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Hello and welcome to fall, Nextworking friends! With colorful leaves and sweater weather upon us, we're reminded of the fact that we are completing our second year of Nextworking. We appreciate your enthusiasm at past events and recent participation in our first membership survey. The group's high response will play an important role in helping our steering committee plan our 2008 calendar of events and newsletters.

One Nextworking fan that we can always count on for feedback is Kevin Leja, this month's Member Spotlight and active Steering Committee member. Strategy is the flavor of the month in our On the Spot segment and change is in the wind for this edition's Book for Your Buy List. An easy, one-hour read, we promise you that this little gem packs a good punch. And if all you're looking for is the perfect weekend getaway, you must explore this month's Best Kept Secret. Happy reading and we look forward to seeing you next month!

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Come solo or with a friend to our final bash of the 2007 Nextworking season! The Fine Line Music Cafe will be the place to be on Friday, October 12, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. as we close one of the hottest venues in town to celebrate the countless connections we've made through Nextworking. Local favorite, 2 Tickets 2 Paradise, will kick the night into high gear, so bring your dancing shoes!

If you're looking for an opportunity to meet other Twin Cities professionals while enjoying a cocktail and rocking out to one of the craziest cover bands this side of Vegas, this event is for you! Remember, Nextworking members are invited to bring one guest - just be sure to send us their full name and company name. After all, it's still a networking event!

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As a Senior Financial Analyst in Enterprise Management and Reporting at Best Buy Corporation, Kevin Leja's career in finance is flourishing! Born in Milwaukee and raised in Duluth, Kevin attended Creighton University in Omaha on a full tuition scholarship and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BSBA in Accounting and Finance in 2002. Shortly thereafter, he obtained his CPA license. While he certainly has an impressive educational and professional background, it's Kevin's humble leadership style that makes him a joy to be around and an asset to the Nextworking Steering Committee, which he's been a part of since June of 2006.

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Planning your career path is like a well thought-out game of chess. First, with finance and accounting professionals in higher demand than ever before, there can be many opportunities for movement. Secondly, each move should be done strategically with a long-term win in mind. Dave Schneider, Director of Client Services at Certes Financial Pros, says, "Managing your career means identifying your ultimate dream job and making sure you're progressing toward it with every promotion or career move. It's important to ask yourself, 'Where do I want to be in 10 years and what can I do today to make sure I get there?"

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"Handle the challenge of change well, and you can prosper greatly. Handle it poorly, and you put yourself and others at risk." - John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber

Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber uses the simple, yet profound power of the fable to educate the reader on the Eight Steps necessary for ensuring successful organizational change. Based on award-winning Harvard research conducted by the author behind the best-selling books, Leading Change and The Heart of Change, we were immediately drawn in by the memorable way the authors were able to translate complex principles into important lessons in action. It didn't hurt that the book also takes about an hour to read - perfect for that next flight to Chicago or a leisurely fall afternoon.

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Recent responses to our first annual Nextworking membership survey tell us that many of you are interested in exploring things to do outside of the city limits! Well, we aim to please with a little gem of a weekend getaway that will please couples looking for a romantic getaway, golf pros, and nature lovers alike!

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Did this month's Book for Your Buy List inspire you to embrace a little change in your life? Regardless of whether you're an active or passive job seeker, signing up to receive our PPN Next Jobs email is a completely confidential and great way to check out local hiring activity with some of the Twin Cities top employers. Join our email list today and you'll automatically be entered into a drawing for this month's Book for Your Buy List, Our Iceberg Is Melting.