Evantage Consulting Managing Partner Robin Carpenter Named NAWBO Minnesota Woman Business Owner of the Year

Robin Carpenter, managing partner of Evantage Consulting, was honored by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) at this week's NAWBO Awards Gala and Luncheon.

NAWBO named Carpenter the Woman Business Owner of the Year in recognition of her contributions to the Minnesota business community and culture. The annual award is given to pioneering women who have forged their own paths to success and carved out new rules in business with intelligence, compassion and courage.

"I am so pleased to accept this award," said Carpenter. "I originally joined NAWBO because of their Mastermind Program, a forum for women business owners to discuss common business issues and share solutions, and I truly appreciated that the members were so willing to give of their time and collective brain power. NAWBO gives women a strong networking and mentoring model that's critical to success."

Carpenter's award coincides with the tenth anniversary of Evantage Consulting. "This is an exciting time at Evantage. We recently completed a strategic review of our business and have refined our business model and focus," she explains. "Clients tell us that we excel at solving their unique and complex problems related to their strategic products and services and how they go to market. They also value the opportunity to work with our passionate, highly skilled consultants. We've refocused our service offerings to emphasize these core capabilities."

About Robin Carpenter
One of the original founders of Evantage Consulting, Carpenter brings a mix of progressive strategic marketing and IT experience to Evantage clients. She is a founding board member of the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) and served as its Education Committee Co-chair. Currently she is a member of the National Women Business Leaders in Healthcare and serves on the Membership Committee of the Minnesota Women's Health Leadership Trust. Previously, she served on the Web Advisory board for Lutheran Social Services.

About Evantage Consulting
Evantage Consulting solves complex, cross-disciplinary problems creatively to help business leaders realize breakthrough results. By leveraging specialized expertise and a full spectrum of business and end user data, Evantage helps transform their clients' products and services to align business objectives with customers' needs. Evantage specializes in user experience and analytics, integrated web strategy, business performance consulting and innovations in health care.

Founded in 1999, Evantage Consulting is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. For more information, visit www.evantageconsulting.com. Evantage Consulting is also proud to be a two-time winner of the Minneapolis-St.Paul Business Journal's Great Places to Work award.

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  Women's Business Council holding healthy heart luncheon

MARION - All members and guests are asked to "wear red" to this month's luncheon meeting 11:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 9, at the Warehouse Restaurant, in support of healthy heart month.

The February luncheon meeting of the Women's Business Council will feature Nicole Gorman, an American Heart Associate who will discuss risk factors for your health and heart. She will share possible employee wellness programs.

If interested in attending the luncheon, you should make reservations by calling Karen Bateman at (740) 375-3806. The luncheon price will be $12 with the deadline for reservations Thursday. Please join us to see if you would like to become a member of the Marion Women's Business Council, an organization dedicated to programming and networking opportunities for women in business.  ¶ 4:43 PM (0) comments

  Mountain View auto shop offers female-friendly service

A Mountain View auto repair shop is promising more friendly service for women frustrated with getting the runaround when it comes to cars.

Several employees at Larry's AutoWorks recently trained online through the women's auto Web site AskPatty.com so their shop could become a certified female-friendly service center.

The training takes about two-and-a-half hours to complete for each employee and features instructional videos that give business owners advice about how to communicate effectively with women, among other things, said Jody DeVere, president and CEO of AskPatty.com.

"In general, what women really want is to feel respected, and we train all of our facilities to not talk down to them," DeVere said. That includes listening without interrupting, using terminology a lay person can understand and answering questions patiently.

"And please don't ask me if I need to check with my husband for a final decision," DeVere said. "When women say, 'I have to check with my husband,' they don't like what (the salesperson) is saying to them."

Another important step to attract and retain female customers is creating a more gender-neutral environment. Simple things such as providing women's magazines in the waiting area, creating spaces for children to play and maintaining a clean bathroom can go a long way, DeVere said.  ¶ 6:56 AM (0) comments

  Empowering Women and Saving Lives!


Click To Buy The Book!  ¶ 1:48 PM (0) comments

  Elite networking site connects female entrepreneurs

Thanks to social networking, they are sharing ideas and contacts, collaborating on projects and opening business doors for each other. More and more female business owners are recognizing the benefits of working together, and social networking makes it more convenient.

Now, Angela Jia Kim, a New York businesswoman, hopes to bring like-minded female entrepreneurs together through her new boutique social networking site, SavortheSuccess.com.

A concert pianist who founded Savor the Success with her husband, Web developer Marc Stedman, Kim describes her new social network as "Facebook meets LinkedIn" for female entrepreneurs.

"I'm a woman entrepreneur trying to make it, trying to further my business goals, so I know what women need," Kim said.

Given the state of the economy, Kim considers it an opportune time to focus on female entrepreneurs.

"We all know that small business is the backbone of our economy, so why not support female entrepreneurs," said Kim, founder and CEO of Om Aroma & Co., a luxury organic spa and skin care line.

Carolyn Kinney is a local female entrepreneur who could use such help. Kinney owns a home-based candle business, Candles by Carolyn.

Kinney, who makes handmade candles, belongs to several local networking groups, including the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce, the North Shore Business Exchange and the National Association of Women Business Owners Greater Milwaukee.

She also uses LinkedIn and Plaxo but has not joined any online networking sites for women.

Business has struggled as the economy weakened, and Kinney is investigating every resource available, especially social networking sites for female entrepreneurs. Additionally, a site such as Savor the Success could help her reach her target audience: women, who represent the majority of candle buyers in the United States.

Time-consuming
"It's a matter of how much time do you put into certain things, and how much time do you spend running your business?" Kinney said. "It's a Catch 22 situation because I know my business won't grow without doing some of these things."

Wendy Baumann, president of the Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corp., said social networking sites such as Savor the Success, provide a friendly place where women business owners can find support to overcome hurdles.

"I don't think there is any one place that's a panacea, but I think there are vehicles like this that can certainly make a difference," Baumann said. "It's a place where women can provide support to each other through their own unique experiences and their own networks."

While there is a plethora of social networking sites for female entrepreneurs, what's unique about Savor the Success is that it offers media access to successful female entrepreneurs and experts in its network and promotes it heavily. Kim launched a national media blitz several weeks ago.

Kim's newly launched site offers online and in-person networking events nationwide that are designed to help women reach their entrepreneurial goals. It also offers special seminars and workshops throughout the year, along with four-week workshops that help women to develop an action map, elevator pitch and a method to accomplish their goals.

Once a member of Savor the Success, women can join virtual cafes devoted to a specific, relevant topic and pose questions to both experts and other members.

Basic online membership is free. But like many social networking sites, users are charged to become premium members. A Savor the Success premium membership costs from $300 to $500.

Possible limitations
Not everyone is sold on social networking sites that cater exclusively to women. Local publicity consultant Joan Stewart thinks such sites are too limiting.

"Good entrepreneurs are good entrepreneurs," said Stewart, who owns The Publicity Hound, which teaches people how to generate off-line and online publicity. "The danger in limiting yourself to women entrepreneur groups is you could be cutting off or ignoring a huge segment of the population that you could be doing business with, and that's men entrepreneurs."

