Volume 1, Issue 10 September 1, 2006

Empowering
Women
To succeed in business personally &
professionally through Networking &
education while building key relationships &
having fun!

P e a c e i n t h e P r e s e n t
F r o m o u r P r e s i d e n t — K a t h y H a r d t k e

We have spent much of our
lives creating our future or
reliving our past. In the past
months, we have discussed
perception, power, action,
direction, journey and possibil-
ity. The degree of success
with any of these relies upon
the present moment.
I N S I D E TH I S
I S S U E : There is a saying I heard years
ago and to this day, I still do
WLN Success Stories not know who the author is but
2
NEEDED! goes like this ‘if you spend
your life with one foot in yes-
Peace in the Present
2 terday and one foot in tomor-
continued
row all you will do is pee all
over today’.
August’s Photo Collage 3 were ‘hyper focused’. Think
Think for a moment all those
August’s Presentation 4 times when you were so fo-
cused on that lost client, job or
Member Spotlight
4
relationship, or so wrapped up
Lisa Davidson in the plan of your future that
the present passed by you.
Calendar of Events 5 You missed many subtle op-
portunities right in front of you
Meet the Board & that could only be seen by
6
Ambassadors
M e m b e r s h i p P e r k
S e p t e m b e r H i g h l i g h t
T o v i e w a l l o f
v i s i t A B W A ’ s w e b
living in the present moment. direction but with this we need
to remember to stay in the
moment. Tomorrow truly
There was a study done focus never comes because tomor-
and what we miss when fo- row is always in the future,
cused. They put a group of never the present moment.
people in a circle asked them
to count and pass a ball to
each other in a synchronized Close your eyes for a moment.
manner creating complete Picture one of those days
focus on the ball and the when everything fell into place
counting. During this time and seemed so coincidental,
they brought another person in like kismet. One of those days
a gorilla suit that ran in be- when you were on time for
tween the people poking fun at everything, where you would
them. They found that 50% of
Continued on page 2
the group never saw the gorilla
as they were so wrapped up in
what they were doing, they
back to a time when you were
so focused on what you were
doing, where you were going or
how you were going to get
there that you missed the
“gorillas” in your life, the small
successes and simple things
that create joy in your world.
We need to have focus and a
t h e p e r k s a v a i l a b l e
s i t e a t w w w . a b w a . o r g

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 V o l u m e 1 , I s s u e 1 0
W L N
P e a c e
F r o m o u r P r e s i d e n t — K a t h y
Continued from page 1
finish one thing, then another without
any or very little thought. How about
that moment when you simply thought
of a client or a friend and moments
later, you received a call from that per-
son? Maybe you locked yourself out of
your house to simply go get the mail
and found the returned key from a
guest that forgot to give it back before
leaving town? Let’s take it deeper…
think of that time when something aw-
ful or unpleasant happened but some-
how you faced it, took action, didn’t
think about it, were not anxious…you
simple did what needed to be done in
the moment. It was only when your
mind got a hold of you that you began
to freak out or worry, realizing the com-
plexity of the situation. This is the dif-
ference between the power of the pre-
S u c c e s s S t o r y
i n t h e P r e s e n t
H a r d t k e — C o n t i n u e d
sent moment and the anxiety of the past
or future. The present is when you are
truly living life and is the heart of true
peace. Remember we can not change the
past the future is only a vision until it be-
comes the present.
What part of yesterday or tomorrow is
keeping you out of the present moment?
Who can you forgive in your past to move
you through to living in the present? What
part of ‘accepting who’ or ‘where you are
today’ can you accept to prevent you from
living in the fantasy of the future or the
pain of the past?
Take a moment and be here, right now.
Wash away the ‘to do’s’ of tomorrow and
the ‘regrets’ of yesterday. Remove the
anxiety and just be. There is nothing
Page 2
missing from your life in the present.
Nothing from your past is with you be-
cause it is forgiven and behind you…
you are simply here, breathing, sitting in
the present of who you are…feeling the
peace. There is nothing we can’t han-
dle one at a time in the moment. It is
only when we have yesterdays ‘bags’
and tomorrows ‘worries’ that we be-
come overwhelmed.
This is what the gift of the present has
to offer you for every moment you
choose to be in the present. This gift is
accessible everywhere you go and
doesn’t cost a penny. It can be ac-
cessed at a moment’s request. When-
ever. Wherever. Right now.
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 V o l u m e 1 , I s s u e 1 0 Page 4

