Because I know the power of communication, I pore over my database like an anxious mother. When I meet someone and exchange business cards, I ask permission to add them to my mailing list. I know that one slip of the finger, a wrong spelling or even a "." put where a "_" belongs, can mean I've lost that person, forever, as an e-mail contact. There is no margin for error.

So my philosophy is this: As the architect Mies van der Rohe once said, God is in the details. I've gone from being a "big-picture gal" in my corporate days to really snapping to attention as an entrepreneur. I hired an assistant, the incomparable Carolyn Milschewski, to help me manage my mailing list and keep my schedule on track. I linger lovingly over business cards, then pass them on to be input on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. I hover over my calendar to ensure that I'm on schedule and haven't missed an appointment. In short, I'm committed to covering my bases.

That being said, I still drop a stitch now and then, and when I do, I so appreciate the grace I'm granted. We are all swept up in the tide of our daily lives. I stay on track by coming back to my commitments: to serve my clients with care, to grow and learn as a businesswoman and (my father's best advice) to keep my sense of humor.

I'm a woman on a mission: I'm learning about personal finance. For someone who has avoided balancing her checkbook since 1975, this is not a trivial issue. As with most of my projects, I began with research, and among the stacks of books I've been reading about personal finance, I have read a most remarkable book recommended by Wendy-Jo Toyama, client extraordinaire. It's called The Number, by Lee Eisenberg.

Mr. Eisenberg is former editor-in-chief of Esquire magazine, and he has taken a topic that's been written about extensively--financial planning--and turned it into a fascinating read. That's no easy feat. Mostly, he captured my imagination with his pursuit of "The Number" most of us either know or should know--how much money do we need to live out our lives in the style to which we are, or want to be, accustomed?

I loved his writing style which is funny and often biting... after all, he's dealing with readers, like me, who have ignored this essential part of our lives and suddenly, just as the invitation to join AARP shows up in the mail, decide to get serious about financial planning. Most of all, I love that Mr. Eisenberg understands that while it's about the money, it's never really about the money. It's about how we choose to live the rest of our lives from today onward.

Whether you're a Baby Boomer who's just woken up to smell the coffee (and who just ran the numbers on how much that daily latte really costs you) or a Gen-X or Y'er who wants to do a better job managing your finances than your folks (think "the power of compound interest"), this book is a must-read if you want to work toward a number that will work for you.

My dear friend Joy Meredith performed a miracle: she got a book proposal accepted by an agent and had her book published by a major publishing house, all within the space of two years. I had the pleasure of going along for the ride, and am bursting with pride in sharing this book with you which I urge you to order right now! It's called My Last Wishes: Life, Love, Laughs & A Few Final Notes.

Like The Number, this book focuses on how we want the rest of our lives to be, but My Last Wishes offers a journal format for planning the rest of, and the end of, our days. Now, before you dismiss this as a dark or morbid topic, let me assure you--she wasn't named "Joy" for nothin'. From finishing the unfinished to planning your own service, this book is packed with thoughtful, often hilarious, insights about creating our lives right now in a way that will leave us complete at the end. There are lists and resources that can help you and the ones you love prepare for difficult and inevitable choices and conversations, written in a way that will uplift and sustain you. To order, go to Joy's Web site at www.joymeredith.com. As Joy says on her Web site, "Don't Leave Life Without It!"

And I can't close without including a few last plugs of my own...

• I'll be speaking to the Professional Women in Business of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, April 18th, on the topic "Show Me the Money!" To learn more, visit www.arlingtonhtschamber.com.
• On April 15 and April 22, I'll be giving a book review of Gregg Levoy's book, Callings, at Gary United Methodist Church, followed by a visit from the author himself on Sunday, April 29th. It's beyond my wildest dreams that we were able to get this remarkable author to come to Wheaton to share his insights and help others discern their call. If you're struggling to hear (or heed) your calling, and you're interested in attending this workshop (from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 29), visit www.gary unitedmethodist.org and click on special events.
• Did you know April 24th is Equal Pay Day? The American Association of University Women and the Dupage Association of Women Lawyers are hosting Equal Pay Day at IIT and I'll be on a panel speaking about women and negotiating. My thanks to Jennifer Wilken of Edward Jones for inviting me to speak, and to Marti Sladek, employment attorney, who will also be on the panel. For more information about this event, please call me at 630/510-1900 and I'll send you a flyer.
• I'm blessed to have been invited to participate in a career fair in April at the Second Baptist Church of Wheaton, compliments of the Rev. Andre Allen, and to the Orland Park Job Club in May thanks to friend Steve Sitzberger.
• Barbara Stanny will again be in the Chicago area, celebrating the 10th anniversary of her book Prince Charming Isn't Coming with a new workshop on Friday, May 4th. If you're interested in attending "7 Steps to Financial Mastery for Women: Becoming Your Own Prince Charming," visit www.barbarastanny.com.
• I've also been asked to speak this month on "Your Golden Rolodex: How to Network for Results!" to the College of Imaging Administrators, a professional association for those who manage radiology departments or clinics. I'm so appreciative of this invitation to return to this group as a keynote speaker, and especially thankful to Jacqui Dower from my church who facilitated this introduction.

For those of you who have invited me to speak to your organizations, thank you for your trust in me. I am clear that it's through the grace of that trust, and through the power of my "Golden Rolodex," that I'm fortunate enough to "do what I love and love what I do." And for those of you who have dispensed enormous amounts of grace to me during difficult times (and you know who you are), I thank you as well. Luckily grace, like compound interest, has a miraculous way of multiplying. Love, Vickie

About CHOICES Worldwide

CHOICES Worldwide is a coaching practice based in Wheaton, IL, with offices in Chicago and Phoenix, serving mid-career professionals in transition, business owners and executives. For information about individual, business or executive coaching, please call 630/510-1900 or write admin@choicesworldwide.com.

Vickie Austin

Founder

email: choices321@aol.com

phone: 630-510-1900

choices321@aol.com