At AIWN, we have been hosting conversations about race. For December's event, LaToia Burkley will facilitate an informal conversation on how you can recognize your own unconscious bias and be a better bystander when you see it happening to someone. "Yeah, but where are you really from?" to the Pacific Islander employee who answered "Seattle" the first time. "Is that your real hair?" to the Black female sporting a new look. "Wow, English must be so hard for you guys" to the new Pakistani EVP.  There's a name for what's happening in these situations, when people's biases against marginalized groups reveal themselves in a way that leaves their victims feeling uncomfortable or insulted: microaggressions. They're the kinds of remarks, questions, or actions that are painful because they have to do with a person's membership in a group that's discriminated against or subject to stereotypes. Microaggressions are the commonplace verbal, behavioral, and environmental slights that communicate hostile or negative racial, gender, sexual orientation and religious preconceptions. And a key part of what makes them so disconcerting is that they happen casually, frequently, and often without any harm intended, in everyday life. But the reality is that even though they're often unintentional, they can be the building blocks of creating workplaces that feel unsafe and unwelcoming for some employees.  LaToia will facilitate the conversation on how you can recognize your own unconscious bias, as well as how to be a better bystander when you see it happening to someone else.  About LaToia Burkley LaToia Burkley of Your Big Debut is a goal-oriented, certified diversity coach, as well as a highly skilled, innovative, and energetic business professional In her work with clients, she draws on her background identifying, prioritizing, maximizing opportunities, and orchestrating solutions in  the Human Resources and Business Operations space. LaToia’s specialties include Diversity &...

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Virtual Marketing Roundtable Hosted by Erica Baity of Anologics and Whitney Parks of Parks Evolution AIWN is kicking off 2021 with one of the most popular topics among our membership - Marketing! Join us on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 for a virtual roundtable where you'll get a chance to hear from and ask questions of two marketing experts. Email Marketing vs. Marketing Automation . . . Which One is Right for Your Business? with Erica Baity of Anologics Does hearing the terms "Email Marketing" and "Marketing Automation" leave you feeling confused? Do you know how each one applies to your business? Both terms are often used interchangeably but mean different things to your business. During this roundtable, you'll learn the distinct meaning of the two, when to use one versus the other and the role both play in your overall marketing strategy. Plan this Month: Create Captivating Content with Whitney Parks of Parks Evolution What if there was a magic wand that you could wave to figure out all your marketing content? In any business, marketing is important. Your income often increases by following best marketing practices and strategies. The problem is there’s no fairy godmother who is going to show up with a magic wand to make it all happen. There are some pretty amazing tools you can use though. They aren’t exactly magic, but even better. Tools that make your marketing plan a lot easier to put in place. In this round table, you’ll learn how to Plan This Month! By using simple techniques, you can create a winning plan for any business, service, or product. In this presentation, you’ll uncover some of the basics of why marketing is important. And you’ll learn the benefits of creating a monthly social media strategy. We’ll talk about marketing channels and...

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Join us for (virtual) coffee hour Miss chatting casually at AIWN meetings? Or want to get to know some new people? Join us for virtual coffee! We will keep the group small to make chatting a bit easier. Important Event Details This is an online event. In order to attend, you will need to: 1) Follow the "register" link to register on Eventbrite. The event is free, but we need your registration to send you the Zoom meeting link. 2) Once you have registered, you will get access to the "event page" with the link to the meeting. For security purposes, this content will not be visible to you until a couple days before the event. You will receive an email reminder from Eventbrite with the link to this page. In addition, On the day before the event, look out for a Zoom meeting link in your email inbox. For security reasons, we cannot post the link in the public event description. If you don't see an email, please check your junk or other email filters. We will send the email to whatever address you registered for the event with. 3) Attend! We encourage you to join via computer for best experience, although phones work too. We recommend keeping your video turned on, to better connect with the other attendees. Format and What to Expect This will be an informal meeting where you can chat with other professional women. You'll have a chance to introduce yourself and meet new people. We can't wait to see you there!

