The Group of Us Together – We Can Do Anything!

PRESS RELEASE

IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 23, 2009

Hello, WIB Ladies and Public!

First, many special thanks goes out to Julee Wasserman for providing leadership for our recent, successful fundraiser for the Oregon Food Bank and holiday showcase for WIB and other women in business!

Second, we raised $1,260 dollars and 100LB of food from the silent auction. All proceeds raised go direct to the Oregon Food Bank. Linda Boal of Glutten-Free products and Eco-flakes granola was the coordinator of our silent auction and she did a wonderful job! Thank you, Linda!

We raised $944 last year so this is a nice increase from what we could do last year….thank you, all, for your donations and generous support! Julee, Linda, and I estimate we had 200 – 300 people travel through from 9 – 3PM.

All of us asked how people had heard of our event and the following was noted:
*KATU TV news listing for the community (ran two weekends)
*Portland Picks (ran Friday before our event)
*Star newspaper (ran early November)
*Event postings in Oregonian (Yeah!)
*Word-of-mouth was the biggest draw…many of our vendors advertised the event and our public came out to support us! Thank you!

We all sincerely hope you enjoyed participating in our event. Feel free to send feedback to Julee Wasserman or myself on what worked / what didn’t…(I know I worked with Molly from Kennedy School on loudness of music / music selection…we did our best to meet all the vendor needs on this point).

I personally thought the quality of vendors selected, the food selection using the vendor ticket, and the excellent staff from the Kennedy School was of the best quality! I always wish for more people but I think we met the numbers from last year! We obviously increased our silent auction donations to the Oregon Food Bank! In one of our hardest economic years, I’d say our grassroots, networking efforts were well done!

Lastly, SAVE the DATE! Tuesday, December 15th, we’re gathering for another networking night at the west-side Here We Go Store on Carolina St . Chris Gauger from Here We Go Again has offered to host our group for the December month! . Chris Gauger from Here We Go Again has offered to host our group for the December month!

Never doubt what a group with a common goal can do for the betterment of the larger need. We can and do make a difference with our energy, efforts, and commitment. Thank you, all!

Tonya DeCroce
WIB Organizer

Promotions: WIB-PDX July Events!

WIB – Portland Announces
July & August Networking Events & News!
You’re Invited to Women In Business – Portland!
Help Support Local WIB-Portland Businesses!

July 17, 18, 19
Broadway Sidewalk Sale!
HELP Support WIB-Portland members, Lisa Marshall from Hallmark Opticians AND Tonya DeCroce, Independent Arbonne Consultant! Tonya is doing a booth on Saturday, 7/18, only from 11AM – 5PM and she’ll be in front of Lisa Marshall’s wonderful business, Hallmark Opticians, on the corner of 19th and NE Broadway!!

Come one, come all! Start walking about 7th and NE Broadway all the way up to 24th and NE Broadway to enjoy FOOD, MUSIC, Face Painting, and GREAT SALES for all participating shops! Look for the Pink and Green balloons to find a vendor participating in THE EVENT on Broadway this summer! Or, just walk the Broadway street and you’ll have no problem finding the retailers and visiting vendors who are participating this summer at THE BROADWAY SUMMER event!

Friday night, enjoy late night shopping with many stores open past 7PM! Also, enjoy music through out the weekend and face painting for the kids! Many of these fine retailers pull out ALL the stops on this weekend sale opportunity!

************************************************************************************
Help support and spread the word about WIB-Portland member, Anne Weiss’ Summer Concert Series!

