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Help!
By Margaret Heffernan
Why aren't we better at asking for help?
Several years ago, I had a burning desire to write a book about the experience of women in business. I had a sneaking suspicion that no one was really telling the truth about what this was really like and I wanted to blow the cover on the smug assumption that everything in the garden was rosy. But no one was interested. Publishers said I wasn't famous enough -- I wasn't Jack Welch, so who would be interested?
Venting my frustration to a friend, she did what all good friends do: Instead of offering advice, she asked questions. Did people know this was what I wanted to do? Who in my network could help? Had I asked them?
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Register now for WITI's 2005 Silicon Valley Conference!
Plan now to attend WITI's 2005 Silicon Valley Conference, December 8th & 9th at the Doubletree Hotel in San Jose, California! This event will feature the 10th Anniversary Gala for the WITI Hall of Fame. For more information and to register now, please visit www.witi.com/sv/.
For sponsorship and exhibiting information, please contact the WITI office at (800) 334-9484 or (818) 788-9484.
Women helping women: A cell phone, a Blackberry, plus compassion and common sense
By Tory Johnson, CEO, Women For Hire
As I watched the televised devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, I felt compelled to do my small part in assisting those in need. To make use of my expertise in employment, I traveled to Houston to help people who relocated from New Orleans to find jobs.
On Labor Day I walked into the Astrodome with a handmade sign that read, "Are you looking for a job?" I was soon surrounded by people who shared their stories of struggle. They had lost everything: their homes, possessions, jobs, and in some cases, contact with family and friends. These were cashiers, housekeepers, laborers, drivers, prep cooks, dishwashers, and janitors all of whom were eager to get back to work.
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WITI Members impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
We at WITI are shocked and saddened by the devastation wrought earlier this month by Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath, and now by Hurricane Rita. We have been contacted by a number of our members who have been affected by these disasters. We have also heard from other members who would like to support those who need assistance. In response, we have set aside an area on our discussion boards. If you are one of those affected by the hurricanes, please let the WITI community know if there is anything we can do to help you. If you have resources to offer, please take a moment to visit the discussion boards to see how you can be of assistance.
WITI Talk TeleClasses:
Are you ready to transform your life and/or your career, but need help figuring out "what next?" Do you know that there must be "more to life," but you aren't sure how to go about finding it? Do you want to join the journey to financial success by making a commitment to uncover and eliminate unconscious barriers to your success? If you answered YES to any of these questions, please join us for a WITITalk Teleclass. Participants in these teleclasses have made major changes in their lives, after just the first class!
Avoiding Your Own Personal Hurricane
By Mellanie Hills
The human devastation from Hurricane Katrina has touched our hearts in the US and around the globe. You may not have been directly impacted, but you may have been touched, perhaps through sharing your time or your money to help evacuees.
I was in the hospital for surgery during the aftermath of Katrina and contemplated the plight of the many in hospitals during this tragedy. Surgery and recovery are difficult enough under the best circumstances, but with no power, no water, windows blown from buildings, and waters rising rapidly, even basic medical needs are difficult to meet. You think of how much more difficult recovery would be being hauled out on a gurney through floodwaters.
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Corporate Support For WITI.com
WITI is upgrading our technology infrastructure to support our recent growth. In order to do this, we need new, high-end servers, and we are looking for a company interested in partnering with WITI to provide servers in exchange for WITI branding, sponsorship, products, services, etc. For more information about partnering with WITI, please visit www.witi.com/corporate/. For specific information on WITI's needs at this time, please contact us.
Women on the Move
Susan O'Neil Hosts Search Engine Marketing Panel
Susan O'Neil, author and businesswoman, participated in the Get Found! Conference on September 8th in Rocky Hill, CT. The conference is the largest conference on search engine marketing in New England, and Ms. O'Neil hosted the panel on Paid Search Marketing.
According to recent studies, more than 85% of people looking for products or services on-line begin at the major search engines and directories, such as Google and Yahoo! However, because these search portals list millions of web pages within their databases, it is important that a Web site get listed in the top of the search engine rankings in order for it to be found by Web surfers. The panel on Paid Search Marketing, Creating Compelling Ads & Landing Pages, discussed proven strategies for achieving the highest ROI in Pay-for-Placement search marketing. Panelists included Emily Merkle, MIVA; Doug Kneeland, Adams & Wright; and Karen Hudgins, Sane Solutions.
