Women’s Independent Press

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh–Downtown & Business I 12:15 pm

September 3 TechConnect: Ebay Basics
Do you have a garage full of knick knacks, baseball cards or electronic equipment and you’re looking to sell? Looking for rare comic books or a wedding dress? Learn how in this workshop on buying and selling online using Ebay.

September 10 How to use Census Data to Start or Grow Your Business
Presented by Noemi Mendez Eliasen, US Census Bureau
The U.S. Economic Census provides vital five year statistical information on American business and industry performance to track revenue and growth in the American economy. Come learn how to use the Economic Census to start or grow your business.

September 17 How to Start a Child Care Business
Are you interested in starting your own daycare or childcare business? Childcare is slated to be the fastest growing service industry in the United States. Join our panel of experts and learn the rules, regulations and practicalities of opening your own childcare small business.

September 24 Meet the Patents and Trademark Resource Center
Presented by Irene Yelovich, CLP-Main
Discover how the Library can help you navigate the patent searching and filing process. Learn about free resources, what you’ll need to do in order to file a patent yourself, and get tips for efficiently searching the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.

Seating is available for 40 people on a first-come, first seated basis.
Want to know more? Ask a Librarian.
412.281.7141 I www.carnegielibrary.org

Business Exchange Networking Lunch
* Give a 1-2 minute commercial for your business.
* Bring business cards, brochures, and samples.
* Make new business contacts.
Dates and Locations:
Sept. 9- Mount Lebanon, The Devonshire of Mount Lebanon,
1050 McNeilly Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15226
RSVP: email Carol Briney at Carol@CarolABriney.com
Sept. 23- Fox Chapel, Comfort Inn (Old Holiday Inn) in RIDC Park,
Ohara Twp
RSVP: email Carol Briney at Carol@CarolABriney.com

Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Cost: $18 (Bring cash; No-shows will be billed for the lunch)
RSVP: By Monday prior to the event

For more info, go to: http://www.blxnetworking.com .

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Step-by-Step Voice Makeover Strategy for Consultants
Presented by Lynda Stucky, President of Clearly Speaking,
Author of Voice Branding for Executive Leaders: How to Align Your Speech, Language, and Voice Skills With Your Professional Goals
Learn Strategies to Help You Sound Like the Leader You Want to Be
We are all judged by the way we sound—not just what we say.Your message is more compelling with speech, language and voice skills that captivate and engage. You must be likeable and trustworthy to get people to listen to you. Align your speech, your speech, language, and voice skills with your professional goals and see for yourself the impact you will have on your audiences whether you speak to an audience of one or 1000!
Join your Consulting Community colleagues at our next event to increase your awareness of the speech, language and voice competencies that brand you.

• Discover how you would like to be perceived so that you can communicate authentically.
• Explore the 9 speech, language, and voice competencies that every great leader has studied and mastered.
• Understand which speech, language, and voice competencies contribute to likability and trustworthiness.
• Develop ear training techniques so you can monitor your own skills.
• Recognize which vocal traits you have that are strong and which traits could be improved to have more impact.
• Learn simple strategies that you can use immediately that are natural and make you likable and trustworthy.
• Avoid certain characteristics if want to sound like a leader and succeed at the top.
Special Bonus: Quick Start 1st Impression Evaluation:Participants will be able to call in a speech sample and Lynda will give you a “first impression” evaluation of your current speaking skills to tell you what you do well and what you could do differently to have more impact using the 12-point template of your speech, language and voice skills.

Date: September 10, 2012
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Place: Sigmas Conference and Event Center, 1717 Babcock Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15209
Host: Pittsburgh Consulting Community
Cost: $35
RSVP: Suggested by September 4th
To register, contact Michael Couch at michael@mcassociatesinc.com or 412-952-9036.
Or register online at: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ebchv8×4c375b88c &oseq=&c=&ch=

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Fast & Furious: Innovation for Low-Tech Companies
Speaker: Meredith Meyer Grelli, Co-Owner, Wigle Whiskey

