NOVEMBER 2016 NOTE FROM DOYENNE GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Holy Cow (in my Harry Caray voice while watching the World’s Series) I can’t believe it’s already November.

October was Women Small Business month, November is Entrepreneurship Month. Back-to-back months to celebrate many of you and the work you do.

Have you reminded yourself lately that you are AmAzInG?! I know that sometimes we all need reminding of this, I was reminded yesterday when I was presenting to an accounting class at UW-Madison. I’ve been lucky enough to have been asked for the past 3 semesters to talk to Prof. Boucher’s students about entrepreneurship and talk to them about how sometimes the path you think life is taking you down might not be the path you end up wanting to continue on. We also talked about “adulting”, meaning discussing how things are going to be changing for some of them really soon as they prepare to graduate, become completely independent and some of the questions they had about entering the workforce.

The students came into class seeming really elevated about an exam some of them had taken in a previous class, “I can’t believe that’s what we were tested on” and “why do we even need to know this stuff” were some of the comments I overheard as I finished opening the bag of leftover Halloween candy and started handing it out to them. I decided my presentation for the day needed to be more about where they were in that moment, and how having these types of experiences is preparing them for “adulting” and how you never know how the lessons they thought were irrelevant now will benefit them in the future.

Towards the end of my powerpoint slides I have some pictures of different accomplishments I’ve made over the past 4 years, it was just what I needed. Because while I was talking about “adulting” with the students, all I could think about was how I’m tired of “adulting”, making decisions and feeling like everything is leading to dead ends or into big cirlces. Seeing those pictures and talking about those accomplishments in my professional and personal life was just what I needed yesterday, and rejuvenated me to move on to the next item on my to do list.

Whenever someone asks me what I do for my job I always smile and say “I love my job”, I was reminded of why I do what I do and how much it means to me yesterday while talking to those students.

Those are the moments I want you to focus on this month as we celebrate Entrepreneurship Month, Thanksgiving and prepare for the holiday season, the moments that remind you that you are AmAzInG.
You are AmAzInG!
The work you do professionally and personally is AmAzInG!

I hope you’ll join Doyenne at our November Events to celebrate each other and the work we do.

• November Connect Event (Wednesday, November 9) with Featured Member Susie Younkle of Merlin Mentors
• Women Entrepreneurship Day Celebration (Saturday, Novmember 19) with Bloom Bake Shop & Revel

AND

• Join us for our last event of 2017, the Doyenne Disconnect Event for an evening at The Edgewater Spa pampering yourself, having you leaving rejuvenated and ready for the holiday season (Thursday, December 1)

Please remember that if you need someone to bounce ideas off of, or just an impartial person to listen, Amy and I host Office Hours for ANYONE to sign up for. Or if you have specific questions to help you while you lead your business, you can email me and I can connect you with Doyenne Ambassadors or other community partners to work with you.

Hope to see you around town!

Heather