Meet Powerful Women In Leadership Roles at the Women’s Festival On March 9-10th

SUMMARY:
On March 9 and 10, 2012, Santa Barbara, CA, you will have a rare Santa Barbara networking opportunity with powerful women in business. If you are interested in learning about the importance of education and women empowerment, you do not want to miss this unique Santa Barbara festival that seeks to empower women and celebrate Women’s History month.

The Women’s Festival is one of the only events in Santa Barbara that offers a unique opportunity to network with women in leadership roles from a wide range of backgrounds. The Women’s Festivals are the premier gathering of women seeking to empower themselves by connecting with the tools and resources they need to flourish and prosper in all aspects of their busy lives. Attendees help further the celebratory momentum behind Women’s History Month and address the crucial issues facing women today in an interactive, multi-cultural, and entertaining format—providing fertile ground for networking, referrals, and resource sharing.

If you live in the local area, you will have a unique opportunity to meet powerful women business leaders, and influential owners of Santa Barbara companies. You will leave with a renewed sense of the importance of education and women empowerment. Women leadership is a key focus of this March festival, and many say it is the best networking event Santa Barbara offers. Come help empower women at the 5th Annual Women’s festival. No other Santa Barbara festival gets you up close and personal with inspirational leaders from the arts, local non-profits and thriving businesses.

A talented team of well-connected men and women have joined forces to produce the 2012 Women’s Festivals in Santa Barbara, California. Founding non-profit organizations include the National Association of Women Business Owners, SCORE, Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, Future Women CEO’s, Women’s Economic Ventures, GOLD, the Women’s Foundation of California, the Weidemann Foundation, the Profant Foundation for the Arts and Santa Barbara Chamber Commerce – all joining forces in a common goal of empowering women through educational and enlightening discussions led by renowned speakers and authors.

According to Founder Patty DeDominic, “We invite you to be up close and personal with inspirational leaders from the arts, important community organizations and business in beautiful Santa Barbara to help you create a Rich and Fulfilling life.”

The Women’s Festival seeks to benefit and encourage non-profit organizations specifically concerned with women leadership, e.g., NAWBO, Girls Inc., etc. The Women’s Festivals will celebrate the accomplishments and nurture the dreams of women in an interactive, multi-cultural, and multi-tracked format focusing on the five critical areas of women’s lives: Personal, Professional, Philanthropic, Political, and Planet— otherwise known as the “5 Ps.”

The festival mission statement is to further the celebratory momentum behind Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, which is always on March 8th, however, the Santa Barbara event is planned a few days later on March 9-10th.

2012 Festival Theme: Live. Love. Learn.

• Better future relationships
• Building a better world through philanthropy
• Building better businesses – Skills for Success
• Better health
• Better planet – smarter, sustainable, and green
• Working with young women, future leaders, building self-sufficiency
• Looking at past role models to find lessons for the future

People from throughout the world will attend the California Women’s Festival on March 9 & 10, 2012 at the Earl Warren Show grounds located in beautiful Santa Barbara, California. The Santa Barbara festival will include a professional business expo, awards program, and educational and enlightening discussions led by renowned speakers and authors. For further information about how you can help empower women and meet women in leadership roles at the biggest networking event Santa Barbara has to offer for 2012, please visit the site athttp://www.WomensFestivals.org or contact info@womensfestivals.org

Empowering Women in Leadership Roles at the Biggest Santa Barbara Festival of the Year

Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS Shoes and Visionary

Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, visited Santa Barbara today, and I had the fortune of hearing him tell his entrepreneurial story at the Arlington Theatre.  His story is as simple as his business concept. While Blake was on vacation in Argentina, he accompanied some new-found friends to a "shoe-drop" where he saw Argentinean children walking barefoot on streets strewn with garbage and broken glass, and learned that these kids without shoes were not allowed to attend public school because of the strict dress code.  No shoes, no education.

He inspired me as much as Yvon Chouinard did, founder of Patagonia, when he visited the Scheinfeld Center a few years back.  Blake's concept is decidedly different yet simple.  One for One.  That's it.  For every pair of shoes sold, one is given to someone in need.  How this concept would work as a profitable business model, he never discussed.  But I got the distinct impression that neither did he care.  He knew he had a brilliant concept, he was passionate about it, he had people super excited around him, and so he went for it...the money to be worked out later.  As it turns out, the money apparently did work out.  He's given away 2,000,000 pairs of shoes so far, and each pair retails for roughly $45. While he is mum on annual sales, you can do a little math of your own!

I've said before that I have yet to meet a student without a cause, or one without a philanthropic business idea.  It might behoove our students to look to Blake for inspiration, because he believes giving goes hand in hand with for-profit business.  And his One for One concept doesn't stop with shoes.  His next effort:  TOMS Eyewear.  With every pair of TOMS glasses purchased, TOMS will help give sight to a person in need.  Talk about a visionary.

