Excuse me! Is that cell phone glued to your hand?

Last weekend we invited a teenage girlfriend of our daughter (for privacy purposes, let’s just call her AMY) to join our family for a long weekend getaway at the beach. Amy has always been truly a lovely girl, always smiling, happy to help clear the dishes, always saying the polite “thank you” when required.

However, she would not stop texting. Morning, noon, at the beach, and before bed. I finally became so annoyed on Day #2 that I asked -

“Amy, who is so important that you have to text constantly?”

And Amy answered-

“Well, all my friends love texting me.”

And then I said -

“However, you chose to come with your friend to the beach (i.e. MY daughter) and it’s pretty rude of you to be ignoring her. Remember, she’s your friend standing next to you”.

Obviously, my words meant nothing because that very evening, my husband and I decided to take everyone out to a very fancy restaurant. Amy proceeded to hold her cell phone on her lap… texting… throughout the entire Saturday night dinner.

Parents … this is your wakeup call. It is time to re-visit social etiquette and Manners 101, and remember the following:

1. If you allow your kid to have a cell phone, set limits to when and WHY it should be used.
2. Review how utterly RUDE it is to be texting when in the company of others.
3. Remind them how they might feel if being ignored by their friends simply because they couldn’t peel their eyes away from their cell phone.
4. Discuss with your kids the value of a “real conversation” and that the world does not need to revolve around gibberish, senseless, meaningless texting.
5. Remind your kids that when they are in the “real job world”, if their communication skills stink, likely will the position they hold.
6. Any real negotiations or sales occur through an actual conversation, not through 30 second text messages.
7. And most importantly, TALK with other parents and ask for feedback about your kids' manners. Ask if your kid was polite. And if not, take appropriate measures (i.e. no cell phone for a week). They’ll get the message!

Posted by Leslie Linevsky at 09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Calling all teachers!

The clock is ticking as I type and the deadline for entering Catalogs.com's “Tools for Teaching Contest” is soon approaching. You only have two days left to get those essays in for a chance to win up to $2,500 in school supplies for your classroom! What are you waiting for?!

You don't like it when your students procrastinate, so set a good example and turn in those winning essays describing how you would put your $2,500 gift certificate from eNasco to good use by September 30th.

May the teaching force be with you and good luck!

Posted by Leslie Linevsky at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It was only recently (about 2 years ago) that I decided to ABSOLUTELY SPLURGE on a pair of Donald J. Pliner shoes which I bought. With the average cost around $300 - $400 per pair, I previously never considered wearing them. I’m embarrassed to say, I can be just as happy with a comfortable pair of low heeled Naturalizers for $89.00 (or so I thought!).

Now I realize, probably 99% of my personal girlfriends own several, several pairs of Donald Pliner shoes. However, I am not one to typically lavish myself with unnecessary expenses. One could say I am frugal and thoughtful about how I spend my money. In fact, I always said I would rather give a charitable foundation $2,000 extra instead of buying myself a Prada purse or four pairs of Donald Pliner shoes.

What have I been missing my whole adult life! Can I tell you seriously that EVERY single time I wear these shoes, I must get a minimum of three ooh’s and ahhs from other admiring women.

This morning, I attended a Women’s Executive Circle, where 24 female executives were gathered in one conference room on the 15th floor of a downtown office building in Ft. Lauderdale. In attendance were presidents of corporations, business owners & entrepreneurs, partners in law firms and CPA firms, and other highly successful full time working women. The criteria to be “invited to attend” this exclusive circle of professional female leaders include 1) the desire and commitment to empower other young women 2) to employ high-impact philanthropy to strengthen our community 3) to employ innovative mentoring techniques to help mold the next generation of business leaders and 4) most importantly – to give generously through philanthropy.

Ask me what I wore? A stunning Tahari deep lavender business suit with a pleated skirt, along with a wrap around lavender & hot pink & black knit blouse, and of course, my Donald Pliner shoes. One after the other, I received compliments on my SHOES. Why is this “sometimes” important?

1. As an executive (male or female) you need to dress the part. I may be old school in saying so, but if you dress poorly … no one will take you seriously for advancements. Even though neckties and bowties are not as widely required in the workforce, there is nothing as seductive as a well-dressed man, wearing an Italian cut suit, button-down crisply pressed white dress shirt with solid gold cufflinks.
2. Dressing well (especially in a sales or business development role) will give you a boost of confidence that is unmatched.)
3. Others will take you more seriously.
4. Others will LISTEN more attentively to what you have to say.
5. Others will attempt to come over and meet you or strike up a conversation.
6. And most importantly, it just FEELS GOOD to pamper yourself and feel that you are worth every cent you paid.

