Margery's Note....
Innovation is bubbling up all over!!!!
It feels like it took us a year to recover from the Pandemic and suddenly I’m seeing people develop plans, expand their services and move forward in such interesting ways!
Some of our long-time members are sharing their plans below (read about Laura Kopec’s new staff member in her clinic); Jane Baldwin is offering really helpful breathing and meditation lessons; Glenna Hecht is having a fabulous time traveling the world and sharing her stories….
And Amy Halman is about to expand her services by offering Infrared Saunas at her studio (coming soon….).
If you don’t usually read the stories members share each month, try it today. You will be glad you did!
What I’m really saying is that it is time for all of us to do some new and different things. We were “locked down” for so long, we can stretch and take a few risks now.
As you all know, I am in the Boomer Generation. One of the things we chuckle about among each other is how scared people are about interest rates. Yes, we just had a 23 year low in them, but those of us who were building businesses and families in the 70s, 80s and 90s paid higher rates and moved forward anyway!
In 1973 the average interest rate was 8%. It climbed to 16.63% by 1981 and was still at 10.19% in 1990. in 2000 it was 8.05% and steadily went down, reaching 5.05% in 2009. The lowest it went was 2.91% 2021.
And now people are spending a lot of energy complaining about high interest rates! But they forget that our economy was stalled for years (2008 to now!) and is just beginning, over the last 6 to 8 months to pick up and accelerate.
When I was in my 30s (in 1984) I bought a building because I needed it for my business. My original mortgage rate was over 13%. But it helped me expand my company and grow my customer base. I refinanced over the years, ended up getting it paid off and kept it for at least 15 more years. I paid myself rent from my company, and when I sold my business, the new owners continued to rent it from me for 8 more years. After their lease was up I sold it for a good profit. It was a great investment and has helped me fund my semi-retired lifestyle.
So think about it: being afraid to make a move because it might cost more isn’t always a good thing. I’m so grateful I was young enough and determined enough to take risks, grow a successful business and create the life I am now enjoying. I didn’t let fear get in my way!
So let your imagination go to work. Bubble up some new ideas, take some calculated risks and get out of your comfort zone a little. The rewards are greater than you may realize!!!
Member Notes
GGN Member Glenna Hecht shares her latest blog….
Excellence Is Never an Accident
During a recent trip to Europe, I meticulously planned every detail, from transportation to accommodations to dining experiences. This level of planning isn’t just a necessity; it’s a passion, offering a preliminary taste of the journey ahead. My research led me to Madrid’s first plant-based Michelin-starred restaurant, Mudra, which I eagerly visited on the final leg of my trip. The experience not only met but exceeded my expectations, prompting me to delve deeper into what sets such establishments apart.
INSIGHTS INTO OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Unified Service Model:
At Mudra, service excellence is paramount. The team operates without designated tables, creating a fluid and cohesive service environment. Every team member, whether they’re a server, back waiter, or the manager, engages with every customer. This approach ensures that all needs are met promptly and efficiently, embodying a collective responsibility for customer satisfaction and shared tips.
Uncompromising Attention to Detail:
I observed a server meticulously setting a table—a process that included precise measurements to ensure perfection in presentation. This two-finger rule for aligning plates and napkins might seem minor, but it symbolizes the rigorous standards that contribute to a Michelin rating. Such attention to detail is critical, whether it’s setting a table or delivering a product or service in any business.
GGN Member Jane Baldwin shares more of her work….
Are you looking for an effective, proven tool to help you, your clients, or your teams, face challenges, build resilience, and discover true potential?
The Unwinding Compass is a powerful centering and focusing tool that helps individuals and groups find clarity in challenges, develop trustworthy connections, and make strong, confident decisions.
To find out more about The Unwinding Compass and Jane’s 1-1 Coaching and Group Facilitation email: [email protected]
Also, I’m teaching two new weekly classes at BREATHE Meditation and Wellness. Tuesdays is Breathwork 8:000-8:30 am.
Thursday is Meditation 10:30-11:00 am. The address is on each one of the attachments.
