Thank you to MY Beautiful Women….

….as we acknowledge International Women’s Day I thought I’d like to do so by way of sharing a rendition of a letter I originally sent to a long list of my “angels”, back in 2008.

HERE I serve to acknowledge, that which has grown exponentially for me, since that first writing in 08, the great value that I’ve been Gifted by MY Beautiful Women, and for which I am truly grateful. You all ROCK!

Some of you I call my family….my mother and mother in law, sisters, daughters, nieces, aunts and cousins.

 

Some of you are old friends from lives gone by… school chums from Kitchener and Winnipeg and from my years living overseas in Haiti, Thailand and Taiwan…and also from the 4 years in Ontario with my young and growing family.
Some of you are my “Maine” friends, where you’ve contributed to making it my home for 13 years….before my move to Maryland just over 3 years ago.

 

Some of you are my new “Eastern Shore” friends that I’ve met through church choir, the gym, or the Chesapeake Women’s Network.
Some of you are customers that have become more than that as we both took the chance and got personal.

Some of you are business owners, like myself, that I have met as a result of being out there doing my business.

Some of you I came to know through the business of raising and selling our golden retrievers.

Some of you I’ve met through my membership with WITHIT and High Point Design Center.

Some of you I have been blessed to have as partners/support in my business at ZAAR.

 

Some of you are people that have simply come across my path and we have “connected”….be it by way of a blog, twitter, instagram and/or facebook.

ALL of you are women of substance.
ALL of you have touched my life in a way that you cannot know.
ALL of you have shared with me a part of you that I now call my own.

All of you have a Story.

All of you are Beautiful.
And ALL of you have given of yourself to me, and I now would like to give back, by, letting you know….

My life has been enriched by the force that comes from sharing with other women…..  And,what I know for sure is that the presence of each and every woman that has come into  my life has contributed towards my life moving forward.

And so, just this moment to say thank you…

Thank you for being there.
Thank you for being who you are.
Thank you for the ear.
Thank you for your caring.
Thank you for your understanding.

Thank you for your encouragement and support..
Thank you for your gift of friendship.

Thank you for your sharing.

Thank you for your example.

Thank you for adding to my “light”.

Thank you for opening my world to this wonderful “sisterhood” and becoming part of my Circle of Angels. I am so blessed.

Ruth

 

Attending Withit Events Works for Me because…

..because there is no better Gift I could give myself AND my business. End of Story. How’s that for a testimonial eh?

This is not the first time I have written about the value of attending a WITHIT event…  and in fact over the past 4 years I have in one form or another included a reflection, where I have been effusive about what I have garnered from attending a WITHIT sponsored event. Why? Because I get so juiced up about it and can’t stand other people not knowing about it/missing the opportunity.  

Seriously, aside from having High Point Market dates set in stone I also have the annual WITHIT leadership conference, which takes place each August, and the WITHIT sponsored New York City inside design tour, which takes place each May, as solid don’t mess with my schedule dates, as they are booked!

Why? Well, I already stated that succinctly above, but more so, as my years in WITHIT grow in number so do the benefits that I reap as I embrace all that membership in this vital networking group has to offer, and there is no better way to get sold on the benefits of being a WITHIT member then by attending their leadership conferences. Talk about bang for your buck!

As with every WITHIT sponsored event it is done first class. Great venues. Inspiring speakers. Breakout sessions, round tables (of which I had the honor of moderating one a couple of years back), and loads of opportunities to start and foster friendships that simply grow organically as you take this time to be with what feels like a curated group of women that are your peers and subsequently your friend once you say hello.

Jena Hall, one of the founding members of WITHIT, implanted an image in my mind, during her presentation a couple of years back, that epitomizes my association with what  I’ve coined as my #withitgalpals….and that is of a string of women, on a stairwell if you will, each with her arms outstretched. Each is reaching up with her right arm as someone is there grasping it/ elevating her and with her other arm each is reaching down as she is elevating another. THAT in a nutshell is  what I feel about my experience at each and every gathering. We each have something to get and we each have something to give. Perfection! Need to create that actual image at next conference, don’t you think?

I write this on the cusp of the Spring 2014 High Point Furniture Market . I’ve been participating in the furniture market since 2004. My, how my Market experience has changed since those early days of coming here alone and working alone….

Here in 2014  am looking forward to sharing a house with 5 other women, all of whom I am honored to call my friends…or my withitgalpals, as we all indeed share membership in this group and how I met them all.  🙂

I look forward to attending the WITHIT sponsored events, including pre market kick off, Sunday breakfast and Competitive Intelligence,  where I can foster those budding relationships and spark new ones….and also be educated/inspired!

