The Westside Women’s Networking Chapter of Leads Club

invites you

to a networking mixer on Thursday, July 9th from 6 to 8 pm. 

This will be an opportunity for local business people to meet, network and exchange business cards. 

So bring a co-worker, a friend, or come alone but bring plenty of business cards.

So bring a co-worker, a friend, or come alone but bring plenty of business cards.

The club is located at the end of Mindanao Way and next to Burton Chase park.

Plenty of FREE PARKING, just pull up to the entry gate of the club and press the buzzer.

We’ll be letting our readers vote for the Best Tip and the top two winners will receives a Free copy of "Focused Networking"  the Eight Principals of 21st Century Marketing. 

Post your thought now, winners will be chosen July 17th. 

To your Success!

Lisa

• The Baby Boomers (Boom Generation) were the generation born just after World War II, a time that included a 14-year increase in birthrate worldwide. Baby Boomers in their teen and college years were characteristically part of the 1960s counterculture, but later became more conservative. Have also described as self involved or yuppies.

• Generation Jones was the heretofore lost generation between the Boomers and GenXers, which has emerged now as a bona fide distinct generation. The election of Barack Obama to the U.S. Presidency created significantly increased awareness of this generation as many prominent sources referred to Obama as specifically a member of Generation Jones.

• Generation X is the generation born between approximately 1965 to 1979, and connected to the pop culture of the 1980s and 1990s they grew up in. Other names used interchangeably with Reagan Generation, Generation X are 13th Generation and Baby Busters. Most of this generation are children of The Baby Boomers and The Silent Generation. Also know as the “Slacker Generation”. Those born before 1973 spent most of their teen years in the 1980s.

• Generation Y or "Millennials" are the largest generation in American history.  Born between 1980 and 2000, they are 95 million strong, compared to 78 million Baby Boomers. Generation Y. Also known as the “Trophy Generation” They have been nurtured and pampered, programmed with a slew of activities as children, high performance, high maintenance and “tech” savvy. They believe in their own worth.

traci@traciwithatoolbelt.com

I had the opportunity to meet with Lisa Bentson a few months ago and discuss some ideas regarding my goals as well as my observations. Having been a member of several different chapters over the past 10 plus years, the first thing that I have noticed is that I have usually been one of the youngest entrepreneurs in my Leads Club Chapter. This never bothered me and the other members always seem to “take me under their wing”, show me the ropes of their group, act as mentors, and many have even become dear friends.

Now the concept of Leads was easy for me to grasp. The meetings typically run like a well oiled machine, with an easy to follow program along with the help of current members as mentioned above, I was able to start “working it” with business referrals almost immediately after my first lunch meeting. Many years later, networking is pretty much a way of life for me now. If you have been in Leads for any length of time I think you can relate. In the same way you use your skills to refer your Leads partners; you can use those skills to build your membership!

As you already know, the success of every business depends on maintaining loyalty of existing customers, while enticing new, perhaps, younger clients to buy your products or use your services. In the same respect, Leads Club needs to continue to attract new members. Not just people that have been in business for years or seasoned professionals, but new entrepreneurs that are fresh out of college, just starting out with a great idea and have no clue about the benefits of business networking. This will not only contribute to the continued success of Leads Club, but also our individual businesses. Sometimes this can be a little overwhelming, especially if you feel that it may difficult for you to relate to a more youthful crowd of consumers. Have you ever said the phrase, “I don’t understand these kids today”? lol. On the flip side, the younger set finds it difficult to understand our business practices as they seem to perceive anyone born before 1980 as “technologically challenged”, lol.

Now, since we are the more “mature” side of the equation, it is up to us to take the first step to bridge the gap between our generations. This new crop of Gen Y’ers that are coming onto the business scene are rapidly becoming the most entrepreneurial generation in our nation’s history. Enrolling these young entrepreneurs in Leads Club will require some forethought and incite.

Lisa has asked me to do extensive research on the subject and has actually created a position for me with the Leads Club organization, the Young Professionals’ Liaison. I am thrilled to take on this new challenge and I look forward to sharing all of the information I have gathered and studied by bringing you monthly blogs. Topics will include: comparisons of modern day generations; discussions of why this new generation is so different than its predecessors; how you have been able to transcend your generation’s perceived limitations; things you should know about Gen Y such as goals, challenges, values and characteristics; understanding younger generation’s favorite technologies, social networking sites, entertainment events and how we can use these as tools to attract Gen Y.

I hope to thoroughly inform you, assist you in your efforts and possibly entertain you in the process. It would also be fun to interact with you during this experience. If you are interested in communicating with me, maybe we can use this as an opportunity to try some of the new technologies available like instant messaging on Facebook perhaps, (search Traci Smith, Los Angeles). Why not, right? Let’s really have some fun with this! But if you’re not quite comfortable with that stuff yet, you can just email me: traci@traciwithatoolbelt.com

The only down side I can see here is that I will no longer be one of the younger members of a Leads Chapter, it was bound to happen eventually I guesss… lol!

Traci Smith
Traci With A Toolbelt
Los Angeles, CA

Join Leads Club Members throughout the Illinois Region
For a
Regional Networking Progressive Luncheon!!!

Special Guest - Lisa Bentson, President of Leads Club International

On
Tuesday, April 21
11:30 am - 1:30pm

At
Volare Restaurant
1919 S. Meyers Road, Oak Brook Terrace
(On Meyers Road, 1 Block North of Butterfield Rd)

Cost: In Advance (by April 16th)
- Members - $20, Non-Members - $25
At the Door - Members - $25, Non-Members - $30

For more information and Registration Form Click here