Ever worried about how your customers are interpreting what you say? Join us on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 for a virtual presentation on words that are damaging when speaking to clients. with Rebecca Brizi, Management Consultant What we say is not always what people hear. And a word changes its meaning from one conversation to the next. This talk discusses three everyday words that are positive in most contexts, and yet damaging when speaking to clients. Attendees will learn what it means to understand customer context, three words to avoid in client conversations, and what to use instead. I have run three bootstrapped businesses across multiple continents, and with almost no marketing budget, using the right words was my number one advantage. Plus growing up in a trilingual home, I pulled on all my experience of "lost in translation" to learn to speak my customers' true, everyday, language. 1 - What does it mean to communicate in a customer context 2 - Three words not to use in business conversations 3 - How to find alternatives that are specific to your business About Rebecca Brizi Ask 12 Italian grandmothers for their tomato sauce recipe, and you will get thirteen different answers. They will all use tomatoes, olive oil, basil . . . but the quantities will vary, as will the one special ingredient everyone has. Every business has to have loyal customers, dedicated employees, and business goals, but the specific recipe is unique to each entity. Rebecca Brizi examines each business to discover what their special, unique recipe is, and builds a plan for all those separate ingredients to function well together, so the business owners can focus on what they do best: their craft. Rebecca built her career managing the many moving ingredients of a software company, joining at...

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In 2020, AIWN introduced a series of guided conversations to help our members and guests learn how to take action to address racial inequality. In February, we will be joined by Dr. Tracey S. Fisher, author of Little Big Change: Understanding, Interrupting, and Reducing Systemic Inequity to talk about the complicated topic of systemic and structural inequity. How can individuals affect a larger system of racism and inequality? Dr. Fisher will help event participants untangle challenging terminology and understand purpose-driven ideas, researched and defined concepts, and concrete strategies that can help motivate personal and professional action. Participants will be vigorously encouraged to take a positive, personal journey toward helping to end systemic and structural inequity.  We encourage you to read Dr. Fisher's concise book prior to the conversation, so that we have basics covered and can jump right in to the deeper questions. About Dr. Tracey S. Fisher Thought-leader, intellectual, and social justice advocate, Dr. Tracey S. Fisher encourages audiences to engage in understanding the intersectionality of racism resistance, education, earned and unearned privilege, conscious and unconscious bias, as well as an awareness of the vast power that social constructs have on us all. Dr. Fisher’s new book, Little Big Change: Understanding, Interrupting and Reducing Systemic Inequity challenges readers to proactively work at chipping away at systemic racism - one person and one step at a time. Dr. Fisher takes a critical approach to exploring the ways in which people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds can consciously transform racial meanings and build transracial and ethnic solidarities within intersecting political, economic and socio-cultural environments. The reader is vigorously encouraged to take a positive, personal journey toward helping to end systemic racism. The book contains purpose-driven ideas, defined concepts, and concrete strategies to help motivate action. Dr. Tracey S. Fisher earned her Bachelor of Arts...

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While the world sat up and paid attention to cries for improved social justice, and subsequently began dealing all the "isms" at the cellular level in Q2 of last year, many individuals and corporations made plans to do the work, educate themselves, hear their employees and their community, and "do better." Are there areas in your own DEI journey where you've met roadblocks? Hard to keep your finger on the pulse while still managing life within our Now Normal? How can you keep the conversation going and drive inclusion in all areas of life? Join Certified Diversity Coach LaToia Burkley with Your Big Debut, a coaching and consulting firm specializing in building inclusive workspaces and coaching professional women along their career path, while she holds space for us to talk about what to say when you (still) don't know what to say and help peel back the layers to parts of courageous conversations that hold us back. About LaToia Burkley LaToia Burkley of Your Big Debut is a goal-oriented, certified diversity coach, as well as a highly skilled, innovative, and energetic business professional In her work with clients, she draws on her background identifying, prioritizing, maximizing opportunities, and orchestrating solutions in  the Human Resources and Business Operations space. LaToia’s specialties include Diversity & Inclusion, Networking, and Professional & Leadership Development.  In a corporate environment, LaToia guides leaders as they put together engagement and coaching strategies designed for the call center world. When she’s not helping clients with professional development, LaToia dedicates her time to volunteering in a faith-based foreign language ministry centered in Rhode Island. She’s called New England home since November 2019, having traded in her Georgia Peach status for the Ocean State. LaToia is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, is a travel pro and loves to take in new sites and cultures. She is known to...

