The sixth issue of Women & Biz brings ways for organizations to cooperate with their competitors creating a WIN/WIN situation to all parts involved, specially the customers. Our columnists and guest writers give inspirational ideas on how to use “coopetition” to achieve success and grow your business.

Andrea Nierenberg, owner of The Nierenberg Group, shares her thoughts and experience working with competitors: “I’m a huge believer of referring business back and forth and having strategic alliances with people who do the exact same type of work I do. Two times recently, I needed to pull together 4 other trainers to do a program where I would be the lead. Since I had worked with all of them and they also have their own consulting businesses, it was a true win/win and the project was very successful. There is plenty of work to go around–and I believe–that the more you give, you will also receive. I enjoy creating alliances and referrals with people I know and appreciate their work.”

We hope you enjoy the “Coopetition” issue of Women & Biz magazine.

All the best!

Elisa Balabram, Editor

Since the Industrial Revolution, business-owners have been somehow duped into thinking that competition is the major factor in keeping companies lean, mean, fighting machines. If you would like to limit your market-share and stunt your growth, then buy into that and move on. However, if you are more interested in forming interesting business relationships and expanding your market share, (not to mention boosting revenues) then read on.

Here are six solid reasons to embrace and seek-out friendly competition:

1. Focus on your own business. Over the years, some sort of obsession with the competition develops. So much so that you might be tempted to neglect your own business or fall prey to the ‘copy cat’ syndrome – mimicking the competition even if what they are doing does not work for you. If you are friendly with your competitors, you are less likely to view them in a threatening manner – and less likely to make careless imitations.

2. Spark creativity. When you don’t view the competition in a threatening manner, you experience less stress. When you are more relaxed, you are more apt to be inventive and develop creative, innovative promotional tactics.

3. Increase revenues. Look for areas in which you specialize but your competition does not. Set up affiliate programs for those areas and invite your competition to become an affiliate. They will make money on the sale, widen their offerings and you make money and get exposed to more clients. Everyone wins.

4. Two small businesses = one big business. Combining forces with the competition will create a larger company with more manpower and services. Simply put together you will wield more power and realize better gains. Use the increased breadth to develop new products and markets. This also increases the likelihood of winning bids on government and corporate contracts.

5. Prepare for the future. Given the increasing interconnectedness of our society, coopetition is a business trend whose time has come. Be an early adopter and reap the benefits.

6. Don’t just survive – thrive. While you are focusing on eking a living from your business, why not combine forces to increase profit margins and share the workload. It’s much better to work smart, not hard.

As you can see, the competition is not always the enemy. Sometimes a little cooperation with the competition can lead to business gains you only dreamed possible. Remember, business is a game. When you start to see it that way, you can see and reap the benefits of cooperative opportunities. -as long as you remember to play nice!

Over the last year and half I started to approach my business differently. I really started to focus on how to work smarter, not harder. I’ve tried to take the advice of Tim Sanders and be a “Love Cat” by opening my rolodex to people I meet. I have also taken the time to read and even push through topics I have never wanted to understand, because I realized the success of my business depends on it. I know I’m not alone- we all must do this to grow, to be more successful, and to reach the next plateau.

I also recognized that part of being productive and growing is finding the right support system, hiring the right employees and recognizing that we as entrepreneurs cannot do it all alone.

My question is: Do we avoid what we don’t understand or fear, and tell ourselves it’s OK because were not supposed to do it all?

* As a business owner, I don’t do my own taxes but I take the time to understand what the accountant is doing.
* As an entrepreneur, I didn’t put in my own phone system but I took the time to understand and scrutinize what I was buying.
* As a business owner, I didn’t start my own bank but I pay attention to the fees they charge and understand why.

On April 28, 2004 a research report on women’s entrepreneurship was released, revealing that there are 10.6 million privately-held American firms that are owned 50% or more by women, generating $2.46 trillion in sales and employing 19.1 million people nationwide. (Source: Biennial Update on Women-Owned Businesses Documents Substantial Economic Impact)

There is no shortage of women business owners and the numbers are only increasing. So when I attended a conference about the growth of small businesses with technology, in a room full of 200 people, why did I count only 8 women? Is it because women business owners don’t use technology? I know that’s not true. When I asked one of the conference organizers from Ziff Davis about the low attendance by women he said “women mostly shy away from technology”.

