Attended a webinar (monthly) called HedgeD from Morgan Creek Capital today and took some investing notes that I want to share with my "Women Who Invest" Facebook group. Didn't see a good way to share it inside of Facebook - so putting my notes here for all to see. Sharing is caring, right? Here are my notes (along with my commentary).

So the market's going all crazy right now - new all time highs, everyone is a day trader, and looking a little more closely at these stock prices, the market caps are 20x, 28x, way higher than even revenues. Just so crazy expensive - and yet, when I look at these stock trading groups, people are pumping their hard earned dollars into these over priced assets. I worry.

October 2018-Present. The S&P is up 10%, which is about 5% a year (not really great). In reality, the money is actually down 40% (people just don't realize this yet.) During that same period, GLD is up 60%. Aren't we supposed to "buy cheap, sell high". People are buying high these days.... and they'll be forced to sell low. Again, in that same time period, Gold Corp is up 155%, Newman Gold is up 110%, Amazon up 55%, C Limited (Asia) is up 900%, Twilio is up 180%, and JD.com (Chinese) is up 120%. 

So passive funds (index funds) are going crazy too. Everyone is putting money in, and by everyone, it's the regular people (who are not your trained professional investors). Index funds do well when the money supply is high (like right now). So more money = higher prices. Eventually, the money supply will slow down and this will go negative, fast. And so if you take a step back, and look at the S&P for example over the last 20 years, compound return is only 5%. That's TERRIBLE. 

Stocks are even worse. People are buying things at stupid prices. Snowflake is the poster child for this craziness (it's at 227 times earnings or revenue.) --- WAY TOO EXPENSIVE. Zoom is at 100x revenue. And on top of it, everyone is being the same thing (the FAB4) - Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Facebook.... the Valuations are too high. It's not sustainable.

Remarks on Wall Street versus Main Street. Wall Street are the professional investors. Main Street are the speculators and newly-minted "day traders". All of this money is going into stocks - and what people need to do is take a step back and realize, there's no market recovery happening. COVID19 is exacerbating inequality everywhere. Only 41% of Americans had ANY savings at all before COVID (so there are a LOT of people hurting right now.). This year alone, we're going to see over 46% of Americans become food insecure. 30% of kids that are supposed to be remote learning don't have a laptop or internet. Those that have will do even better, and those that do not have will do even worse. He said it'll be a k-shaped recovery.

The American economy is driven by consumer spending. Again, no market recovery coming. Consumer spending (even with perceived increases this summer) is still down 30% from April. High income earners are spending as a percentage 50% LESS than low income earners. Let that sink in. That means less high income earners traveling, eating out, going to bars, shopping - that hurts small businesses, restaurants, who hire even more of the low income earners. So, if Consumer Spending = GDP = S&P..... then the S&P will be in BIG trouble very shortly.

So why are the stock prices even higher? And a significant amount of the stock is going up for non earning companies. This is not sustainable. 47% of the Russell 2000 are NONearners. 15-20% of US companies are NOT profitable, they have more debt than profit (called "zombie companies" or "Stocks"). The Stock market is a raging mania and being driven by "retail investor" or more precisely, speculators. For instance, there were 3,000,000 NEW first time investors on Robinhood. And over 20% of all stock trading is coming from retail. On the otherwise, stock buybacks are not happening as much any more. Companies are not buying stocks. Bankruptcies and bad debt is soaring. And it's starting to trend that Biden will likely be the winner of the election, which means, HIGHER TAXES. Equity market is falling down.

There are still good companies out there. Look for EBITA margins greater than 50%. Look for companies that are in the digitization, consumerization off financial products, payments, etc.... you can access them through relationships (private equity side). 

Then they went into their sales schpeel on hedge funds. Average hedge funds are up 3.9%, and the best are up 30%, while the average stock has had almost NO return over the past 3 years. Choose wisely. 

Hope these investing notes from the webinar help give at least a perspective and is informational. 

--Arry 
P.S. Let me know if any questions or if you want to connect. I'm happy to connect you with these folks as well. Sharing is caring! Also check out the podcast, HedgeD -- their first interview is really good with John Burbank. 

