Why I love Wendy Williams

Why I love Wendy Williams

My friends and family laugh at me because I quote Wendy Williams at least 5 times a day. I DVR all her shows, watch her daily After Show segment on my computer as a work break, and have her new book downloaded from Audible. In short, I'm all over Wendy.

Until I discovered Wendy on Dancing with The Stars and first saw her show, I'd never heard of her. I don't watch much TV. I read, even have a Master's Degree in Literature. I'm a self-made business person. (See Linkedin.) But Wendy surpasses any accomplishments I could ever dream of for myself. She's a phenomenon, totally self-made and a tour de force.

Why am I so crazy about her?

Why not?

I'm sick of watching all the news. Especially the parts about politics, Congress, war, uprisings, the stock market - to name a few. It only leads to fear and worry (for me). And while once I felt that I and my vote could make a difference, I have given up on the notion. If we don't know what's really going on behind the scenes, how can we hope to change it. It's a total downer.

So after a long day at work, I happily switch on Wendy. I smile the minute I hear her voice. She looks gorgeous. She dresses beautifully. Her smile in infectious. She never complains - even when she's sick or working 24/7 (like now with the show plus a role in the Broadway play Chicago). She keeps it light and fascinating. And while I've never followed the entertainment/celebrity world before, I enjoy hearing her talk about it with passion. Wendy's incredible personality and enthusiasm make her discussion bits compelling.

As well, Wendy goes to great lengths to be "Every Woman." She relates to young and old, Moms and aunties, single and married, rich and poor. She "gets" it: women in all walks of life share very common problems (except for her crazy celebrities, of course). She is far more than the "Hot Topics" lady. She is a relevant friend who makes a day brighter and better.

Moms & Mums Rock!

Moms & Mums Are Heroes!
by Ellen Z. Elwell

In the early '90s, I began my lifelong marketing specialization: mothers. In rapid succession, my own agency became an agency-of-record for Beech-Nut Baby Food (owned by Ralston-Purina), Baby Orajel, A+D Ointment, Brainy Baby, Wonder Bread, Stonyfield Farm, Chex and Clorox brands to name a few.

Then, however, the only way to "hear" what Moms wanted and needed was focus groups and research data. The representation was small and the assumptions were high. 

Today . . .

Thanks to Social Media, marketers can get to know what moms and mums really want and need. Chat resources like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram allow any mom to make friends and influence people. And we can meet women who share our own interests - from pregnancy to cooking to losing weight to photography.

Can you imagine my amazement when I started to use Twitter? So many different conversations between moms and mums, so many different perspectives!

Revelation (to me): most mothers are insecure

I used to think I was the most insecure, inadequate mother in the world. Even though my beautiful, smart, sweet and wonderful daughter is happily married and has given me a wondrous granddaughter, I still feel that way. The combination of intense work and travel with running a household, arranging child care and school  - not to mention being a wife - was overwhelming.

Now, after following thousands of moms and mums online for several years, I feel that I was in the majority and just didn't know it. Most moms feel  we're lacking next to the "supermoms" who always look great and seem happy, who claim they have great love affairs with their husbands, have quiet little children . . . well, you get the picture.

Conversely, if you're like me, you look in the mirror and feel out of shape, stressed and tired. And every single day, wonder how and when you'll get everything - or even anything - back together. This is the real picture that I see every day on Twitter!

We have the opportunity to help each other!

About a year ago, I started following Pippa at @Story of Mum - a blogger in the United Kingdom. Her website/blog is totally amazing: it's all about mums speaking to one another - through Twitter - to understand how beautiful they are.

What's amazing is that Pippa actually gets mums to "tell" their most personal feelings, stories and photos along with projects and letters/articles on the blog to tell their own stories. Some are painful; others are uplifting. But they're all REAL. You have to visit the site to believe it. Mums actually help other mums feel better. 

You can follow Story of Mum on  Twitter, Pinterest,  Facebook and Storify. Pippa also has "Make Dates" (a UK expression) on Twitter two times a month. They are not sponsored and they're not designed to be giveaways. What they "give" is a feeling of community and support, and advice for and among mums who participate..

Until next time, I'll see you @ellenZelwell and #MomTips. 

