The Link LLC

2011-12-01T10:06:00.000-08:00

What are we thankful for this Thanksgiving, in addition to all of you? Our new website!!!!!!!!!!

In 2004, The Link For Women established the first premier community for women of all walks of life, becoming nationally renowned in less than a decade. Almost eight incredible years later, we are proud and thrilled to present to you our new website which shows how we have grown and evolved.

What's new?

1st, the new site is really beautiful and efficient! Our thanks to two of our long-time partners for making it happen. The art is by Robin Damore (you may have been to an event at her gallery (www.robindamore.com). The layout is clean and efficient thanks to Machele Brass of Brass Design(www.brassdesign.net). We hope you find it warm, inviting and unique!

2nd, we have clarified our message. Our mission has always been to help you flourish, thrive and connect. We provide services (special events, seminars, consulting and coaching), "PATHWAYS" to use your inherent talents, opening "DOORS" to be the catalyst in your own life. The Link is a SAFE place to try things out. We believe that if you are clear on where you want to go (VISION), you can then articulate it (VOICE) to people (COMMUNITY) who can help you get there. Our updated logo includes the concept of VISION. VOICE. COMMUNITY.

3rd, we have a new way of navigating to our services. We have a new home page, www.thelinkllc.com with three new categories. You can still still reach us at www.thelinkforwomen.com.
The Link For All We are often asked to provide our expertise to businesses and groups. Sometimes it is specific to women, sometimes not. Our services include business consulting, keynote speeches and panel presentations.
The Link For You Sometimes people want to dive deep into developing their VISION, VOICE or COMMUNITY. Our Seminars and Executive Consulting provides an excellent way to accomplish this.
The Link For Women Our roots are based in our membership organization where we provide events that bring smart, accomplished women together to learn something new and be inspired. Our signature Speaker Series and Workshops continue to be the foundation of our events. Our very special Members-Only events provide our members with truly unique opportunities to connect. And by request, we are bringing back our Members Only Dinners this past November.

4th, We have a more robust membership offering in The Link For Women.
a. The membership directory is searchable by name and industry.
b. You may access your profile, add your picture and provide access to previously private information such as your email address.
c. We now have three levels of membership. Click Here to see which one suits you best. Please consider upgrading your membership to take full advantage of our multi-tiered membership levels, which offer greater benefits and visibility.

5th, Members have log-ins and passwords. To access to their membership profile, for both active and inactive members, please follow the process detailed below:
1.Go to www.thelinkforwomen.com or thelinkllc.com and click on "For Women".
2. Enter your username and password provided in the introduction of this email, which should say Dear _______ (your name) (Username, Password).
3. Review your membership profile and update as necessary. This page provides all the information regarding your membership with The Link For Women. You will have the option of listing your email information on our website and your name will be listed in our searchable online database. Please upload your photo.
4. On the right side of your profile page, you have the ability to change your password. Please remember that passwords are case-sensitive. Your new member number is directly related and in consecutive order to when you became a member. Hopefully, this will make it easier to remember although you will not need it to log into the site.

PLEASE, PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH US AS WE LAUNCH THIS NEW SITE...YOU KNOW HOW THESE THINGS GO...WE ARE TESTING THE NEW CAPABILITIES AND EXPECT A HICCUP OR TWO DESPITE THE LONG AND TEDIOUS PROCESS OF TRYING TO ELIMINATE ALL BUGS. AND...PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES OR COMMENTS.

Feel free to call me at 503.709.8041 or email me at cindy@thelinkllc.com.

What's coming up?
EVENTS
Members Only Holiday Happy Hour at DJ's
Mon., Dec. 19
The gorgeous and gracious home of DJ Wilson
Learn More

Famous Women and their Infamous Wills
sponsored by Samuels Yoelin Kantor LLP and US Trust Tues.
Jan. 10
Learn More

SEMINARS
A Seat at the Table (and GETTING IT!) A 5 month leadership development program for emerging women leaders Begins Jan. 12
Learn More

Let us know what you think!

Warmest regards,
Cindy Tortorici
CEO/President/Founder
cindy@thelinkllc.com
503.709.8041

You Tube

2010-11-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

Check out our You Tube page for tangible examples of the "Link Affect:!

