Well, July was a very full month! But I first want to tell you about the family reunion I attended the last weekend in June. My mom was one of 13 children and we all got together in Orange City, IA. Quite a crowd! One of the best things about the weekend was connecting with my 'girl cousins'. There were 13 of us born all within a 3 year time spread. Only one was not able to make it to the reunion.

I then spent 5 days in San Diego, CA in July at the National Speakers Association convention. I was honored to be a speaker on Sunday at the Cavett Institute. Mark LeBlanc, the brand new president of NSA, had invited me to speak and it was a great day!

There are so many great things about attending a convention with your colleagues but the best has to be connecting with old friends and making new ones! Kendall Summerhawk and I have been friends for many years and through her I made some new friends. I got to room with a wonderful friend, Marilyn Sherman, and somehow the whole week went by without us taking a picture!

I went from San Diego to Sacramento to present my Build Your Six-Figure Organizing Business workshop to groups of fantastic organizers in the Sacramento area. I love sharing ideas to have a great business. I stayed at an interesting place – Lions Gate Hotel & Conference Center. It used to be an army base that has been totally redone. I had a suite that enabled me to host my workshops right in my living room. I felt like I was living in California!

On the way home from Sacramento I had a layover in Denver and got to have dinner with my daughter, Emily.

I was home a few days and then went to Duluth, MN to speak for the Minnesota Regional Service Agency conference. This was a fun group! The night before I spoke I joined them on a dinner cruise on Lake Superior. We had perfect weather for the cruise and it was a great night!

I hope that you are enjoying yourself this summer and just taking in all the beauty around us!

Fearless Organizing Women's VIP Circle

You're invited to the first Fearless Organizing Women's VIP Circle Teleclass (just for VIP Circle members!)

Monday, August 6, 2007
1:00pm Eastern (12:00pm Central, 10:00am Pacific)
Featuring: Terri Langhans
Topic: Maverick Marketing: Stand Out from the Herd, Get Better Results & Wrangle More Business Your Way

How do you distinguish yourself from the competition, especially if you're in an industry or business where most people think you all look alike? You have to be a maverick. You and your marketing have to be different.

Terri Langhans, former CEO of a national ad agency and marketing firm, and author of the book The 7 Marketing Mistakes Every Business Makes & How to Fix Them packs her program with creative ideas and tangible tools you can use right away to make your marketing more effective and memorable, including "How To":

• Distinguish your business, products and services from the competition.
• Create a competitive edge that no one can copy.
• Find your points of difference no matter how much you look like the other guy.
• Focus your marketing message in a meaningful and memorable way that generates response.
• Attract more prospects, customers and referrals, regardless of how big or small your budget is.

Not a member? Join NOW and get all the benefits of belonging to this special group. The first month's membership is ALMOST free!! REMEMBER, even if you can't attend the calls, that's OK as you will get the recording of the call to listen to whenever it's convenient for you!

As I look back over the past couple of months I realized something - I've been traveling a lot! As I thought about this I decided to write about two thoughts in this article. One extremely practical and one extremely crucial!

Let's start with the practical. Being organized is all about systems. Being able to get ready for a trip quickly is all about systems. Here are some tips for you to implement before your next trip:

1. Have good luggage. Is the luggage you have a wedding present from 25 years ago? It's time to upgrade! I invested in some great luggage and it has paid for itself over and over. Don't forget luggage tags.
2. Purchase a great makeup or toiletry bag. Mine has lots of zippered compartments and then folds up.
3. If you travel a lot get doubles of everything - makeup, shampoo, lotion, etc. Then when it's time for a trip grab your makeup bag and you're off!
4. Use a travel checklist. Not only go over it when you pack but put it in your suitcase and check it again when you leave your hotel so you don't forget anything at the hotel. Would you like a copy of my travel checklist? As a gift for being a subscriber – here' the checklist!
5. Give yourself enough time to pack. Most mistakes are made when you are hurrying. That's always the time you forget the cell phone or laptop charger!!
6. Purchase a compact fold-up travel alarm clock. If the hotel just messes up once with your wake-up call you'll understand why I take my own clock!
7. Take less. I should do this myself! I always over pack.

Now on to my crucial thought - be who you are wherever you are. I've recently returned from the National Speakers Convention in San Diego, CA. I was around some extremely well known and successful people. I found it real easy to compare and to feel that I'm not as valuable a person as they are. Good grief! That's just plain silly. I need to always remember that no matter where I am that I am myself. And that's a pretty cool person to be. So are you.

I've also found it very important (as the quote for this month says) to be where I am. Not be thinking about the next trip. Not be thinking about the next workshop I'm going to give but to be here. That's what focus is all about. Thinking about one thing at a time and doing one thing at a time.

I would encourage you to think about this when you're working on your next task. Just be with that task. Do it to completion and then go on to the next task. You won't believe how productive you will be!

August 6, 2007	Fearless Organizing Women's VIP Circle Teleclass - see note below
August 7 & 14, 2007	NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) Starting Out as a Residential Organizer teleclass - for more info visit www.napo.net
August 10-12, 2007	Tucson, AZ
August 17-19, 2007	Dallas, TX
August 24, 2007	Minneapolis, MN
August 31-September 2, 2007	La Jolla, CA
September 15, 2007	Gain Control of Your Time Women's Boot Camp, Sioux Falls, SD. The first ever boot camp to equip you to get more done, feel peaceful and content at work and home, and have more time for fun! (Details coming soon!!!)
September 29, 2007	Possible Gain Control of Your Time Women's Boot Camp in the Chicago/Milwaukee area. E-mail me immediately if you live in this area and want more information.

See more details of upcoming speaking engagements at www.ElizabethHagen.com.

I'm in the process now of booking Fall/Winter speaking engagements. If your business or organization would like to be more focused, organized, and productive please visit the Speaking page on my website.

It's time to make your life easier!

I've had a lot of fun putting together my brand new Fearless Organizing Women's VIP Circle. This is a membership club for determined women who want to get support, take courageous action, and triumph over their fears!

Is this you?

I'd love to have you listen to the free Preview Call that not only tells about the VIP Circle but I also gave the three lessons that every women entrepreneur must know. Simply click on the link and you can listen to the recording at your computer.

Listen to the recording now!

Then visit www.ElizabethHagen.com/VIPCircle to find out all about the fantastic benefits of joining and to see how you can get your first month almost free!

If you join before Friday, August 10, 2007 you will be entered into my brand new contest! For all those who have already joined and for anyone new who joins by August 10 you will be eligible to win three hours of private phone consulting with me. We can talk about growing your business and/or getting your business organized. But, don't wait! Join now and be entered into the contest!

Can't wait to have you as part of the Circle!