To top it off, it’s already March!  I mean where did the first two months of the year go?  Since January 1st, of this year I have been going full-throttle.  Trying to finish things. Finishing a book, finishing a website, finishing client projects. You name it. If it’s on my to-do list, I to-did it! Or at least attempted to do so. 

How about you? What’s on your to-do list that you have yet to cross off? And what’s holding you back from doing so?  Victoria Holtz said, “Your role in achieving your goal must be giving your all. Involve yourself whole: with your heart, your mind and your soul.”

This issue of WE magazine which we have affectionately dubbed the “Winter Spring Issue (don’t worry there is still going to be a Spring Issue, but it may be the Spring/Summer Issue) is filled with great advice to get you in gear to achieve your goals.

You can begin with Esther Kane’s article about Beating Winter Depression.  I have seen Winter Depressing linger into early Spring for some people. 

And the Article on Goal Setting ~ Why New Years Resolutions are a Waste of Time is enlightening and freeing.

In fact, this issue is filled with hope, positive thinking and inspiration.  Be sure to read the article called “Don’t wait for the Economy to Turn Around.” It will really help you get on the right track in business and your life. 

And if you really want to achieve greatness, “Take Time to Take Back Your Time” will inspire you to do just that.

In addition to the how-to articles and strategic thinking mentioned above, this issue has inspiring articles about people beginning with our Cover Story of Mercedes, a woman who gives wholeheartedly to her passion of serving others. And the place we visit this year is Cuba.  You will learn a thing or two that make you want to visit one day.  And things, do we have things. One of my favorite channels is our Global Channel. In this issue Laurel Delaney shares her 10 Predictions that will Shape Our Global Business in 2010. A must read!

Be sure to peruse our Tech Tips section. There are ten resources you simply must check out for your business and for fun.  One of my favorites is ChaCha (www.chacha.com). You can ask ChaCha anything and get an answer!  Go ahead, ask away.

And finally be sure to click on the Family Business Cover Story Competition link.  WE magazine is looking for our next cover story. If you are in a family run business, you could be our next cover girl!  Read all about it here: http://bit.ly/WECover

Remember all our regular channels including our newest Product Reviews. WE magazine is always looking for new and innovative products, tried and true solutions and every day things that women want and need.  And WE magazine loves to highlight women doing great things in our community in our WOMEN Channel at http://WEMagazineforwomen.com/women. You could be one of them!
 
Andrew Carnegie said it best, “If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.”  My team and I hope reading WE magazine is on the top of your list of goals this month.  To access this month’s issue of  WE Magazine, visit: http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagWinterSpring2010.pdf

Special thanks to all our new contributors for submitting great content, to our editorial team for sending in articles, posting to the WE Magazine site and for finding exceptional articles written by others. You are what make WE a success. And to Joanne Estes and Kaitlyn Estes from Chicks in Red Heels, (www.chicksinredheals.com) a very special thank you for allowing us to use their photo on the back cover. Joanne and Kaitlyn were among our finalists in the Mother/Daughter Cover Story Competition in the Spring of 2009.

Thank you for reading WE Magazine for Women. And of course WE thank you for sharing it with your family, friends and colleagues.

To check out the current issue of  WE Magazine, visit: http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagWinterSpring2010.pdf

To your success… and then some,

Heidi

Heidi Richards Mooney, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

WE Magazine (Winter Edition) is offering a GREENER DECEMBER Savings of up to 75% off on all graphic ads through January 5, 2010!

In addition to being showcased in the digital magazine, your ad will be seen on the website.  That’s right. Every advertiser will have an opportunity to also submit up to 2 paragraphs of text and a button ad (125 X 125 pixels) that will be highlighted in a post between January 10 and March 15, 2010. It’s like getting 2 ads in one.

A full page ad (reg. $287) is now $87 – 10 inches high by 8 inches wide https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=10790310

A half page ad (reg. $177) now $57 – 5 inches high by 8 inches wide https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=10790346

Quarter page ad (reg. $97) now $37 – 5 inches high by 4 inches wide https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=10790357

Business card ad (reg. $57) now $27 – 2.5 inches high by 3.5 inches wide https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=10790368

To place your order,  click on the paypal link above for the size ad you want, pay for the ad and then send your ad copy (camera ready in either jpeg or gif format) to heidi (at) wemagazineforwomen dot com with “Here’s My AD for WE Magazine” in the subject line. As soon as we receive your payment and ad copy, we will  confirm your order.