Don Crowther, an Internet marketer from Racine, encourages women to participate in forums where they can discuss their specific needs, but also to be where their customers are, whether on LinkedIn, Facebook or some other network. Keep in mind, too, that those sites offer separate groups for female entrepreneurs.

"There's room for women to do both," said Crowther, vice president of marketing for Stompernet.com, which teaches Internet marketing skills to business professionals. "The challenge is there are so many sites out there, you have to pick and choose where you want to spend your time."  ¶ 1:28 PM (0) comments

  Women business owners making tough calls

Some women business owners are laying off staff. Others are turning away less profitable work. While yet another is taking only clients that pay in a timely fashion. Entrepreneurs, the backbone of our economy, realize that these tough economic times take strategy to survive.

In the worst economy since the Great Depression, women business owners are more vulnerable. Most of them self-fund their businesses and have a lot to lose when things don't go well. For some, it's income their family depends on.

''Women tend to make assumptions that they've got to pull it all off on their own. A lot have the capacity to ask for help or additional capital, but they don't,'' says Elaine Szeto, a senior vice president of Global Treasury Mangement with National City bank.

What they are doing is supercharging their brain power.

Maxine Clark, founder and chief executive of Build-A-Bear Workshop, considers her business her legacy. Her chain of more than 400 teddy bear stores, has made Clark a role model for women and young girls. Clark has created a warm and fuzzy corporate culture that has inspired loyalty in her staff. But even she is making tough calls as her stock price has dropped below $4 a share from above $9 a share six months ago.

At Build-A-Bear's corporate headquarters, as employees leave, their jobs are eliminated. ``We are looking at every single job, every trip, every expense as if it is our last dime to spend. Fortunately, it isn't.''

Clark suggests others entrepreneurs do the same.

''Look at the economics of the business you are in and what you can cut back on, maybe people, maybe services, maybe space. As hard as it is, if you don't do it, you are going to say you wish you had because your business would still be here,'' Clark told more than 300 women who attended a luncheon Friday in Miami for The Commonwealth Institute South Florida.

Clark, the majority stockholder in her company, doesn't foresee improvement in the economy until the third quarter of next year. ``Until then, you have to make sacrifices and hard decisions.''

Meanwhile, business owner Ariela Balk has another approach to survival. As the CEO of a privately-held lingerie company, she is focusing on existing customers rather than dealing with new business that may or may not pay off.

BIGGEST CUSTOMER

''While new may seem more exciting, what you have and know is proven,'' she says. Mostly, she is making sure her biggest customer is happy. And for Balk, that customer is Wal-Mart. Her line, Smart & Sexy, sells for under $10 an item in 2,700 Wal-Mart stores.

I met Balk at a roundtable in Miami sponsored by The Women's Alliance. Balk, chief executive of 100-employee Ariela-Alpha International has a vacation condo in Miami, a home in New Jersey, a solid business and eight kids to motivate her.

Balk's husband is head of operations and with both in the business -- and financial pressure intensifying in the retail industry -- the temptation for work to overwhelm home life is huge. ''I work really hard to make sure my two worlds don't collide,'' Balk said. Of course, with eight kids around (including two sets of twins) it's hard to talk shop at the dinner table. ''The kids are very vocal,'' she says.

SURVIVAL TOOLS

Some entrepreneurs find themselves doing the unthinkable -- turning away business as a survival strategy. Coral Gables caterer Sarah Davidoff says she used to jump at any type of affair. But as food costs continue to rise and profit margins get slimmer, she tries to look at the big picture. ``I used to feel like small parties would lead to big parties. Now I realize that sometimes small parties are more work than they are worth.''

Davidoff is putting in more hours to personally oversee areas of her company, Fare to Remember, that she used to delegate to her staff. ``I have to make sure we are not being sloppy because every dollar counts in this economy.''

Like most female entrepreneurs, Davidoff has a large personal investment in her business, which she says leads to lots of agonizing in her off hours. As I talked with Davidoff, her son sat on her lap, sent home sick from his day care.

STAYING POSITIVE

Davidoff will head home with him but keep close tabs on what's going on in her corporate kitchen. ``I spend time thinking about how I put my heart and soul into this company for 10 years. I worry. Are we going to make it through? Will it get better?''

Martha Galindo is worried, too. Galindo runs a 15-year-old Coral Springs translation company, Galindo Publicidad, but sees competition sprouting on the Internet.

After moving to a smaller office and suspending the company newsletter, Galindo took a careful look at new ways to reduce expenses. Her solution: Use more overseas subcontractors as translators. ``It was the only way I could make it here.''

Galindo says she's had to give up the community involvement that not long ago earned her recognition from Viva Broward as a Hispanic of Distinction. ''It's taking me longer to close deals,'' she says. ``I need to spend more time with my business.''  ¶ 5:27 PM (0) comments

  Month2Month.com Launches the First Totally Personalized e-Cards

Senders can stamp their own personalities on free, high-quality cards at an ad-free site Month2Month.com, a young e-card Web site, announced today it is launching the first e-cards that senders can completely personalize as their own rather than using an e-card company's name. This new service offers several important innovations and features that other e-card companies do not:

-- Cards can be easily personalized with the sender's own name or
brand instead of the commercial logo of the e-card company. All of the
company's Halloween cards now have this feature, which will be
rolled out to include all of Month2Month.com's cards in the coming
weeks.
-- The site has no advertising of any kind. Month2Month.com is convinced
that many people stopped sending e-cards because they either had to pay
for them or put up with annoying, intrusive advertising, on both the
sender and the recipient ends.
-- The cards themselves bear no company or site logo to commercialize them.
Senders can feel proud to stamp their own personalities and sign their
own names on these cards.
-- Senders can choose which cards they want to personalize from a wide
variety of cards. They can even change the card sentiment from
"Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays" or "You
Are Invited" to suit their needs.
-- All of the cards on the site are free, not just a limited group, and
there is no registration required or personal information gathered for
later use.

"We have focused all of our efforts to make sure that both senders and recipients of the card have the best possible experience," explained Month2Month.com CEO John Aslanian. "This includes everything from the size of the cards (ours are larger and fill more of the screen), to the design, to the Web site itself. We want to greet our site visitors with top-notch cards in one of the last few commercial spaces on the web free of annoying, intrusive advertising, which we feel takes away from the meaning and warmth of the card."

Aslanian said he created the Web site because he was appalled at the poor quality and unimaginative products he saw at other card sites, both paid and free, and thought there was a great need in the market for top-quality free cards. "One of my biggest pet peeves is being shown irrelevant ads while looking for cards, only to find they aren't worth the wait, or the best ones aren't free. Even if you pay, the quality is not great."

On any given weekday, animators manipulate images of haunted hayrides, garden scenes, or dancing cowboys in the sunny loft studio of the company's headquarters in quiet Port Chester, N.Y. Producing the cards can be laborious; each card can take up to six weeks to make, as opposed to just a few days at larger companies. And the rewards of taking such pains to create just one card are obvious: in an independently-conducted market research survey, 90% of users surveyed said the cards were better than well-known, paid, big-brand card sites.

The cards are all made in-house and never outsourced to freelancers. "This is an extremely rare practice that speaks to our conviction that the assembly line e-cards put out by large corporations have lost their spark," Aslanian said. "Our new site reflects our commitment to providing users with a better way to say 'Boo!,' 'I love you,' or 'Happy Holidays' on the Web. We want users to see our cards as good enough to deserve their own names."