I just read The Profile by Polina Marinova Pompliano (see above photo) and "Words and Character" do not carry enough weight these days. By the way, I highly recommend subscribing to The Profile, if you haven't yet. I was a fan when she did the Term Sheet at Fortune Magazine - and continue to be a fan. Today's Profile Dossier is on Hugh Jackman. I love this actor... and after reading about him today, I love him even more.

At the end of the article, there is a list of "techniques to try".... and one of them really hit a chord with me. Big deep one that's been on my mind a lot recently. 

From about 2007 to about 2015, I had a really good friend. We met through salsa dancing and I remember just being so moved by the fresh energy and zest for life she used to carry. She's off the charts amazing as a dancer too - I'd often sit on the side watching her. She had a way of dancing that was so detailed and natural - it was like watching an exotic car move effortlessly in a sea of Toyotas and Hondas. Beautiful. I tend to just fall in love with the people I bring into my life - and perhaps I put them on a pedestal too. Wonderful treasures of laughter, hugs, memories, and more. 

We went to each other's weddings. Our friends became her friends, and vice versa.

Then it started (again). I'm not sure if it's me. It's happened several times now where since I'm the only thing common, I can't help but think it's me. Maybe I'm not good enough. Maybe I'm just not that interesting. Maybe no one really wants to be friends with me in the first place. Am I even worth anyone's time? It's a downward spiral of sadness, and self-pity.

We'd be making plans to visit San Francisco, and of course, I'd send a note to my usual favorite friends to see while there. I'm usually an introvert and seek more of those intimate conversations with family/friends. Only if time is truly limited, I'll throw everyone into one big dinner or drinks...

She was on this list of friends I truly enjoyed seeing. The first time it happened, we were supposed to meet for a drink at happy hour. Then about an hour before, she was tired so wanted to push it to later. It became a dinner plan. Then around dinner, it became dessert. Then around dessert time, it became after dinner drinks... then late night drinks... then the next day.

My husband also thought it was weird. We brushed it off the first few times as oh well, the timing must have been difficult... oh bummer, they must be really busy... ...

​Words and Character. Shouldn't they mean something?

Then on subsequent attempts on following trips to San Francisco, plans would be made and broken again and again. And the questions of, who else is going to be there? Is anyone else going to be meeting up with us? ... Is there anyone notable that she would miss meeting if she didn't come out to meet up with me? ...

It just was not working out. I suppose I could have confronted her candidly about what I was experiencing. Then again, the relationship at that point now had a giant chasm of doubt in between. I did not trust that I knew anything about her anymore. The character and values that are so important to me didn't seem to match. Then I had to make a conscious decision and remove her from my mental list of folks that I wanted to see, and/or wanted to see me... I took it as perhaps I'm just not that exciting enough for her. Perhaps not beautiful enough. Perhaps not influential enough. Just not enough - and perhaps most definitely, we're not a fit for each other anymore. It was causing me so much heartache so I quietly went a different direction.

Experiences where family and friends don't keep their word puts a dent in the trust tree. Words and Character - they should mean something. Put enough dents into the trunk of the tree and it'll fall down and die. Perhaps it stems from a childhood trauma - like so many of these things we think are unique in our adult lives.... I used to run home every day hoping to see my father after school. He was never there.... and then only once he was there standing behind the front screen door when I got home.

And then, he was never there again.

​Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tapping my shoulders.

Warmly,
​Arry 

I saw this image fly by my eyes at about 330AM this morning - and I saved it as a reminder that I want to share/write about this... A LOT MORE ABOUT THIS.

Many of us humans, we have our dark down days.  Some have them more than others.  At my worst, I think I did not leave my room/bed/apartment for weeks.  Some times, the idea of being alive is just so exhausting.  Some times, I am able to push myself into being somewhat functional, going through the motions of a fully productive day - only doing what is absolutely necessary to not let anything blow up.  Other times, I've written long goodbye letters to my husband and family - only to "wake up" and throw it away.  I even daydreamed about getting in the car, alone, and driving endlessly on the highway to just go away from this surreal non-reality reality I was living in. 