This concerns me a great deal. Being aware of what is available for our businesses is one of the vital components of our growth and success. How can we women stay competitive if we don’t take the time to understand technology and how to use it to our advantage?

I know, I know, you’re going to say: “That’s what I pay my tech guy for.” Well, that may be true, but how do you know he is presenting you with all the options you need to be considering? How do you know his recommendations are the easiest to use and the most cost-effective? Trust. But if you don’t understand the technologies they tell you to use, or how it can be applied to your company’s specific needs, it’s no longer trust…it’s blind faith. To be effective, you need to combine their technology expertise with your detailed knowledge of your own business to be sure you are making the best choices.

I trust my accountant but that doesn’t mean I don’t listen to other suggestions for ways to save money or write off an additional expense. I ask my accountant to look into the suggestions I get from other people and, yes, I check to see if he’s doing a good job.

I recognize that technology can be confusing and I will concede that it is always changing. I can’t keep up some days and this is what I do for my business. I am not asking anyone to know everything there is to know about computer software and technology.

But I am challenging you to take the time to ask questions, to read an article or attend a seminar about technology, and to find a trusted resource who can explain how to make the technology work for your business.

Make sure companies know what we women are involved with all facets of our businesses including technology and you never know – you might find that it isn’t so scary after all.

For instance, say that you just baked a cake, put a kid’s bike together, finished your calculus homework or delivered a client presentation. What did you learn? What skills did you use? At minimum, you may have learned how to read and follow instructions. Maybe you learned that you pay close attention to details and follow through well. Or you solved a problem creatively. Or you learned a new way to do something. You may have learned that you enjoyed yourself. Or, maybe you found out that you never want to do that task again.

What skills you choose to recognize, acquire, discard, use or improve upon is ENTIRELY up to you and the life/career paths you want to take.

Similarly with knowledge, we certainly can’t take every bit of information out there into consideration. Who has time for that? Think about how much information is thrown at you each day without you reaching for it: commercials, magazine ads, unsolicited flyers and emails. Think about all the conversations you have with friends, family, teachers, even strangers. Then consider the abundance of information available on the internet.

Some information may not be relevant or interesting, but identifying what is relevant and interesting IS important. It could effect the life/career paths you are considering.

Most people today are searching for ‘job security’. We’re glad to tell you that you can have a distinct advantage over current job marketeers if you DON’T spend a minute on such a fruitless quest. Instead, we suggest you work towards ‘self-security’—and constantly learn about who you are, what you like and don’t like, what your options are and what you want to get out of school, career and life.

Today could be the day you begin (if you haven’t already) committing yourself to learning about YOU, your interests, your skills, your personalities, your values and your goals.

Heady encourages women to take responsibility for their goals by implementing strategies such as taking on assignments that stretch their role and experience to create an opportunity. For example an HR Generalist interested in advancing to a HR Director could learn compensation and benefits by volunteering for assignments that provided opportunities in those areas.

Surely you are not expected to pick a career and stick to it forever. In fact, most people will have 3-5 careers over a lifetime—and 12-15 jobs in between. What you should do is think of your next step, have an idea, and explore it—through classes, activities, jobs, social events, guidance counseling, professional networks, etc. Remember, everything you do, hear, see, touch, smell and taste offer a new opportunity for learning and growth—and happiness according to you.

You can take what you learn and apply it to your next experience. You could even create a plan. And if you start now, you can always be ahead of the game, guiding yourself to a self-designed future. So, GOOD LUCK making every day count for you!

After this first purchase with this salesperson, I got to know her by stopping in to say “hi” and by referring other shoppers. She returned the favor by suggesting that I contact the new management team who, as it turns out, were looking to provide corporate training for the whole chain. To get the ball rolling, I first sent a letter to the president and complimented her on her wonderful line of clothes, and mentioned that I had been a collector for years. Two months later, I got a call inviting me in to make a presentation about my services, and to write a proposal. The rest is history. And this wasn¹t even my first big client.

My first client could be traced back to a conversation we had on a train ride. She was sitting across from me and pulled out a book I had just read. We began a conversation and before we knew it, two other people had joined in. As we got around to talking about what kind of work we did, it was time to get off the train. However, the woman I first met said, “I’m looking for someone to design a customer service program, so send me your material.” I did better than that. The next day I hand delivered the material and left it with her receptionist. She called that afternoon and we’ve been working together ever since.