To use the company's free e-cards, visit http://www.Month2Month.com .

About Month2Month.com
Founded by John Aslanian in 2006, Month2Month.com is an Internet company located in Port Chester, N.Y., 30 miles north of New York City. Its e-card Web site, http://www.Month2Month.com, provides a broad selection of creative, high-quality, full-animation greeting cards that are totally free, on a site that contains no advertising, and doesn't require anything on the part of senders except to personalize their cards with a warm message of cheer.
SOURCE Month2Month.com

http://www.Month2Month.com

  ¶ 10:03 PM (0) comments

  Women's Business Enterprise National Council Certifies Monarch Events

Monarch Events Inc, a Manhattan-based meeting and events management company, has been certified as a women's business enterprise by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), a third-party certification organization and the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses. As a WBENC-certified company, Monarch Events now qualifies for the supplier diversity programs of most major U.S. corporations.

"The WBENC certification is one of the most widely recognized and respected certifications in the United States. It certifies a company as being owned, controlled, managed and operated by a woman or women," said Marsha Firestone, president and founder of the Women Presidents' Educational Organization, a regional affiliate of the WBENC. "We are proud to have Monarch Events Inc. as a certified WBE, a women's business enterprise."

To be certified by WBENC, companies go through a rigorous process that includes a thorough review of their financial statements and an on-site company visit. Once certified, the companies are placed in the WBENCLink Internet database that many U.S. purchasing managers use to find and select vendors. Nearly 800 of the Fortune 1000 corporations require that a woman-owned business be WBENC-certified before providing access to their supplier diversity programs.

"This certification is significant to us in doing business. When we approach a major company or non-profit group, they know we've been well vetted and that allows us to get started on their project more quickly," said Arlene Karole, CMP, president of Monarch Events Inc. "We are proud to have met the WBENC's tough criteria and to be one of the 6,500 WBEs nationwide."

About Monarch Events Inc
Monarch Events Inc is a meeting and events management company. Its team of experienced professional planners manages events from conception to completion, or just parts of the events. The company handles all types of events, including corporate meetings, conferences, holiday parties, non-profit fundraisers, gala dinners, sporting events, sponsorships, press conferences, social and private functions, organizational and association board meetings, incentive programs and medical meetings. Monarch Events also provides private training seminars for individuals or groups on events management. The company is incorporated in New York State and headquartered in New York City. For more information, go to www.monarcheventsinc.com.

About Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) is the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations. It also is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States. WBENC works to foster diversity in the world of commerce with programs and policies designed to expand opportunities and eliminate barriers in the marketplace for women business owners. WBENC works with representatives of corporations to encourage the utilization and expansion of supplier/vendor diversity programs. Visit www.wbenc.com for more information.

About Women President's Educational Organization (WPEO)
The Women President's Educational Organization (WPEO) is a regional affiliate of the Women's Enterprise National Council. It issues the WBENC certification to qualifying women-owned businesses in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. The WPEO has certified 1,000 WBEs in the New York and Washington, DC, regions, accounting for 15% of all WBENC certifications. For more information, go to www.womenpresidentsorg.com.  ¶ 9:25 PM (1) comments

 

  ¶ 2:22 PM (0) comments

  WomensNet.net Announces New Amber Grant for Women in Business

Site accepting applications through October 2008

The popular WomensNet.net Amber Grant ( http://www.womensnet.net/Amber-Grants/apply.php) is back -- and for women starting small businesses, this year's $500 grant could make all the difference.

With an application deadline of October 31st, 2008, the WomensNet.net Amber Grant helps cover start-up expenses like buying or upgrading equipment, hiring a Web site designer or advertising.

"Our primary focus is assisting women who are trying to start small home-based or online businesses," explained Josh Prewitt, president of WomensNet.net. "No repayment is required or expected, although WomensNet.net hopes the winner will pass on the kindness by mentoring and helping others along the way."

Founded in 1998 by Melody Wigdahl, WomensNet.net is an online women's business community that exists to help women succeed in small business. The Amber Grant was created in memory of Wigdahl's sister, who died at 19. Wigdahl established the grant to help other women in her sister's name.

Women applying for this period's Amber Grant won't have to wait long to find out whether they've been awarded the funds: The new Amber Grant winner will be announced on WomensNet.net and in the WomensNet.net newsletter on November 30th, 2008. WomensNet.net is sensitive to women in difficult or dangerous situations who want to change their lives by starting a business; for that reason, the winner can choose to have her name withheld.

"WomensNet.net is a supportive, encouraging environment for women in business and those who hope to become business owners," said Prewitt. "In addition to the Amber Grant, the site offers a wealth of resources and information to women at all stages of business ownership. We invite women to apply for the Amber Grant and take a shot at realizing their dreams."

Women interested in applying for the Amber Grant can do so at http://www.womensnet.net/Amber-Grants/apply.php. Only applications received through that page will be considered, and applicants must be members of WomensNet.net (membership is free). Those who have applied for Amber Grants in previous years but did not win must resubmit their applications.

To learn more about the Amber Grant or about WomensNet.net, visit http://www.womensnet.net.

Contact:

Josh Prewitt
Prewitt Investments III Inc.
830-832-8307
joshprewitt@womensnet.net
http://www.womensnet.net  ¶ 8:31 PM (0) comments

  Score one for the people at SCORE

With help from business veterans, an entrepreneur has expanded her upscale fashion business with New York consignments.

Kim Koshiel knew she could run an upscale consignment shop. She also understood that she would need more than her extensive background in retail and New York City's fashion scene to get into the business.

So, like many would-be entrepreneurs, Koshiel went to the Minneapolis chapter of SCORE, where experienced business owners and managers volunteer their time to mentor small-business owners.

SCORE counselors helped Koshiel fashion a business plan. That helped persuade Gretchen and Lee Weisman, owners of Fashion Avenue in Edina, to partner with Koshiel to open a new location.

Fashion Avenue 2 opened in March in Wayzata. Koshiel, who oversees the store, had worked at the original location for five years before she pursued the partnership. Merchandise at both stores includes up-to-date designer apparel and accessories for men and women.

"I knew what I wanted to do, I just didn't know how to present it," said Koshiel, who had returned to Minnesota after working as a fashion director at Bloomingdale's in New York.

"I wanted to show how it would work financially; why it meant good business for them. I wanted to put it down on paper. That was probably the biggest part that [SCORE] helped me with."

Would-be entrepreneurs can find out more next week at the organization's annual Women in Business luncheon about how Koshiel and other businesswomen have used SCORE's free counseling services to launch and run companies.

Joining Koshiel in a panel discussion will be SCORE clients Julie Moore Rapacki, founder of Polish Your Star, a coaching firm that specializing in accelerating women's careers through networking and mentoring programs; and Janet Zahn, owner of Camden Music School.

The moderator will be Sid Tincher of SwirlyGig Industries. A musician, Tincher invented the SwirlyGig, a coiled steel gizmo that hangs on a microphone or music stand to hold beverage containers or other items.