I look forward to hosting my own Lunch n Learn on Sunday, where John Lusher will be speaking on Social Media for Interior Designers….John, who I initially “met” on twitter back in 2009 via fellow WITHIT members. I look forward to having, as I have had the pleasure of experiencing in Market’s past,  a bevy of WITHIT supporters attend said event. And I look forward to using this event as a platform to promote WITHIT to my guests. 

I similarly  look forward to supporting the many WITHIT members that have showrooms, are hosting events, seminars/lunches/parties and/or are launching product lines in various showrooms.  The list here is impressive and way too long to include here.

I look forward to spending a fair bit of time in the CR Laine Showroom, where my Chinese antiques are working hand in hand to showcase the wonderful products put out by this NC based company. Their VP of merchandising, a WITHIT connection initially sparked on facebook and then fostered at Market breakfasts, has grown into a mutually satisfying trade partnership and friendship…simultaneously.

We are an impressive lot, if I do say so myself, and we are entrenched in the High Point Market at so many levels….to the point where High Point Market practically serves as another WITHIT sponsored event.

So, yes, quite abit to look forward to. What a great back drop with which to do business all the while, wouldn’t you say?

And you know where I will be May 16-19 and Aug 11-13.  Hope to  have the pleasure of seeing you in New York and Atlanta GA respectively as well.

In the meanwhile, a successful High Point Market to all.

Ruth

 

 

 

 

WITHIT in Action: Sag Harbor Tour, Hampton Holiday House and…

….DRINKS With Libby, and, and, and….

WITHIT,  is first and foremost a networking group for, just as it’s acronym says, Women in The Home Furnishings Industry Today…but what you possibly don’t count on, is the Gift of hard and fast friendship that you receive from so many of the women that you meet as you frequent the events planned by the organization. It’s like a pool of people have been handpicked for you and all you need to do is show up and fuel the connection that has been ignited by shared membership in this group. How cool is that?

I first joined WITHIT in 2008, and by the nature of the person who introduced me to the organization, the ever so lovely Kathleen Holterman, I knew I would be in good company. However, it would take me until 2010 to FINALLY manage it into my schedule  to attend their annual NYC  Inside Design Tour, blog on most recent tour here….of which I now plan as part of my April each year, followed by attending  the Leadership Conference that same year, held each August…ditto there. NOT to be missed.

What I didn’t anticipate this year was a 2nd Design Tour to follow in June. How lucky could I be???  Yes, it would be my good fortune to be included on what I have quipped as the Long Island Inside Design Tour as organized by Deborah Klein, of DK Inside Designer…who I met on that very first NYC tour, and have been friends with since.

The ever generous Deborah pulled together a fabulous weekend that was delicious on so many fronts that I hardly know where to start.  She seamlessly brought together a group of people that knew each other, Betty Lyn Eller, Alicia Connolly, herself and yours truly (yes, all WITHIT members/who spent the weekend together….TOO much to write about/include here)  and merged us on Sunday with NY based Designers that she does business with ,each that just knew Deborah, and toured us around Sag Harbor, orchestrated lunch in the park, a visit to English Country Antiques and then to the inaugural Hampton Holiday House before heading to the home of Libby Langdon for cocktails, photo opps and more time to mingle/get to know each other.

She used the Holiday House as the anchor,  to gather us all together, and created a day of it.

And before going any further, if you haven’t had a chance to visit the Holiday House, you still have until Monday July 21st to do so….it is worth it and it supports the cause of Breast Cancer Research.

Everyone tours these homes with their unique perspective, but the takeaway is the same…of being visually  and creatively delighted and inspired.

Personally for me it was my delight to see two of my Antiques by Zaar customers presenting rooms at the house. Thom Filicia, AbyZaar customer since 2002 and WITHIT Supporter,  happen chanced by for a visit and took the time for a photo with our group, and Design House of the Hamptons, customer since 2011,which positioned an Antiques by Zaar Chinese Greek Key Console  in their “ladies room”.

And of course a pleasure to support the work of fellow WITHIT member Libby Langdon, who took on the project of the hallway to showcase her new line of peelable wall paper, skills as a photographer and her carpet line.

After said inspiring visit it was off to Libby’s Long Island home for a cozy evening of cocktails. As we took over her living room, the energy and fervor was audible as the air filled with the dance of words as women that had only met that day became friends.