Keep in mind that it’s not that simple. There was a long waiting time. Actually, for both of the above experiences, it took five years to get from the first interaction to the closed sale. However, it¹s like walking through a farmland and throwing out seeds; you know that they all may not bear fruit. However, if you don¹t start with the seeds, there will be nothing to water, nurture, and eventually harvest. That¹s why we need to seek out potentially “bankable” places to network.

I recently got an email from the daughter of the vice president of the bank my parents use in Florida. I’ve been sending her mom my newsletter for a year and always stop by the bank to say hello. The banker put her daughter, who is a training director at a major restaurant chain, in touch with me. Now we’re in the process of discussing their training needs. Let¹s face it – who can give you a better referral than someone¹s mother?

I was recently with my mother in a grocery store. While waiting in the checkout line, I noticed that the name badge on our clerk read “Training Director.” We started to chat, and she actually invited me to come to their training department the next time I was in the store. I immediately followed up by sending her a note with my newsletter. I also mailed a letter to the corporate office of her store, expressing how very nice she was and how she went the extra mile to make my experience a pleasant one. Will I get an assignment from them? I do not know. However, I have a new “contact” that I can get to know over time.

Here are a few techniques to help you network more effectively:

1. Give the new contact a sincere compliment, such as, “You seem to enjoy your job and enjoy making people feel welcomed.”

2. Show a genuine interest in the person. Simply ask questions to learn more about him or her as a person, not just someone connected to a company from which you want business.

3. Follow up immediately. When a new networking contact leads to writing a proposal, get the person the information as soon as possible. Do the follow-up based on the person¹s directions. If necessary, send additional information overnight. And always include something extra that your competition cannot provide. I call it “WIT” – Whatever it Takes.

4. Remember to thank anyone who refers you to someone. The contact might have come from a party, a wedding, a business function, or from your health club. Keep the person who invited you “in the loop” and let him or her know about what’s happening. Chances are he or she will speak to your “new contact” and have the opportunity to put in a good word for you.

5. “The Wizard of Oz” principle. Remember what the good witch tells Dorothy at the end of the movie, that “you always had the ability to go home.” Now, think back to your current client list. How did you get each assignment you’re working on? Chances are, if you think back, those clients were either referrals or relationships you developed that started off as nothing.

Get out your note cards today and send out “thank you” notes to those you work with and those who referred you to clients. It¹s guaranteed to make you, and, more importantly, your contacts feel better.

Finally, who says going to a dentist has to be a painful experience? Once I went to my dentist¹s office to have some work done. A short while back I had provided customer service training for his staff, and of course, I had been referring patients to him. My dentist left the room while I was waiting for the novocain to settle in. Suddenly, he ran in to tell me something urgent. He said, “You have to meet my patient in the next room. Her company needs someone like you!” Of course, I arranged a follow-up meeting when we could both speak clearly. The real coincidence is that she just happened to come in to the office for an emergency because, as she was traveling, her tooth broke.

When I first started my coaching practice seven years ago, I used to be a bit wary of other coaches. After all, they were my competition (I thought) – I feared they might steal my potential clients if I shared too much. Then a funny thing happened: in quick succession, two completely different (and much more experienced) coaches offered to mentor me free of charge! They both shared so much wisdom about the new field we were all in that I couldn’t even digest the scope of their expertise at the time. But I was grateful.

I try to model this benevolence as current co-leader of my local coaching community. For instance, a colleague and I have lunch once a month to offer each other professional support around our biggest coaching challenges and how to handle them. And we also recommend each other when we know the fit with a new client is not right for us. This comes from the coaching philosophy of abundance– that there are enough clients for us all, so we can be relaxed with one another and not watch our backs around the competition. In that spirit, just about this time last summer, one of my early mentors agreed to meet me again over coffee and discuss where I might take my career in the future. I have had a more focused year because of that meeting, working on developing my website and first book with a greater clarity. “Coopetiton” has made me a better coach.

On the family front:

I think this hybrid expression also describes the relationship between my daughter (aged 6) and my son (aged 41/2) perfectly. They generally love each other and start each day playing games, and reading together, and helping one another get what they need when I’m busy. And then invariably it comes — the first scream of the day. “She took my toy”, “It’s not fair, I didn’t get a new book like he did,” “She didn’t have to eat all of HER waffle”, “MOM!….,” etc. and there is usually some chasing or pulling at each other as the initial harmony breaks into chaos. For me, this is the official start of the day, and they seem to go back and forth between the two poles all day. As I think back to my childhood, I remember this same dynamic with my two sisters. “Coopetition” it seems is a sibling “state of mind.”

Hope you are having a nice summer!

* Have we really achieved enough in our careers?
* Are we earning what we should be at this stage in our lives?
* Are we spending enough “downtime” with our families?
* Do we have strong enough connections to the powerful people in our field?
* Are we perceived as smart enough?, well-spoken enough?, politically savvy enough?, well-dressed enough?!

The list goes on…

While it’s important to be conscious of how we’re doing, it’s easy to fall prey to self-doubt, especially when we judge ourselves against unrealistic standards. And once self-doubt sets in, emotions like anger, resentment and jealousy are never far behind. Competition that could offer us an invigorating stretch becomes one more stroll down “I’m Not Good Enough Lane.”

See if this situation sounds familiar. An important meeting is about to start, and you want to perform at your best. Another manager with whom you’re competing for a new project enters the room. The meeting starts, and she’s really on a roll—everything she says seems either brilliant or very funny. It becomes quite clear “the room is hers”—even you really like her. Although you try to stay present, you slowly drift down the road to hell, comparing yourself to her without mercy. Before you know it, 10 minutes have passed, and you lost in every single category as you silently note everything from her creative talent to her wardrobe. Then suddenly, someone asks your opinion, and all eyes turn to you. It’s your moment, and you’re so self-conscious you can barely think. A thin veil has formed inside, and you can’t connect with your inner power.

This isn’t something we’d want to experience even once, never mind regularly. But how do we compete in a healthy way? And how can we experience ourselves as completely enough?

Making A Shift…

One of the best ways to approach competition, and take good care of ourselves in the process, involves drawing on what I call the “basic truths.” These are age-old principles, which, when remembered and applied, have the power to calm even the most tortured mind. In fact, they can support our very best performance. Below are three basic truths I find particularly helpful, especially in competitive situations.

Basic Truth #1: We always have within us just what it takes, no matter how things appear.

I recently met with a client who was stressed by a tough new challenge: to step in and manage a major project with a group of employees who were steeped in conflict. Initially, she felt overwhelmed, as the stakes were high. But as we worked together, she began to recall her success with similar challenges in previous projects. As she focused on the concrete ways she’d handled those situations, she stopped worrying about all that could go wrong with her new project. She also realized that she had the resources within herself to handle whatever came up in the future.

As most of us know, it’s only through grappling with our countless challenges that we become stronger. It’s just as important to remember, though, that whether or not we win a competition, the growth is always ours to take home.

Basic Truth #2: Everything always works out for the best—eventually.

One of my clients who was hoping for a promotion was very disappointed when one of her peers was selected, and suddenly became her new boss. Several months later, when the dust settled, however, things looked a bit brighter. She’d been given her “dream project” as incentive to stay on board, and also felt more comfortable actually taking her vacation time. Her new boss, on the other hand, seemed to be working an inordinate number of hours, trying to meet new management expectations.

After working with hundreds of clients in competitive situations, I’ve come to believe that each of us has our own unique destiny. While it’s true that everyone can’t win the same coveted prize, we each have full access to the opportunities that are meant for us.

Basic Truth #3: Sharing with others brings the greatest joy.

A few years ago, I decided to start a peer coaching group. I invited three of the strongest, most talented and evolved colleagues I knew to join—basically, my toughest competition. Even with firm belief in all three truths, it took extra faith to envision four competitors really helping each other.

Now we meet monthly to share our challenges and receive each other’s priceless help. Through two years of deepening connection, the group has given each of us more than we’d hoped. I’ve grown in ways—many unexpected—that never would have been possible without my peers’ support. Mostly, I’ve learned that there’s a lot to gain by being vulnerable with trustworthy people who really care. I’ve also found that supporting others—especially competitors—provides an experience of abundance unlike any other.

I encourage clients to keep these basic truths “top of mind” (it helps to keep them “top of desk,” and anywhere else you’re likely to see them). You can repeat any one of them in your mind whenever you lose your competitive balance. Most importantly, though, remember that according to these basic truths, there really is no such thing as competition—only unique challenges that facilitate growth.

That’s right. I’m a matchmaker. I’ve been an old-fashioned, face-to-face, matchmaker for the past seven years, I have fifteen client marriages under my belt, and I love it. Before pursuing a career in professional matchmaking, I worked with people in a very different arena: I was a social worker. During my twelve years in social work, including my three-year tenure at Bellevue Hospital in New York, I worked with emotionally disturbed children and families under extreme emotional duress. Naturally, the job began to take its toll on me, and I found myself more and more emotionally drained, and less and less professionally effectual in my position. I wanted to continue working with people in a supportive, helping capacity, but was having an increasingly difficult time handling these very sensitive cases. So, I turned my love of counseling, working with people, and helping others into something more upbeat: a career as a professional matchmaker.

I know what you’re thinking. When I tell people what I do for a living, they usually swarm around me with a million questions. So I’ll address a few here. No, I do not have a specific religious or cultural affiliation, nor do I have a material or personal agenda. No, I do not run a dating service or a website. I have a website, like most companies do, but it’s purely informational. And like any other entrepreneurial professional, I have clients, an office, an assistant who schedules my appointments, and so on. No, my clients are not lonely, desperate losers. In fact, one of the biggest misconceptions about matchmakers is that we’re a bunch of coddling salesmen, catering to the frail egos of a sub-par client base. For me, this could not be further from the truth.

The service I provide is not a necessity stemming from desperation, but rather, it is a luxury item, like a personal trainer who keeps you in fabulous shape, or a private chef who prepares all your Atkins-friendly meals. My clients are exclusively affluent, successful men – many of whom have focused a good portion of their time and energy on developing their careers, and now want to re-focus their energy on relationships. I’m simply there to support them and “up their odds,” as they search for a partner.

Anyway, that’s what I do, and it’s a surprisingly solitary job, in spite of its numerous perks. That’s why I founded The Matchmaking Institute, banking on my advanced degree and New York State social work license, coupled with my entrepreneurial spirit and passion for this industry. The Matchmaking Institute is a private skilled trade school that offers intensive training seminars for people who are interested in starting independent businesses as professional matchmakers – or those who just want to learn the craft from a group of seasoned professionals. A handful of psychologists, social workers, and “relationship experts” are all on hand to help out. This sort of specialization of training may seem unorthodox, but considering that the single and divorced population in the country continues to climb, and that the concierge and service industries are both on the rise (Quintessentially, Social Circles), pursuing a career as professional, face-to-face matchmaker begins to make sense as a service profession. Not to mention the growing disenchantment with impersonal online dating.

How do you “teach,” matchmaking, you ask? Well, by combining my years of experience, the collective experiences of other matchmakers, my professional background, and those of others, I have been able to develop a strong curriculum that covers everything from Prescreening Tactics: How To Conduct a Client Interview, to Date and Relationship Coaching, to Utilizing Marketing, PR, and Networking, to help get the word out about your matchmaking business. Our course has been used for a variety of ends. We once had a publicist, who relied heavily on networking and hosting events to gain clients, attend the training. We’ve had students who were casually interested in honing their craft, and we’ve had students who went on to channel formidable business smarts into successful matchmaking enterprises. We’ve also had seasoned matchmakers attend the training, using it as a “refresher course,” before coming on board and joining our National Professional Network.

Practicality aside, my ultimate goal in founding The Matchmaking Institute is to mainstream the matchmaking industry for two reasons. First, I seek to erase the stigma, stereotypes, and misinformation surrounding our cultural mainstream’s vision of a matchmaker. Second, to ensure that there’s “quality control,” in the matchmaking industry, which I have accomplished by developing a national network of professional matchmakers who approve everyone that seeks to practice matchmaking professionally with our name as a credential. This helps get the message out to consumers that ethical, trustworthy, quality matchmakers are accessible to a variety of markets, and at a variety of different price levels.

To learn more about The Matchmaking Institute, feel free to contact me at: info@matchmakinginstitute.com, or visit us online at www.matchmakinginstitute.com.

Background

After Jude Gorgopa left high school in Canada she took some classes in Journalism and, although she never finished the course, she wrote articles for magazines and newspapers. She majored in Marketing and Communications with a minor in Psychology at the University of British Columbia. Before coming to New York twenty years ago, Jude worked in Japan, Asia, Europe and Canada. Abroad she occupied several positions, such as trainer, stylist, model, make up artist, and writer. She also wrote seminars for schools and businesses, introducing women to such venues as the world of commercial acting and the dynamics of personal style.

