The thing about Democracy is that it is your government and it needs your participation.  There are so many levels where you can participate as a volunteer, elected officer, political supporter, board member and more.  Find subjects that excite you, learn more about the subjects, learn how you can be involved, and have fun.

1. Know Your representatives
   1. Look up your voter registration information at www.hctax.net under voter registration, search voter
   2. Identify your precinct chairman, city councilmember, school board representative, commissioner, state representative, state senator, federal representative, federal senator, etc.
   3. Look up your representatives and if interested get on their website and sign up for newsletters so that you can know the issues.
   4. Know yourself
      1. What issues are important to you?

i.     Your career

ii.     Your family

iii.     Your health

iv.     Special interest (parks, human trafficking, public school budget)

1. Research your issues

i.     Find out what issues resonate with you, what makes you excited, what you want to impact, what you want to change.

ii.     Find out which special interest groups support your issues

iii.     Find out which special interest groups oppose your issues

1. Think about how government impacts your important issues

i.     Research what government agencies impact your important issues

ii.     Look on the internet and find out what the agency does

1. Get Involved
   1. Go to meetings

i.     Neighborhood Organizations

ii.     Political party meetings

1. Go to your party of choice and find their calendar.
2. Contact the meeting organizer and attend the meeting.

iii.     City Council

iv.     Commissioners Court (County “Council”)

1. Contact your representative

i.     If you have a question

ii.     You want to know more about a government program

iii.     You want to compliment your representative

iv.     You want your representative to come speak to your organization

1. Volunteer for your political party

i.     Increase your visibility within the organization

ii.     Learn what elected officials do and what is interesting to you and what you need to do to be qualified for the position.

iii.     Find someone you admire in the party, meet them and ask them how they got to where they are so that you can make a plan for yourself.

1. Find out what open positions are coming available
   1. Elected offices

i.     Usually elected offices have a certain term, 2 years, 4 years, 6 years, etc.

ii.     Learn the requirements for the position.

1. Board Positions

i.     Mayor, Commissioners Court, Governor etc. appoint board of directors for many different boards.  If interested in the board, get to know the folks who appoint and let them know your interest.

ii.     Ask colleagues how to get appointed to the board that you are interested in joining.

1. Volunteer Organizations

i.     Work your way to leadership to hone your leadership skills

ii.     Find out a volunteer organization where someone who can help you get to the position you are seeking and start working with them to get to know them.

1. Start building your support system with variety and have fun while doing it.
   1. No one is elected alone so start connecting with people

i.     Children’s school people
ii.     Co-workers
iii.     Church
iv.     Trade organizations
v.     Volunteer organizations
vi.     Political organizations
vii.     Exercise class
viii.     Spouse’s co-workers, trade organizations, etc.

What can put your business at risk as you rush forward into the world of social media?

Have you made sure that your business does not cross the line into a violation of law in your enthusiasm to broadcast who your business is to the world wide web?

Do you have a social media policy?

Do you and your employees know the limitations for conduct on social media sites? If you have not thought about defamation, discrimination and federal regulations as part of your social media marketing strategy, then do not miss this chance to get some great legal tips on social media and cutting edge legal issues affecting your use of social media.

Journeyman Construction, Inc. Invitation To Bid

To: National Association of Women Business Owners ATTN: Estimating Department 6124 Highway 6 North # 118 Houston, TX 77084 From: Journeyman Construction, Inc. ATTN: Fred Kennedy 7701 North Lamar Boulevard, Suite 100 Austin, TX 78752 Phone: (281) 489-0573 Phone: (512) 247-7000 Fax: (281) 664-9175 Fax: (512) 385-6699 Email: Email:

Please use the following link to access this project online and update your response:http://www.gradebeam.com/access.asp?i=33732917&o=324498

Project: WalMart 597 Remodel Bid Due: 01/18/2012 1:00 PM CT Location: 7075 FM 1960 Rd West, Houston, TX 77069 Start Date: 3/4/2012 End Date: 4/27/2012 EstimatedValue ($): $1,000,000.00 Plan Room: AGC, ABC, Dodge & Builders Exchange Printer: See Please login to http://www.GradeBeam.com to view documents online. Prints Paid By: National Association of Women Business Owners is responsible for prints. Shipping Paid By: National Association of Women Business Owners is responsible for shipping. UCI Code(s): 00015 – Plan Rooms

