New Board to Focus on Expansion of Member Benefits Nationwide

San Jose, CA – February 14, 2011—Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced its 2011 Board of Directors. The all-volunteer board is especially strong this year, with ten returning and two new members, all of whom are leaders in their field and bring years of professional experience to the organization.

For 2011, WIC is putting increased emphasis on delivering services that members throughout the country can access, such as its highly rated webinars and value-based partnerships with companies like Apple Computer, Office Depot, and Armstrong & Associates insurance brokers. In addition, the board will continue to add new programs, as well as further strengthen existing offerings in social media, mentoring, and events.

“This year’s board brings with it a powerful combination of strong leadership skills and a broad range of successful experience,” said WIC President Avery Horzewski. “I’m excited to see where our collaborative efforts will take us this year, as we focus on strengthening the valuable programs we started last year and introducing new benefits designed to help consultants at every stage grow and expand their businesses.”

The 2011 WIC board of directors includes:

President—Avery Horzewski continues for a second year as president. Under her leadership, WIC has launched several exciting programs and partnerships and continues to extend its online presence, bringing the organization’s services to consultants across the United States. Founder and owner of AVE Consulting, Inc., she helps companies develop effective and authentic customer-centric marketing and communications strategies that encompass everything from websites to social media to print collateral. Avery regularly speaks on communication topics, in particular social media, and serves as a program advisor and instructor for the new Social Media certificate program at San Francisco State University’s College of Extended learning.

Vice President—Jennifer Berkley Jackson builds on her past experience and contributions as WIC treasurer and WIC vice president. Founder and owner of The Insight Advantage, she helps businesses integrate customer insight to make key business decisions in the face of emerging customer needs. Jennifer also teaches the Power of Marketing Research at University of California at Santa Cruz Extension in Silicon Valley.

Treasurer and Finance Director—Melissa Stacey returns for a fourth year as WIC treasurer and finance director. Owner and founder of Feeling Organized, Melissa specializes in helping homes, offices, and small businesses create customized organization systems to fit their unique needs and styles. She’s also president of Women’s Networking Alliance (WNA).

Secretary and Communications Director—Deb McClanahan continues as secretary and communications director for a third year. Principal of BroadBand HR Consulting, Deb helps companies with executive search and HR consulting. She’s also developed a practice in expert testimony, helping attorney clients with challenging immigration and employment matters. 

Membership Director—Kathie Sherman returns as WIC’s membership director for a second year. As president of TenFour Marketing, Kathie helps companies develop and implement direct marketing programs focused on increasing response rates, tracking and measuring results, and achieving higher ROI on marketing programs. She’s worked with many well-known companies, including Apple, CapGemini, Sun Microsystems, and Penton Media.

Programs Director—Robin Pieracci is this year’s new programs director. As a pricing and product marketing consultant, Robin helps marketing executives and small business owners drive more profit and revenue from marketing and sales efforts. She brings the strategic focus and implementation expertise necessary to deliver practical solutions for her clients.

Marketing & PR Director—Melody Appleton continues in her role as marketing & PR director. As principal of Avicenna Marketing, Melody draws on over 15 years of experience in high tech to help companies develop strong positioning and messaging that establishes and articulates their competitive advantage, design marketing and public relations strategies that drive demand for their products and services, and develop effective product launch and product marketing that stands out against the competition.

Online Marketing Director—Rachel Melia returns as online marketing director. Rachel is an online marketing consultant specializing in social media marketing, with an emphasis on Facebook marketing. Rachel leads WIC’s website and social media initiatives, including its blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter channels.

Partnerships & Alliances Director—Sue Hay  continues her role as partnerships & alliances director. As CEO of BeWhys Marketing, Inc., Sue is passionate about helping clients create and execute demand generation campaigns that deliver real results. She’s dedicated to using the latest and most appropriate technologies and practices—from marketing automation to lead nurturing, lead scoring, and building personas—to help companies cost effectively achieve their vision, reach their goals, and grow their business.

Satellite Director—Angel Rampy joins the board to lead WIC’s ever-growing satellite groups. Angel is the founder and president of Success through Learning. With more than 20 years of experience as a manager, trainer, business consultant, and personal coach, she has the skills needed to empower and transform organizations and individuals. Her work spans from providing and developing customized training to corporations to providing one-on-one coaching to executives and entrepreneurs.

