Pink Ink - Issue 1, Spring 2024

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

In my experience, most people don’t know what to think when they hear the name “Polka Dot Powerhouse” for the first time. Add that to the pink and orange company colors, and we quite possibly stump a lot of people. But when they learn that we are a connection company—a group that prioritizes relationships above making sales, one that aims to bring its members together for collaboration, celebration, and encouragement—they begin to see a glimmer of the life-changing magic of this community.

For many of our members, Polka Dot Powerhouse has been a safe place to grow, a safe place to land, a safe place to be seen and heard. I know that’s what it’s been for me. I’ve climbed many mountains in my years as a Dot, traversing some sunny highs and some dark lows, and I’m certain I wouldn’t have made it through without all of you by my side.

So when I heard that Shannon was looking for an editor for the new member magazine, my heart screamed, “Yes, please!” I am so grateful for this opportunity to give back some of the love I’ve received from this beautiful community. To say I’m excited to bring you the very first issue of our member magazine is a drastic understatement—I’m simply tickled pink (and orange)!

Above all, please remember that this is YOUR magazine — your voice is vital to our success, and, as they say, my inbox is always open.

Welcome to Pink Ink Magazine! We hope you love it here.

Creatively yours,

Danielle Anderson Member Magazine Editor

Learn More About DIAMOND MEMBERSHIP

Diamond Membership is a connected, collaborative community focused on professional growth and development at every skill level. We value exchanging knowledge, best practices, and supportive solutions within the various opportunities that Diamond Membership provides.

Email Elaine Turso, Diamond Membership Director at elaine@polkadotpowerhouse.com

IMPORTANT DATES

MAY 9

SISTERHOOD SUMMIT

Lancaster, PA

MAY 14

PASSING OF THE TORCH

Canada

Treena Chabot

MAY 15

NEW CHAPTER LAUNCH

Four Rivers, ID

Otila Rose

JUN 11

NEW CHAPTER LAUNCH

Capital Region, PA

Alex Stiffler

JUN 20

MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER

I am thrilled to welcome you to your new member’s magazine, Pink Ink Magazine! The idea of having a magazine for our fabulous members has been sitting on my heart’s wish list since we launched the first Dots member magazine back in 2017. We had an extraordinary and gifted editor and wonderful content, but the timing wasn’t quite right, and sadly, it was short lived. We moved on, but the dream lay smoldering.

"I strongly believe information and celebration can bring people together in a powerful and wonderful way."

I strongly believe information and celebration can bring people together in a powerful and wonderful way. Most importantly, I so love and believe in the Dot family, and you’re darn right that we absolutely deserve our own magazine. Yes, we do. Thankfully, my dream was never fully extinguished, and the timing was right for us to reignite the flame this year!

Enter our new amazing editor, Danielle Anderson, who is not only an extraordinary Dot sister but also shares my belief that this magazine can be a treasure for our members. I could not be more thankful to have her on board as the magazine editor. Thank you, Danielle.

JUL 18

SISTERHOOD SUMMIT Altoona, WI

SISTERHOOD SUMMIT

Virtual

OCT 25-26

ANNUAL CELEBRATION Boise, ID

WHAT IS POLKA DOT?

MONTHLY ONLINE MEETINGS

MAY 13 @ 1PM CT USA

MAY 23 @ 12PM CT USA

I was blessed with the opportunity to write the article for this first issue, and I felt there was no better time to talk about my sister, Tina, who started it all and what sisterhood means to me.

We’ll be inviting YOU, our members, to contribute articles to future issues. I am so excited to read them all!

Thank you for sharing our excitement for this project. All we do is out of love for this life-changing sisterhood. We love you so.

