE! covers how to find out if there’s a market for your book idea, finding a literary agent for the traditional published author, how to approach agents and publishers, and compares the various publishing options available today and the new face of publishing

Part Three gives solid ideas to promote and sell your book beginning with creating your virtual media kit, doing book signings, selling outside the bookstores, internet marketing strategies for your book , participating in virtual book tours and at least 27 other ideas to sell your books.

Part Four is filled with resources for the new and seasoned author suggested by our contributing authors and the guest experts who spoke during the Women’s Writing & Publishing Summit. These include websites for authors, online forums, books, ecourses, books, organizations and more.

"The ebook looks great, and there's a wealth of information in it; I'm sure recipients are going to love it. And I'll look forward to hearing about next year's conference." Fern Reiss – PublishingGame.com

"Thanks, Heidi, I can imagine the many hours you put into this project. I still am in awe."

Jo Condrill, GoalMinds.com

"Hi Heidi: Wow! Great job, as always. Appreciate all the effort that went into this."

Rosalind Sedacca, CCT, HowDoITelltheKids.com

TO GET YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY, VISIT: http://wecai.org/wwps/html/getitwrite.html

Special thanks to Linda Alexander, Moira Allen, Linda & Allen Anderson, Laura Backes, Jo Condrill, Kathleen Gage, Donna Gunter, Marilyn Jenett, Sheri McConnell, Ann McIndoo, Elizabeth Parsons, Dan Poynter, Linda F. Radke, Fern Reiss, Heidi Richards, Lynn Rosen, Melissa A. Rosati, Rosalind Sedacca, Cathy Stucker, Dorothy Thompson and Debra Shiveley Welch for your contributions to GET IT WRITE! On behalf of each of them, I hope you enjoy reading GET IT WRITE! and use the information to further your own writing career. There is no time like the present to get your book onto paper and into the hands of your readers!

GET IT WRITE! WAS A COLLABORATION OF EXPERTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE WOMEN'S WRITING & PUBLISHING SUMMIT - You can still get copies of all 15 audios when you visit http://wecai.org/wwps/html/registration.html (and dozens of other free resources!)

Wishing everyone a wonderful day... and more!

Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO, The WECAI Network™
Join TODAY - BASIC Membership is FREE! http://www.wecai.org/
Our Mission is to "Help You do Business On and Off the WEB!"

Reputation by Association

"A great reputation earns respect and creates opportunity. A poor reputation chases everything good away." Jim Logan

My mother always used to tell me "you are judged by the company you keep." Well I knew what she meant and yet didn't always follow her advice. There were times when I hung out with less than reputable people because I saw the good in them and really believed that others did too.

That is not always the case and it is something I recently had to be reminded of.

In the past week I have had conversations with some of my members who had expressed their challenges working with a particular member. They shared with me this person's inability to understand the job hired for. And that it was frustrating them to deal with. They also said that this person could be hurting my reputation because of their experiences and who knows how many others who have also had similar encounters.

This really got me thinking because I have always been a trusting person who sometimes looks at life and people through "rose colored glasses." And because I have never had an issue with the person my members were referring to, it never occurred to me that there might be a problem. Granted, I have not had the opportunity to hire the member in question, so the only interactions we have had have been through our virtual events.

Which brings me to the point. People will assume that because a member is so visible and active she or he is good at what they do professionally and will often hire them. They will also assume that because of the person's visibility, the endorsement is there, albeit unspoken.

I tend to be one of those people who hire others on my gut instinct and sometimes don't bother getting any referrals. And I have been pretty accurate and fortunate in those interactions. However, once in a while our "gut" can be missing all the pieces of the puzzle and our reputation is at stake.

So what's a member to do? Here's my advice: Before you hire someone you met online (even if you have gotten to know, like and trust the individual) the first thing you need to find out is what experience others have had with the individual. You can do that by asking members or asking the person for referrals of customers. Find out who they have worked with, ask for recommendations and then make your decision. Just because someone is nice and likable does not necessarily mean they are good at what they do professionally.

Here's a great article I recommend:

10 Things You Want Your Reputation To Say About You by Mary Foley at http://www.nationalbusiness.org/NBAWEB/Newsletter2007/2358.htm

Protecting our reputation and finding out what others are saying about us, begins with open communication. And from a marketing perspective, our reputation both online and off must be protected as much as, if not more than, any of our other company assets.

