COVID-19 news has been inescapable. Taking up every inch of content online, in print, on TV, radio. Everywhere. Understandably so. But we made it through April. And in addition to the lilacs about to bloom, there are glimmers of hope starting to resume. At IWOC, we’re making sure of that.

Good News Item #1: We know that in the last month, many of us have experienced a downturn in our business. So, we’ve assembled a toolbox of ready-to-implement tips to help you keep your business afloat as we ease out of these challenging circumstances...and beyond. Members will be invited to partake in our Zoom Webinar, “Business Survival Kit,” taking place on Tuesday, May 12 at 6:00pm – the time of our usual monthly meetings, just to maintain some semblance of normalcy! We will be welcoming participants to share their tips as well.

Good News Item #2: Because we’ve acquired the skills to hold meetings via Zoom, we now have the capability to conduct programs featuring speakers from across the country – and maybe the world! At any time throughout the year! Big dreams. Now made possible.

Good News Item #3: A few weeks ago, Membership Chair Alicia Dale approached me with an idea: There’s been a recently hatched Twitter trend called #IndieApril. Its purpose: to promote independently published authors. So, hey! why not promote IWOC’s Indie Authors? We sure have a lot of them! And that’s what we did. In the last week of April, on Social Media and in e-blasts, we spread the word about IWOC member authors Cindy Bertram, Adela Crandell Durkee, Tephra Miriam, Kathryn Occhipinti, Karen Sandrick, Jennifer Worrell and Joseph Wycoff. The response has been overwhelming, bringing awareness of these talented writers and their works to our over 1000 contacts – and more! But the best news is the book purchases that are being reported back. Author! Author!

Good News Item #4: For our June 9 Zoom program, we’ve nabbed John Godoy as our featured speaker. John is a professional growth coach, whose dual Japanese/American heritage has inspired him to devise “The Bushido Code” – 7 core principles based on ancient Samurai philosophy. Obviously, this won’t be your typical “business-y” meeting. But it will provide you with a foundation of thought that is affirmative, uplifting and that could only benefit the well-being of you and your business. Your spirits will be buoyed by the end of John’s talk. Mine were. Just the cure for these challenging times.

And that, my friends, is the Good News for today. May it continue and get better and better in all of your lives from this day forward.

See you soon by Zoom!

- Laura Stigler