Reserve your space NOW! As of December 28, 2009, we have only 3 full- page ads and 6 half-page ads left. Ads are accepted on a first come basis.  Once ad space is sold, ad link will no longer work.

If you have any questions send an email to heidi (at) wemagazineforwomen dot com.

Take advantage of this Business-building promotional opportunity TODAY!

Deadline for submission extended to January 5, 2010.

*Note: if you need help putting your graphics together, let us know. For as little as $50 we can design an ad for you.  To see samples of the ads we have created go to:  http://wemagazineforwomen.com/about/advertise/sample-ad-graphics/

 Check out the Fall Issue here (PDF) http://wemagazineforwomen.com/pdfs/fall2009.pdf

Fall is a time for celebrating women.  For instance September 21-23 is International Women’s eCommerce Days, Sept. 22 is Women Business Owners Day and many women left their mark on the world as they made history. Notable women of October include: Sarah E. Goode becomes the first African-American woman to receive a patent, for a bed that folded up into a cabinet. Goode, who owned a furniture store in Chicago, intended the bed to be used in apartments (1885), Anna Rosenberg became the first woman to receive the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award given by the United States (1945) and Capt. Linda Bray lead American Troops into combat (1989).   In November we celebrate Elizabeth I on her becoming Queen of England (1558), Susan B. Anthony who registered to vote in Rochester, New York (1872), Freda du Faur who climbed Mount Cook in New Zealand in a record 6 hours. She was the first woman to scale the peak, and she did it wearing a skirt (1910), Mother Teresa founded Mission of Charity, Calcutta (1950) and Grace Murray Hopper A Pioneer Computer Scientist was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer, and she developed the first compiler for a computer programming language (1952). In December the National Organization for Women ~ NOW was founded (1966),  Wilma P. Mankiller was sworn in as tribal chief of the Cherokee nation, the first woman to hold this post (1985) and Mary Robinson was elected as president of the Republic of Ireland (1990).  These are just a few of the many exceptional things women have accomplished in the Fall months throughout history.

WE Magazine for Women also had a few firsts. For instance, we held our first Cover Story Competition, WE debuted our Women’s Hall of Fame with 88 remarkable women and this month announced our Video Competition Results.  It really is a fantastic FALL.

There are several accomplished women featured in this issue including our Cover Girl, Jennifer Storm ~ Victim Witness Assistance Program www.victimwitness.org,  our back cover featuring Tara Montague Mary’s Place Pediatric Rehab www.marysplacerehab.com, and 13 other amazing women including Christina Domecq ~ SpinVox www.spinvox.com,  Beth Shaw ~ Yoga Fit www.yogafit.com, Michelle Soudry ~ The Gab Group www.thegabgroup.com, Karen Vandergrift ~ Estancia Tierra Santa www.EstanciaTierraSanta.com, Holly Richardson ~ Community Activist and Author, Tara Reed ~ Tara Reed Designs www.TaraReedDesigns.com, Debbie Quintana Gourmet Gifts & The Spirit of Wellness www.debbiequintana.com, Darcie Harris EWF International www.ewfinternational.com, Candyce Kanuchok Kalliope Audiobooks LLC www.kalliope-audiobooks.com, Jamie Inman “Stay in the Pink” for Cancer Awareness www.stayinthepink.com, Heather Ledeboer Mom4Life www.mom4life.com, Jann Robinson ~ Backstage Catering Company www.backstagecateringcompany.com and Theresa Earnheart ~ Track Chic www.trackchic.com. You can read more about these women in the Women’s Hall of Fame section.
In addition to all these great women, the articles submitted by our editorial team and other women writers include:

Scotland ~ Land of the Brave

A New Reality on Luxury Brands

Feng Shui at Work

Celebrating our Authentic Bodies

Whisky, the Water of Life

The Girls Guide to Gadgets and Goodies

This issue is jam-packed with important information, ideas and tools to help you succeed in business and life. Be sure to read all these articles as well as our regular features.

You can access the digital edition via PDF here: http://bit.ly/3ls0Cj

And for the more tech-savvy, we have the turning page edition here: http://bit.ly/4iii6r

By the way, if you are so inclined, I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Feel free to drop me a line (heidi at wemagazineforwomen.com) and let my team and I know how we are doing and more importantly how we can make WE Magazine for Women THE WORLDS BEST MAGAZINE for WOMEN.