In New York, she planned to continue her career as a model, but she soon realized that, at that time, being older than 25 was considered too old and she was recruited into a corporate position working as a manager and trainer in the cosmetic industry. Through her own efforts and dedication, Jude became labor certified and got her green card five years later. She has a New York State teaching license, has written seminars for major corporations and networking groups, has created and taught programs for private schools and colleges including coaching models and actors plus people in a career transition. Prior to starting Clout Et Cetera a little bit over a year ago, Jude was the CEO of two other companies she owned.

Clout Et Cetera, Inc.

Jude started Clout Et Cetera based on her 26 years experience to mainly help people find the best about themselves and use it as a power tool in their personal and professional lives. The business offers a diverse range of services from total image and personal style to career and life coaching to business and employee issues. For example, Jude analyzes the colors that would work best for her clients in their clothing, makeup, hair, and environment, guides them through career transition or a small business start-up. She considers herself a coactive coach and teacher. Her clients can decide which areas they want to work on, and they do not need to sign a contract with her. Jude believes in seeing clients face-to-face, rather than coaching by phone or by email, to be able to read them and observe their changes and growth.

In addition, she has given seminars for members of the Career Change Network, of the Biba4Network, and participated in a Prime Strategies Marketing telephone roundtable. She will be giving seminars in the fall at FIT and in 2005 at NYU, and Workforce programs at the YWCA. Her seminars have the intention to help the audience in areas such as: career transition, to clarify the power of the first impression, to identify the importance of color in one’s life and to empower people to change their lives for the better.

Jude Gorgopa wants to help people reinvent themselves, as she has done with her own life many times. According to Jude, she helps her clients “realize from the inside out just what they can do for themselves, their skills, how their personality matches different career choices, and how they can be truly happy with their lives.”

Promotion and Market Research

Jude comments that she has been very successful reaching out to large groups through her workshops and seminars, and although it has been a challenge to get more one-on-one coaching clients, it is starting to happen. For her business, Jude believes that the best way to attract clients is through word of mouth, giving seminars, networking 24/7, and taking the time to really talk to people and listen to people’s needs.

She wants to support her clients by assisting them in building a foundation of confidence and knowledge for all the changes they go through. In order to figure out the best way to deliver her messages, Jude actually went pounding the pavement and asked questions to people of all ages to figure out her business model and what kind of information she should include in the book she is writing. She asked open questions like: What do you want? What would you like to see in the book?, How would you like to get help?.

Rewards and Lessons

What Jude loves about being an entrepreneur is to be able to stretch her boundaries, to go outside of the box, have flexibility, and make her own rules. Jude enjoys observing her clients’ and her own personal growth, and receiving positive feedback from her clients.

When asked about the lessons she has learned, Jude mentioned the recent death of her cat. She had him for 20 years and she has been married for 10 1/2. Her cat was always around through her journey in New York City, and it’s been painful. However, after he died, she took some time to think about her own life, and how she has changed and grown in the last few years, and how she wants to continue developing. It did help her put a lot of things into perspective, and she feels encouraged to help people and animals as much as possible through a foundation.

Future Plans

Jude is creating Women with Clout, a philanthropic networking group to help non-profit organizations, women, children, and animals, especially the ‘under-dog’ groups in the city. It will help people get involved and will accept volunteers. Jude points out that volunteering helps people find out more about themselves through others’ and therefore, they are better able to plan their careers and personal lives.

Jude Gorgopa’s first book “The Fundamentals of Clout: A Woman’s Portable Guide to Personal Power” is in the works and a seasonal newsletter, The Clout Report is currently available by request. And recently, at age 49, she has been rediscovered as a model and Jude also has plans to also start acting again.

Advice

Jude offers the following advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: “Be true to yourself, surround yourself with positive people that know what they are talking about. It doesn’t take a lot of money to get started, make sure you get the right tools, know what you are doing, and who you are up against ahead of time.” And she reminds us: “You can do whatever you like… as long as you have the courage, the flexibility, the resources and the confidence… you can do it.”

Jude talks about simplicity as well, that less is more, and that even in your closet you can have few pieces that make you look wonderful, instead of a lot of things that do not do anything for you. She recommends that you be creative and come up with your own personal style. If in doubt give her a call or visit her website for more information at www.cloutetcetera.com.