PRESS RELEASE: IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Blues Legend in the Making Anne Weiss’
July & August Concert Series Dates & Times

Wednesday, July 22, 2009:
Laurelthirst Public House, sitting in with Alice Stuart
9PM Show, 2958 NE Glisan St

http://laurelthirst.com/Site/Home-1.html

Portland, OR (503) 232-1504

Thursday, July 23, 2009:
Marino Adriatic Café with Andrea Prichett
8PM Show, 4129 SE Division
Portland, OR (503) 231-1313

Saturday, July 25m 2009:
Biddy McGraw’s with Donny Wright

http://www.biddymcgraws.com/

6PM Show, 6000 NE Glisan St
Portland, OR (503) 233-1178

“Anne Weiss possesses that great blues quality of grit and grace, and her lyrics are great life stories. Big name artists such as Janis Joplin and Tracy Chapman come to mind when listening to Anne’s outstanding music.” RadioIndy.com June 2008

For Anne’s electronic press kit, go to:
http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=61344

For Anne’s myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/anneweissmusic

Taking the long way home

I had aspirations that I’d write often on my blog in January 2009. I realized yesterday, after viewing one of my favorite blogs from SOFIA’s of Portland, OR, that I haven’t posted in almost six months. How does time go so fast?

Summer time, especially, is fast time! So is morning time, which also happens to be one of my favorite times of day, too! In my opinion, July 4th comes and goes and the next thing one knows is that the back to school sales have started and August has arrived! I’m savoring my time this summer. My husband and I are enjoying a rare summer stay with our nephew who heads to college this August for his first year! Our nephew’s stay with us has transformed our relatively quiet lives into lives filled with movies, bike rides, and looking for the best home-made hummus recipe. In fact, I’ve cooked more this summer than I’ve cooked at one time in all my years (many know it is my husband who is the cook in the family!)! I have my very first urban garden and I’m loving the fresh herbs (cilantro…or should I say coriander ) is by far my favorite herb and I try to cook with it each time in the kitchen! I’ve been learning how to make food to support this new anti-inflammatory diet I’ve adopted the past few years to help me manage adult acquired food sensitivities and intolerances. I now know how to cook and modify recipes so they are wheat, gluten, egg, dairy, corn and sugar free! The recent dinner crepes I made using flava flour and buckwheat with my coriander, as well as my home-made hummus, are two of my hits! That was actually one of my goals this summer: to cook more, use more fresh ingredients, and spend less money at the local Whole Pay- Check grocery store (for those of you familiar with this phrase you know the grocery store I’m describing!)! I’m meeting that goal…

Now if I can just figure out how to become fluent in Spanish, grow my business by 50%, and do more service work for my community and friends, I will have accomplished my summer goals! I have discovered Helping Hands Portland, which is a wonderful clearing house listed with volunteer activities that one can sign up for based on one’s availability! Later this month, I’m also providing respite time for a dear, old friend who is beginning her battle with breast cancer. My friend is one of the most courageous women I know; I know she will work hard to beat this unexpected diagnosis. Her story is a wake-up call for all of us…to put our health first…even when it is a busy time of year and even when it is hard to do and to remember to live in each moment, celebrate those moments with the people and community who inspire us to live our best moment.

So…a summer toast to all who have found my blog after six months of quiet. Don’t be surprised if you find me writing out to you more this summer and into the fall and winter. It sure helps inspire me to live a better day.

Salude, Tonya

Dear Oregon Food Bank

December, 15th, 2008

Oregon Food Bank
P.O. Box 55370
Portland, OR 97238-5370
Attn.: Donations / Charitable

Dear Oregon Food Bank:

My name is Tonya DeCroce and I’m a small-business owner who organized and participated in a recent “Women in Business Holiday Market (WIB)-Portland and Fundraiser for The Oregon Food Bank.” WIB held our event at The McMenniman Brother’s Kennedy School Gym in NE Portland on Saturday, December 6th, 2008, from 9AM – 3PM.

What happens when over 20 women in business come together to raise funds for The Oregon Food Bank? WIB-Portland raised $841 dollars from our silent auction donations plus Lisa Brooking of The Bright Way Massage reported to WIB-Portland that she is making a $100 donation to The Oregon Food Bank from the chair massage proceeds she raised at our event! Our group also collected food and raised roughly 40Lb of food, too! That is what happens!