With gratitude and respect,

Shannon Crotty Founder/CEO Polka Dot Powerhouse

Meet our Featured DECADE DOT

1. If you were given an opportunity to give an intro to yourself in a few sentences, what would that intro be?

The Fabulous Dorris Burch is a fashion and style influencer, bestselling author, publisher, and an online coach who helps women to own their power and be visible. She is the founder of The Fab Factor, a global coaching and mentoring company and the creative director of the style blog “Find Your Fab Factor” that launched in the online space in 2018. Her mission is for women to “Don’t Be Invisible. Be Fabulous!”

2. What are you currently focused on?

My current focus is building my dream of a fashion career and what it looks like now is in the space of fashion content creator and influencer marketing. I get so excited about giving myself permission to believe in my dream that even if it's later in life, the dream can still happen. Because now it's also about personal empowerment and authenticity. It's about the capacity we have to command a space, the influence to redefine society’s standards of beauty, the impact our voices make when we advocate for others, and the doors we can open for those who come after us.

3. What first you made you jump and join Polka Dot Powerhouse?

At the launch connection of the Orland Park, Illinois chapter, I got to see and hear Shannon Crotty share the why of this sisterhood… and I was like yes… yes… yes!!!

4. What is your favorite aspect of our sisterhood?

That the genuine connections are magical.

5. What advice would you give someone who just joined?

To be more interested in connecting with the amazing women in this community above offering what you do

6. What do you want to be known for?

To remind women to Don’t Be Invisible. Be Fabulous! And that you realize how powerful you are.

7. Where can we find you? (website, social media)

http://DorrisBurch.com

IG @TheFabulousDorrisBurch

TikTok @TheFabulousDorrisBurch

YouTube @TheFabulousDorrisBurch

Learn more about Dorris Burch in the video interview we did with her, located on our YouTube channel at https:// www.youtube.com/@ Polkadotpowerhouse.

Facebook @Dorris.Burch & @TheFabulousDorrisBurch

Dorris Burch

A PIECE OF DOT HISTORY

Throwback to the very first Annual Celebration in 2013 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, with 30 attendees. My how we’ve grown. Fast forward 11 years, and 2024 Celebration SOLD OUT within days at 450 attendees.

Connecting the Dots: ELEVATING YOUR MEMBERSHIP

Tip #1: Create and Update Your Online Profile. Did you know that when you join Polka Dot Powerhouse, a profile is created for you? It’s magic. That profile, however, has limited information about you (only name and email). Because your profile is one way that your Dot sisters get to learn about you (sometimes even before they meet you), it’s important to make sure your profile is complete.

To edit your profile, first log into your account at PolkaDotPowerhouse. com, then select Edit Profile, which is located at the upper right hand side of the Home Page.

Create your profile with as much detail as you feel comfortable sharing. You can always mask your address and contact details from general membership. (Leadership can still see it, as you never know what surprise may come to you in the mail!)

Tip #2: Keep your profile up to date, including a recent photo. (Sadly, many members currently don’t have a photo uploaded!) Put a reminder in your calendar quarterly

Here are my top five hints to help you craft a profile that leads to amazing connections!

to check your profile and make any necessary adjustments.

Tip #3: Choose your keywords wisely. You’re able to select five keywords, which are what people use in their searches. The less obscure they are, the better. That way, if someone is looking for Dots who travel or are a coach, you will pop up in their search.

Lisa runs a Connecting the Dots: Tips to Elevating Your Membership event each month.

Join her on Tuesday, June 25th at 1:00 p.m. CST or on Wednesday, July 24th at 7:00 a.m. CST.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Lisa@LisaCondon.com.

Tip #4: Add your social channels. There are fields to enter the links for your social media channels. Add them using the https://, as this allows people to click directly on them to find you.

Tip #5: Let your personality shine. Under the About Me section, showcase your personality. People will notice.

Lisa Condon Member Orientation Coordinator

Contact Editor Danielle Anderson danielle@polkadotpowerhouse.com for more information.

I Rock the Dot Day 2024 was a full-day, blowout of celebration, connection, and fun! Members celebrated both virtually and locally. Thanks to all the Dots who helped make the day special. Here are a few fun photos from the day! (With a few more sprinkled in throughout this issue!)