This will be the 10th year that the Minneapolis SCORE chapter, part of the SCORE national organization that is affiliated with the U.S. Small Business Administration, has sponsored a Women in Business luncheon, event chairperson Caryl Sharp said.

"It's inspiring to both our clients and to our volunteers," Sharp said. "It's really kind of a showcase of what we do."

Roger Arent was the chapter chairman when he came up with the idea for the Women in Business luncheon in 1999.

Going before the board

The purpose was, and still is, to give attendees, particularly women, an opportunity to interact with panelists and learn how they had overcome challenges, Arent said.

Another aim is to recruit more businesswomen as volunteers. While about half the chapter's clients are women, men have historically greatly outnumbered them as counselors, he said.

Meeting with SCORE counselors, Tincher said, is almost like going before a board of directors.

SCORE's greatest value for her has been as "an open resource for any question I have -- importing, exporting, marketing strategies, in-store display," said Tincher, whose patented product is distributed nationally and used, according to her blog, by music stars such as Melissa Etheridge and Keith Urban. "For almost everything I've dealt with, they've had somebody I could talk to."

Rapacki, an attorney with experience in human resources and close to two decades of experience at Best Buy Co. Inc., had a network of business professionals whose expertise she could tap when she started Polish Your Star two years ago.

"What I really got from SCORE was a reality check in keeping me accountable," Rapacki said. "I needed somebody who is great at business to ask me great business questions. They don't squash your dreams, they don't pipe them up. They give you objective input."

Zahn, who founded Camden Music School in January 2005, said she went to SCORE to find a different, detached perspective about how she was running her business. Her counselor's experience in business and finance also was helpful, as was a reference to a business process consultant who helped Zahn improve her processes to manage growth better.

"They are business consultants with a huge amount of expertise to share, and it's free," Zahn said. "For a small-business person like myself, to get this kind of advice at the level that it's provided at for free, it's priceless."

Fashion Avenue

At Fashion Avenue, a good deal of the merchandise comes from the tons of samples and gifts given to Koshiel's friends in the fashion industry in New York.

"I got them all to send their stuff here," Koshiel said. "It's environmentally sound, it's economically sound. There are many reasons why consignment makes sense."

In helping her make sense of running a store, SCORE's counselors focused on the plan she was developing, not her lack of business experience.

"They challenged me on every decision I was making along the way," Koshiel said. "They were really good about asking questions and making sure I understood everything. It wasn't like somebody telling you what to do, it was more like bringing you along, making sure you were going in the right direction."

This will be the 10th year that the Minneapolis SCORE chapter, part of the SCORE national organization that is affiliated with the U.S. Small Business Administration, has sponsored a Women in Business luncheon, event chairperson Caryl Sharp said.

"It's inspiring to both our clients and to our volunteers," Sharp said. "It's really kind of a showcase of what we do."

Roger Arent was the chapter chairman when he came up with the idea for the Women in Business luncheon in 1999.  ¶ 8:30 PM (0) comments

  Groundbreaking Research Profiles Women Business Owners

New study shows female entrepreneurs fall primarily into one of five categories

A two year study, commissioned by Jane Out of the Box, www.JaneOutoftheBox.com, a research-based online resource community for female entrepreneurs, shows that all women business owners, though highly dynamic individuals, can be categorized as one of five types. The distinction between the categories, says the study, is based on women's choices in balancing personal and professional needs.

As a result of the study findings, Jane Out of the Box also provides information on how women who are dissatisfied with their "type" can take relevant steps to move their business and lifestyle to a position that better aligns with their goals. Women who are satisfied with their type will also be given advice on how to reap even greater rewards from their businesses. Additional information, as well as a free, evaluation/classification assessment, can be found at www.JaneOutoftheBox.com, then log in and click on Which Jane Are You?

The first type listed in the study, referred to as Jane Dough, enjoys running her business and is comfortable and determined in marketing and selling. She may be working longer hours, but she doesn't mind because she enjoys the enterprise so much. Her focus on growth is why she is five times as likely as the average woman entrepreneur to hit the million-dollar revenue mark with her company. She is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business that she can later sell or pass on to her children. It is estimated that 18 percent of women are Jane Doughs.

Go Jane Go, is the second Jane type. She is a successful female entrepreneur who has grown her business to the point that she may now struggle to get time away from her work for vacations or to take care of herself. She feels confident and organized and has put systems in place to get her work done, however she may have difficulty saying no to clients and/or volunteer opportunities. She is four times more likely to hit the million-dollar mark than the average female entrepreneur. On average, Go Jane Go types also have the highest personal income drawn from their businesses, though she has the least amount of personal time. Go Jane Go types are the least common, weighing in at 14 percent.

The third type of female entrepreneur, Tenacity Jane, may be struggling with cash flow concerns, but her passion is undeniable. She's likely to be feeling stressed and may also feel overwhelmed and worried, specifically when it comes to business finances and cash flow. She may have a dissatisfactory balance between her professional and personal life, but is determined to make her business a success and refuses to give up. The study showed that 31 percent of women business owners are Tenacity Janes.

Merry Jane is the fourth "Jane" type. She has created a business that meets her needs for time freedom. She has time to take care of herself and can take time off when she wants to. She is typically working 40 or fewer hours per week and does not feel extreme stress. Though she generally has a lower income than the other "Janes," she is happy with the balance she's created in her life. According to the study, roughly 19 percent of women business owners are Merry Janes.

The final "Jane" identified in the study, Accidental Jane, is a successful, confident business owner who makes a good income. She most likely did not intend to start a business, but had an area of expertise that lent itself to a business idea. She has created her own ideal job through her business, which she may have started due to dissatisfaction with her previous employment or following a layoff. While at work, she may have some difficulty prioritizing what she needs to do, but she readily leaves work "at the office" when she's done for the day, so she's not stressed as a matter of course. She likely has no big plans to aggressively grow her business and is simply enjoying the work as it comes. About 18 percent of women business owners are Accidental Janes.

"US Census statistics show that only three percent of woman-owned businesses make it to the $1 million mark," says Michele DeKinder-Smith, founder and CEO of Jane Out of the Box. "This research should help female entrepreneurs everywhere identify their own type, and determine whether or not the businesses they have built fall in line with their personal priorities and values. Women of all five types may find themselves wishing to be more like a woman in another group. We believe, based on our research, that if this is the case, it is possible to follow a specific plan to change the group you're in."

Jane Out of the Box is an online, research-based resource community serving the needs of female entrepreneurs. Jane Out of the Box offers tools, research, resources and networking opportunities to members. Additionally, Jane Out of the Box provides training and marketing consulting services to Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations and government organizations looking to meet the demands of women entrepreneurs.

www.JaneOutoftheBox.com  ¶ 7:03 PM (0) comments

  Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative provides spark for success

Christine Hero launched Sunrise Unlimited, an abstract photography business, a year ago and wants to expand.

Her start-up money came from the individual development account program at Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corp., a nonprofit organization that provides wealth-building and financial-literacy training.

"I wouldn't have been able to start the business without it," said Hero, who creates prints that she frames and mattes. Her business also includes sketches, and she would like to expand to recycled-glass art.

A recent $500,000 grant to the Women's Business Initiative will enable more low-income people, like Hero, to save, build assets and enter the financial mainstream.

The organization was one of 34 nonprofit and government agencies across the country to receive federal funding through "Assets for Independence," a program run by the Administration for Children & Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The program "is plowing new ground by empowering low-income individuals to be active participants in our economic system," said Josephine Robinson, director of the Office of Community Services at HHS. "Providing them with money-management skills and access to matched savings accounts will enable them to make better decisions about their economic future."

Wendy Baumann, president at the Women's Business Initiative, said the program "is a really key source. It is really for the working poor in Milwaukee. They are here in a volunteer way to say, 'I want to make things better for me and my family.' "

Individual development accounts reward the monthly savings of those who are building toward the purchase of an asset, including buying their first home, paying for their education or starting or expanding a small business.

Since the program began at the Women's Business Initiative, 75 people now own their own homes, 40 are in school, and almost 40 have opened or expanded their business, Baumann said.

Participants, who agree to save money each month, must commit to sticking with it for at least two years, and most of them do, said Jacqueline Ward, the initiative's "Make Your Money Talk" coordinator.

Ward said 24 people, from an average class size of 30, graduate from the program.

Hero, who has limited mobility because of a stroke and uses a wheelchair to get around, is on a fixed income. After a job layoff, she turned her love for photography into a business.

"Christine is still struggling financially, but she never loses faith or hope," Baumann said. "Even with her mobility and speech challenges, she has the most spunk and commitment out of most of our participants."

Hero's work is being exhibited for purchase at Bayou Restaurant, 2060 N. Humboldt Blvd., through Dec. 31.

"Life is precious," Hero said. "Do what you love."  ¶ 9:18 AM (0) comments

  Workplace Safety CEO Shares Strategies for Success at Women's Business Enterprise National Council Forum

Julie Copeland, President and CEO of Arbill (www.arbill.com), the premier provider of workplace safety products and compliance services in North America, shared strategies that drive her company's success at the Executive Roundtable, a featured forum at the Women's Business Enterprise National Council's (WBENC) Women in Business 2008: The Power of Progress Conference and Business Fair. The largest conference of its kind attracted nearly 3,000 corporations and women's business enterprises (WBEs) to Atlanta last month.

Our quarterly Townhall meetings enable all the members of our team to understand our strategy, provide valuable feedback and ultimately gain a sense of ownership that they may not have experienced in previous jobs.

"Communication and trust are key to lasting customer and employee relationships," Copeland said. "We approach each opportunity with a long-term and positive point of view; and this lays the groundwork for a successful outcome."

In the three years since she took the reins of the company that her grandfather founded in 1945, Copeland has reengineered Arbill to become the leading architect of workplace safety, providing its corporate customers with the full range of safety strategy, products and training services, and measurement and reporting systems they need to build a culture of safety across their organizations.

Today Copeland implements best practices in engaging and empowering Arbill's 85 employees, who range from managers to warehouse staff. "Our quarterly Townhall meetings enable all the members of our team to understand our strategy, provide valuable feedback and ultimately gain a sense of ownership that they may not have experienced in previous jobs," she said.

Arbill's ongoing client surveys and face-to-face meetings surface feedback and enhance quality assurance at Arbill, Copeland adds. "My own personal philosophy of business and life is that relationships last a long time. With this in mind, we prioritize integrity, honesty and authenticity as we pursue our goal to send our clients' employees home safely every day."

Copeland is a 2008 Women's Business Enterprise National Council Star. She is affiliated with the Women's Business Enterprise Council - PA-DE-sNJ, and takes a proactive role in the community to build partnerships among corporations and WBEs and mentor other women's businesses.

Among her many other awards are Pennsylvania's Best 50 Women in Business, Diversity Business' Top Business 2007, the 2006 Recipient of the Dorothy B. Brothers Executive Scholarship Award and the 2006 Women of Distinction Award by the Philadelphia Business Journal and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).

Copeland serves on the Aearo Advisory Board, the Safety Marketing Group (SMG) Board, the WBENC Forum Governing Board, the WBENC Supply Chain Committee, the WBEC Council Board and the 3M Advisory Board. She is a member of the National Association of Wholesalers (NAW), the Safety Equipment Distributors Association (SEDA), Vistage (formerly TEC) and the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO).  ¶ 9:27 PM (0) comments

  Welcome to TIP$ (Turning Ideas Into Profits)

A Mid-Life Women's Business Community

Would you like to do something you really love AND make money doing it? Thousands of women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond have already done this, and you can too.
The TIP$ Mid-Life Women’s Business Community offers valuable information, tools, support and networking opportunities to help make your dream a reality. MEMBERSHIP IS FREE.

To learn more, click here!

  ¶ 3:15 PM (0) comments

  Black Women Business Owners Gain Market

They're Diving Into Entrepreneurship, And Increasingly Finding Success

At age 40, Dawn Fitch is part of a fast growing movement in America - black women who are launching their own businesses.

"There is another choice beside corporate America," said Fitch, president of Pooka Pure & Simple. "You can start your own business from something that you may love or a passion that you have."

Between 2002 and 2008, the number of firms owned by African American women increased by 19 percent - twice as fast as all other firms, according to the Center for Women's Business Research. And they generated $29 billion in sales nationwide.

What's driving these women into entrepreneurship?

"There's this disillusion in the corporate world," said Beverly Holmes of the Center for Women's Business Research. "It's the fact that this glass ceiling is still there."

A college-educated graphic designer, Dawn Fitch hit that ceiling.

Fitch, her sister and two friends started Pooka seven years ago out of her kitchen. They sell natural bath and body products made by hand.

"We've done all the marketing, we've done all the selling, the sales, the Web," Fitch said.

How much money we talking about?

"First year, maybe $20,000. Maybe the whole year," she said. "Um, this past year, in '07, we went over half a million dollars in sales. So, yeah, we're very happy."

But when it comes to income, Dawn is an exception.

The average annual revenue for black women business-owners is $37,787, far behind their male counterparts, who earn $107,720 a year - and white women, at $155,000.

Black women in business have shown interest in a dual bottom line: gaining market share - and giving back. Dawn takes time to train students, community and church groups how to become entrepreneurs.

In a competitive world, why give away trade secrets?

"It's definitely important to us," Fitch said. "Because people did help us along the way and what we always say is there's enough for everybody."

Dawn Fitch wouldn't trade the choices she's made.

"Did you smile this much in Corporate America?" Pitts asked.

"No!" she said. "Only on Friday."

Now as the boss she says every day feels like Friday.  ¶ 7:30 PM (0) comments

  Women's business event inspires confidence in female workforce

More than 225 women and men attended the Dayton Business Journal BizWomen's Connection Luncheon Thursday at Dayton's Doubletree Hotel to discuss accomplishments and adversity facing women in the region's workforce.

Panelists discussed issues ranging from the "glass ceiling" to the lack of women on local corporate boards. They also offered advice on the mind sets and attitudes women need to have to survive and achieve in Dayton's workplaces.

Marsha Bonhart, anchor for WDTN-TV Channel 2, moderated the four-woman panel, which included: Cathy Ponitz, of CareSource; Deborah Gross, of Exeter Government Services and Dayton Area Defense Contractors Association; Toni Perry Gillespie, of AT&T and Sue Zickefoose, of CB Richard Ellis.

