Thriving, not Surviving!
 
At our January meeting, we talked about starting 2002 thinking about thriving instead of surviving.  I mentioned that at our NAWBO Board retreat, each of us created a collage of what it would look like if we were thriving.  We then showed you our collages and used this as the theme for our table topics.  This exercise was used at the Board Retreat to prepare us for brainstorming on how to make NAWBO thrive.  Your Board came up with some terrific ideas on how to make NAWBO thrive, and put the first two of them into practice at the January meeting.
 
First, each person who serves on a NAWBO committee wore a button to show how many of our members serve on committees, and so that other members and guests could ask about how to become involved on those committees.  Many thanks to Dawn Brinson, our director of member services, who made these good-looking buttons over the weekend!  One of the things that we have done very successfully this year is to encourage all of our board members to develop thriving committees--so be sure to pick up your button and wear it proudly at the February meeting. 
 
Second, we added a “next step” to our table topic of “What would it look like it you are thriving?" We asked the people at each table to share their upcoming business needs to see if one of our members or Corporate Partners could fill that need.  In December, I challenged each of you--members and Corporate Partners alike--to set a goal of doing business with five additional NAWBO members or Corporate Partners during the coming year.  How are you doing on this challenge?  Let’s each of us make this a personal goal!
 
Give yourself and a friend a Valentine present and bring your friend to the February NAWBO meeting.  Let the words of Napoleon Hill, the inspiration for our Mastermind Groups, motivate you. Hill was an advisor to Andrew Carnegie and, with Carnegie’s help, he formulated a philosophy of success by drawing on the thoughts and experiences of a multitude of rags-to-riches tycoons.  His book, Think and Grow Rich, is the number-one best-selling motivational book in the world. Hill said, “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”  Working together, we can achieve strong,vibrant businesses and a strong,vibrant organization.  See you in February!