Topic: SHARING THE GIRLFRIEND RELATIONSHIP

Hey Girlfriend!

Are you looking for “IT?” Do you want “MORE,” but you don’t know what that means?

In a world where society and the media tells us what we should be doing, what we should be feeling, and what we should be achieving, do you find yourself hollow? Is your business suffering in these difficult economic times? Are you bordering on financial disaster?

Karen Kalisek has been there, done that! She brings a fresh answer to a longing thousands of women experience. Karen will share with you insights concerning:

• The shrinking circle of connection.
• Surprising results of women studies.
• Opportunities to expand your business in new ways.
• Experiencing growth in a negative world.
• Building loyalties and self worth.
• The ‘G’ Ring

With a Texas drawl and a sense of humor, Karen Kalisek explains how she has survived the storm of financial, health, and business related tornadoes. Karen’s ability to unlock the potential in problematic situations has lead to her success.

Karen is the Founder of Hey Girlfriend! a women’s networking group based on The Girlfriend Relationship and The Bad Haircut Theory. In less than a year, this group has experienced outstanding growth of over 1000 women! So many women have sought Karen’s council in regards to their business and personal life challenges, that she recently started consulting professionally.

Karen is a public speaker on a variety of topics and a professional trainer of The Link System, based on Mel Kaufman’s New York Times Best Seller, The Millionaire’s Handbook.

Currently, Karen is working on her first book, “Hey Girlfriend! … Where Have You Been?”

Bio:

Being one of five girls provided Karen Kalisek an early education on the importance of women in her life. Although her parents were poor, they made sure that “The Porter Girls” were dressed well in their hand-made clothing and attended church regularly, with all five earning their college degrees. Determination and kindness to others were the family’s guide words.

Karen started speaking publicly at the age of five. She continued through her college days as a part of the West Texas A & M University Speech Team competing with schools such as Harvard, The United States Naval Academy, and Yale. She earned her degree in the field of Mass Communications. Karen has successfully worked as a National Sales Manager, Wholesale Giftware Representative, and Interior Designer.

With the Oil Bust of the 80’s, life turned upside down in Texas during a time when the economy was based on the price of a barrel of oil. The Kalisek family was faced with the hard facts of foreclosure, repossessions, loss of their businesses, and, finally, bankruptcy. Soon after the birth of her third child, Karenís husband, Johnny, left to find work in California. Karen says, “As he drove off in a beat-up pick-up we named Old Silver, it reminded me of a scene out of the Grapes of Wrath.” The situation left Karen in Texas with three children, (five, eighteen months, and two months) having no phone, no cable, and only $18.32 in her pocket.

Problems followed the family to California, with the children having numerous broken and sprained limbs, hearing loss, learning disabilities, surgeries, speech delays, and hundreds of visits to hospitals for x-rays, therapy treatments, and doctorís appointments. Karen discovered the source to this plague of issues: Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a rare genetic defect which affects one in twenty thousand. The search for answers lasted for sixteen years.

Karen has been a leader for the protection of battered women and their children. She has served a child advocate for children in foster care, a speaker on behalf of North County Interfaith Services and a docent for the California Center for the Arts Escondido.

For many years, Karen did not speak publicly due to the needs of her children and demands of work. Only when faced with the question of, ìWhen was the last time you giggled like a girl?î did she begin to find herself when faced with life changing decisions. She began to speak on womenís need for Girlfriends. As Karen has stated, “I choose to LIVE my LIFE and I want to share the joy of doing so with other women. I have always defined myself as Mom to my children, wife, and what I did for a living. I lost sight of ME! Girlfriends share my story and my possibilities.” She founded Hey Girlfriend! in 2007 as a birthday present to herself and to other women. Currently, there are over 1000 women on her contact list with inquiries regarding the start of groups and franchising as far away as Georgia.

Through her family’s physical, education, and financial difficulties, Karen Kalisek has given new meaning to the words; “Steel Magnolia.” Her roots of determination and kindness have benefited hundreds of women and children.