We were a group of 11, 4 of which held membership in WITHIT…. one of us being the 2013 president. Somewhere in the course of the chatter a natural opening came for Betty Lynn to espouse the benefits of joining WITHIT and participating in our events. IE, you want more of “this” then come on along and you will NOT be disappointed….and she had 4 in the peanut gallery supporting this, including our 2 hosts.

End of the evening we all left giving each other hugs and saying how great it was to get to know you/promises to stay connected…and with social media, an easy promise to keep.

Yes, we all had in common the bond that we work in some part of the Home Furnishings Industry. A more salient bond is  that most of us also share the common denominator of working solo…be it in home office or studio, and although dealing with people and product daily, we work in a bubble. On a day like this the bubble was broken for many of us as we joined with others that experience a similar working environment.

Deborah, you did good. Thank you so much for joining us all together and orchestrating all…taking us out of our respective bubbles and leading us through an inspirational day…and for some of us weekend.

And Libby, thank you for your kind hospitality in opening up your home to us.

I for one left the weekend feeling like I was on a cloud, with immense gratitude  for how my world continues to be enriched by the gift of friendship from my growing bevy of “gal pals”…and not to forget all the Design Inspiration.

For pix of the Design Tour Day, click here, and for pix of the entire weekend click here.

Ruth

P.S. My walk on a cloud continued for yet another two days as I extended my time in Long Island to visit Antiques by Zaar customer, since 2002,  come friend, Sylvia Muller, proprietor of the Mill House Inn in East Hampton….THE place to stay in the Hamptons…and, per new AbyZaar customer/old friend of the Mullers suggested, it  could also be touted as the Antiques by Zaar Showroom of the Hamptons for all the AbyZaar merchandise that has found a home at Mill House.

 

Woman to Woman….

….we are here to Lift Up and to Be Lifted Up.  

I LOVE the image this evokes, don’t you? Thank you Jenna Hall for implanting this in my brain, during your address to the WITHIT Conference attendees what is now 2 years ago. Will need to capture that image in real life…next WITHIT event 🙂

Seriously, we ALL have something to offer each other. Nobody has nothing to give. But we are all at different places in our lives, and it only takes a spark of a conversation for the door to open for such a beautiful transaction to occur where you either find yourself Giving or Getting….the real beauty in that you Get when you Give…this is not new news eh?.

And what a beautiful thing to experience this first hand, full out, with a group of women, Gifting this to each other. This is what has been my experience this past 3 days in New York, as a participant of WITHIT’s Annual NYC Inside Design Tour….and it can be yours too. Yes, a plug for WITHIT’s Annual Conference right here.

It is my 4th year on the tour, and each tour I come away with the self same feeling of exuberance ,of being fully recharged/energized and just plain excited for the camaraderie that has been felt throughout the entire event, and this year is no different….why should it be?  All the ingredients for a fantastic experience are there.

The Venue/The  Planning Team

NYC as the “venue”. How can you go wrong there?

Hostesses Betty Lyn Eller, yes, our 2013 prez, and Jana Platina-Phipps (and committee of Deboarh Klein and Alicia Connolly)  care so  deeply about the experience they want the tour members to have and it shows. Each year simply builds on the year before.

The Doors We Were Welcomed Into

This year the weekend was launched with a cocktail party  in the to die for apartment of a client of Mary Knackstead, WITHIT member….and so much more,  topped off with a book signing of Stiletto Network by Pamela Rykman.

Other Doors?  Carpet Town, Baker, Crosby Street Hotel…all in Soho, Good Housekeeping Research Institute, Tinsel Trading, Global Views Showroom,  and Apartment Therapy …also a WITHIT member.

This is by no means a complete list…yes, we covered ALOT of ground…. of what we experienced this weekend…simply these are the places and people that hosted us,welcomed us, and fed us, ever so graciously….and on Sunday it was a group of drowned rats that came through each door….ending with a wonderful sit down dinner at the National Arts Club, thank you to WITHIT member/artist Barbara Krohn, for opening this door for us, topped off with a book signing by designer Celerie Kemble.

The Tour Members

As members of WITHIT, the one thing we all have in common is an affiliation to the Home Furnishings Industry. And under that umbrella there is a phenomenal  gambit of expertise, from all angles and spectrum s of the industry, which in and of itself is inspiring.

The other thing we all have in common is that we have each taken time out of our busy lives to come together for 3 days of “inspiration” as that is what we’ve been promised…ie, it better be worth it eh??? 🙂

I don’t think I am out of line in saying that every single participant of the tour left NY with a glow…one that was garnered from a weekend that wasn’t only educational and inspirational from the well crafted and executed program, but was completed by the many exchanges that happened at the cocktail parties, lunches/dinners, and yes, walking from one event to the other.  We all left feeling like we had fed off of each other…feeling less alone, feeling understood,  supported, inspired and acknowledged….and more.