I had a really tough time with postpartum depression with our first baby.  Really bad.  I had no idea how bad it was at the time.  Only looking back today, do I realize how deep in the depths of velvety despair I was living in day to day, night after night, month after month.  To help myself with this newest baby who was recently born, I did things differently. 

Five Things I'm Doing Differently with Our Second Baby to Avoid Postpartum Depression: 

1. Proactive Communication (before giving birth) - I told my OBGYN, my husband, friends, and more about how challenging postpartum depression was for me with our first baby.  With more people aware, they can help me when they see me teetering on the edge.  Recently, I woke up.  For some reason, everything felt so difficult.  I sat down on the couch ready to feed our newborn, and tears just started rolling down my face.  My husband looked at me and said, "go put on something comfortable to go outside with.  I'll drop you and the baby off at the mall and you can walk around a little while I do this quick 30 minute meeting this morning."  I started to object - and then something in me said, just do it. The day turned out to be really great because my husband was aware.
2. Lots of Photos - while pregnant, I put up photos all of over the home of wonderful memories, family, and friends.  It's seriously made a difference.  When I'm home, the photos are constant reminders of good memories, loving faces, and comfort that keep me from falling into that dark place too much.
3. Therapy - I see this Phd psychologist/leadership coach quarterly.  Todd.  When he saw me pregnant, in my second trimester, he asked, "did you get postpartum depression with the first pregnancy"?  I said, "yes, it was really bad".  Considering what I was going through last year, he strongly advised me to get a therapist ASAP to start working weekly on building some strong mental foundational tools before the baby was born.  Oh my goodness, SO HELPFUL.  He even looked up a few folks for me to call to find the right fit. 
4. Breathing Room & Forgiveness in Breastfeeding - For those that have not breastfed a newborn baby before, it's REALLY hard.  It's hard to produce the milk - enough milk.  It's hard on the body physically.  There's a lot of pain associated with it.  There's a lot of stress related to it knowing that this amazing adorable innocent human life form depends on you for it.  There's sacrifice - the sleep, the social events, what I can or cannot eat/drink, and then some.  This time around with this baby, we're going with "fed is best".  I've been supplementing with formula from the day he was born.  With our first baby, I felt so ashamed to even go there, so I pushed and pushed to have him exclusively breastfed until about 6 months of age.  I still feel the shame with not producing as much milk as with our first baby - and at the same time, I feel a tiny bit happier and freer.  It's a weird discombobulating feeling.  My husband has been reminding me, fed is best.  Whole generations of humans are and have been exclusively formula fed.  The baby will be okay. I don't know if it's the same for other mothers - my self worth and self esteem daily seems to be based on how breastfeeding is going that day.  
5. Indulging Myself with Food and Sleep - to my heart's content.  It took about a full month before I even allowed my husband to take care of our newborn ALL NIGHT LONG while I slept in the other bed with our toddler.  A full month.  For some reason, I have this innate feeling that it is fully my own responsibility to stay up all night, every night, with our newborn.  I feel an immense amount of guilt letting my husband do that.  I've been learning to let go - with coaxing and coaching from both my husband and therapist.  Sleep is amazing - milk flows so luxuriously and freely after a night of good sleep.  Same goes with when I've had some delicious food/beverage.  Oh, and this time, proactively recruiting help from not just family - but also the community has helped.  I now know what a MEAL TRAIN is!!! 

Having a baby - it's like the whole family getting hit by a bus.  For the mother who just gave birth, it's like getting hit by the bus a few more times.  The physical and mental demands are big - and not knowing any better, I really struggled with recovery with our first baby.  This second baby has been easier in so many ways, and more difficult in other (like having survived the unplanned c-section, that got infected... more on that some other time.)  

Net-net?  
Ask for help.  
Accept and embrace the help.  
Don't add more stress than is really needed.  
​Eat/sleep as much as you can.  
Have strong mental and visual anchors to stay strong daily.