Strategic Audiences Director—Deborah Siegle returns for a third year as director of strategic audiences, overseeing WIC’s Leaders Network. Principal of Strategic Marketing Solutions, Deb assists clients with strategic research, market and product development, technology industry analysis, and customer loyalty and experience projects. With more than 25 years experience, she quickly identifies and addresses core issues, developing actionable strategies and tactics that make a measurable difference to her clients.

Strategic Initiatives Director—Jan Richards continues her role as strategic initiatives director for a third year. A national Baldrige Award examiner for five years, she heads up J.G. Richards Consulting, helping companies streamline and simplify their operations; clarify their vision, goals, and priorities; and implement effective process management. This enables clients to increase profits by reducing costs, growing revenues, and increasing business flexibility.

About WIC

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

WIC Kicks Off the New Year with a Host of Thought Leadership Events and a New Partnership with Apple Computer

San Jose, CA – January 3, 2011—Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced its first quarter 2011 programs, including webinars, networking events, and two new partnerships with Apple Computer and TriNet to augment its already robust member benefits offerings.

Programs slated for the first quarter include:

January 5, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “Blogging for Better Business: Get the Results you Want,” presented by Ann Evanston of Warrior-Preneur (Webinar)

• January 5, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: “Help! How Do I Get Paid?,” presented by Sandy McNabb (North Bay Meeting, Unity Center, Novato; Appetizers)
• January 10, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “Mission-Critical Tips to Getting the Most Out of LinkedIn, the Most Powerful Online Tool for Your Business,” presented by Irene Koehler, Almost Savvy (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• January 12, 11:30am – 1:30pm: “The New Rules for Attracting and Engaging Clients,” with Adrian Ott, called “one of Silicon Valley’s most respected (if not the most respected) strategists” by Consulting Magazine (East Bay Networking Meeting, Pyramid Ale House in Walnut Creek.)
• January 20, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Energizing Your Life, Your Business, and Your Clients in the New Year,” presented by Joanne Bond, a certified Hudson Institute coach (Main Monthly Meeting, Michael’s at Shoreline, Mountain View)
• January 26, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: “Courage and Compromise: Redefining the Game in High-Stakes Client Relationships,” presented by Elizabeth Doty (San Francisco Networking Meeting, King George Hotel, San Francisco)
• February 2, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “Storytelling Secrets for Great Presentations,” presented by Alison Macondray and Matthew Clark of Alimat, Inc. (Webinar)
• February 9, 11:30am – 1:30pm: East Bay Networking Luncheon, (Pyramid Ale House in Walnut Creek.)
• February 14, 11:30am–1:00pm: “Be Yourself: Everyone Else Is Already Taken,” presented by Mike Robbins (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• February 17, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm: “Social Media Research and Trends,” presented by Jen McClure of the Society for New Communications Research and Reimagine Group (Main Monthly Meeting, Quadrus Conference Center, Menlo Park)
• February 23, 5:30pm–7:30pm: “Your Web Presence: Strategies and Best Practices,” presented by Irene Koehler (San Francisco Networking Meeting, King George Hotel, San Francisco)
• March 1, 8:00am – 12:00pm: “Blogging: From Basics to Brilliance,” presented by Ann Evanston, of Warrior-Preneur and Jerry Bates, Creative Director at Fittingsites.com (Workshop, Michael’s at Shoreline, Mountain View)
• March 1, 12:00pm – 1:30pm: Peninsula Quarterly Networking Meeting (Luncheon, Caprino’s, Belmont)
• March 2, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “End-of-Life Planning: Surprising Facts About the Laws Managing Your Life or That of a Loved One,” presented by Kathy Lane, author of “Die$mart” (Webinar)
• March 9, 11:30am – 1:30pm: “Crafting Your Business Narrative: How to Tell Your Business Story,” with Ruth Halpern, (East Bay Networking Meeting, Pyramid Ale House in Walnut Creek.)
• March 14, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “Helping Your Clients with Their Global Presence,” presented by Lucie Newcomb, The NewComm Global Group (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• March 17, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “How to Get Along With Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime in Two Minutes or Less,” presented by Janice Neiderhofer of Peerage Consulting (Main Monthly Meeting, Michael’s at Shoreline, Mountain View)
• March 23, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: “Self Care, Balance, Mindfulness: Stress Reduction at Work,” presented by Suvanna Cullen (San Francisco Networking Meeting, King George Hotel, San Francisco)

In addition to networking events and business strategy sessions, WIC starts the New Year with two new partnerships—Apple Computer and TriNet. WIC’s new relationship with Apple Computer gives WIC members access to special pricing on business-related purchases. TriNet, founded in 1988, enables small businesses to outsource the management of human resources, employee benefits, payroll, and workers’ compensation to a single partner in a cost-effective manner. WIC members receive a 25-percent discount on the setup fee and a 10-percent discount on the ongoing administrative service fee.