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Join us for (virtual) coffee hour Miss chatting casually at AIWN meetings? Or want to get to know some new people? Join us for virtual coffee! We will keep the group small to make chatting a bit easier. Important Event Details This is an online event. In order to attend, you will need to: 1) Follow the "register" link to register on Eventbrite. The event is free, but we need your registration to send you the Zoom meeting link. 2) Once you have registered, you will get access to the "event page" with the link to the meeting. For security purposes, this content will not be visible to you until a couple days before the event. You will receive an email reminder from Eventbrite with the link to this page. In addition, On the day before the event, look out for a Zoom meeting link in your email inbox. For security reasons, we cannot post the link in the public event description. If you don't see an email, please check your junk or other email filters. We will send the email to whatever address you registered for the event with. 3) Attend! We encourage you to join via computer for best experience, although phones work too. We recommend keeping your video turned on, to better connect with the other attendees. Format and What to Expect This will be an informal meeting where you can chat with other professional women. You'll have a chance to introduce yourself and meet new people. We can't wait to see you there!

We all want and need time away, but how do you plan a trip that provides a relaxing and memorable experience? And how do you disconnect from the cares of the “real world” while you are away? Internet searches can show you great pictures, but they give someone else’s ideas on where to go and what to see. Your trip should be just that: yours! How do you (and any travel companions) define “vacation”? Do you envision beaches as places to lay out, read books, and take dips in the sea now and then? Or as places to surf, snorkel, and run along the shore? Are cities great for their museums, restaurants and nightlife? Or would you rather take bike tours and explore neighborhoods like a local? Is a hotel just a place to sleep? A resort the way to relax and enjoy? Or do you prefer a private home/apartment to spread out in? The answers to all these questions should inform your trip planning.  You want to ensure that your itinerary, activities and accommodation match what you envision - and what your travel companions want. From short get-aways to longer vacations, Lauren Rock of Dynamic Escapes will explain the best ways to research and plan, and she’ll give tips on how to turn your everyday brain off and focus on the fun! About Lauren Rock Lauren Rock is the owner of Dynamic Escapes.  An avid traveler and obsessive planner, she loves to research and learn about all things travel.  After years of planning trips for her family and friends, she decided to leave the corporate world behind to be an independent Travel Concierge. After taking courses and earning the appropriate accreditations Lauren launched Dynamic Escapes in 2016. She serves her clients by taking care of all the research and...

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Ever feel smothered by the needs of others in your family? Helpful hacks for how to balance aging parents, children still at home, juggle time and attention for your spouse and yourself without being crazy, going broke or both. Debra will share practical tips, amusing musings and educational information about "sandwiched" real life experiences of her family, and tips they learned to handle responsibilities of parental illness, while still making time for their own children and spouses. Debra Donaldson Scott joins us to discuss helpful hacks to balance time for aging parents, children, spouse and yourself without going crazy. About Debra Donaldson Scott Atlanta Planning Group Debra Donaldson Scott advises her clients about their financial concerns through holistic financial planning encompassing cash flow analysis, insurance, investments including retirement and college planning, and small business concerns. She completed the certified financial planner program at the University of Georgia and was named one of NAIFA Atlanta Top Female Advisors of 2015 Debra translates the confusing jargon of finance into understandable concepts for her clients who range from single millennials starting a ROTH IRA for the first time to elderly widows in retirement concerned about living too long and the divorced who are dealing with financial headaches of divided assets along with broken hearts and juggling families. Although her main focus is traditional personal planning, as a former litigation paralegal and business banker, she specializes in structured settlements and advising those who experience windfalls from lawsuits, inheritances and sales of businesses. A native Georgian, Debra lives in Buckhead with her husband, 2 dogs and 2 cats, all rescues. She enjoys tennis, travel and entertaining friends and family and demystifying money for her clients.