Come for a day of

SISTERHOOD, CONNECTION, GAME-CHANGING SPEAKERS & FUN

Attendees of this one-day event will leave feeling seen and appreciated. You’ll also leave with usable tools to not only increase your connections with others but also to stay in your own zone of genius longer, amplifying your impact to the world and your joy level, all while you conquer your next big dream. Bonuses include swag and prizes! Live events include lunch. The virtual event includes swag being mailed to you and in your hands prior to the event. Bring a non-Dot guest and get special bundle pricing.

Pricing Attendee (no Celebration discount) is $125, Attendee with Celebration discount is $99 AND Member plus Guest is $199. Log into polkadotpowerhouse.com to purchase your ticket.

June 20th - Sisterhood Summit in Altoona, WI - Deadline to register is 5/16/24

July 18th - Sisterhood Summit Virtual - Deadline to register is 6/13/24

Sisterhood Summit Facebook Group

Sisterhood Summit 2024 Facebook group will open 3/14 and close 8/19. Come build community with those attending Sisterhood Summit this year!

Advertise

Please contact BethW@polkadotpowerhouse.com for more information.

2024 BOISE CELEBRATION

HOTEL INFORMATION & MAP

We are so pleased to share this 2024 Celebration hotel information with you all for our upcoming stay in Boise, ID.

We have secured several special pricing room blocks during our stay (limited availability) for our Dot Sisters. We have a wonderful selection to choose from to match your style and budget. We can’t wait to see you at 2024 Celebration.

THE GROVE HOTEL (DOT HEADQUARTERS HOTEL) RESERVATION LINK

RESIDENCE INN BOISE CITY CENTER

Last Day to Book: Wednesday, October 2, 2024 RESERVATION LINK

HOME2 SUITES BOISE RESERVATION LINK

All Annual Celebration Info can be found by logging into the website and heading to Events > Celebration 2024 > Details

THE GLIMMER IN THE BATHTUB

By Shannon Crotty

I’m a pretty good connector now, but it hasn’t always been that way.

Most of you know my story, or rather the story of me and my sister Tina. I often joke that many of you could stand in for me and tell the story if I ever had an emergency, haha. Understandably, I tell the story a lot, and since my story is my heart’s home, I could talk about it all day and night until the lights go out. But, as you may suspect, there’s a lot more I don’t share about my relationship with Tina.

My older sister Tina was the outgoing and strong one. I was the quiet, shy one. I was so shy, in fact, that one of my most vivid childhood memories is a stranger speaking to me at a garage sale my family was having and me standing behind my mom bawling my eyes out. Tina would roll her eyes, laugh,  and move past us both to be the star of the show, talking away like it was her job.

It seemed to me that she had everything figured out. Why wouldn’t she? Being three years older she had three years extra experience and wisdom. That must have been it, I assured myself—her three-year advantage.

Where she went, people followed. They couldn’t help it; they were drawn to her like a strong magnet. I was no different. I looked at her in total admiration and wonder, as if she were a beautiful statue at the top of a pillar.  Even as I mouthed something off to her (as sisters do), I would secretly study her response and still feel thankful for the interaction with her. My goal as a child was always to be more like her. But I was different. Our personalities were on polar ends. I could no more be like her than she could be like me. An impossibility. We were destined to be ourselves and to play off each other’s strengths, even if we didn’t know that back then.

She would often be irritated when Mom would make her take me with her. To play soccer, to swim at the pool, to do most anything. She was frequently required to take her friendless, shy baby sister along with her and her endless number of cool friends. She would complain and holler and still wind up with me in tow, warning me not to embarrass her. Joke’s on her, because I wound up embarrassing her every single time.

