NEW: Video!

Terry’s introduction to Boone Pickens at the Women Presidents’ Organization was one of a kind. Pickens is a sponsor of the Institute, and when describing his philanthropic efforts, one of Terry’s bestliners was when she quoted Pickens’ philosophy on giving: “At my age, a dollar saved is a dollar wasted.” Watch the video below for more:

A special thanks to the WPO for sharing this video with us.

Terry Neese and T. Boone Pickens boarding the USS Midway in San Diego, CA

Terry Neese was asked to introduce T. Boone Pickens as the keynote speaker at the Women Presidents’ Organization Conference in San Diego on Saturday, April 25.  With over 600 women in attendance, the conference was a huge success.

Afterward, Terry accompanied Mr. Pickens to the USS Midway where he presented his “Pickens Plan” in a Town Hall format.

Terry Neese, Founder & CEO of the Institute, spoke to an Oklahoma women’s group Thursday.

About 20 women attended the meeting, and Terry set the tone by directly relating to her audience, and with a smile.

“Women are remarkable, aren’t we?” Terry asked. “I mean we can do so many things; we can juggle 50 things at one time and get them all done appropriately.”

Then, the punch line:

“Give more than one job to a guy and bless his heart, it’s just really difficult for him to do it, isn’t it?”

After breaking the ice, Terry explained how the Institute was born and gave an overview of the Peace through Business® program. The women were enthralled by the stories Terry had to share – about the Institute’s students and her personal experiences, especially her trip to Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2007 and how it was such a defining moment in her life.

“I saw things that I never thought that I would ever see and left there with a whole new meaning for life, frankly, and a whole new commitment to help these women – brave women – who were really trying to rebuild their country.”

The Institute is now only months away from welcoming its Peace through Business®2009 students. The Institute will be hosting an International Women’s Economic Summit on Aug. 17 – 18.

“The International Women’s Economic Summit is where they will really focus on what can they do for their country,” Terry explained. “They’ve done in-country education, they have their business plan, they’re going through Leadership Development for a week, and now they’re going to focus on what can they do for their country.”

Terry’s speech ended with a question and answer section, where women were interested to find out what kind of businesses the Peace through Business® students have, and how are they able to operate in a country like Afghanistan, where women are so suppressed.

Most of these women owned their businesses before the Taliban, and they are just now starting to re-open their businesses, Terry said.

Students’ businesses run the gamut this year, from the traditional to the specialized. Examples include embroidery, ball-making and mobile-medical clinic.

Hang on because the ride is going fast now! The Institute will welcome 30 women business owners from Afghanistan and Rwanda in only 50 plus working days from the time you read this!  We spend all year preparing for this moment and it is almost here.

The selection has been made for the 15 women from Rwanda and the 15 women from Afghanistan who will attend this year’s Peace through Business ® program being held on the Northwood University campus in Cedar Hills, TX.  The visa process has begun and the Institute staff, along with a talented and aggressive committee in Dallas, has begun the process of matching mentors to students.  If you have been waiting to sign up as a mentor, wait no longer!  The time has come to let us know that you would like to be a part of this experience.  Click here to sign up as a mentor, or call Beth Pierce at 405-943-4474 and she will do it for you.  We are full service!  Beth is new to our world and already doing a great job working with mentors and mentees.  She has been getting to know every one of the Afghan and Rwanda women on a personal basis.

The Institute sent a delegation to Rwanda May 1-8 to participate in the In-Country graduation ceremony, conduct a business education seminar, visit the businesses of the 15 selected to come to the U.S., and meet with various government officials.  In the delegation was Mary Mélon, Publisher and CEO of the Journal Record; Darcie Harris, President of EWF International; Desma Reid-Coleman, Institute Board of Directors member and entrepreneur extraordinaire; Martha Parker (Institute Vice-President and President of Parker & Associates); and Lin Massey-Weigel (Institute Chief of Staff).  It was a highly successful week with too many activities to list.  Be sure to click here to follow the link to blogs on the trip.

We truly want you to attend the International Women’s Economic Summit in Dallas, August 17-18.  To view the time line of the events once the women arrive, check out the information below.

Aug. 7^th International students arrive at Dallas/Ft. Worth International airport

Aug 10^th – 14^th Leadership Development Week on campus at Northwood University

Aug 17^th – 18^th International Women’s Economic Summit-International, national, and local experts will address the group

Aug 19^th – 24^th Mentorship-where the women will spend five days living and working with American women entrepreneurs

Aug 25^th Farewell Reception sponsored by AT&T at the Dallas Women’s Museum

Aug 26^th International students depart for home

You are welcome to attend any of these events and experience the personalities of these brave women!  You will learn as much from them as they will learn from you. Just send Lin Weigel or Beth Pierce an email letting them know you want to register!  lweigel@ieew.org or bpierce@ieew.org

The Institute is partnering with CARE on a number of fronts.  Valerie Shondel recently attended the CARE conference in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the Institute.  Many thanks, Valerie.  She met many of the CARE principals and discussed ways to eradicate poverty and teach women to be self-sufficient.  The highlight was seeing Richard Gere at the event!  Geez, why did I miss that?

We are also working with Seven Fund in Boston, Massachusetts.  Their mission is to encourage rigorous and innovative researchers to tackle the questions and unlock the potential of enterprise-based solutions to poverty.  They will be working with us during the International Women’s Economic Summit to Assess Mindsets on Competitiveness and Doing Business.  We are proud to be working with this group.  Andreas Wilmer, Founder of Seven Fund is the author of In the River they Swim. Elizabeth Hooper is a contributor to the book as well and will be with us in Dallas.

Finally, I was the keynote recently for the businessWorks conference in Dallas. There were almost 600 women business owners in attendance.  I also attended the Women Presidents’ Organization conference in San Diego.  I landed T. Boone Pickens as one of the keynotes for the conference and he was very well received.  There were also 600 women business owners in attendance for this conference.  And there is a recession going on?  True enough, things have slowed down but women business owners are pumped and doing great.    See you in August!

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School has started!  In Afghanistan and Rwanda for women business owners! 

The applications came in slow at first, but by the closing date, we had 123 applications to fill 60 positions in the 2009 Peace through Business® In-Country training.  Thirty women from Rwanda and thirty women from Afghanistan have committed to an 8 week course conducted in their country by the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.  During this intense training, each student will spend 4 hours in class one day a week, and countless hours at home engaged in research, reading, worksheets, and the long process of developing their business plans.

 The women are very happy to have the opportunity to attend this class and receive this valuable education.  However, the program doesn’t stop there!  The top 15 women from each country will be invited to attend a 3 week trip to the United States to engage in intense talks with industry experts, educators, and public officials on economic and business topics.  Their stay will be spent at Northwood University in Cedar Hill, Texas (just outside Dallas).  Time spent in the United States for these 30 energized women will include:

 Leadership Development – A week of high-level discussions with experts on specific business, leadership, and public policy topics. August 10-14, 2009

• International Women’s Economic Summit -Leaders from small businesses, many NGOs and government agencies around the US will be invited to attend and participate in conversations with participants on economic development in Afghanistan and Rwanda. August 17-18, 2009
• Mentorship -Real world implementation of business skills by living and working with an American woman business owner. August 19-23, 2009

 Call for mentors!!

These women are very grateful for the education that they’ve received, but what they really crave is the one-on-one relationship with a mentor.  Exit interviews from previous classes said over and over how much they appreciate the efforts of the mentor and volume of information that they took home with them. 

In anticipation of this year’s class, we have a goal to develop a pool of over 100 mentors who are willing to devote 5 days living and working with one of these students.  It is an experience that you and your family will talk about for years to come. 

If you are willing to serve as a mentor and would like to be considered for a match, please go to our website (www.ieew.org) and complete a mentorship application.  The larger our pool of mentors, the greater the possibility of having a true business match for these women.

Meet this year’s students!

It is a pleasure to get to know the Peace through Business® students and we are certain that this year’s group will be no exception!  Before you read below to learn more about our students, be sure to go to our website (www.ieew.org) and read all about the women in this year’s program. 

Deborah Kagwisagye

Generations Impact was created to train orphans and former sex workers how to design and create jewelry design and wall hangings.  The business will  soon include tannery products to further generate income.

Deborah worked in the social department at church and recognized that many needed more help than the church could afford or provide.  By working with the poor and a few trusted partners, Deborah created Generations Impact and structured the business to share profits with those who do the work.    This allows anyone to be a part of her business.   As the trainees become self-supporting, they can move on to jobs that pay more, while continuing to offer service back to Generations Impact socially.  Deborah chose this business to be able to support her family and help others.

Fakhria Samadi

Fakhria Samadi owns a beauty salon in Kabul.  Even as women were being persecuted during the Taliban rule, Fakhria earned her diploma in business and moved to Pakistan where she worked and trained in a beauty salon. Upon her return to Afghanistan, she became a licsensed beautician and opened her own beauty shop in 1999.  Her salon offers make-up, haircuts and styling, waxing and highlighting.  Fakhria wants to learn how to grow her business so she can afford to train new students in the salon business.   She currently has 5 employees.

Students in the 2009 Peace through Business® Afghanistan and Rwanda, enjoy the first day of their 8 week class with Facilitators Manizha Wafeq (Afghanistan) and Eron Nsenga (Rwanda). 

2009 Afghanistan In-Country Class

It is the pleasure of many former Peace through Business® students to assist during the In-Country training in fulfillment of their Pay it Forward obligation.  In order for the country to stand on its own, the citizens must be willing to share and support each other. 

I have spent countless hours telling you about the amazing and enthusiastic women who are set on changing their circumstances.  They have a way of slipping into your heart and bringing rich understanding to this world.  These are the faces of the 2009 students and I invite you to read about them on our website and mentor with them this summer.  You will not regret sharing your world and receiving so much in return.

Finally, please consider attending the International Women’s Economic Summit being held in Dallas, August 17-18.  If you can’t be a mentor, this is a great time to get to know all of the women during the Summit!

I wish to extend a very special thank you to Holly Hixson in Rwanda who has spent countless hours insuring this program is successful.

The past thirty days have been filled with travel, new media opportunities, a new staff member and staff changes at the Institute.

 I attended a National Business Association board meeting in Dallas and the Northwood Outstanding Business Leader award ceremony was held in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Wendy Lopez, NAWBO national President-Elect was honored this year!  Mr. and Mrs. Rich DeVos hosted all of us at their incredibly gorgeous home in Manalapan, Florida.  Their daughter-in-law, Betsy DeVos, is Chair of Peace through Business ® I also traveled to Palm Springs, California where I participated in a discussion for the National Center for Policy Analysis at the Vintage Club.  Snow caught me in Dallas and grounded me for two days.  It was great to get home!

 The Institute is proud to welcome Beth Pierce to our world.  Beth comes to us from One Woman Coalition and she has much experience in the non- profit world.  Lin Weigel has transitioned to Chief of Staff and will have oversight of all that goes on at the Institute.   The media has been reaching out to us as well.  Many of these interviews are on our website:  Forbes Magazine, Glasshammer, Womenentrepreneur.com. They are all helping us get our message out.  

The Institute’s 2009 Peace through Business ® program kicks off March 2!  Time is moving quickly as we are approaching the first day of In-Country Education for our women in Rwanda and Afghanistan.  We will be providing business education to 30 women in each country (total of 60) and the applications are streaming in.

 In order to be selected to attend the business training, each of the women must speak English, own a business, and must be willing to Pay Forward their education to other women.  Manizha Wafeq in Afghanistan and Eron Nsenga in Rwanda (both former Peace through Business® students) will lead the 8 week classes in their countries.  

MENTORS AND SPEAKERS WANTED!!

 One of the major components of Peace through Business^® is the mentorship provided to the women who travel to the U.S.  This year we are gathering a pool of 100+ mentors from which to choose as a match for our international students.

 Mentorship is a wonderful experience for you and your family!  Not only are you assisting extraordinary women as they change their world, but you are also providing an interesting and rewarding cultural experience for your family.

 In addition to Mentorship, we will be hosting Leadership Development (August 10^th – 14^th) and the International Women’s Economic Summit (August 17^th and 18^th) at the Northwood University campus in Cedar Hills, TX.

Job Creation | Banking

Education | Infrastructure

Women’s Rights | Political Participation

Finance | Marketing

 These are just a few of the topics that will be covered. If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in being a speaker on one of these topics, please be sure to let me know.