Posted by Melody at 01:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I know it’s unattractive to be jealous. Oohing and ahing over others successes is so inappropriate … it’s down right reprehensible. Twenty-six years ago when my boyfriend gave me my first gift, the double volume set of Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” I only wish I had the same vision 26 years ago to take my passion and make something of it. Of course, personal computers weren’t even invented, nor did they even have a fax machine invented. Blogs… what is a blog?

Why would a 22 year old college boy give a girlfriend Julia’s masterpiece? Years later I discovered why … because he was testing me to make sure that I could learn to cook as good as his mother. Yet, while in college, I read every word of that two volume cookbook as though it was my bible, and I have personally mastered 60% of all recipes (and successfully wooed that “boyfriend” who now is my loving husband of 19 years).

So WHY wasn’t I brilliant enough to due what Julie Powell did? She is the lucky soul who decided to cook her way through Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and blog about it—365 days, 524 recipes. After a year of blogging and cooking, Powell had a following, wrote a book about her culinary adventures and got noticed by filmmaker Nora Ephron. Fame and fortune followed, through the very lucrative “Julie & Julia,” a tour de force written and directed by Ephron. And, to top it off, the most celebrated and brilliant actress Meryl Streep is playing the lead role as Julia.

Almost 48 years after it was first published, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child finally topping the best-seller list, bringing with it all the butter, salt and goose fat that home chefs had largely abandoned in the age of Lipitor. The book, given a huge lift from the recently released movie “Julie & Julia,” sold 22,000 copies in the most recent week tracked, according to Nielsen BookScan, which follows book sales. That is more copies than were sold in any full year since the book's appearance, according to Alfred A. Knopf, which published it.

Lessons to be learned:
1. Follow your passion.
2. Don’t let rejection hinder your efforts.
3. Continue striving and building something that is important to you.
4. Keep ethical and honest.
5. Stay focused.
6. Be relentless.
7. Show tenacity.
Enjoy life … and maybe great fortune and success will come to you in very unexpected ways.

Get Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes at 60% OFF thru BookCloseouts.com

Posted by Melody at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Imagine having dreams becoming a veterinarian your entire life, yearning to help animals and wanting to make a difference. Pam is only 16 years old, when her dreams are shattered, her father thrown into jail and her mother forced to work the street corners to put food on the table.

Stories like this happen to blacks, whites, Hispanics, Jews, Catholics, Muslims and every ethnic and religious group in the world.

This is why I have chosen to join Women of Tomorrow, a non-profit group whose mission is to help young girls at high risk have mentors to learn from and who can guide them in the right direction.

I know what you’re thinking, OK Leslie, you already have 3 kids, run a company, have 2 ailing parents who you take care of, and are already extremely active in raising money for different agencies.

Why spread myself so thin? Actually, I’m doing this for ME. Having had some difficult challenges in my own youth, I feel that I truly can help many girls who need a good role model to guide them.

This is different from anything I’ve ever done. I’m not raising money, I’m providing my past childhood experience and my current success as an entrepreneur and business owner to teach young girls important lessons.

I recently took 4 hours out of my busy work day to be trained as a mentor for Women of Tomorrow (WOT). WOT was founded in 1997 by Television Journalist & Author Jennifer Valoppi and Telemundo President Don Browne as a way to help young at-risk young women live up to their full potential. Women of Tomorrow is about women helping women and its program model is unique and effective -- highly accomplished professional women meet with small groups of at-risk girls in public high schools once a month to discuss ways to overcome obstacles and to provide skills for success. In its first year of operation, Women of Tomorrow commissioned an independent psychologist to conduct pre and post self-esteem tests of the girls participating and a statistically significant increase in the self-esteem of the WOT Mentees was found.

As of today, over 2,000 girls have been mentored, 98 schools participate, and $2.3 million dollars have been awarded as scholarships to help these young high risk girls have a chance to reach their dreams.

Me, well I can’t wait to begin. I have a whole line of topics which we will be discussing monthly at the high school, as well as a list of fascinating and accomplished guest speakers which will hopefully encourage and motivate these girls to stay on track, and most importantly, learn that they should never give up and say they can’t do it. Just like the little blue engine who always told himself “I think I can, I think I can” – these girls must remember this childhood lesson applies even as a teenager/young adult.

