After witnessing a profoundly moving and meaningful naturalization ceremony in federal court recently, I realized we American citizens seem to get so bogged down in the challenges facing our country, including political disagreements and the cost of gas, that we forget how privileged we are to live in the United States. We forget about the opportunities and freedoms we have that give us the power to pursue a better life. Not taking advantage of our freedoms – like the right to vote, the right … [Read more...] about Exercising Your Freedom is Good for You
Bonnie Stevens
Moonshot, SBDC Invite Entrepreneurs to Pitch Their Ideas
Elaine O’Connor made a pitch and won the local and then the statewide competition with her business idea, Prescott Bark, in 2022. Cottonwood innovator Mayor Tim Elinski and his wife, Ruth Ellen, made their pitch and won the local and statewide competition with their PinDrop Travel Trailers in 2023. And now, Moonshot is looking for the innovator or entrepreneur with the next great idea. The 2024 Moonshot Rural Pitch Tour – an entrepreneurship contest similar to ABC’s Shark Tank – starts this … [Read more...] about Moonshot, SBDC Invite Entrepreneurs to Pitch Their Ideas
Have Kindness, Ambition, Integrity Swiftly Moved into the Spotlight?
Never before have we seen Americans voting with their fashionable pocketbooks like we are witnessing today. And, from marketers to politicians, artists to athletes, we should all be taking notice if we hope to gracefully step into financial and public favor with this beautiful S-curve that promotes kindness, ambition, integrity and, yes, even femininity as strengths. While Taylor Swift was performing hit after hit with songs like “Shake It Off” in the early 2000s, the rising tide of Swifties … [Read more...] about Have Kindness, Ambition, Integrity Swiftly Moved into the Spotlight?
Where is Your Landslide Hiding?
On a hike into the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, the landscape is populated with native inhabitants of cholla and saguaro. But about two miles from Tom’s Thumb Trailhead, a pile of rubble joins the scene with balancing boulders, mushroom-shaped formations and a massive submarine rock that hangs over a desert grotto, often flooded by summertime thunderstorms. The Marcus Landslide was discovered when it caught the eye of two college students who were paying attention to the changes in … [Read more...] about Where is Your Landslide Hiding?
Shine in the New Year
Visibility helps businesspeople build awareness, establish credibility and gain exposure to a larger audience, which can lead to promotions in organizations and more ideal clients for entrepreneurs. Visibility also connects consumers with products, services and ideas that could positively impact lives and even the world. Visibility is power and the possibility for wonderful outcomes. However, a disturbing report published in the Harvard Business Review by Priya Fielding-Singh, Devon … [Read more...] about Shine in the New Year
Be Irresistibly Newsworthy in Story, Soul, Style
While attending a Phoenix-area Chamber of Commerce mixer, I couldn’t help but notice a woman who was speaking so passionately about her business that she had a crowd of about a dozen women completely entranced. In a tiny restaurant where people milled about smiling politely, pretending to be interested in the latest tax law and plumbing fixtures, she was holding court in a big way. As a journalist and public relations consultant who is constantly on the lookout for people who have great … [Read more...] about Be Irresistibly Newsworthy in Story, Soul, Style
Athena Meets Challenges with Wisdom
In the messy world of Greek mythology, Athena, the goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, is displayed in statues, such as the one at the Louvre Museum in Paris, wearing a helmet, suggesting that she’s ready for combat. However, in a famous contest with Poseidon, she demonstrates how her superpower comes from her mind, and that’s how she wins battles. Once upon a time, Athens, Greece was a city called Cecropia, named after Cecrops, a legendary king who was half snake, half man. But Cecropia … [Read more...] about Athena Meets Challenges with Wisdom
Grandma Might Disapprove, But Laughter is the Best Medicine
If too much bad stress can kill us, wouldn’t you rather die of laughter? There’s a new movement practiced in more than 100 countries called Laughter Yoga. Developed by Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria, Laughter Yoga combines laughter with breathing exercises and is said to be packed with as many benefits as clowns in a phone booth, bringing more oxygen to the body including the brain, calming the central nervous system, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress hormone levels, and boosting the … [Read more...] about Grandma Might Disapprove, But Laughter is the Best Medicine
Mentoring Through Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards
The Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards not only celebrate, recognize and honor women for their leadership skills, career achievements, community service and mentorship, they also promote what leadership looks like. ATHENA recipients say this is powerful because younger or less experienced women in the workplace can identify local role models they can talk to, observe in action and learn from. “Leaders become mentors for others and impact future growth,” said 2022 ATHENA recipient Teri Drew, … [Read more...] about Mentoring Through Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards
Quintessential Newsman Trained in a News Field of Dreams
Long before Google, Alexa, Instagram and the internet, news was gathered through miles of legwork and worn-out shoes. A journalist was only as good as the relationships he cultivated and the sixth sense he developed. Reporting and uncovering stories required a tenacious and genuine interest in people, places and things that mattered, and a relentless hunger to know one more thing and to get it right before going to press. Ray Newton, a savvy street kid in the San Francisco Bay area in the … [Read more...] about Quintessential Newsman Trained in a News Field of Dreams