“We’re thrilled to start 2011 with the Apple Computer and TriNet partnerships,” commented Avery Horzewski, president of WIC. “Both companies provide products and services that our members want and need, and they support our overall mission to deliver essential business resources and solutions that build strong businesses.”

“I’m equally thrilled with the speakers for our Q1 programs,” continued Horzewski. “They’re reflective of the thought leadership and best practices that underscore WIC’s position as a resource leader for consultants.”

For a complete list of upcoming WIC networking opportunities, meetings, workshops, webinars, and other programs, visit the WIC website.

About WIC

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large.

For more information:

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

Upcoming Fourth Quarter Includes Highly Anticipated Webinar on WIC’s 9th Annual Compensation Survey Findings and End-of-Year Charity Event

San Jose, CA – October 4, 2010—Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced its fourth quarter 2010 programs, including workshops, a holiday charity event, and notably, WIC’s 9th Annual Compensation Review presented in a webinar by WIC’s president Avery Horzewski and vice president of operations Jennifer Berkley.

Events slated for the fourth quarter include:

• October 5, 8:00am – 12:00pm: “Positioning Your Consulting Business to Tap Into New Market Segments,” presented by Sherry Prescott-Willis, author of Market This and president of Prescott Marketing (Workshop, San Mateo Marriott, San Mateo)
• October 6, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “The New Rules of Publishing: How to Write, Publish, and Market Your Own Book,” presented by Laura Lowell (Webinar)
• October 6, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: “Creating Social Media Success for Consultants,” presented by Avery Horzewski (Marin/North Bay Networking Meeting, Unity Center, Novato)
• October 11, 11:30 – 1:00pm: “Content Is King—What Does that Mean to Me?,” presented by Massimo Paolini (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• October 13, 11:30 – 1:00pm: “Fall Networking” (East Bay Networking Meeting, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• October 21, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Best Practices from the Trenches: Learn How to Grow Your Business from Top-Earning Consultants,” a WIC Leaders Network panel discussion with Denise Brouillette, Jennifer LeBlanc, and Lorie Loe, moderated by Deb Siegle (Main Monthly Meeting, Quadrus Conference Center, Menlo Park)
• October 27, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: “San Francisco Networking Meeting” (King George Hotel, San Francisco)
• November 3, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “WIC 9th Annual Compensation Review: Gain Insights Into Consultant Compensation and Best Practices,” presented by Avery Horzewski and Jennifer Berkley of Women in Consulting (Webinar)
• November 3, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: “Leveraging LinkedIn for Your Consulting Business,” by Irene Koehler  (Marin/North Bay Networking Meeting, Unity Center, Novato)
• November 8, 11:30 – 1:00pm: “Prioritizing Prospects to Increase Sales Success,” presented by Cheryl Downing (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• November 10, 11:30 – 1:00pm: “The Easiest Way to Write Your Business Plan,” with Cynthia Riggs of Business Diva (East Bay Networking Meeting, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• November 18, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Marketing to Apes,” presented by Gavin Johnson, chief anthropologist of Two West (Main Monthly Meeting, Michael’s at Shoreline, Mountain View)
• December 1, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: “San Francisco Networking Meeting” (San Francisco)
• December 1, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “Cloud Computing and the SOHO (Small Office, Home Office): A Case Study Using Zoho,” presented by Mark Buechler (Webinar)
• December 1, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: “Holiday Social Evening” (Marin/North Bay Networking Meeting)
• December 9, 1:00pm – 6:00pm: “WIC Gives Back,” WIC members volunteering at Second Harvest in San Jose and San Carlos, and gathering at TGI Friday’s in Cupertino afterwards to celebrate the holidays—20 percent of WIC’s non-bar tab will go to Second Harvest
• December 13, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “WIC South Bay Holiday Luncheon Celebration, (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• December 14, 12:00pm – 1:30pm: “Peninsula Luncheon Meeting,” (Divino’s Restaurant, Belmont)

Taking place during WIC’s fourth quarter events is the highly anticipated November webinar on WIC’s 9th Annual Compensation Report, “Committed to the Long Haul.” The webinar provides participants insight into the compensation trends and the best practices used by top-earning consultants for increasing revenues and clients. The webinar, presented by Avery Horzewski and Jennifer Berkley, will take place on November 3 at 11:00am PDT. Access to the webinar is complimentary for WIC members and $30 for nonmembers. To attend, register online at www.womeninconsulting.org.