Isn’t it exciting to know that the community supported our mission to raise awareness and money for our hungry residents, families, and communities?! We estimate 300 – 400 people stopped through our event and enjoyed shopping from established local retailers, to up-and-coming new industry direct-sellers! People also enjoyed purchasing gift-certificates for lodging get-always to health and wellness, Qiqong, Naturopathic services in 2009!

Visit our web-site (www.womeninbusinessportland.com) to review the complete list of retailers and service providers who helped make our fundraiser a success! WIB-Portland plans to do it again next year and our goal is to double our contribution! From all of us at WIB-Portland we wish you and your organization and the families and people you feed, a special holiday season and the best fund-raising 2009 New Year!

By the way, many of us women who pulled together for this event spoke often about how the economic impact our world is currently experiencing is first felt at home in our own backyard. How many of us know someone who just lost his job or has been given an eviction notice because she can’t pay rent? Or, just as tragic, is facing foreclosure on his or her home? I know we all know someone who is living one if not all of the mentioned realities. The lack of access to good food, shelter, income opportunities is not just one person’s problem or one city or one state’s issue. WIB-Portland participants believe that a community of like-minded people can make a difference in families and individuals in need. We look forward to being of service to The Oregon Food Bank by helping to raise awareness and donations from future WIB events we hold through-out 2009! We’ll keep in touch!

Sincerely,

Tonya DeCroce
WIB organizer and vendor
www.womeninbusinessportland.com

On the day before Women in Business Holiday Market & Fundraiser for The Oregon Food Bank…

     I woke at 5:30 AM to the sound of my husband’s voice calling me frantically from our living room, “Honey, would you wake up!  There is a man passed out on our living room floor and I need your help.  I need you to call the Police!”

    And with that call I was awake.

     Calls first thing in the early morning, whether by phone or not, can usually scare me because I think, “Oh, no!  Who is hurt or deceased?”  It seems like I usually get that kind of call in those early, pre-dawn hours.

     Luckily for my husband and me,  our new visitor turned out to not be a burglar or kidnapper…but a man who called himself, ‘Mike.’  With the help of the 911 operator my husband was able to wake the man to find out he was quite intoxicated and really believed he was home in his living room, using his own bathroom.

     (By this time you’re wondering…”How did Mike get into our home??”  Good question.  We have a good friend visiting from Bend, OR, in her new ‘Westie Van’ and she insisted she wanted to ‘rough’ it in her warm, cozy van…so we left our front door open for her so she could come and go…yes we know: not a smart decision.  In the fifeteen years in our NE bungalow we never had an issue…and thought to ourselves, “No big deal…it is ok to leave the door open for our friend.”  Yes, we learned a good lesson, reinforced by our nice police-man.)

     The Police arrived in a manner of minutes (thought it felt like an eternity) and proceeded to escort the man from our home.  They used the handcuffs because they didn’t know much about our visitor who called himself “Mike,” they were taking safety precautions.  We don’t know what Mike’s fate was…the Police were to run a background, criminal check and if Mike has a past he wouldn’t go home to his own living room and bathroom, quite yet.  We don’t know.  Last we saw Mike he was being put into the back of the Police car, still in handcuffs.

     Later, my husband asked me why I thought Mike had thought our home was his home.  I replied, “Well, we kept the white lights on over night and our small tree in the window with the star does look like a beckon – a safe place to land.”  And then I said, “Perhaps his adventure into our home, and we know how peaceful it is here in our home, was supposed to happen so he could get help from his drinking.”  We’ll never know but I’d like to think maybe it was a safe place to stop on Mike’s journey to a better day.

     With that said…!  One more day to our big event!  See the details below AND if you stop by…ask where to find Tonya and come by booth and receive a complimentary stocking stuffer gift from my botanical-based spa and holiday gifts!

Women in Business Presents: 

HOLIDAY MARKET & FUNDRAISER

For The Oregon Food Bank! 

You’re invited

 Public – Friends – Community!