May the WONDERS of FALL fill your home and heart with love, peace and prosperity as we begin our season of celebrations!

Heidi

Every year more and more women are experiencing the joys of motorcycle riding. In fact, according to Harley Davidson, 12-15% of motorcycle sales are by women. The numbers have gotten so large there are conferences such as the International Women and Motorcycling Conference http://www.womenandmotorcycling.com/ designed just for women motorcyclists. And these women come from all walks of life and all corners of the earth.  Here’s an excerpt of their event:

AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference, presented by Harley-Davidson and Buell, celebrated women riders ~ With the theme “Riding to New Heights,” the 2009 American Motorcyclist Association ~ (AMA) International Women & Motorcycling Conference, presented by Harley-Davidson and Buell, wrapped up in Keystone, Colo., following four inspired days of riding, learning and networking in one of the best riding areas in the United States.

The event, which ran Aug. 19-22, not only honored the contributions of women riders to motorcycling’s past and present, it also celebrated the fast-growing role that female motorcyclists are playing in the future of motorcycling. With the breathtaking Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, more than 1,000 enthusiastic motorcyclists gathered at the Keystone Resort & Conference Center in Keystone, Colo., for a full slate of activities that included guided tours, seminars, demo rides from multiple manufacturers, inspiring speeches, social functions and training sessions. Read more here: http://www.womenandmotorcycling.com/news/article.aspx?id=1240

When I read this article,  I decided to share a great video (above) about three everyday women (and a soon to be rider) and their experiences as “biker chicks.” Women today can relate to those feelings of freedom, being in charge of their own lives,  and following their heart and passion. They found theirs through motorcycle riding. This will make you smile!

By the way, the picture is of me  on my Honda Rebel getting ready for a ride with my husband Timmy in Saint Augustine . Yes, you guessed it, I am a biker chick! Time to get back on and ride, baby ride!

Want to learn more about women and motorcycles? Check out these resources:

VTwin Mama the “motorcycle advice column for sassy, classy women”  at http://www.vtwinmama.com/about.htm

Women Riders Now at  http://www.womenridersnow.com

Women and Motorcycling: http://www.womenandmotorcycling.com/

Tips on Riding solo: http://www.examiner.com/x-378-Motorcycle-Examiner~y2009m8d20-Globetrotting-women-bikers-offer-tips-on-riding-solo

See ROAR Motoryccles and Accessories for Women http://roarmotorcycles.com/

Motorcycle lingo: http://www.motorcyclegiftshop.com/motorcycle_slang_a-g.html

“Yes,” it’s wedding season and “no” WE Magazine is not about finding the perfect dress or event planner or even location to have the perfect wedding.  Although you could honeymoon in Spain … the subject of our travel section.

This issue is about the OLD being the familiar format of WE Magazine for Women ~ the same great content… and same great editors you have come to know, like and trust.  And more!

The NEW is about our new editorial team members including Bobbi Palmer (relationships), Nipa Shah (technology), Jeanne Horak-Druiff (wine), Simone Kelly Brown (business) and Pamela Archer (editor at large).

It’s about our NEW Channels ~ Women in Business Interviews with small business leaders around the world, Relationships Channel (featuring relationships issues of all kinds, parent/child, spouses and significant others, professional relationships and more)  and our Video Series (which will be unveiled this month). We began our new Women in Business channel during Small Business Week interviewing 50 outstanding women business owners who represent a variety of professional areas including coaches, authors, professional speakers, lawyers, realtors, bakers, retail owners, wedding pros and more.

We are continuing the conversations with the Spring/Summer 2009 Issue featuring Mother/Daughter Teams who work together in business and non-profit organizations. Be sure and read about these 51 amazing women who manage to work together, play together and never seem to tire of one another’s company.  If anything these dynamic women are cheerleaders and nurturers 100% committed to one another’s success as well as that of the organizations they represent.

I do have to thank Help a Report Out (HARO) for help in finding these fabulous women.  I put a brief description in one of their thrice daily email messages and received more than 200 queries. It was tough to narrow down the field to only 25 teams. But stay tuned. Many more of these teams will be showcased on the site in the coming months. You can read more about our Mother Daughter Teams beginning on page 44.  Some of the interviews continue on the site so when you are finished reading, please do leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

Other great articles in the magazine include:

Do You Have a Social Media Marketing Plan?