“Member response to this year’s findings has been overwhelmingly positive,” commented Horzewski. “They were particularly excited by the best practices for growing revenue and clients, seeing them as either a confirmation of their existing approach or a guideline for steps to take in the coming months. We look forward to presenting the results to the community at large in November.”

For a complete list of upcoming WIC networking opportunities, meetings, workshops, webinars, and other events, visit www.womeninconsulting.org/calendar.

About WIC

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

As president of Women in Consulting (WIC), one of my responsibilities is to work with Jen Berkley of The Inside Advantage to prepare WIC’s annual best practices and compensation survey. This is my first year doing the survey, while Jen has done all nine!

As part of the process, I make myself available to bloggers and the press who want to discuss the survey. I had the pleasure of talking with Christine Oneto with GirlsinTech.net, who featured the survey in a recent blog post: “Ninth Annual WIC Compensation Survey Shows Increased Revenue, Optimism.”

Jen and I will be reviewing this year’s results in a WIC-sponsored webinar on November 3 at 11:00am: “WIC 9th Annual Compensation Review: Gain Insights into Consultant Compensation and Best Practices.”

I hope to “see” some of you there.

Traditional and Online Networking Among Top Advice for Business Success

San Jose, CA – September 20, 2010 – Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced the results of its ninth annual compensation survey. Key findings indicate that consultants are optimistic about their consulting practices. Almost half (49 percent) of the respondents reported their revenue increased last year, while 69 percent expect revenue to increase this coming year. Moreover, the vast majority (84 percent) are long-term consultants with no plans to stop consulting.

Responses from the nationwide sampling revealed:

• Average (mean) annual gross revenue was $205,000, up from $172,000 in 2009
• Median gross revenue was $120,000, up from $115,000 in 2009
• Net annual gross revenue after paying subcontractors/employees is down this year, suggesting that consultants are making more use of subcontractors to expand their service offerings and keep more business within their practice
• Median gross revenue for the top 20 percent of respondents is stable compared to 2009 ($300,000 vs. $299,000), while net annual gross for this group is higher ($392,000 vs. $336,000 in 2009)

“This year’s survey results clearly indicate a shift in mindset to one that is filled with optimism for the coming year,” said WIC President Avery Horzewski. “Consultants are energized, focused, and employing an array of marketing and business practices, including social media, to ensure they achieve their business goals. More importantly, they’re adopting a positive approach to building their businesses versus buying into the negativity that has surrounded the economic downturn the past two years.”

In addition to compensation trends, WIC’s annual compensation survey also tracks the best practices employed for long-term success. This year’s results show social media coming into its own, while nothing trumped in-person connections with existing and potential customers for building business.

• Social media usage is pervasive, with LinkedIn by far the most popular social networking tool—92 percent of respondents reported using LinkedIn while, the number using other top social media tools ranged from 53 percent (blogging) to 72 percent (online communities).
• Social media effectiveness is up across the board, except for Twitter. General consensus is that social media is best for building overall awareness versus generating specific business. Although many respondents stated that LinkedIn produced work. 
• Traditional networking is seen as the most effective way to proactively generate business, followed by establishing strategic relationships and asking clients for referrals.
• Increasing their confidence is the top reason respondents said they were able to charge more for their services, with value-based pricing, diversifying, and improving expertise, messaging, and marketing materials also ranking high.

“While my gross revenue was similar to last year, my profits grew 250 percent,” said Renee Daggett, president of AdminBooks. “I attribute this to a number of factors. Our increased social media efforts have garnered surprising results and fantastic feedback. We also revised our internal procedures, and updated our website, sales and welcome kits, and e-newsletters, and are pleased with the results.”

A free summary of the WIC compensation survey is available on the WIC website, and detailed findings are available online exclusively to WIC members.

The public is welcome to attend a webinar on Wednesday, November 3 at 11:00am. PDT that will summarize key findings. The webinar is free to WIC members and $30 for nonmembers.

About Women in Consulting

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us  

###          

For more information, contact:

Renee Maler
Philosophy PR + Marketing
For Women in Consulting
925.968.9495
renee@philosophypr.com

I had the pleasure of speaking with Chip Camden, an IT consultant and blogger for the TechRepublic, who was writing a post on the lack of women in the IT consulting field. The timing was serendipitous, as Women in Consulting (WIC) was in the midst of compiling our (I’m WIC’s current president) annual compensation survey results.

