Blogging for Beginners

Blogging is one of the most powerful forms of modern communication, used to showcase expertise and, when done right, gain the attention of industry insiders and earn you recognition as a thought leader. Learn how to get started and what tools you need to be successful and gain readership. Find your blogging niche and leave with all the necessary knowledge to begin building your platform and connecting with audiences from all over! (90 minutes)

Coaching to Captivate

A great coach can inspire a team to turn from satisfactory to outstanding. Take time to explore your personal coaching philosophy. Complete a self-assessment to learn about your leadership style. Observe and apply coaching techniques that are most effective for your type. Take away strategies that marry best leadership practices with your unique personality and current management methods. Leave equipped to motivate individuals to become dynamic and committed members of any team! (120 minutes)

Bring Your Characters to Life

Learn how to transform your characters from merely existing on the page to full, complex creations that help build your literary world. Breath creative life into your writing’s characters with this workshop (60 minutes).

Building Your Personal Brand

Do you know who you are? What you stand for? What values you embrace? How about how you express those values? If you do, you’re in the throes of building your personal brand (though you may not know it!). Just as a company’s brand helps communicate its value to customers, a personal brand does the same for individuals, helping to communicate a unique identity and clear value to potential employers or clients. In this session, participants will learn how to build a personal brand that highlights their strengths, establishes a reputation, builds trust, and communicates unique attributes. (60 minutes)

Combatting Writer’s Block

In this session participants will learn what writer’s block is and identify the causes of it. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to explore what’s holding you back from writing, learn a variety of strategies to overcome your own personal blocks, and practice techniques to get your writing flowing again. (60 minutes)

Create a Social Media Strategy for your Business

Social media has evolved into a primary marketing tool for businesses. Discover just how influential this channel can be for converting leads into sales, retrieving customer data, and staying connected with your audience. Determine which platforms align best with your marketing goals and learn how to maximize their potential to best reach your target audience. Leave with the knowledge to create an intentional social media strategy through purposeful content creation and mindful scheduling habits. (60 minutes)

Getting Published

Achieve your dreams of becoming a published author! Discover the ins and outs of the publishing process in this session. Investigate the pros and cons of self-publishing versus the traditional route. Gather essential tips about negotiating contracts, selling rights, and copyright issues. Walk away with the confidence and knowledge to approach agents and publishers and get them excited about your work. (120 minutes)

Effective Presentations

Having poor communication skills can hinder us in many ways. We may have difficulty maintaining relationships, getting a promotion, or becoming an active and engaged member of the community. Understanding communication and best practice public speaking tactics can provide many personal, professional and social benefits. This session will enable participants to overcome communication apprehension, understand how to adapt a message to an audience, and practice valuable delivery tactics to enhance any presentation in the workplace. (90 minutes)

High Performing Teams

Knowing how to build and sustain relationships is essential to workplace success. In this session, discover how to apply this fundamental skill to contribute to an effective professional team. Discuss the most reported dysfunctions of professional teams and brainstorm tactics for overcoming them. Investigate what it takes to balance varying personality and relationship types when working to achieve a common goal. Return to your workplace teams with meaningful insights and actionable strategies. (60 minutes)

How to Show, Not Tell in Your Writing  

Want to know the instant secret to level up your writing? Participants in this course will learn how to use writing techniques that show your reader what’s happening, rather than telling. This shift in mindset will immediately boost your writing skillset, but it’s not easy to do! Join this session to learn the top five ways you can show, not tell your reader.   (60 minutes)

Managing Uncomfortable Conversations

If you’re human, then difficult conversations can’t be avoided. In this session, learn skills to adeptly manage conflicting or controversial dialogue. Discover strategies to listen mindfully and communicate empathetically. Practice navigating challenging encounters in personal settings and leave with effective, clear steps to take when talks approach uncomfortable or uncharted territory. (60 minutes)

Prioritize Your Mental Health: My Journey

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Julie Navickas found herself at home just like everyone else, working to quickly flip her fulltime career into the virtual world. But when the State of Illinois closed all daycare facilities, the day-to-day got harder. With children ages 3, 2, and 1 at home, the seemingly possible quickly turned impossible. Discover how Julie learned to prioritize her mental health and channeled her frustrations into storytelling. Now a traditionally published author with Inkspell Publishing, Julie is a best-selling and award-winning romance novelist. (60 minutes)

Interviewing 101

Whether you’re applying for an entry-level position or a senior role, it’s likely that you’ll be asked to interview with a potential employer before receiving a job offer. A job interview gives you the chance to show off your skills, highlight your qualifications, and make a strong impression on the hiring team. In this course, participants will learn how to ace an interview, including preparation tips, and common interview questions. (90 minutes)

Writing Skills to Help Ace Your Work

Harness the power of words and storytelling to turn a blank page into a tool for achieving your goals. Learn about the different approaches to writing for work and how to apply them to a variety of projects. From the fundamentals of effective persuasive writing to composing speeches, newsletters, columns, emails, and more, this session will equip you with the skills you need for dynamic and strong messaging, no matter the medium. (60 minutes)

“Everyone needs to take this course if they’re serious about becoming a traditionally published author. Julie really knows her stuff and presented the content in a way that was understandable and relatable. She’s a good teacher and I felt very encouraged after leaving her classroom.”

Greg Peters, Continuing Education Participant at Heartland Community College

“The room was full. Julie was definitely our most popular presenter so far this year. And the best part is that while our group is usually pretty quiet, everyone was asking questions. Julie created a warm and welcoming environment for everyone to feel comfortable while learning.”

Mandy Smith, Bloomington-Normal Young Professionals