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The City of Austin Small Business Development Program is hosting The Taxman Cometh: Are You Prepared? The course is designed to ease
the burden of tax planning for small business owners. 
No matter how experienced or seasoned we are in the special events industry, continued education is vital to help us remain relevant and effective.
The new CSEP is your solution. The Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) designation is a professional certification that will positively reflect upon your education, experience and commitment to the special events industry.
"What I know is, is that if you do work that you love, and the work fulfills you,
the rest will come." - Oprah Winfrey
Several ISES members participated in this year's Special Event Show
in Los Angeles, California this year. The show, sponsored by 
Not all New Year's resolutions have to be painful, especially those you make to help grow your business. Here are 5
resolutions you can make now to be more profitable and productive in 2007.
Increase your web presence.
It's time to think of your website as integral to your business. If you don't have a website, get one.
If you have a website, make sure it's attractive, easy to navigate and reinforces your brand identity. A poorly constructed website can make you look less professional and untrustworthy. A good website is a relatively inexpensive investment which can help grow your business significantly — and can help make a small business look big.
Learn from other successful entrepreneurs.
One of the best ways to grow your business is through networking —
making connections and sharing ideas and knowledge. Organizations like ISES can help you enjoy a powerful sense of
community and support to build your business even further. But you'll only get out of it what you put into it. Resolve in 2007 to attend more meetings,
meet new people, get more involved and take full advantage of your ISES membership.
Expand your horizons.
When you take the time to learn something new, you are adding value to your business. Professional training and certification programs, such as the Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) designation, help you more effectively run your business while demonstrating your committment to growth and excellence.
Attend a trade show, conference or exhibit.
Trade shows are extremely efficient ways to reach a large number of motivated and qualified prospects at one time. And educational conferences, such as The Special Event and Eventworld, provide a wealth of business tips/advice and networking opportunities. Check out some upcoming events and determine which might help you expand your business this year.
Give more, get more.
Most career experts will tell you that participating, taking initiatives and/or volunteering
is one of the best ways to increase your visibility and become a more trusted resource. Give back to the community. Use your talents and resources to help others. You'll get a great morale boost while also boosting your recognition and credibility.
One of the easiest ways to get started is to volunteer with ISES Austin — joining a committee is a great way to do some good while meeting new people and expanding your professional network.
Building your business is like gardening — the more you give, the more you get.
Stephanie Malone, The Inviting Pear
Director of Web Development, ISES Austin
Be Inspired! Be Motivated! Be Moved!
Thurs., Feb. 1, 2007 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Bella Notte on Main, Round Rock
Don't miss our next important and inspiring event to be held at the beautiful, historic Bella Notte (shown above)
in the main square of quaint downtown Round Rock. Career strategist and life coach Renee Trudeau
will be on hand to share her extensive wisdom and advice for making 2007 your best year ever — both personally and professionally.
Additionally, ISES Austin President Tanya Posavatz, CSEP will share great insights from this year's The Special Event Show.
Learn what's hot in the industry and how you can energize your business. You'll also hear exciting highlights of the new CSEP Program
and our upcoming CulinART fundraiser.
MEMBERS: For every non-member guest you bring, you'll get a free raffle ticket for a chance to win some really great prizes!
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CulinART, ISES Austin's annual fundraiser, will be held on Thursday, March 1,
2007 at the beautiful Renaissance Hotel. This will be the second year that the local
chapter is using the Iron Chef style menu where local chefs and caterers
will each demonstrate and serve one course of a 4 course meal.
This semi-formal event will benefit Keep Austin Beautiful —
a nonprofit organization dedicated to the beautification of the city while focusing on litter reduction and waste prevention —
as well as the ISES scholarship program.
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Other industry events:
Bridal Events of Distinction
- March 11, 2007, Austin, TX
Carmelo's Bridal Forum
- March 11, 2007, Austin, TX
Exhibitor 2007
- March 25-29, 2007, Las Vegas, NV
Experiential Marketing Summit
- May 14-16, 2007, Chicago, IL
Bridal Extravaganza
- June 10, 2007, Austin, TX
NACE Educational Conference
- July 15-18, 2007, Houston, TX
ISES Eventworld®
- August 16-18, 2007, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Fall Membership Drive
By Stacey Hoyt, VP of Communications
With the addition of these 17 new members, our total membership is now over 100 members! This is an outstanding
chapter achievement. Kudos to our new VP of Membership Kelly Cooper, CMP of The Renaissance — and to
everyone who has helped spread the word about ISES.
