Collaborate ... Cultivate ... Connect

The first WBIS (Women Building & Investing In Success) Special Event of 2008 was an absolute winner. It was held April 9th at the Waterford in Springfield, VA, and featured special guest speaker Sarah Michel, author of Perfecting Connecting: A Personal Guide to Mastering Networking in the Workplace. The event took the WBIS motto "Collaborate ... Cultivate ... Celebrate" to a new level.

About 50 people filled the room, mostly women, all entrepreneurs who soaked up the great information Michel shared about things like effectively introducing yourself to others, tapping the power of your database and understanding our differences so we can better connect.

That's right. Sarah Michel insists that we "connect," not network. No more collecting business cards like a mad woman (or man) thinking that if you don't do business you've wasted your time. She even shared her own inspiring story about how "connections" helped her beat back cancer. Being present and of service to others is never a waste of time. And who knows? You might make money. You might even save a life -- your own or that of someone you care about.

Bravo to WBIS leader Sheila Dixon of S&E Marketing Concepts for connecting with Sarah Michel and other adventurous women over the years, and enjoying the heck out of keeping the connections going!