Yes, WITHIT is definitely part of the “Stiletto Network”….and I am so thrilled to be part of what is a new and exciting movement that is sweeping the nation….of women, executed by women and not only for other women but for the world. As we join forces, helping each other UP, we are indeed changing the world.

Ruth

P.S. Want more pix of the WITHIT weekend in NYC ?  Check out the Pinterest Board where all are invited to post our fave pix.  Also, HERE are my pix on my personal Facebook page.

 

My Biz/My Life/My Voice/My Blog: Here we go!

Working my way back to sharing my voice by way of my blog, and have been wrestling with which of the many topics swirling around in my head I should put out there first. This posting appears to be necessary back drop for me to move forward,  for there is no lack of material to write about…

Recent High Point Market has provided enough food for thought, on the products, on the people and on the businesses of the people with the product, that I could simply, well, go on  forever.

Similarly October being  Breast Cancer Awareness Month offers me yet more. My affinity to support  Breast Cancer Research, but also cancer in general, personally, and through my business, and the stories behind those people that have been affected by  cancer, that are dear to me, gives me more to talk about.

On Moving….why you move to where you do and how you manage it. Yes, fresh on the brain as just moved from Maine to Maryland after 13 years….but with past experiences moving around the world…Canada, Haiti, Thailand, Taiwan, and finally the States….I do have some experiences to share. Overseas I was considered abit of an “expert” on living as an expat…mostly about attitude eh?

On Entrepreneurship….the role model of my parents, the role model I’d like to be for others, with experience of 2 businesses, growing into a 3rd  business.   The desire to support those that have taken on the not so secure, but oh so satisfying life of working for oneself….taking the risks and accepting the challenges that although unique to each business, are shared challenges faced by all entrepreneurs, embracing the attitude  “failure is not an option”.

On Building Relationships online…remembering the pioneer I was in being the first online only seller of Chinese Antiques, of doing “warm fuzzy” e blasts long before social media and online relationship building was a “trend”. Of the values of building trust and confidence in you as a person is the only way to promote your product and how Social Media has opened doors for all levels of businesses and is ours for the taking as we move on with Patience, Persistence and Presence!!!!

On the Power of Womankind …and what we mean to each other, lifting each other up, and the value in being open to the women in your world and how doing such can change your world…

On the Value of Collaboration….so  many many fine examples I have before me of companies and people that believe, as I do, that there is enough for everybody to go around. Share the resources! Everybody wins…which brings me to my new entity ZAAR Design Center, which is moving from being an infant stages to greater maturity/value….and the Gift this continues to be.

On the lessons of life learned by being a parent….what our kids can teach us. How parenting changes as our children grow and as we grow to know ourselves better, and as we learn to respond to, rather than react to what life throws us…sharing this with our children as they each evolve into their own persons.

On the challenges of the economy….and what that has meant to the lot of us. Again, how we respond to it. How it can open doors for us…doors that otherwise may not have opened.

On setting Goals, or setting a back drop for said Goals,  and the Power of that…

On being Grateful. For the Gift of Life. For the Gift of Family. For the Gift of Health.  For the Gift of People that Believe in You/Support You/Lift you….yes, for Friends.  For the Gift of 2nd Chances. For the Gift of Faith, Hope and Love.

Yes, I have LOTS and LOTS to write about and the blogs that will follow will touch any number of these themes….ALL of which are relevant to the essence of what is MY Voice.  Yes, I have “stuff” to share and for those fellow bloggers out there…I think you’d agree that blogging is as much an exercise in how to share your personal voice as it is to introduce people to you/your business.

I look forward to delving deeper into the blogs of my peers as I make my way deeper into the blogging world.

….and on that note I welcome myself back after what was an apparently needed hiatus.
Ruth

 

 

Getting from There to Here/Moving from Here to There…

…OR Change, Change, Change, OR Ending a Chapter/Starting a Chapter, OR to Uplifting and Being Uplifted, OR We Women Rock….or simply Thank YOU!

Yes, this blog has been mulling about in my head for weeks now….feeling the need to acknowledge not only what has been a very clear change in my life, central to this being the recent sale and move from what was our home in Maine for the past 13 years….to starting a new life in Maryland, address yet to be confirmed, but to also acknowledge the forces that have contributed to getting me from “there to here” and which I count on getting me from “here to there”

Yes, I am very well aware that it is all “up to me” but I cannot deny the “forces’ of which I speak of, which come in the form of  that growing bevy of womankind which have come into my Life, and which I can call my friends.