 

One-stop holiday shopping!

 

Saturday, Dec., 6^th, 9 AM – 3 PM @

The Kennedy School Gym!

 

www.womeninbusinessportland.com 

·     Choose gifts for your entire family from local women retailers: artists, clothing for kids and women, jewelry,  botanical-based spa and body products, health and wellness gift ideas to the latest eye wear!

·     Boiler Room menu available in the gym!    Eat & Shop!

·     All proceeds from the silent auction benefit the Oregon Food Bank!

·     Complimentary gift wrapping (while supplies last – suggested $2 donation – proceeds will go to Oregon Food Bank)!

 

Kennedy School • 5736 NE 33rd Ave., Portland www.kennedyschool.com

Vendor inquiries: Call 503.998.6157

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS: Thanksgiving

Well we never quite made it for hosting our own Thanksgiving dinner in our kitchen…around 11AM, soon after I removed my organic, gluten-free, freshly-baked pumpkin pies from the oven – we had a fire in the kitchen.  It appears I forgot to take my rubber-heat pad from the oven door….when I shut the oven, I made the rubber heat-pad fall onto the electric coils…soon after, we had a growing fire in the oven….what to do?

How many of us have fire extinguishers in our homes?

Luckily for us we do. 

Luckily for me my husband knew what to do – because I sure forgot all my fire-safety training….all I could think about was getting the dog to safety…and how to stop the blaring fire alarms. 

Luckily for me, again, my husband jumped into action.  He located the fire extinguisher that we do keep on the kitchen stair…and he knew to pull the extinguishers pin, pull the handle, aim at the base of the fire, and move the fire extinguisher left – right, even sweeps…again, focusing on the base of the fire.

We were left with a fine, white layer that almost could have appeared as confections sugar…too bad it wasn’t!  Every pre-cooked Thanksgiving item, including my home-made pumpkin pies, we’re not fit for human stomachs now because of the chemicals in the white film….what to do?

How many Black Friday sales call your name, right?  By the way, I have a Black Friday sale going, too…ask me about it on e-mail!

All my best, Tonya DeCroce

tdecroce@myarbonne.com

www.womeninbusinessportland.com

tdecroce.wordpress.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Over my many years, I remember various holiday dinners.  The one that I always remember first is Thanksgiving.  I love Thanksgiving because it is one holiday where it is simple: food, family, and fun.  How easy it can still be in this crazy world of ours that is all about 24 / 7 – the latest news wire the recent U-tube phenomena…At least in America there is still one day where we all stop, find a warm room to gather, and good food to eat.

I know first-hand, for many this year, that there are many families experiencing more fear – fear for their jobs, for the money they need to keep good food on the table - and the basic needs for their family.   One way I know to help others in time of need is to just get involved.  In whatever you can do.  Consider donating canned food to your local food bank (thank you The Oregon Food Bank!  We’re collecting for our upcoming Women in Business Holiday Market and fundraiser for The Oregon Food Bank – to read more visit us www.womeninbusinessportland.com) or to volunteer for your local business that delivers fresh food to seniors and people with disabilities!  For our seniors and disabled people the holidays can be especially hard because they are alone, shut-inside for many and the sheer act of getting outside, by foot or car, is prohibited because of mobility or mental abilities.

I do believe in this basic truth: we can’t get through this world alone.  For those in our America that may be experiencing a rough time…from a job loss, from a family death, from a family argument that has become more…maybe an estrangement for a family member…’it’ – the fear, the anger, the resentment – ‘it’ can get better.  You must believe it can get better first.  Then you just take it one day at a time and focus on the one good light  – the one good smile  – that you received;  or the one good meal you shared with a stranger or a friend; that one good memory that can cause you to remember that within each of us is the power to forgive – the power to heal – the power to love.  The power to forgive will bring all else full circle.

And on this Thanksgiving 2008, where ever you may be in this America, our country, I wish you and your loved ones, near and far, the very best that today can bring.  Many, many blessings and much gratitude go out to you and your community and family on this Thanksgiving Day.

