Be Your Own Hero – An Inspiring Event!

We had a full house at the BE YOUR OWN HERO event on March 22nd at The Park Avenue Club and the feedback was: ENERGIZING, BRANDING and BUILDING!

So many new as well as familiar faces; truly an inspiring event!

Our moderator, Linda Wellbrock, CEO of Leading Women Entrepreneurs, HERSELF an entrepreneur, along with our great panel of experts: Karolina Dehnhard, Leading Woman Intrapreneur and Family Attorney at Budd Larner; Marjorie Manning, CDFA, CFP; and Susan Ascher, Leading Woman Entrepreneur and CEO, Executive/Business Coach, The Ascher Group shared their stories of how they have overcome the challenges which have led to success!

A special thank you to our sponsors: EisnerAmper, Budd Larner and Merrill Lynch for making this event possible!

Here’s the Buzz:

Thank you so much for hosting such a fabulous networking breakfast yesterday Susan. I’m so glad I was able to join and meet so many smart, friendly and motivated women. It was very inspiring and gave me the jolt I needed!
— Beth Sonnenberg, LCSW

What a great event that you put together! The women in the room were definitely quality as was the panel and I so enjoyed it! It was truly energizing being in that room! Thanks for asking me to be part of it!
— Michele Matsikoudis, Director of Business Development, W by Worth

A truly inspiring event. Wonderful, successful women and a great networking event!
— Donna Archer, SkinGlo

Thank you Susan! A wonderful group of women and a “gentleman”.
— Pamela Kapsimalis, General Counsel, Preferred Freezer Services

Stay Tuned for Upcoming Events:

THE MASTERMIND FOR MASTERMINDS: Wednesday, March 29th, 8:30- 11am at The Park Avenue Club; for solopreneurs, people in transition, and business developers of all kinds! Price: $197, includes Full Breakfast. CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets.

COURSE CONNECTIONS: May 18th at the Montclair Golf Club. BEGINNERS WELCOME! Come for golf, networking or both! Details to follow!

WOMENS’ OPEN NETWORKING ON STEROIDS EVENT: July 10-16th, 7:00am to dusk. Come watch the top women golfers compete for the biggest prize in Women’s’ Golf at Trump Bedminster. Breakfast, lunch hors d’oeuvres and cocktails included. Parking on the 4th hole. TRULY SPECIAL. Contact me for details.

SUMMER CULINARY CONNECTIONS: To Be Announced

COURSE CONNECTIONS: September 14th at the Montclair Golf Club. BEGINNERS WELCOME! Come for golf, networking or both! Details to follow!

Photos from Wednesday’s Be Your Own Hero Event

Sponsorships

Please contact me if you would like to explore details for sponsorship opportunities! We are always looking to showcase new companies and individuals to expand our growing tribe!

Thank You!

Thank you again everyone. You are an awesome group and I am thrilled that you came.

News

Be Your Own Hero!

Susan Ascher Invites You to

“Be Your Own Hero”

Come join me and special guest:

Linda Wellbrock, CEO of Leading Women Entrepreneurs.

Linda will moderate our panel of experts, who will share their personal stories for defeating the real life challenges that they overcame in business and in life!

PANELISTS:

Susan Ascher, The Ascher Group – Award Winning Leadership Coach, Motivational Speaker, Leading Woman Entrepreneur and Author of Dude, Seriously, it’s NOT All About You! and Get Your ASK in Gear!

Karolina Dehnhard, Matrimonial Attorney, Budd Larner – Creator of “A Smart Woman Knows How to Protect Her Ass(ets)” and Leading Woman Intrapreneur.

Marjorie Manning, CDFA, Financial Advisor – Trusted Wealth Manager Delivering Customized Investment Strategies to Meet the Sophisticated, Evolving Needs of High Net-Worth Individuals.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

CURRENT Solopreneurs, Entrepreneurs, Intrapreneurs
FUTURE Solopreneurs, Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs
Leaders
Managers
CEOs/ Business Owners

EVENT DETAILS:

WHEN: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 • 8:30-10:30am
WHERE: Park Avenue Club, 184 Park Avenue, Florham Park, NJ
COST: $55.00 per ticket; Includes BREAKFAST and your choice of a signed copy of Susan’s Dude, Seriously, Get Your ASK in Gear! OR Dude, Seriously, It’s NOT All About YOU!

Due to the nature of this very special event, space is limited.

PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS NOW!

BONUS FOR ATTENDEES:

Attendees will receive your choice of one FREE copy of Susan’s book:

SPONSORS:

Communication News Workplace

Undoing the Effects of Stress on Workplace Communication

Copy of Do You Look Like A Successful Entrepreneur-

Stress at work continues to have a huge impact on businesses. According to Health Advocate’s Stress in the Workplace Study, there are about one million workers who will miss work each day because of stress, costing companies each year an estimated $602 per employee. But the impact on workers isn’t solely related to health issues and absenteeism. Most employees would agree that workplace stresses can negatively impact performance – decreased concentration, motivation, memory, decision-making capability – and degrade overall productivity.