The results of that interview and Chip’s additional research are presented in his post, “Where Are the Women in IT Consulting?”  

Read the full article.

Full Calendar of Programs Designed to Guide Members on Proven Business Strategies from Leading Business Experts

San Jose, CA – March 31, 2010—Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced its second quarter 2010 programs, including webinars, in-person events, and seminars throughout the Bay Area.

Events slated for the second quarter include:

• April 7, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “Play Like the Big Guys: Great Productivity Tools for the Well-Connected Consultant,” presented by Denise Brosseau, founder of the Brosseau Group (Webinar)
• April 12, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “Boost Your Income with e-Commerce: Getting Started in Four Easy Steps,” presented by Christy Hubbard (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• April 14, 11:30am – 1:30pm: “Getting Famous,” with Dennis Erokan, creator of the Bay Area Music Award (Bammies) and CEO of Placemaking Group (East Bay Meeting, Pyramid Ale House, Walnut Creek)
• April 15, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Accomplishing More with Less: Five Productivity Principles for the Digital Age,” with Pierre Khawand, founder of People-OnTheGo (General Monthly Meeting, Quadrus Center, Menlo Park)
• April 28, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: San Francisco Networking and Best Practices Meeting (San Francisco)
• May 5, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “Taking the Plunge: Becoming an Approved Vendor,” with Sandy Thorpe, principal Blue Sky Consulting (Webinar)
• May 10, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “Best Practices for Life/Work Balance,” facilitated by Angel Rampy and Jennifer Berkley (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• May 12, 11:30am – 1:30pm: “Social Networking: It Works for Business!” with Ann Evanston, one of the Bay Area’s top influencers on Twitter (East Bay Meeting, Pyramid Ale House, Walnut Creek)
• May 17, 8:00am – 2:00pm: “Generating Business via Social Media,” a collaborative presentation by Jeff Widman and Amy Bruegmann from BrandGlue.com; Tatyana Kanzaveli, a social media CRM consultant; and David Stevens, programs and events manager for the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce (Workshop, Biltmore Hotel, Santa Clara)
• May 20, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Entity Selection and Tax Implications for the Consultant,” by Katie Phetteplace, Esq., partner at Starr Finley, LLP (General Monthly Meeting, Michael’s at Shoreline, Mountain View)
• May 26, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: San Francisco Networking and Best Practices Meeting (San Francisco)
• June 1, 12:00pm – 1:30pm: Peninsula Quarterly Networking Meeting (Luncheon, Devino’s, Belmont)
• June 2, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “Improve Business Success by Reading—and Understanding—Financial Statements,” by Renee Daggett, CEO of Admin Books (Webinar)
• June 9, 11:30am – 1:30pm: “Be Yourself, Everyone Else Is Already Taken,” with Mike Robbins, bestselling author (East Bay Meeting, Pyramid Ale House, Walnut Creek)
• June 14, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “30-Day Social Media Plan,” facilitated by Elaine Starling (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• June 17, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Adaptability: How to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For,” with MJ Ryan, change expert and best-selling author (General Monthly Meeting, Quadrus Center, Menlo Park)
• June 23, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: “Business Love Letters: How to Deepen Client Relationships and Set Yourself Apart from the Crowd,” presented by Tresa Eyres and Janet Gallin (San Francisco Meeting, San Francisco)

WIC events are interactive and provide participants with timely business advice and best business practices. They also serve as a forum for exchanging business ideas and networking with speakers and other consultants.

New for 2010 is a Member Orientation held before all General Meetings on the third Thursday of every month at 5:30pm, either at Quadrus in Menlo Park or Michael’s at Shoreline in Mountain View. This Member Orientation is the perfect opportunity for new, veteran, and prospective members to learn about WIC, its programs, and how to take advantage of the numerous benefits offered to members. Each session covers:

• Member benefits
• Procedures, processes, and overall structure
• Available tools and how best to access them
• Ways for members to increase their exposure within the WIC community for optimum networking
• Pro bono opportunities within WIC that help deepen members’ WIC connections

“Our current and prospective members look to WIC to provide engaging and thoughtful meetings and seminars that meet their business needs,” said Avery Horzewski, president of WIC.  “I’m thrilled with the diverse program offerings and the caliber of speakers our programs team is developing this year. I’m equally excited about the new Member Orientation program created by the membership team and look forward to expanding it to our satellite groups and online community via a webinar format later in 2010.”

