WomensNet.Net

Business Start-Ups Women Should Think About in 2012

2012-01-20T10:52:00.000-08:00

We at WomensNet.net wanted to share a few quick thoughts about what business start-ups will be hot in 2012. Before we do, a quick heads up that the deadline for the next WNN Amber Grant for Women is in just a few weeks. If you’d like to be considered for our women’s business grant, please take several minutes to tell us your story!

Now to other thoughts that can help a woman entrepreneur like you…

You’re ready to build your own woman-owned business, but you’re not sure where you should be investing your time and money. What will work and can make you money in 2012 and beyond? Look around.

That’s what Brian Miller, president and COO of consulting firm The Entrepreneur’s Source, told Laurie Kulikowski of TheStreet.com. (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/starting-out/top-5-industries-to-start-a-business-in-2012/article2287411/)

“One of the things I often tell people is ‘Think about what’s happening in society and you will see emerging business models that follow suit,’” Miller said.

So what IS going on? The population is getting older as people live longer and the Baby Boomers hit retirement age. People are trying to get healthier as healthcare costs push to the forefront. Big companies are outsourcing what they can. Oh yeah, and computers seem to be catching on.

Here are a few related areas full of earning potential for women like you.

Caring for the elderly. An aging population needs someone to help out. That means greater demand for in-home services. Business and franchises can focus on medical care or physical therapy that enables the elderly to stay home instead of moving to a nursing facility. Perhaps opportunity lies in helping the older crowd with more typical daily tasks: cooking, cleaning, etc. Senior Helpers offers such in-home help without the need for medical training. StartUpHomeCare provides a similar opportunity, though the site stipulates that it isn’t a franchise.

Cleaning. Our parents and grandparents aren’t the only folks who could use a little help around the house. Among Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 10 home-based franchises for 2012, 6 center on residential and/or commercial cleaning. ServPro sits #1, specializing in restoration after disasters (e.g. fire, flooding). That franchise comes with an expensive buy-in -- at least $132,000. But it’s followed immediately by Stratus Building Solutions. Franchise fees start as low as $3,450 for Stratus. If starting your own business, it’s important to make yourself unique among competitors. This Texas carpet cleaner is building off lessons from previous employers and a different cleaning system.

Health and wellness. Who doesn’t want to be healthier? The challenges of getting proper exercise, monitoring your diet and simply keeping everything on track can be daunting. People are increasingly seeking regimens, advice and products to help get them fit. If you’re considering franchise investment, Jazzercise could be a fit. The familiar workout program – launched in 1977 -- has ranked among Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 21 fastest-growing franchises for 5 straight years. It has also ranked among the top 5 home-based franchises 3 straight years. Perhaps most importantly, it’s also among the cheapest to start. If you pursue a franchise or your own startup, though, make sure to know your marketplace and seek long-term potential. The diet and exercise worlds are rife with fads.

Child care. No matter how far we advance technologically (or otherwise), someone will always need to take care of the kids when they’re not in school. Just make sure to study up on the certification laws in your area before pursuing this path. ChildCare.net offers a “business package” said to include all information, forms, etc. needed to start your own day care.

Computers/Online. This is obviously an expansive umbrella with near-endless opportunities. For starters, though, Web design is an area of constant need. Most any successful business today needs some sort of Web presence but you need to do more than create your own site and set your rates. Multiple sources strongly recommend creating a business plan before striking out on your own. Here are some basics. If your experience lies in other areas, perhaps you offer value as a consultant. Whether computers or another field, you can find tips online for pursuing the consulting path.

More important than any trends, however, is finding something you enjoy. Lee Rhodes started out making artisanal candleholders and found herself 2011 Entrepeneur of the year. Create your own opportunity … and success!

Interesting USA Today Article

2012-01-05T17:30:00.000-08:00

At least once a week, I escape my office and review applications for the Womensnet.net Amber Grant. And, yes, I typically go to my favorite coffee shop to do it.
As I was walking into my that coffee shop yesterday morning, the front page headline of the USA Today caught my eye:   “2 of 3 New Jobs Go to Men.” I guess to some folks, that’s news! J
Seriously, though. I’m not a man-basher, but I don’t have to tell you how hard it is for women in this economy. When I see that 2 out of 3 new jobs go to men, it only makes me realize how important the work is that we do at WomensNet.net – especially in helping women entrepreneurs get business grants.
Let’s be real. If we want a job we love – and at a salary we deserve – women entrepreneurs have to create their own positions.   I’m not complaining. I’m just making an observation.
If that describes you, I’m glad you’ve found WomensNet.net. 2012 is gonna rock. We’ll have a plenty of articles to help you launch and market your business idea.
And, of course, we’ll be giving away our monthly Amber Grant. If you haven’t applied for the January Amber Grant, now is your chance. We’d love to hear your story and your business idea.
USA ARTICLE

Grant winner for November 2011 is.....!!

2011-12-26T03:42:00.000-08:00

We’re thrilled to announce the November WomensNet.net Amber Grant Winner…. Is Sara Clark-Williams from Escondido, California. Sara is the owner of Launch Your Life where she is a life coach. We love Sara’s story as a women entrepreneur who used her passion to coach other women entrepreneurs. We were also impressed by Sara’s website and her use of social media marketing to promote her business. We’re sure you’ll be inspired and informed by the short interview we did with Sara below.

BTW, we’re currently taking applications for the December/January WomensNet.net Amber Grant. We’d love to hear your story, and you just might be our next winner. But there are only a few weeks to get your application to us. So if you’re interested, please don’t wait. We will announce our winner the first week in February.
WomensNet.net: First of all, congratulations on winning, Sara… so what will you use the $500 Amber Grant for?
SCW:Thank you so much again for selecting me for this grant. I am so grateful…. I’ll use the Amber Grant to expand my reach, and to grow my business through: development of an MP3 audio companion to the “Launch Your Life Workbook,” as well as the creation of an ebook. Specifically, the funds will go to professional editing and design of both of these products.
WomensNet.net: How long have you been in business, what exactly does your business do, and what lead to you starting Launch Your Life?
SCW: I coach women entrepreneurs who want greater enjoyment in their life and their business. Often these women don’t make use of some very practical strategies and habits, and find that their lack of a plan, focus or confidence is getting in the way of what they want. We work together to get clear on what they want, create an action plan and go for it! My clients are amazing women, and while I teach them they also teach me… I started my business on February 7, 2008. I got a great job out of graduate school in 2004 and worked at that corporate job building my career and earning a great living. But after a couple of years I knew that was not the direction in which I wanted to go, and one I would not be happy with for much longer. Over the course of several months, I sought to discover my core strengths, interests, skills and passions. The end result was to start Launch Your Life, helping other women pursue their dreams. I resigned from that corporate job in August of 2008 and am so glad I took that leap
WomensNet.net:So have you always had a passion for consulting?
SCW:Yes, absolutely. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with individuals and teams to grow personally, academically and/or professionally. The specific content of the consulting and coaching has varied – but the common element I’m most passionate about has remained. I’m most passionate about providing guidance, support and encouragement to others that will last beyond the time I work with them. It gives me a sense of fulfillment to see my clients’ eyes light up when they have an “aha!” moment, and then to see them take action from that new insight. I enjoy the satisfaction of seeing the direct results of my efforts and the look in my clients' eyes when they say "thank you."
WomensNet.net:What have been the best business decisions you’ve made, and what were the results?
SCW:One great business decision has been to manage my time effectively from the start. This is something that I find is most difficult for many of my clients, no matter how long they have been in business. Because I’ve focused so much on being efficient with my time, and using a variety of strategies to do that, it has helped me to confidently provide support and tools for my clients in that area… Another great business decision I made just this year was to listen to what my clients and prospective clients are telling me about what they need. Often they tell me what they want directly, but I have learned to hear what they need even when they don’t know exactly what they need. The result of listening to this “demand” was to create a new type of coaching service that is accessible to more women entrepreneurs than simply providing full service coaching services. I recognized what “demand” was and it has been empowering to create something that people want.
WomensNet.net: What have been your worst decisions?
SCW: My worst business decision was failing to continue networking and marketing during a time when I had a strong client base last year. As a result, my income dropped substantially for a period of time, and I found myself working hard to catch up.
WomensNet.net: One of the things that attracted us to your Amber Grant application was that when we checked out your website, we noticed your extensive use of Social Media. How and why did you start using social media?
SCW: I started using Social Media in my business in 2009 after I had been using it personally. I began noticing the value it could bring in staying in touch with and building a relationship with my clients and prospects. I started by using social networking sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and FaceBook, and I am now expanding to YouTube.

November WomensNet.net Grant Deadline

2011-11-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

We wanted to give you a bit of news on the women’s business front. Specifically, we came across an interesting article on women businesses and social media marketing. But before we share what we uncovered, a quick reminder that the WomensNet.net Amber Grant deadline is in just 3 days! So please take a few minutes to tell us your story if you’d like to be considered for the $500 women’s business grant for this month.

Ok, now to the news… So what exactly is social media marketing? And how can you use this tremendous (and FREE) resource to market your women-owned business?

Simple: Social media marketing is promoting your business through social media platforms like FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus – just to name a few of the more well-known platforms.

How, exactly, you use social media platforms to promote your product or service will be the topic of some WomensNet.net articles in the coming months. In the meantime, check out the following statistics from a Galaxy Research Survey, and you’ll see that women business owners are ahead of their male counterparts when it comes to using social media to market.

According to the research:

** 43% per cent of women entrepreneurs are using at least one form of social media in their business, compared to 37 per cent of male small business owners. Women are also planning to increase their focus on social media over the next 12 months (48%), in contrast to male business owners who are more likely to invest in staff and training than they are in social media in the next year.