One area, though, that is often overlooked when it comes to the effects of stress in the workplace is communication. You may not even realize that your high stress levels could lead to your giving misinformation or incomplete information. A lack of effective and informed communication can be detrimental to any workplace environment. If left unaddressed, it could ultimately cost you your job.

Communicating While Under Stress

You may not be able to remove all the daily stresses you face at work, but there are steps you can take to make sure your communication is not being negatively impacted. University of Illinois Extension’s Communicating Under Pressure info graphic provides a three-part approach that you can start implementing right now at work.

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Additional Resources:

Career Culinary Connections Networking News

A New Year, A New Culinary Connections

We are Kicking Off the Year in Style at Our First Culinary Connections of 2017 at The Grand Café!

Join us January 26th at The Grand Café in Morristown for the first Culinary Connections of 2017. Culinary Connections is an exclusive networking event for professionals from all walks of business who are passionate about making the right connections over great wine and food.

The Grand Café in Morristown

grand-cafe-shots

Kudos to Alice and Desmond Lloyd, who have over the last 35 years, created and sustained one of the last bastions of civility in the restaurant business.

Come join our sponsors, Christal McElroy of EisnerAmper, Karolina Dehnhard of Budd Larner, Vince Egan of Benjamin Edwards and me at The Grand Café in Morristown. We will feast on fabulous fare at the “doyenne of Morris County,” a sophisticated French favorite in Morristown where everything is first class, from the fantastic steady classics, to the gorgeous decor, to a staff that attends to your every need. It’s just a grand place!

We will be making our connections in the upstairs library with a roaring fireplace, lots of great food and fabulous conversation. Bring your appetite and lots of business cards!

EVENT DETAILS:

Small Plates Dining, Hors d’oeuvres & Networking at The Grand Café

WHEN: Thursday, January 26, 2017 • 6:30-8:30pm
WHERE: The Grand Café, 42 Washington Street, Morristown, NJ, 973.540.9444. www.thegrandcafe.com
COST: $99.00 per ticket

Due to the nature of this very special event, attendance will be capped at 40 attendees.

PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS NOW!

With Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

course-connections-sponsors-9-27-16

Here’s What People Are Saying:

“Thank you for having me last Wednesday! I really enjoyed the culinary portion of the event as well as the networking.”
– Richard Sodeke, Media Sales Associate at Felix

“What a lovely evening last night. I loved that we were standing in the kitchen watching the handsome chef with his adorable French accent, cooking delicious food that we could eat immediately. How often does one get that opportunity to see behind the scenes, other than on television where it sometimes seems scripted? The event was beautiful, the location was stunning, and the camaraderie in the room – priceless!”
– Eileen Berman, eileenbergman.com

“Great event last night, truly. Thank you! When I hit the road and sat in the driving rain and traffic coming from Newark, I thought about how nice it would be to go home! Boy am I glad that I made the commitment to you (and to me) to come because I would have missed a wonderful time meeting great folks.”
– Lori Chapin, Attorney, Sedgwick, LLP

“Thank you for a great event! I adored your friends and clients.”
– Denise Gaffney, Area Development Manager, Etcetera; Regional VP, National Association of Professional Women

“The Restaurant Serenade installment of Culinary Connections was excellent – great food and wine as well as great new faces to share it with. I look forward to the next Culinary Connections event in April and joining the Course Connections group in the spring.”
– Marty Eide, Attorney, Markel Corporation

Career Mastermind Networking News

Start the New Year With a New You!

The New Year is the Perfect Time to Take Your Professional and Personal Life to New Heights!

♦ Do You Feel Stuck and Need Inspiration for Your Career or Business?
♦ Are You In Search of a Strong Peer Network of Trusted Colleagues?
♦ Do You Want to Increase Your Confidence and Boost Your Positivity?

If you answered YES, then we have the perfect solution:

THE MASTERMIND FOR MASTERMINDS

The Mastermind for Masterminds is a private meeting among dedicated business professionals looking to exchange honest feedback, help refine new ideas and concepts, and share insights and potential leads. We’re not creating just another business network, we’re building a community of professionals dedicated to helping one another overcome obstacles and achieve greater success.

Event Details:

WHEN: Wednesday, January 11, 2017, 8:30-11:00 am

WHERE: The Park Avenue Club, 184 Park Avenue, Florham Park, NJ 07932

COST: $97.00 p/person; includes Breakfast

Reserve Your Spot Today!

Why Should You Attend?