For a complete list of upcoming WIC networking opportunities, meetings, workshops, webinars, and other events, visit the WIC website.

About WIC

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

Press Contact:
Renee Maler
PhilosophyPR + Marketing
for Women in Consulting
925.968.9495
renee@philosophypr.com

WIC Mentoring Program Provides Members with Intensive Workshop to Support Members’ Long-Term Business Growth and Strategy 

San Jose, CA – March 23, 2010—Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced the launch of its spring WIC Mentoring Program as part of the organization’s commitment to supporting the full lifecycle of consultants. A new member benefit, the program is designed to provide guidance and best business practices to WIC members who are interested in improving their marketing and business management processes and skills.

By leveraging a webinar format, the WIC Mentoring Program—delivered by WIC board member Jan Richards and special initiatives chair Desiree Lehrbaum—is available free of charge to WIC members nationwide from March 24 to April 28, 2010. The Web-based meetings are held weekly for one hour, and then supplemented by thirty-minute one-on-one mentoring calls in the final weeks of the program.

Over the course of six weeks, participants gain business-building insights into five core areas:

• Marketing: participants create or clarify their greatest opportunities for current and future business, define best service delivery models, and identify their target customers and the solutions they will provide
• Business development: this component covers writing a marketing script, networking role playing, and maintaining marketing momentum
• Vision setting: participants learn ways to clarify, strengthen, and work toward the vision of business success they hold
• Action planning: this focus area shows participants how to turn their visions into plans, actions, and results
• Process streamlining: mentors and participants delve into a root cause analysis for recurring problems in their businesses, and identify opportunities to improve processes, allowing them to produce greater results more easily

“With so many highly accomplished business professionals within our membership, it just makes sense to tap into that business savvy through a mentoring program to our broader membership,” said WIC President, Avery Horzewski. “We first introduced the concept of a mentoring program as a pilot late last year and received overwhelmingly positive results. This valuable new program clearly serves an important need, especially for newer consultants, and complements nicely our Leaders Network program that provides a forum for senior consultants.”

Mary Edmunds, a consultant specializing in information technology and a WIC member who participated in the pilot program, added, “Not only did I learn specific skills, but I felt more focused on my business and more motivated to actually get past hurdles and get things done.”

The new WIC Mentoring Program will be offered twice each year, in Spring and Fall. Fall dates will be determined later this year. For more information on WIC and its programs, please visit http://www.womeninconsulting.org/.

About WIC

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

 Press Contact:
Renee Maler
PhilosophyPR + Marketing
for Women in Consulting
925.968.9495
renee@philosophypr.com

San Jose, CA – January 26, 2010—Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced its 2010 Board of Directors. The all-volunteer Board is comprised of some of the best minds in consulting and includes some key reappointments of WIC’s senior leadership.

The new board is focusing its efforts on adding to and strengthening the wide range of programs and benefits that WIC offers its innovative community of consultants. With an emphasis on social media and even more robust mentoring programs, webinars, and events, the board is committed to ensuring that WIC remains the leading go-to resource for its members and affiliates throughout the United States.

“I’m honored and excited to work closely with such a high-caliber leadership team as we continue to grow and strengthen WIC and the programs we offer our members,” Horzewski commented. “The organization is dedicated to supporting consultants of every experience level, so they have what they need to grow their businesses even in an uncertain economic climate.”

The 2010 WIC Board of Directors Includes:

President—Avery Horzewski steps up as president after serving as WIC’s marketing and PR director for three years. Founder and owner of AVE Consulting, Inc., she works with companies of all sizes to develop compelling, persuasive, and effective customer-centric marketing and communications strategies that encompass everything from websites to social media to print collateral. Under her leadership, WIC is poised for an accelerated level of growth, with expansion of its member benefits through such programs as its prestigious Leaders Network, satellite groups, workshops, and webinars. Horzewski’s specific expertise in social media strategies is well suited to help the organization further enhance its online presence as the organization enters its 12th year.

Vice President—Jennifer Berkley builds on her past experience and contributions as WIC treasurer and WIC vice president. Founder and owner of The Insight Advantage, she helps businesses integrate customer insight to make key business decisions in the face of emerging customer needs. Jennifer also teaches the Power of Marketing Research at University of California at Santa Cruz Extension in Silicon Valley.