Arry 

First open mic comedy night.  Yes.  My first time taking  the open mic at a comedy night.  I was sooooooooooooo scared and nervous out of my mind.  I decided to share those (funny, to me) stories of how I take fun of those challenging moments as a woman, and an Asian person.  I can control my reactions.  I can't control what other people say or do.  Here it is:

I randomly applied to be one of three startup founders to take up the three open mic slots for that night.  I didn't think I'd get it --- but then, Sunday, I found out I did.  And the open mic night was that coming Thursday, August 10.  ...  I think it went okay for a first-timer.  :)

Feedback?  

Arry

This is the aftermath of my 1 hour session with Heather Redman of FlyingFish VC. She's an investor in GiftStarter (my startup I've been quarterbacking since 2014).  Usually we meet over coffee or drinks, and I give her my update.  She gives me feedback, helps answer questions, and connects me to helpful people.  This week, we met and got our nails done.  My nails are bright purple (as inspiration to myself to be like a purple unicorn!)!

After three years of wooing, and then continuing to woo our investors (GiftStarter), I've learned that really, when it comes to all meetings, it's completely always about the relationship.  Not just, do I like this person, do they like me back?  Honestly, do we like each other as people?  Do we respect each other?  

All I can say, is that I LOVE the investors that invested in me/GiftStarter - investment of dollars, time, and resources.  Some really really really (emphasis on really really REALLY really) awesome people.  I am so appreciative of the opportunity, the opportunity to go to battle with a very tough set of cards, and the opportunity to have learned all that I have gotten to learn (and continue to learn).  To all founders out there, investors are people, too (not just dollars).    

--Arry

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream
[Full lyrics here]

(I am late to publish my #postaweek2017 for last week.)

In general, when it comes to life, the best way to live, is to not expend more energy than needed to accomplish a goal.  Rowing a boat against the current, or upstream is WAY HARDER, than just sitting in the boat and letting the river take you.  

This "Row, row, row your boat" thinking can be applied to:

• Career: There are rules to the game you're playing - know what those rules are and how it's being played before trying to change it and/or tell people what the rules should be.
• Sales: Don't go towards the people that have no interest in the problem you solve.  Go where people are looking for solutions, and your business makes sense for them.  This also applies to
• Fundraising (similar to sales): It's much easier to raise capital from folks who 1) understand the space you are in or the problem you are solving, 2) or who are interested in that space and want to expand their experience with you.
• Marketing (& sales): The idea that the "trend is your friend" is true.  If most businesses/people are working on figuring out a new trend in social media, trying to sell them large billboard signs (to throw an example out there) may be difficult.  Be where the market is and learn the distribution strategies to reach people where the people are.
• Building a team: Have people join the team that want to row with you, work shoulder to shoulder with you, follow you, grow/lead with you.  Getting people to work on things that only interest them because of the prestige or the money, will only motivate them for so long (or at all.)  
• Changing anything: When it comes to change, it's important to know what the current situation looks like.  Who are the key players?  Why does the current process, system, or anything exist the way it does?  What are the challenges?  What is the most important thing (MIT) of the people, process or systems that exist today.  Find out how to become or access the movers that MIT.  

Lately.  I have been applying the "Row, row, row your boat" principles to the topics that are coming up a lot lately in the ecosystems I am part of.  The topics of "Women in ___" (be it in the workplace, in tech, in startups, in leadership, in the C-Suite, etc...", and "Diversity" (be in race, gender, etc...).  My current belief is that we're missing a purposeful coordinated focus on identifying and influencing MIT in what'll really move the needle in a meaningful way.  That's why the whole topic of gender, of women in ___, of social equity and many similar topics have been so slow to change.  

Thoughts?

​--Arry

Motherhood is hard.  There's so many changes that I've gone through to list, and while not everyone has the same experiences, here are mine (not in any particular order of importance).  

