1. Calendar of Events
Mark your calendar with these upcoming events!

Peer Advisory Group*
May 6, Tuesday, 7 pm

This inspirational, motivational, high energy gathering is at the heart of YES!Circle's mission to connect like-minded entrepreneurs in a positive, supportive, open environment. Group members help each other achieve goals and overcome roadblocks to personal and professional success.

Talk Your Business: How to Make More and Better Sales Right Away
May 21, Wednesday, 7 pm

Imagine that you are face-to-face with your perfect prospect... in an elevator! You have only a few seconds to make a positive impression, to make your pitch. In this interactive, high-energy workshop Dick Davies, President of Sales Lab Incorporated and Julie Perlmutter, Founder of the Creative Network, will teach you how to go beyond the "elevator speech" to form the backbone of your business communication. Get the tools to Make More and Better Sales Right Away!

Bodacious! How to Overcome the Top 5 Challenges of the New Business Owner with AOL Insider and Author Mary Foley
June 18, Wednesday, 7 pm

At age 33, Mary Foley retired from America Online as the first head of corporate training for 12,000 employees, where she started 10 years earlier as an $8 an hour customer service rep. In her best-selling book "Bodacious! An AOL Insider Cracks the Code to Outrageous Success for Women", Mary reveals strategies for professional and personal power. In this dynamic, informative Success Lab Mary will reveal how to thrive in today's economy by overcoming the top five challenges new business owners face.

* You talk; we listen! Per your request, the first YES!Circle event outside D.C. will take place in Tysons Corner, Virginia thanks to the hospitality of our friends at Administaff. Attendance at Peer Advisory Groups is limited to 20 participants, thus pre-registration is required.

2. Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway!
Two Cents from the Chief Visionary

Most business owners are intimately acquainted with that oppressive, insidious, paralyzing foe that although uninvited, insists on accompanying us on our entrepreneurial journey. He sneaks up at the most inopportune moments, sabotaging our competence, confidence and a peace of mind. He lurks around corners, waiting for a moment of weakness to pounce on his victims. I am, of course, referring to the dirty four-letter-F-named enemy of entrepreneur commonly known as FEAR! Luckily, fears in the eye of the beholder may be less threatening than they initially appear... read more.

3. YES!Circle Success Stories
He Said... He Said

"I learned about YES!Circle from Margarita at her workshop on work-life balance. I felt that I was not doing enough networking and the idea of an entrepreneur community was intriguing to me. At my first YES!Circle event I was immediately made to feel at home, met dozens of people, and decided to join as a member! I soon met Robbe Richman, of Articulated Impact, who has subsequently contracted TeraTech for interactive website architecting. This resulted in several thousand dollars worth of work for my company and helped Articulated Impact with a critical project. I continue attending YES!Circle events because whether I am helping others, or they are helping me, I get a lot out of it."

- Michael Smith, TeraTech, Inc.

"The YES!Circle Anniversary event was a blast! I went primarily for social reasons, expecting to meet mostly entrepreneurs in early stages of business. I was happily surprised to meet people with diverse experiences and backgrounds, including Michael Smith of Teratech who had worked with large, reputable organizations such as the World Bank. My company needed an e-commerce backend partner who could work with ColdFusion - within days we worked out a partnership!

At the same event, I also met Mario Kroll of BDO Seidman who has since asked my company to help with an RFP for Arlington County. Needless to say, I became a member right away and I will not hesitate to recommend YES!Circle to any entrepreneur looking for valuable business opportunities and connections."

- Robbe Richman, Articulated Impact

Editor's Request: We constantly get comments about the difference the YES!Circle has made in your lives and businesses. If your participation in the YES!Circle has translated to a new connection, idea, opportunity... please send us your "success story".

4. Community Spirit Challenge
YES!Circle ISO New Venues and Intern
As entrepreneurs, we pride ourselves on our ingenuity, resourcefulness and creativity, not to mention great networking skills! So here is this month's opportunity to use your talents and contacts for a greater good. Read more

5. Member Spotlight
Member: Joe Coleman
Business: Blue J Marketing & Design
Business Description: Blue J injects creativity into small businesses, non-profits, law firms, and corporations...Read more

6. Community Contribution Corner
YES!Circle proudly continues our partnership with the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Because we firmly believe in furthering the spirit of entrepreneurship in our community, 10% of all 2003 YES!Circle profit will be donated to this wonderful organization, teaching entrepreneurship skills to at-risk D.C. youth. Read more

7. Sponsorship Opportunities and Acknowledgements
There are many avenues of sponsorship at the YES!Circle. Please contact us for details.

Many thanks to the Training Institute of Washington D.C. for generously sponsoring the Networking Seminar with Ardell Fleeson on April 23rd! The event was a tremendous hit, with only standing room remaining for latecomers! We are still getting your kind notes of thanks – thank YOU!

8. Visibility Opportunities
Get noticed, get published, get known - write an article for our newsletter! OR Share what you know and love best with the world - facilitate a Success Lab!
Go to Success Lab

9. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Options
To unsubscribe from this newsletter send a message with your email address to unsubscribe@yescircle.org. If you are receiving the newsletter as a forward, please email subscribe@yescircle.org to be added to the list.

10. Newsletter Archive
Missed last month's newsletter? Go here to the YES!Circle Newsletter archive to get past newsletters.