Business Across Cultures

Dating and Your Daughters

Just to name a few …

We even have the ingredients listed for Paella and other mouth watering recipes to make your next meal sizzle! And our featured wine from Spain to go with it! Ole’!

You can download the new magazine by going here: (link to it) or by clicking on the cover of the current issue.

Something New is also about our NEW WEBSITE look!  My team and I are so excited to share the new site with you. Heidi Caswell is the genius behind the redesign and WE are very grateful for all the time she took to get it right.

Speaking of the Website, we have many exciting articles posted that simply could not make it into this issue of WE magazine for Women. Some of those stories featured:

No Excuse Summer Travel

Strong is Beautiful

Shoes to Choose

Stepping off the Hamster Wheel

And finally, be sure and check out the Women Category on WE magazine. In addition to our new Women in Business Channel, we feature Women on a Mission and Women on the Move (under 35) and would love to feature you!  Check the criteria and submission guidelines for details. Speaking of Something New, who knows, your picture could grace the cover of an upcoming issue!

Wishing you a joy-filled summer full of love, laughter, family and friends,

Heidi

Heidi Richards Mooney ~ Publisher & Editor in Chief

Many people are getting stressed out in managing their investment portfolios and their finances. Banks are closing, companies are going bankrupt, and people are losing money.  The good news is that there are ways that a person can reduce their anxiety and stresses in taking care of their finances.

Get sound advice from a good financial professional. There are many financial professionals that can give you good advice on how to manage your finances. Listen to what they have to say and decide for yourself the best route you can take in terms of your investments and finances.

Budget your money properly and watch your expenses.  It is important that you spend your money wisely so that you will stay afloat. During these tough economic times, buy only those things that you absolutely need.  You never know when you will be short on cash so develop a sound budget which will prepare you for the short and long term future.

Instead of worrying about how you will get through the rest of the week, try to focus on today. Each day can provide us with different opportunities to learn new things and that includes learning how to deal with your business problems. You never know when the answers you are looking for will come to your doorstep.

Learn to manage your spending habits. The more you spend on things that you do not need, the less money you will have for the future. There is nothing wrong with buying things that seem nice at the time, however it might be best to wait a few months until you get back on your feet. The point is that you need to be careful on your spending until things get back to normal.

Try to stay out of debt. Pay off your credit card bills on a regular basis so you do not have to pay a higher interest rate down the road.  Make sure you continue to have health insurance.  The last thing you need is for something to happen and you have to pay for medical expenses. There also many credit counselors you can talk to that will help you develop a plan to get out of debt.  Instead of worrying about what may happen focus on what the professionals have to say and  always do your homework.

These are some of the ways to manage your anxieties and stresses of dealing with your finances and investments during these uncertain economic times. Even if you do not make a lot of money, there are ways to reduce your expenses and develop a sound budget. The key is to knowing how to manage the money you do have.
About the Author:

 
Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods” – an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/

This article is one of many in the Winter Issue of WE Magazine for Women. To read the latest issue, visit: http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagazineWinter2008.pdf

That’s the theme for the Winter Issue of WE Magazine for Women (over 40).

And these are three things women are REALLY GOOD at!

Communication: We women love to share what we know with others. We want to make the world a better place, make it easier for one another to do things. Think about it.  Women have been sharing since the beginning of time. First sharing husbands (when everyone had multiple wives), sharing the raising of families, sharing recipes and so much more. And we love to TALK!  In fact, studies have shown that on average women speak about three times more than men. In the book The Female Mind, the author Dr Luan Brizendine says women devote more brain cells to talking than men.  It goes on to say women also speak more quickly, devote more brainpower to chit-chat – and actually get a buzz out of hearing their own voices.  That explains why I read my editorial aloud before actually publishing it J.

Collaboration:  We women love to collaborate with others. We love the idea of us joining forces and making the sum of our talents work together to make new and wonderful things we could not make alone.  Especially online. Think about some of the communities you are a part of. I am part of the Women’s eCommerce Association and our members are always finding ways to work together to host events, co-author books, work on projects and more.  We enthusiastically give referrals to benefit our own circles, we like to barter things we have for things we want and need, we mentor one another, share resources and we will even partner with men if it helps us each achieve our goals. When we women collaborate, the sky’s the limit!