"When it comes to this issue (women in the workplace), we all have our stories to tell, some go on for many years and others are fairly new," Ponitz said. "We absolutely need to have this conversation. We cannot forget our history, but we need to know we've come a long way."

The women discussed the adversity women face in the workplace and came to the conclusion that many of the problems women deal with stem from their own perceptions of the situation.

"I think women have a problem taking constructive criticism," Zickefoose said. "A lot of times if someone says something negative, they take it personally. But you need to talk that person on one-on-one instead of talking about it to the girls in the office. We need to know how to talk to our bosses."

The panel also responded to a recent Dayton Business Journal article that reported the number of women on the boards of local public companies is far below the national average.

Nationally, females constitute 14.8 percent of the boards governing Fortune 500 companies. Just six women serve on area boards of directors for publicly-traded companies, making up 6.9 percent of the 86 total board members, according to the most recent board information available through the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

"We have taken a small step backward," Ponitz said of the statistics. "I think it is temporary and situational, but we, as professional women, need to advocate in our position for diversity in general."

Gross, however, disagreed, saying boards need to be filled by those applicants who are most capable.  ¶ 5:23 PM (0) comments

  Women business leaders honored

Pamela Overton believes the true superheroes of the world don't wear capes.

They make the time to attend ballgames. They stay up late to finish their work. And they form true friendships.

It's her passion for her work, family, community and friends that earned Overton Arizona Woman magazine's Woman of the Year award on Thursday.

The award is given to a woman who has achieved professional success and given back to the community and mentored other women.

Overton, a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP, received the honor at the magazine's annual Who's Who in Business luncheon at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix.

Overton told the crowd of about 800 that she's often asked how she juggles everything - a high-profile job, three children and her community commitments.

"You do the best you can do and keep a positive attitude," said Overton, one of the founders of Fresh Start Women's Foundation.

The magazine also honored Hope Ozer, publisher of the CITYSunTimes in Paradise Valley, with the Golden Heart of Business award. This award celebrates a woman who gives back to the community and nurtures and develops relationships with her employees and customers.

For two decades, Ozer has worked with Valley Youth Theatre, helping to bring it from a $13,000-budget operation to one with a $1.5 million budget, a myriad of awards and star-studded alumni.

Ozer also works with many other organizations, including Banner of Hope, a non-profit breast-cancer education group.

The magazine, published by Republic Media, released its annual Who's Who in Business list, which highlights the top women in business in more than 50 categories.  ¶ 5:47 PM (0) comments

  Women's Exchange of Washtenaw gets us all talking

What happens when high-powered business leaders get together to share success stories, ideas and lessons learned? We found out on May 7 when more than 200 people attended the inaugural event of Women's Exchange of Washtenaw, a group that promises to be dynamic, rewarding and highly successful.

About a year ago Carrie Hensel, chief executive officer of Inner Circle Media, and I sat down to discuss several pressing issues. We wanted to grow our businesses and found that as we talked we were helping each other solve our business problems. We wondered how many other businesswomen were having this same type of conversation. The more we talked, the more we felt we needed to take action, and we decided to form the Women's Exchange of Washtenaw, a group dedicated to growing businesses by encouraging an exchange of ideas and an open approach to conversations. By bringing business leaders together to build stronger relationships, we hoped to foster growth in our region.

A steering committee was formed and an energized group of businesswomen led the charge; after a year of planning we were ready to host our first event. A panel of highly successful women business leaders from southeast Michigan opened it by sharing stories about the challenges they faced in growing their businesses and related lessons they had learned in their careers. They inspired the crowd to ask pointed questions about topics ranging from funding their businesses to finding the right employee for the right position.

The panel discussion was followed by a series of four breakout sessions in which facilitators and attendees brainstormed about key issues involved in growing a business. The issues were managing growth, creating a business culture, relationship building and visioning. Each session was fast-paced, and lively discussions could be heard in every room. The breakout sessions were followed by a wrap-up session and informal networking.

I was encouraged to see several small groups of women continuing their conversations even as the event wound down. I listened in to discussions about how to work with family-owned businesses, what were the best relationships to cultivate and how visioning had benefited one local, woman-owned business. These types of exchanges were just what we had in mind when we created the group. WXW was creating synergy among the attendees and connecting women who could continue their dialogue on their own.

The first WXW event is really just the start of something even bigger. The enthusiastic response has spurred further discussions on the future of WXW. Attendees came from as far away as Toledo, Ohio, to attend the WXW kickoff, and there is interest in more regional collaborations with other groups.

We also asked all of the WXW attendees to fill out an exit survey. They asked for us to continue the group and host more activities, including roundtable discussions and in-depth working sessions on a variety of topics. The format for our first event - a panel and breakouts - was also rated highly, so we plan on using it for our future events.

The attendees were also complimentary. "Great networking! Thrilled at the number of attendees,'' commented one attendee. "The women who attended were dynamic, interesting, involved,'' said another.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. That energy can be converted into action that helps businesses grow. We're ready to continue the exchange by sharing our growth strategies, working together and forging strong relationships. WXW is just one of many area organizations dedicated to business growth. I would encourage business leaders to attend regional events sponsored by other groups, such as the chambers of commerce.

Our local economy depends on groups such as this to create connections between businesses. It's all part of what Carrie and I said at the end of our first WXW meeting: Now we're talking!  ¶ 3:58 PM (0) comments

  Women's business group founder says glass ceiling still exists

Women Presidents' Organization is a New York nonprofit group for women-owned or women-led businesses that gross more than $2 million annually in sales, or more than $1 million annually for service-based companies. The Women Presidents' Organization, which has more than 1,300 members in the United States, Canada, and its two overseas chapters, will hold its annual conference in Boston this week from Thursday through Saturday. Marsha Firestone, the president and founder of the Women Presidents' Organization spoke to Globe reporter Sacha Pfeiffer.

A lot of people think women work in crafts, fashion, fitness, beauty, or retail. In fact, we have very few retail businesses because most of them don't generate enough revenue to become members. The largest number of our businesses are concentrated in manufacturing and distribution. The second largest group is consulting, the third is technology, and the fourth, financial services.

Do you consider certain industries female-friendly?

Women are in every industry today, everything from asphalt laying to construction to marketing. It used to be that there were industries that were female-friendly. I don't think that's true today, especially because in your business development and your marketing, thanks to technology, no one has to know who owns the company.

Do some women want to conceal that their businesses are female-owned?

I think there is a subtle discomfort, to this day, with doing business with women. We know that's true because only 3 percent of federal contracts and only 4 percent of corporate contracts go to women-owned businesses. Women own 46 percent of all privately held companies in the United States, so why aren't women participating more in these contracting opportunities? There is either some old boys' network operating or there is a subtle discomfort.

Do you have a teaching background?

I have a master's degree from Teacher's College of New York and I did teach for a few years. Around 1975, there was a really big economic downturn in New York, I was teaching at Brooklyn College, and one day a student was standing at a podium making a presentation when a pigeon flew in the window. It landed on an egg in a nest it had laid in the podium - and I decided this was not for me.

Teaching, certainly, used to be thought of as women's work. Do you think it still is?

