I’ve moved my blog!

I’ve moved my blog!  Check out: josephineannadries.wordpress.com for more information.

~Josephine

 

Where Has Business Etiquette Gone?

“Business etiquette is a lost art,” says Josephine Nicholas, PR Agent with Insert Catchy Headlines, and a certified Business Protocol and Etiquette instructor based out of Ann Arbor, MI. “All the business buzz words flying around like the birds in the Spring cannot make up for a lack of tact, professionalism, and consideration.”

“How many business ‘networking’ events have we all been to where you’ve had a business card shoved in your face, or an individual not shaking your hand, due to the ever present ‘too much food and drink in my hands syndrome’, or an individual there who looks like they just came from their workout, or numerous other faux pas? Gone are the days of common courtesy in a business forum, and ushered in are the days of an in your face type of carelessness about behavior, style, and interaction,” says Josephine.

Josephine is on a mission – in her city and across the nation – to bring the balance to a business world caught up in itself, and she’s doing so with class.

“Networking isn’t about the food, how many cards you pass out, or even how many people you meet. It’s about you going up to the woman in the corner who is standing like the wallflower at prom, and introducing her to the right people in the room,” says Josephine. “Conducting a seminar on a social media dressed as if you didn’t care about your appearance and telling obnoxious jokes isn’t going to gain you new friends in the ‘cool circle’ – conducting that seminar looking like you respect ourself and your audience, nailing the subject matter on the head, and paying close attention to the audience’s questions, these are the things that earn you a seat at the table.”

About Josephine Nicholas: Josephine Nicholas is a certified Corporate Protocol and Etiquette instructor, and owns her own PR Agency, Insert Catchy Headlines, based in Ann Arbor, MI. Josephine offers a comprehensive array of services to handle the diverse PR needs of her clients. Her clients have appeared regularly as local and national media experts. Josephine often speaks professionally to large and small audiences on the topics of media relations, publicity, how to brand yourself through media exposure, and business etiquette and protocol. Josephine is passionate about giving back to others, and, together with siblings Jaad and Jihan, runs Parties with a Purpose (PWAP). After a long, hard day at work, Josephine uses baking, playing piano, and dancing as her stress-relief outlets. Josephine can be reached at josephine@icheadlines.com. Josephine also writes a blog, which you can read by clicking here.

 

Teen Party with a Purpose for RMH A2

Teen Party with a Purpose for RMH A2

TeensJoinCauseforRonaldMcDonaldHouse

 

PWAP for RMH A2 flier

Community Party for Ronald McDonald Housedoubleside

 

Reconnecting

This was a week of unintentional but wonderful reconnecting for me – I called a woman I respect in the community and reconnected with her; I called a friend I met a few months ago and reconnected with her; I reconnected with a couple family members I don’t often talk to; I reconnected with a business acquaintance and had a wonderful visit over coffee; and, I am currently on the plane to TX to reconnect with a friend who is suffering from cancer at 26. Each of these encounters taught me something that I’d like to share with you.

Reconnecting gives you opportunities to touch people you wouldn’t otherwise come across:

The call to the woman I respect (my friend and business associate, Deb) in the community was made because our Party with a Purpose (PWAP) team is looking for our next children’s charity to sponsor; our vision with our next PWAP is to sponsor a very local charity, by looking at those in real need in our own backyard. Deb works for a local non-profit, and is connected with several others in the community; she was able to help me in my quest to find local children who were in need of help.

Reconnecting with her netted not only the connections I was looking for, but a wonderful conversation updating each other on our lives since the last time we spoke. Additionally, we not only enjoyed catching up on each other’s lives, but we inspired each other by our mutual pursuits of something greater than ourselves.

The next time you are looking for a way to touch someone’s life, look at the people you haven’t reached out to in a while – reconnect with them and learn new ways to help a cause greater than yourself.

Reconnecting gives others the opportunity to touch your life in a positive way:

I have a dance performance coming up December 3 (where I’ll be performing in two pieces for the show); and, my dance company PR client has two dance shows coming up. I met a wonderful woman, Deanna, earlier this year who is a dance instructor and has been dancing since she was little. I know she’ll enjoy these upcoming dance performances, so I picked up the phone and called her – under the auspices of telling her about the shows. What happened next blew me away – Deanna picked up the phone and said she couldn’t believe I’d called because she had just been thinking about me that very morning. She told me I was on her heart and in her prayers for the past few days and was hoping for a way to reconnect with me.

Deanna began to share things with me, and speak words of encouragement to me, in ways that she couldn’t have possibly known I needed. The things she told me in that conversation spoke into my heart and life, and really lifted me up.

The next time you feel that nudge to contact someone, take action on that feeling – you never know if you are on their heart/mind at that same moment and if they are going to move you in a way you can’t even imagine right now.

Reconnecting grounds you:

I reconnected with family members this week that I don’t often speak with – this is grounding in a way that is hard to explain but very real to me. There are people you are connected with in this life that are put in your life for very specific reasons – and, they are there to help keep you grounded in reality, in love, in life, in your roots, in who you are, in where you came from, and in a myriad of other things imperative to you being grounded in a healthy way.

Don’t ever miss the opportunity to reconnect with those people (and even places, sometimes) and allow them to help ground you.