A u g u s t P r e s e n t a t i o n — G l o r i a K a t z
T a k i n g T h e W o r k o u t o f N e t w o r k i n g

As many of you know, Gloria Katz was our • Successful Networkers are
speaker in August. A special thank you to Gloria
More interested in giving than receiv-
for sharing your networking tips! Below are
ing—good listeners—curious enough to probe
some items discussed:
beyond what the person says they do—always
• What Networking is not follow up on what they say they will do—
Selling—manipulation—not about you patient….what goes around comes around.

• What Networking is
Thank you Gloria for a wonderful presentation!
Friendship—becoming valuable busi-
ness & personal resource to others—being a
matchmaker—helping others reach their goals— Should you want to contact Gloria—her phone
give and take...with you doing most of the giv- number is 847-490-1504 or email glori-
ing—sharing—mentoring—a desire to help others akatz@comcast.net

M e m b e r S p o t L i g h t
L i s a C . D a v i d s o n
I started this journey of selling insurance in 1996, but I was not aware of it at the time. My life seemed to be the way it should be.
I was married, just had my first child and things seemed to be falling into place the way I had planned.

In 1996 I lost my mother to cancer. As you may imagine it was pretty devastating to me. She was only 47 years old, a new grand-
mother and my best friend. My second son was born in March 1997, seven months after my mother’s death and I soon discov-
ered the importance of planning for the future. We couldn’t afford it but I begged my husband to sit down with a life insurance
agent and we finally got all our ducks in a row. My husband and I bought our first home in 1999 and six months later, 6 days
before my 30th birthday, I was a widow. Was I ever glad I had that courageous conversation with husband to sit down with the life
insurance agent. Now left with two little ones to take care of, I then quit my job and focused on my children and my self develop-
ment. Over the next 6 years I went back to school, became a personal trainer, remodeled my home and learned a lot of things
the hard way. Not everyone had my best interests in mind. Major things I struggled with were deciding what to do with my
money, how to handle the costs of health insurance, and what do I do for my children’s future? I soon realized that if I didn’t get
a good job with benefits soon, I was going to run out of money. One major problem…could I find a job that I could work flexible
hours, get paid enough over and above the cost of daycare (duel income kind of money) and something that I felt passionate
about.???

I started interviewing and found a job with Alliance for Affordable Services/Midwest National Life. I thought how wonderful! I
could learn a lot and manage my own health insurance while helping people along the way. I loved it. I learned that I could join
groups for networking and along the way I found one group that stood out, The Women’s Leadership Network being advertised in
the McHenry County Women’s Magazine. The WLN became my first networking group. Five months into being a member and
attending the dinners, I sat next to Cheryl Red with Northwestern Mutual and started talking to her about becoming more in-
volved with the WLN. We had a great time and she asked if she could give my card to their recruiter at NMFN. The next thing I
knew I had a new career with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and I am happier than I was before, and believe in what I
do even more. I help families plan ahead and get their ducks in a row with the best company to back me up. To me that is suc-
cess.