Ms. O'Neil is the founder and CEO of @Web Site Publicity, Inc. of Peterborough NH, a marketing services firm specializing in search engine optimization and online public relations. The firm serves clients ranging in size from small business to major brands. A volunteer editor for the Open Directory Project, Ms. O'Neil presents and writes frequently on web marketing and is the co-author of Maximize Web Site Traffic.
Do you have an announcement or promotion you'd like to share? Use the form in the Member's Area to send us your news to appear in the Strategist and also on our website. If you prefer, you can also email the editor.
WITI Marketplace
What an immediate impact we could make if each of us decided to spend our business and consumer dollars on women-owned businesses - to find a coach, consultant, software vendor, dentist, conference-call vendor, phone service, computer and so on from a woman! This is what the WITI Marketplace is all about. There are over 100 businesses in the Marketplace so you don't have to search far to find the products and services you need! Search the Marketplace today!
Featured Business: Auditel
Auditel is committed to providing the best telecommunications audit and telecommunications training available anywhere. Auditel telecom bill reduction is completed without the need for carrier changes. Our telecommunication audit services include telecom contract analysis, telephone line inventory, telephone bill consolidation, and telecom cost management analysis. Auditel telecommunication training is not a seminar. We offer many hands-on telecom training workshops; from one day to 10 day trainings available.
Auditel is now offering disaster training and planning. If the unexpected strikes your business, will your customers still be able to find you? Let Auditel review your bills, identify the lines your customers call and those important internal lines for inter-company connections and develop a response that will help prevent you losing customers just when you've lost everything else. Mention WITI when you call us and save 5% on trainings or disaster planning through December 30, 2005.
Is your business in the WITI Marketplace? Do you have a special offer for WITI members or would you like to be a featured business in a future issue of the Strategist? We'd love to hear from you!
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Partner Events & Announcements
Women's Game Conference (WGC)
The second annual Women's Game Conference (WGC) is just over 1 month away, taking place October 26-27, 2005 in Austin, Texas. Early-bird registration ends September 30th. Early Registration - only $145 for game industry professionals - and more information can be accessed by logging on to http://www.womensgameconference.com. WGC focuses on women in the computer and video game industry and highlights the importance of women as consumers of games, draws attention to the contributions women bring to the game industry workforce, and creates an environment conducive to networking. Kris Soumas, Vice President of Interactive for Lifetime Entertainment Services will deliver the keynote address at WGC.
Early registration (before September 30th) is $145. After September 30th the registration rate rises to $165 and onsite registration is $195. Early registration for students prior to September 30th is $95. After September 30th the price for students is $115 and onsite registration is $145. Student scholarships are available; see http://www.womensgameconference.com/scholarships.html for details. WITI Members: Visit the discounts page in the Members Area for the promo code worth a 10% discount.
2005 Serious Games Summit D.C. Interactive Solutions for Shared Challenges
Join the leaders and experts shaping the emerging field of non-entertainment games at the Serious Games Summit D.C., October 31-November 1, 2005. See how learning theory and game technology come together to create interactive solutions for shared challenges. Visit seriousgamessummit.com for information, and to register! Register with Priority Code TEENXX before 9/21/05 for best pricing.
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WITI Works
WITI4HIRE
Accelerate Your Career! - Companies that get it are searching the resume database at WITI4Hire every day. Don't be overlooked! So, whether you are actively seeking a job or just open to great possibilities, add your resume today (FREE for members AND non-members, and confidential too!) to be noticed by companies like New York Times Digital, Best Buy, Altiris, Southern California Edison and GOJO Industries, Inc. Don't want to wait? Visit WITI4Hire and search for your next job!
WITI HALL OF FAME
The WITI Hall of Fame was established in 1996 by WITI to recognize, honor, and promote the outstanding contribution women make to the scientific and technological communities that improve and evolve our society. Mark your calender to join us in Silicon Valley in December for the Tenth Anniversary Celebrations.
If you would like to make a nomination for the 2006 WITI Hall of Fame, please download the 2006 nomination form. The nomination deadline is February 1, 2006.