Reconnecting helps people see you as real and may gain you some new business:

I met a wonderful business man, Greg, a few months ago; in fact, not only did I meet him, but when I joined the Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce, he came to my office as their ambassador and welcomed me. We would see each other at different functions around town, and always said we would sit down over coffee; well, we did so this week and boy what a wonderful visit that was. Not only did we “talk shop”, but we talked about those we love the most – his wife daughter, and daughter-on-the-way, and my siblings and parents. We saw each other as not only the professional business people we saw each other as around town, but as real people, real “folk”, living life, and making the best of it all. I will more likely do business/refer business to Greg after this conversation than another business person who may be in his line of work, because I now know what motivates and drives Greg and that builds trust between us.

The next time you are thinking of working with someone that you know as a business acquaintance, do both you and them a favor, and reconnect on a both a personal and professional level – you won’t regret it.

Reconnecting touches lives you are not even aware of:

My friend, Danny, in TX has been suffering from cancer since the beginning of this year, but is on an amazing journey on his life through this (check out his blog on this link) and he is positively influencing so many people by the way he is handling this part of his path. There’s a group of friends that know and love Danny that stay apprised of his journey through communication and some have visited him in TX. My brother and I are currently on a plane to visit him, we haven’t seen him in a couple years – and, as I have mentioned this trip to a couple people the past few days, I am blown away by how many people have been touched by us going to see him, and have asked to learn more about Danny’s journey. Not only that – but, many others I don’t even know will now be praying for and supporting Danny in his journey due to this trip; I’ve had people who I don’t know reach out to me saying they heard about our trip and asked what they can do to help Danny.

It is amazing how many lives can be touched by the simple act of reconnecting; if there is someone you know who is suffering, and there is even something little you can do to reconnect with them, do it – and, see what wonderful things come of your action.

I’ll post this when we land, and, until next time,
Josephine

 

Childhood Dreams

Have you ever seen yourself reflected in someone else; like you’re looking at yourself in a mirror?

The other day, I was at a church to attend a 40 day mass and I saw myself reflected in the eyes of a little girl who was staring at me.

This little girl of 8 or 9 kept looking at me from her pew; she was watching my every move, and, in that moment, I flashed back to being a little girl myself – to all the thoughts running through my head when I would sit in my pew, with my cute little Princess dresses, and observe women in church who were in their 20s. I remember my little girl self thinking, “I want to look like that girl…be like that when I get to be their age,” and, “Wow, they’re so pretty – am I going to be that pretty when I grow up; they’re so calm, collected, and cool – I mean, just look at that suit, that dress, that makeup, they’re all put together so well, will I be like them?”

I also remember looking at my Mamma and thinking – “will I ever be that beautiful, that perfect – will I ever accomplish even half as much as all she has?”

Seeing my little girl self in the eyes of that child that Sunday caused so many thoughts to go through my head; and, upon returning home, I sat alone and asked myself if I am now that woman that I wanted to be when I was 8.

I asked myself questions like – what dreams did I have back then that I have fulfilled, and what dreams have I yet to accomplish? Am I as steady, sure, and confident inside as I may have looked to that little girl (and, as those women looked to me at that age so long ago?) Am I even half the woman my mom is…have I achieved even half of what she has…am I at least on the path that would lead me to the same honorable achievements?

Yes, there is definitely something about seeing a reflecting pool through the eyes of a child that causes you to contemplate and evaluate your life differently.

For me, the answers to some of the above questions are really personal.

What are your answers? Are you fulfilling the dreams, ambitions, and aspirations you had as a child? Who did you want to look like when you grew up, and, are you looking like that hero…and, are you living a life that is allowing you to be other people’s hero?

I have achieved so many things in my life, yet I have so many dreams and hopes that I still want to realize – so many experiences left in my pathway. I look forward to doing things now and in the future in order to see these things come to fruition.

Until next time,
Josephine

 

Gibran’s Interview on Fox Business News

Gibran’s Interview on Fox Business News:

http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/4287560/expert-good-time-to-buy-home

 

Interview on Lucy Ann Lance Show

Loved being interviewed in-studio on Lucy Ann Lance’s Radio show:

http://lucyannlance.com/?page_id=698

 

New Developments with ICH-my PR Agency

There have been many new and exciting developments with Insert Catchy Headlines, my PR Agency. Thanking God each step of the way – His favor blows me away.  I am enjoying the challenges and beauty of working hard while living the dream.

See below for some updates:

I’ll be speaking for the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Seminar Series on July 13:

http://www.annarborchamber.org/events/details/seminarseries.html

My siblings, family and I featured in Crain’s Detroit Business Article:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20100608/EMAIL01/306089998# or

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20100526/C03/100529908

Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce Article on the Crain’s piece: http://www.a2ychamber.org/about/news/June_2010.html

A byline article in National Mortgage Professional Magazine: http://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news17922/five-steps-get-media-exposure-you-deserve

Exciting new clients, including: http://GinaDaneneThompson.com

Until next time,

Josephine

 

Antoine’s Salon of Troy TV Interview

Below, is a recent TV Interview for Antoine’s Salon of Troy (one of my PR clients.)  Antoine is doing some great things for the community.

Click here to watch the interview.