So here I am sitting once again at the airport waiting on a flight. On my way to London and then after a week working there on to Cairo again. I am spending more time out of the US this year it seems. Had a great weekend though at home and the weather was spectacular. I must admit that I had the feeling of winter this year even as a California girl. I spent so much time in NYC, Boston, DC and other cold spots that sunshine was very welcome. Jessie was home for the weekend and we had so much fun - life couldn't get any better when she is home! But work calls and we (Lefty and I) are off and flying.

I spent the week before Easter working with a great group of people from so many different backgrounds, and again it reminded me that regardless of culture, age or background - selling is selling and it makes no difference who you are or who you are selling to - know the details and focus on the customer. I think too many sales people continue to forget who really pays their check...it is the customer and without that customer there is no future.

We are entering the 2nd quarter of 2008 - boy time flies, but don't let the time fly by so fast that you forget to remember who is "king." The Client is and always will be!

Enjoy your week - focus - challenge yourself - prospect for new business - and never ever forget why you chose your life - Ignite your Fire....Cindy

Get a Life!

Get A Life!
Jan 1, 2008 12:00 PM, With Editor Barbara Scofidio bscofidio@meetingsnet.com

Who said that just because travel is a big part of life in this industry, it has to be so … painful?

Why can't we enjoy our business trips, make the most of our time away, and still stay connected to the ones we love? These were some of the questions posed by road warrior and speaker Cindy Novotny of Master Connection Associates, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., during a session at the Society of Incentive & Travel Executives' International Conference in Monterey, Calif., last month.

Not only is Cindy passionate about loving life on the road, but she can also hold her own against the best stand-up comedians out there. As we ring in 2008, it seems the perfect time to examine life on the road. I'm sure some of Cindy's ideas will inspire you, as they did me:

• Home is where you plug in your phone at the end of the day. No matter how short your stay, unpack everything, bring some items to make your hotel room cozy, and always check in with the people you love.

• Look for the humor in travel delays. Cindy was held up for hours at the airport on the way to the SITE meeting and had people in the lounge singing Christmas carols by the time she got on the plane! Check it Out

• Always see the sights when you visit a city, even if it's just a short cab ride. Taking the opportunity to check out a different place will keep your excitement about travel alive.
  Bring your kids when you can. Traveling offers life lessons richer than any textbook. I took my 11-year-old daughter to the SITE meeting, and she was able to experience a part of the country that she had never seen and to catch a glimpse of my work life that she'll never forget.

• Stop beating up on yourself by thinking you're an inferior parent if you have to be away from your children. Cindy did an absolutely hilarious schtick about FedEx'ing cookies to her daughter's school from five-star hotels around the world. The fact is, some moms can make the cookies, and some have to buy them — and it really doesn't matter.

• Find a way to unload the household tasks you dislike so that when you are home, you can relax. You don't necessarily need money for that, as Cindy pointed out: She once bartered with a neighbor to clean her house, and in return she cooked that neighbor a meal each weekend.

Every once in a while, try to picture your life without your work. Do you really want that? And if you are unhappy, stop complaining and find another job! What will always resonate with me from Cindy's talk was that we only have one life, and the time to live it to the utmost is now!
I wish you a truly fulfilling 2008.
Cindy's book, Living Without Balance and Loving It, can be ordered online at http://www.masterconnection.com/ and www.amazon.com

Where is Your Game?

This past weekend I had a great time with my 20 year old daughter Jessica in NYC....we shopped, ate in the best restaurants, and went to great shows! What really stood out was some of the conversations we had - politics, service ideas, working hard and the differences between the generations. One thing that stood out was her ideas about how too many people don't care in business today. Rude sales clerks in stores, servers in restaurants that don't listen and mess up the order and even drivers of limos that put you in total danger as you blast through the city. She made it very clear that they are not in the "game." So we discussed "the game." If you are in business, in school or even just dating - you need "game." A passion for everything you do. If you don't like what you are doing- it shows. The sales manager who could care less about the customer who just called them, the manager who doesn't put any effort into developing their people, and servers who are more interested in their tip than the service they provide. We are almost to the 2nd quarter of the year....let's get back in the game. If you need answers or just some good reality check - ask me. I am here to help you "re-ignite the fire." Have a great March.....Cindy