I do, although I think we have made strides. There are more men in it now, but I think it's still predominantly women. Women do accept a lower salary and we don't pay our teachers very well. I also think there is a certain nurturing characteristic women have that enables them to get a great deal of satisfaction out of the teaching role.

Do you think women business leaders have strengths their male counterparts don't?

I've never approached it from that perspective. I've approached it from an economic perspective. What we're working on is accelerating growth and enhancing competition so women can have economic security for themselves, their families, and their staffs.

Margaret Mead, the author of the best-selling book "Coming of Age in Samoa," which included research on the sex lives of women in the South Pacific, was on your doctoral dissertation committee at Columbia University. Did she ask any questions?

When she came to my defense, she walked in, she had on her cape and a trident, she threw them down, she sat down at the head of the table with five men and me, and she said, "This is one of the best dissertations I've read in recent years. Any questions?" And I was off the hook, I was off the hot seat. And that is an absolutely true story.

You authored The Busy Woman's Guide to Successful Self-Employment. Can you give us the CliffsNotes version?

Being focused on exactly the product or service you are going to sell. Defining what is unique about it. Understanding the marketplace by doing appropriate market research. Making sure you have professional advisers who can give you the best advice on your financial and legal requirements so that you don't lose time later by having to start all over again. And, most importantly, knowing that not every day is going to be a good day and that you're going to have to go with the flow and be able to sustain yourself when the chips are down.

Do you believe there's still a glass ceiling for women in the workplace?

I do. Let's start with the fact that women are still paid 76 cents for every dollar a man makes, and something like only 15 percent of top management are women. The one place where women are really able to pay themselves at the same rate men do is entrepreneurship. I do believe that the great equalizer is owning your own business.  ¶ 5:35 AM (0) comments

  Women's business group founder says glass ceiling still exists

Women Presidents' Organization is a New York nonprofit group for women-owned or women-led businesses that gross more than $2 million annually in sales, or more than $1 million annually for service-based companies. The Women Presidents' Organization, which has more than 1,300 members in the United States, Canada, and its two overseas chapters, will hold its annual conference in Boston this week from Thursday through Saturday. Marsha Firestone, the president and founder of the Women Presidents' Organization spoke to Globe reporter Sacha Pfeiffer.

What types of industries are your members in?
A lot of people think women work in crafts, fashion, fitness, beauty, or retail. In fact, we have very few retail businesses because most of them don't generate enough revenue to become members. The largest number of our businesses are concentrated in manufacturing and distribution. The second largest group is consulting, the third is technology, and the fourth, financial services.

Do you consider certain industries female-friendly?
Women are in every industry today, everything from asphalt laying to construction to marketing. It used to be that there were industries that were female-friendly. I don't think that's true today, especially because in your business development and your marketing, thanks to technology, no one has to know who owns the company.

Do some women want to conceal that their businesses are female-owned?
I think there is a subtle discomfort, to this day, with doing business with women. We know that's true because only 3 percent of federal contracts and only 4 percent of corporate contracts go to women-owned businesses. Women own 46 percent of all privately held companies in the United States, so why aren't women participating more in these contracting opportunities? There is either some old boys' network operating or there is a subtle discomfort.

Do you have a teaching background?
I have a master's degree from Teacher's College of New York and I did teach for a few years. Around 1975, there was a really big economic downturn in New York, I was teaching at Brooklyn College, and one day a student was standing at a podium making a presentation when a pigeon flew in the window. It landed on an egg in a nest it had laid in the podium - and I decided this was not for me.

Teaching, certainly, used to be thought of as women's work. Do you think it still is?
I do, although I think we have made strides. There are more men in it now, but I think it's still predominantly women. Women do accept a lower salary and we don't pay our teachers very well. I also think there is a certain nurturing characteristic women have that enables them to get a great deal of satisfaction out of the teaching role.

Do you think women business leaders have strengths their male counterparts don't?
I've never approached it from that perspective. I've approached it from an economic perspective. What we're working on is accelerating growth and enhancing competition so women can have economic security for themselves, their families, and their staffs.

Margaret Mead, the author of the best-selling book "Coming of Age in Samoa," which included research on the sex lives of women in the South Pacific, was on your doctoral dissertation committee at Columbia University. Did she ask any questions?
When she came to my defense, she walked in, she had on her cape and a trident, she threw them down, she sat down at the head of the table with five men and me, and she said, "This is one of the best dissertations I've read in recent years. Any questions?" And I was off the hook, I was off the hot seat. And that is an absolutely true story.

You authored The Busy Woman's Guide to Successful Self-Employment. Can you give us the CliffsNotes version?
Being focused on exactly the product or service you are going to sell. Defining what is unique about it. Understanding the marketplace by doing appropriate market research. Making sure you have professional advisers who can give you the best advice on your financial and legal requirements so that you don't lose time later by having to start all over again. And, most importantly, knowing that not every day is going to be a good day and that you're going to have to go with the flow and be able to sustain yourself when the chips are down.

Do you believe there's still a glass ceiling for women in the workplace?
I do. Let's start with the fact that women are still paid 76 cents for every dollar a man makes, and something like only 15 percent of top management are women. The one place where women are really able to pay themselves at the same rate men do is entrepreneurship. I do believe that the great equalizer is owning your own business.  ¶ 6:49 PM (0) comments

  Yahoo Launches Site Focused on Women

Yahoo Inc. on Monday launched a site for women between ages 25 and 54, calling it a key demographic underserved by current Yahoo properties.

The site, Shine, is aimed largely at giving the struggling Internet company additional opportunities to sell advertising targeted to the key decision-maker in many households. Yahoo said advertisers in consumer-packaged goods, retail and pharmaceuticals have requested more ways to reach those consumers.

Amy Iorio, vice president for Yahoo Lifestyles, said internal research also shows women are looking for a site to combine various content and communications tools.

"These women were sort of caretakers for everybody in their lives," she said. "They didn't feel like there was a place that was looking at the whole them - as a parent, as a spouse, as a daughter. They were looking for one place that gave them everything."

Yahoo is entering a market already served by Glam Media Inc. and iVillage, a unit of General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal. It is Yahoo's first site aimed at a single demographic, although other Yahoo sites like Finance and Sports already draw specific audiences.

With Shine, Yahoo plans to expand its offerings in parenting, sex and love, healthy living, food, career and money, entertainment, fashion, beauty, home life, and astrology.

Shine likely will replace the existing Food site over time, although Yahoo plans to keep its Health site operating to serve men and women of other age groups.

Yahoo is working with media companies like Hearst Communications Inc. and Rodale Inc. to develop Shine-exclusive content. Hearst publishes Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and other magazines aimed at women, while Rodale publishes a range of magazines on sports and recreation, including Women's Health.

Yahoo also has hired a team of editors to produce original material and to seek out items of interest from elsewhere in Yahoo.

Unlike most other Yahoo sites, Shine will be presented in a blog form, with newest items on top and commentary from an editor.

---

On the Net:

Yahoo Shine: http://shine.yahoo.com/  ¶ 3:45 PM (0) comments

  Boomers eye own business in retirement

Q: I'm an early baby boomer and am thinking about leaving my corporate job to open a business of my own. Do you have any advice?

A: You are not alone. Many of America's 77 million baby boomers contemplating retirement are finding that slowing down is the last thing they want to do.