2010-11-26T13:50:00.000-08:00

October was a BUSY month...lots of learning and LINKING with really smart inspiring people, focusing on neuroscience.

At our October event, a career workshop, Portland's Business Anthropologist, Marsha Shenk, explained how our brains influence our relationships. "Spark and Juice" inspired many women at the Hotel Deluxe on Oct. 13 and asked for more! A full day workshop will dig deeper into the concepts on Jan 28. Click Here to learn more about the Full Day Workshop.

We explored neuroscience and leadership at the Creating WE Institute Summit on Oct. 29/30 at the home of Judith Glazer...the author of 2 best selling books: Creating WE and The DNA of Leadership and Co-Founder of the Institute. 16 thoughtleaders from around the world (US, So Africa, Mexico and Bolivia) came together to learn new techniques to incorporate neuroscience into our work. We intend to pool our talents to help companies create sustainable change in their organizations. The weekend really opened my mind (no pun intended!) to how the brain interprets and reacts and gives context for why we behave the way we do.

I picked up 2 books to help me get ready for these events: A User's Guide to the Brain and The Female Brain. Incorporating neuroscience into our toolkit adds an additional dimension to our leadership work. We will incorporate these concepts as we consult with business and coach individuals. Fascinating!

Got Goodness?

2010-08-30T14:41:00.001-07:00

Have you ever really thought about what "goodness" means? We explored the subject on Thursday August 19 at the Damore Gallery in the Pearl District of Portland. Janna Mock-Lopez is the publisher and creator of Goodness Magazine and we asked her to share her story and why this subject was worthy of a monthly publication.

Check out our short video for an overview Got Goodness? (love that Flip video!)

Special thanks to Ann Schatz who stepped in as guest moderator!! Ann often speaks about the concept of "Kindness" and was eager participate! Watch for more "Ann" in the future!

Dead End Gene Pool

2010-07-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

"When do you think you first realized, really knew, you were privileged?", I asked Wendy Burden, author of Dead End Gene Pool, as we started our event on July 20 at the fabulous gallery of Robin Damore in the Pearl. Odd, no one had asked her that before. "I just always KNEW", she replied. "How and when does someone realize they are white? You just KNOW." Wendy shared the story of her Vanderbilt heritage with humor and candor. Can't wait for the next book about her life in Portland!!!

The evaluations can be summed up by the following quote:

"Loved everything about the event; the speaker, location and the sangria(YUM!) I spent a long time with the owner of the gallery, Robin and really enjoyed getting to know her. She is SO talented! Looking forward to going back for another event!"

Here's a great shot of the group. Take a look at the upper right corner of this picture. It's an incredible portrait that Robin is creating of 4 gorgeous children .

All attached pictures provided by Robin Damore. http://www.robindamore.com/

Special thanks to Maria Corbinos, President of MidVida Sangria. She offered an endless pour of her family recipe of white or red sangria, soon to be available in Specialty Markets everywhere!
Tracey Novell wrote to Maria:"I thought I might share what your company and Sangria inspired": http://anunmarriedwomen.com/2010/07/sangria

You can sign up for the MiVida Sangria newsletter so you can be the first to know when the delicious, natural drink is available in stores and restaurants. http://www.midividasangria.com/

It was another great evening of smart women coming together to learn something new and be inspired! Thank you all for contributing to the evening! ~Cindy Tortorici, CEO The Link For Women

Catching up

2010-04-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

So, I know we've been a bit delinquent in adding to our blog. I could give you a bunch of excuses but it’s just not my style! What I will say is that I am thankful that Google finally let us in!

So I'll be honest...starting in May of 2009, we really noticed a difference in the way people are attending events. In our 7th year, we thought about how to reinvent the intimate, meaningful events that bring smart, interesting women together in a different way. No offense to the hotels in town but we needed to try a few new venues. Our members wanted us to shake it up a bit. So, starting in April, we started using smaller venues, limiting the size and expanding the offering to include a glass of champagne. The reaction has been amazing! The energy is just different! It sort of feels like the early days of The Link!

For members only - We discontinued the members only dinner and will be replacing it with a new format this fall that will be less formal. These events create an opportunity for members to get to know each other on a deeper level.

Here's what's been happening...

We'll start backwards so to be as current as possible.

In June, Lisa Sedler, the COO/President of our local crown jewel, New Seasons Market, was the featured speaker. Lisa is smart, interesting, INTERESTED and speaks from the heart!! Here's a video to share a bit about the evening with a few people who answered the question "Why are you here tonight?” http://www.youtube.com/user/thelinkllc1 (Aren't we getting fancy!)

The evening got rave reviews!!! The food at Chez Joly is amazing and the ambiance is spectacular! As we expected, the room was a bit cramped since we SOLD OUT! We are getting allot of good comments about limiting the number to 40....attendees feel as though they can meet more fabulous people! All comments were exceptional for the speaker. Here's a sample of the remarks:

Really great event - impressive woman who represents a business really representative of this city and which is on the frontline of its industry.

Lisa was a terrific speaker; so honest, authentic and REAL. It was a pleasure to spend an evening listening to her. Not only is she working for a company that seems to hold the same values that I do but was frank about the struggles New Seasons has as well.

I do enjoy a more intimate setting with limited amount of guest. The venue seemed full and comfortable.

Great food. A little too crowded of a room for good conversation. Otherwise fabulous.

In April, an extraordinary entrepreneur, Sunny Kobe Cook, joined us, traveling to Portland from her home in Seattle. If you lived in Portland in the early 90's, you know Sunny! The founder of Sleep Country USA, Sunny ruled the airwaves and the jingle still echoes in my head! She sold it (bigtime!) and is now a motivational speaker and business coach. http://www.sunnykobecook.com/

Her specific words of wisdom:
1. Talk to everyone!
2. Try something NEW everyday!
3. Be Grateful!

This was our 1st event at Chez Joly and we were WOWED by the food and gracious welcome from the owners, Annette and Christian Joly! They also offered each person a glass of champagne as they entered the room! Check them out at http://www.chezjoly.com

As with any new venue, we had a few kinks to work out but overall, it was great! Escargot, Pommes Frites and Champagne...what else does a girl need?

Some comments about the evening:

Tremendously uplifting amazing evening. This was my first time and I will be back and bring others. What perfect timing in my life to join such a great organization.

I like SKC's 3 recommendations...something to walk away with! Super group of women last night...lots of new faces...! Always a treat to see you all!

Hi - this was my first meeting, and I loved it. Sunny was inspirational, with some great "quick tips" for empowering oneself. The members are welcoming, professional and fun - and - yummy - those pommel frites. Thank you for a great evening.

I LOVED the space and the food and the charming owners.... I didn't like the LOUD, ongoing noise of the kitchen appliances....

In March we addressed a serious issue for women, Heart Disease. Did you know that...heart disease and stroke is the #1 killer of women! Dr. Sandra Lewis has been studying the female heart since 1986 and is recognized as one of the best cardiologists in the country! Ambassadors for the Go Red for Women campaign were there to share their story, including Kathy Ryan, who, while running in Hood to Coast, suffered a heart attack. The petite, fit, marathon runner is the last person you would guess to have heart disease. Her story was captivating!

The event was at Hotel DeLuxe and while we love this space, the food was a bit off this time.

Comments on the event:

Dr Lewis was warm & friendly as well as knowledgeable.

The food was lousy this time!

Loved the evening and learned allot!

In January, Bill McCormick, founder and Chairman of McCormick and Schmick's, kicked off the year with lunch at the Hotel DeLuxe.

We loved highlighting this exceptional man and hearing his fascinating story. Bill is the ultimate host and raconteur. Returning last year from a 3 year assignment in New Zealand as the Ambassador, his perspective on world affairs was an unexpected addition to his life story. The lovely Gail McCormick, a 2x speaker for The Link, joined her husband at the event and was acknowledged for the great work she has done around the world as well. What a team!

Comments included:

He and Gail have also had a wonderful partnership/marriage and it was nice to see him speak to her and the things they have endeavored to do as a team.
Interesting story but little take away.

Meeting over lunch was a great idea. Thanks for such an inspiring speaker -- Bill is someone to emulate!

We're caught up...whew! You can check back monthly now!

2009-12-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

If you missed our members only event this week...I'm so sorry! It was amazing! I had my eyebrows waxed and tinted, my hair washed and styled, my makeup done AND I finished my Christmas shopping! Then the food...special Turkish delights...and the bubbly made it so fun!Thank you FADA Salon staff for all of your free services and Oya Kara for the opportunity to shop from your jewelry collection. Sharon Korter introduced slimming body garb that really works! And Sharon looks amazing after a really successful weight loss. (my 2010 goal!)

What a great way to spend an evening! as always, the women of The Link made the evening fun and interesting!

Have a wonderful holiday everyone! Be blessed and fulfilled!

cindy

2009-11-24T10:55:00.000-08:00

Reflections of 5 years
Our October event celebrated 5 years together as The Link For Women! Who would have ever guessed?? I really had no idea where this would take us. It's been an amazing experience to constantly meet fabulous women (and men) who have the positive intention of helping women to flourish!

The most exciting and interesting aspect about The Link for me is the positive energy each time we gather together! It started with our 1st event in March of 2004 at the Portland Golf Club. Such good Karma...always!! I have learned so much and truly appreciate the opportunity to connect the people of our community to each other, new concepts or inspiration! What a gift you've given to me!

Our 5th anniversary party, Splash! Sass! Salsa!, was a blast! Held at the very cool new space, Urban Studio in the Pearl, is was an evening filled with fun and a wee bit of substance as we discussed the 42 Rules for Creating WE.

In November, Karen Haddy hosted the members only dinner at her home in the Pearl. Devil's Food Catering provided an amazing meal with plenty of leftovers!

Get ready for the holidays at our members only event, Bubbles and Baubles, at FADA Salon on December 8! Pampering, shopping and bubbly! could you ask for anything more?

Wishing you joy and fulfillment in 2010!

~Cindy Tortorici

2009-09-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

Some comments from our last event Flourish. Thrive. Connect. Leveraging The Link: Part II

Thank you so much for introducing me to the concept of My Why. I could not have attended at a better time. It actually helped me immediately----a consulting opportunity came to me the following day and by having attended your workshop, I was better prepared to make a proposal.

My guest enjoyed the evening so much I think she will become a member.

It was great to be reminded to think about what is important in one's life. It was a very "centering" experience.

2009-09-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

Do you "Move with CONFIDENCE?" At last night's event, we explored how to Leverage The Link so that you may Flourish, Thrive, and Connect. For this promise to be fulfilled, we suggest that you be willing to do the following:

Be willing to SHARE
Engage with COURAGE
Be CURIOUS – Truly
OWN your Core Strengths
TRUST your Gut

The Link's WHY is to provide resources for you to flourish and reach your full potential. Ultimately, we want to inspire and help you to move with confidence throughout your life. A fantastic group of women openly shared a bit of their personal journey with each other. Comments to follow!

DON'T MISS our 5th Anniversary Party October 14th!

Move with Confidence!

2009-09-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall Everyone! As the trees begin to turn, I wonder...where did my summer go?

Since my last posting, I traveled to Sun Valley for vacation in July and then to NYC to visit my new grand-daughter, Stella (and her parents, of course)! I couldn't resist adding her photo...she is divine!

While in NYC, I also spent time with some of my favorite women. 1st was Judith Glaser, as we worked on the launch of our book, 42 Rules for Creating WE, a by product of the Creating WE Institute. The book launched on Sept 17 and is an Amazon Best Seller! Isn't that cool????? I love this book because it is a collaboration of 18 people who all believe that there is power in the "I". We believe that in order to have a powerful team, we all individually must show up with confidence. I have rules 7 & 9. I am thrilled to be a 1st time author! If you use 1 rule per day, 6 weeks later your team will have a new concept of "WE". Contact me if you'd like a copy!

I also bathed in the graciousness of Carole Hyatt at her summer home in the Bershires. I met the most amazing women when with them, as usual! What a wonderful way to get your juices flowing!

We had amazing events in July and August! I noticed that many people left town this summer which is unusual in Portland. Our summers are usually NOT to be missed! Perhaps the stress of this year precipitated an escape? We cancelled 2 members only dinners due to VERY low response. We usually get GREAT response so I know this was unusual!

In June, Janet Johnson and Gillian Kennedy conducted a fantastic seminar: Implementing Social Media Into Your Marketing Plan. This was a follow up to Janet's event in May. How TIMELY! If you haven't gotten your head around this emerging (has emerged?) trend contact Gillian at gckennedy@gmail.com and Janet at janet@janetleejohnson.com.

If you missed the July Speaker Series: Gail McCormick - Experiences of an Ambassador's Wife...sorry! Amazing presentation! Smart and inventive, Gail never disappoints! She and Bill (who attended, as well as other members of the family to cheer her on!) have contributed so much and have (and can 'tell') the GREATEST stories!

We had a lovely event at Saks in early Sept. with all sorts of tips on makeup, skin care, latest trends (the 80's are back thank heavens!) and home furnishings. You really shouldn't miss those events if you can help it...even if you can't spend $ at this time. We all got great new ideas and lots of goodies to include lunch! Thanks Saks!

Please DON'T miss our 5th Anniversary Party on October 14th!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We really hope to gather as many people from The Link's Community as possible! We promise a fantastic event!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my experience at Girls Inc. On April 2nd, I became the interim Executive Director. I had planned to be there for 2 months, part time. After 5 months and full time, I passed the torch to an amazing woman, Elizabeth Nye. The fall luncheon is Oct. 21. PLEASE BE THERE! www.girlsincnworegon.com I have to make a point of saying that the reason this organization exists today is because of the amazing board of trustees. Please support them to inspire girls 8-18 to be strong, smart and bold through after school programs and curricula about healthy relationships, bodies, futures and fun!

I look forward to seeing you soon and especially on Oct. 14! The Link is about a community that supports women to flourish. If you do that...BE THERE!

2009-06-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Summer!

Our June workshop with Kami Gray showed us how to keep our weight in check by eating well and using our blue jeans as the litmus test! Sponsored by True Religion Jeans 9gorgeeous jeans!), www.truereligionbrandjeans.com, my big "aha" centered around the idea of monitoring insulin levels. I ran out and bought agave nector the next day! Here are some comments from the evaluations:

Ø She was a delight - As always with these things, there was not enough time to cover all of the topic! Great, relevant, fun topic!!

Ø Topic was just okay for me although I was glad to be reminded to make more healthy food choices on a daily basis. The part of her presentation that intrigued me the most was her journey to becoming a published author.

Ø ...Kami kind of focused on the sweetener issue for too long. She could have covered more topics more succinctly and made people want to buy the book. I did buy it....

Ø Really enjoyed the speaker.

The non profits featured were the OHSU Womens Center for Health and the Nordstrom Designer Showcase on July 9. Don't miss this fab fashion event to benefit the Center. http://www.ohsuwomenshealth.com/news/index.html

Nolita is a denim store in the Pearl. Nolita is offering a 30% discount to anyone bringing in used denim to the store and all denim will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest! http://www.bbbsnorthwest.org/index.html pls support the kids and get a deal at the same time!

Our members only dinner was small and intimate goup of 7 this month with awesome food and drink at Paragon!

We have lots of things in the works! Save October 7 for The Link's 5th Year Anniversary event! it will be splashy and a blast, celebrating our community of people who support women to flourish! We also have contributed to a new book "42 Rules for Creating WE", a collaboration by members of The Creating WE Institute www.creatingweinstitute.com. We have rules 13 and 14! Meet Judith Glaser in October, the editor.

Don't miss Gail McCormick in July...she's smart and funny and had an amazing 3 years in New Zealand where her husband Bill was Ambassador from 2005-2008.

Happy 4th! Enjoy the sunshine!

ct

2009-05-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

Last week was an amazing confluence of inspiration and education...here's what happened for The Link!

Janet Lee Johnson (http://www.janetleejohnson.com/; twitter: @janetleejohnson) was our featured speaker this month, discussing the topic of "Social Media". We all need to become savvy to this new approach to marketing as well as connecting! Every business needs to add some aspect of social media to their marketing strategy!! The Link has started to Twitter and Blog to get the word out about what we do and why we do it!

25% of the 75 attendees sent evaluations...reflecting a very interested group!! The comments reminded me of the story of Goldie Locks and the 3 Bears...some thought it was "too light", some "too heavy" but most thought it was "just right"! Here are some comments...

Went right home and linked myself in!
Good speaker, interesting topic.
I loved the evening. Janet's presentation was engaging and informative and without question increased my knowledge base. Additionally, it was a pleasure to share ideas with this group of interesting and talented women.

Janet Lee Johnson's presentation was great, as were the questions and her responses to them. Social media is a hot topic and I thought she did a great job of covering it, especially considering the amount of material and the diversity of audience experience.
I felt less material and more live hands-on on-screen would have been helpful for this audience. People wanted to know what is it like and what's involved, and showing can help a lot with that.
I really enjoyed Janet's presentation - filled with great information and very timely for me. Based on her recommendation, I set up my Twitter account this morning!
This was a great event, it was my first to attend and I am looking forward to coming to the next one! I enjoyed the topic, Janet is an excellent presenter.

Janet was warm, knowledgeable, professional. Great choice and well prepared. Being a heavy social media user/coach myself, I might have structured the content differently for such a newbie audience - or specifically held different beginner/pro sessions. Rather hard to be everything to everyone - a wide gamut represented.

I couldn’t stop yawning. This was much too much information all at once and the level was not catered to anyone brand new to the social media/website game! I thought this was going to be a bit more baby-steps...
I was hoping for more meat, rather than an overview.

There was a bit of a problem with the volume in the adjacent room with Bingo night. We will definitely choose a different location for Tuesday night events!

Don't miss Doug Mendenhall's seminar on May 29 on "Risk Takers vs. Risk Talkers". Click Here for more info!

Had a great meeting with Sandy McDonough and Pam Knowles of the Portland Business Alliance (http://www.portlandalliance.com/). These 2 ladies are leading the charge in the Portland business community and we are exploring ways to create a synergy with The Link. Pam is running for school board and would bring her legal expertise and business savvy to our ailing school system. Sandy has been a mentor for A Seat at the Table and a member of The Link's community for many years. Great Girls!

On the Non Profit front...
A special thank you to Patrick Stickle and the staff at The Oregonian for supporting all girls by sponsoring Girls Inc.'s (http://www.girlsincnworegon.org/) Women of Honor. The ad ran on May 17th listing all of the women that were honored through donations commemorating women that have made a difference in our lives...The Oregonian rocks!

Also spent time at The Casey supporting OHSU Women's Center for Health, another favorite of The Link! Plan to attend the Nordstrom Designer Preview benefit on July 9! Always a blast!!! Click here to learn more!

2009-05-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since you heard from us so let me get you up to speed...

In April, we had some amazing events...

On April 13 we had our members only dinner at Paragon. 18 amazing women came together for great conversation and wonderful food! It was a tight fit in their private dining area but we had a lovely evening! We have realized that with a group that large, we need to split the updates and requests & offers into 2 groups of 9-10. Gourmet Productions in LO will be the location in May...don't miss their amazing risotto!

On April 22, B. Douglas Bouland, the world's master connector, coordinated a night at Bedford Brown in NW Portland. BB opened their doors to us with grace and style! 40 women and men enjoyed grapefruit martinis and incredible nibbles from Gourmet Productions. The Prosciutto Biscuit Sandwiches were TO DIE FOR! Portland Parks Foundation was our featured non profit on Earth Day...how appropriate huh?
Here are some comments from those who attended the evening of "linking" and learning about home decor:
Ø The setting, the people, the openness of the individuals of the group, the product were all very inspiring.
Ø Totally informative, enjoyable evening in a wonderful atmosphere!
Ø Lots of fun! Thanks
Ø I really liked this event. It was low key and it was great to hang out in such a beautiful space.
Ø It was fun to see B&B and the guys and staff are lovely. ...the place is fantastic....:-) Truly a hidden jewel!
Ø This was a fun way to see (and smell) some great home ideas. Easy mingling and beautiful things!

In early April, I stepped in as the Executive Director at Girls Inc. of NW Oregon. Girls Inc inspires girls 8-18 to be strong, smart and bold by providing research based curriculum and events to prevent drug and alcohol abuse, pregnancy, and relational aggression. The Link has supported Girls Inc. since 2004 and I had been a member of the board from 2005-2008. Many members of The Link have attended their events such as Power of the Purse and Heart of a Woman. 2 members of The Link currently hold board seats. I am honored to work with an amazing staff and board who are passionate about "the girls". You can now say that we are in the business of supporting girls of all ages to reach their full potential!

We have great events in May...DO NOT MISS the May 12th event on Social Media! I just signed up to Twitter! What am I getting myself into???? Follow me at http://twitter.com/ctort.

Doug Mendenhall's seminar on "Risk Takers vs Risk Talkers" is amazing!!!!! Take Friday, May 29 as a "support self" day and eliminate your fear of failure!

Happy Spring to all!

March 2009 Members-Only Dinner

2009-03-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

A group of about 18 amazing women met at Serratto Restaurant on March 9 to chat over a delicious meal. Below is some of the great feedback we received:

"Wonderful opportunity to meet and network in a more relaxed setting!"

"Nice to meet new members, food was fabulous."

"The restaurant and food/service were very good. I enjoyed myself--the conversations were excellent."

These members-only dinners have become quite popular and are a great way to get to know other members at a more intimate level. Please let us know if you are interested in joining us next month!
~ Felisa

Making Yourself Memorable: March 6 Workshop

2009-03-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Cindy led a full-day workshop about how to stand out in a crowd and be "memorable" to others. Participants explored their motivating drivers (their "why") and how to present these in context to create interest, momentum, and energy around a conversation.

"Cindy was a great balance of pushing/pulling/supporting. Substantial content, approachable delivery, etc. This was my first self-development workshop and I felt in such good hands!"

"Wow! What a day...very intense and very long but so worth while. It was a great group that bonded well; we all could see such potential in each other which in turn we could then see in ourselves."

"This was a fabulous workshop that I've already recommended to friends. Thank you for everything!"

We look forward to seeing you at our next invigorating workshop!
~ Felisa

March 2009 Speaker Series event

2009-03-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

It is rare to hear a presentation that is so naturally given, so incredibly thoughtful and profound. Lorrie Vogel, the General Manager of Considered Design at Nike, accomplished this feat in front of a room full of 60 women and men at the most recent Speaker Series event for The Link For Women on March 5th. Lorrie's job title describes exactly what she does. She sets strategy for Nike designers to create sustainable products thoughtfully and intentionally. As a leading expert in design innovation and sustainability, she was able to succinctly explain the concept of sustainability, the current state of the Earth, and how Nike is playing an important role by adopting sustainable practices for a future "green economy". Not only does Nike now use a measuring system to gauge the sustainability of each and every product from inception on, but every product that Nike develops is now recyclable and can be turned into a new type of Nike product. These are not new product lines, as Lorrie explained. They are new “ethos” for Nike. With Earth Day approaching, this was the perfect speaker to highlight the gravity of the situation, the responsibility of the small percentage in the world who understands the idea of sustainability, and the optimism that can and should accompany the vision of and movement toward a sustainable future.

The atmosphere in the room was attentive and enthusiastic during the presentation and the question and answer period following the presentation. We captured some of the great responses from the audience members below:

“It was nice to have a speaker this time who provided educational information on a topic we hear about daily and who also gave us ideas of how we can make more of a contribution on a personal level.”

“Lorrie's presentation provided a great amount of information about Nike's initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint in their products. She showed that she has great and innovative ideas and the talent to implement them successfully. Thank you for sponsoring her presentation.”

“Great presentation and fun location. I'm so glad I came to another Link event. I'm definitely hooked on the group!”

We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
~ Felisa

2009-02-04T11:13:00.001-08:00

As we begin 2009, we are WILL be diligent in our posting to this blog! Check in with us to stay "linked". ~ct

The Link For Women begins it's 6th year (!!) and we are grateful for the amazing community of women and men that support women to flourish by affiliating with The Link. The intention of our 1st event of 2009 was provide ideas on how to leverage this robust community to achieve your goals.