Tired of hum-drum (or no) vacations? Ready to get more by spending less? Here are a wealth of resources to create a dream vacation without emptying your pocketbook! Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

A to Z Vacation Savings Kit Ellen Elwell I love to plan a vacation - maybe even more than I love to take it! The great part about planning is that I get to "see" all kinds of fabulous places every day - right on my computer screen. But finding steals and deals to actually go to one is the biggest part of the excitement. My objective is to put together a great family getaway that's as luxurious as possible - for absolute bottom dollar. One of the biggest reasons for not taking a vacation is "money" - lack of it, unwillingness to spend it, or just not knowing how to find great travel bargains. Here are some of my favorite ways I get the most for my travel dollar. If you have a little bit of patience, you can too! The "Ground Rules" - Make Very Specific Vacation Choices The best way to keep costs under control is make up-front decisions: Pick a range of travel and return dates (e.g., travel July 10, 11 or 12; and return July 17, 18 or 19). Choose at least two destinations for cross-pricing. Drive, fly or sail? Start with a maximum total budget - and then track costs of transportation, lodgings, food, admission fees against it. Add contingency funds for spending money and unexpected needs. Helpful Free Planning Tools Take - and keep - notes and lists using these links: Fill-in Planning Calendar - print it here. Transportation Calculator - compare costs of flying vs. driving in seconds. Blank paper and forms for notes and diary - choose and print. Pinterest - as you find locations you love, be sure to open a Pinterest account and "pin" them once label your travel pinboard. All your photos - with your comments and notes - will always be at your fingertips. Vacation Destinations: Ideas and Tips Season affects cost. You'll always pay less for off-season destinations. For example, ski areas are super-expensive during ski season. However, these beautiful areas are also great for summer hiking, fishing, swimming and golf - and they're generally priced to sell. Conversely, theme parks are priced higher when kids are out of school. So to stretch your dollar, consider a "low" season destination like the Carribean, Hawaii or Florida. All-inclusive beach resorts rock! You'll usually find fabulous deals at all-inclusive resorts.You get food, snacks, drinks, kids' camps and other entertainment - included in your room cost. You're probably familiar with Sandals, Dreams and Club Med but here are some others: "Top 10 Best Affordable All-Inclusive Resorts." "Flash" sale sites provide daily travel ideas with photos. Sign up for daily emails from a few luxury hotel "bargain" sites. They do offer lower prices on fabulous digs. More important, however, they can help you pick a general destination . . . and then find hotel bargains near it. Some beautiful sites for daily browsing: Jetsetter SniqueAway Luxury Link Getting Reasonable Air Fare Don't forget to plan for two destinations (as mentioned above). Your flight can easily be the biggest - and most non-negotiable - cost of a trip. So as travel pros say, "Chase the fare, not the destination." Here are some great places - with links - to start your search: Airfare Watchdog GetGoing PinTrips SeatGuru Getting the lowest fare isn't a secret. You only have watch for and "catch" fares when they dip. For example, flights may be cheaper at midnight on Tuesday vs. daytime on Thursday. Saturday may be a better day to book than Monday. Or a flight may be under=booked and need to fill seats. Since you probably don't want to watch the computer cost tables 24/7, there are sites that will watch them for you - free. Examples: Hotwire, Hipmunk and Flight Deal and my all-time favorite site in the world, Hotwire. Cruises I'm not a cruise person - but lots of my friends are because it's extremely affordable - especially for a family. In general, fares are lower as you get very close to departure since they have tons of rooms to fill. If you do book late, however, make sure that you do it a week before departure. It takes a bit of time to solidify trip insurance and excursions. Pros. It's easy to pick a budget and stay within it. "Extras" generally include room upgrades, excursions and trip insurance (essential). If you're not too picky about your room's location and configuration, you get a super-cheap trip to many interesting destinations. Cons. The ships having the lowest costs can be crowded because they hold 1000's of people. The meals and entertainment may be "mediocre" since restaurants and theaters handle masses of people (think the hearty Vegas buffets). Good bargain sites for cruises: Hotwire Bookit.com ShermansTravel Hotel Bargains I admit that I love wonderful hotels. Until a few years ago, I traveled 40-45 weeks a year on business. This means that I spent a lot of time in hotel rooms for sleeping, working and reading. Cleanliness is the world to me, but room service was high on my "must" list. So I learned how to get fabulous prices - one way or another. I used to use my IBM employee number to frequently book a Ritz-Carlton in a major city for 1/3 the normal price. I joined a dozen hotel loyalty clubs for their upgrades. I'd tip a front desk person at check-in to get a "fabulous room". And now, with the internet, I find coupons, specials and so much more. #1 Booking Considerations: Cleanliness and Safety On top of being a heavy traveler, I also had Intercontinental Hotel Group as my significant client for a period of time. From them, I learned so much (more than I can share now). They have a great operation and verified my lifelong feeling that it's worth paying a little more for hotel quality. Life Magazine's 10 Worst Hotels and Motels in America The term "Better safe than sorry" applies to accommodations - especially in this time of crime and bedbugs (seriously!). So before you book, do check out TripAdvisor.com or Google a hotel's name and location to make sure it's reliable and clean. The Thrill of Traveling "FREE" with Loyalty Points Last year, we went to New York City for 4 days for free - except for entertainment and meals - on points. The airline points were saved the "normal" way, with travel and credit card purchases. But the hotel nights were free - ones I received when I signed up for a Hyatt Visa credit card. This hotel chain (like most others) offers 2-4 free nights just for signing up for their Visa credit card. To find out more about how to vacation for free on points, allocate some time to reading the MommyPoints blog. It's amazing! Another tip: check out Award Wallet.com. You can enter all your loyalty programs into your free online "wallet." Then this free, uncomplicated website will keep all your account numbers, passwords and point balance on one screen. (It does keep data for American Airlines and Delta - the only key exceptions.) It's worth a bit of time to check out all your loyalty accounts - even places like Sephora and smoothie shops. In 2012, there were 18 Billion unclaimed miles in the U.S.! SUMMARY Don't skip your vacation because of limited funds. With a little planning, you can find a wonderful, inexpensive getaway. Drive to a city and stay free at a Hilton or Holiday Inn (see the Loyalty Points material above). Or get amazing deal on travel sites like Hotwire, Jetsetter or Shermans Travel. Once you get the hang of bargain browsing, you'll be amazed at what you can find. As for me, I'm on the hung for a super-fabulous, super-affordable (free?) vacation in Maui! Aloha until our next blog! Results? Comments? Please email me at info@elwellinc.com. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