They're seeking outlets for their experience, energy and drive that will be personally and financially rewarding, while also providing the flexibility and direction they might not have enjoyed in their previous careers.

Statistics show that of the nation's 10.9 million self-employed workers, the largest category, 25 percent, is boomers 45 to 54.

As with entrepreneurship at any other age, a boomer's entrepreneurial direction has many influences, such as interests, knowledge, location, financial resources and personality.

Some may relish the challenge of building a new business and working as many hours as they did before retiring.

Others may prefer pursuing an enterprise with more limited hours, allowing them to make the most of that long-awaited leisure time.

Fortunately, there's a growing range of resources designed to help boomers pursue second careers as entrepreneurs.

For example, Mature Resources at www.matureresources.org, an online magazine that covers a wide range of issues related to aging, contains a business section with articles related to entrepreneurs over 50.

Marketing consultant Andrea Stenberg has started a blog at www.thebabyboomerentrepreneur.com, which provides small-business marketing strategies and motivation aimed at aspiring 40-plus entrepreneurs.

Another resource is All Business at www.allbusiness.com, an online service that helps address real-world business questions and presents practical solutions. Similarly, the Learning Center page of My New Venture at www.mynewventure.com/learning_center has a section specifically for retirement-bound boomers.

For women considering post-retirement careers in small business, the TIP$, or Turning Ideas into Profits, Mid-Life Women's Business Community offers free information, tools, support and networking opportunities. The Web site is www.tipscommunity.com.

Entrepreneurs of any age can profit from experience, which is why they should contact SCORE. You should even consider joining SCORE and using your experience to advise others on running small businesses.  ¶ 8:47 PM (0) comments

  Mistakes Women Make When Selling

Many women in sales never discover their natural, inner salesperson because of their attitude, an attitude different from men’s, which prevents them from being better salespeople. To be the best salespeople they can be, women must adopt the same attitudes toward the selling game as men, while still using their strengths and assets as women.

Boys are taught to be assertive, establish their rights, take charge and play to win. Conversely, girls are taught to play fairly, share, take turns, to be unselfish, and - oh yes - share. Women in sales need to realize it’s a game; business is conducted by the rules of sports and women need to learn how to be assertive and handle direct confrontations without appearing overly aggressive or egotistical.

Sales techniques have evolved into a consultative, relationship-building method in which women have an advantage. Women tend to be more detail-oriented, have more empathy and be more intuitive, which is important when trying to build a relationship with a potential customer. However, sometimes women are their own worst enemies. Here is a summary of the mistakes women in sales make:

· Not networking enough. By networking I mean going up to people you don’t know and finding out how you can help them.
· Not making enough calls; only relying on friends for business.
· Not asking for the sale.
· Using sex as a sales tool; falling back on your femininity.
· Dressing inappropriately. If you would wear it out to a nightclub or the beach, it’s inappropriate for the business environment.
· Speaking inappropriately, or using locker room language.
· Interrupting.
· Giggling.
· Not recognizing the personality style of the buyer and adjusting your style accordingly.
· Overselling – continuing with the sales pitch after the sale has been made.
· Not allowing enough silence. When I do the training, I say, “Now ask for the order and shut up.” Wait for the other person to speak. Let what you said to the buyer sink in. You don’t have to fill that space.
· Spending too much time servicing and not enough time prospecting.

Being a good salesperson requires you to sell yourself first, then your company and, lastly, your product or service. Great advice would be to think like a man and act like a woman! Capitalize on your skills, assets and talents to ensure unbelievable sales success … remember, you are a natural!

About the author: Sylvia Allen, President of Allen Consulting, Inc., a New Jersey based marketing consulting firm located in New Jersey. Allen is author of A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO SALES SUCCESS and HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT SPONSORSHIP SALES and an internationally known sales trainer.

Media Contact: Susan Greitz
susan@allenconsulting.com
Phone: 732-946-2711  ¶ 6:23 PM (0) comments

  Women's Business Network is sounding board

When Renée Senes decided to scale back on her professional work in financial services and do independent investment advising part time to spend more time with her children, what she gained in family experiences she lost in professional interactions. When she joined the Women’s Business Network though, that all changed.

“One of the things about being self-employed is that it’s lonely,” she said. “The women in the Women’s Business Network (WBN) are colleagues I can call and bounce ideas off of, and I’ve also found great friends through the group.”

These sentiments are echoed by other women professionals in WBN, including Joan Finger, who operates an educational consulting and tutoring business in Bolton, and Pat Cochrane, who runs an accounting services firm in Harvard.

Finger, Cochrane and Senes, who offers financial planning and consulting for individuals and small businesses from her home office, have been involved with WBN since the mid 1990s. All credit the group with not only offering them a valuable professional resource, but also a social network they enjoy.

The Women’s Business Network was founded in 1990, but has since grown to include women from more than 20 surrounding towns. Its purpose is to promote and support women in business and professional practices, by offering an opportunity to share their experiences and expertise, learn new skills and network with other professionals. About 95 percent of its members are self-employed women. The group now has about 80 active members.

Most women in the group are self-employed, but the types of professional practices they are involved in vary greatly, Finger said. While her work involves educational services and working with kids to improve both their grades and their learning skills, other members work in a range of fields that includes sales, insurance, the arts, financial planning, psychology and non profits.

Finger got involved with WBN at about the same time she was starting her own business, and said it has helped her develop solid relationships and connections with other women in the area. She said the reasons why members will join will differ from person to person, but the reasons they choose to remain involved will be similar.

“Some people are looking for social connections, while others are looking for the how to” she said. “They’ll come for one reason and have other needs they met that they didn’t know they had.”

The group strives to meet the professional needs of women through their monthly meetings, which often include a presentation or workshop on a specific professional topic. Some popular topics that are often in demand for discussions include marketing, finding and targeting customers, branding, networking effectively, time management, work/life balance and technology, and they will often bring in outside professionals in these fields to present.

Senes, who is involved in a predominantly male field, first got involved in the group when she was asked to speak at a meeting about retirement plans and decided to join after that experience.

“I just decided this was a group I wanted to be a member of,” she said. “It was a group of dynamic and wonderful women.”

She credits the group with helping her focus the financial services and advising she offers. She went through a divorce about five years ago, and she said it was the women in WBN who gave her the idea to make that life changing event a focus of her practice, and much of the work she does now is financial planning with women who are going through all stages of the divorce process.

Cochrane agrees that it is beneficial to be part of a group like WBN. She offers accounting services for small and start-up businesses, and joined the network because she wanted to meet other women in the area that owned their own businesses and to grow her client base.

“WBN is another great source for women to get together, support each other, as well as learn about solutions to issues they face in their small businesses,” she said. “Women today juggle so many roles, especially part time business owners who work from home. It’s nice for them to put a business meeting on the calendar, get dressed up and discuss business issues with others who are facing the same issues/problems.”

Women interested in joining the network are invited to attend a first introductory meeting for free, and annual dues to the network are $50. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month during the school year at 7:15 p.m. at St. Theresa’s Church Deacon Hall in Harvard. Women interested in learning more about the organization can visit www.wbn-ma.org for information.  ¶ 3:23 PM (0) comments