Hey ladies, well summer is becoming a distant memory but there’s something beautiful about cooler nights, comfort food and wearing boots again isn’t there? Just realised I meant to put this together a week or so ago, so I’m sitting here Anzac Day at wine o’clock letting my fingers do the walking.
The last month or so has been really busy; there always seems so much ‘behind’ the scenes stuff that needs to get done. As you will all know I live on a boat and have been running Venus from there but the time has come to get an office as my boat was full to overflowing with magazines, member packs etc. I swear when I moved everything the boat rose 6 inches, mind you the car gobbled the petrol while I was driving and my Fitbit told me that while moving everything one Sunday I had burned a stack load of calories! I’m spending Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s in the office, meetings and RAVE’s permitting. It’s the first time since I started my business back in April 1998 that I’ve gone to work and had workmates – I’m quite enjoying it – I pack my lunch and everything! Weirdly the boat also feels more like home now!
So what have I been up to?
In the last month Yolanda, our National Manager, and I have been very busy. Yolanda has stepped in to run nine groups in North and West Auckland while the VRM Becs Button goes on maternity leave and then, unfortunately, Maree Bryant, our South Island Regional Manager had to step down as she’d had a stroke, so we were on the plane down to Christchurch to sort all that out as well! Yolanda is still learning about the Venus culture, and she’s now, temporarily, Regional Manager for 21 groups, nothing like a baptism of fire!
Venus Training Academy
We’re up and running! Over the last month, I’ve had the terms and conditions rewritten to suit the Venus Academy and have also spoken to a lot of the coaches about running programmes and workshops.
Thus far we have a Personal Branding workshop booked for Napier/Hastings which seems to have been quite popular. Also I’m heading to Wellington early May to run the Keys to Successful Marketing workshop.
June sees the Venus Academy Sales Workshop ‘Seal the Deal’ running in Wellington, and early July the Venus Business Management programme kicks off.
Auckland has the Success Mindset workshop running at the end of May, Presentation Training in June and the Sales Workshop ‘Seal the Deal’ running in July.
To see what’s on where go to the website, choose the Eventbrite link and take your pick!
Member Success and Power Hour, as well as Collaborative Teams, is also being run by the VRM’s in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch over the next couple of months. Keep your eyes peeled on the Regional pages, alternatively ask your VRM when the next one is.
If you want to find a little more about the Venus Academy, book a RAVE with one of either the Regional Managers or the Venus Training Academy Coaches? Remember there is only one of them and a lot of members they’re looking after so don’t be surprised if you have to book something a couple of weeks out. I’m always keen to get to know you all more so drop me an email; we’ll have a RAVE and see what works for you moving forward. The Venus Training Academy is there to run group training in an environment that sees you alongside other women who are looking for the same learning and advice. It’s very much about the learning alongside like-minded women in a supportive environment. If you’re looking for specialist or one on one training talk to us and we’ll recommend you someone in the network.
Remember, the best investment you can make is in yourself!
Venus Networking
So it’s been busy with guests coming through the meetings, we seem to have a constant stream of people registering which is great.
To make the most of your networking think about putting a networking plan together or having a POWER RAVE with your Regional Manager. It’s her job to harness the power of the network alongside you, but she can only do that if she understands what you want to achieve.
If you’re new to Venus, Member Success is a free MUST DO workshop. You will need to have done this before you do your six-minute spotlight. Additionally, existing members need to do a Member Success ONCE A YEAR as well to stay up to date with the ‘goings on’ in Venus. Things move and change rapidly, and it’s the best way to keep up with what’s going on as well as network and meet newer members and the wider Venus community. In networking what you get out correlates to what you put in!
Venus Magazine
I’m happy to report this issue of the magazine is closed for advertisements and editorials – thanks to all who have been involved… and thanks for the enthusiasm. We already have a couple of articles and advertisements for the November issue!
The photoshoot for the main article happened this Friday – might take a few sneak pictures and put them on Facebook, then its layout, me signing it off and off to the printer it goes. We’re hoping to have it back mid to late May and then it will be couriered out to you all.
Inspiring Business Women
You may have noticed some posts of inspiring members on the web, make sure you don’t miss out on the promotion of your business in 2018. Fill in this link, and we shall add your story to the Venus website, post on social or print in the magazine. Don’t be the best secret in Venus – tell us all about yourself!
Free Month
I want to encourage you to refer Venus to the women you do business with. The power of the community is the community and as we grow and change our ability to work alongside, help and collaborate with one another increases as well. The more of us that there are, the more we can support, encourage and motivate one another step up and run amazing businesses.
A reminder that for each person you refer to Venus you get a one-month free membership when they’ve joined and paid their membership fee. Get them to register online or put them in touch with your Regional Manager.
New Groups for 2018
Good news – Venus Taupo is alive and kicking, bought into the world Thursday 8th March by myself and Linda Crosbie. Whoop, whoop! Rotorua and New Plymouth are next on the agenda
Taupo is up and running, and May sees the birth of Venus Havelock, June we welcome Whangarei and July New Plymouth becomes part of the family, August will probably see us welcoming Rotorua to the fold.
If you know any business women in any of these regions, please encourage them to register – and put your name on the registration for the free month.
Charitable Status/Venus Foundation
Our charitable status application is still with the Charities Commission for approval. We are now in a holding pattern waiting to hear back from them. Unfortunately, they’re a government department, so it takes as long as it takes! I’ve been told though that we should have it by mid May – you can be sure the minute I hear I’ll be letting you know. You’ll probably hear my scream of excitement even if you are hundreds of miles away!
I’ve already set up the Venus Foundation for when we have our charitable status, additionally as soon as its set up, I’ll be putting an external board in place.
Remember the charitable status and the Venus Foundation sees any profit going into reinvestment in our members. It will provide interest free loans to businesswomen to help them grow themselves and their businesses.
NZ Business Women’s Conference
SAVE THE DATE – FRIDAY 26 AND SATURDAY 27 OCTOBER!
So, at the beginning of the year, I thought why not have a conference, it is something you, our members have been asking for a long time. Wow – talk about setting some big goals for myself.
This conference is for both Venus and non-Venus businesswomen, and it’s going to be fantastic. The team I’m working with, and I have been beavering away in the background getting sponsors and securing some pretty damn impressive speakers for the conference. The idea is that you will be inspired and learn. We are going to be running workshops so you can learn from the experts, we’re also going to be having a ‘women of influence’ panel where we can learn from businesswomen who have been there and done that, we’re going to discover how to manage stress, learn about leadership and emotional intelligence in business as well as hear some inspiring stories – oh and we are going to have drinks, dinner and a band so you can have a boogie as well!
We’re going to be launching everything early May so keep your eyes and ears peeled – I’m excited already and feel like a kid waiting for Xmas to come!
From what I can see everyone is working hard, and the determination to rock 2018 is turning in to reality. I love hearing and seeing all the wonderful things, you, our members are doing. I continue to be excited and motivated by all the amazing things that are happening, and the support that you give one another, it does make my heart sing (and my eyes leak sometimes!)
Until next month my gorgeous gals!
Carolyn x