You want to tap into the experience and skills of others!
You are “stuck” and need a new perspective which can come from brainstorming with the group!
You need to increase confidence in your decisions!
You need to validate that you are taking the right actions to achieve your goals!
You need or want to find an instant and valuable support network!
You want to find a sense of shared endeavor with others in the same position you find yourself in!
You need to find new ways to jump-start your business!
You want to boost to your everyday positive mental attitude!

Who Should Attend?

Sales Consultants
Realtors
Accountants
Lawyers
Small business owners
Consultants
Fund Raisers
YOU
And anyone responsible for driving their business!

And MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT will you take away from The Mastermind for Masterminds?

New connections with a supportive team of Mastermind partners
Relationships with like-minded professionals who want to MEET or EXCEED their goals
New ideas for REAL CHANGE to get you where you need to be
Elevating your passion for life and work to overcome the fears that are holding you back

Join Us Today!

Career Coaching Entrepreneurs News

Do You Look Like A Successful Entrepreneur?

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do-you-look-like-a-successful-entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs cover the entire business spectrum from Silicon Valley tech geniuses to that small mom and pop flower shop on Main Street. There are no hard and fast rules on who will or will not be successful as an entrepreneur. The risk of failure is always present when you go out on your own and leave the safety of a typical full-time corporate position.

If you decide entrepreneurship is right for you, you’re not alone. The 2015-2016 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report, a joint venture of Babson College and the London Business School, reported there were 27 million working-age Americans who are starting or operating a new business.

Anatomy of a Successful Entrepreneur

So if you’re wondering what a successful entrepreneur might look like, we have the perfect info graphic for you thanks to Startupbros.com. See how you match up!

Additional Resources:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243792
https://www.kauffman.org/what-we-do/research/2010/05/the-anatomy-of-an-entrepreneur
https://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/5-entrepreneurs-with-surprising-educational-backgrounds.html

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Coaching Communication Leadership News Workplace

Communication Skills Vital to the Workplace

Regardless of the Industry, Communication is Vital to Keep Your Team Running Smoothly.

Everyone in your office should be able to effectively address managers, staff, and colleagues. They also have to reach across multiple platforms, including email and social media.

7 Skills You Need To Communicate Effectively

1. Listen well. Paying attention to others is half the conversation, so you need people who can truly listen.

2. Read/display nonverbal cues. Being able to decipher and project silent cues is important – it’s why some people seem so approachable and others are intimidating.

3. Speak with clarity. Employees need to be able to convey their points quickly and clearly. Rambling can cause the listener to lose interest or become confused.

4. Project confidence. There needs to be a feeling of comfort in every conversation. Employees should exude confidence to foster the best communication.

5. Be friendly. Employers greatly prize this skill. When you can greet others with an encouraging presence, you’ll foster all sorts of communication.

6. Be flexible. Part of good communication is a willingness to reconsider, change, and approach issues with an open mind.

7. Feel sympathy. It’s not enough to listen to another person’s situation. Your employees have to bond emotionally if you want the best communication.

4 Ways Good Employees Become Better Communicators

Your employees don’t have to be distinguished at communicating from the get-go. There are ways people can learn to share their feelings and ideas more effectively through practice and hard work. If workers want to get better, they should:

1. Set a clear idea for every conversation. When they know the desired outcome, they’ll be able to present themselves as effectively as possible.

2. Craft a reputation by communicating. Trust is something one must build, and engaging with other employees regularly is a great way to foster that feeling.

3. Stay humble. Your employees should never flaunt their advantages, no matter what they are. Instead of bragging about money/possessions/position, etc., they should leave their egos behind.

4. Think about timing. There are opportunities for everything. Employees should be able to decipher moods and decide if a conversation is a good idea.

Communication skills and a willingness on behalf of your employees to learn the best approaches are truly valuable assets to your business. The more successful they are in communicating with your prospects and clients, the more successful your business will be in the long run.

Additional Resources:

https://www.moneycrashers.com/effective-workplace-communication-skills/
https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/09/03/how-to-be-a-better-communicator-in-the-workplace

Career Coaching News Sales

Six Traits to Look For in a Good Sales Rep

It’s Only Natural to Want the Best for Your Business.

It can be hard to determine just what that entails though, especially when you’re working with people. Sales representatives are a crucial part of your team, but how do you know if you’re hiring someone who will perform well? Turns out, the best sales reps consistently display the following traits:

1. Levelheadedness

Dealing with customers can be challenging and stressful. People treat sales reps poorly on a daily basis, and it takes a special kind of person to cope with that stress. Your team members need to think clearly and keep their cool no matter what the business brings. Choose candidates who consistently think fast.

2. Confidence

When a sales rep is self-conscious, it’s distracting and presents a poor image of your company. You want to choose individuals who don’t falter in the face of strangers. They should also be able to rebound quickly from difficult customers. There’s no room for bashfulness or inhibition on a top sales team.