WITI FASTTRACK
WITI FASTTRACK features in-depth content on the issues facing today's most talented and influential women professionals in technology. It is the only regularly scheduled supplement targeting women in Information Technology. In partnership with CMP Media, FASTTRACK will be published two more times in 2005, appearing within the pages of InformationWeek magazine. InformationWeek is the leading IT publication in the industry, reaching 440,000+ qualified IT professionals on a weekly basis for the past 25 years. FASTTRACK will also be distributed to all attendees of WITI's annual conference, the WITI Hall of Fame event, as well as to WITI members attending hundreds of regional meetings per year.
For more information regarding advertising opportunities in WITI FASTTRACK, please contact Cindy Zauss at [email protected].
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Not Yet a WITI Member?

Join WITI today and receive your choice of a FREE inspirational book!
Upcoming Network Events:
"At a recent WITI Boston event, I met a former client from 10 years ago when I worked for another company. We sat together at the meeting and got re-acquainted. Since then, my former client has introduced me to several IT executives at their firm to generate interest in our services, which may lead to new business. This demonstrates that networking and participating in WITI events can have very positive results...both professionally and personally."
-- Steffani Lomax, Vice President and Co-founder, Software Success Partners
October 4 - San Diego Speaker Series Workshop: "Creative Strategic Planning: Planning Instead of Reacting"
October 5 - Atlanta WITI Networking: Women Entrepreneurs Series
October 6 - Portland Technology in Entertainment
October 11 - Orange County Outsourcing Panel: The Various Angles of Outsourcing
October 17 - Research Triangle Park Revitalization of RTP WITI Network
October 18 - Boston Leading in Male-dominated Environments -- Sponsored By: Mont Blanc Boutique
October 27 - Atlanta Women in Business: SECRETS OF SUCCESS GROWING BUSINESSES IN ATLANTA
November 2 - Houston Executive Panel: Women Changing the Game Board
November 10 - Portland Five Key Things That Led to Success
November 14 - Boston BioTech-BioScience: What's the Future for Women -- Sponsored By: Silicon Valley Bank
November 15 - San Diego IP and Trademark Laws: What's New, What's Changing, and How to Use Effectively
November 16 - Boston The Power of Differences: A New Gender & Diversity Communications Workshop for Women and Men
November 16 - Los Angeles "The Art of Negotiation"
More information about network events in your area is available on our website.
WITI @ ...Keeping you up-to-date on where you'll find WITI!
WITI@ keeps you up to date on where you will find WITI partners, WITI discounts, WITI women attending industry events. Visit the Members area of the WITI website for priority discount codes for these events. If you want a discount to an event you will be attending and/or want to meet other WITI women at that event, just let us know so we can get it for you!
WTC presents: Business Strategies to Attract VCs Sep 30 2005 San Francisco, California
WTC presents: Patent Protection and IP Strategy to Assure the VC Investor Oct 7 2005 San Francisco, California
Women For Hire Career Expo Oct 11 2005 Chicago, Illinois
Digital Life Oct 14 2005-Oct 16 2005 New York, New York
WTC presents: Development Strategy Oct 14 2005 San Francisco, California
Health magazine's Race for Women 5k Race and Yoga Festival Oct 15 2005 Brentwood, California
Develop and Market Better Products Faster Oct 18 2005-Oct 19 2005 Los Angeles, California
Women For Hire Career Expo Oct 18 2005 New York, New York
WTC presents: Positioning Science in a Commercial Market Oct 21 2005 San Francisco, California
Women's Game Conference Oct 26 2005-Oct 27 2005 Austin, Texas
Serious Games Summit Oct 31 2005-Nov 1 2005 Arlington, Virginia
2005 WTC Entrepreneur Venture Conference Nov 1 2005 Silicon Valley, California
Open Source Business Conference East Nov 1 2005-Nov 2 2005 Boston, Massachusetts
Women's Global Leadership Conference in Energy and Technology Nov 3 2005 Houston, Texas
Employee ROI Exec. Symposium for Women Business Leaders Nov 4 2005 Washington, District of Columbia
Women in Leadership Summit Nov 6 2005-Nov 9 2005 San Francisco, California
Employee ROI Exec. Symposium for Women Business Leaders Nov 26 2005 Chic, Illinois
Employee ROI Exec. Symposium for Women Business Leaders Jan 26 2006 New York, New York
WTC presents: Laying the Groundwork for Stem Cell Commercialization Feb 7 2006 San Francisco, California
For more information and discounts
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