Posted by Leslie Linevsky at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

Catalogs.com staff is buzzing with excitement, as more than 450 teacher entries have already been submitted in our first week. It’s either because our contest “Tools for Teaching” is so cool and enticing, or it’s indicative of hard economic times and the tough realization that public schools are feeling the federal government's budgetary cuts.

Regardless, the essays that keep pouring in are compelling and very interesting. It will certainly be a difficult choice to make when selecting five winners.

Posted by Leslie Linevsky at 08:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This past Sunday morning, I participated in something extraordinary. It was not a usual Sunday morning, where you might leisurely wake-up, enjoy the morning coffee and read the New York Times. Instead, I awoke at 7:00 am and quickly did last minute preparations to welcome 32 highly accomplished women. You see, I hosted at my own home a women’s division Board of Directors retreat, where we spent 7 hours fine tuning our executive skills, learning new ways of time management and organization, and exploring creative alternatives to raising money to help the needy.

We started the morning with a lavish buffet breakfast, lot’s of chit chat to catch up on events and travels during the summer, and then began our sessions with a few ice breakers.

On to business, where we listened to a professional speaker who had flow in from New York to discuss our first session on fundraising techniques “How to Deliver a Two Minute Elevator Speech.” The speaker was great. She called upon several board members to role play in front of the entire group. How can you get your message across in 2 minutes or less, which will spark the other person's interest? Fascinating role playing and listing to what works, and what doesn’t. In essence, you have very little time to hold the attention of someone you are trying to entice to give money to your organization. It is imperative that you have 2 – 4 different elevator speeches memorized so that you can draw upon the particular speech that is in order.

Next were our agency overviews. How can you ask for money if you don’t understand the needs of all the agencies you represent? We spent many hours preparing a wonderful pocket size booklet that describes 18 agencies, the populations served and amount of funding requested and the amount allocated. The idea being to keep this handy booklet with you at all times, even during a quick cup of coffee with a potential new donor.

After lunch, “Empowering Yourself as a Leader and a Philanthropist” was conducted by truly amazing women who had flown in special from Baltimore for the mornings retreat. An extremely accomplished and successful business executive, entrepreneur and professional fund raiser, she inspired us through her own stories and experiences, as she has traveled all over the world raising much needed money for various philanthropic agencies.

What did I do other than cut bagels, platter lox and cream cheese and make the coffee… I Personally led a 30 minute discussion on Organization and Time Management. I pulled from my first hand experience.

At the end of the day, though we all gave up 7 hours of our precious Sunday, everyone collectively felt as though we learned a great deal, bonded with other board members and honed our skills.

Posted by Leslie Linevsky at 02:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Catalogs.com and eNasco.com Offer Extra Credit to Teachers with ‘Tools for Teaching’ Contest

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ — As the school year begins and teachers struggle to find adequate resources for purchasing school supplies to get them through the year, Catalogs.com, the Internet’s foremost authority on shopping and saving from a world of print catalogs and catalog websites and Nasco (www.eNasco.com), a leading provider of school supplies, art materials and educational and teacher resources, have teamed up to launch the 2009 “Tools for Teaching” contest.

Entries may be submitted on the Catalogs.com website from Tuesday, September 1 through Wednesday, September 30 by public elementary, middle and high school teachers in the United States. In 400 words or less, teachers must answer the question: “Why does your class deserve to win a gift certificate from eNasco.com and how will you put the school supplies to good use?”

Five winners will be selected and receive eNasco.com gift certificates to be redeemed for school supplies. The grand prize winner will receive $2,500; $1,500 will be awarded for second place and three runners-up will receive $500 each. Entries will be judged by representatives of Catalogs.com on persuasiveness, creativity, clarity and demonstration of need. Winners will be notified by October 30.

“As a mother of three, I understand the financial hardships many schools are facing this fall and I’m glad we can provide much-needed relief for purchasing school supplies,” said Catalogs.com co-founder Leslie Linevsky. “We also hope this contest inspires other small and mid-sized businesses to do what they can to support public education.”

To enter Catalogs.com’s “Tools for Teaching” contest or for more information, visit www.catalogs.com/teachers. Additional rules and regulations apply.

Posted by Leslie Linevsky at 05:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Great news from the world of Catalogs.com...

I just landed a big interview with an online entreprenuership interviewing site - Entrepreneurship-Interviews.com.

In the interview I discuss the past, present and future of Catalogs.com, surviving during a time of economic strife, family life and the challenges of being a working mom.

My hat goes off to Pierson Grant for helping us secure this feature. I think we made the right PR choice.

Posted by Melody at 08:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)