All my best, Tonya DeCroce

www.womeninbusinessportland.com

www.tdecroce.wordpress.com

tdecroce@myarbonne.com

Just 10 days to go!

Just 10 days to go!

Women in Business – Holiday Market and

Fundraiser for The Oregon Food Bank!

Saturday, Dec., 06 from 9AM – 3PM

Kennedy School Gym

Just 10 days to go until our big event at the Kennedy School Gym! We had our first pre-event wine hour last night…what fun that was!   I had a great time getting to know the new women vendors!  We’re all so lucky to participate with such a range of Women In Business! 

Remember, our Women In Business Holiday Market is December 6th, from 9 AM – 3 PM @ The Kennedy School Gym (http://www.kennedyschool.com)!  Our vendors are ready to HELP you shop and save money for everyone on your guest list!  PLUS!  You’ll have so much fun at the Kennedy School you’ll want to come back and stay in one of their fun rooms or take in a movie or brunch with friends.

By the way, this is a perfect event for the gentlemen in your life!  Forward this page to all the men you know who get so nervous about gift buying for the special people in their lives!  Need a little extra shopping assistance?  This is YOUR event!  Shop, eat AND catch that Saturday football game!  

Shop early AND eat at the same time - Boiler Room menu available & Pizza Bar in the gym!  Cash bar and cash drinks available, too! 

Put us first on the busy arts & fair craft circuit weekend!  You won’t regret it!  Select vendor gift ideas and sales!  Complimentary gift wrapping available! ($2 donation suggested; all proceeds go to The Oregon Food Bank!)

 

 

Tonya DeCroce

tdecroce@myarbonne.com

503-998-6157

http://www.womeninbusinessportland.com/

http://www.tdecroce.wordpress.com/

Just Two Weeks to go for Women In Business Holiday Market & Fundraiser for The Oregon Food Bank @ The Kennedy School Gym!

I know all of us are choosing how to spend our time this holiday season from a list of fun holiday events, fairs, and bazaars to attend!  I want to make it easier for you to choose from the array of listed events! 

 

One of my favorite events, and dear to my heart as I’m the organizer for this grassroots referral networking group for small-business women owners, is The Women in Business Holiday Market @ The Kennedy School Gym!  We’re just two weeks from our exciting event at the Kennedy School Gym (www.kennedyschool.com)! 

 

Join over 20 women in business to get all of your holiday shopping done!  We’ve got on-site parking, complimentary gift wrapping (while supplies last) and a silent auction for The Oregon Food Bank!

Many, many events are happening that weekend…see my list of holiday events below…but if you time it right – we can be your FIRST stop holiday shopping!  If you’re a parent looking for something to do…join the Santa Shop at the Kennedy School for kid’s fun and then come our way and let us help you check people off your shopping list while you save money and time! 

 If you’re a gentleman who wants unique ideas for all the women in his life – this is your stop! We can help you select from beautiful jewelry, art, botanical-based spa gift-box sets, to that perfect outfit! We have on-site parking and a limited menu from the Boiler Room is available to you as are beverages – while you shop!    Complimentary gift wrapping while supplies last!

 

www.womeninbusinessportland.com

 

November 22-23: · Holiday Bazaar.  German American School.  Beaverton, Oregon

 November 22-23: · Winter Open House.  Portland Nursery.  Portland, Oregon

 November 24-December· 31:  Pittock Mansion.  ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Portland, Oregon

 November 27-January· 1, 2009:  Winter Wonderland of Lights.  Portland International Raceway.  Portland, Oregon

 November 28: · Macy’s Holiday Parade.  Portland, Oregon

 November 28: · Annual Tree Lighting @ 5th & A.  Lake Oswego, Oregon

 November 28: · Tree Lighting Ceremony.  Pioneer Courthouse Sq.  Portland, Oregon

 November 28: · Pioneer Crafts.  End of the Trail Interpretive Center.  Oregon City, Oregon