To my Maine based gals….

I thank you for sending me off so well. For those that attended my pre launch of yard sale party, to those that similarly attended the lovely soiree at Connemara Farm, by Anne, my neighbor and friend… to the  many that I was able to connect with for a farewell lunch or dinner.  I felt so incredibly embraced and loved.

For you, Nancy Morin, YOU were by my side for almost an entire year as we moved from one stage to another in making the move happen….moving forward when I felt stalled, assuring me of your calm presence and assistance right to the day the movers showed up.  You kept me from going over the edge, and I felt there often, and quite simply pressed on. I purged and you packed. You organized my barn into a full fledged Good Will Store for 2 two day yard sales and posted items on Craig’s List so I could do my part and sell sell sell.

To Nancy Strojny, my SCORE mentor and Carol Emerson of Custom House Business Services, I thank you for giving me latitude as I allowed this move to consume me emotionally, BUT did your jobs and brought me back, reminding me of the business that is mine/dependent on me to breathe life into it and spurring me to the next step knowing when this move was behind me that I would return to  nurture and grow this Gift I have in my business.

To my daughter Avery, who upon graduation from college, yup, last one!  and after being away at school for the last 4 years… spent a full 3 months with me. What a delight!

To my team in North Carolina, Jeff Moore and Sherry Mitchell, who, over the summer did a phenomenal job keeping all in a forward moving motion, initiating a complete revamp of the ZAAR Design Center, managing Designer Wednesdays and more. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. check out pix of the fine work here…and plan to come have dessert with us 9/12/12 and see for yourself! I’ll be there.

These forces, these women, all helped get me from There to Here, and I know that they remain with me as I continue to move on.

Further to this I add as a collective, the fine Women I find myself connected to through my membership in Withit.

How great it was to attend the recent WITHIT conference which was themed Pathways to Success: Strategies, Connections & Meaning.  A conference I touted I knew I couldn’t afford to miss, and as I shared on Leslie Carouther’s facebook….

I went to the conference this year, as I have past 2 years, KNOWING what I was needing/expecting…not only from the exceptional speakers I knew would be lined up, but also from the opportunity to meet/get to know better, the wonderful array of professional women that run and attend this conference. I was not to be disappointed in the least. If there was to be a big takeaway it is that simple reminder that it is indeed all up to me and it is indeed possible…to do/be all that I vision for myself. The conference itself is such a great venue for exceptional giving and getting.

Nuts and bolts is that were it not for the exceptional women that I’ve allowed into my life, and I’ve just scratched the surface here, my life would be so “without”. What I love is that there is as much giving as getting that goes on….that as I have been uplifted I know I have uplifted others, that as I have been mentored, that I can also offer mentoring. There is no base line here. It is a kinship of Kindred Souls….each of us reaching, each of us relating, each of us caring and each of sharing.

It is by doing all of this that we can indeed get from there to here, and move from here to there…each finding our way to do what we can to Elevate ourselves,  Be our Best Selves, and Shine Shine Shine.

….and so onward we go, individually, yet collectively, to make a difference for ourselves and to those whose lives we touch and whose lives subsequently touch us.

Yes, thank you for Being a Friend.

Ruth

 

Feeling “WITHIT”…and you can too.

Although I carry with me every day many wonderful  “takeaways” after attending each WITHIT conference, see blog posting from last year,  I would be remiss in  “moving forward” without an acknowledgement by way of a blog posting from last week’s conference….besides, this is kind of expected from me by now eh..sharing said takeaways.

So, between hurricane Irene, and thus a power outage, and heading to Ireland, with husband to mark our landmark 25th anniversary, I am going to shoot out a few words, joining my many fellow WITHIT members who are similarly posting on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

The “takeaways” are numerous….

A reconnection with friends.

New connections….and GREAT to see so many students with us!

New opportunities for my business. You can anticipate reading about this in future blogs/newsletters 🙂

New opportunities to help others with their business. Thank you for the honor of leading your blogging roundtable.

A renewed appreciation for how and why WITHIT came into being in the first place. Thank you Jena Hall for sharing…

A true sense of this vision being just as strong today. Thank you to the leaders who remain so committed to the vision…

Opportunity to applaud,see, hear and be touched by iconic women in our industry/role models each in their own right.

WOW awards…..