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO The WECAI Network™

Conducting a Book Mastermind Session Noon & 5 pm (EDT) TODAY!

"Writing a book is a lot like giving birth, it can be a painful, labor intensive exercise … Once your ‘new baby’ is born, the real work begins.” Heidi Richards

Today, instead of doing a regular eWednesday Chat seminar session we are conducting a mastermind session about selling books in places other than a bookstore (and any questions you have about writing, publishing and promoting your books tomorrow at 12 noon EDT and again at 5pm EDT. Your input would be greatly appreciated. Each session will be one hour long so if you cannot attend at noon, you are welcome to stop by at 5pm.

During these sessions we plan to discuss the following:

What's your book about?

Who's your audience?

How do you plan to connect with your audience?

Are you:

Self-published?

Traditional?

Partnership Publishing?

What is the number one challenge you are currently having with your book project?

How can we help?

Is your book available? If so, what's the title and how can we get a copy?

Would you be interested in participating in a mastermind forum like this on a regular basis?

In addition to bookstores, at what other possible venues could you sell your book?

And of course, any other "book" concerns you may have.

In addition, you may send a message to heidi@wecai.org with the title of your book – a 2-3 sentence description and the website describing your book (or where it can be purchased). Please put "book for blog" in the subject line. Everyone who participates in either of these sessions will have their book mentioned on the Virtual Woman's Day Blog… and eMonday News (if we have not yet covered it).

If you are available for either of those times, please stop by our Verbal Networking Room – To join us all you have to do is download the conference room at http://www.verbalnetworking.com/. If you have not yet done so, download the room first. Then all you have to do is go back to the URL and click on the Click Here to Enter theVerbal Networking Room. Type in your full name. No password is required as this is a F.R.E.E. event.

Once you do so, you won't have to download again (if you save it to your desktop) - Do not login as the moderator or you will not be able to get in the room. This conference room is currently only available to PC users – however, you can also call into the free conference line and listen and participate by calling: 1-218-486-1300
The teleconference ID number is 440530.

Looking forward to "masterminding" with you.

Warmest regards,

Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO http://www.wecai.org/ - “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”
http://www.edenflorist.com/ - "NO Reason is the BEST Reason to Send Flowers!
Be sure to check out the Women’s Writing & Publishing Summit that took place Online July 19-21 & 25 – http://www.womenswritingandpublishingsummit.com/ - you can still sign up and receive access to the audio recordings!

Back to School - Grants and Scholarships for Women

I began to have an idea of my life, not as the slow shaping of achievement to fit my preconceived purposes, but as the gradual discovery and growth of a purpose which I did not know. Joanna Field, English Psychologist

Today on my RYZE Network, Rebecca asked about grants for women who want to go back to school to either start a business or further their career. I shared some resources I have compiled and thought they would make a good post her.

Here's my list:

Check out women's organizations in your community (especially those having a national presence) for a list of possible Grants and Scholarships.

Also another good place to look is the educational institution to which you will be applying. Most of them have a list of grants available and the criteria for applying.

In addition, do a "Google" search of grants and scholarships for women in your area - I would do a "google alert" so that when one does come available and it is posted somewhere online, you will get a notification about it.

And here's a few websites that may have just what you are looking for:


Small Business Administration (Office of Women's Business Ownership)- http://www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness - The SBA is doing more than ever to help level the playing field for women entrepreneurs, who still face unique obstacles in the world of business. Tehy have a great "Hot List" of outside resources.

Count-Me-In - http://www.count-me-in.org - This is a fairly new fundraising organization that raises money from women for women. Loans are given from $500 to $10,000 (for first time recipients the maximum amount is $5,000).

Federal Money Retriever- http://www.fedmoney.com - is the premier grants and loans.database software containing information on all U. S. federal government grant and loan programs. There is a cost for the software, but the site allows you to research some of the grant dollars that are available. They have a specific category for grants available for women at: http://www.fedmoney.com/grants/su0232.htm

The Women's Funding Network - http://www.wfnet.org - Promotes the development and growth of women's funds that empower women and girls by fostering strategic alliances among women, donors, communities and institutions.