How do entrepreneurs infuse their new product development efforts with successful fast cycle innovation? Meredith will discuss the methods that Wigle has implemented to breed innovation, filling its new product pipeline with compelling services, products and programs to meet consumers needs and grow the business each year.
Date: September 11, 2015
Time: 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM (Breakfast served at 7:30 AM)
Place: James Laughlin Music Hall, Chatham University, Shadyside
Host: The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University
Cost: $25 (includes continental breakfast), Students- $12 with valid ID
(Email pdecker@chatham.edu)
RSVP: Suggested by Sept. 8
Questions? Contact 412-365-1253
Register online at: http://www.chatham.edu/cwe/events/wblbseries/
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Organizing Mindfully Workshop Series
Change Your Life From The Inside Out
Presented by Joyce Wilde, Author of The Wilde Woman’s Guide to Organizing in Five Simple Steps: Using Mindfulness to Change Your Habits
If you experience resistance and overwhelm when trying to get organized, come join my Organizing Mindfully workshops!
These workshops focus on assisting women and men who would like to be organized as a way of living — rather than just get temporarily organized. You’ll learn five habits of organizing, along with mindfulness concepts and breathing exercises.
Organizing will probably fail if it only addresses the symptoms of the disorganization and doesn’t get to the root causes. It’s like mowing the dandelions from your yard; they’ll just grow back.You’ll learn how to physically organize yourself and understand the emotional and mental roots that cause disorganization.
Dates: September 12, 19, and 26, 2015
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Place: Ross Community Center (North Hills)
Host: Joyce Wilde
Cost: $65 Ross Resident, $75 Non-Resident (includes a copy of the book The Wilde Woman’s Guide to Organizing)
RSVP: Suggested by September 7th
To register, call 412.996.0111 or email joyce@joycewilde.com.
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Business for Breakfast Networking Event
Topic: The Power of Podcasting your Brand, Business and Message
Featuring: Darieth Chisolm
If you haven’t developed a podcast strategy for your personal brand, business or service offering, now is the time to start thinking about it. The barriers to entry have been lifted, and the benefits are plentiful. It’s no surprise that Entrepreneurs have deemed 2014 the year that podcasting broke through to the mainstream. Listening statistics are through the roof. We’re entering an age of audio as well as video.
It is now easier than ever and the opportunity to grow your influence, income, and social media following are increasing through podcasting. Join Darieth Chisolm, business and podcast coach and Hustle & Heart TV show host for this special training.
Date: Sept. 16, 2015
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Place: Jerome Bettis Grille 36, 393 North Shore Drive, Pittsburgh PA 15212
Host: Pittsburgh Business Times
Cost: $25 (includes continental breakfast)
RSVP: Suggested by Sept. 14th
Register online at: http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/event/
For more info, contact Kelli Komondor at 412-208-3845 or komondor@bizjournals.com.
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Network After Work at Local Bar and Kitchen
Network After Work is America’s premier face-to-face business
networking company with monthly mixer events in over 40 cities
catering to nearly one million members. Attendees make valuable
connections with other members of their business community while
enjoying different exciting venues including clubs, restaurants,
hotels and special event locations. Events attract a diverse mix
of up to several hundred professionals from all industries and
career levels. It all takes place on a weekday right after work
in a fun and relaxed atmosphere conducive to making connections.

Name-tags color coded by industries help sort through the many
opportunities while a free drink and light bites before 7 p.m.
helps get the ball rolling right from the start.

Date: September 16, 2015
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Place: Local Bar & Kitchen, 1515 E Carson St Pittsburgh PA 15203
Host: Network After Work
Cost: $15 in advance /$20 with RSVP at door/$25 without RSVP
RSVP: Suggested by September 11
Register online at:
http://www.networkafterwork.com/city/pittsburgh

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Women’s Power Lunch
Come be a part of the longest running networking luncheon in the
Pittsburgh area. Bring 50 business cards or brochures to hand
out and be prepared to give a short presentation on your business
to introduce yourself to other business women and professionals.

Date: September 18, 2015
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Place: Andora’s Restaurant, 300 Adams Shoppes, Rt. 228, Mars, PA
Cost: $25.00 (Prepayment required)
RSVP: By September 16th
Questions: Contact Suzanne at Suzanne@womenspowerlunch.com
or 724-452-5152.
Register online at: http://www.womenspowerlunch.com