An awareness of the “new world” we are in and what that means for how we approach our business. Keynote Elm Street Economics.

A better understanding of all that I can do with my iphone, in addition to grabbing emails, texting and oh yeah, using as a phone. 🙂 Pre conference workshop.

BUT, it is the pervasive Spirit that I am enveloped with me that anchors me/serves as my “core” …

For all of above is couched in a Spirit of…

Empowerment

Support

Encouragement

Professionalism

Acknowledgment

Understanding

Celebration

Acceptance

For the women of WITHIT share more than the commonality of being associated with the Home Furnishings Business, they are…

Professional….yet cuddly…I so know there are photos out of the snuggle bunnies on sofas at the bar.

Personable

Real

Dynamic

Colorful….in personality and in how they dress….many loving a “splash” of color…so fun!

Connected…in all the right ways 🙂

Have a Voice and are not afraid to use it….whether in written, spoken word or in song.

Are willing and eager to share, listen, support, uplift, encourage, mentor and be mentored.

Knowingly a little “gushy” here but I simply can’t emphasize enough the value of being part of a community of supportive and like minded women. So, if you are part of the Home Furnishings Industry, do yourself a favor and join WITHIT. If you’re not, go out and find yourself a community…and don’t let geography deter you, many online groups offer same...but do it.

I am able to nurture and grow my business, because I have taken the time to nurture and grow myself….and with that I am “powered on” and you can too!

Soooo, get Withit and feel yourself grow and glow!

Ruth

P.S. Am well aware of lack of photos in this missive and there are numerous reasons I am going against what I preached at my blogging roundtable re importance of having images help grab your reader. But I simply felt that this message needed be posted now…not a week from now, when I’d have a chance to get photos for this….gives me reason to “repurpose” and send with photos at a later date 🙂

 

WITHIT: WOW for our Colorful NYC Inside Design Event!

 

For those of us that took the bait to “REGISTER NOW” for the 5th annual WITHIT/Women in the Home Furnishings Industry Today,  sponsored tour, we were not to be disappointed….and having attended same tour last year, you can read about that here, I already anticipated coming away enthralled and delighted, as certainly was the case….

Per the comprehensive brochure/itinerary we all received, the tour this year was “woven together through the universal language of color“.  The “color journey” for the group began with the individual visions of the Kips Bay Showhouse designers

….the Saturday tour, which I chose to not  attend, for I had started my own personal colorful start to the weekend by tripping over my own feet Friday night, which left me with the gift of a sprained ligament. I was responsible and kept said foot up on ice all day Saturday and thus was able to join the group for the following two days.

Sunday, on a pair of crutches, my husband escorted me into the city, from Long Island, where I met up with the group at the Javits Center, where, like last year, we would visit assorted exhibits, at the ICFF /International Contemporary Furniture Fair….again, the presentation given by various exhibitors, particularly  in the Spanish Pavillion was most interesting.

Although the draw to visit the Cooper -Hewitt National Design Museum was the exhibition of “Art and Fashion by Sonia Delaunay”, have to say that visiting the colorful and exquisite Van Cleef jewellery collection had us all rather enraptured as well. Thank you to Mary Leigh, our 2011 WITHIT prez, for  chauffeuring me in the wheel chair I was offered and decided to take the break for my wounded wing.

… the finale for this jam packed day would be a cocktail party preceding a most personable presentation, with q and a time following, by Wendy Goodman, New York Magazine Design Editor, who shared with us her lifetime relationship with the iconic Gloria Vanderbilt, one built on trust, and which thusly led Gloria to  collaborate with  Wendy to do the first and only authorized illustrated biography of this legendary designer, decorator, aritist, model, muse, heiress and author. What an absolute “inside design” treat! Each of us left the evening fully enthralled…AND with an autographed copy of this hot off the press treasure trove of insight and infamous photos.

 Click image to go directly to Amazon and purchase.

….and to think we still had another full day orchestrated specifically for us….

Monday, Monday…

Armed with one crutch, yes, graduating daily, and an umbrella, I joined the group for a day FULL of color…something for everyone…starting with personalized tour of M & S Schmalberg, a “cottage industry” in the heart of NY, a place from whence delicate and incricate colorful floral renditions are created. Truly amazing to be taken through the proccess from start to finish, from the place where flowers have been produced over the years, for famous designers…making a particular splash as a result of exposure on the long running Sex in the City show.

From there to a delectable lunch and informative 2012 Trend and Style report at Stylesight….and from there right to Material Connexion, an amazing  international material resource library, showcasing literally thousands of materials..