I encourage you to make the effort to sit down with me for coffee and have a courageous conversation. My perfect client is
someone who really cares about their family and who is willing to protect them against dying too soon or becoming sick or dis-
abled. Tragedies happen everyday, as I learned first hand, we never know the impact of them until it happens to us. Give yourself
piece of mind… it’s a great gift.
Lisa C. Davidson
Financial Representative
We never know where life is going to take us, so please just enjoy the ride!!! 282 Memorial Ct Ste B
Crystal Lake
815 444 3779 office
lisa.davidson@nmfn.com
 V o l u m e 1 , I s s u e 1 0 Page 5

September 2006
Are you a member of a women’s networking
or support group that is not listed? If
so—please email me and we will add to
next month’s news letter.
Ginger Imes—gimes@dspins.com

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

3 4 5 11:30 APW 6 8:15 MCPWG 7 8 9

Luncheon Monthly Meeting
Norine
Randi
Wiebmer
Goodman

10 11 12 7:30 Crystal 13 5:30 WLN 14 15 16

Clear Toastmaster Monthly Meeting
Meeting 5:00 Simply
Anne Homemade Mixer Doreen Robin
Ward Langereis Braga

17 18 6:30 WLN 19 11:30 WIM 20 21 22 23

Board Meeting McHenry Co Mo Mtg

Carol 28 Siree
Palframan Sandberg Bakakos

24 25 26 7:30 Crystal 27 28Laurie

29 30
Buchanan
Clear Toastmas- ABWA—Anaheim
ter Meeting Renee National Women’s Leadership
Swanson

Schedule of Events
• 9/13/2006—Women’s Leadership Network Monthly Meeting: Montarra, South Randall Road, Algonquin. 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
$35 Call to reserve 847-489-5053

• 9/18/2006—Women’s Leadership Network Board Meeting: Irish Currough, Algonquin Commons, Algonquin. 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

• 9/05/2006—Alliance of Professional Women Networking Luncheon: Bonefish Grill in the Algonquin Commons. 11:30 am to 1:00
pm. Call Theresa to reserve 847-658-5300

• 9/06/2006—McHenry Cook Professional Women’s Group meeting: E’s Bakery 9541 Ackman Road, Lake in the Hills. 8:15 am to
9:15 am. No reservation required. Www.mcpwg.com

• 9/19/2006—Women in Management McHenry County monthly meeting: Bull Valley Country Club, Woodstock. 11:30 am to 1:30
pm. 815-363-2693

• 9/12 & 09/26/2006—Crystal Clear Toastmasters meetings (2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month). Nick’s Pizza & Pub, 856 Pyott
Road, Crystal Lake. 7:30 am to 8:30 am. Call Terri Williams 847-854-7775

• 9/12/2006-Simply Homemade Mixer: 1500 Carlemont Dr Ste. C—SW corner of Randall & Alexandra Roads. 5:00 pm to 7:00
pm.

• 9/28 thru 09/30/2006 ABWA Anaheim National Women’s Leadership Conference. Visit www.abwa.org for more info.
 President: Kathy Hardtke
American Home Mortgage
847-489-5053

President Elect: Anne Ward

Monthly meetings are located at: Creative Core
847-854-1111
Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiono
1524 South Randall Road
Algonquin, IL 60102
VP of Membership: Pat Kolodziej
2nd Wednesday of each month PK Tax Services
5:30 pm — 7:30 pm 847-608-6451

If you should have any questions please

contact one of the board members listed or
visit us on the web.
VP of Finance: Sandra Larkin
Lost & Found Life Coach
815-301-5802

New Members—August:
VP of Programs: Kris Freeman
Susan Skawinski Alpha Graphics Body Talk Practitioner
Marla Davis Concklin Insurance Agency 847-975-9406

VP of Marketing: Ginger Imes

DS&P Insurance Services
Ambassadors: 847-485-2408

Ambassador of Membership: Siree Sandberg

Ambassador for Visitor Welcoming: Norine Wiebmer
Ambassador of Events: Carol Palframan
Ambassador of Programs: Terri Williams VP of Administration: Robin Braga
Ambassador of Marketing: Debra Hanlon Silpada Designs
Ambassador of Events: Mary Anne Muscat 847-961-5526
Ambassador of Membership: Lisa Davidson
Ambassador of Visitor Welcoming: Gwynne Knutson

*Are you interested in becoming an Ambassador? If so,

please contact Anne Ward. VP of Events: Kim Gaxiola
AG Edwards
815-338-2550