Women In Business WA - Networking Morning Tea

What better way to kick off 2014 than being surrounded by a group of committed, genuine and supportive Perth businesswomen at the Women in Business WA Morning Tea on 23 January. I certainly experience it as nourishing for the mind and soul.

More than 20 Women in Business WA members gathered at The Peasants Table in Mt Hawthorn for delicious coffee and great conversation. Oh and who could resist the straight-from-the-oven blueberry muffins.  After the usual buzz and chitchat that accompanies these events, WIBWA Director Jennifer Rose Bryant provided each woman with the opportunity to introduce themselves to the group and share about their business and what they are passionate about.

This can often be a nerve racking experience so we were lucky Beth from “Beth Little Mind and Body” was there to lead us through a relaxing Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). It was fabulous! 

Beth specialises in remedial massage, reflexology, reiki, Indian head massage, and EFT with Matrix Reimprinting. She shared about her passion to educate, care and heal people from the perspective that what happens with our bodies physically, comes from something that originated in the mind. It is a perspective that is becoming more and more well known and is a ‘way of life’ that involves really looking for and identifying what challenges or stops us in taking action, in communication and in our relationships. Beth’s contribution created a great space for the rest of the introductions.

 

Our very own Women in Business Nanna, aka Lesley Dewar, was rocking her leopard outfit, including ears, at the morning tea. Lesley uses costumes, props and books to entertain and ignite the imaginations of children as of her business “Stories my Nana Tells”.

Then there was Louise Matson from “Louise M Shoes” who provides funky, modern corporate shoes for women who work on their feet – which is all of us isn’t it? Louise hand picks the designs she sells and has a variety available for women to check out.

Each of the women who shared about themselves and their business spoke from the heart and listened to others speaking with generosity and encouragement. As often occurs at WIBWA events, I find it encouraging seeing such honesty, commitment and a willingness to contribute to one another. Women in Business WA events are more than just a networking event. It’s an uplifting experience because every woman has a gift to share and as attendees we have the privilege of hearing about and receiving that gift.

Vida Carlino for example is an inspiration coach who enables women to discover and connect with their true spirit and then implement that in to their businesses. She works with individuals and groups Australia-wide. Vida also hosts Mastermind coaching sessions (with five to seven people) to provide a concentrated effort in order for participants to take their businesses to the next level.

I could go on and on but I think you get the idea of the calibre of amazing WIBWA women at this event.

If you read this and think “they sound amazing, I can’t possibly compare to those women” then I’m sorry but you are wrong! WIBWA members all started somewhere and some are just starting out.

What makes Women in Business WA unique is way events are created. Jennifer makes a point to know and welcome each and every member and we are encouraged to be ourselves and connect and collaborate with like-minded business women.

 

So, no matter what stage you are at with your business I invite you to attend an event and experience the amazing community I’m talking about.

Our Learner Drivers

Welcome to the world of two learner drivers. 

For the supervising parents, hubby and I, it is a time of nervous energy, trepidation and gripping of door handles.

It has to be done thanks to the new driving rules so with courage & patience we attached ‘L’ plates to vehicles and venture out in to the wide world of learner driving.

The first time I ventured out with my daughter was to practice reversing and driving forward in the driveway. We have quite a big space, thankfully, so this didn't go too badly.

The second 'adventure' was to simply drive around the block. Sounds simple doesn't it.

Getting down the driveway seemed to take forever and then trying to explain turning left on to our street was one thing but watching and experiencing her turn too sharply and end up with back wheel of the 4WD up on the kerb had me gripping the door handle and wishing we had stuck to reversing and going forward in the driveway.

That was over six months ago now and our Learner Driver adventures continue.

Do you remember your first driving lesson? What are your earliest memories of driving? 
Can you relate to this story?

A South-West Adventure

Have you ever just wanted to just get away from the daily routine? Break out for a couple of days and try something completely different.

Well, I have the opportunity to do exactly that last month.

I had the privilege of being thrown together with a group of women I didn’t know as part of the inaugural Outback Initiatives 3-Day Intensive Leadership for Women Program. 

I say privilege because during the course of the program I discovered kindred spirits, women who demonstrated the very best of human beings – we were tried (and tired), we were challenged and sometimes even defeated.

Through it all we learnt to be supportive of each other, to communicate clearly and appropriately in order to achieve our assigned tasks.

The tasks by the way were not easy! Some of them sucked but in fact that was exactly the point.

The end result was a tightly knit group of special individuals who worked together as a team.

The skills I learnt and reinforced are things I use every day in my personal and business life about how to listen and communicate effectively to achieve my goals.

Thanks to this program I also saved a precious relationship with my step-daughter that I didn’t know I was ruining. For that I will always be thankful.

The amazing team at Outback Initiatives are experts in what they do. They each provide an enormous amount of compassion, patience, kindness and insight in order to facilitate what I can only describe as an amazing and transformative learning experience.

I highly recommend Outback Initiatives programs and encourage anyone to check them out at www.outbackin.com.au

A visit with Nanna – 101 years young!

My grandmother on my Dad’s side is 101 years young. She is a Grand Lady.


Some would say she is old however apart from her body which is gradually slowing she is alert, bright, talkative and cheeky, always cheeky.

This Grand Lady was living in her own home until just recently. A home she proudly and consistently shares with people that she bought and paid herself for when she and her five children came to these shores from England.

However a fall ended her dream run and after some time in hospital Nanna was placed in an aged care facility to recuperate. Physically she slowly healed however not enough to go home again, so the tough decision was made by her loving children to keep her in the aged care facility, let’s call it House B.

There are procedures to follow when taking her out. I called House B to book Nanna’s time and check someone hadn’t gotten in before us.

She has plenty of visitors from her children, neighbours and the many friends she has made over the years.

We were in luck, she was free and the staff would have her ready for us to pick up after 10am.

For residents safety there is a code lock on the front door which both my sister and I didn’t know but we got in nonetheless and found Nanna napping in the chair by her bed. She had obviously been reading the newspaper when she nodded off because it had slid to the floor at her feet. In gently waking her we made fun of the way it had creatively splayed across the floor. My Nanna is an artist you see.

After kisses and cuddles and a reminder of who we were and why we were there I said “We need to take your Chariot with us Nanna,” motioning toward her rolling walker sitting directly in front of her. Looking me in the eye she replied “We don’t need to take that. I don’t need it.” Ha!!! I told you she was cheeky.

Sometimes I think she tries to take advantage of the fact that she is our elder and thus we should listen and do what she says. Remembering this was the lady that cooked us a roast dinner every Monday night, introduced us to peanut butter and jam sandwiches when we were young and took us to the zoo during the school holidays. So, I sympathised with her endeavour to exert her Nanna-authority in an attempt to be free of her walker. But we wouldn’t get 20metres without her stumbling or us collapsing from taking her weight. So, at my own risk I said “I’m under strict instructions that where you go your Chariot goes, ok?” She gave in without a fight, thankfully.

Next, two thirty-something year olds tried to put a jacket on the Grand Lady as she wobbled on her legs. It took us a couple of attempts and was a source of laughter and dribbling for Nanna who didn’t complain as we tried to twist her arms into the sleeves.

With one of us in front and another shadowing from behind we headed toward the lift. We were certainly a picture - Nanna’s Chariot, a rolling walker, a 101-year-old and two giggling sisters trying to navigate her in to the lift, out the door and carefully easing her in to the car.

And that was just getting her out the door.