 November 28-30,· December 5-7: America’s Largest Christmas Bazaar.  Expo Center.  Portland, Oregon

 November 28-30: · Festival of Trees.  Portland, Oregon

 November 28-December· 6:  Singing Christmas Tree.  Portland, Oregon

 November 28-December· 24:  Macy’s Santa land.  @ Macy’s in Portland, Oregon

 November 28-30: · Holiday Open House Weekend.  Aurora Colony Historic Village.  Aurora, Oregon

 November 28-December· 30:  Festival of Lights.  Concert Schedule. The Grotto.  Portland, Oregon

 November 28-30: · Student Holiday Sale.  Oregon College of Art & Craft.

 November 28-30 ·& December 13:  Holiday Nature Crafts Gift Making.  Children’s Museum.  Portland, Oregon

 November 29: · Light Up Parade.  Canby, Oregon

 November 29-December· 28:  Zoo Lights.  Oregon Zoo.  Portland, Oregon

 November 29-30: ·Oswego Heritage Council Holiday Art Show and Sale.  Heritage House, Lake Oswego, Oregon

 December 1: · Pioneer Christmas Ornaments & Crafts.  End of the Trail Interpretive Center.  Oregon City, Oregon

 December 2-28: · A Christmas Carol.  Portland, Oregon

 December 3: · Crave Holiday Shopping Party.  Lure Autohaus.  Portland, Oregon

 December 4: · Holiday Home Tour.  Lake Oswego, Oregon

 December 4-7: · Holiday Ale Festival.  Pioneer Courthouse Sq.  Portland, Oregon

 December 4-8: · Festival of Trees.  Convention Center.  Portland, Oregon

 December 5-14: · The Christmas Revels.  Portland, Oregon

 December 5-29:· Christmas Fantasy Trail at Wenzel Farm-Oregon City, Oregon

 December 6: · http://www.nwkids.com/calendar  The Kennedy School hosted by NW Kids.com

·  December 6: Women in Business Holiday Market and Fundraiser for The Oregon Food Bank @ The Kennedy School Gym, Portland, www.womeninbusinessportland.com

 December 6-Christmas· Eve:  Cruise with the Cinnamon Bear.  Portland Spirit.  Portland, Oregon

 December 6: · The Holiday “Ho Ho” Hoedown.  Garden Home Recreation Center.  Portland, Oregon

 December 6: · Holiday Market.  French American School.  Portland, Oregon

 December 6: · Holiday Bazaar.  Garden Home Recreation Center.  Portland, Oregon

 December 6-7: · Forest Market.  Friends of Tryon Creek State Park.  Lake Oswego, Oregon

 December 6-21:· Christmas Ship Parade. Portland, Oregon

 December 6-7: · Forest Market.  Tryon State Park.  Lake Oswego, Oregon

 December 7: · Christmas Tree Lighting with Santa.  Happy Valley.  Portland, Oregon

 December 7: · Holiday Open House.  Historic Deepwood Estate.  Sale, Oregon

 December 9-January· 7:  Multnomah Arts Center Winter Arts & Crafts Sale, Multnomah Village.  Portland, Oregon

 December 9-12: · Holiday Artisan Market.  Pioneer Courthouse Sq.  Portland, Oregon

 December 11-14: · Holidays with the Trail Band.  Aladdin Theater.  Portland, Oregon

 December 12-14: · Last Chance Holiday Gift Festival.  Washington County Fairplex.  Hillsboro, Oregon

 December 12-24: · The Nutcracker.  Portland, Oregon

 December 12-28: · Miracle of a Million Lights.  Queen Anne Victorian Mansion.  Portland, Oregon

 December 13: · Tuba Christmas.  Pioneer Courthouse Sq.  Portland, Oregon

 December 13-14: · Christmas in the Country.  Philip Foster Farm. Oregon City, Oregon

