Girlfriends who are Masterminds ... and wonderful at giving advice!

Several years ago, my girlfriends Katie and Lisa and I formed a mastermind group*. Each month we had a conference call where we shared an update on our businesses, requested and offered advice and set goals for the following month. Quarterly we'd try to get together at a trade show or for an overnight planning session for intense focus on our goals and dreams. (That photo is Katie and Lisa at one of our quarterly overnights!)

So often, as entrepreneurs, you don't have a sounding board or staff to celebrate with, ask for ideas, etc. Mastermind groups are a GREAT way to have a 'team' of people you respect helping you accomplish your goals. I highly recommend it. You don't have to live near each other, be in the same industry/business or be experts at everything! You do have to trust each person, look out for opportunities and ideas for each other and make a commitment to take the session and goals seriously. (If your mastermind team is taking time to discuss an idea for you, you probably want to at least explore it so they didn't waste their time - you know?)

After some changes in our lives, we agreed a year or so ago that we'd end the mastermind group. Change happens and none of us took it personally, or found replacement mastermind teams.

Things do change and fortunately for us, we're back at it! We had our third mastermind meeting this week and it was great. We caught up on goals, celebrated successes, shared ideas and planned our upcoming month. It really helps to have a plan and your mastermind team is so helpful in defining it.

Thanks Katie and Lisa for your ideas, advice, care and friendship. I'm so blessed to know you and to be back in touch again! And I know Girlfriendology will benefit from your wise and creative ideas!

* Here's a great article by Jane Pollak on Mastermind groups! She coaches creative women. Check out her web site for more info too!

Creative Girlfriends - Chicago CHA

Wow! That was a whirlwind two days! To Chicago and back for the CHA (Craft/Hobby Assn) tradeshow. If you're into crafts, love to make your own cards or just print an image on cloth and make a pillow out of it, this is THE spot to be to see the newest products and techniques. So inspiring!

To me, even more inspiring are the wonderful, creative girlfriends I have in this industry. They welcomed me into the group seven summer CHA's ago and every year is such a wonderful homecoming where I get to see and hug my creative 'sisters.' If you ever find a group of women who make you feel this welcome, you drive wherever to see them!

A few fun observations from the show:

* Everyone is blogging! Two of my favorite designers and girlfriends are hosting very popular blogs: Katie Hacker keeps beaders up to speed on the latest techniques and scoop in the beading/jewelry world. She's just so cool and creative! My friend, and great clay artist, Linda Peterson brought her fun, whitty and so patient daughter, Mariah, with her to the show. Donna Kato wasn't there (or I missed seeing you!) but is also an amazing clay designer. Check out just some of my creative girlfriends!

* Along that same note, technology has taken over the craft industry. Web sites have online craft shows like HowToTVOnline.com - check out my girl Katie in the jewelry segments! Epson was there with their great printers, scanners and technology solutions for everything from scrapbooking to those personalized pillows. There actually are too many to even go further and, after all, it was a long trip in the past two days!

So off to bed to rest up for the real world. I'll miss seeing my wonderful girlfriends tomorrow but I know we'll be together as soon as we can. (I'm taping with some of them next week in Cleveland so another road trip to see my creative girlfriends!) Enjoy your girlfriends! Every moment with them is precious! Good night!

Creative Girlfriend Reunion - so fun!

Hello from the CHA (Craft/Hobby Assn) tradeshow in Chicago! This is probably my 7th or 8th year of being here and every year I have met more amazing women who have become wonderful and inspiring girlfriends. It is so fun to walk the aisles and run into girlfriends.

So far I've seen Tammy, Susan, Mary Lynn, Jill, Marie, Linda, Diane and Vicki. If you knew these women, you'd know that they are all wildly creative, hilariously fun and super talented. (See why I love this bunch!) I can't even count the number of hugs I've received in the three hours I've been here. Now that is a great tradeshow!

Tonight is dinner with Jill and Marie. Tomorrow is breakfast with Katie and Lisa. And I still have more aisles to walk and friends to see.

Thanks to my designer, creative girlfriends for always making me feel so loved and welcome. I'm a lucky girl! Back to the show ...