Click here for the website for BREATHE
GGN Member Laura Kopec has news!
Laura’s practice has a new naturopathic doctor joining her team. Roland Tay is a graduate of the National University of Natural Medicine and specializes in cancer, cardiovascular disease and men’s health. We now offer High Dosed Vitamin C IV’s. For more information and to check her new and improved website, go to www.kopecfunctionalwellness.com.
Laura also has a new YouTube video on hormonal health. Many of us do not understand hormones the way we should and the elements that impact them. Our conversation included some great topics, including some things you should know about teenage hormones. Click here to view the YouTube video.
Thank you to Toni Portmann for sharing this inspiring message….
I counted my years and found that I have less time to live from here on than I have lived up to now.
I feel like that child who won a packet of sweets: he ate the first with pleasure, but when he realized that there were few left, he began to enjoy them intensely.
I no longer have time for endless meetings where statutes, rules, procedures and internal regulations are discussed, knowing that nothing will be achieved.
I no longer have time to support the absurd people who, despite their chronological age, haven’t grown up.
My time is too short:
I want the essence,
my soul is in a hurry.
I don’t have many sweets
in the package anymore.
I want to live next to human people,
very human,
who know how to laugh at their mistakes, and who are not inflated by their triumphs, and who take on their responsibilities.
Thus human dignity is defended and we move towards truth and honesty.
It is the essential that makes life worth living.
I want to surround myself with people who know how to touch hearts, people who have been taught by the hard blows of life to grow with gentle touches of the soul.
Yes, I’m in a hurry, I’m in a hurry to live with the intensity that only maturity can give.
I don’t intend to waste any of the leftover sweets.
I am sure they will be delicious, much more than what I have eaten so far.
My goal is to reach the end satisfied
and at peace with my loved ones
and my conscience.
We have two lives.
And the second begins when you realize you only have one.
Credits : Mário Raul de Morais Andrade
(Oct 9, 1893 – Feb 25, 1945)
Brazilian poet, novelist, musicologist, art historian and critic, photographer Follow us Wonderful Things all Around the World
Track Meetings
We still ask for $5 to cover costs. And yes, you can register at the last minute…. but it would be GREAT if you let us know a couple of days before so we can plan our refreshments!!!
Our Track meetings are designed to give us a sacred space to have meaningful, purposeful conversations without fear of being judged or competed with. Only Members can attend. They are amazing experiences, unlike any ‘networking meeting’ you have ever attended!
GGN members MUST REGISTER to attend these meetings, so just follow the links below! And if you want to learn about us, go ahead and join GGN~~if you decide it isn’t for you, we will refund your membership fee!
Currently we meet the 2nd Monday morning and 3rd Wednesday evening of each month (see below).
Each one is an event or happening in itself. Some members come frequently, some come only once in a while. Whenever you attend one, you will find out things you didn’t know, connect with women who will challenge and inspire you, and you will leave with some new perspectives.
Monday Morning Magic Track
- May 13, 2024
- 10 am to 12 noon CT
- What is bubbling up inside you? Come share your ideas and plans for the next few months…. or cheer others on!
Click here to join us for Monday Morning Magic!
Growth & Transitions
- Wednesday, May 22, 2024
- 7 to 9 pm CT
- Having growing pains? Trying new things? Let’s talk about it!!!
Become a Member!
Great Girls Network is our way of being the opposite of the Good Ol’ Boys Network (which is still very much alive and well!). Even if you don’t participate in Track meetings, your membership gives you a way to support our existence and be a part of a growing group of women who really appreciate each other. And the Trii-Annual Gatherings are unlike any other “networking” event! We know women don’t network like men. We want to build relationships, we want deeper, more meaningful connections. That is exactly what GGN provides.
Our membership fee of $50 per year gives you access to our Track Meetings and also contributions to our Newsletter. The fee helps sustain our website, but it also ensures that when you participate in a Track meeting, you will honor the sacredness of the conversations because you are a member.
We created a digital card that helps people understand what they can get from joining GGN so click here to see the card.
Your membership helps give us that foundation, the strength to grow and have an impact on the lives of so many more women.
