What is the Women's Idea Exchange?
We are an ever changing group of women that meet 1x/month to exchange ideas and answer each others questions about our businesses and life in general. Each of us has different backgrounds, educations, perspectives, and opinions. Put that together with all of our entrepreneurial knowledge and you get valuable answers and feedback to all your questions, challenges, and brainstorm needs. It is a structured group so we get a lot of sh*t done for all who attend, AND have a fabulous time doing it.
There is:
no commitment,
no membership,
no fees
We have been meeting monthly for nearly 13 years. Renee Gotcher was the original founder of the Durango group, when she moved Lindsey Vasgird and Bethany Niccum took over the group. Then, when Lindsey left the area, Bethany Niccum called on her trusted friend Courtney Harshberger to help run the group and they changed the format from a speaker rotation to a 100% idea exchange.
There is:
no commitment,
no membership,
no fees
We have been meeting monthly for nearly 13 years. Renee Gotcher was the original founder of the Durango group, when she moved Lindsey Vasgird and Bethany Niccum took over the group. Then, when Lindsey left the area, Bethany Niccum called on her trusted friend Courtney Harshberger to help run the group and they changed the format from a speaker rotation to a 100% idea exchange.
What is the cost to attend?
Nada, nothing, zilch, that means $0
How do I get invited?
Consider yourself invited. Our group is open to all females that want to gain insight into their business through the eyes of their target audience. We do post our meeting invite on our Facebook Page and for those emails that we have collected, we send out an invite the Monday of the week we meet. The email invite is not required to attend. It is just a courtesy reminder.
What should I bring?
Your desire to connect with other professional business women in the area, some business cards if you want, a positive attitude (grouchy people are not invited) and something to write on for all of the amazing ideas you are going to get! We have some ladies that even record the feedback on their phones. Yay technology! You can also bring a lunch if you want.
What happens at the meetings?
We all gather a few minutes to noon (the 2nd Friday of the month) at Thrive Chiropractic Studio (202 West 22nd Street in Durango) and sit in a large circle of chairs.
Bethany and Courtney start the meeting by walking through the meeting outline for any new ladies. We then move into 2 minutes of a focusing exercise to get us present and prep our brains.
Then we jump into the FUN stuff. We start our true idea exchanging which is our timed portion of the meeting. Each woman has 3 minutes to stand up, introduce herself and ask the group a question for feedback. We have 3 questions that we suggest, but ANY question can be asked. After she sits down, the ideas fly. It is a popcorn style of feedback and exchanging. Often ideas grow on each other from a variety of different women. It is a very fast paced and fun exchange. Each woman gets 3 minutes, and 3 minutes only (includes introduction, question and idea sharing). So when your time is up, our beautiful timer-Courtney Harshberger will stand up noting the time is up and we move on to the next woman and her question so we can stay on time.
You don't have to ask a question if you don't want to. We do have some women that come just to help and answer questions for other ladies. They may be as busy as they want to be in their line of work and just love the juju of the group.
That is pretty much it. We end at 1pm- then, whomever wants to hang around and connect and explore more ideas after the meeting are welcome to.
Bethany and Courtney start the meeting by walking through the meeting outline for any new ladies. We then move into 2 minutes of a focusing exercise to get us present and prep our brains.
Then we jump into the FUN stuff. We start our true idea exchanging which is our timed portion of the meeting. Each woman has 3 minutes to stand up, introduce herself and ask the group a question for feedback. We have 3 questions that we suggest, but ANY question can be asked. After she sits down, the ideas fly. It is a popcorn style of feedback and exchanging. Often ideas grow on each other from a variety of different women. It is a very fast paced and fun exchange. Each woman gets 3 minutes, and 3 minutes only (includes introduction, question and idea sharing). So when your time is up, our beautiful timer-Courtney Harshberger will stand up noting the time is up and we move on to the next woman and her question so we can stay on time.
You don't have to ask a question if you don't want to. We do have some women that come just to help and answer questions for other ladies. They may be as busy as they want to be in their line of work and just love the juju of the group.