…and from there  to the New York Design Center, specifically to tour the newly opened 1st Dibs Showroom…. over 30,000 feet of product, as represented by assorted businesses which also have their product available in one large/growing convenient online location, called, yes, 1st Dibs.

The tour was hosted by Traditional Home Magazine’s  art and antique editor,  Doris Athineos and Jon Walker, their home furnishings manager….

Enjoyed chatting up with Jon as I hobbled through the showroom….sharing with him my long time affilitiation with Suysel Cunningham, of  the design team of Tilton Fenwick, who recently enjoyed accolades from Traditional Home as one their top 20 designers, AND, designed the Traditional Home vignette for recent Design on a Dime, fundraising event, see details in the Material Girls blog,  AND which Antiques by Zaar contributed a etagere, as shown in above photo, that sold immediately. Wonderful on all fronts!

Further, it was an absolute delight to meet in person Doris Athineos, who readily recalled the 2008 article she produced, “It’s Good To Be Ching”, which Antiques by Zaar was part of said feature.

Needless to say this visit was highlight of the day…but it wasn’t over yet….

It would be off to not only visit the newly opened Lillian August store, but to have a cocktail reception, followed by an indepth view into how it all came to be and the exciting things ahead. Thank you to Skye Kirby, VP of Stores and Marketing….it was more than informative, it was delightful…and I look forward to following the further growth of this inspiring creative entity.

…. group dinner at City Crab, was a wonderful wonderful way to cap off the night of our “inside design” event, which we ALL gushed about respectively over delectable seafood dishes.

Thank you WITHT, for orchestrating this… and in particular Betty Lyn Eller and her committee, Jana Platina-Phipps, Deborah Klein, Laura Newman, Janine Finkle and Katie Mutushak.

Speaking for myself, my enthusiasm as an ambassador for WITHIT, has been fueled….my insight into Design has been enhanced, and my passion for what I do and the people I’m able to meet as I go about my business, spur me on.

Yes, I am on fire. Thank you, thank you thank you. This is my recap/testimonial, and I invite other event attendees to offer same as we spread the WITHIT word and grow our numbers….each and every member offering something special, one to the other. All good.

Ruth

P.S. Limited photos as was constricted to using the camera on my phone, travelled light, but check out what I did garner, here, on my facebook page.

 

Scoring with SCORE: Delivering what they “Sell”

SCORE’S Mission Statement

To Deliver Expertise and Resources to Maximize the Success of Existing and Emerging Small Businesses.

 

….and that is exactly what my experience has been since I attended my first SCORE  workshop, on writing a business plan, last summer.

Following that most informative workshop I asked the presenter about securing someone to counsel me, as I worked to take my 10 year old business to the next level.  My understanding that such was available at no cost,  truth be told, it  just seemed too good to be true…but I had nothing to lose by exploring this venue.

 Long story short… the gentleman who presented the workshop was  true to his word and within a week one of the SCORE counsellors contacted me….the one he thought would work well for my particular needs.  We met shortly thereafter, and the rest is history. Nancy Strojny, who currently has her own consulting business and has a 20 plus year history with Proctor and Gamble, has become not only an indispensible resource for me, but also my cheerleader, reality checker and dear dear friend. We fit like a glove!

Yesterday I attended my 2nd SCORE workshop which served as a primer on using  Social Media and making it work for your business.  It was a cohesive and informative presentation made  by Nicki Hicks of flyte new media….touching all the major venues we as small business owners need to engage in to put our businesses “out there”….certainly a good launch pad for the many that attended that were either starting their own business, or working to understand the intricacies of facebook, blogging, twitter, linkedin etc. And although I do have a reasonable handle on this I walked away with tips/resources that I previously was unaware of.

I’m just over the top for an organization that delivers what it “sells”….and in this case what SCORE has to offer is either free or at a nominal charge.

If you are thinking of starting a business or already have a business, and are looking for some professional advise, you can’t lose by connecting with the fine folks at SCORE…at least that is my experience and therein my testimonial.

In Maine alone there are 7  SCORE chapters and there are 10,000 nationwide….just as an FYI.

Thank you Jane Pollak, for introducing this organization to me by way of your blog posting of Jan 25, 2010….Jane being another resource, specifically for Women Entrepeneurs, which is of great value to you and the growth of your business. At minimum you should follow her blog. And if you want more, her book Soul Proprieter, is one I’ve listened to repeatedly on my road trips….which are numerous.

  Click image to go directly to Amazon and purchase paper version.

