MEETING MINUTES
Friday, May 8, 2009
Volume 16; Issue 18

Questionnaire Follow-up - What should be covered in every meeting? 
Based on the feedback from the questionnaire, Dave Lathrop sent around a signup sheet for Mighty Minutes, Buddy Lunches and Happy Hours.  We can do open houses.  Our agreement with Shalimar is 30-days notice of changes.  If you have interest in hosting one, please see Andy Jensen.

Upcoming Schedule

• Next week Tara is speaking about sales.  She is not here selling her product or company.  She is just here as a sales person sharing her experience. 
• The following week is Memorial Day weekend.  We will have a meeting. 
• Our June 5th meeting is offsite at AKA Greene. 
• There will be no meetings on the 3rd of July, Thanksgiving Friday, Christmas or New Years. 

Social Networking

• What's the point of Twitter? 
• We need to open our eyes a little bit.  Put your good experiences out there.  If you have people following you, they see that. 
• Is it truthful?  I've read that businesses are posting their own reviews. 
• Slammers?  People can put bad reviews on.
• I don't trust them. 
• What if we were more enthusiastic about sharing good experiences? 
• What if people stop reading the paper and yellow pages goes away?  It might not seem natural, but we may need to change. 
• Inquiries are not always unsolicited. 
• If you keep doing things the same way, you get the same results. 
• The only counter to complaints is to get positive reviews posted. 
• 10 years ago 95% of my advertising was in the yellow pages...now it is zero. 
• One way or the other, most people tell us they found us on the internet.
• Definitely respond to the negative comments and reference good comments.
• I would not let negative items paralyze me. 
• How many people are trading newspaper advertising for internet advertising?
• The more our logo is out there the better.  We trade banners.
• I found that getting more involved in my community, face-to-face communication with people is still the best way to promote my business.

Creating a Gap Follow-up
A member asked the question..."What's the difference between creating a gap and setting a high goal?"  A goal has a definite measurement.  Creating a gap is changing the way you do things.

Mighty Minute - Carole Weishaar
All of you know right now the travel industry sucks...The economy, the flu, Mexico.  But, if you look beyond the gloom and doom there are amazing deals out there because the vendors are struggling.  If you are looking to go to Europe you can see 50% cuts on packages, free airfare, etc.  There are summer deals in Vegas at $50 per night but it is hit and miss.  It may not be the weekend you want to go. 

It is safe to travel?  I probably wouldn't advocate Mexico at this point but know that the news does blow things out of proportion.  Upscale resorts are going to be safe.  There are great rates on summer travel in the US but the price of gas could be high. 

I work on referral.  I blog.  I recommend it.  Google your own name or business.  If only one line comes up, you need to work on getting your name out there. 

On June 1st you have to have a passport to enter the US by land, sea or air.  Your name on the ticket must match your ID.  You can get a passcard (only good for Mexico and Canada) for half the price of a passport .  You must have 6 months time remaining on passport if traveling.  You need to renew it every 10 years, 5 years for kids.

Main Speaker - Stacy Hyder
I come from a family of attorneys - all the men.  My mom is a teacher.  I had wanted to be a pediatrician.  I went to school on a scholarship and got my degree in chemistry.  I taught chemistry at the UofA.  Unfortunately, I didn't get into med school.  I applied to law school on a "whim" and it stuck.  While attending law school I worked at Raytheon as "the arms dealer" handling basic contract review.  I was so inexperienced that I'm not sure what I did other than talking a lot and traveling. 

I decided to practice patent law which has a very low pass rate.  After I took the exam I didn't think I passed.  Two days before getting the results, I got a call from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.  They asked me to become a prosecutor.  I wanted to go to big a law firm practicing intellectual property and make tons of money.  My  dad said probably didn't pass the patent exam and that I should get trial experience.  So I accepted the job.  Then I found out that I passed the exam. 

I worked with the prosecutors office for 3-1/2 years.  I worked with juvenile sex offenders.  The youngest person I put in prison was 11 years old.  I dealt with very serious cases.  I also worked with adult general crimes.  I didn't do well.  I was a little too sympathetic so they transferred me to adult sex crimes.  I didn't have any problem there.  I had no sympathy issues but it was incredibly sad interviewing the victims.   

When Andy Thomas came in the office started changing.  I felt like I was ruining lives that didn't need to be ruined.  I wasn't comfortable with it ethically, it wasn't fair.  I think lawyers have a noble profession and I hold them in high regard.  You can represent people without compromising your values.  I bolted and took first job offer that came.  It was criminal defense. 

The nice thing about criminal defense is I can choose who I represent.  But I didn't like the way my new employer practiced law.  The case loads were too high.  In January 2008 I left and started my own practice.  Being a criminal defense lawyer was not something I ever intended to do.  I was supposed to be an intellectual property girl.   

The speech ended with a Q&A on DUI's.  To summarize....DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE.