Held in Cathedral Square, Sydney, there were tents set up for the chefs and CEOs to prepare meals for approximately 1000 guests from services such as Mission Australia (one of the financial recipients of the initiative). I was in the team with Becasse’s Justin North (pictured below) who was a sweetheart and very relaxed about the whole thing (which was lucky – I’d had nightmares of having to live through some Gordon Ramsay-like rants which never eventuated, phew.)

The evening began and the CEOs met our chefs and each other and were asked to set the tables. Soon after the guests arrived and we started serving the entrees. There was a beautiful vibe – you had the sense that every single person (the chefs, CEOs and the guests) felt privileged to be there.

Guests enjoyed a main meal (unique to each chef – our group made a beautiful lamb and roasted vegetables dish) and a dessert, complete with Maggie Beer ice cream, who was cooking up a storm in the tent next to ours. 

The competition part of the initiative was the fundraising in the lead up. A big thank you to everyone who supported me in the challenge, especially all of the Business Chicks members (a lot of whom I’ve not met). I was able to raise $13,810 which placed me in the top 10 CEOs in the country, woot! I’d like to make a special mention to my two biggest supporters: Naomi Simson from RedBalloon and the divine Layne Beachley who were especially generous.

Altogether so far we’ve raised almost $880,000 and with the further donations still to come in I’m sure we’ll hit the $1 million mark, which would be a dream come true for Ronni at OzHarvest.

Massive kudos to Ronni and her team for the idea. Imagine being in that meeting where the CEO CookOff concept was birthed. Magic!

It’s the power of thinking big, right? Some businesses/charities take years to reach a million bucks, yet the CEO CookOff in its first year got there. Just like that.

It can be done. Don’t limit yourself by thinking small. Find that one thing or idea or concept or discipline that can catapult you to success.

Then, like Ronni, find the courage to make it happen.

In this haze of being tired and busy I acutely noticed how people don’t pay attention to matching energy. Matching energy just means speaking at the same pace and either lowering your voice or making it louder so you’re in sync with the other person you’re trying to build rapport with.

I’m a naturally excitable and charismatic type of person so I always need to watch this as my communication style sits firmly at one end of the spectrum. Not everyone speaks as quickly or as enthusiastically (thank God), so I’m forever trying to slow things down so I can get on the same wave length as others. And when I was exhausted and trying to get through a pretty hectic to do list last week, those who didn’t respect my need to ‘get on with it’ left me really frustrated.

Ever struggled with building rapport? Next time it happens, be really aware of matching energy. Is the person speaking slowly? Then slow down your speech to match their pace. Do they seem in a rush, agitated, distracted? Then use less words, get on with it and let them do the same. Are they speaking really quietly? Turn your volume down too.

The above is a very basic lesson in what neuro-linguistic programming is all about. Used well, you’ll see your communication improve and your relationships flourish.

We’ve got some exciting events coming up at Business Chicks. First up is Tony Hsieh who’s the CEO of Zappos.com which sold to Amazon for US$1.2 billion. He also wrote Delivering Happiness which is a New York Times bestseller and a personal fave of mine. A lot of Aussies don’t know him but many of my American friends are wildly jealous that we’ll be hearing from him and tell me that his entrepreneurial stardom in the US is virtually unparalleled, so bring it on. He’s only doing two public events in Oz (one in Sydney and the other in Melbourne) and tickets are really limited, so if you want to join us, here are the deets.

We’ll soon be kicking off our Business Chicks breakfasts for the year. On the program is media icon and the woman who’s been twice voted as Australia’s ‘most admired woman’, the legendary Ita Buttrose. She’s the guest speaker at our Sydney brekky on Friday 16 March and will also launch Canberra (our first ever event there) on Friday 18 May. Happy days.

Our Melbourne community will enjoy meeting Dannii Minogue (below) who’s come a long way from the start of her career and early performing days on Young Talent Time. One of the most humble and likeable exports Australia has produced, she’ll be our guest speaker on Friday 17 February. She’s been an absolute dream to work with, so I’m personally really excited for this one. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Terri Irwin (below right) joins us in Brissy for our first event of the year there. I met Terri last year on International Women’s Day – we were in Canberra for a couple of functions at Parliament House and Government House because we were both featured in a book on iconic Australian women. Apart from that being a coup in itself, I so loved talking with Terri. She really impressed me as a wise, intelligent, considered and thoughtful person who is myopically focused and passionate about her work. Her story is one of tenacity, determination and belief and I know that anyone who joins us is going to take away so much from hearing it. Come along!

I’m only going to reveal those events for the moment, but there are plenty more booked and in the pipeline. As well as our hectic events schedule, Business Chicks is expanding and taking over another floor in our building to accommodate our growing team. We’ll also continue to invest in our brand (with a complete identity redesign) and our people; grow distribution of our mag Latte; continue to work closely with our partners; and send two groups of members to Bangladesh and Uganda on the Business Chicks Leadership and Cultural Immersion programs. We’re raising money for The Hunger Project Australia and I’m going to test myself with this challenge and do my best to raise a bucketload of cash for them, and head on over to Uganda.

Personally this year there’ll be a lot going on. My frequent flyer miles will thank me as there’ll be lots of travel with a trip already booked to the States in late Feb/early March. I’m heading to South by South West (SXSW) in Austin, Texas to dive into the technology/interactive pool for a few days and not come up for air until I’ve experienced all that I can handle. I’m also going to India for the DWEN Women’s Conference and then Uganda as I mentioned above. I’ll be attempting to finish the reno’s on our home and celebrate my gorgeous grandfather’s 80th birthday (pictured here with me at a Sydney Business Chicks event – he never misses one). A couple of main women in my life (my sister and Business Chicks’ general manager Amber) also hit a big birthday milestone this year – coincidentally they were born on the same day of the exact same year which might explain why I respect and adore Amber so much. Both girls were bridesmaids at my wedding (four years ago now, eek) and they’re pictured here – Ambs third from left and my sister Olivia on the far right. The other two are my sisters-in-law.

What was meant to be a really quick ‘what’s coming up’ post has turned into a mega one, so congrats and thanks if you’re still reading! All the best for your New Year. Hope it’s filled with more time and more experiences with those that you love, and those that inspire you.

On Monday some of my team and I attended The Growth Faculty’s Global Leadership Forum. We had the best time. Breathing the same air as George Clooney remains a highlight – I think my heart skipped about ten beats as he walked onto the stage and he didn’t disappoint: he was articulate, well-informed, charming, intelligent and did I mention charming? Muhammad Yunus, the founder of micro-credit was also a fave (I’ve now heard him three times but never tire of the message); Martha Stewart was also brilliant – her business of media and building community is of particular interest to me as it’s a similar model to ours (but yep, ahem, a tad smaller). Russell Simmons was also top shelf, and I couldn’t stay around for the last two speakers (who I’m told were sensational) as I had to run off to the Commonwealth Bank’s centenary celebration dinner.

A great day was topped off by an incredible evening. The celebration was held at the Royal Hall of Industries at Fox Studios Sydney and it was a star-studded event. While sipping champagne we journeyed through the last 100 years of CBA with the installations, pictures and memorabilia adorning the walls.

The evening’s proceedings were emcee’d by 60 Minutes’ Alison Langdon (she did a fab job) and entertainment was by Bangarra Dance Company, David Campbell and Sarah Blasko (pictured left.)

CBA’s recently appointed Chief Executive Ian Narev addressed the crowd, as did Chairman David Turner and past CEO Ralph Norris. One of the highlights was a fashion parade of the bank’s uniform throughout the years – current staff dressed up (and hammed up!) as they paraded the fashions from Carla Zampatti, Lisa Ho and Perri Cutten (all of whom were watching from the audience.)

In other highlights from the week, our partnerships team presented our end of year wrap up to CBA’s Women in Focus crew (thanks for a phenomenal year ladies);  we distributed the Summer edition of Latte mag, to rave reviews from our members, and with no rest for the wicked were back in the editorial room on Thursday planning for Autumn 2012. 

We confirmed Dannii Minogue as our speaker for our first Melbourne Business Chicks brekky of the year and are looking forward to hearing from Ita Buttrose in Sydney and Terri Irwin in Brisbane.

We also announced that we’ll be launching Business Chicks in Canberra next year. On Monday and Tuesday next week a couple of us are taking a road trip to meet some current members and share our plans for the community there.

And, to top off this week the Business Chicks team celebrated a wonderful year together last night, and boy did we do it in style. We dined at BLACK by ezard at The Star (you must try the chocolate ganache dessert – insane!!!) and then all the girls stayed overnight with their partners at The Darling which is the most divine new hotel in Sydney (quite likely Australia??). Oh, and I gave them the day off today. Em for boss of the year?

It’s feet up a bit this weekend (who am I kidding?) before we dive into the last working week of 2011 – enjoy everyone!

At Business Chicks, we love getting out of our business and, you know, working on it and not in it. And that’s exactly what my team and I did yesterday. It was a day of sharing, debating, and reporting on the highlights of 2011 as well as presenting our strategic plans for next year.

Last year we achieved a 69% increase in sales and a whopping 157% net profit growth. If we can maintain the pace we reckon we can achieve similar numbers next year, but it’s going to take some doing.

I was so proud of my leadership team yesterday. Amber, our general manager, presented the operational strategy including her plans for HR – next year in the first two quarters we’ll be recruiting a marketing manager, a community manager, a PR exec and an events manager. She also announced a number of employee engagement and development initiatives which the team loved hearing about.

Liv, our director of brand and partnerships, along with her team, presented the strategy for the corporate relationships we enjoy at Business Chicks and how we’re going to work even harder for them next year. Building the businesses of those who support us is a key passion for Liv and her people.

Soph who heads up digital marketing for Business Chicks had us going cross eyed at all the stats and data she’d prepared, but managed to maintain even my attention as she and her team shared what they’re working toward next year.

So we’ve got our plan. Do you have yours?

Oh, and here are a few tips to make your offsites count.

Here are some ways you can make your planning/offsite days more successful:

* Just make the time for it. We’re all busy and sometimes can get lost in the doing, but just taking a day out from your business (we do it quarterly) gets you refocused and realigned.

* Choose a cool spot for the day: this must be out of the office and preferably somewhere unusual. Yesterday the Business Chicks team got together in a private room at a chocolatier. Not New Caledonia, but still a treat!

* Get everyone involved. We appointed a scribe, a person to record all actions, a timekeeper – it should be a team effort.

There was a panel of three seasoned entrepreneurs – Lindley Edwards from AFG Venture Group; James Stevens from Roses Only and the gorgeous Suzi Dafnis from the Australian Businesswomen’s Network. They began by answering a series of questions about what separates women entrepreneurs from male entrepreneurs and Lindley offered that women’s businesses last longer and are more sustainable; that women are less likely to take investment in their businesses and have reduced risk profiles; and that women build businesses that fit around their lifestyles.

We then had the opportunity to get up in front of the crowd and pitch our businesses to the panel and audience. I went cold and clammy at the thought of having to do this, and briefly contemplated an extended bathroom visit, but I needn’t have worried as someone bravely offered to go first. She did a great job at explaining her business and took the panel’s feedback graciously.

The panel advised this:

* When pitching your business, start with: “I’m here because … and I would like …” – it’s important to set your intention and set the framework for the pitch and be really clear on what it is you’re looking for.

* Storytelling is great but don’t get too carried away. Set the framework, then get into the narrative, but read your audience to see if they’ve switched off.