** Women entrepreneurs are twice as likely to cite a Facebook page as the communication tool most likely to generate sales, and they are also more likely than their male counterparts to have a business Twitter account – 15% compared to 10%.

** While both men and women are equally aware of the importance of maintaining a company website, the survey found that women are also more likely to have enabled their services or products to be purchased from the company website (48% vs. 40%).

I hope those stats whet your appetite for social media marketing. Like I said, WomensNet.net will be showing you how to use these powerful marketing tools in the coming months!

2011-11-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a great article with you. It’s about Angel Investing for Women, and it gives 10 practical tips on how women entrepreneurs like you can get angel investors to fund your business idea.

Before we get to the angel investing article, a friendly reminder that the November WomensNet.net grant winner will be selected in just a few short weeks. If you’re interested in telling us your story, you can apply for the grant today. It only takes a few minutes, and we’d love to hear from you.

Now to the story on angel investing for women. This issue is near and dear to us because every WomensNet.net grant application has an option for women to be considered by an angel investor. We have a network of people willing to help women business owners – including angel investors.

Surprisingly, most women who apply for the WomensNet.net Amber Grant don’t ask to be reviewed by a potential angel investor. And yet, there could be someone right now who is willing to invest in you and your business idea. Whether it’s one of our angel investors or another group, it’s yet another way to get money for your business.

With that in mind, check out the article on Angel Investing for Women.

Have a great weekend!

http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/finance-accounting/2011/10/31/ten-tips-for-women-entrepreneurs-seeking-angel-funding/

Amber Business Grant Awarded to Chicago's Heavenly Skinny Kitchen

2011-11-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

We’re thrilled to announce the October WomensNet.net Amber Grant Winner…. Is Fernanda Chacon from Chicago, IL. Fernanda is the owner of Heavenly Skinny Kitchen. We love Fernanda’s story as a young women entrepreneur who used her passion for healthy cooking to fill a niche in the Chicago downtown marketplace. We’re sure you’ll be inspired by the short interview we did with Fernanda below.

BTW, we’re currently taking applications for the November WomensNet.net Amber Grant. We’d love to hear your story, and you just might be our next winner. But there are only a few weeks to get your application to us. So if you’re interested, please don’t wait. We will announce our winner the first week in December.

WomensNet.net: What made you want to be self-employed?

FC:First, thank you Women’s Net so much. What a blessing!.. I think the main reason why I’d wanted to be self-employed is because I like my ideas to be heard. I always like to go the extra mile and think about all the options, either good or bad, as well as the growth potential. Most corporations just want you to follow the manual and don't leave room for opinions or imagination.

WomensNet.net: Tell us about a little bit about your business, Heavenly Skinny Kitchens.

FC: I started the business earlier this year and went full steam this summer. The idea started out of my own need for healthy and tasty food. Working long hours in downtown Chicago with limited options for healthy foods made realize the need for a healthier option. I can’t remember how many times I found myself eating the same salad for a whole week straight. Heavenly Skinny Kitchen is dedicated to creating the best lunch experience for busy downtown workers who want to have a balanced diet – but struggle with the same old unhealthy choices. Right now, Heavenly Skinny Kitchen works as a catering service for individuals, but my goal is to open a location to the public.

WomensNet.net:What will you use the $500 Amber Grant for?

FC:I will use the money towards marketing to get the word out on healthy eating and getting more customers for the business. I might also use it toward a delivery truck.

WomensNet.net: Have you always had a passion for cooking? We ask because we’re true believers that women-owned businesses that are built on passion survive over those businesses that women just do for "a job.” And because we drooled over the menu on your website! J

FC: LOL, yes, I do have a great passion, not just cooking but eating well and fitness. While in college, before starting my business, I always found a reason to have people over so I could cook and try new recipes. I think food is such an important element of life and it has a huge influence on your overall health. With those ideals, I decided to create a kitchen where people can eat delicious meals on the go – while staying fit.

WomensNet.net: What have been the smartest decisions you’ve made with Healthy Skinny Kitchens?

FC: Well, I always dreamt of opening up a restaurant but the initial investment can be a huge barrier. My best decision has been to adapt the idea to a set menu with catering options and membership packages. That’s how I’ve been able to progressively grow and increase my capital. By sticking to this motto, not only did it take away pressures of investing a huge amount of money in a start-up restaurant, but it has given me the experience for when that time comes.

October Amber Grant Award

2011-11-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

We love hearing about your business ideas. The October Amber grant winner will be announced on November 3rd, 2011.

We are now accepting applications for the November Grant.

Monday at Midnight is Amber Grant October Deadline

2011-10-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to give you a friendly reminder that Monday, October 31st is the final day to apply for the WomensNet.net October Amber Grant. If you haven’t already applied, it only takes a few minutes to tell us about yourself and your business dreams .

What are we looking for in a winner?

Last month’s winner, Dawn Amer from Golden Meadow Doggie Daycare in New Hampshire should be an inspiration for every woman business owner. She took a traditional business and promised never to put dogs in cages. That has drawn loyal customers.

How about August winner, Kristina Faulkner from Get Inspired Fitness? Kristina made personal training more affordable by developing personal training classes. Now small groups of women are bonding, getting fit, and encouraging each other under the direction of a personal trainer.

Robin Watkins of Whatever Media was another winner who brought energy to a traditionally male-dominated field: Robin should inspire African-American businesswomen who want to jump into the technology field. And she is one heck of a web designer and photographer.

So what’s your story? What is your business inspiration? Our Amber Grant judges would love to hear..

Have a Happy Halloween – and enjoy the rest of your week. We will be announcing the October women’s business grant winner in a few short days!

October31st is WomensNet.net Grant Deadline

2011-10-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

We wanted to give you a bit of news on the women’s business front. Specifically, we came across an interesting article on the Women’s Economic Summit in Tennessee. But before we share what we uncovered, a quick reminder that the WomensNet.net Amber Grant deadline is in just 5 days. So please take a few minutes to tell us your story if you’d like to be considered for the $500 women’s business grant for this month.

Ok, now to the news… Check out the following statistics and you’ll see why women need to stick together in the business world. These stats are from the Women’s Economic Council Foundation and are specific to Tennessee. But, of course, they are generally applicable to women all over the country (if not the world).

** Women make 79 cents for every dollar that their male colleagues make.

** There are twice as many male-owned businesses as women-owned businesses.

** Women businesses tend to bring in less revenue and employ fewer people than male businesses.

** The number of women-owned business increased by 20% from 2002-2007.

** Women are more likely to have a degree than men, and the number of women in college is greater than men.

** Female students also outscore male students on all reading and most math scores at grade school and middle school levels.

The good news is that women like you continue to start and develop their own businesses. And the next generation of women entrepreneurs is doing well in school. But, of course, there still seems to be a glass ceiling in the business world. Those statistics should give up hope and encourage us as women business owners.

The joke from one of the Women’s Summit organizers says it all: Would Wall Street be in the straits it is today if Lehman Brothers had been Lehman Sisters?!... J

September Amber Grant Announcement

2011-10-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

We’re thrilled to announce the September WomensNet.net Amber Grant Winner…. Is Dawn Amer from Nelson New Hampshire. Dawn is the owner of Golden Meadow Doggie Daycare. We loved Dawn’s story. Her resilience in getting start-up money, her “do-it-better” than the competition attitude, and her energy really impressed us. We’re sure you’ll be inspired by the short interview we did with Dawn below.

BTW, we’re currently taking applications for the October WomensNet.net Amber Grant. We’d love to hear your story, and you just might be our next winner. But there are only a few days to get your application to us. So if you’re interested, please don’t wait. We will announce our winner in less than 3 weeks.

WomensNet.net: What will you use the $500 Amber Grant for?

DA: I can't thank you enough for this award. It truly renews my faith in the belief that good things happen to those who are willing to work hard… I opened Golden Meadow Doggie Daycare in July of 2010 with my own personal money, a ton of donations from area businesses and people and a small home equity loan from my local bank. Since I opened last year, my boyfriend has been good enough to share his laptop computer with me. This was an expense I couldn’t afford. I’m absolutely tickled that I can now purchase Golden Meadow Doggie Daycare our very own laptop computer.

WomensNet.net: Have you always had a passion for animals?

DA: I’ve had dogs in my life since I was 5 years old. My family loved dogs and they quickly became my passion. At the risk of sounding a little crazy, I’m a dog lover. I’ve always been amazed at the love and loyalty I receive from each dog I care for. It warms my heart to have repeat customers say "my dog loves you!"

WomensNet.net: What have been great business decisions that you have made and what were the results?

DA: The greatest decision I've made was to take something that was already offered, and to make it a better service. In my research of doggy daycares, I had noticed that all the places looked the same. They all resembled a kennel, which in my eyes reminds me of doggy jail. So when I wrote my business plan, I decided to offer a home environment that really looks and feels like home. I don’t use kennels or crates. I’m personally with all the dogs each day. I have no employees – only volunteers to assure that everyone who plays with Golden Meadow Dogs are truly there for the love of dogs. My daycare is an extension of my home, as I converted my two-car attached garage into the daycare playroom. Since Golden Meadow is attached to the breezeway to my kitchen, the daycare dogs and boarders can come in and out of the house – giving them a sense that they’re just visiting a friend. The result is that I’ve never had a dog owner complain about my service or any dog show signs of separation anxiety.

WomensNet.Net: What have been your worst decisions?

My worst decision was not going with my gut instinct and opening this business sooner. I lost my best friend four legged friend, Otto, just one year prior to opening this business. And If I could have done it earlier I would have had a safe place for Otto to play. Otto (my Golden Retriever) he was hit by a car after he broke off his run at my house.

WomensNet.net: What lead to you starting Golden Meadow?