That is pretty much it. We end at 1pm- then, whomever wants to hang around and connect and explore more ideas after the meeting are welcome to.
Tips for a great meeting:
The biggest thing I can tell you is that when it is your turn to introduce yourself and ask your question- Be Clear! Some women like to REALLY explain all that it is that they do, all the jobs that they have and their journey into those positions and they talk and talk and talk and talk- well that leaves about 20 seconds or less of feedback time. That is not a win for them. Don't list all of the businesses that you do, only list the one that you have the question on. Don't go into why you do what you do unless it is relevant to your question.
The 2nd biggest tip would be to REALLY listen to other women's questions and the feedback they get. Most women say they get more insight and ideas from others than their OWN question.
The 2nd biggest tip would be to REALLY listen to other women's questions and the feedback they get. Most women say they get more insight and ideas from others than their OWN question.
So what's so cool about an idea exchange?
Well, let's just say "This is the most amazing group that you will attend and don't have to pay for!!" Coke, Pepsi, Dominoes, McDonald's and all of the other big boys of the corporate product world pay BIG BUCKS to get feedback from their customers, potential customers and others that would never walk into their door. They hire research groups to pay consumers to ask them questions about their product or service. We do this for free. Did I say it does not cost you a thing?
Who goes to the WIE?
We have an ever changing group each and every month. Some months we have a very cozy group, others we are pushing 25 ladies. We never know, and we like it that way. You will meet, landscapers, cleaners, insurance agents, mortgage brokers, chiropractors, jewelry diva's, hair stylists, financial planners, realtors, counselors, photographers, make up artists, clothing store owners, massage therapists, acupuncturists, product placements goddesses, marketing and branding guru's- do you want me to go on? Our group is best for women who want to grow in their line of work, who are thinking of starting a business or who just want to meet with amazing women.
How will WIE actually fatten my purse?
Isn't this the real question you were wondering??
Well #1, besides being able to pick the brains of your target market about your: possible marketing plans, possible sales, possible events, possible endeavors- and they can tell you if it would work for them or not
#2, They will give you awesome ideas to grow your business that you, on your own did not think of
#3, You will have also met 6-30 of your target market that now will know about your product or service
#4, When you send in your picture/logo, back links to your website and a paragraph about yourself after you have attended a meeting, I will post it on this UBER popular website (the one you are reading right now) and you will then watch your SEO (Search Engine Optimization or as I like to call it 'Send Everyone Over' to your website) go through the roof due to the techie link stuff.
#5, Last but not least, you are going to have a great time and that makes you happier, which makes you a better business person and business will more naturally flock to you:)
Well #1, besides being able to pick the brains of your target market about your: possible marketing plans, possible sales, possible events, possible endeavors- and they can tell you if it would work for them or not
#2, They will give you awesome ideas to grow your business that you, on your own did not think of
#3, You will have also met 6-30 of your target market that now will know about your product or service
#4, When you send in your picture/logo, back links to your website and a paragraph about yourself after you have attended a meeting, I will post it on this UBER popular website (the one you are reading right now) and you will then watch your SEO (Search Engine Optimization or as I like to call it 'Send Everyone Over' to your website) go through the roof due to the techie link stuff.
#5, Last but not least, you are going to have a great time and that makes you happier, which makes you a better business person and business will more naturally flock to you:)
Why no men?
This is not an angry women's group by any means, we love men! Buuuut let's be honest- women have different characteristics than men. We see things differently, communicate differently and have different things we consider in business that we can relate to with each other. If there is a man that would like to start a men's idea exchange- I am sure it would be righteous as well.
Other Misc info...
When you come to a WIE meeting, you will receive an email after the meeting with all of the email addresses of the ladies that were in attendance that day. That way, it is easier to connect outside of the group.
It is always greatly appreciated when you show up a few minutes early so we are not scrambling to set up more chairs after the meeting has started- as well as please help clean up after the meeting. Thanks!
It is always greatly appreciated when you show up a few minutes early so we are not scrambling to set up more chairs after the meeting has started- as well as please help clean up after the meeting. Thanks!