Lessons from a Girlfriend - Podcast with KRISTEN BEIREIS

Isn't it funny how you meet and find girlfriends? Some of mine are from college or previous jobs, others are neighbors or friends from organizations (like my friend Vicki), some friends are friends of friends or just women that I found we have something in common. All of them leave imprints on our lives. And, all of us have the opportunity to inspire others and to help them on their journey to a happy life (as they also accompany us on this adventure!).

KRISTEN BEIREIS believes we need girlfriends to help us in so many areas of our lives. As a life, career and business coach, she helps her clients explore ways to 'love Mondays' and their lives. As a girlfriend, she supports her friends in the same process of identifying their dreams and encouraging them as they reach to achieve it.

Kristen spoke with us this week on our podcast (now semi-weekly!). Wise beyond her years and enthusiastic about life and her profession, friends and family, Kristen uses lessons learned in her life to help her clients and girlfriends live happy. A few lessons from Kristen:

* BE HAPPY - From her cheery voice and her contageous enthusiasm, you know Kristen is a nice person, a good girlfriend and a positive influence to all around her. Her coaching business, Amazing Steps, is about helping people be happy in their careers - which may mean changing careers or staying where they are and making it what they really want. She helps us find our passion and turn it into a career so we 'love Mondays' - and that's a happy thing!
* BE A FRIEND - As Kristen shares in this podcast, girlfriends often are our support systems that help us make transitions in our lives. So, girlfriends play a large role in our careers. Support from girlfriends is sometimes how we get the courage to admit that something isn't working. And, they're there for us to help us figure out the best solution - which is great since they know us so well and are acting on our behalf.
* BE CREATIVE IN MAKING AND MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIPS - Kristen is a social media maven and uses the internet to find, establish and grow her friendships. She embraces sites/networks like Twitter and Facebook* to find new friends who have common interests and even possibly work together in the future. Communication with internet friends is different than with face-to-face friends, Kristen explained, but it doesn't mean they are any less a girlfriend. Some of the friends she has made over the internet are the ones with whom she shares more openly.

I met Kristen online and am happy to have found her! Be open to meeting new girlfriends. Explore new friendships and make contacts online or even in-line at your local grocery store! Just connect with other women - you never know when you'll make a great new girlfriend!

Check out Kristen on AmazingSteps.com and VirtualHelper4u. And, listen in to Kristen on our latest semi-weeklyGirlfriendology podcast. Thanks Kristen!

Tune in Wednesday for our podcast interview with Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, President of Real Living real estate company and author of Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs. (And, enter the contest for a chance to win a copy of her great book!!)

* Check out the Girlfriendology Facebook group to meet some great girlfriends too!

Hangin' with Smart Girlfriends at BlogHer NYC

If you listen to yesterday's post (a phone call message/image through Utterz), you know that I'm in NYC attending the BlogHer Business seminar. I've been in the techie world before and attended Comdex and other BIG technology conferences but this is the first with almost all women! Love it!!!

I'm getting a great response to Girlfriendology (after all - you can be, but don't have to be a Mommy, can be any age, race, political persuasion) - all girls/women NEED/Love/Have Girlfriends! I'm also meeting a lot of SMART women and am learning tons like:

* Manic Mommies - Erin spoke yesterday. They did a great Manic Mommies Escape weekend - complete with airport transport supplied by GM, etc. Cool event for a fun group of women!
* March of Dimes Blog (and Twitter) Queen Beverly - who blogs in english and spanish to help moms have healthy babies. (Talk about making a difference in people's lives!)
* Method, Graco, Kodak, HP, Microsoft and lots of businesses are blogging. Really interesting ways that they're communicating with the world about their businesses, causes, employees, etc.

Actually, there are too many amazing women here to mention all of them so I'll just have to stop there. Being around these women is just inspiring! If you're a blogger, I'd definitely recommend BlogHer (upcoming event in San Francisco). And, next time you're in a group of women, look for new girlfriends. I'm thankful and inspired by wonderful, SMART women who help each other and cheer for one another. Girlfriends - Life's better together.

