Why Isn't Someone Else Doing This?

Joy Weaver
Founder of Just Ask Joy

"We are all like diamonds. We have an intrinsic value, but it is not until we are polished that our true worth is really recognized," says Joy Weaver, author of the book, Just Ask Joy . . . How to be Socially Savvy in All Situations.

We met Joy after a presentation about social skills to a group of women entrepreneurs. While busy selling every copy of her book she had brought, Joy was still taking the time to speak individually with each buyer and write a special note in the jacket cover. Many authors talk to their readers at book signings, but the depth of sincerity and the focus of will that Joy brought to each exchange left each woman with a unique experience. It is clear that for Joy Weaver, this is as much a passion as a career.

Joy started her business career in a typical corporate office job. But when asked to help recruit volunteers for the company's outreach effort, she found her true calling. The outreach program was designed to provide mentors to a nearby elementary school. Joy decided to participate by giving a basic class in etiquette, specifically table manners, to the elementary school students. She started looking for a class that would help her prepare, but discovered very limited choices.

"The lack of programs and the inconsistency of information in the few books that existed on this subject matter was an open door of opportunity for me," Joy says. "How do you know what you don't know? Rarely are we taught basic rules of etiquette in school, college or in business and as a result, most learn through the school of hard knocks."

The outcome of her class in dining manners surprised her, as more and more inquiries came from co-workers and others in all areas of business. She describes this as one of those moments in life when you ask yourself, "If people need and want this service, why isn't someone doing this?"

Not content to just ask the question, Joy acted on her identification of a need in the marketplace. To build a professional base and assure her credibility, she attended and achieved certification by the prestigious Protocol School of Washington, D.C. as well as certification from Letitia Baldrige's Business Etiquette Program.

Joy is an excellent speaker with a topic that resonates with virtually any audience. Her clients include major construction companies, accounting firms, architects, schools, and non-profits. The list is as varied as it is impressive. Why is this subject matter so compelling? According to Joy, "Almost 85 percent of the impressions we form of others comes from visual cues - what we do, how we do it and how confident we appear when doing it."

In addition to her regular segments on ABC's Good Morning Texas and NBC5i, Joy is nationally published and appears regularly as an etiquette expert on numerous television and radio shows. She has also been featured nationally on ABC's The View, and The Early Show, Family Net, in the Associated Press, Southern Living Magazine, and USA Today.

Today, Joy offers a wide variety of courses, including her most popular presentation called: A Class on Class. Other sessions offered are as follows:

• Stairway to Success...How to Be a Star Performer in the Business Arena
• Finessing the Business Meal...How to Feel Comfortable in Any Dining Situation
• The Art of Working a Room...How To Improve Your Mingle-Ability
• Techno-Etiquette for Today...How To Communicate Effectively In The Digital Age
• Going Global...How To Become A World-Class Competitor In The International Arena
• Dress For Business or Social Success...How to Turn Your First Impression into a Lasting Impression

To see how Joy is filling the need she uncovered for teaching social skills, visit her web site at: www.justaskjoy.com