 This year, mentorship will take place from August 19^th – 23^rd, immediately following the International Women’s Economic Summit. Please consider sharing your family, your business, and your experience for 5 days with an international woman business owner.  You both will learn and grow from the experience. Completing a mentor form is necessary to be in the Mentor Pool.  We want to make sure we have a perfect “match” for each student.  You can complete the form by clicking this link: http://www.ieew.org/programs/mentor-application

 This year will move quickly with so many activities on the calendar.  Please stay on top of all that is going on with IEEW by logging onto our website at www.ieew.org .  Some footage from Lin’s trip to Rwanda has been put into a video that is on our website.  We hope that you will go meet incredible women on our website from Rwanda AND Afghanistan http://www.ieew.org/category/rwanda

 Join our efforts and get involved by giving back some of what you have worked so hard to earn!

January 2009

This is the beginning of such a wonderful year!  I woke up this morning reflecting and concentrating on the many good things that have happened and the great things yet to come.

In 2008, over one hundred and twenty five American women business owners participated in Power Tools for Women Business Owners training where they experience not only how to become involved in public policy issues, but also how that involvement will have a direct affect on their businesses.  Although we’ve been pleased with the results of the program, we feel there is an opportunity to evolve into a more compelling program by including young entrepreneurs into the process.  Our experience reinforces the known belief that education is the strongest tool for strengthening an economy.  With that thought in mind, we’re moving into a relationship with another non-profit group to reach into selected high schools to provide public policy education matched with IEEW’s community of women business owners as mentors.  What an exciting opportunity for our young adults and mentors in 2009!

Peace through Business was successful this past year as we expanded the program to include women entrepreneurs from both Afghanistan and Rwanda.  It was a very busy time in 2008 as we bounced back and forth between Oklahoma City and Midland, Michigan to provide business training for these highly motivated women.  Lin Weigel followed up on that training with a successful trip to Kigali, Rwanda to visit with each of the women in their business, discover what further help and training they need, and to develop relationships with government agencies and NGO’s.  (Click here to see Lin’s blog at http://www.ieew.org/category/rwanda )

As with all things, there is room for improvement and evolution – and IEEW has taken full advantage of that with 2009’s programs.  As a result of exit evaluations (as well as our own brilliant observations), Peace through Business will take a slightly different look in 2009. Check out the final paragraph for an “ask” of you as a dynamic leader in the women business owner community!

In-Country Education (Afghanistan and Rwanda)

An 8 week basic business education course (created by Northwood University) will be taught to approximately 30 – 45 women in Rwanda and 30 – 45 women in Afghanistan.  Upon completion of the In-Country Education, each of the participants will be invited to apply for Leadership Development. They will be selected based on the performance of their work in class, the evaluation of their business, and the likeliness to return home and Pay Forward.

Leadership Development

The women who are chosen to come to the US will engage in a series of in-depth discussions with business experts on specific topics at the Northwood University campus in Texas.  These discussions are designed to not only enhance the business of the individual participants, but also to teach the participants to be leaders in their community.

International Women’s Economic Summit

Leaders from many NGOs and government agencies will be invited to attend and participate in conversations on economic development in Afghanistan and Rwanda.  At the conclusion of the conference, the participants will present a document to their country’s ambassadors outlining their commitment to the top 3 economic issues.

Mentorship

The participants will be matched with an American woman business owner and will live/work with that WBO for a total of 5 days.  The purpose is to take all of the information the participants have learned and apply it in real life scenarios.  A secondary purpose is to develop a network of potential women to not only conduct business with, but to also continue dialogue as mentors to each other.

Pay it Forward

The sustainability of this program lies in the desire and ability of each participant to PAY FORWARD their education.  We will assist each participant to fulfill this phase through various educational programs established in each country.

Our strategic planning is complete and the organization is now set into motion.  We are looking forward to 2009 with arms open wide, ready to celebrate the beauty and intelligence of women across the globe. 

We need 30 American women business owners serving as mentors in August! Please let me know if you would be interested in hosting a woman business owner from Afghanistan or Rwanda for approximately 5 days and nights. I’d love to give you details and get you engaged with us! This is a great way to share your wealth of knowledge around the world.

May this be your best year ever!