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Masterful Coaching and the ICF Core Competencies
Presenters:
* Janice Manzi Sabatine, Certified Sherpa Executive Coach
* Sr. Susan English, Co-director of the Duquesne University Professional Coach Certification Program
Discover the core competencies of coaching and how they set the structure for a coaching session. This will be followed by a coaching demonstration. An analysis of the demonstration involving audience participation will clearly point out where the core competencies were used and the impact on the client.You will learn the basic structure described in the core competencies for starting and ending the coaching session.
By the end of the presentation, you will have practiced identifying the core competency involved in each coach intervention. You will benefit by becoming more aware of how the core competencies show up at the different credential levels. You will also have an opportunity to reflect on an area defined by the core competencies that you would like to focus on developing to a higher level and to practice in a safe environment.
Small group debrief will allow all participants to benefit from each other’s learning.
Date: September 24, 2015
Place: Sheraton Hotel at Station Square, 300 West Station Square Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Time: 4:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Includes light dinner)
Host: International Coach Federation, Pittsburgh Chapter
Cost: By 5 p.m., Sept. 16: Members -$79, Nonmembers-$95.
After 5 p.m., Sept. 16: Members-$95, Nonmembers-$95
Register online at http://icf-pittsburgh.org/masterful-coaching-and-the-icf-core-competencies-thursday-September-24-2015/
Further info: contact Roberta Rollings at Pghcoachesassoc@aol.com.
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Jazz Happy Hour Networking
A casual twice-a month networking event for those interested in
business innovation in Pittsburgh. A jazz, soul and blues
happy hour show plus open-mike interviews with local executives.

Created by Jessica Lee, a successful entrepreneur and musician,
Jessica Lee’s Jazz Happy Hour promotes live music in downtown
Pittsburgh and assists the entrepreneurial networking of the
region with funding and partnering opportunities.

Date: September 30, 2015
Time: 6:00 - 8 p.m.
Place: Rivers Club, One Oxford Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Host: Jessica Lee
Cost: $5 (hors d’ouevres included)
Jazz Networking events are held on the second and final
Wednesdays of each month. For information on upcoming events,
visit http://www.jessicaleesong.com/jazz-networking/

To RSVP, call 412-391-5227 or email erin.sustar@ourclub.com.

PLEASE RSVP TODAY!
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Meet Heather Arnet, Candidate for the PA Senate, 37th District.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Meet
6:00 PM
Where: Rivers Club, Oxford Center
Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: $30 (Includes Dinner)
RSVP: Kathie Bowman by Tuesday,
October 6, 2015 at kbowman @kellingtonprotection.com
Heather Arnet, a Mt. Lebanon Democrat who is the CEO of the Women and Girls Foundation, announced her candidacy Tuesday for the state Senate seat opened with the resignation of former Sen. Matt Smith. Mr. Smith’s successor will be chosen in a special election that will coincide with the November general election.
“Too many in our state are working hard, playing by the rules, and falling behind,” Ms Arnet said in the statement announcing her decision. “I will work tirelessly in the state Senate to put the needs of children, families, seniors and all hardworking Pennsylvanians first for a change.”

Ms. Arnet, 41, is a Carnegie Mellon University graduate who has made her home in the Pittsburgh region since 2000. She lives in Mt. Lebanon with her husband and their 12-year-old son. Before moving to Mt. Lebanon, Ms. Arnet was a member of the Pittsburgh school board from 2007 to 2009. In addition to her 12-year tenure as CEO of the Women and Girls Foundation, Ms. Arnet chairs the Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership at the University of Pittsburgh, which works to enhance professional and institutional ethics, and as board chairwoman of the Ms. Foundation, founded by Gloria Steinem and Marlo Thomas.

The Zonta Club of Pittsburgh believes that we need to support good female candidates not only with our vote but with our checkbooks. Please consider making a donation to the candidate of your choice this election.

October 7th – Inspired Women Paying it Forward-
Wednesday – 6 to 7PM - Philanthropic Networking at one-hour,
quarterly meetings! Nominate your favorite Women’s non-profit
locally and globally for a chance to win up to $10,000! - Doubletree
Hilton
www.InspiredWomen.com -
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TeamEffortEvents/fa862f6a50/d10ff7e0df/71ecf8f75d

Our next meeting for “Inspired Women Paying it
Forward” is Wednesday, October 7th where we once again focus on
Local non-profits benefitting women and girls. Last quarter was our
International focus and we were able to generate $2800 to hire a
female teacher for KCEP ( Kenya Christian Education Partnership). In
that part of the world it’s very difficult for girls to be allowed
in schools. They need our help! See more at www.EducateforHope.org -
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TeamEffortEvents/fa862f6a50/d10ff7e0df/aa47f3599c

