I recently delivered the keynote address at the 2008 Women in Leadership Conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan - my MBA alma mater, http://www.umich.edu/ What an excellent experience! The conference convened for women Executive MBA and MBA students, as well as other women in business. The interactive program engaged participants in workshops, a case competition and other activities designed to impart immediate skills usable in the workplace.

My keynote speech focused on practical ways business people could develop their talents and skills as managers and leaders while propelling their confidence and careers. I gave them a “sneak peak” of my new lecture series, called Bulletproof Your Success^TM. I shared the critical “8 Competency Clusters” of success and provided specific tools attendees could use everyday to increase their business effectiveness. It was a complete joy to pass along my knowledge to the audience, who were hungry for information. If you want to learn about the Bulletproof Your Success competency clusters and receive advanced notification of registration for the inaugural lecture series starting in February 2009, let me know.

MarketLab Research online survey sponsored by Matters at Hand finds that most middle-class and wealthy Americans don’t know enough to protect their assets, health, estate and families

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2008 - In a nationwide research study polling men and women whose household income exceeded $100,000 annually, Matters at Hand^TM found that most respondents feel they need to get their wealth and life planning affairs in order.

“Our market research survey exposed critical findings indicating that most Americans realize they don’t know enough to ask the right questions to get the right products from the right advisors,” said Camille Jayne, Matters at Hand founder. “Many don’t even realize that their affairs are out of whack.”

Matters at Hand, a company that facilitates wealth-management advisory services and provides educational tools, retained MarketLab Research to conduct the online survey in May 2008 polling 550 Americans between the ages of 25 and 70. Among the findings, Jayne said the respondents believe they don’t know enough to manage their life-planning matters.

“Most sleep comfortably because they think, ‘I have a trust. I have life and property/casualty insurance. I file my taxes. I have good advisors. My life planning must be in good shape.’ Unfortunately, many of these sound sleepers should be tossing and turning,” Jayne said.

People who have children in the household or are soon to be empty nesters, as well as those planning for retirement were the two key groups who felt they needed the most help. In addition, the study revealed three other trends:

Don’t Let the Government Be Your Biggest Charity

Finding No. 1: 76 percent of the respondents aged 35 to 65 years old believe they need to become better informed and educated on estate planning, investment options, insurance, taxes and more. Seventy-five percent of people do not have the correct plans in place for themselves or for their families.

Taking Charge is Your Job

Finding No. 2: 60 percent of people want to better understand what different professional advisors should do for them and know what questions to ask them. An informed consumer is more apt to call and meet with advisors to get these affairs in order. Although advisors excel in their areas of expertise, they can’t be expected to be experts in all areas or to call their clients to learn what has changed in their lives.
“It’s your job to inform them!” Jayne said.

More Adults Program Their Remote Control than Get Control of Their Affairs

Finding No. 3: 65 percent of those surveyed want to get more in control or organized when it comes to these issues, but they don’t feel they have the right tools to get started.

“There is an untapped market to provide sophisticated investors with information on how to get started and stay organized,” Jayne said.

Confidence Comes in a Kit^TM

“Are you part of the 25 percent of folks who have everything in the right shape or are you part of the 75 percent whose affairs might need some adjustments?” Jayne asks. “Even more alarming, are you someone who has not even gotten started? Don’t gamble with your assets or retirement security or rely on having good health and family harmony forever.”

In response to the quantitative research revealing the urgent need to educate and organize people, Matters at Hand developed the What You Need to Know Kit^TM to help educate the sophisticated layperson and provide a concise overview of all life-planning matters.

The Kit is an all-in-one educational resource guide and organizational tool that simplifies the complexities of all areas of wealth management - from estate planning, investment options, life, disability and long-term care insurance, taxes and property/casualty insurance to budgeting and more.

“I wanted to order the What You Need to Know Kit to make sure I understood what I had, and more importantly, what else I need to know and do,” said Lucy Dunn, chief executive officer, Orange County Business Council. “I am so glad I did. I want to tell my friends so they can sleep better at night, too.”

Consumers and wealth-management advisors can order the “What You Need To Know Kit” online at http://www.mattersathand.com/kit/index.html. On the Matters at Hand Web site, visitors also will find links to Jayne’s blog and a video series discussing how to use the Kit.

About Matters at Hand
Matters at Hand, founded in 2004, helps individuals get their personal wealth management affairs in shape. Matters at Hand facilitators gather and review clients’ investment, insurance, tax and estate planning documents, and then work with clients and their advisors to go forward. As a neutral third party, Matters at Hand has gained a stellar reputation in the community as a trusted team member - both for clients and professional advisors. Matters at Hand gives a percentage of net profits to one charity each year, with Girls Inc. being the 2008 selected charity.

I have had a flurry of invitations to speak at various, prestigious business schools on how to be more successful in business: on October 3rd as the Keynote Luncheon Speaker at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business annual Women’s Leadership Conference, in Ann Arbor MI; on October 9th at Chapman University’s Argyros School of Business evening Distinguished Speaker Series in Orange, CA; and on October 16th at Jan Norman’s (of the Orange County Register) business class at Vanguard University in Santa Ana, CA. At all of these, I will be giving an overview of my new, 2009 8 week lecture series: 1 Degree of Separation Between You and Success^TM (which will be offered in conjunction with Dave Elliott & Associates, Inc.) - more on that in future blog entries. If you’re available, please feel free to sign up and join us at University of MI, Chapman or Vanguard!

Lucy Dunn, CEO of the Orange County Business Council - a What You Need to Know Kit owner- invited a group of business ladies out for dinner at The Center Club and an evening at the Performing Arts Center last week. By the way, Matters at Hand is a proud and new member of the Orange County Business Council. I was wearing my Bettina Knits new Button Wrap^TM, which is made by my NAWBO-OC mentee, Bettina Rogers. Lucy, Dita Shemke of Citi Smith Barney and Yolanda de la Paz, of First Regional Bank - both Matters at Hand business colleagues, as well as Pamela Sapetto of Sapetto Group, Inc. and Janet Buck of Emergent Success, Inc. - all loved the wrap. Just goes to show, smart business women also have great taste! Thanks to Lucy for treating us to a great night.

I’ve decided to record a series of videos providing a little introduction for each section of the “What You Need to Know Kit.” In each video, I provide you with a little taste of what the kit offers. Be sure to check them out on my videos tab!

It’s funny how the theme of so many blogs seems to be building multi-connected relationships with people! Last week First American Trust hosted a luncheon at its campus headquarters to celebrate our OCBJ supplement “Keys to Wealth Management.” I thought this would serve as an excellent opportunity for everyone in the supplement to meet each other and network. It was a huge success, and I know many wonderful ventures will come out of it! I am extremely grateful to Richard Reisman and Laura Garrett of OCBJ. The supplement was Richard’s inspiration, and Laura has been the brains behind much of it. Thank you both!

Among the attendees were the supplement sponsors such as Matt Brown, Kathy Mericle and Vanessa Gregor of Brown & Streza, LLP Attorneys at Law. This firm is amazing and gave Matters at Hand our first volume reorder of kits! Melissa Pollard and Craig Henton from Comerica Bank also attended. Melissa, who is the founder of the Comerica Women’s Business Symposium (WBS), gave our What You Need to Know Kit^TM to all the WBS panelists, and sits on the board of Girls Inc with me.

Dean of the number one executive MBA program in the state was luncheon attendee Andy Policano, of UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business, and leader of Merage’s Center of Investment and Wealth Management. Dean Policano has asked me to teach the first ever wealth management course for MBAs at UCI.

Dan Banis, president, and VP Kimberly Dwan-Bernatz welcomed the group and Ken Peterson and Brad Hixson of First American Trust also attended. I appreciate First American giving us a volume order of the Kit.

An enormous help in proofing the Kit was Tyler Terry of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and the Waltos Group. Tyler was on WBS panel this year, and will be a guest lecturer in my Wealth Management MBA course at UCI. Also, Bob Waltos has asked me to be the speaker October 9^th at the Chapman business school’s Distinguished Speaker Series.

Originally introduced to me by the Waltos Group, Kurt Kingsolver and Aimee Alford of Gold Reverse Mortgage were also supplement sponsors and luncheon attendees. Be sure to check them out, they have a great new model for reverse mortgages.

Don Dahl of Grant Thornton has a long time dedication to teaching people about wealth management - and even ordered a Kit for himself and his wife!

We enjoyed seeing Lupe Erwin of Wood Gutmann & Bogart Insurance Brokers, who helped proof the Kit, was a WBS panelist this year and will be a guest lecturer in my Wealth Management MBA course. Tim and Darci Voorhees of Family Office Services who have a web based wealth management tool will be working with me on potential co-branding of the Kit.

My personal corporate and estate planning attorneys, Jim Leese and Cheryl Barrett of Ferruzzo & Ferruzzo attended, as well as Keith Offel of Offel Wealth Management Group (the very first advisor to make a volume order of the Kit), who will be on the 2009 WBS panel.

Someone you should all get to know is Penny Lambright of Clutter Cleaners who came as well. They are the BEST at removing clutter and were even featured on Dateline. Also there was Evelyn Zohlen of Inspired Financial. The niche market company provides unparalleled services in wealth management for women.

Luncheon attendees also included Colleen Barney of Albrecht & Barney, LLP, Jane Couperus, Director of Client Services for Knightsbridge Asset Management, Laine Ainsworth and Mark Moehlman of the Wealth Management Network. Mark is the Chair of the CIWM at UCI Merage, and Laine and Mark are both on the UCI Merage Board of Advisors with me. Ellen Wright and Gary Million were representing Baker Jensen/BTA Group investment advisors and I showed off Guy’s new book: “Manage Market Not Stocks” - which you can find on their website. By the way, Gary also works with Million Voorhees Family Office Services.