Join us for (virtual) coffee hour Miss chatting casually at AIWN meetings? Or want to get to know some new people? Join us for virtual coffee! We will keep the group small to make chatting a bit easier. Important Event Details This is an online event. In order to attend, you will need to: 1) Follow the "register" link to register on Eventbrite. The event is free, but we need your registration to send you the Zoom meeting link. 2) Once you have registered, you will get access to the "event page" with the link to the meeting. For security purposes, this content will not be visible to you until a couple days before the event. You will receive an email reminder from Eventbrite with the link to this page. In addition, On the day before the event, look out for a Zoom meeting link in your email inbox. For security reasons, we cannot post the link in the public event description. If you don't see an email, please check your junk or other email filters. We will send the email to whatever address you registered for the event with. 3) Attend! We encourage you to join via computer for best experience, although phones work too. We recommend keeping your video turned on, to better connect with the other attendees. Format and What to Expect This will be an informal meeting where you can chat with other professional women. You'll have a chance to introduce yourself and meet new people. We can't wait to see you there!

Does your first impression really matter? After all, people hire you for your content and your expertise. Right? Not necessarily! Do you know that your first impression starts before you actually enter the room? And now, virtually, it's more important than ever!! Deborah Fawaz joins us to talk about how to make a (good) lasting impression through color, accessories and body language. In this presentation you will learn: Why first impressions even matter The psychology behind the brain response How to make a memorable entrance How to make a lasting impression with your conversations (even if you are an introvert) How to effectively use your wardrobe- specifically color and accessories - to engage people How to demonstrate engaging body language How to be wildly memorable (in a good way) Use your impression to get another opportunity to connect Make sure you are getting your ROI on your networking opportunities Learn wow your first impression online is different than in person Cliché but true:  you don't get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression. So, why wouldn't you want to elevate your physical presence, both online and in person! About Deborah Fawaz DD Faces Image Consultant/Color Expert/Makeup Artist/Confidence Builder/Professional Speaker. Deborah loves humor, food, family and the beach! She also loves being around other women, and is excited about encouraging them to embrace their natural beauty—becoming more confident and comfortable women. Deborah was born in Joliet, Illinois and raised by her parents in 5 different cities in Illinois. Dad, a Methodist minister, and her mother, a banker. She has 1 younger brother, Dave, who currently resides in Orange Co. California. After graduating from high school in Wauconda, Illinois, she attended Illinois State University, where she received a bachelor of Education degree in special education.  Following the birth of her first child, she went on to pursue her Master’s degree in Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders...

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Erin Newman joins us to talk about how to confidently raise your prices and make the process feel good for both you and your ideal clients. Want to create more revenue in your business?  By increasing your prices, you'll be able to increase (or even double) your revenue - without working harder!  Of course, raising prices can bring up all sorts of concerns. You know, questions like, “But will anyone still sign up for my services?” And, “But can I really charge that much?” In this talk, we’ll answer those questions for you. You’ll learn how to feel really confident in raising your prices, and how to make the process feel good for both you AND your ideal clients.  You’ll also understand why it's important to raise your prices frequently in order to align with your dream clients. (Really!) In this interactive and experiential talk, participants will receive these take-aways:   How your subconscious plays into your pricing 3 easy ways to feel good about higher prices  The #1 secret to aligned pricing  About Erin Newman Mindset and Manifestation Coach for Entrepreneurs Erin Newman is a speaker, author, Money Mindset Mentor and Aligned Business Coach. She helps her clients to overcome limiting beliefs in order to create the income and joy they desire in their businesses. Through her proprietary Authentic Courage Method, Erin helps her clients to heal their subconscious patterns and create new pathways for money and soul-fueled success.  A fluent German speaker and graduate of the University of Virginia, Erin left a successful career working for corporate multi-nationals to follow her dreams. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her 2 boys, 1 husband, and 1 old doggie. In her downtime, you can find her at a local Starbucks, working on a novel and drinking Earl Grey tea. Important...