Our vision has remained the same since March 2004...

WHY we exist: To Flourish and reach Full Potential.

HOW we work: Connecting and Mentoring through community.

WHAT we offer:

- A network of smart, respected Experts and Peers in all areas of life as reliable resources.

- Knowledge to make informed Decisions.

- Inspiration to Think beyond.

- A Safe environment.

Cindy Tortorici, Founder and CEO of The Link For Women, lead us in our first workshop of 2009! She helped us develop our roadmap to turn our resolutions into reality! We learned how to Thrive. Flourish. Connect and how to Leverage The Link by identifying our WHYs and sharing our REQUESTS and OFFERS!

Here are some comment's about the evening from our members and guests!

Great, great event! Informative, inspirational and useful, as always! Really impressed by the group of women (and the man!) that attended.

I thought that Cindy's speech was excellent and inspiring. People were so friendly and open to meeting others. The caliber of women was superb. I got a lot out of Cindy's talk and my "Why" has been on my mind. I've recommended The Link to several women already.

This was the first Link event that I've attended, and I very much enjoyed it. It was a fabulous group of women and I got a great deal out of the presentation.

It really helps one to focus. Puts into question some old assumptions one has. Thank you.

Nicole Vogel in Portland

2007-06-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night, June 26, Nicole Vogel, Publisher of Portland Monthly and Seattle Metropolitan Magazines shared her story with 80 women and men at The Governor Hotel. It was a GREAT night! Here are some comment's about the evening!

Enjoyed speaker and subject matter. The Link has a knack for picking interesting and inspiring females to tell their tales. Nicole’s wiliness to share intimate details about her life and how they relate to her current success made the evening all the more powerful.

Nicole did a wonderful job. No doubt, everyone was able to see the many sides of her character and particularly the depth and strength of her familial love. She was warm, witty, snitty, funny, reflective, at times hilarious and at others pensive and moving. It is so fun to see her be able to laugh out loud at the foolhardiness of her naysayers and to celebrate her willingness to trust her gut and abilities to a magnificent outcome.

Nicole mentioned two well-honed adages of "lemons and lemonade" and "necessity and invention" but I was thinking of a more spiritual one as she spoke about the Lord giving and taking away...why that one of all the possible others popped into my head, I don't know, but there it was and in so many ways - here are we all.

Nicole's story of starting Portland Monthly was a great inspiration for those who want to start a business and a reminder of how to prepare to do it. She was a wonderful speaker--poised and insightful.

June 2007

2007-06-24T22:29:00.000-07:00

It must be a generational (is this a word?) thing. I have been so excited to post information about the events and happenings of The Link in Portland and Seattle. It's taken me 3 months though to start posting information. It's really embarrassing! My profound apologies to anyone paying attention.

I'd like to start by sharing a really inspirational story of one of our members in Portland...Elizabeth Aaroe. Elizabeth was an investment banker on the east coast and is now an uber fund raiser for non-profits in Portland. She is really smart, tenacious and a loyal friend. So when she emailed me and asked if I had a banner for her to take on her 1st hike up Mt. Hood, I was thrilled to oblige. At the summit, she took a picture that sparks so many double entendes that she made me censor a few of them. I am thrilled to say that it is clear...women of The Link have gotten to new heights!!!

Nicole Vogel

Last week, Nicole Vogel, Publisher of Portland Monthly and Seattle Metropolitan Magazines, dazzled the audiences in Seattle and Kirkland. At 38, 6 magazines in 3.5 years, Nicole shared the story of how her family rallied around her sister Lorrie after the loss of her husband and birth of her daughter Piper. Making a very conscious decision to stay in Portland as a family, Nicole and her brother Scott, an award winning journalist, started a city magazine after 13 had failed. She was authentic and candid and generous with her time and information. Come see her in Portland on Tuesday, June 27.

Welcome to The Link For Women blog!

2007-02-27T11:11:00.000-08:00

It's an exciting thing to have your own blog! I look forward to opening this up to all members to share thoughts and perspectives about events, future programs and opportunities for our community!

We will also be listing opportunities to support non-profits in the Northwest that mentor girls and women in our back yard and around the world. Check back with us soon to participate!