Celebration:  We women love to celebrate. We celebrate just about anything.  Holidays, weddings, divorce, birthdays, births, anniversaries, starting a business, selling a business, going to work, Mondays, Fridays, the weekends, our family and friends, citizenship, our countries, elections, each other, the perfect dress (or shoes) garage sales, getting organized, when our plants live, our first sale, our first client,  loosing weight, a good hair day, and more. We celebrate with chocolate, tea parties, martinis, new shoes, jewelry, a massage, a trip … you name it!  If it means something to us, we celebrate it.

This issue is filled with talented women who know how to communicate, collaborate and celebrate. 

To grab your copy go to http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagazineWinter2008.pdf.

As a new year begins, we honor and thank our editorial team, our new contributing authors, our Women on a Mission, our advertisers and most importantly our readers! Thank you for being one of us.

Wishing each of you a wonderful, peaceful and prosperous New Year!

Heidi

Heidi Richards Mooney, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

The Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, which takes place every Tuesday along San Francisco’s embarcadero, is not a traditional place to pick up groceries. When my coworker and I visited last week—an unseasonably warm day in late March—vendors from local farms packed the sidewalk while shoppers bustled between the stalls, filling their canvas bags with seasonal goodies. For late spring, this meant piles of arugula, sweet tangerines, and big heads of broccoli. There were no grocery carts or ATM machines, and you couldn’t find bananas, mangoes, or other items that necessitated thousand-mile journeys. What you could find however, was a cashier with soil-caked fingernails who could tell you how to cook your mustard greens, how best to store them in the fridge, and what was going to be in season next month.
At the Farmer’s Market, you can find something you’ll never be able to at Safeway: the farmer.

The Local Lore

Locally grown, seasonal foods aren’t the norm for most Americans, who shop at large grocery stores supplied by industrial scale farms and producers. But scenes like that of the Ferry Building are becoming more and more mainstream. The popularity of buying foods from local farms was evidenced in 2007, when the New Oxford American Dictionary named “locavore” its Word of the Year. As they explain, “the past year saw the popularization of a trend in using locally-grown ingredients, taking advantage of seasonally available foodstuffs that can be bought and prepared without the need for extra preservatives.”

To read the rest of this article, check out the Fall Issue of WE Magazine for Women http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagazineFall2008.pdf

1.  What type of person fits best with my business? 
You really can’t answer this until you articulate your ideal business culture. If you have not yet done so, start by defining the core values (three or four at most) you feel must be represented in everything you do in your business. Anyone you bring into your business community should sincerely share and appreciate these values. For instance, if one of your core values is delighting every customer, only hire people who believe in this and demonstrate the personal qualities to deliver it. Keep in mind that this isn’t about finding people with personalities like you – there is little advantage to hiring carbon-copies of yourself. This is about identifying, and then demanding certain personal characteristics and beliefs in anyone who will be representing your company.

2.  What exactly do I expect them to know and be able to do?
Identify all the knowledge, skills, and abilities the ideal candidate should possess. Then, consider each and break it down by “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves.” Be realistic. A must-have means that you will not hire them if they don’t have that knowledge or skill.  A nice-to-have means that you are willing to train this or direct the work elsewhere. Be sure to include everything! If you expect your accounts payable clerk to sweep the floor when needed, include this in your list. (You’ll use this later in job descriptions.)

3.  How will I know they possess what I am looking for?
For must-have characteristics, knowledge, and skills create specific interview questions or techniques that will allow your candidates to clearly and behaviorally demonstrate that they have these critical factors. Don’t just accept the candidate’s word that they believe something or can do something. Ask them to demonstrate the skill, solve a problem, describe their feelings, show or talk about prior accomplishments, or write or create something. Requiring this will provide you with proof you need to make an informed decision. Don’t be too narrow in your requirements; consider associated life-skills and experiences. And don’t be afraid to test! It ensures they have what you require, as well as shows that you will hold your people accountable for performance.
To read the other seven tips, check out the Fall Issue of WE Magazine for Women http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagazineFall2008.pdf

 Here is a list of all our advertisers and sponsors.

 Please take time to visit their sites and if inclined to purchase their products and services.  Purchasing from them helps us to bring you the best women’s online magazine for the total woman.

 Wishing you a wonderful FALL… and then some. And be sure to read the Fall Issue.

 Heidi Richards Mooney, Publisher

 Fall 2008 Advertisers & Supporters

Be sure and check out the latest issue of WE Magazine for Women at http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagazineFall2008.pdf