DA: I did it in July of 2010 in loving memory of Otto… Thank you again for this Grant I've been jumping for joy since I received the notice!

September Amber Grant Deadline

2011-09-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Women’s Net Amber Grant Deadline!

A quick reminder that the next Women’s Net Amber Grant Deadline is Friday, September 30. If you haven’t applied already for September, please consider doing it right how. Our last winner was Kristina Faulkner, owner of Get Inspired Fitness in Maineville, OH.

We loved Kristina’s story and entrepreneurial spirit. And we’re glad she took a few minutes to tell us about herself and her business dreams. Won’t you please do the same?
We’re going to review all the September applications next week, and will announce a winner on October 5. Good luck to you!

Amber Grant Awarded to www.look2befit.com

2011-09-19T09:49:00.000-07:00

A quick reminder for you. The deadline for the coming WomensNet.net Amber grant application is this September 30th. If you still haven’t told us your story, please take a few minutes right now to fill out your Amber Grant application. You could be the next grant winner, but you have to tell us about yourself and your business before September 30!.

The Women’s Net Amber Grant Winner Is…

Congratulations to Kristina Faulkner, owner of Get Inspired Fitness in Maineville, OH. Kristina is the winner of the latest $1,500 WomensNet.net Amber Grant. (The next Amber Grant winner will be selected on October 1, less than two weeks away!)
She caught our attention with her answers on the Amber Grant application. Below is what she told us about her business dreams in the application – and the final 4 questions are from a follow-up interview after we told her she had won:

1. Why do you want to be self-employed?
“I love being self-employed because I am a creative person and always have different ideas on how to expand my business. It’s great not to worry about corporate policies or having my ideas stifled for different reasons. It allows me to listen to my gut, that good ole women's intuition.”

2. Tell us about your business.
“Get Inspired Fitness began as a boot camp company, only offering 3 classes per week. When I was pregnant with my 3rd child, I unfortunately was ill and couldn't exercise. One day I looked at my window at the park behind my house and realized there was a need for a boot camp company. I now have been open for a year and a half and have 13 classes on the schedule. Also, I took my vision a step further, we are not just a boot camp company, rather personal training in a small group setting. I wanted to offer clients the ability to get that one-on-one attention and results without paying outrageous training rates plus getting the support from their peers.”

3. If awarded the WNN Amber Grant - what are your plans for the funds?
“At this point, I feel I cannot grow any further without some help. I have been lucky so far not to drown myself with loans and purchased equipment and marketing materials when I could afford them. However, with the growing competition around my area, I need to step up my game. I'll use the grant money to update my website, make it more relevant and I would like to increase my marketing by possibly using billboards and print ads. If there are monies left over, I would love to spruce up my little studio with new floors and mirrors, make it feel more like a gym.”

4. Anything else you would like to add?
“I would appreciate the WomensNet.net grant so very much. I have been blessed to be a stay at home mom for over 9 years. As gratifying as it has been, I always felt like I needed something more. This little business is something just for me. An idea that I have been able to develop and see grow. I am amazed and so humbled every time someone gives me a check. And I even more humbled, when they give me a hug and tell me how I have changed their life. I would just like the opportunity to continue my journey and to be able to grow so I can help others change their lives as well. Thanks so much for your consideration!”

5. Have you always had a passion for fitness? We ask this because we are true believers that companies that are built on passion, survive over those that people just do for "a job".
“Absolutely and I have to attribute that to my wonderful mom. As a young girl, about 12 or 13 years old, my mom and I used to work out after dinner, more of a bonding time for us and I remember then how much I enjoyed the classes, the leotards and all. As I grew up and moved around New York and then Ohio, it was always a priority for my family to find the local gym. My love for fitness has carried into my career when I became a personal trainer and then received my Bachelors in Health Education. There is nothing more rewarding then truly helping people have a functional and healthy lifestyle.”

6. What have been great business decisions that you’ve made and what were the results?
“The best business decision I have made is keeping my overhead low. When I first started, I only bought equipment and such with the money I had so everything I have at this point I own. I don't have major debt hanging over my head which allows me to focus on my clients and not impending bills.”

7. With the above being asked, we have to ask....what have been your worst business decisions?
“My worst business decisions have been not planning ahead. Fitness is a finicky business and very seasonal and I have learned that you need to be prepared for not only the busy times but also during the slow periods.”

8. How long have you been in business, what lead to you starting look2befit?
“It will be 2 years this January when I opened Get Inspired Fitness. I opened the studio with the intention of helping people find a love for exercise that will not only help them with their short term goals but carry with them for a lifetime. After all, it’s a lifestyle change not a quick fix. My clients inspire me every day and with the support I have from my family, Get Inspired Fitness will continue to thrive and inspire others!”

Key for Women Entrepreneurs: Let Your Passion be Your Guide

2011-08-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

by Marcia Layton Turner

A week ago, I was talking to my friends at WomensNet.net. When your friends give out grants to women business owners, you can always expect them to ask: “Hey – Marcia, what business ventures are you up to?”

This was my chance to tell them about my latest e-book. I guess they must have noticed the spark in my eye, the lilt in my voice – yes, the general sense of excitement I get when talking about… ready for it? Couponing!

You see, by day I’m a freelance writer of magazine articles and author and ghostwriter of bestselling books. But during my free time, I’m an extreme couponer. No, not as obsessed as the folks on TLC’s “Extreme Couponing” TV show…but close.

While I do enjoy writing – researching the topic, thinking through how to organize the information and then sharing what I’ve gathered from interviews – there is nothing like the high of getting $110 worth of groceries for next to nothing. Believe me, I’ve done it.

Although writing is how I earn a very good living, coupons are my passion.

I’ve been writing professionally for more than 15 years, during which the publishing process has stayed much the same, until a year or two ago. In the past, I would come up with an idea for an article or book and then propose it to an editor, who then decides if they want to pay me to write about it. In other cases, because I’ve worked with an editor before and they liked my stuff, I’ll get a call or an email asking me if I’d like to tackle a particular topic for an upcoming issue or book. If I like the topic, I generally say yes.

As I said, I’ve been doing this for a while, but a couple of years ago, I started to hear more about e-books and how they were the future of publishing. Then last year there was news that sales of Amazon’s Kindle books had overtaken hard cover and paperback books. That’s the point at which I decided I needed to explore this. But what would I write about? I usually write about marketing and entrepreneurship, but nothing came to mind that would be new and noteworthy.

We’ve all heard that the best businesses are those based on the individual’s passion – the subject about which they know more than just about anyone else. So, for me, it followed that the best e-book I could write would be about my passion, couponing.

I tried selling traditional publishers on a couponing book as soon as I heard there would be a TV show on the topic. Perfect timing, I thought! They were skeptical that the market was big enough (are you kidding me?!). In fact, 78% of shoppers in the U.S. now use coupons – that’s millions and millions of Americans. At that point, I was fired up. More than any other book, I wanted to write about how to save money with coupons. Then I saw a few episodes of “Extreme Couponing,” in which the shoppers on the show were using the same techniques I’ve been using for years, and was sure that an e-book on couponing was what I needed to write next.

I told my agent I was working on the book and she mentioned she had a publisher friend who had started an e-book publishing venture. When she talked to him about my couponing book, he was sold.

We moved quickly to get the book formatted and edited and as of last Friday, Extreme Couponer: Insider secrets to getting groceries for free, was officially available for sale for $2.99. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to produce a book as quickly. Part of the speed was due to the new digital publishing process. But the other element was passion. I was so excited to share information about couponing that I wrote morning, noon and night. I was in the zone, completely enjoying what I was doing. And in a matter of days, the manuscript was done.

I think my situation isn’t unusual. When you’re passionate about what you’re doing, whether it’s writing computer code, selling on eBay, supervising children at a daycare or something else entirely, time passes more quickly. And because you are giving that work your complete attention, the quality is higher and your chances of success much greater.

So if you’re still considering what kind of business to start, begin with what you love most. That will give you your best chance at success.

Oh, so back to my friends at Womensnet.Net. They also wanted me to remind you that the deadline is August 30 for the latest $1,500 Amber Grant for Women. Please take a few minutes to tell them about your business passion. It might just lead to a juicy $1,500 grant for your women-owned business.

Small Business Grants for Women: The Matthew Lesko Scam

2011-07-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

Small business grants for women are very hard to get. As a women entrepreneur, you’ve likely scoured the internet looking for a business grant – and have come across all kinds of crazy claims about free money.

In your quest for grant money for your women owned business, I hope you haven’t been sucked in by the crazy guy wearing a bright suit covered in question marks. Let me save you some time and grief. His name is Matthew Lesko and he’s selling a lot of free – but mostly useless – information that you can get with a few hours of research.

Lesko isn’t trying to make a fashion statement. He’s trying to manipulate you into paying him a lot of money to find out how to apply for women’s business grants that you’ll likely never get.

Truth be told -- Matthew Lesko doesn’t give you any answers about how to get “free money” for your women-owned business. What he does is provide you with tons of pages of nearly useless information in his 70-something books. These are mostly short blurbs about government programs that offer financial assistance to businesses that are focused in a particular industry. Or that are in a specific state.

In other words, if you are a women-owned business that has a lot of employees, and are working on green technology, you might have a reasonable shot at government grant. But if you’re looking to start a catering business, or a marketing agency – you’re very much out of luck with most government agencies that award grants.

But none of that deters Lesko from charging money for his books in order to “have access” to this information -- including countless descriptions of government programs that you can find online with some time and effort.

The books actually provide lengthy lists of contacts and grant information and could save you some time if you knew what you were looking for. At least two of his books have made it to the New York Times Best Seller list and millions of copies have been sold over his 20-year run. That’s a scary thought.

Finally -- if you dig a little deeper into some of Mr. Lesko’s lists, you’ll find that they’re littered with half-truths that encourage you to “scam” the government out of funds that have been set aside for those who really need them – widows and orphans, for instance!

Grant forums are littered with posts by well-meaning small business owners like you who have unsuccessfully tried to get their hard-earned money back from Matthew Lesko. The Better Business Bureau has tagged Lesko with a poor rating on more than one occasion because of this problem.

The moral of the story is to stay away from people who promise (or give the slick appearance of promising) easy grant money for your women-owned business . Money never comes easy and is rarely free. Take heart -- there certainly are grants available from organizations that are highly reputable and have never been tagged as unsatisfactory by the Better Business Bureau.

Be clear headed and smart as you do your search for small business grants for your women-owned business.

A Women Business Owner's Guide to Cleaning House: And Dramatically Improve Your Effectiveness

2011-06-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

If you haven’t read my last blog, Secrets Every Woman Entrepreneur ShouldKnow To Increase Her Productivity, you should read it before reading this one.

The basic premise of my last blog was to show you how to clear your head of the “productivity preventing” clutter.

Now it’s time to rid yourself of your physical clutter – all of the other junk in your life that may be weighing you down. Lifting the weight will produce a marked increase in your effectiveness.

I promise.

So, it’s time to clean house. As a women business owner, the best thing you can do is to kick butt and lighten your load while keeping a couple of vital things in mind.

I present to you -- Thing 1 and Thing 2.

The first thing that you should do is establish an “In Basket” or if you’re like me – an “In Crate.” This is where you will put anything that you find that is potentially actionable – meaning you will need to decide what you are going to do with “it” at a later time.

The second thing you need to do is to search your home, office, and car for anything that is not where it belongs. And depending on how organized a lifestyle you lead, this could be easy or it could be painful.

You are looking for physical stuff like your supplies, tools, gear, office equipment, reference materials, pictures, recognition awards, etc. These are things which may require no action except to put them in their proper place. If you can put an item in its proper place in two minutes or less – just do it. If not, it goes into your In Crate and becomes actionable later.

Practically, work your way around your home and office examining --

The Top of Your Desk
Countertops
Desk Drawers
Cabinets
Shelves
Floors and Walls
Office Equipment
Furniture and Fixtures

Once you begin to go through this process, your memory will be jogged with actionable items (tasks) – but this is not the time to stop and do anything except put the actionable items in your “In Crate.” If the item is too big to put in the crate, then make a representation of the item on a sheet of paper and put “it” in the crate. If you think of actionable items, write them on a piece of paper and put them in your In Crate too.

In the process, you will probably begin to amass a serious heap of trash, recycling, and things that you decide to give away.

CAUTION -- Do not slip into project mode and start doing major organizing. You will have more than enough actions to keep you busy when you are done with this cleaning process.

Just watch your In Crate grow. This is a good thing.

This could be one of the healthiest house cleanings you’ve done. If you have really been honest and collected all of the stuff that had captured your attention, you are ready to get to the bottom of your In Crate.

According to productivity guru, David Allen, you are ready to “Process In.” You are ready to do something with the stuff.

Here we go…

At this point you need to determine the exact next action for each item in your In Crate. For example, if one of your items is to get your quarterly taxes done, your action is not “get my quarterly taxes done.” The next action might be, “review tax file to ensure I have all necessary documents” or “call accountant.” To be clear – decide on the next tangible, physical behavior that you are actually going to do.

Once you have decided the next action, you really have only three choices according to Allen.

Do it (if it takes less than 2 minutes)
Delegate (if you’re not the best person to do it)
Defer it (put it into you organizational system as a “to do later”)

Remember, if you delegate an action, you really need to make a point to delegate systematically and clearly – checking for understanding of the action. And you need to follow-up to make sure it got done.

If you defer an action, the action needs to be clearly written down in your organizational system. For ease of processing, you might want to simply put a sticky-note on the piece of paper in your In Crate and log each deferred action in your system as soon as you get to the bottom of the Crate. Don’t feel compelled to schedule these deferred actions all next week. Schedule some really soon, others for someday, and you know the drill – specifically schedule those that you need to do on an exact day at an exact time.

Make sure that you remind yourself of those items that you are waiting for some one else to do. If you delegated properly, you gave some one else a specific due date for getting back to you.

Lastly, let’s talk about projects. You may have found and defined a ton of projects – maybe 50 or 100. The narrow definition of a project is any item or outcome that you are committed to achieving that takes more than one action to complete. Write these down in a project plan with dates, times, those that you need to delegate items to – and remind yourself of the individual items on a regular basis.

You should be seriously on your way to having your environment cleared from clutter and your head free from thinking about it. Your result is that you will see your path ahead clearly, feel energized and empowered, and achieve results in a way that makes you very successful.

Here’s to cleaning house!

Secrets Every Woman Entrepreneur Should Know To Increase Her Productivity

2011-06-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

A women business owner like you can use all the help she can get.

Whether it’s a great marketing idea, getting funding for a women-owned business, or – today’s lesson – simply discovering ways to be more productive with your time.

Lack of focus leads to low productivity. Low productivity negatively affects your bottom line. (And drives you nuts.)

Productivity guru, David Allen suggests some very basic ideas for getting the most out of your time in his book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress Free Productivity.

Allen suggests that you need to get ALL of your stuff into one place – your “In Box”. All of your stuff includes all of those things that are incomplete, anything that needs a decision about a potential action, and all the things that are out of place.

For now, let’s focus on the things in your head and heart. They are just as important as physical stuff -- most likely more important.

To get started -- get a large stack of paper and clear one hour. Begin a mental inventory of all the “to do” items in your head. This is the beginning of your brain dump.

Don’t be scared. Jump in. Go for sheer volume.

It’s okay if you want to start thinking about huge items like “end world hunger.” It’s equally acceptable to consider, “make kids’ eye appointments.”

You’re going to write only one item at a time on each piece of paper as you think of it. This is important for how you will be processing these tasks later.

You want to think through projects, commitments, meetings to be scheduled, banking, upcoming events, computers, equipment, etc. Thinking about your children, spouse, family, friends, your professional life, colleagues and community activities may seem daunting.

Trust me. This really works.

It’s helpful to use a tool called a Trigger List to help jog your memory. You can view a good one put together by OrganizeIt at http://www.organizeit.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/trigger-list.pdf .

After an hour or so of putting one item on each piece of paper you probably have a pretty full “In Box.” Now do one more thing and add any voicemails, emails, or tasks from your organizer for which you have not determined a next action. (You can print these one per page.)

Everything is now on paper. You’ll have a big stack. And you may feel worse at this point. But here’s the good part.

Now it’s time to start getting free from the stack . This doesn’t mean doing everything. It means that you will methodically decide what each item is -- and what you are GOING to do with it. Here’s your decision chart for every item from David Allen’s site www.davidco.com .

There are a few must-follow rules as you work through your decision process.

Start with first item in the stack and work down. (No cheating and no scanning for emergencies!)
Deal with ONE item at a time (This is harder than you think, but you can do it.)
If you touch an item, deal with it. (No returning an item to the stack.)

Okay, this is it…

Get your first item off the stack. What is it? Is it actionable? If it’s not, trash it – put it in a tickler file – or create a reference file. Keep reviewing the flow chart until it’s in your head.

If your item is actionable, determine if it’s a project or individual action. Follow the process. It’s easy. And it’s necessary to any woman business owner who wants to organize her life.

If you have an individual action, do it – delegate it – or defer it as outlined in the diagram. Major Bonus: Immediately deal with any action that will take you two minutes or less.

Be patient. The best way to learn this process is by doing it. You will get better at making these decisions with each sheet of paper you deal with.

You should begin to feel better and better -- sheet by sheet -- as you work through the process. Be prepared, this process can take a few day. But it is well worth it.

When you have finished “processing” you will have:

Round filed anything you don’t need
Completed a ton of short two-minute tasks
Delegated a ton of important stuff
Sorted any actions that will take more than two minutes into your own personal organizing system and/or placed on your calendar.
Clearly identified your major projects

Once you’ve been through the process, you’ll feel your mind freed to move on to more productive things. It’s a strategy every women entrepreneur should focus on. Getting more out of your time leads to more creativity, more peace of mind – and more to the bottom line.

WNN: Take Control of Your Cash

2011-06-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

How Women Entrepreneurs Can Have Power Over Money, Emotions, and Beliefs

by Christina Lambert

I came across a book I thought women business owners (and aspiring business owners) like you would be interested in. It’s not a book on finding business grants for women, or getting business funding. But I think it’s worth 7 minutes of your time to review the highlights.

In 2009, Karen Pine and Simonne Gnessen published Sheconomics.

Pine, a developmental psychologist, and Gnessen, a seasoned financial coach, have approached the barriers that often prevent women from being financially successful – and help find a way around and through them.

What’s the most common barrier? Our own thoughts.

Well, Pine and Gnessen offer you a new model.
A new way of thinking.
A clear plan for taking financial control.

Here are the highlights.

The Laws of Sheconomics

Law 1 --Take Emotional Control
Become aware of how your emotions affect the way you behave with money. Your attitudes about money are shaped by emotion. Instead of acting on an emotion – think about it.
Try to identify what's causing your feeling. For example, is it a reaction to a current issue or challenge? Is it a result of a past experience, memory, or stored emotion?
Decide if the emotion is relevant. If it’s a real danger warning, heed it. If it’s reinforcing bad habits, ditch it. Then create a healthy response in line with what you're aiming to accomplish (not your feelings) and take action in a way that will lead you closer to your goal.
Law 2 -- Go Beyond Beliefs
Your financial beliefs become your reality and influence the way you behave. Your beliefs determine what you achieve (or not).
For example, if you believe that you're simply not good at earning money – guess what? You probably will continue to be bad at earning money. But if you believe that you can be financially successful, there’s a real good possibility that you will be!
Pine and Gnessen give this bit of advice, “First, you need to identify the things that are stopping you from being rich. Maybe you don't ask for a pay raise because you're secretly scared you're not worth it. Once you've worked out what's standing in your way, you can start to change your behavior and attitude towards money.”

Law 3 -- Spend with Power
Be practical. Make sure all your spending decisions are made for the right reasons. To spend with power, you need to understand why you may need to make a purchase. The key word is “need.” Resist any compulsion to make an impulse buy.
Keep track of your spending. Create a spreadsheet or track your spending in a notebook or on your Iphone or Blackberry.   Do this continually and track yourself month by month.
Now you have real data to better analyze where you be able to cut spending and what areas may be real needs – especially if you are trying to grow a profitable business.
Law 4 -- Have Goals
In order to have goals, you need to write them down. Goals are specific. Goals are realistic. If you have a business plan these goals should come right out of your plan.   Make your money fit your plan. And by the way -- your business goals need to fit your life goals. Having clear goals takes the pain out of resisting impulsive decisions.

Law 5 -- Look Debt in the Face
If you have debt, this can be a tough one. Certainly there is good debt and bad debt. Bad debt is debt that you know you can’t afford to pay back. So you need to make a plan. Make sure you figure out what you owe and how you’re going to pay it off. List and prioritize your debts.
Pay off whatever you can right away and then work out how much you can afford to repay each month. Choose a target date for becoming debt-free.
Law 6 -- Share Financial Intimacies
It’s important to talk openly and honestly about your finances with those that you love and trust -- including your business partners.   Actually, talking about money can be one of the things that build trust in a relationship. If this is an area in which you feel challenged – you’re not alone. Keeping financial secrets is a plague in any close relationship whether with a spouse, business partner or close friend.
Sharing financial intimacies is about building trusting, honest relationships. It’s about being brutally honest with yourself. The first step is realizing that you need to communicate with those important people in your life – listening for their perspectives and advice. Begin with those relationships that you know are safe. Practice financial intimacy. It’s freeing.
Law 7 -- Know Tomorrow Comes
Why put off for tomorrow what you can be doing today? Tomorrow will come and you need to be prepared for its coming. This is about having a plan for the future. Do some research about pension plans, mutual funds, college savings plans. Take a look your goals and determine priorities and timing of predictable expenses.

Embracing your goals will help you avoid making “here-and-now” decisions in a vacuum. Understanding your larger plan will help keep you on track to achieve it in the proper time.

With these laws, Pine and Gnesson take you into the depths of common thought patterns often held by women and explore their views about the female psyche. These “laws” actually uncover truths that will help you make purposeful and powerful financial decisions.

One of the most profound points in Sheconomics is that many times we hold beliefs that limit our potential – especially in business. You can be the best wife, mom, family organizer, counselor, and doctor… but be completely turned around financially.

Beliefs lead to behaviors.
Behaviors lead to habits.
Habits form lifestyles.

Remember -- self limiting thoughts can be the root cause of financial paralysis.

Certainly, Pine and Gnessen don’t advise that simply changing your thinking about earning gobs of money will enable you to magically do it.

Sheconomics does encourage you to carefully analyze your current thinking.

Take specific actions to alter any current negative thinking.

Create a positive goal focused approach for your business and your life.

Disclaimer: Pine and Gnessen seem to have the opinion that women shop to cope and make feel-good impulse decisions that are gender specific. I think that these thoughts are socialized and these types of behaviors are learned. I am not one to believe that ALL women think the same and love to shop and ALL men are just better at making money. I also don’t believe that we just “need to control ourselves” to avoid spending money impulsively.   At times, I thought the book was stereotypical. However, it does provide a good framework for taking control of your financial decisions.

An Interview with WomensNet.net Grant Winner, Robin Watkins of Whatever Media

2011-05-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of asking a few questions with our latest Amber Grantwinner, Robin Watkins. What a terrific story – one of the most personally inspiring stories we’ve ever heard at WomensNet.net. I hope you’re as touched as I was!
- Christina Lambert
WNN

WomensNet.net: Robin, please tell us the story of how your business came into being. How old is the business?

Whatever Media started about two years ago when I moved back to Hampton – the city where I went to college (Hampton University) – from Los Angeles. I really wanted to start my own multimedia business, but the market was just too saturated in Los Angeles for creative services. Moreover, I had more resources and support here from my friends, professors, and alumni from both Hampton University and my grad school Regent University. I had actually planned to get a "real job" and do my business on the side, but unfortunately, all of the opportunities I had lined up here fell through when I decided to move back.

So I had to find something, I needed money, and I decided to redirect my focus. I put all the time I was using to find hard-to-get jobs (during the height of a recession) into finding my first few clients. I started by putting an ad in the Creative Services section on Craigslist, and I did a few websites for small business owners. Not too long afterward, I got the opportunity to do a proposal for a website for the airport in my region – the Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport. After that, my business spread like wildfire just from word of mouth, and my business name became well known in the area.

I love what I do. I have always wanted to be my own boss and work in a creative field, and I love helping people. It's hard work, but it's a kind of freedom and satisfaction that I wouldn't trade for anything.

WomensNet.net: How did "Whatever Media" get its name?

I was talking to one of my best friends and I couldn't figure out a name. While brainstorming, he asked me what types of services I planned to provide and I said, "Whatever... I can edit, take photos, design websites, do some audio production - anything that has to do with multimedia." So the “Whatever” stuck!

WomensNet.net: What makes your business or business model unique?

My business specifically caters to small businesses and nonprofits. As a small business, I know what first-hand what we need – and more importantly, what we don't need, and how to save money. I try to pass on any quality information to my customers about useful free, open-source, or affordable services and software for their business…and only the ones I have personally tested myself. I know how hard it was for me to filter through all of the junk and ridiculous advertisements and offers you receive when you first start a business.

I have seen good people with good businesses fail, simply because they either did not take advantage of technology that was available to them. Or even worse, because they were unaware of what was available to them. Just sharing knowledge of how to use new technologies effectively can help a business tremendously. I truly believe that by passing that information on, without trying to directly profit from it, I will receive the positive karma back – and it lets my clients know that they can trust me.

WomensNet.net: Who or what is your biggest inspiration as a woman business owner?

My mother is a great inspiration for me to work hard. She raised me and my siblings as a single parent, and always had an awesome "just do it" attitude that I have learned a lot from. She has also always been the type of woman who would give you the coat off of her back even if she had to be without one. I'd like to say that I have at least half as much generosity and diligence as her, and I try to put that into my business.

WomensNet.net: What do you plan on doing with the Amber Grant money?

I plan to start an educational division of my business that teaches web design to kids, both after school and online for homeschooled students – or anyone that can't make it to my office. I would also like to start a camp, specifically for at-risk preteen girls, to get them interested in computer technology by providing instruction in web design, programming, multimedia production, and video game design using open-source software and Linux computers. The money will be used to help secure some of the equipment to put together the lab, and to cover printing costs for the advertising materials.

Just for fun, here is Robin's associate:

Desireé Monique, or “Desi”, is a precious, petite, lab mix that has been employed as Lead Creative Consultant at Whatever Media since she was rescued from the Peninsula SPCA in November 2009. Desi has been recognized not only for her attentiveness to detail, but also for her assistance in generating innovative concepts. While Desi’s history is currently unknown, it is inevitable that she is a strong survivor of abandonment, exploitation, and famine. Today, she is the go-to girl for confirmation of Whatever Media’s prospective ideas. Desi spends her leisure time relaxing on sunny spots on the floor, going on walks at the beach, or getting scratched behind the ears by anyone willing to do so.

4 Great Tips for Women Business Partnerships

2011-05-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

A lot of entrepreneurs like you come to WomensNet.net in search of grants for women business owners. Nothing wrong with that. We’re one of the very few places on the internet that will give women entrepreneurs a grant.

But if you’re looking for funding, here’s another idea you should give some thought:

Ask some of your friends if they’d would like to be partners (read: investors) in your business. Your BFF could invest time or money – or both – in your venture. Yeah, I realize that’s not the most earth-shattering revelation – but you’d be shocked at how many women business owners never pursue partnerships with friends, for one simple reason…

Women are afraid that if a business partnership goes bad, the friendship will go bad as well. That’s actually a pretty good reason to shy away from partnerships. Oil baron John D. Rockefeller put it this way: “A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on founded on friendship.”

There’s wisdom in Mr. Rockefeller’s admonition. But it shouldn’t be a deal breaker in forming a partnership with a friend. Here are a few tips for making partnerships work for women business owners.

1. Create an operating agreement. Many partnerships go south because the people involved didn’t put their expectations in writing. It’s not enough to say, “We’re business partners.” You have to put the details of the business in an agreement that everyone had a hand in crafting.

An operating agreement ensures each partner will be treated consistently in good times and bad. Your agreement should lay out in plain language how profits, assets, debts and other responsibilities will be shared while you’re in business together. It should also lay out the details of what to do if one partner wants out of the business.

There are many issues you should put in writing first, and the best way to forge an operating agreement is to do some research on the internet as to some major issues– then sit down and air your concerns honestly and openly with your partner. Two partners might agree to split all the work evenly – but what happens if one person winds up consistently working more hours? How will that partner be compensated? There are a lot of similar questions you need to discuss.

The final step is to consult a lawyer if you think there are some unique issues that should be addressed in your agreement.

2. Don’t let your friend risk money that she can’t afford to lose. This is a point of common sense. If you ask a friend to invest $20,000 into your venture – and she has $500,000 in savings and investments, there likely wouldn’t be a huge emotional toll if the business struggles (or even fails). But if your friend invests $20,000 by draining $15,000 in life savings, and borrowing another $5,000 from her mother – well, you get the picture.

Make sure any business partner can afford to lose the money she’s invested. You don’t want your friend to wince every time there’s a downturn in the business, and to be hanging on every paycheck. That’ll only lead to more stress on the both of you.

3. Partners offer emotional support. Not only can you share the labor and responsibilities of running your business with partners – but you can all lend each other emotional support. When things are going tough, you can all lean on each other… encourage each other… find solutions together… and work hard as a team. Trust me – you can’t put a price on the emotional assets that a good business partnership brings to your venture. As one business owner to me about her partnership, “When we hit hard times, it’s only half the pain. But when things are going well, it’s twice the fun!”

4. “Sweat equity.” You’ve heard the expression, “time is money.” So if you can’t find a partner who can afford to put money into your business, find someone who will put in “sweat equity.” In other words, give her an equity stake in your company for an investment of her time.

These partners are sometimes the best to have. You don’t have to pay her cash for her labor. And she doesn’t have to risk money she doesn’t have. The truth is – a lot of women can name a handful of their talented friends who can help in a business venture. Recruiting them to trade their time for a slice of your business should be a strong consideration. After all, it’s better for you to own a smaller piece of a successful business, than 100% of something that fails...

Thanks for reading these tips. And I hope you’ve been inspired to consider a partnership as another way to find funding for your women-owned business. Getting your friends involved can be a fantastic resource for you.

Christina @ Womensnet

Why Learning to Write Copy Can Make or Break Your Business

2011-05-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

by M. Belmont
WNN Staff Editor

You are what you write. How you write can inspire people to want to know you better

and buy your products and services.

In the parlance of marketing, writing to motivate your readers to take action is

called “copywriting.” And as a women business owner, you can’t afford to ignore the copy on your website.

According to Maria Veloso in her book, Web Copy that Sells, good copywriting is crucial to your business. Veloso says that 60-65% of buying decisions are made as people read in the first few sentences on your website. Yep, your copy matters.

So here are Seven Simple Steps any women entrepreneur can use to boost website sales:.

1.    Tell your story. Most folks think that writing great copy takes great writing skills. Actually, it’s a lot simpler than that. Writing great copy starts with telling a story. People want to know who you are… why you started your business… and how you can help them. They want to connect with you as a person. Remember – people don’t do business with companies. People do business with other people. Tell them your story – in plain, simple English – and tell them how you can help them. That’s at the heart of compelling copy.

2.    Tell it with emotion. Every great story is laced with emotion. Emotion is the part that paints a picture in someone’s heart. If you were going to sell cookies, you could tell folks that you use flour, sugar and chocolate chips. But telling them that you use the same ingredients your grandma used when you were a kid – pure cane sugar, sifted flower and real Nestle’s chocolate chips. Wow… I’m 9 years old again and in my grandma’s kitchen waiting for the cookies to come-out-the-oven!

3.    Define the problem. Every potential customer is coming to you with a problem to solve. Even if you sell cookies. Some people can’t make them come out exactly like grandma’s. Some folks might not have the time to bake. Some folks want cookies for a special occasion and want to bring a “wow” factor. Whatever the motivating factor, people are coming to your business to solve a problem. You fit a need and a niche in their mind. Find out what that is and let it come out in your copy.

4.    Discuss why this problem hasn’t been resolved already. “Bake cookies the way grandma used to bake? Who’s got time to do that? Nobody in today’s busy workplace.” That’s a way to empathize with your client or customer. No matter what your business is, you can empathize with your client’s problems. It’s ok for the problem to exist – because you have the answer that will help them.

5.    Tell them how to solve the problem. Here you provide a solution. Do this in a clear, brief way. In the case of baking homemade cookies, I did a quick Google search and came up with cookiesfromscratch.com. I can’t vouch for their cookies, but their website copy is pretty good. So the way to get the taste of homemade cookies without all the work? Call Laura at cookiesfromscratch.com. She didn’t quite follow our tips, but if she had, she might have written something like, “Do you want to send an old friend a taste from yesteryear? How about a tin of our famous oatmeal butterscotch homemade cookies!”
6.    Clearly state what is different about your product or service. This is where you unveil your USP. Your “Unique Selling Proposition.” With homemade cookies, the UPS is simple. You make homemade cookies – not the crumbly cheap mass processed variety. “We make every batch from scratch!” Another USP could be that you deliver them right to your customer’s door. Or your cookies are so good, you can give them as a gift – to your grandmother! You get the idea. Whatever makes you unique vs. your competition is your USP.

7.    Make a clear call to action. Simply put, you need to tell your readers what they should do next. This is there call to action. “Call right now to get your shipment of made from scratch cookies. In the time it takes to melt a stick of butter, you could have a tin of homemade cookies being shipped right to your door.” Remember – you have to ASK your customer or client to take advantage of your service or product. It sound simple enough, but most copy folks write leaves out this crucial final step.

What you communicate in writing defines who you are – especially in our web-based world. Copywriting is writing that grabs people’s hearts. It starts with a good story. And ends with a call to action.

As a women entrepreneur, you want to make sure that your customers become your followers – your biggest fans. And you want to inspire them to buy your product or service time and time again. (Bonus: Your customers will inspire others to do the same!)

Try to put these copywriting ideas into practice as soon as you can. Using this these simple tips can prove to make a big difference for you.

April Amber Grant Announcement

2011-05-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

A quick congratulations to Robin J. Watkins of Whatevermedia.net, our latest Amber Grant winner. Whatever Media is a woman and minority-owned business located in downtown Hampton, Virginia. We'll share more about Robin's story later this week. Right now, we have an article for you -- a quick lesson in how you can use coywriting to amp up your sales. Enjoy!

April Amber Grant Announcement

2011-05-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Just sort of a FYI...we will announce the Amber Grant Award winner this week and also give a few details about 2-3 of the finalist.

I posted a few weeks ago the below Press Release. The next Amber Grant dead line is August 31st, 2011.

WomensNet Grant Gets a Boost to $1,500

What could you do with a $1,500 grant to help your business? Well, start imagining how you can invest that money in your business. That’s because an anonymous person contacted me a few days ago to donate $1,000 to our $500 Amber Grant for Women this period to bring the award to $1,500 for our next winner.

“After reading some of your blogs the last few weeks, I was so touched by the stories of past women’s business grant winners from WomensNet.net that I knew I had to help,” this special friend to WNN told me yesterday. “Too many women are told they can’t succeed in business, when the truth is all they need is a little financial assistance to launch their dreams… Just look at the woman from Urban Escapes. I think it’s wonderful how your grant helped her. What a terrific story.”

The donor was referring to Maia Josebachvili, co-founder of Urban Escapes. In July of 2009, Maia won our Amber Grant for Women. She told us she was going to use the grant money to create a professionally designed media kit. We’re thrilled to tell you that things worked out great for Maia and Urban Escapes. Within 15 months of her winning the WNN grant, Urban Escapes was sold to Living Social – a Washington D.C internet-based business that grossed over $100 million in 2010.

Of course, we’re not taking the credit for her huge success. But we’d like to think that every little bit helped. And now that the WNN Amber Grant for Women is being boosted from $500 to $1,500 – we’re hoping it will give more encouragement to women like you.

I’ll be back this week with a blog on Word of Mouth advertising ideas. I’m sure you’ll get a few gems you can use in your own business.

Chris Lambert

Survey on Women Entrepreneurs to pass along

2011-05-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

This was sent to us at WomensNet.net:

A group of graduate students from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management have been kind enough to partner with The Founding Moms to undertake a survey of mom entrepreneurs.
Our goal? To send the survey to as many mom entrepreneurs as we can, enabling us to receive a rich (albeit anonymous) data set that will allow us to discover never-before-seen information on this niche of women.
The survey closes on Sunday, May 15 (**just less than a week!**.) We've included a random drawing for a $50 Amex gift card, too. Thank you VERY much in advance, and I'll be happy to send you the published findings upon request. THE LINK: http://bit.ly/bizmomsurvey

What’s the Best Way for a Woman to Advertise Her Business?... It’s Intuitive, Effective and FREE

2011-05-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

Did you know that women use roughly 20,000 words per day as opposed to about 7,000 for men? The main reason for this disparity is that women are more relational.

So what does that factoid have to do with advertising for women-owned businesses? Everything.

“Word of mouth marketing” is the answer -- hands down. It’s intuitive. It's effective. AND IT’S FREE!!

Think about it. When you are getting ready to buy something, do you turn on the radio or television and sit for hours waiting for a commercial to point you in the right direction?

Or – if you’re like me, do you phone your best friend to ask her for a trusted opinion?

You might even jump online and read a few reviews or join a forum discussion. Right? Have you ever done a YouTube search first? (BTW, did you know that YouTube is the #2 search engine?)

Truth be told: You use Word of Mouth. We all do.

We place great trust in these referrals. Heck, this is one reason there’s a huge market for personal shoppers and product experts. This is why businesses like OpenSky.com have taken off so quickly. You trust these opinions, whether you realize it or not.

Most people might not conscious of this reality, but Word of Mouth marketing is the most effective form of advertising. (In point of fact, there is a trade association called the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, womma.org)

So, how can you utilize Word of Mouth marketing for your business?

I’ve compiled some simple ideas to help you spread the word about your business. Sure, some of these ideas will take some time – but they'll generate surprising results:

1. Your friends and family are your most effective network. Your greatest advocates are the people closest to you – the folks who know you best. So don’t be shy about asking your friends and family to be walking advertisements for you. Let them spread the word about your business. Send them an email every few weeks thanking them for telling people about your business (a subtle reminder!). This tip might seem obvious, but your personal network can be very powerful.