3. Efficiency With Time

Sales representatives should be some of your boldest, most energetic employees. Never hire someone who’s lazy or uninvolved, or you could be wasting money with every shift. Find prospects who know how to divide their time intelligently, such as people who automate repetitive tasks as much as possible (like emailing and answering calls).

4. Memory

Your sales reps should be able to familiarize themselves with your products and services. They need to know features, applications, tips, and more. A rep has to be sharp-minded in order to keep up with the demands of a business.

5. Willingness to Learn

There will always be new technology to discover; there will always be new competition and adjustments to make. The best sales employees are not only able to adapt to the changing environment – they’re enthusiastic about it.

6. Persistence

Being part of a sales team takes tenacity. When you’re trusting your brand to these people, you want them to be dedicated. Eighty percent of sales take five follow-ups, but about half of all reps will stop after one. If you want to see maximum gains, you need a team that will keep pushing.

If you keep an eye out for these traits while choosing your sales team members, you’re sure to find the best possible candidates. Look for dedication, enthusiasm, and intelligence, and you’ll see the difference.

Additional Resources:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/239465
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4173-personality-traits-successful-sales-people.html

Career Coaching Entrepreneurs News

Critical Mistakes When Building Your Online Presence

An Online Presence Used to be Optional, But Not Anymore.

If you want your company to be a success, you have to pay special attention to how potential customers or clients will view your business online. Unfortunately, simple mistakes often get in between a business and prosperity. Don’t miss your chance at greatness by making one of these common errors:

Not Having a Vision

You can’t just slap together some ideas and hope they’ll take off. You have to look far into the future and think about what your company wants to accomplish. Don’t just think about the monetary gains, either – think about the problem your products or services can solve. Thinking long-term will provide a much more stable foundation for success.

Not Finding a Unique Name

With so many companies out there, you have to be able to stand out amongst the competition. Choosing the right name is one of the most important parts of crafting that image. Find something unique and exciting and then make sure no one else has it. You want your website’s domain name to match, too, so keep doing research until you have something 100 percent available.

Trying to Build Your Site on Your Own

Even if you’re pretty good with a computer, it’s usually not enough. Sure, you can figure out the basics with a premade website template and some copy and pasting, but that’s not how you find success. Enlisting professional help means you’ll have a truly unique website that’s ready for search engine optimization (SEO).

Not Having a Backup Plan

Data loss can cripple a company, especially when its presence is mainly online. Don’t settle into complacency, thinking it won’t happen to you, because it can. Fires, floods, even viruses can destroy valuable information. Be prepared with backup solutions at all times.

Not Being Consistent

One of the worst things you can do for your company is to present a jumbled image. You need to provide relevant information and support every time. For example, liking a bunch of Facebook pages in hopes of getting more exposure could send contradictory messages to your clients.

If you want the best chance of being successful in your business, remember to use your common sense, plan ahead, and always do what you can to stand out.

Additional Resources:

https://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/10/17/11-common-mistakes-must-avoid-when-building-your-online-brand.html
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231966

Career Entrepreneurs Mastermind Networking News

Are You Ready for The Mastermind for Masterminds?

Do You Feel Stuck and Need Inspiration for Your Career or Business?

Are You In Search of a Strong Peer Network of Trusted Colleagues?

If you answered YES, then we have the perfect solution – THE MASTERMIND FOR MASTERMINDS – a private meeting among dedicated business professionals looking to exchange honest feedback, help refine new ideas and concepts, and share insights and potential leads.

Event Details:

WHEN: Monday, December 12, 2016, 8:30-11:30 am

WHERE: The Park Avenue Club, 184 Park Avenue, Florham Park, NJ 07932

COST: $97.00 p/person; includes Breakfast

Reserve Your Spot Today!

Why Should You Attend?

You want to tap into the experience and skills of others!
You are “stuck” and need a new perspective which can come from brainstorming with the group!
You need to increase confidence in your decisions!
You need to validate that you are taking the right actions to achieve your goals!
You need or want to find an instant and valuable support network!
You want to find a sense of shared endeavor with others in the same position you find yourself in!
You need to find new ways to jump-start your business!
You want to boost to your everyday positive mental attitude!

Who Should Attend?

Sales Consultants
Realtors
Accountants
Lawyers
Small business owners
Consultants
Fund Raisers
YOU
And anyone responsible for driving their business!

And MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT will you take away from The Mastermind for Masterminds?

New connections with a supportive team of Mastermind partners
Relationships with like-minded professionals who want to MEET or EXCEED their goals
New ideas for REAL CHANGE to get you where you need to be
Elevating your passion for life and work to overcome the fears that are holding you back

The Mastermind for Masterminds isn’t creating just another business network, we’re building a community of professionals dedicated to helping one another overcome obstacles and achieve greater success.