Motherhood is hard:

1. The obvious physical changes like your whole body expanding, and then shrinking (hopefully back to pre-pregnancy weight).  
2. Your feet change size - and sometimes, never shrink back.  Mine grew a whole size and I cry (just a little) inside every time I see the shoes I can no longer wear. ... oh well.
3. Hair loss after the birth of your baby and also the crazy baby hairs that grow afterwards.  To know and learn how to manage your hair is a new process again.
4. Emotional and hormonal - the lack of sleep, the lack of being able to eat/drink as you want, and the powerful hormones that are or aren't in your body make living complete chaos.  
5. There are significant changes to your family dynamics.  It's everything including how "moms" (your own mother, your mother-in-law, any relative that's also a mom) relate to you and/or express their opinions of motherhood.  
6. Marriage dynamics are a big one.  It's complete survival mode and you have this completely new fascinating baby in front of you.  It's hard to feel sexy or in the mood.  It's a mystery about how to even coordinate a date night.  I love this man I've co-created life with.  I love seeing him as a father.  He's even more attractive to me now.  And I miss the life we had when it was just the two of us.  I do like our life as mom and dad.  
7. Priorities completely change.  That career you were completely leaning into and driving before takes a major hit.  I can't show up to the events and meetings on a whim I used to.  My life's interests have changed.  How I see the world has changed.  If I have spare time, which I force myself to take (not that I really technically have it), I'd rather sip wine or Lillet with my husband, cuddle longer with my baby, or be completely alone.
8. My relationship with myself has gone through a rollercoaster.  A lot of it was the lack of sleep and the hormonal changes.  I definitely had postpartum depression, with thoughts of ending my life.  I used to see myself only as unstoppable and strong.   I now see myself as many other adjectives: kind, depressed, empathetic, apathetic, beaten, aloof, charismatic, tired, and introspective.  
9. My relationship with money/resources is different, too.  I think I'm much more practical today, than before having a baby.  I think about how it relates to and will impact the system.  I'm applying this frugal practicality to everything, from how I spend money daily to how I plan for it.
10. And finally, the societal judgement that comes with motherhood.  I've had investors tell me to my face that I'm probably a horrible mother.  I've been lectured that I am wrong to still want to go out to make an impact outside the home right now.  People ask me daily, "how do you do it?"  I sometimes wonder if that question is really, "why do you do it?"

Often, I'll share and say something like, "wow, motherhood is hard".  You learn a lot about who people are with the responses.  Now having been in this for over a year, I've noticed a most definite pattern.  I will always get one of two responses to that question.  They go something like this:

Supportive fellow human being:
A) Yes.  My gosh I can (or cannot) imagine.  With the follow up of, let's go grab some coffee or I'd love to share more with you on this journey.  I want to show you that you are not alone and I am here to feel shoulder-to-shoulder in life with you.  I want you to know that it'll be okay.   

Judging oppressive human being:
B) Of course it is.  And, isn't motherhood the most rewarding thing you've ever done?  Isn't it completely and totally worth it?  There's only one right answer here and you better say it.  Motherhood is amazing and that's the only thing any mother should ever say.  Ever.  Because it is completely worth it.  

---------
We get to be the guardian of a brand new fresh pure amazing human life, to guide him (or her) to grow up to be a kind, generous, strong, empathetic, respectful and respected adult.   It is hard work.  Both ideas can exist. 

--Arry

Happy international women's day 2017.  Maybe happy isn't the right word.  I'm observing this day.  I don't know if we should quite be celebrating.  The state of humanity is teetering on the edge of being truly broken.  I don't know about wearing red, marching, resisting, or any of that.  What I do know is the following actions we can do each and every day to honor women, respect women, and be respected as women.