American Association of University Women - http://www.aauw.org - One of the largest private sources of funding for graduate women in the world, supports aspiring scholars around the globe, teachers and activists in local communities, women at critical stages of their careers, and those pursuing professions where women are underrepresented.

The Ada Project for Women (TAP)- http://tap.mills.edu - Includes information on conferences, discussion groups, organizations, fellowships, grants, and notable women in computer science.

Financial Women International- http://www.fwi.org - Provides information on professional growth, information sharing, peer networking, mentoring, leadership development, and career advancement for women.

Womens-finance.com, offers two different kinds of grants offered. There is the New Business grant that is between $100 and $5,000, and there is the existing business grant that ranges from $1,000-$5,000. You do have to apply at this site and be accepted, but it is worth checking this site out below:
http://www.womensbusinessgrants.com/

Here is a site that lists quite a few women's sites and resources:
http://www.fundsnetservices.com/women.htm

Women’s Financial Fund is a non-profit private foundation which gives business grants to women who wish to start a business, or grow a business they have already begun.
http://www.womensbusinessgrants.com/


Heidi

Heidi Richards, Leader "HER Mastermind Network"
http://HERmastermind-network.ryze.com/
Check out the Women’s Writing & Publishing Virtual Summit
July 19-21 & 25, http://www.womenswritingandpublishingsummit.com

20 Characteristics of a Good RYZE Leader (or any social Networking Forum Leader)

"The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly."
Jim Rohn

A forum, network or any organization for that matter is only as good as the leader’s commitment to it. The number one goal of the leader should be to create the right environment for its members to succeed. That’s not to say that the network leader should not get anything out of the exchange. Quite the contrary! Although most network leaders start a network or forum for the purpose of “networking” and sharing his or her own expertise with a “captive” audience, there are also other reasons such as to learn how and to practice leading, to sharpen their own skills, to gain knowledge and to make friends.

As a leader of many organizations and most recently a new RYZE network leader (Her Mastermind Network), I have observed the leaders of more than 100 forums, and found the most active forums are those run by men and women with common traits and skills. Here’s a list of 20 characteristics the best leaders share (in no particular order):

1. Good leaders clearly define the purpose of the network.

2. Good leaders set a course of action that reinforces the purpose – it could be with a specific agenda or daily topic calendar or it could be with a list of guidelines that support the purpose.

3. Good leaders never tell or ask others to do something that they do not or would not do themselves.

4. Good leaders don’t have to have the last word in a conversation (thread).

5. Good leaders treat others like they want to be treated. One of my favorite sayings is “you get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar” and it’s evident on many of the boards.

6. Good leaders know it’s not just about them. It’s about all of them! They allow others to appropriately promote themselves – such as on a specific day.

7. Good leaders recruit other leaders to help (co-moderators or topic facilitators), which increases participation and gives others the opportunity to shine.

8. Good leaders recognize involvement by thanking members for posting, sharing their own expertise or asking good questions.

9. Good leaders ask for feedback, surveying the members to find out what they need from the forum. If there is a common or recurring request, the leader will take action to comply with the request.

10. Good leaders stop by members home page and say hi, or PM them once in a while.

11. Good leaders welcome and introduce new members publicly. It is amazing how much excitement this simple act will generate among other members.

12. Good leaders find and share resources.

13. Good leaders encourage interaction among members by asking thought-provoking questions.

14. Good leaders don’t have too many rules.

15. Good leaders are positive and optimistic – they use positive words to express themselves.

16. Good leaders never admonish members publicly; they “PM” the member who may need to be set straight.

17. Good leaders acknowledge others publicly – after all, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs the number one thing people need (after all our needs for survival are met) is that of recognition.

18. Good leaders will remove toxic members – a little controversy can be good especially when it encourages dialogue among members, however, too much of it can become toxic and off-putting to members. If this happens frequently the good people will leave.

19. Good leaders invite members to talk about themselves – that includes what they do professionally as well as their personal lives. True networking cannot take place until people get to know, like and trust one another.

20. Good leaders say thank you, often.

One of my favorite quotes is by Lao Tsu (Taoist philosopher that lived more than 3,000 years ago) - “The Leader's role is ultimately to help people learn to lead themselves.”

Lead on...

Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO TheWECAINetwork™ - “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”

EdenFlorist - "NO Reason is the BEST Reason to Send Flowers!

