Another Exciting and Informative Tele-Conversation TOMORROW!

REGISTER NOW
For a Conversation with Mikki and AmyK Hutchens
Staying Motivated and Profitable in a Lousy Market
TOMORROW! September 29th at 12:00 Noon CST

With over 700 presentations to 20,000+ executives in 7 countries, AmyK is a quick-witted provocateur, stimulating new ideas and connections for your personal and professional profit! And while she's definitely a brain geek, she's capable of letting her hair down, whisking off her glasses and sipping on a great Chardonnay while she shares exactly how the brain comes up with creative ideas for that next incredible Eureka! A fun speaker and storyteller, (AmyK's energy could light up a city and I'm not talking Smallville) with a 100 mph personality, she helps business leaders with innovative sales and leadership strategies. AmyK believes that success happens one conversation at a time, so join us for this fun and intriguing conversation and ignite your brilliance!

NO COST - NO OBLIGATION
SIGN UP NOW
to get the call-in info

Chivalry is Not Dead!

Chivalry is alive and well thanks to the US Army!

I had the pleasure of meeting 2 Star Major General Vinny Boles this summer through a referral. Since then he has become my friend, my mentee, my peer and my inspiration. If it's the Army that produces nice, warm, welcoming, polite, chivalrous men like that, then everyone should sign up at birth.


I can't remember when I have experienced such manners, of the ol' fashioned kind, like opening doors, pulling out a seat AND waiting to push it in, standing when you come back to the table, walking on the outside of the street...and I'm sure if there was a puddle, he'd be laying his jacket over it for me to walk across.

Maybe it's because I'm a July 4th baby that I'm so patriotic towards Vinny, maybe it's simply nice to know that chivalry is not dead. Whatever it is, I'm all for it. Go Army!!!

~ Mikki (Be outrageous!)

Planners' Favorite Speakers

So exciting to be named one of the best speakers by Meetings and Conventions Magazine, July edition! And I'm in unbelievable company - among them: Tony Robbins, Bill Gates, Rudy Giuliani, Colin Powell, Lou Holtz, Zig Ziglar, Mike Ditka, Jay Leno...and ME! It's so gratifying to get this kind of recognition for doing something I love so much. I am an immeasurably lucky gal!

The Girl and The Goat

OK, OK, so it's the hottest restaurant in Chicago, so the chef won some cooking show, so it takes forever to get a reservation so......being the foodie I am, I just had to go. They had me at the menu...but not in a good way. I think I became a vegetarian that night. I do not want to see a menu that is divided into sections that say, appetizers, breads, animals. Animals, yikes!

If that wasn't disheartening enough, the menu items consisted goat balls, pig face wrapped in tongue...had enough. I did! My friend and I left skid marks and had a stomach ache the next day for the little we did consume...smoked duck stuffed shrimp, trust me, we struggled to find something that didn't make us gag.

The irony of it all was coming back from a weekend trip to the largest working ranch in the country and falling in love with a pygmie goat named Li'l Murph. You heard the song, "I kissed a girl"? Well, I kissed a goat!

Festival Schmestival

OK I tried it just one more time, hoping, wishing, praying, it would be new, different, exciting. Maybe it's me. It was the same tired Wells St. Festival it always is, with a sprinkling of crafts that all look alike after awhile (and me, a jewelry afficionado should know:-), an orgy in food (and who wants to eat food that's baking in the sun all day, yowsa) and music, very loud music, OK so I'm older than 21 but still. Now if I sound a bit crabby, (yes, even motivational speakers have off days, shhhh)I am, I just wish someone would take over these festivals and try something fresh, unique or to quote myself, and we know how I love to do that...outrageous!! Have an outrageous week!

Best Buy or Worst Buy

Went to Best Buy to buy my 3rd TV from them this year AND I am a "premium silver" member...remember those two facts before I begin my rant. I had to buy a console to put the TV on, it cost $239.00 and they want to charge me $130.00 to put it together, what's wrong with this picture? I came home and called customer service to find out just what value being a "premium member" was. All I got was, "I will make a note of your dissatisfaction in the file" and the all time worst line to say to an upset customer, "it's our policy".

As someone who teaches customer service, customer experience and customer retention, I was appalled at their lack of responsiveness or empathy for my frustration. Well, being the optimist that I am, at least I have another customer service story for my speech...a really bad example, take that, Best ha Buy!