Treasure and Finance Director—Melissa Stacey returns for a third year as WIC treasurer and finance director. Owner and founder of Feeling Organized, Melissa specializes in helping homes, offices, and small businesses create customized organization systems to fit their unique needs and styles. She’s also president of Women’s Networking Alliance (WNA).

Secretary and Communications Director—Deb McClanahan continues as secretary and communications director for a second year. Principal of BroadBand HR Consulting, Deb helps companies with executive search and HR consulting. She’s also developed a practice in expert testimony, helping attorney clients with challenging immigration and employment matters.

Programs Director—Melissa Frank joins the board as programs director and is an attorney providing startup counseling and guidance to small businesses and consultants in a variety of industries. Melissa also provides a select number of clients custom event planning services through her event management company Marlowe Berglund Events.

Marketing & PR Director-Elect—Fanny Kim joins the board as marketing & PR director-elect, and will assume full responsibility for WIC marketing and PR in Q2 2010. A public relations consultant with over 15 years of experience, her expertise ranges from nonprofit and health/wellness to media properties and digital technology. Fanny started consulting in 2001 while attending graduate school in New York City. Since then, her firm, FKPR, has partnered with New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles-based public relations firms. 

Online Marketing Director—Jean Lombard joins the board in a newly created position focused on WIC’s online marketing endeavors, previously under the marketing and PR director. Formerly one of WIC’s marketing co-chairs, Jean was responsible for positioning and promoting WIC and its events. In her board role, she’ll oversee WIC’s online marketing efforts, including the WIC blog and website, and the organization’s Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn presence. Jean is a PR and marketing professional, operating her consultancy The Jean Effect.

Membership Director—Kathie Sherman joins the Board as WIC’s membership director. As president of TenFour Marketing, Kathie helps companies develop and implement direct marketing programs focused on increasing response rates, tracking and measuring results, and achieving higher ROI on marketing programs. She’s worked with many well-known companies, including Apple, CapGemini, Sun Microsystems, and Penton Media.

Partnerships & Alliances Director—Sherry Prescott–Willis returns for a third year in her role as WIC director of partnerships. A former principal of Prescott Marketing and founder of Market This Strategy, she has over 18 years of strategic marketing expertise in both consumer and high-technology industries. Sherry is the author of Market This!: An Effective 90-Day Marketing Tool, currently available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com.

Partnerships & Alliances Director-Elect—Kelli Richards joins the board this year as partnerships & alliances director-elect, and will assume full responsibility for WIC partnerships in Q2 2010. For the past 12 years, she’s run The All Access Group, advising companies involved with digital music and entertainment. A connector, bridge-builder, and trusted navigator in digital media, Kelli creates opportunities for clients when they may not otherwise have access to the most sought-after influencers and decision makers.

Satellite Director—Anne Evers joins the board in a newly created position focused on WIC’s ever-growing satellite groups. Anne was co-founder of the WIC San Francisco satellite group and just recently stepped down from that role. Founder and owner of Anne Evers Communications, Inc., Anne provides editorial services for financial services clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small startups. Specializing in writing, editing, and project management, she works with clients to turn business communication ideas into reality.

Strategic Audiences Director—Deborah Siegle returns for a second year as strategic audiences director, overseeing WIC’s Leaders Network. Principal of Strategic Marketing Solutions, Deb assists clients with strategic research, market and product development, technology industry analysis, and customer loyalty and experience projects. With more than 25 years experience, she quickly identifies and addresses core issues, developing actionable strategies and tactics that make a measurable difference to her clients.

Strategic Initiatives Director—Jan Richards assumes her role as strategic initiatives director for a second year. A national Baldrige Award examiner for five years, she heads up J.G. Richards Consulting, helping companies streamline and simplify their operations; clarify their vision, goals, and priorities; and implement effective process management. This enables clients to increase profits by reducing costs, growing revenues, and increasing business flexibility.

Volunteer Director—Deborah Hoard continues her second year on the board, this time as volunteer director, putting to good use her experience as VP of volunteers for the Silicon Valley chapter of IABC. In her first year on WIC’s board, she served as programs director. As founder of Net Results, Deborah consults on marketing campaigns for a range of Silicon Valley businesses, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, helping them further their business objectives and maximize their budget and resources.

Past President—Linda J. Popky continues to support the WIC board in the role of past president. Recently recognized as one of Silicon Valley’s top “Women of Influence” by the San Jose/Silicon Valley Business Journal, Linda is founder and president of L2M Associates, Inc., a strategic marketing firm. She’s a speaker, educator, coach, and consultant, as well as the author of Marketing Your Career and Promoting Your Non-Profit.