18 Ways to celebrate women and each other on International Women's Day 2017:

1. Be kind.  For humans, it is "harder to be kind than clever".   
2. Listen with empathy.  Understand, than speak your opinion.
3. Go wide than decide.  Check your perspective, where is your mind and heart as you speak/think?   We are way too quick to judge.  Even quicker to speak.  
4. Start with gratitude.  Like our parents likely taught us, say please and thank you.  Don't take people and blessings for granted.
5. Change starts with you.  The only thing you can really change is yourself, your attitude, your heart and your actions.  Have an opinion?  You, do something first.  People won't follow if you are not walking the talk.
6. Give it forward.  Let's take "pay it forward" further, take action in making the world a better place.  Wish someone had done something for you/another?  Take a moment to do something kind, helpful, supportive for someone else.  No ask in return.  Just because.
7. Slow down.  Yes, slow down.  Humans are not meant to send 150 emails a day, read 300 emails, facebook, tweet, text, voicemail, drive, eat hopefully, exercise, write a blog, be in meetings, all in a day.  Not even a quarter of that.  Does this all really matter?  Live a good life.  
8. Respect quality.  Good quality services, products and food.  Thank you business for not abusing child labor or 3rd world laborers.  Thank you farmer for taking the more challenging route of using less chemical pesticides.  
9. Respect life.  Pay respect to the earth for the resources we get to use.  Thank you trees for paper and our buildings.  Thank you animal for your bones, meat and leather.  Thank you plants for our air.   
10. Effort does count.  Recognize the intent and effort being put out by people.  Sometimes, it's not just the result that matters.  Hard work counts, a lot.
11. Coach and mentor.  At every step of the way in life, we are each responsible for being coaches and mentors to others.  This isn't a responsibility for those with titles or millions in the bank.  A third grader coaching a first grader.  A manager mentoring a peer.  A husband mentors a wife, and vice versa.
12. Sharing is caring.  You have an extra $10 or 100?  Treat your friends to a round at happy hour.  Buy a hot meal or a blanket for the homeless guy sitting on the street corner.  Buy lunch for a friend.  Don't go to the grave with millions in the bank.  Take care of others.  
13. Sincerely promote women.  Women don't do enough of this for each other.  Men don't do enough of this for women.  Promote women that are out there teaching, raising our future generations, fighting in the battlefields of entrepreneurship, speaking to crowds, writing books and blogs, working in nonprofits, raising money for good, and all of the acts of service for others.
14. Invest in women.  No.  I do not mean only money.  That's a small piece of the puzzle.  Invest in women by spending quality time with a woman - share a coffee and hear her thoughts and struggles.  Set up time to work shoulder-to-shoulder with her on her most important challenges.  Answer her phone calls.  Give her REAL FEEDBACK (don't couch it, don't soften it, don't filter it.)  
15. Build bridges.  Reach out to someone you haven't spoken to in awhile.  Try a phone call or Facetime or Skype.  Grab coffee.  Go see a movie.  Do a GNO (girls' night out).  Make brunch plans.  CONNECT heart to heart.
16. Love our children.  Smile when you see one walking by on the street.  Let's teach our young boys to treat other boys and girls with kindness.  Let's teach our young boys and girls to respect their own bodies and speak kindly about other people's bodies.  Let's each walk the talk in how we talk about and treat our own bodies and look at others.
17. Show you care.  Send a note.  Give a hug.  A REAL HUG, both arms around that person.  Say thank you.  Smile.  It's okay to care.  Let's stop being the world of the walking dead.  Let's take the time to care in our own ways.
18. Take a little risk.  Live a little.  Smile (and if the other person doesn't smile back, you did).  Call someone (and if they don't call back, you did).  Want to be a designer, draw something today and start designing.  Don't wait.  

Having worked for over a decade in management consulting, and now having been running this startup marathon for over three years, I always am bewildered by people that show up to meetings completely empty-handed.  Bring a notebook.  Always. Perhaps the training I received in consulting was just that good.  Perhaps it's training that everyone should follow.  

An "Employer" perspective:  I once worked with this bright engineer who would nod vigorously in meetings, actively and delightfully participate in product meetings, and then a few hours after the meeting, have no recollection of what the meeting was about.  We suggested she bring a notebook and take notes during the meeting to help - she never did. We soon parted ways.  

Here's an "Employee" perspective:  One of my first memories working at a "Big 4" management consulting firm was sitting in a very large intimidating conference room with the CFO and my firm's Partner level "big wigs".  I was an Associate sitting in the back with the other Associates all furiously writing notes.  At one point during the meeting, the client pointed to one of our Partners and then to one of the Associates that had stopped typing.  A few moments later, he (that Associate) was escorted out of the room because he was not "adding any value" just sitting there.  I learned at that moment, never let your guard down in meetings and always strive to add value.