Holiday Party
Name: Diane Lyerly
If you have an interesting story you'd like to contribute to the next ISES newsletter, or you'd like to be featured in our Member Profile section, please email com@isesaustin.com. Thank you!
Our Fall Membership Drive event was held on December 7 at 219 West, a multi-venue restaurant in the heart of the warehouse district. We had an intimate private room and enjoyed delicious appetizers and signature drinks, as well as the opportunity to network among old and new friends. Several people took advantage of the onsite wi-fi service to sign up for membership on the spot!
Please join us in welcoming the following new members:
Jan S. Smith - The Salt Lick 
Brittany A. Vancura - Horseshoe Bay Resort
Skip Butler - Butler Rental and Sales, Inc.
Whitney E. Downs - Austin Marriott South
Jennifer Brown - Hamilton Twelve/Hill Country Events
Rosy Jalifi- City of Austin
Sharon McMullen - BBJ Linen
Jonathan Stoffregen - Creative Creations Catering
Tammy M. Goral - Texas Wedding Mall
Hannah M. Moore - Whole Foods Market
Kayla Banks - A Perfect Touch Weddings & Events
Lisa Spedale - Primizie Catering
Courtney L. Caplan - Courtney Caplan Events
Dawn A. Spitzig - Horseshoe Bay
Stephanie T. Rice - Blanton Museum of Art
Stacey Mason - City of Austin
Carmela Hartmen - In Style Weddings and Destinations
Kristin J. Viramontes - Student
By Stacey Hoyt, VP of Communications
On December 15, members of ISES Austin, AWEC, NACE and MPI joined together at AMOA Laguna Gloria to celebrate the holiday season. The weather was perfect. The lovely venue was beautifully decorated with artful pieces from Alan Fyke of Mancino Iron Decor. Tara Humphrey of Complete Music had everybody moving and grooving with her incredible D.J. talents. The delectable buffet was the talk of the party, thanks to Kristin Stephens of Austin Catering. Republic Beverage Company was kind enough to donate champagne for the evening. And Teo Espresso & Gelato provided delicious coffee drinks. Last but definitely not least, the incredible Judy Lee of Simon Lee Bakery prepared exquisite individual sized cakes in holiday colors.
Proceeds from this extraordinary event benefited the Wright House of Austin, and several canned goods and gift cards were donated by attendees. Special thanks to Erin Murphy of AMOA and Audrey Frizell from Chick Events for the incredible planning of this event. More than 80 people were present, and the event was such a huge success (and so much fun for all the attendees) that it is sure to become an annual tradition!
Length of Membership: 1 1/2 Years
Company: Northwest Hills Pharmacy & Florist
When speaking with Diane, I realized she's not a one task individual. For Northwest Hills, Diane's title is Director of Stores, but her contributions go much farther. Not only does she do all the community relations, but she also orchestrates the floral show events, plans the sales, budgets & expenses as well as setting the style and trend for the store. Finally, she's also in charge of marketing.
Diane joined ISES after being approached at a fundraiser. She realized that she could contribute to a great organization and this would be a very special way to help promote the business.
For 2007, Diane is committed to making CulinART a huge success.
Interesting Information:
1. What do you usually drink? White wine or champagne
2. Favorite smell? Mixture of Heady-floral and Oriental
3. Which living person do you most admire? Tiger Woods
4. Which deceased person do you most admire? Thomas Jefferson
5. What makes you happy? Being the Brownie leader for daughter's group.
6. What would be your dream holiday? A trip to Machu Picchu
7. What is your favorite phrase? You find true joy and happiness in life when you give and give and keep giving and never count the costs!
8. Tip for newcomers entering ISES? Become involved in something.
Written by Skip Neal, All About Honeymoons
2007
ISES Austin, All Rights Reserved.