Business Plan Competition To Have BIG Impact

I just came from a press conference regarding the Scheinfeld Center's first annual New Venture Challenge and it dawned on me the huge impact of this event.  It impacts our college students, our area high schools, SBCC, and the entire community.  It is a benevolent collision of generous volunteers, altruistic organizations, philanthropic corporations and sponsors in a way that is having a community-wide impact.

The most generous of all collaborators include NAWBO-SB, The Bank of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, without whom we would have no awards to give away.

It can't be done without our volunteer judges: Jeff Carmody of Agility Capital; Lynda Weinman of Lynda.com; John Richardson of Ameravant; Gary Kravetz of SCORE, Alan Tratner of Green2Gold, and Christopher Morales of Montecito Bank & Trust.

The biggest impact, however, is yet to be seen.  Who will be our winners? Will they launch?  What impact will their business have on our community?

Stay tuned.  On May 13 we will have winners, and will be celebrating alongside them at the NAWBO banquet!

Networking Rules!

We are out and about, that's for sure!  With the new launching of the Santa Barbara County Small Business Development Center (SBDC), we are hob-nobbing with all the go-to business people in town, from the Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Goleta Valley Chambers, to MIT Enterprise forum, NAWBO-SB, SABER, AWC, you name it, we're there!  Recently I spoke at the Goleta Valley Chamber B2B.  If you haven't been, you should make a point of going to at least one this year.  It's a fun and lively networking event, with great food, and a take-home hotsheet.  Bring plenty of business cards, and prepare a 30 second commercial - you might win something for originality!

Why is networking so important to business? 

• Networking helps BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE slowly, in a fun (but not pushy) way.  (Networking in an indirect sales tool that takes time). And we need people in business!  They eventually become our clients or customers, our employees or partners, or our investors.
• Networking helps you build TRUST. The people you meet will be able to put a face to your business.  It becomes more personal.  People want to do business with other people they like and trust.  Trust usually trumps price.
• Networking helps you gain KNOWLEDGE about your own industry and other areas.  You might be surprised by the people or industries with whom you find have synergy with your business.
• Networking helps you build a bank of RESOURCES and REFERRALS.  If there is an area in which you can't serve your client, now you can send them off to someone you trust, who will do a great job for your client.  Your client will appreciate your referral, and that business will refer back to you when the time comes.

Now, multiply the importance of networking by 100!  Why? Because we live in small towns where the majority of business is earned through word-of-mouth referrals and reputation.

Happy networking trails, and we will see you out there!

Inspiration from a Voice Past

by Melissa Crawford

I was given a gift.  A gift of a voice from the past, but not just any voice.  Jim Scheinfeld's voice, whose vision I  attempt to implement as the Director of the Scheinfeld Center. A vision of a man who passed in 2007, whom I never had the pleasure to meet. I crave to meet him, to have a conversation with him, to hear his vision in his own words.  I struggle to put the pieces together of his concept and viewpoints.  I often hear his voice through others:  the deans, faculty and administrators at the college who had the privilege of meeting and interacting with him, Jim's colleagues and friends, his wife, his accountant, and his past emails.  I try my best to put myself in his shoes, and wonder often, "What would Jim want?"  "How would Jim handle this?"

The other day, a colleague and friend of the Scheinfeld Center donated several copies of Jim Scheinfeld's book, "A History of Manpower, Inc." This is the company his father (Aaron Scheinfeld) and his colleague (Elmer Winter) founded in 1948, and was acquired in 1970 by the Parker Pen Company.  Jim was one of the first employees, who eventually became head of development of Manpower's international operations. During those intervening years, prior to acquisition, Manpower grew to generate a billion dollars in global sales under Jim's direction.  Jim's success with this company afforded him the opportunity to invest in the Scheinfeld Center at Santa Barbara City College, gifting a permanent endowment for the implementation of an entrepreneurship center, available to our diverse community.  Reading this book takes me one step closer to seeing Jim and hearing his voice. (Thank you Christopher Morales and the Montecito Bank & Trust.)

So you can imagine the weight that sits on my shoulders, to ensure his vision is ultimately achieved, and his goals of serving the community are met.  I am humbled by this job, and am inspired every day by Jim's voice and ever-present spirit.

Lost Mojo Found?

I know so many entrepreneurs that plug along each day, no matter the obstacles faced.  Day after day, night after night, pushing their service or product - doing whatever it takes to make it - with a smile.  If you know an entrepreneur, you know what I am talking about.  That sometimes annoying and seemingly tireless positive attitude.  The truth is, everyone has a down period - even entrepreneurs.  Some come to the brink of failure, some face naysayer after naysayer, or incompentent service providers, and even lawsuits.  Add a bad economic environment and you have a recipe for "losing it."  How much can an entrepreneur take before reaching a breaking point?  And why don't entrepreneurs give up?