Project Description: Journeyman Construction is requesting sub bids for all trades required for the renovations of a 227,378 sf WalMart Super Center Please respond to this bid invitation by logging into GradeBeam.com.  If you received your bid invitation by email click on the blue link to access the project.  Once you are in GradeBeam.com, click on ’Documents‘ or the Documents section to view & download bid documents.  Please also click on the ‘Will Bid’ or ‘Will Not Bid’ button to let us know if you are bidding. If you received this invitation via fax, go to www.gradebeam.com/access.asp & enter the ORGID & ITBID from your fax. If you need help logging in or accessing plans, please call GradeBeam.com Support at: 866-482-7669. Please sign-in to GradeBeam & click on your bid intentions.  Click on “Documents” for access to plans & bidding docs. Please use the following address for emailed bids:  Check specs for bid form, wage rates, etc. Certified HUB, MBE, WBE, SBE, DBE & other minority owned contractors are strongly encouraged to bid this project.

Please use the following link to access this project online and update your response:http://www.gradebeam.com/access.asp?i=33732917&o=324498

If you have trouble accessing this project online, please go to http://www.gradebeam.com/access.asp and enter the following project access information: ORGID = 324498          ITBID = 33732917

Journeyman Construction, Inc. uses GradeBeam.com to distribute construction information and project opportunities to its subcontractors and suppliers. If you have questions, want to register for full access, need to update your company information, or prefer to be removed from the GradeBeam.com Construction Directory, please contact: 866.ITBS.NOW (866-482-7669)

Subject: Singing Oaks Apartments – New Civil Plans, Specs & Pictures

Project: Singing Oaks Apartments (Rehab) – Denton
We have posted revised civil plans, added utility specifications and pictures for the Singing Oaks Apartments in Denton.

Please log in to GradeBeam & click on the ‘Documents’ section for free access to these new documents.

Please notify us if you do not with to receive further notices for this project at.

Thank you.

Please sign-in to GradeBeam to download these files ASAP. Revised Civil Permit Plan Set 11-29-11.pdf – (Expires 3/1/2012) 02630 – Storm Drainage Specs.pdf – (Expires 3/1/2012) 02510 – Water Distribution Specs.pdf – (Expires 3/1/2012) 02530 – Sanitary Sewer Specs.pdf – (Expires 3/1/2012)

Please use the following link to access this project online and update your response:

http://www.gradebeam.com/access.asp?i=32465373&o=324498

If you have trouble accessing this project online, please go to
http://www.gradebeam.com/access.asp and enter the following project access information:

ORGID = 324498          ITBID = 32465373

Michael has over 28 years of corporate management experience, including 22 years in sales. He has conducted training programs with many fortune 500 companies, including international programs in Venezuela and Mexico. Michael is a Certified Professional Coach and has also served five years on the Board of Directors for the Houston Chapter of the American Society of Training & Development, including in the position of President in 2005.

Soon customers will be charged additional $5 monthly fees to use their debit cards for purchases by the largest bank in America, Bank of America.

Perhaps you or your business will not pay the fee if you have at least $20,000.00 in combined balances in your account at BofA. However, if not you, this new debit card fee will hit your customers or your employees who do not have the $20,000.00 balance in their accounts.

Banks were given billions of bail out money including Bank of America when the recession first hit. In return we, the tax payers are paid back by bank fees that these banks could really do without because the bank industry has an aggregate record profit in the third quarter in the amount of $14.5 billion.

In this economy, it is our desire at NAWBO Houston  to make sure you have the most up to date and relevant information for your business to operate, and to take advantages of any qualifying events that will assist your company moving forward.

Please join NAWBO Public Policy in sending this letter to our state representatives and let them know that you want them to tell the banks NO to DEBIT Card fees. Enclosed is a format letter that you can email to your representative. Go to https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml.  Follow the instructions to get to your representative’s site. Copy and paste the attached letter in the message box

It can’t hurt to contact them now to make sure they know you want them to stop this move by the banks.

As more information becomes available and as the legalities start to impact our businesses, we’ll keep you informed of the new changes and how they will affect you.

If you would like to get further information, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 281-825-3034 ext 1001 or at

Thank you,

Bless LaGrone,CPC

NAWBO Public Policy, Chair and the Public Policy Team