A couple of years ago when my kids were younger, we instituted a new family ‘tradition.’ One beautiful spring day we were all out riding in my convertible when we put our hands in the air and yelled “WOOHOO!” The Family Woohoo was born. Since that time, anyone can invoke a Family Woohoo at any time and all are required to participate. It is hard to stay mad or sad when you put your hands in the air and say Woohoo. Just try it! Right now…

It is important in business – and especially for entrepreneurs – to invoke a Woohoo. We so often get tied up with our heads-down that we forget to take time to celebrate. That’s bad. So I’ve decided to add a section to my monthly newsletter called Woohoo! where I will share reasons to celebrate from my readers. I invite you to send me your Woohoo moments and I will add them to the post. Don’t be afraid that people will think you’re bragging – we’re all here to support each other and that means being TRULY HAPPY when cool things happen to others.

In that spirit, I have two Woohoos! to share for:

Kris Appel, whose business Newregen recently won $10,000 in the Rockville Economic Development’s StartRight! Business Plan competition. WOOHOO!

Kerrie Brady, CEO of Traxion Therapeutics, was featured in BusinessWeek’s online profile of “Entrepreneurs to Watch” (she’s the 4th from the left) and quoted in the lead-in article. WOOHOO!

Although it is a bit self-serving, I will point out that both women are graduates of the ACTiVATE program I teach (we’re working to roll the program out to other cities across the country). And while ACTiVATE may have given them the “Boot in the Butt™ they needed, they are cranking on their own now! Congratulations, ladies!

So send me your Woohoos! We have enough in the world that is negative, let’s share the positive!

Go ahead…put your hands up…WOOHOO!