Failure Accepted, Thank You Very Much
Most entrepreneurs have risked failure, experienced failure and learned from it (or are they hardened by it?)  Early failure becomes a part of the entrepreneur's start-up story.  Maybe time is taken to cry and carry on - and then the entrepreneur moves on.

Long-Term Visualization
Keeping the eye on the proverbial ball. Goal Setting.  Planning.  Charting destiny. Entrepreneurs can look ahead to the ultimate goal, and see a bad economy or a failed prototype as a step in the ladder to ultimate success.

Patience Over Time
Success is rarely overnight, and entrepreneurs stomach the time factor.  Sometimes it takes 15-20 years for technology or attitudes to catch up with a good idea and suddenly it becomes marketable.

You Are What You Think
Entrepreneurs transform thinking - they don't wallow in negative space.  If you can practice zapping that negative self-dialogue when it rears its ugly head, you will live more like an entrepreneur, with confidence.

It's time to quit our whining and complaining about the down economy, pick ourselves up and act more like entrepreneurs.  The economy is on a strong path to recovery and the past year or two are just blips in the radar.  By now, we all have lean but strong operations and we are poised for new sales, new consumer confidence, and success! 

What lost mojo?

Has Like-Ability Trumped Education in Today's Corporate Model? (and Other Considerations)

by Melissa Crawford

I have been contemplating what makes a great innovator, and have been drawing inspiration from our past speakers in the Scheinfeld Center's Enlightened Entrepreneurship Series.  All have different business ideas and have experienced a wide range of successes, and yet I can't help but harp on the resounding commonalities that these speakers share that might offer us some insight into what it takes to be a truly great innovator and entrepreneur.

Has Like-Ability Trumped Education in the New Corporate Environment?
As much as I hate to admit it, all of our highly successful speakers (making hundreds of millions annually) either have had no formal education, or find that formal education is not the most important contributing factor to success.  While they all hire highly educated people, all of our speakers would agree that being a "people person," having an ability to work in teams, with minimal supervision, and having a passion outside work is the key to getting hired. I suppose you have to have personality and like-ability. In fact, Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia) stated his hiring criterion this way, "If I don't want to have dinner with you, then I won't hire you."  This represents the new culture of the corporate world - putting ultimate emphasis on creating a positive and fun environment that fosters freedom and innovation.

Does Hearing "No" Incite a Visceral, Competitive Response?
All of our speakers may have heard the word "No" a million times.  If they had listened to the naysayers, perhaps they'd be cleaning toilets for McDonald's.  What type of person hears the words "You can't do that" and responds naturally and emphatically with "Oh yes I can!" as opposed to getting discouraged.  This is a passionate person, who believes with every fiber of their being in their idea.  They are on an unstoppable mission, and race past obstacles.  I recently toured the research lab of Wayne Rosing (former head of engineering at Google).  He is building telescopes for planetary research during what he has coined his "refirement."  He builds the telescopes to the specifications he needs because those kind of telescopes don't exist, and was told it couldn't be done.  Well, he did it anyway, and it works. Yvon Chouinard wanted to use organic cotton, but no one was growing organic cotton, so he bought a farm and grew it himself.  If it doesn't exist, build it yourself.

Failure is Always an Option, But Do You Allow it to Affect the Path You're On?
Most of our speakers have touched on becoming highly successful too fast, or making huge mistakes, almost losing everything and starting all over only to be even more successful.  They just come back with the same idea only tweaked slightly to avoid the same mistakes.

Do You Have a Limitless Stash of Ideas in Your Brain?
There is no denying the unique brain power of innovators.  I find the true entrepreneurial mindset is almost genius-like with an endless supply of ideas, not all of which will ever be developed.  Most focus on a single project, and when that's complete, move on the next.  Not only that, their ideas are game-changing and mostly disruptive.  This is a very distinct and recognizable quality in entrepreneurs - and you can easily distinguish the idea person (seemingly more right-brained) than the non-idea person.  Most non-idea people are very happy doing the legwork for idea people.  Which kind are you?

Are Your Ideas Linked to a Greater Purpose?
The most inspirational innovators are those with ideas linked to a purpose outside their own benefit.  Take Wayne Rosing, for example.  His research project is a privately funded foundation existing for the sole purpose of building a world-wide network of telescopes for scientific research and research-based education.  What's in it for Wayne?  Nothing.  Just the sheer enjoyment of working on his passionate idea.

These entrepreneurs and innovators have vision and are driven everyday by the challenge of making this vision come to life, come hell or high water.  Now that's inspiring!