Be sure to check out the Women’s Writing & Publishing Summit taking place Online July 19-21st, 2007

Join us for a Franchise Update!

"The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it." Ray Kroc (Founder of McDonald's)

On Wednesday, June 27th, I will have the pleasure to interveiw Therese Thilgen President/Chief Content Officer, Franchise UPDATE Magazine. Therese is the President / Chief Content Officer and co-founder of Franchise UPDATE Inc. and the Business Resale Network. She has over 25 years experience in the franchise industry. Prior to Franchise UPDATE, she served as Vice President of Franchise Development for a national franchise chain for over seven years. Therese will be discussing the ins and outs of Franchising and share some success stories (and failures) during this one-hour interview.

You can join us online in our NEW web conference room at http://www.verbalnetworking.com/ (Once you download and install the software, you don't have to download it again).

When you get ready to enter the room, fill in your name (do not enter anything in the password box, leave it blank) and you will get right in. If you have been to a Verbal Networking session before you don't have to register or download again, just click on the link to enter the room.

If you prefer (and for Mac users) you can join us on our teleconference bridge line by dialing 1-218-486-1300 then enter your Conference Bridge Number: 498386 to gain access.

For a list of upcoming speakers and to register for updates, visit: http://www.eWednesdaychat.com

Hope to see you there!

Heidi Richards

1st Fridayz™ a SUCCESS!

"Don't wait for something big to occur. Start where you are, with what you have, and that will always lead you into something greater." Mary Manin Morrissey

Women from around the world - the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom networked and got to know a little bit more about each other during the WECAI Network™ 1st Fridayz™ 36 Hour email event which began on Friday, May 4th at 8 AM Eastern Daylight Time. Women introduced themselves via our networking profiles, answered 26 thought provoking questions and talked about the types of joint venture partnerships they were looking for.

Here are a few of the questions that were asked:

What business concerns keep you awake at night?

What's the latest technology you have learned?

What technology would you like to learn?

If you could afford to, what one job function would you outsource thatyou are not currently?

Who do you consider your best source of referrals?

Relationships were formed and at least four of the participants have already begun doing business together. In addition to the business and networking, we asked more personal questions and gave prizes to the first person to respond. Those questions included: "What is your favorite office supply item? Do you have children, if so, what ages? How about pets? pet rocks?pictures of pets (or children?), What books are you currently reading?" and more!

Some of the prizes we had included "The Art of Positive Conflict: Transforming Confrontation into RelationshipHarmony" by Dr. Nora Feminia and Paper Wings by Betty Dobson of Inkspotter Publishing.

Here's what just a few of our attendees had to say:

"It was a great opportunity and everyone was so candid. Thank you" - Angela Watson

"I will definitely attend all future events." - Katherine Reschke

"As usual, wonderful event! Thanks for taking the time to host this!" Carol Deckert

"This was a great networking idea and a great way to meet and join up with other people, who are interested in sharing ideas and/or business ventures. I look forward to getting the contacts booklet so I can start reviewing all the amazing people who signed up." Amy Sherman

Everyone who attended received a copy of the Networking Contacts Booklet with everyone's contact information, description of products and services as well as any joint venture partnering opportunities they are looking for.

It will be interesting to see the long-term outcome of this event. We will keep you posted.

Heidi & Suzannah

Co-Founders WECAI Network™ - “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”

What Makes Your Administrative Professional So Special? Enter our Contests!

"We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something."
Sandra Day O’Connor

Administrative Professional Week is April 23^rd - 27^h

This annual event was originally organized in 1952 as "National Secretaries Week" by the National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals) in conjunction with public relations executive Harry Klemfuss and a consortium of office product manufacturers. It was established as an effort to recognize secretaries for their contributions in the workplace, and to attract people to secretarial/administrative careers.

In the year 2000, IAAP announced a name change for Professional Secretaries Week and Professional Secretaries Day. The names were changed to Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day to keep pace with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of today’s administrative workforce.

Over the years, Administrative Professionals Week has become one of the largest workplace observances. The event is celebrated worldwide, bringing together millions of people for community events, educational seminars, and individual corporate activities recognizing support staff with gifts of appreciation.

Today, there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, and 8.9 million people working in various administrative support roles. More than 475,000 administrative professionals are employed in Canada. Millions more administrative professionals work in offices all over the world.