…and this image if you want to listen to the book.

 Love love love sharing something, SCORE/Jane, which offers so much value to my many fellow entrepeneurs working their passion, and could use some handles…which we all do, eh?

Happy Day all.

…and if you have a resource to share that has served you well, do just that…share.  Look forward to hearing from you.

Ruth

 

WITHIT/High Point Design Centre: Organizations of Substance

WITHIT: Women’s Leadership Development Network

 Learn, Grow, Lead, Encourage

OUR CAUSE: To Encourage and develop Leadership, Mentoring, Education and Networking Opportunities for Professional Women in the Home and Furnishings Industries.

Yes, WE were ALL THAT....here, at the opening cocktail reception.

The above “says it all” if you will, as far as what WITHIT is all about. What a delight to say that it is “All That” and that I am proudly a member of this organization, and if you’re a female in the Home Furnishing Industry, you should consider joining, if you haven’t already.

 Although a member for the past 3 years, “life” would have it (and the fact that I reside in Maine doesn’t help) such that I wasn’t able to participate much in organized events. In fact it was just this past May that I attended my first WITHIT organized event, that being the Inside Design Weekend in NYC, which I gushed about here, in a blog.  Happily I FINALLY made it to the Annual Leadership Conference/WOW Awards Dinner, which is held in Charlotte NC each August. Click here to check out fun photos at said event.

An evening gathering at Carol Gregg’s last Spring could count as my premiere unorganized introduction to the group as she orchestrated a dinner on her Red Egg porch, and go figure, all the women she invited, were, you guessed it, WITHIT members. Yes, wrote about that in a blog as well.

I’ve been in business 10 years now, (online sales of Chinese Antique Furniture, in case you didn’t know) much of it working in a bubble….from my home in New Gloucester Maine. Since 2004 I’ve been making my way to High Point NC to participate in the High Point Furniture Market. And when in Spring 2008, after I had finished moving my warehouse from Maine to North Carolina, I joined the High Point Design Centre, and their mission to have a relevant presence Year Round to Trade for those that like to use the many resources available in High Point…ie, it isn’t JUST  about Market twice/year.

Shannnon, myself and Carol all share membership in both organizations...we let Joanie in as part of the photo op 🙂

So, yes, the High Point Design Center group was my first forray into joining a network that would envelop and support  me and my business. And my affiliation with such would further offer opportunities for networking and growth with ASID Carolina’s Chapter as I “made myself known” participating in conferences of the latter, supporting mission of the former. It would be a chat with Kathleen Holterman (active member of both HPDC and WITHIT) that would introduce and encourage me to add WITHIT to my roster of valuable groups to join.  (In more detail in blog dated August 09, Withit: My Story Thus Far.) Didn’t have to be told twice…I was in…and yes I have found MY PLACE in yet another group.

Frankly it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that there are much more than a handful of women that have membership in both groups, which is a further delight to me.

My first social intro to the comrarderie of WITHIT members, Spring 09. Tx Carol.

All this to say what? All this to say that, if you haven’t already discovered the value in joining an organization where your own personal vision is supported and nurtered, then it’s time to do so. Oh sure, I did “ok” when flying solo…hopping in and out of High Point inobtrusively for Markets. But how much more gratifying is it to be greeted, enveloped, supported and uplifted, simply by opening up to the Gift so freely given, when joining an organization of Substance…and that is what WITHIT and HPDC are, Organizations of Substance….because they hold true to their “causes” and because their members unite in supporting their respective causes, simply by each of them being who they are and collectively remembering  and honoring why they exist as an entity.

There are too many people to acknowledge here name by name, but you know who you are. …

You are the Founders, who had the Vision.

You are the Members that fuel the engine by serving on a board/committee.

You are the Members that serve as ambassadors. (how hard is it to promote something you believe so strongly in?)

 You are the Members that join and become part of the growing whole.

You are those that welcome newcomers and make them feel like they belong.

You are those that share your path to career and personal success, paving way for recipriocity.

 

You are those the continue to Believe in the Power of Gathering, Uniting, Uplifting and creating a Voice.

Deborah Klein, WOW nominee for Mentor award. An honor indeed.

So, just thank you. I know that I, and my business , which just happens to be an extension of myself, are the better for all that these organizations offer, and am grateful to be a member, to participate and promote…any chance I get.

See ya’ll around…be it at Market, at one of the sponsored events and/or on Facebook, Linkedin or Twitter. Yes, so nice to stay in touch online between “real world” visits.

Ruth

 

A well heeled and colorful group we are....