2. On many social occasions, you’ll find that people ask you about your business. Who are these folks? Think about it. Why are they interested in your product or service? Have a mental script ready and prepared in your head, so it's easy to remember and actually sounds interesting. Use these interactions as your own secret profiling project. At the end of your conversations, make a way to encourage them to talk to you on a regular basis. You might want to hand them cards with your fan page address, or your Twitter account name. Or tell them how to find you on Facebook (And even more savvy, ask how you can find them!!)

3. Are you on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter? If not, make it happen. Did you know there are over a half billion people on Facebook? You can use these networks to point people back to you -- consistently. By giving your customers special tips; informing them about coming events; asking for their opinion; you are helping them understand that you are engaged and listening. By doing this regularly, you will make your customers feel like they are company insiders. And, they will develop a loyalty to you.

4. Make sure the copy on your website is top notch and is laid out in a clean, easy-to-read format. (Of course, this applies to your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter posts too.) Copy is the language and power of the web. It’s really not all about the pretty icons and hip artwork. This stuff can easily distract potential customers from your primary goal. You want potential customers to become customers. Remember, content is king and when you pull it off really well, your credibility and integrity shines. And, people become compelled to do business with you!

5. Focus on customer service and rapport building. Think about your favorite coffee shop, pub, boutique, etc. What makes this place your favorite? Do they remember your favorite drink or your favorite spring color? You want to be with people that take a genuine interest in you (or at least make you feel like they do.) Do the same for your following. As you do, your following will get bigger rather quickly. Why? Because you made it personal for them.

6. Write a weekly blog about topics and ideas that relate to your product or service. Think about it this way. Your blog is an extension of you – it’s a lot like your wardrobe. Pick compelling titles. Pay attention to key words that are used to search for you, and use them in the first few sentences. And, if you’re anything like me, life happens. So try to stay out in front of this process. Write three or four so that you can post a new blog every week.

7. Display your online comments and reviews. Respond to them regularly. Make sure to respond to both positive and negative comments in a timely manner. Post words of praise on your website. The more, the better. As people see that you’re responsive, they will be more apt to trust you and to purchase your product or service.

8. Rally your team around your cause. This will make them happy. Study after study show that employee morale is a key predictor of the profitability of a company. And happy employees actually say good things about you and your business. Help those you work with understand that they work more for your cause than for you. If they get this, they will become very engaged and loyal – AND HAPPY! Hint: Make it a point to do what you can to establish a home-like work environment. Encourage open, honest communication and model it. Giving feedback. Openly discussing issues. Being part of decision making. These are all opportunities that clarify the cause, build relationships and grow trust. And guess what? More and more people will talk about your business with their family, friends, and neighbors.

9. Associate yourself with something bigger than yourself. You can do this by offering meaningful resources on your website. These resources should relate to your product or service and also support the need for your product or service – research articles and informational links. You also should think about associating your business with a charity that resonates with you and your potential customers. Did you know that over 75% of consumers want the businesses that they frequent to support a charity – a bigger cause. Coupling Word of Mouth Marketing with Cause Marketing can prove to be a very important way to keep people talking about you. It makes you real.

10. Get Google Analytics. In order to be on top of things, you need to know what is working (and what’s not). Allow the data to speak to you. It’s like using a map and paying attention to landmarks. If you’re able to effectively track unique visits, conversions, web traffic differentials – after getting some Word of Mouth going – then you’ll have a better handle on what works. This takes discipline and a little time, but can help you know if you are actually getting to your destination.

The price tag for word of mouth marketing is your time and effort. Coupled with a little savvy, your personality, and passion for your business, you have a real recipe for success. It’s like getting a five star dinner at a home-cooked price. I think that you will be pleased with the results. Please let me know how you’ve used some of these techniques. I’d love to hear your story.

New WomensNet.net Amber Grant Deadline is August 31st, 2011

2011-05-01T03:07:00.000-07:00

As of midnight last night, we have taken in all the Amber Grant Applications for the January-April term. The finalist will be determined and contacted by May 10th. We will announce the April Amber Grant Recipient by May 15th.

Tuesday, May 3rd, we will have a important announcement for the WomensNet Community.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Women’s Business Grant Applicants: Three Common Themes

2011-04-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

As we go through the Amber Grant applications each week, we’re always inspired by the dreams and stories we read from women business grant seekers. There are some recurring themes that we’ve noticed. And we think some of these themes are worth highlighting because they make women entrepreneurs distinct from many of their male counterparts.

(Actually, we wanted to say these themes make women entrepreneurs “better” than their male counterparts, but we don’t want to sound self-righteous – or offend the beloved men in our lives!).

Anyway – we’ll let you decide if you see yourself in any of these characteristics. Not coincidentally, we’ve had three previous grant winners fall into each of these categories. So if you’re a women looking for a business grant, what you learn here might help.

Socially Centered ideas: Yes, there are many great businesses that promote environmental sustainability and social responsibility while pursuing profits in traditional industries. These are companies that work to reduce paper and ink consumption. Or they may be coffee shops that use only fair trade coffee. We at Womensnet.net applaud those businesses and their sensitivity to operating as responsible corporate neighbors. But what we see among our applicants are women owned businesses whose goods and services are specifically geared toward promoting a greater social good. One of our favorites is a small business – thegreenduck.com –that sells compostable cutlery, cups, plates and a host of other items. Green Duck founder, Jocelyn Tice, is a 2010 Amber Grant winner. It always makes us smile when we see women owned businesses that are trying to do good for the rest of us – while still earning a profit. We’ll feature more of these businesses in the coming months on our womensnet.net blog. We want to make sure these women get some well-earned accolades.
Nurturing Ideas: We’ve noticed a lot of women owned businesses that create a service geared toward nurturing relationships. Whether it’s an intimate apparel line of clothing… or sharing the kind of comfort food that your grandmother used to make… or business ideas that focus on moms and young kids…. we have seen hundreds of businesses and business ideas that are inspired by and focused on nurturing relationships. A few months ago, Ellen Richard was awarded an Amber Grant to help her business, Letterlearning.com. Ellen is a former teacher and young mother who came up with the idea of selling “educational greeting cards.” The big idea is to let kids be creative while teaching them spelling and penmanship. As Ellen explained it, “It was on maternity leave that the idea for Letter Learning struck me like a ton of bricks. While on a walk, I caught myself thinking about my students and their struggles with, well, everything, but especially literacy. Also on my mind were the many thank you cards I needed to write on behalf of [my daughter] Katie. That intersection of thinking was it!! EDUCATIONAL GREETING CARDS. What's not to love? I get to combine 3 of my greatest passions. Education, kids and cards.”
Fun Ideas: Got any social things that you love to do? Travel? Shop? Hiking? Dating? Just about anything that you do for fun, you can also do for profit. The best example of this was our July 2009 Amber Grant winner. Maia Josebachvilli, founder of Urban Escapes, took her passion for traveling and social adventure and parlayed it into a hugely successful business. Her big idea? Maia offered urban professionals in Manhattan the chance to escape New York City for a weekend, and spend time in the Catskill Mountain-region hiking, biking, and going to social events – basically spending time outdoors, and outside the city, with other people. Folks had so much fun that Urban Escapes was acquired by Living Social in October of 2010. So what do you love to do? Can you turn it into a business and share it with other folks?

Well, ya never know! Amber Grant recipient sells company to Living Social

2011-04-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Back on July 19, 2009, we announced the Amber Grant Award winner was Urban Escapes, here is an update on the status of their company.

LivingSocial Buys Urban Escapes, As Social Discount Market Heats Up

by Kara Swisher

LivingSocial, the No. 2 social local deals start-up, announced today that it has bought Urban Escapes, a social adventure company.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
LivingSocial now has about 10 million subscribers to its discount offers online, where it competes head-to-head with Groupon.
Both companies have been garnering huge fundings, which is being used in a race for dominance in the space.
After the recent $135 million funding of Groupon that valued the Chicago-based company at upward of an eye-popping $1 billion, LivingSocial announced to that it had raised a more modest $14 million in a Series C round.
The Washington, D.C. start-up had raised $25 million in a Series B venture financing only a month before that. And it raised $10 million on top of that since 2008.
In addition, big companies have become focused on the fast-growing arena, such as recent acquisition interest from Yahoo in Groupon.
Here is the official press release about the latest LivingSocial deal:

LivingSocial Redefines Social Adventure with Acquisition of Urban Escapes
Unique, Exclusive Experiences Now Offered to LivingSocial’s Network of 10 Million Subscribers
Washington, D.C.–October 19, 2010–Leading social shopping site LivingSocial (www.livingsocial.com) today announced the acquisition of social adventure company Urban Escapes. LivingSocial will now be able to exclusively offer its 10 million subscribers-strong worldwide community a host of diverse, fun and unique adventures and experiences, produced by a team of on-the-ground experts.
“By working closely with merchants in all of our markets, LivingSocial has helped thousands of people across the country experience fun and exciting things to do in their neighborhood,” said Tim O’Shaughnessy, CEO and Co-Founder of LivingSocial. “With the acquisition of Urban Escapes, we will now have the ability to help curate some amazing experiences and adventures exclusively for our members.”
From “Zen Escape Yoga Hikes” to “Boulder and Brew Tours™,” Urban Escapes redefines social adventure, and its unique itineraries promote a fun and active lifestyle and a chance to escape the day-to-day rat race. Urban Escapes staff will work directly with LivingSocial representatives in five introductory markets designing and creating one-of-a-kind experiences and adventures for LivingSocial customers.
“People who use LivingSocial are already looking for fun, new things to do in the area they live or where they’re visiting,” said Maia Josebachvili, founder and president of Urban Escapes. “We’re passionate about organizing experiences you could never arrange on your own and this acquisition is the perfect opportunity for us to expand these completely unique, guided experiences around the globe.”
As the premiere local activity discovery engine, LivingSocial lets anyone find restaurants, shops, activities and services popular in their area at a savings of 50% to 70%. Handpicked adventures from Urban Escapes offer unique adventures and experiences at affordable prices to the LivingSocial community.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Would you like to write for Womensnet?