Simply put: Bring a notebook, and take notes = you will auto-magically become WAY more effective.  

Here's why.

1. ​Your memory will definitely fail you without taking notes.  
2. Your memory will especially fail you when you want to recall what items the other person(s) signed up for, or what items you promised you would do.
3. You get a physical (or digital) recording that the event/meeting actually happened.
4. It will help increase information "sticky-ness" so your memory will actually improve.
5. At least, no matter what the outcome of the meeting, you'll be able to always deliver some value by being the notetaker.  If you're strategic, you'll realize that being the notetaker allows you to be the recorder of what's important and how's it is framed/structured.  Send out the meeting notes to everyone relevant to the meeting as soon as possible after the meeting.

Always take notes in these 3 situations:

1. Any kind of meeting.  Coffee, networking, conference, whatever version of networking, job or not job related, bring a notebook and pen.  I always jot down any follow ups or action items that we discussed or agreed to in the meeting - and then I actually follow up afterwards, usually with an email confirming them and thanking the person(s).  Sometimes, I'll go the extra mile and send a card in the mail.
2. Job Interviews.  This is in the similar category as "any kind of professional meeting".  It is so special that it deserves its own bullet.  Write down names, any email addresses of your interviewers you meet.  Write down the questions they ask you so you can keep track of what was asked.  Write down some questions ahead of time.  It shows you're actively listening AND that you're not just about showing up at meetings - it shows you intend to get results out of that meeting.
3. Anytime you owe or are seeking favors.  Write it down.  It shows the other person(s) that you are about action and results -- that you will most likely follow through.  Refer back to your notes at the end and beginning of each day and get'er done.  Help others help you, by following up for favors you want.  Proactively complete favors you owe and have volunteered.  Once complete, cross that action item off your list in your notes.  

If you're not used to carrying around a pen/paper always, other ways of accomplishing the same effect are: 1) add calendar items toward the end of the day and take notes in there, 2) send yourself emails with the notes, 3) voice record the meeting (not recommended for many reasons.)  If I'm at a party for instance, and a situation comes up where I need a quick note, I will send myself emails when I'm not with my notebook.

My favorite method now is to carry a large black artist's sketchbook filled with large sheets of blank paper.  I write notes, I draw arrows and connect meetings and thoughts.  I emphasize some notes with extra underlines, circles and asterisks.   Always bring a notebook.

-- Arry

We've started #theredscarfproject as foundhers and founders to take action in making a difference.  :)  A lot of us, we see the challenges, we've experienced some of them, and we feel like we have the power to help make it better.  Even a little, for at least someone out there.

We're working on getting it off the ground.  To share with you a little bit about the mantra, it's about being a shining light of what is possible.  We want to help inspire others to not just point out what's wrong, but take it a little further to help action what "right" is.  And as we all know, often it takes a few iterations until we all really figure out what "right" really is.  Our current focus is on spotlighting heroes in our communities who play by paying it forward.  Doing for others what you wish someone had done for you.

Our initial thoughts on what it means to be a part of this:

• Be a resource for all the other groups and organizations
• Our focus is on SPOTLIGHTS > creating a voice to share the stories of each of our members.
• Really truly support and champion each other, as people AND each other's businesses.   ***  Actually advocate each other's businesses.
• Be authentic, vulnerable, real to inspire others
• Action oriented --- we DO to make a difference
• Act with grace towards each other.  We're all busy.  Offer help to each other.  Ask for help. 

If you'd like to keep in-the-know of what's going on as we launch this, please LIKE our new Facebook page.

We're working on building our humble startup fund, so if you'd like to donate as we work on our website and building the team, we'd LOVE you forever!  Please DONATE here.  (Any amount helps: $5, $20, $50, $100, $1000, $1Million).  Thanks in advance!  :D

More updates to come.

We all rise when we lift others up.
Arry