I was a thorn in her side as a child, but occasionally she would reveal glimmers of how much she loved me. One of my very favorite

Photos of Shannon & Tina throughout the years

memories of Tina is hiding with her in the empty bathtub as a creditor pounded on doors and windows looking for my dad. We were about ten and seven years old. Home alone. We were used to the routine: just don’t answer the door. My dad did the best he knew how to do, but if he was present at all, he always had someone after him for something. But this time, the man had seen one of us through a window and that lit an angry fire under him. He spent hours outside our house yelling and screaming and pounding on doors and windows. Tina and I were scared that this guy was

going to kick down a door or break a window. Fearing for our lives, we ran to the bathroom and jumped in the dry, cold bathtub, and cowered from him for hours. Crying, even laughing sometimes, she held me tight, shushed me, and reminded me over and over that it was going to be okay, that she wouldn’t let anything happen to me. As strange as it may sound, that was one of the best memories of my life. Even though the experience had been terrifying, the sheer human moment of it and the closeness I felt to her in that tub—her holding and protecting me, despite her own fear—instilled in me the

confidence that I could always rely on her heart being linked to mine. The hours I spent clutching my sister in that bathtub is where I first learned about sisterhood. And by sisterhood, I mean someone truly seeing you and saying that you matter and are important. A glimmer.

Tina and I grew up and built our own lives. The annoyances of childhood turned into points of deep bonding as adults, and we were as close as any two sisters have ever been. The trauma we experienced as children only built a stronger foundation for us. They say what doesn’t kill you

"The annoyances of childhood turned into points of deep bonding as adults, and we were as close as any two sisters have ever been. The trauma we experienced as children only built a stronger foundation for us."

Brentwood, CA Chapter Launch September 2023

makes you stronger—it also has the capacity to bring you closer to the ones you share it with.

As most all of you know, Tina passed away unexpectedly in 2010, and a big pillar of my life passed with her. I had come to rely heavily on her for glimmers of acceptance.

The fact that she sent me the name for Polka Dot Powerhouse in 2012— that she entrusted her ambivert, not-great-at-connecting, utterly scared kid sister with the courage and drive to start this sisterhood— was yet another glimmer in a long line of glimmers she has sent. This one is not hiding in a bathtub crying, but rather standing in a power stance on top of that pillar in front of the world to see, yelling,

“I’M NOT AFRAID TO BE SEEN ANYMORE!!!” It’s something I never envisioned myself being able to do or even wanting to do. But here I am with so many extraordinary Dot sisters who have continued what my sister started. We say that every new Dot member is a sister who my sister Tina has sent, so I should not be surprised. Sisterhood, in my opinion, is a glimmer. A glimmer of acceptance, a glimmer of possibility, a glimmer of celebration. I believe that wholeheartedly, and I am beyond thankful not only to my sister Tina, but also to every single one of you, because that’s what we all share here in our Polka Dot Powerhouse family.

With love, respect, and gratitude –Your Sister, Shannon

Visiting the Merrimack Valley Chapter, June 2022

Shannon Crotty is a wife and mom of three who lives in WestCentral Wisconsin. She is the Founder and CEO of Polka Dot Powerhouse, a global connection company for women.

Shannon is also the founder and visionary behind The Deep End Planner as well as the author of the #1 bestselling book No One Is Peeing In the Deep End: A survival guide for launching a dream.

Also, as a sought-after speaker, Shannon not only empowers audiences to be more authentic versions of themselves, but she also provides tools for them to rein in their focus to allow them to more easily reach their goals and launch their dreams.

Shannon loves golf, travel, style, fitness, and the good ice. You can learn more about Shannon by visiting www.shannoncrotty.com.

SHANNON’S MEMBER CONNECTS

Shannon Crotty’s Special Member Connects will now be held once a month.

Log in on the Polka Dot Powerhouse website and register HERE.

You can also find it on the website under the tab Members > Positivity Zoom

On each positivity zoom we will draw from attending members for a membership renewal. You must be present at the time of the drawing to win.