About WIC

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

 Press Contact:
Renee Maler
PhilosophyPR + Marketing
for Women in Consulting
925.968.9495
renee@philosophypr.com

San Mateo, CA – January 11, 2010—Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced its first quarter 2010 program line-up, including webinars and in-person events in Los Gatos, Marin, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, and other Bay Area locations. 

Events slated for the first quarter include:

• January 11, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “She Said – He Heard: How Differences in Communication Styles Can Sabotage Your Business,” with author Michael Johnson (South Bay Lunch Meeting, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• January 13, 11:30am – 1:30pm: “Accomplishing More with Less: Five Productivity Principles for the Digital Age,” presented by Pierre Khawand, Founder, People-OnTheGo (East Bay Lunch Meeting, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• January 14, 5:00pm – 7:00pm: “Musings from the Master: A Conversation with Million Dollar Consultant Alan Weiss” (WIC Special Event, Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco)
• January 18, 6:30pm – 8:45pm: “Thought Leadership: Your Platform to Build More Business,” presented by Kate Purmal (North Bay Meeting, Unity Center, Novato; Appetizers)
• January 21, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Making 2010 Your Best Year Ever—Without Breaking Your Neck,” presented by Kate Purmal (General Dinner Meeting, Michael’s at Shoreline, Mountain View)
• February 3, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “The Relevance Ultimatum: Strengthening Your Value to Your Client,” presented by Elaine Starling (Webinar)
• February 8, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “R-P-M: Three Steps to Extraordinary Achievement in 2010,” presented by Sandi Smith (South Bay Lunch Meeting, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• February 10, 11:30am – 1:30pm: “Five Strategies to Control the Financial Chaos in Your Office,” presented by Holly DeVito (East Bay Lunch Meeting, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• February 11, 6:00pm – 8:00pm: “Consulting Insights from a Corporate Perspective for 2010,” a panel of corporate executives sharing insights into hiring consultants in the new economy (Workshop Michael’s at Shoreline, Mt. View)
• February 18, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Transformation Consulting: Why the Experience Matters,” presented by Shareef Mahdavi (General Dinner Meeting, Quadrus Conference Center, Menlo Park)
• February 23, 6:30pm – 8:45pm: North Bay Networking Meeting (Unity Center, Novato; Appetizers)
• February 24, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: San Francisco Networking Meeting (San Francisco)
• March 2, 12:00pm – 1:30pm: Peninsula Quarterly Networking Meeting (Luncheon, Caprino’s, Belmont)
• March 8, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “Strong Women, Powerful Financial Strategies,” presented by Judy Cziprian of Ameriprise Financial Services (South Bay Lunch Meeting, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• March 10, 11:30am – 1:30pm: East Bay Networking Meeting (Luncheon, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• March 18, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: General Dinner Meeting (Michael’s at Shoreline, Mt. View)
• March 24, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: San Francisco Networking Meeting (San Francisco)

WIC events are designed to be interactive so that attendees can engage with the speaker and learn practical, actionable advice they can employ immediately in their own practice. One example of these highly interactive programs is the upcoming January 14 event with renowned consultant, speaker, and author Alan Weiss, where he’ll share his thoughts on consulting in an informal, unscripted, unplugged context. Held from 5:00pm – 7:00pm at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco, the event will focus on:

• The direction of consulting and consulting practices in 2010
• What consultants can learn from the recent economic upheaval and changes
• Why value-based fees make even more sense today than ever before
• The meaning of an Accelerant Curve and how can it impact your business
• How technology has impacted consultants and the way they build their businesses
• Why it’s so important to reduce labor intensity

“As the premier networking organization for consultants in the Bay Area, WIC is dedicated to exposing members to the most cutting-edge business content through engaging in-person conferences and workshops and interactive online events,” said Avery Horzewski, WIC’s incoming president for 2010 – 2012. “This is going to be an exciting year for our supportive, collaborative community, as members aim to incorporate smart growth into their business plans and collectively increase revenue.”

For a complete list of upcoming WIC networking events, meetings, workshops, webinars, and other events, visit the WIC website. Join today to benefit from these events and take a proactive step toward greater control over your own future!

About WIC
Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

###     

For more information, contact:

Renee Maler
Philosophy PR + Marketing
For Women in Consulting
925.968.9495
renee@philosophypr.com