(Source: International Association of Administrative Professionals)

Now’s the perfect time to honor the “gatekeepers” in your office and the office of your top clients and customers. Some of the things you can do are: Send flowers, plants or a bouquet of balloons. Be sure to include a personal note or a card that mentions the occasion and an appropriate sentiment, such as "Thanks for all you do," or "I appreciate your help." Be sure to send the gift to the office, not to the recipient’s home – visit: www.edenflorist.com for more gift-giving ideas.

2 Contests you can enter!

The WECAI Network™ and Eden Florist are sponsoring a contest.

Enter Our
ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS CONTEST

Your Assistant could win a FREE bouquet of fresh flowers every month for a year and be featured in an upcoming issue of WE Magazine for Women!

Please tell us what makes your Assistant so special. If your story is chosen, your assistant will receive a FREE bouquet of flowers every month for a year. She will also receive a one page profile in an upcoming issue of WE Magazine for women. And that’s not all, everyone who is nominated will be mentioned on this blog and receive a beautiful downloadable Certificate of Appreciation! Be sure to include your contact information in your entry.

Deadline for submission 5:00 pm, April 27, 2007.
All entries will receive a beautiful
Administrative Professional of the Year
Certificate of Appreciation.

Please submit your entry by sending it to:

Administrative Professional Entry
c/o Eden Florist & Gifts
7100 Pembroke Road
Miramar, FL 33023

You can also fax your story to (954) 964-3135 or email your story to flowers (at) EdenFlorist.com

Be sure to include your name, address, phone, fax, and email in the event your assistant is chosen!

My friend, and Charter Elite Member Teresa Morrow is having a contest too!

In Celebration of Administrative Professionals Week and the recent launch of her new business Key Business Partners, Teresa is hosting a "Share the Love" Contest

The first 3 people who answer all the questions correctly will receive:

1 FREE Hour of VA services (value of $25)

AND

20% discount off VA services until May 15, 2007

Send an email to Teresa at keybusinesspartners (at) gmail.com with "Admin Contest Questions" in the Subject line and you can play too!

Celebrate those who make your life easier...

Warmest regards,

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." Confucius (Chinese Philosopher 551-479 B.C.)

WE Magazine for Women is READY!

"The WE Magazine for women is one of the best resources I have read in a long time. The topics covered are timely, well written and on target for any woman who is seeking valuable information on how to succeed in today's competitive market. The article on building wealth is one that any woman can benefit from. I would highly recommend this publication. Kudos to founder and publisher, Heidi Richards.” Kathleen Gage, Turning Point Presents

The Spring Issue of WE magazine for women is now online and ready to view. WE magazine for women focuses on the total women. In addition to women who want to learn more about doing business on and off the WEB, WE’s audience consists of women who want to explore great destinations, improve their outlook on life, learn quick and easy ways to get and stay healthy, fine out about the latest technology gadgets and information, become inspired as they read about women making a difference in the world and even ideas for great entertaining and socializing.

Read what some of our readers have to say:

“WOW! Your new magazine is PHENOMENAL, Absolutely beautiful and chock full of great information. Love the light blue background and simple layout. It's easy on the eyes and easy to read. So many digital publications have so much stuff all over, you don't where to look first. You've done it right.” Lynn Meyer, Public Relations Director – Small Business Trends


“Heidi... this is great! I'm already receiving inquiries, thank you so much for including me.” Dina Giolotti, Wordfeeder.com

“Thank you for creating WE – an online magazine that helps women connect…find their true passion and fulfill their potential.” Nicole Wild, CMP - Executive Director, The Women's Alliance

The difference between WE and other magazines for women are the stories of the women found in each issue. These women are not necessarily “household names” around the globe or even in the country in which they reside. WE focuses on women who are making a difference in their part of the world – in many cases unsung heroines. The professions and people these women represent crosses a multitude of industries and geographic locations. The articles are written by women. With one exception. WE has a Column entitled ‘In His Words,’ and features contributing editors from around the globe who support and promote the work women do and in many cases work along side.

To read the Spring Issue, visit: http://www.wecai.org/WeMagazineSpring.pdf


Heidi Richards, Publisher & Editor-in-Chiefhttp://www.wecai.org/ - “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”


In case you didn't catch the first issue, here's the link: http://www.wecai.org/we%20magazine.pdf