Lessons from a Girlfriend ... LISA SHEPARD STEWART

Previously I belonged to an organization that was almost 100% women. SCD (the Society of Creative Designers) was a group of professional designers who worked in the craft and hobby industry (as well as other industries). Being a group of almost all women (but we loved you Ed!), and, specifically, a group of CREATIVE women, it was a fabulous collection of women with talents in all areas - from painting to plastic canvas, sewing to stamping, beading to beadazzling! It was an organization of creative girlfriends who offered assistance, support, ideas and a willingness to help others.

Change happens and SCD transitioned into the CHA (Craft and Hobby Assn.). I don't get to see these women nearly as often as I'd like, but I know I can still call on them for ideas and assistance. I called on one recently after learning that she was holding creative girlfriend events. So, I did and I learned a lot.

That experience, as well as the lessons I've learned from so many of the 'girlfriend authors and experts' that I've interviewed previously inspired me to create "Lessons from a Girlfriend" - a blog to accompany each weekly podcast with a behind-the-scenes and/or revelations before/during/after the interview. After all, we learn SO MUCH from our girlfriends, that I feel it is my duty to share what each amazing woman on our podcast has to pass on to you!

A graduate of NYC's Fashion Institute of Technology, LISA SHEPARD STEWART is a designer, award-winning author, creative director, event leader, TV 'home/lifestyle' personality and successful creative woman! In her how-to project books African Accents, Global Expressions, and On The Go!, Lisa encourages others to express their creativity through culturally relevant techniques and materials. Her company, Cultured Expressions, Inc., offers her books, kits, imported fabrics & embellishments, lectures, workshops, projects and more. She also organizes retreats and special events internationally, combining her other personal interests of travel, holistic health and entertaining. Check out her upcoming Quilter's Retreat in Jamaica and Lisa's creative ideas on a TV show she did on creating a girlfriend spa night.

Okay, so what did I learn? (Since this is the first of weekly "Lessons from a Girlfriend.") I learned ...

* FOLLOW YOUR PASSION - Lisa visited West Africa in 1986 (when she was a young teen, no doubt!). She fell in love with their fabrics - especially Mudcloth. That, along with her creative talents and following those talents to the Fashion Institute of Technology, put her on the path to 'quilting together a career' - piecing together different aspects of her passion (like kits, projects, books, events, etc.) into a lifestyle living. She is very inspiring!

* BE SMART - Lisa mentioned that it is almost ten years since her first book was published, so she's preparing for ways to promote that as a way to continue the momentum for her creative business. (What things in your past should you celebrate and continue to use to further your business, career or dreams?)

* BE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS - Lisa is participating in an upcoming Natural Hair Care Expo in Baltimore, for her first time. Always learning and being open to trying new things is a great quality and, I believe, the sign of a successful, creative entrepreneur!

* HAVE FUN WITH IT! Organizing a retreat is hard work. There are preparation and planning, financial deposits and potential travel hassles. However, if you check out Lisa's Quilting Retreat in Jamaica, you'll see that she still has fun. She makes sure that everyone (including herself) gets to experience spaaaa treatments! (I think Lisa has some fun on this event too!)

I'm grateful to SCD for the opportunity to meet amazing women like LISA SHEPARD STEWART who continue to inspire me long after the organization is gone. Thanks Lisa for your time and inspiration! Listen in to Lisa's podcast interview for lessons that you may need to learn from this creative, inspiring girlfriend. Thanks Lisa!

What is beauty and how do we build into our girlfriends' self esteem? Ask Rosie!

As I mentioned in the podcast today with author Rosie Molinary, I believe one of the greatest things about girlfriends is learning from/with each other. I learned a lot from reading about and then talking with Rosie today.

She is articulate and passionate. She listens to the voices of women and inspires conversations that challenge us and force us to take an active role in mentoring and championing our 'sisters' (aka: girlfriends). She made me rethink how I perceive others, and myself. Powerful stuff. And then there is her book! - Hijas Americanas: Beauty, Body Image and Growing Up Latina.

Listen to the podcast. Comment on your thoughts. Then, apply it to your lives. As we improve our self esteem, as we accept and appreciate our body image, as we help other women do the same, we make the world better. That's a good world! Thanks Rosie for inspiring me and all of us!