One of my best friends, Hilary Kaye of HKA, Inc, public relations was there too. Winner of the prestigious Ethics in America Award for Business and Walk for MS Most Inspirational Group she is a phenomenal influencer in the community. We were also pleased that two non profit groups joined us - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Carla Vargas and Kathleen DesCoteaux of the United Way.

Well, as I’m sure you can tell this luncheon was full of some talented and influential professionals. We look forward to having them back in next year’s WM supplement helping the OC community to get their WM act together. Do you have your act together?

As we encounter life transitions, such as marriage, divorce, children, or the death of a loved one we are often overwhelmed by the event and sometimes overlook one of the most significant aspects of the change - our wealth. I had the opportunity to have lunch recently with Lisa Hughes, JD, CPA Partner at Hughes and Sullivan, LLP - family law attorneys. As one of the most prominent family law attorneys in Orange County, Lisa is a visionary in wealth management for her clients.

As we ate and visited at their absolutely stunning offices in Tustin, our conversation turned to the vital importance of updating and managing our life affairs when life throws curveballs. It became quite evident during our meeting that Matters at Hand needs to update the “What You Need to Know Kit’s” resource binder to include family attorneys as a critical member of anyone’s wealth management team!

As you experience life changes in your family, don’t go it alone. Seek the experience and resources of your family attorney to ensure your wealth and family are protected. Of course, I highly recommend Hughes and Sullivan, LLP. They work with a highly skilled team of attorneys and superior support staff.

As you know, one of my passions is bringing people, resources and organizations together. One of the many connections I have made was introducing Michael Gerber to NAWBO. After meeting, NAWBO asked Michael to join them by giving a presentation focusing on his specialty, how to succeed as an entrepreneur at a NAWBO-OC dinner meeting, September, 9^th at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine.

Many of you are familiar with Michael but for those of you who are not, he is the number one small business guru, creator of “The Dreaming Room,” author, speaker and, of course, entrepreneur! He also has a best selling book The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It. His presentations change lives and reach worldwide!

I encourage each of you to attend the NAWBO event as Michael Gerber presents “Systemize Your Success: Strategies for Small Business Growth” on Tuesday, Sept 9. Michael will educate attendees about what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur, and beat the statistics! Learn how he and his organization, E-Myth Worldwide, have created more successful entrepreneurs than any other small business experts or organizations. Dream Big!

For more information on how to attend the event visit the NAWBO-OC web site at www.nawbo-oc.org. Tickets will go fast to make sure to register online before September 8^th!

I am on the Leadership Council of the Women’s Empowerment Portfolio for Orange County United Way, and I am excited to share that WEP and OCUW will co-host the first women’s summit event, “Illuminating the Needs of Women and Girls in Orange County” on Sept. 19. It should be an amazing event, with three panel discussions addressing unique issues facing women and girls in our community today. Allergan is kind enough to sponsor the conference, while Orange Coast magazine will highlight it in its September issues.

Keynote panelists will focus on the needs and current resources for women and girls in Orange County regarding transportation, technology training and career readiness, and financial planning for transitions.

CEO of OCUW, Maria Chavez; CEO of WalkStyles, Sue Parks; and creator of “Re-Arcing the Rainbow,” Valerie O’Krent will be welcoming the audience. Local authorities on women’s issues, Jane Glenn Haas (Founder of WomanSage) and Dr. Judith Rosener, Professor Emeritus of the UCI Paul Merage School of Business will participate as well. The purpose is to provide the women and men influencers and decision makers in the audience the opportunity to get educated and involved in the current issues of the community.

I encourage each of you to learn how you can take action in helping to build self-sufficient lives for women today and future generations tomorrow! The event will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19 at the Allergan Auditorium, 2525 Dupont Drive, Irvine, CA 92612. The event is open to anyone interested, and with tickets only $35 per seat, this is an invaluable opportunity to identify how you can benefit your community. For more information, please contact Cara Lasala of United Way at 949-263-6155 or caral@unitedwayoc.org. Let her know that I sent you!

As I mentioned in previous blogs, I think building relationships is fundamental to any business success. Connecting people who can unite to make a difference and build their companies is always a rewarding experience! Earlier this week, I had an opportunity to introduce two business entities to each other that have great influence in the wealth management community: First American Trust’s President Dan Banis and Vice President Kimberly Dwan-Bernatz met with Dave Solie, author of the revered and informative book, “How to Say it to Seniors.” Dave is an expert on Baby Boomers and has taught thousands of people how to transform their marketing to appeal to that generation.

Success! The meeting was a hit. First American Trust is eager to have experts, like David, meet with its Baby Boomer-generation clients. David can help these clients address the unique issues facing them and their parents and how to talk to them and deal with the “soft” issues. First American Trust helps them achieve financial stability and manage their wealth, and both help people manage through life transitions.

David and I now are working on how to combine his lectures with our wealth management “What You Need to Know Kit.” For many Baby Boomers, our tagline, “Do You Have Your Act Together?” hits home. Together, David and I are working on how prepare the Baby Boomer generation! There no better feeling than being prepared.

I can’t wait to see how these partnerships help clients as they expand the reach of both First American Trust and David Solie.