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Fw: Speak up!

 

 

From: John Elwell

Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 4:30 PM

To: Ellen

Subject: Speak up!

 

Make your voice count when you say it like you mean it! Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Elwell Money Minder October 2012 Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend OUR INFORMATION: Elwell & Associates 14643 Dallas Pkwy Suite 325 Dallas, TX 75254 (214) 739-7100 info@elwellinc.com Web Site Your Voice Counts! By John Elwell   Every day, I listen to my clients talk about the state of the economy and the adverse effect it's having on their business, personal income and overall spending. The recession has grown long for most of us, and I share your concerns. And, to a certain extent, I can help you financially by identifying tax savings and helping you build your tax-free retirement account.   The best place to use your voice to make a difference, however, is the voting booth. I realize it's difficult to believe that our votes actually count. But one thing I know for sure: voting is our only option for speaking up and playing a role in creating our own destiny. As Americans, we can say what we mean in confidentiality, without penalty.   Selecting a President is just one of your votes. Many State and local candidates – ones whose views can affect our daily lives as much as a President can – are also up for your selection and election. Our new Texas Senator, city council representatives, judges and many other officials will help shape our future.   Many of you know that I come from the "apple pie" part of the U.S. – Ohio and Michigan. Ellen is from Indiana. In those states, Election Day is almost as big a day of celebration as the State Fair (the major annual event in the land of farms).   So with this mindset, I sincerely hope that each of you decides to experience the excitement of voting for "your" candidates. And whether they win or lose, you are an important part of this great process. Your vote is just as important as Donald Trump's or Warren Buffet's! Every vote is equal.   Below are some good online resources – with links - for finding out where to vote, studying up on the candidates for every office, and getting answers to any election-related questions you may have.   Best regards, John ELECTION & VOTING HELP & RESOURCES    Dallas County Elections   Collin County Elections  Denton County Elections All TX counties Project Vote Smart (information on candidates)  Texas League of Women Voters (premier source of candidate information for Independents)  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  *Copyright © Elwell Associates, Inc. 2012 USA //14643 Dallas Pkwy * Suite 325 // Dallas, TX 75254 // (214) 739-7100 // info@elwellinc.com // Our Website * Our Blog *  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

Live high, save lots!