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Ready to get together? Raise a glass and enjoy appetizers with the creative and fun women of AIWN! Join us at Après Diem in midtown. Members attend free, guest entry is $30 Complimentary appetizers Cash bar Free Parking Important Event Details This is an In-PERSON event. In order to attend, you will need to register here! If you are not an AIWN member, or a guest of an AIWN member, you will need to pay the registration fee of $30. COVID-19 Concerns We are excited to see everyone in person again, but are encouraging the following precautions to keep everyone safe: We have many attendees who may face higher risks than average if they get sick with COVID. We are all responsible for protecting each other, so that we can continue to enjoy meeting in person. If you have elected not to get a COVID vaccine, please consider the following options: a) Consider not attending the event. It is difficult to keep germs from transferring to others in an enclosed space, and you may be putting other people at risk if you are not protected against COVID with a vaccine. b) If you plan to attend the live event without being vaccinated, please wear a mask. We encourage all attendees to wear masks as you feel comfortable, although we are not requiring masks. If you have not received a COVID vaccine, please wear a mask. Since this is primarily an eating and drinking event, it is likely that most attendees will elect to be unmasked most of the time. Because of this, if you have elected not to get vaccinated, you will likely have a hard time staying fully masked and enjoy this event. We strongly recommend that unvaccinated attendees consider skipping this event to protect other people in attendance....

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Do you have adequate insurance protection for your business and personal assets?  Many people who purchase insurance do so out of obligation.  Insurance can be extremely confusing.  25/50, 50/100, 100/300, $1M/$2M, 100,000, 300,000, 50,000.  We could go on for days.  To purchase or not to purchase umbrella, business, professional liability and life insurance.  These numbers are enough to give anyone a headache and can be intimidating.  How much is enough?  If only we had a crystal ball to give us that magic number.  If only we knew ahead of time what the dollar amount of that next accident will be. No one knows the answer.  However, as an insurance professional for over 20 years, Nyemade Henry will assist you in thinking about creating a plan to protect your assets. There is no magic number.  However, with a thorough assessment of your needs, you can determine the amount of insurance that is right for you. About Nyemade Henry The Henry Agency Raised in a multicultural family, Nyemade Henry has a passion for meeting new people and experiencing different cultures, a love that she nurtures in her everyday life and satisfies with the focus she brings to each client’s needs. After earning her BBA and MS Degrees from Mercer University, Nyemade discovered her true career path was in insurance. While employed as a Medicare Representative at CIGNA Healthcare, she discovered that there were other parts of insurance she wanted to be able to help her clients with. She wanted to be a resource for her customers and become their one-stop shop for insurance services.  In 2000, Nyemade become an Agent for Nationwide Insurance where she served as an Exclusive Agent for 19 years. On July 1, 2020, she became an Independent Agent.  As a result, Nyemade can now partner with multiple insurance...

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2021 AIWN Member Holiday Party Hello AIWN Members! Yes, it’s that time of year! It’s been so long since we’ve seen you, so we are excited to be able to meet again !* Our 2021 Holiday Event will be held on Wednesday evening, the 15th of December from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, at Apres Diem (931 Monroe Dr NE, Ste C103, Atlanta, GA 30308). Please don’t forget to put this ‘not to miss’ event on your calendars! We hope you can join us to catch up, check in and get the holidays started! This ‘members only’ event** is free of charge, but feel free to bring a guest / partner. There will be light fare, and a cash bar. Important Event Details This is a Member Only event. In order to attend, you will need to: 1) Register! 2) PLEASE respect the lives and rights of your other members by observing the proper COVID Protocols. Please visit the CDC Covid-19 Guidelines webpage for guidance. While we respect the rights of every individual to choose their level of medical care, this is a social event at a public venue. Other attendees may be vulnerable! If you've not been vaccinated or recently tested, we'd ask that you wear a mask while indoors. If you have been ill, are currently ill, or have been around anyone that is ill (or symptomatic), we respectfully ask to see you again in 2022. 3) Attend! We encourage you to join us to relax, catch up and interact. We can't wait to see you there! *PLEASE respect the lives and rights of your other members by observing the proper COVID Protocols **Perfect time to join, if you’re not yet a member. Any one of our Board or Founding members will be glad to help!