Everyone is invited to check out a meeting once with no obligation!
It’s only one hour and if you join it’s only $100 quarterly! Come
network and see the benefits of Collective Giving with Collective
Impact as we continue to build this chapter to 100+ women generating
$10,000 each quarter for women and girls in need! Grab a girlfriend
and attend or share this link. Details on Facebook -
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TeamEffortEvents/fa862f6a50/d10ff7e0df/c017b99919 and www.InspiredWomen.com -
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TeamEffortEvents/fa862f6a50/d10ff7e0df/6f4483a186

Myra Toomey
FEARS… TEARS… CHEERS
Crisis Center North is celebrating with a special internationally known speaker – Dora E. McQuaid. Dora is an award winning poet, activist, speaker and teacher whose work embodies the intersections of arts and activism, service and empowerment. “An Evening with Dora E. McQuaid, Poet. Activist. Speaker. Teacher.” is being sponsored by Verizon. This highlight of Domestic Violence Awareness Month will be held on Wednesday, October 28th beginning at 6 PM at the historic Andrew Carnegie Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, PA.
Dora performs, speaks and teaches internationally, works collaboratively with a wide array of artists and activists and publishes widely. She will be discussing her groundbreaking book, the scorched earth, as well as having a book signing after her presentation. the scorched earth is a collection of poems about Dora’s journey from victimization to survivorship, through healing from a history of both sexual and domestic violence into empowerment and advocacy.
Domestic violence is everyone’s business. Crisis Center North empowers victims of domestic violence to make choices for positive living. Crisis Center North is committed to assisting victims of domestic violence in our community through a variety of resources and confidential services. The Center provides free empowerment counseling and advocacy to adult, teen, and child victims of domestic violence in the northern and western communities of Allegheny County. Crisis Center North also provides educational programming to community and school programs. Services are provided to individuals regardless of race, age, gender, disability, economic status, or sexual orientation.
Tickets for this event are available at www.crisiscenternorth.org. VIP tickets are $75 and limited to the first 30 individuals. Doors for the VIP event open at 6 PM. This gives individuals an opportunity to interact with Ms. McQuaid, in addition they receive reserved parking, a pre-event reception and a special one of a kind gift to remember the evening. General attendance is $50 and includes the Keynote presentation, refreshments afterward and a book signing. The doors will open at 6:45 for General admission tickets. North Allegheny High School String Quartet will be providing background music during the book signing. Food is being catered by Stephen’s Kitchen.
This exciting presentation is underwritten by a sponsorship from Hopeline® from Verizon. Through Hopeline, Verizon collects no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries, chargers and accessories in any condition, from any service provider and turn them into financial support for domestic violence awareness and prevention initiatives. Verizon also donates wireless phones through the HopeLine program, complete with service and data, to domestic violence shelters and non-profit organizations for use by victims and survivors.
Since 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 11.4 million phones, donated more than $29 million in cash grants, and provided more than 190,000 phones with wireless service and data to domestic violence organizations nationwide. Crisis Center North encourages all attendees to bring along any unused wireless phones that they may have to be collected at this event.
Additional Domestic Violence Awareness Month activities through Crisis Center North include:
Purple River Project on Saturday, October 3rd
Hearing the Whispers and Roars, October 9th
Witch’s Ball, October 29th
For additional information please visit www.crisiscenternorth.org/events or contact Myra at 412.364.6728 x15. Tickets are available for both VIP and general admission.

By Tom Winschel
Social Security District Manager in Pittsburgh, PA
In 1985, after making it back to the future from 1955, Marty joined Doc for a drive 30 years into the future. That future is now.
If the alternate 2015 of the Back to the Future film series were accurate, we’d be easing along on hover boards, navigating skyways in flying cars, and enjoying the luxuries of self-lacing sneakers and self-fitting jackets.
In that imagined 2015, we conduct business by fax and watch multiple channels of entertainment on the wall.
In some ways, the real 2015 is far more advanced than the imagined one of the movies. You don’t see any computers or online services in the movie — let alone the computers most of us carry around with us in the form of smart phones and tablets.
In the real 2015, you can do a far better job of predicting your own future. Just visit the Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator. With the Retirement Estimator, you can plug in some basic information to get an instant, personalized estimate of your future benefits. Different choices in life can alter the course of your future, so try out different scenarios such as higher and lower future earnings amounts and various retirement dates to get a good prediction of how such things can change your future benefit amounts.
As Doc said in the final moments of the film series, no one’s future has been written yet. “Your future is what you make it. So make it a good one.”
With the information you get from the Retirement Estimator, you’ll have a better idea of what types of savings and pensions you may need, and at what age you should consider retiring — to make your future the best it can be.
You don’t need a converted DeLorean or flux capacitor or even a team of creative filmmakers to predict your future. Just visit the Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
And when you’re ready to put that future in motion, apply for benefits online at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline

That on September 12, 1910 – Alice Stebbins Wells, a former social worker, became the first woman police officer with arrest powers in the U.S. (Los Angeles, CA)?