 December 15-31: · Peacock Lane.  Portland, Oregon

 December 18-21: · Handel’s Messiah.  Portland, Oregon

 December 19-21: · Holiday Concert.  Gay Men’s Choir.  Reed College, Portland, Oregon

 December 20: · Christmas Ship Parade Viewing.  Lake Oswego.  Foothills Park.  Lake Oswego, Oregon

 December 26. · Polar Bears’ Birthday Party.  Oregon Zoo.  Portland, Oregon

 December 26-January· 1:  Kawanza Celebrations.  Various Locations.  Portland, Oregon

 

You can see some of these great women at an upcoming event I’m organizing at the Kennedy School Gym on 12/6, from 9 AM – 3PM:

 

www.womeninbusinessportland.com

 

Oh, by the way, I’ve got ‘mini’ Holiday Makeover events on the following dates:

 

11/30 and 12/7 @ 10AM at Sofia’s European Boutique (www.sofiaportland.com) on 1313 NE Fremont St., lower Fremont. 

 If you want to learn how to ‘pop’ the lips or the ‘eyes’ for this holiday season…this is a must…also learn tricks and tips on how to look 10-years younger without plastic surgery!  Would love to hear from you! 

 

 

All my best, Tonya

tdecroce@myarbonne.com

 

It’s All About Activity

Another holiday bazaar!  It is the season!  Wow!  What a Saturday….I spent a great day meeting and greeting the public and the other women in business at a lovely bazaar opportunity that a friend of mine, Dede Marshall, independent wine representative for The Best Wine Shop, organized.  We had over 15 women vendors and a diverse group of people walk through! Many people had heard about our event through the great marketing Dede did for us in the Oregonian.   A few women had done showcase events in the past with me, like Julee Wasserman, owner of Julee Gorge Tours (www.gorgetours.com) and proprietor for Mt. Adams Lodge in Glenwood, WA (www.mt-adams.com) .  In fact Julee was my first business coach almost three years ago!!  Three years later it is SO exciting to see where we are all at with our perspective businesses…and to see how far we’ve grown as business women.

You can see some of these great women at an upcoming event I’m organizing at the Kennedy School Gym on 12/6, from 9 AM – 3PM:

www.womeninbusinessportland.com

One of the best lessons I’ve learned the past three years from my direct sales business is that in sales, one must attach to the activity!  It is that activity that helps the business grow!  Now that my event is done the real work begins for me…I must call my leads within two days and set that next appointment!  I love building on that first interaction with a person you just met and introduced your business to.  There is an excitement to that ‘first’ step with a client that can build the foundation for a long-lasting relationship.  That is the foundation to my business.

I ended my evening at an event hosted by Portland Parks and Rec at the SW Community Center off of Multnomah Blvd…Wow!  The vendor tables were free and there were a variety of vendors from massage, to spa services, jewelry, clothing, health and wellness services…the list goes on and on and on!  People paid $15 dollars to get in the door and I met many women who got a babysitter so they could go get pampered and shop with their best girl-friend, sister or mom!  What a great time!  I was especially happy for my friend, Karel Redeker, who is opening her doors as a new esthetician and was offering complimentary facials using our great anti-aging line. People had to schedule that night with her for the facial…many women couldn’t wait to get signed up! 

The center was festive for the upcoming holidays and the Portland Parks and Rec staff was very helpful, too.  In the end…wish Vanity Fair could happen every Saturday night!

Till next time…

Oh, by the way, I’ve got Holiday Makeover events on the following dates:

11/24 and 12/7 @ 10AM at SOFIA‘s European Boutique (www.sofiaportland.com) on 1313 NE Fremont St., lower Fremont.  If you want to learn how to ‘pop’ the lips or the ‘eyes’ for this holiday season…this is a must…also learn tricks and tips on how to look 10-years younger without plastic surgery!  Would love to hear from you! 

RSVP:  503-998-6157

All my best, Tonya

tdecroce@myarbonne.com

503-998-6157