Lots of people really enjoy shopping in malls and retail stores.  I’m not one of them! Especially when I’m looking for something in particular and end up going from store to store to find it (or not). I love being able to locate things quickly, compare prices, find discounts and generally be in control of the shopping experience. If you don’t relish the thought of spending hours at Galleria, Northpark or the outlet malls, here are some of the sites regularly use to save time and money. Promotion Codes for Online Stores Never check out your shopping basket without searching for a “promotion” code for that store. If you remember to do this consistently, you can save hundreds of dollars each year in discounts and shipping fees. Here are some great sites for promotion codes: Retailmenot.com CouponCabin.com Dealio.com TheBargainist.com   “Flash” Sites If you don’t know about free flash sites, you’re in for a treat! They have extensive daily listings for major brands - up to 80% off! If you like designer labels for clothes, kitchen appliances, towels, pillows, shoes jeans, jewelry and more, sign up for daily email at any (or all!) of these flash sites: Groupon.com – the “granddaddy” of flash sites, Groupon’s daily offers often seem to be too good to be true! This is my favorite flash site by far. And I’ve been 100% happy with every one of my purchases. RueLaLa.com – their offerings are often spectacular and always top quality. For example, a beautiful $150 Brooks Brothers shirt was selling for $39 on the daily “Today’s Fix”… and I bought it. If you buy one item and pay shipping, you can ship all other purchases free - for the entire month. BeyondtheRack.com – this top-quality site has wonderful daily offerings. However, it’s almost impossible to get free shipping. Bidz.com – for authentic and valuable jewelry, this auction site is a real discovery. Don’t buy anything until you visit a few times and see how the “game” goes. Wedding or anniversary ring? You can get whatever you want for ¼ the original price or less!  Travel I am a relentless shopper for 4-star hotels at 1-star prices! Last year, I persevered until I got the Wynn in Las Vegas for an unbelievable $80/night. Two weeks ago, for a last-minute business trip to New York, I booked the new mid-town Hyatt for an average $140/night (all fees included!). To save so much money, I combine a lot of different techniques and website searches. General Tips Book plane tickets as far in advance as possible for the best selection and rates. Start shopping for a hotel just 2-3 weeks ahead so that you’ll get the benefit of “last minute” cancellations, “leftovers.” and other unexpected hotel situations. Hotels would rather book their last empty rooms at very low fees vs. take an “empty bed” loss. Visit my favorite “Bargain Travel Websites” below to enter your travel information. Sign up for ongoing updates – this is the secret to success!! Soon, you’ll get a fabulous variety of offers which match your specifications. Visit a hotel’s website and check its reviews before you book . for extensive reviews of any hotel worldwide, visit TripAdvisor.com. Bargain Travel Websites Hotwire.com is my #1 all-time favorite. You won’t see the name of your hotel until you book and pay. No worries. Of the 10+ times we’ve used Hotwire.com, I’ve never been disappointed. And I am ultra-particular about hotel rooms. Airfarewatchdog.com (airfare) Tripalertz.com (air, hotel, car rental) Jetsetter.com (flash site for hotel) Luxurylink.com (trip auctions)   For more money-saving sites . . . If you like this type of article, please send me an email and let me know. Our blog is for you and comments are always appreciated!

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Mean Women in Business

Mean Women in Business
by Ellen Elwell

As a lifelong marketing professional who has worked for or with  Fortune 1000 businesses and brands, I have met so many people all over the U.S. Most are terrific. A few are horrible. And the horrible ones always get to me - especially the women.

I started working for IBM as soon as I finished my grad work. I was 23, married and soon to be a mom. They sent me to their training schools on and off for a year...and this education has been a blessing through my life. They taught me how to develop presentations and give them...how to demonstrate their equipment to advantage. . . and how to help customers appreciate and use it. They taught me their motto: "Respect for the individual."

Every week we were rated in 26 training areas - 1 being the top and 5 the bottom. We even got ratings in "groom" ( how you put yourself together for business). To get promoted (down the road), I needed a 2 overall average. The scores go with you - everywhere.

I was always afraid of doing things wrong and getting fired. The ratings became my obsession. And whenever I got criticism, I literally trembled. Luckily, things turned out fine. And I owe my many years of "1" ratings to women who took me under their wing at training...and also the women with whom I worked every day. We were like a family even though we were in different cities. And we networked and helped one another a lot.

When I started my own marketing agency, I hired mostly women - about 95%. I trained my key women managers...and they trained the people they managed. Again, I enjoyed the aura of the sisterhood. Until I got a big portfolio of clients - big companies and brands like Frito-Lay, Ralston, Beech-nut Baby Food, Clorox, Anheuser-Busch, American Express and many more. So the entire picture gradually changed.

In the agency business, account people take constant verbal whippings from clients - especially the agency head (me!). It's just the way it is and you get used to it. The client pays a lot of money for a non-tangible, intellectual and creative property; and many resent it. I call it "kicking the cat." They're frustrated with other things in life and they transfer the feelings to people who can't fight back. Unfortunately, the cat becomes wary and careful to keep a distance.

My mother and father had their own business - restaurants. I started working in them when I was 12. My parents taught me to smile at customers all the time. My mom used to say, "Smile until your face cracks." If you've ever been a waitress, you know that smiling can sometimes be difficult. But you do it!

In my own business, it hurts me most when the mean-spirited person is a woman.

The pattern is pretty consistent: she barely acknowledges people and looks down at her iPad, makes notes and ignores the people around her. When she speaks, she's short and direct and doesn't mind being insulting. She has "attitude" because she's certain she's smarter than anyone else in the room. And maybe she is. But being smart and powerful isn't everything.

Why do I expect more of women than men? Maybe it's because I have enjoyed so many relationships with great women who help one another. I will do almost anything for the "GOG" (Good Old Girl) network and vice versa. So don't mean women "get" it? What do they gain by being mean. You never know...the cat may be in a position to bite back one day!

Comments are so welcome. Have you had this experience? Let's talk!