The upcoming dates are as follows:

Monday, June 17th - 7pm

Wednesday, July 10th - 10am

Thursday, Aug 15th - 3am

Monday, Sept 30th - 9am

Wednesday, Oct 16th - 2pm

Monday, Nov 18th - 1pm

Monday, Dec 2nd - 9am

TOP 5 WAYS TO ROCK YOUR REFERRALS

Who doesn't adore everything Polka Dot stands for? Yet, sometimes finding fresh ways to share our wonderful sisterhood with the world can be a bit of a puzzle.

To help you share Polka Dot with the world, here are five ways to rock your referrals:

Set it & Forget It: Add it to your email signature. Add it to your website. Add it to your social media profiles. Use #PolkaDotPowerhouse when talking about it. These are easy ways to spark interest in the sisterhood from various digital touchpoints without much work at all.

Personal Touch: Narrate your Polka Dot journey in conversations, on social media, or in chats with friends or clients. Sharing your genuine experiences can inspire curiosity and connection.

Share Success Stories: Share what you’ve heard about how Polka Dot has impacted other members’ personal and professional lives. This highlights the tangible impact Polka Dot has on lives.

Drop Hints: Casually mention Polka Dot in your daily interactions or while leading events. A little intrigue can lead to big questions and invitations.

Collaborate & Co-Host: Join forces with a fellow Dot for cozy gatherings or web sessions, showcasing the unity and spirit of our community. Think game nights, book clubs, coworking, etc.

When talking about Polka Dot Powerhouse, think of it as extending an invitation to an exclusive party where fun, growth, and sisterhood are always on the agenda. After all, we're not just a connection company; we're a community where everyone gets to shine brighter together!

Here’s to being rockstars of the referral!

Lori Keefer

Rockstar Referrer Program Coordinator

IS COMING BACK!

In the next few weeks, we'll be re-opening the No Drama Llama Pre-Order!

TANKS, V-NECKS & STICKERS

#DOTSDOINGGOOD

We love to celebrate all that our DOT sisters are doing to make the world a better place. Use hashtag #dotsdoinggood to help us find your posts and celebrate you in the future.

do you know someone interested in starting their own local chapter of Polka Dot Powerhouse?

Contact Wendi Giuliano wendi@polkadotpowerhouse.com

ALSO SUPPORTING THE WORLDWIDE CHAPTER

REGION 3

UT, CO, KS, AZ, NM

REGION 4

MN, WI, IA, IL, MI

REGION 7

KY, TN, WV, VA, NC

REGION 8

MS, AL, GA, SC, FL

REGION 9

NY, NJ, CT, RI, MA, VT, NH, ME

REGION 10 HI, AK

Mindy Van Vleet Regional Director

Amy Neuwirth Website Manager

Wendi Giuliano Regional Director

Josh Gore Webmaster

Anna Brice Project Director

Shawna Stanley Graphic Designer & Dot Store Coordinator

Elaine Turso Diamond Membership Director

Denise Bender Marketing Team Liaison

Gretchen Frana Celebration & Event Director

Tamira Hamilton Marketing Campaign Strategist

Lisa Condon Member Orientation Coordinator

Chris Dyer Celebration Volunteer Coordinator

Ingrid Dick Social Media Specialist

Shannon Crotty & Brian Crotty Founder & CEO / CFO

K. Paige Engle Marketing Director

Jennifer Draper Dot Historian

Beth Walker Celebration Programs & Sponsorships Coordinator

Kelley Tenny Celebration Event Speaker Coordinator

April Morrison Celebration Hospitality Liaison

Angela Albee Celebration Swag, Gifts, & Awards Coordinator

Heather Rothbauer-Wanish Celebration & Event Secretary

Debbra Judnic Executive Assistant to Founder & CEO

Lori Keefer Rockstar Referrer Program Coordinator

Samme Marazas Engagement Team

Rosemary Carminati Engagement Team

Lori Dodson Hype Leader

Danielle Anderson Member Magazine Editor

Sue Bennett Celebration Decor & Visuals Lead