* Don’t use statements like “There’s no competition for my business” or “It doesn’t matter what my competition is” (of course you have competitors in some way and of course it matters who they are). Also avoid using superlatives like “It’s an enormous market” – this just means that you don’t really know the size of your market. Instead talk in terms of your ‘addressable market’ which is who you’re trying to target. Sure, that addressable market will grow and change, but you need to work with the opportunity/market that is presented to you right now.

* The last thing you say is the most important, not the first.

Lindley also had some great advice about working with investors. She said even after the investment is secured, you’ve still got to work on the relationship with your new stakeholders. She used the analogy of Barack Obama, saying you’ve always got to “keep running for President”. She said his popularity took a dive after he was elected as he stopped acting as if he were running for the presidency.

Thanks so much to the Dell team for having me at the event. DWEN is holding a global conference in New Delhi, India next June and I’m going. If growing your business and playing a global game is up your alley, would be cool to see you there too!

I also love learning about the cool initiatives that our members have started as a result of wanting to do more and be more. Recently I blogged about Sophie Bartho who founded One Dollar Day – she raised $55,000 and will use these funds to build a health clinic in Laos.

Another one of our members Emma Hogan also launched a fab project this year called The Amazing People Project. Emma has already raised $115,000 for five charities through encouraging people to do amazing things and raising $1,000 at the same time.

Something that’s keeping me up at night at the moment (in a good way – my head’s spinning!) is our partnership with The Hunger Project Australia. Next year we’ll be taking two groups of Business Chicks to Uganda and Bangladesh, to see firsthand The Hunger Project’s work. These trips are not for everyone. It’s only for those who want to play a bigger game and get out of their comfort zone. If you’re looking for a way to challenge yourself next year, then check this out and consider joining us.

For the next issue (which is coming out next week) I interviewed Lorna Jane Clarkson who’s famous for her exercise gear. I loved meeting Lorna Jane – she’s gorgeous inside and out – and that’s where the trouble begins. You see these women are so extraordinary that I always want to tell their stories in the best way possible so that our members can be inspired and learn from them. And in my efforts to tell the story in the best way I can, I get stuck. And I avoid it. I find anything else to do other than write that piece. I’m positive I drive my editor mad.

So here’s what I came up with for how to overcome procrastination:

1) Chunk the task down: So with my Latte piece I have to submit about 2000 words. That’s overwhelming for me, so instead I tell myself: “Em, just write 300 words.” And when I’m done with those 300 words, I tell myself to do it again. Breaking up the task and taking small steps always makes it easier.

2) Get someone else involved. When I feel myself procrastinating, I ask someone to give me a good talking to. In the case of finalising my recent article, it was my husband. I told him to be really strict with me and not to let me get up from my desk until I’d written 300 words. Turns out he’s really good at being bossy! He kept coming over and saying “get out of your emails and just write!” It worked.

3) Connect with the end result: It’s great if you can visualise yourself completing a task and trying to attach to that feeling of how good it will be when it’s over. I know whenever I hit send on my article I let out an audible sigh of relief and give myself a little pat on the back.

4) Give yourself a reward. It needn’t be anything big, but should be something that you can look forward to. In my case, I promised myself a glass of wine after I’d reached 300 words. My writing got a whole heap better after that anyway.

5) Just do it. That’s right. When all else fails, just get on with it and do it. Don’t ask your feelings, just do it now.

On Tuesday we had a lovely time at the races at Randwick, with thanks to Commonwealth Bank’s Women In Focus who hosted a number of Business Chicks members.

The CBA crew spoiled us with a beautiful marquee, awesome food and drinks, great networking and prizes too. There were a few winners (alas, not me – I was down the only $20 I bet – big spender!)

During the week, we also reached 10,000 people in our Facebook community which was just another excuse for us to crack open a bottle of champagne to celebrate. Thanks so much to everyone who has liked us there – 10,000 is a big milestone which we were stoked to reach.

We’re gearing up for our Sydney and Melbourne events with Deborra-lee Furness next week so if you’re coming along, I’ll look forward to seeing you!

What was the highlight of your week?