See http://www.juntopartners.com/index.php/video-player to find out what that is...
I found out the Saturday before our first meeting that I had been accepted into the program as a candidate. The first good news in a series to come.
So, we started our meetings, on Tuesday nights at the library. Our first project... a service project. There was a bumpy start, but once we got all our ducks in a row, we decided on a food drive. We mapped out three neighborhoods, asked Triumph Youth Services to pitch in and help, got grocery bags, boxes and flyers all donated by local grocery stores, print shops and the like... and we hit the road.
The trailer floor below is completely covered with the food we collected:
The Monday morning following our food drive, we dropped off 1,554 pounds of food to the Utah Food Bank! We were so thrilled at what we were able to accomplish.
Our next task was a networking event, which was exaclty that and I connected with at least one person who I am currently doing business with right now. Gil and I hosted a meeting at our house for thinking up new business ideas, I interviewed the CEO of a local company, sold $372 dollars in a sales challenge and attempted to raise $5K from someone I didn't know. Tough stuff! During this, we were doing classwork, studying, and other "homework" like assignments. It was a VERY busy 6 weeks.
Then, Junto took on something different this year that was not done in any of the past classes. We planned the Junto Protege Mentoring Conference. The website, as of today, is still up: http://www.juntoprotege.com/
This took a lot of planning. I was chosen to be the logistics team lead, which put me in charge of the catering, venue, set up, take down, agenda, activities, speakers, registration, panels, raffle, and since we were trying the first ever "speed mentoring", the setup, rotation, and logistics of getting everyone a seat with a mentor! I wish I had taken a picture that day with my camera, but I didn't. It was a huge success, with a fantastic turnout. My team worked so well together and with me getting everything in place. The other team leads busted their tails too... and at the end of the day, we were not just relieved it was over, we were ecstatic because of the overwhelmingly postive feedback of the attendants.
As a gift to Greg (who was the 2009 Mentor of the Year) and Alan (who was the 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year) for running Junto and for all they offer, I created this power point to express the gift we chose for them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9lN3h4WAb8
After much deliberation apparently, and after days and weeks of waiting to hear the results of the Junto Parntership.... I finally got the call. I had been chosen as a partner. And it is my honor, along with one other female candidate, to become the first female Junto Partner.
This means so much to me because I applied with the intentions of being chosen. This is a new chapter in my life and one that will catapult me right into my goals and dreams. Happy day!