That on September 14, 1964 – Helen Keller received the Presidential Medal of Freedom along with 4 other women: Dr. Lena Edwards, Lynn Fontainne, Dr. Helen Taussig, and Leontyne Price ?

That on September 14, 1975 – Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized and became the first American-born saint-founded the first U.S. Order of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph ?

That on September 20, 1973 – Billie Jean King defeated Bobby “No-Broad-Can-Beat-Me” Riggs in the battle of the sexes tennis match ?

That on September 25, 1981 – Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in as the first woman U.S. Supreme Court Justice ?

That on September 26, 1971 – Rep. Shirley Chisholm (D-New York) announced she will enter the Democratic presidential primaries ?

That on September 26, 1973 – Capt. Lorraine Potter, an American Baptist minister, became the first woman U.S. Air Force chaplain ?

That on September 29, 1988 – Stacy Allison becomes first American woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest ?

Go to www.wipp.org. Click on ChallengeHer Pittsburgh, in the lower right calendar area.
When: Tuesday, September 22, 2015
8:00 (registration) 9:00 to 12:30 (sessions)

Where: Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers
10 South 19th Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15203

Contact: Lin Stuart
LStuart@wipp.org
Phone: 415-878-1575
Pittsburgh, PA
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 * 8:00 am to 12:30 pm
Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers * 10 South 19th Street, PA 15203

Information is power!
In order to successfully navigate the federal contracting industry and win federal contracts, you MUST know the rules and understand the strategy.
ChallengeHER has assisted woman business owners all across the country to help them understand the Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Procurement Program, the federal procurement process, and to connect them with the right people. With this knowledge, you are much better positioned to grow your business and increase your revenue.
WOSB federal contractors can have a unique opportunity to:
➢ Learn about the WOSB Set Aside and how to market your business under this program
➢ Network with peer mentors and other women business owned firms
➢ A Panel of women business owners share tips and real-life stories in federal contracting
➢ Contracting Officer’s panel to talk about the best practices of working with federal agencies

www.scorepittsburgh.com

Back when I started my business, social media was just starting to gain in popularity. “What’s a tweet?” I remember thinking. How quickly have things changed in just a few years?
There are now over 2 billion social media users worldwide!
More than half (52 percent) of those use two or more social media sites.
I’ve become a Twitter goddess.
Not really, but I do realize the importance of social media in business and I’ve learned a few things over the years. Here are some of my best tips:
Social Media1. Post everywhere! I post our content on Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google +, but Twitter is where I spend most of my time. I not only post my own content, but also tweet content written by others that I think is interesting.
2. Get organized. You need tools to manage your social media. I’m a big fan of HootSuite and Tweetdeck.
3. Use analytics. Many social media platforms have introduced analytics for their users. The ones at Twitter and Pinterest are quite robust. You need to determine what you’re using social media for in order to determine your ROI.
4. Be present. Make sure you check your social media interactions constantly and answer quickly. Most likely you will have to delegate this task to someone on staff or hire a freelancer to help.
5. Be responsive. Most negative comments are complaints about products or services. Make sure you post an apology and then take the interaction offline so you can make amends either by refund or replacement.
6. Be visual. Facebook posts containing photos accounted for 87 percent of all network interactions in 2014. There are plenty of easy-to-use apps available that can help make your posts more visual.
7. Keep them coming back. Make sure you’re posting coupons and discounts to encourage customers to check their feeds often for your posts.
8. Try paid posts. Advertisers worldwide are expected to spend $23.68 billion on paid media to reach consumers on social networks this year, according to eMarketer. Test out a few targeted posts to reach new customers and see what type of posts get responses.
About the Author
Rieva Lesonsky, HeadshotRieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Email Rieva at rieva@smallbizdaily.com, follow her onGoogle+ and Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website, SmallBizDaily.com, to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for Rieva’s free TrendCast reports.