2011-04-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

We're looking for talented guest writers to join us in helping educate women how to start their own business. If you want to write for Womensnet.net and think you might have great ideas, please send me a note.

chris@ womensnet.net

Successful Tips from Savvy Entrepreneaurs

2011-04-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

By Susan Gunelius

inShare.Post by Liz Cullen, contributing Women On Business writer

I left DC in the pouring rain early this week to arrive at the Women Presidents’ Organization Conference on Coronado Bay in San Diego. The location was tempting and, I admit, was one of the main reasons I lobbied to attend our sister organization’s conference. I have been to WPO conferences for years in various locations, however, and I knew that even if there was a glitch in sunny San Diego’s perfect weather matrix, the conference would renew and re-energize me.

The WPO is the sister organization of WPEO and is a peer advisory group for women who own multi-million dollar businesses. Although (or maybe because) the conference does not focus on certification or procurement, my areas of focus and expertise, I always come away a little smarter. The conference concentrates on the big picture – a task that can be challenging at the best of times but which is crucial when times are tough and budgets are tight. Of course, not everyone can be in San Dieg,o so I will share a few of the things I have learned over the years from some of the country’s savviest entrepreneurs:

1.You can’t know everything – So look for people who know what you don’t. One of the key aspects of any conference is listening to advice of experts and adapting their wisdom to the inner workings of one’s own company or department. What women business owners seem to understand better than most is that some of their best resources can be found at these gatherings, not only in the featured speakers but especially among their fellow business owners.

2.Working on the business is as important as working in the business – An important part of conferences like these is to take the opportunity to get out of the daily routine and analyze what your company’s goals are and what innovative things you can do to achieve them. You don’t need to go to San Diego to get this perspective either. Just scheduling time outside the office for regrouping and reenergizing, with key management or with trusted friends can rejuvenate you for the regular grind of running your business.

3.Work doesn’t always have to be work – one thing these successful women business owners have in common is that, while they work hard, they truly enjoy what they do. Without exception they say that 1) they did not make a 5, 10, 20 year plan to be where they are and 2) there is nowhere else they would rather be. Planning is important as is goal setting (and achieving). To some extent, however, you have to be adaptable and flexible while choosing a route that is comfortable and enjoyable for you. I cannot count how many times I have heard, “Do what you like. The money (success, things you want) will come.”

7 Techniques to Thrive in Any Economy Written by SharynAbbott March 23, 2011

2011-03-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

I came across this brand new blog today. Enjoy it and visit it regularly...it has new fresh ideas to help you with your business.

dailyblogma.com
http://dailyblogma.com/

Enjoy it and visit it regularly...it has new fresh ideas to help you with your business.

Written by SharynAbbott March 23, 2011
You are more than likely among the fortunate few if you are reading this. You are an entrepreneur or contemplating being an entrepreneur.
You have an opportunity to control your hours, lifestyle and income. You can re-invent yourself whenever you choose and you know how to make relationships work for you.
But the last two years have proved a challenge. Those who have money are holding on to it and those who don’t have the money to work with you are fewer and further apart.
Has it ever occurred to you the money is always out there, it never goes away, it’s just in different hands. You need to work more diligently to find out who has the funds and to discern from those who are going through the motions. Most people want you to believe their business is in great shape, but most entrepreneurs are struggling because they’ve kept doing the same things they have always done.
This economy requires different tactics. When what you have been doing is no longer working, it is important to change what you’re doing. Markets move and potential client resources change.

Over the past twenty years I have had tremendous success with the following 7 Techniques, when working with entrepreneurs. If you apply each and every technique, you too will discover how much easier it is to have more than enough clients with much less effort than you are currently expending as an entrepreneur.
1. Spend 35% of your time marketing your business
2. Create Power Partner Relationships
3. Develop 25% of your business by referral
4. Attend at least one new event each month
5. Improve your Sales Skills
6. Write to get recognition in your business community
7. Speak at organizations to gain credibility

Amber Grant Application back up and ready!!

2011-03-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the glitch. Be sure to keep your webmaster high on your Christmas list!!
Click here to apply for the next Amber Grant. Deadline is April 30th, 2011.

Great Advise to pass on!! Business Networking, referral style

2011-03-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

I recently found this article in my local newspaper. To WNN, it seems like excellent advise!! I took a look at BNI's website. They have organizations all over the United States.

Written by:Cynthia Benjamin/Staff writer/ Democrat and Chronicle

Near the end of Thursday's meeting of Business Networking International Rapid Referrals, Chris Hannold, a painter, shared his gratitude with the group.
After all, it had been his day to be one of the two presenters. For eight minutes, the 36-year-old shared about his Penfield company, Perfection Painting. The small-business owners and other professionals at Flour City Diner, where the weekly meetings are held, liked his presentation, and they said so when they got a chance.
"I just want to thank everyone for being wonderful to me," Hannold said. The group has referred 10 new customers his way. "Every referral, you don't get the job, but I've received at least seven where I got the job."
He referred at least 10 customers to other members, or partners. In fact, referrals are a significant part of the mission.
Matthew Drouin of Nothnagle Realtors, the chapter's vice president, said that since Jan. 1 there have been 170 referrals and $40,000 in business completed.
During the meeting, chapter President Elisa Martin, a financial planning specialist with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, asked participants to talk about their business. They essentially shared what would be a good referral for them, and there was a catch — they had 60 seconds to stand up, say it and sit down, thus the "rapid referrals." If they didn't finish in a minute, a timer beeped right in the middle of their talk. That helped accomplish a lot in a little time over lunch, with more than 20 people in the room.
After Hannold's presentation, Matt Whitcomb of East Rochester, the second presenter of the day, taught the group a technique on how to start a conversation about his business, Lasting Legacies, which he hopes will go national. He also has an objective to help other members, which he also calls his partners.
"I say, 'you know, what I don't do is painting, but I know someone who does.'"
BNI has about 140,000 members worldwide, he said, and some 20 chapters in the Rochester area, ranging in size from 10 to 30 members each. BNI gives its members a chance to share ideas, exchange contacts and business referrals.
Each chapter has one person per profession, so there is, for example, only one chiropractor, one certified public accountant, one real estate agent. The occupation can be anything, according to the website.
To learn more or to visit a meeting, go to www.bnineny.com.

Happy St Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T10:18:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the 2011 inductees of the National Women's Hall of Fame

2011-03-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

As the National Women's Hall of fame launched their new website: www.greatwomen.org , they have also announced this year inductees.

2011 roll at Women's Hall Released

Written by The Associated Press

SENECA FALLS — The founding dean of the University of Rochester School of Nursing will be enshrined in the National Women's Hall of Fame with 10 other women, including singer Billie Holiday, educator Donna Shalala and civil rights champion Coretta Scott King.
The 2011 honor roll, unveiled Tuesday, includes Barbara Mikulski, the longest-serving woman in the history of the U.S. Senate, and Lilly Ledbetter, an Alabama woman whose lawsuit against Goodyear sparked a pay equity act in Congress.
The 11 women will be inducted at a ceremony Oct. 1, with other activities occurring Sept. 30.
Established in 1969 in Seneca Falls, where the first known women's rights convention was held, the hall acclaims women who have made valuable contributions to society and especially to the freedom of women.
An internationally renowned nursing leader, Loretta Ford, 90, is best known for co-founding the nurse practitioner model in 1965 in Colorado through her studies on the nurse's expanded scope of practice in public health nursing. In 1972, Ford became the founding dean of the University of Rochester School of Nursing, where a wing is named for her.
"I'm stunned and thrilled," Ford said from her home in Wildwood, Fla., adding that she thinks the award will be a credit to her fellow nurses and nurse practitioners. "They're the ones that deserve the award."
"Her accomplishments over her lifetime have really been quite magnificent. She's really transformed the nursing profession," said Kathy Parker, current dean of the UR school.
Ford's development of the nurse practitioner program "really changed nursing around the world," said Parker, who is a nurse practitioner herself. "There are over 140,000 nurse practitioners practicing in the U.S. alone."
Of that development, Ford said, "It really came out of my work as a public health nurse and some of the decisions that we had to make independently."
Nurses were working in clinics for well babies, crippled children and immunizations, "and we needed to have nurses making more decisions," she said. The nurses also were educating patients "so they could make reasonable decisions about their health and make them feel like partners in giving care."

(Page 2 of 2)

Ford said she came to UR because it had developed a "very fine plan of unifying nursing so the school wasn't separate from practice at Strong Memorial Hospital" and elsewhere in the community. The plan "put practice, research, education and leadership under one administrative head. So all of nursing was my responsibility."
As part of that, she was director of nursing at Strong as well as dean of the school.
Holiday and King, the widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., are among five women being honored posthumously. The others are St. Katharine Drexel, who dedicated her life and fortune to aid Native Americans and African-Americans and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament; Dorothy Harrison Eustis, co-founder of The Seeing Eye, the nation's first guide dog school; and Abby Kelley Foster, a major figure in the national anti-slavery and women's rights movements in the 1800s.
Other living inductees this year are Helen Murray Free, a chemist whose research revolutionized diagnostic testing; and Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially enter the Boston Marathon, the founder of the Avon International Running Circuit and an Emmy Award-winning television commentator.
Also Tuesday, the Hall of Fame launched its new website, greatwomen.org.
Includes reporting by staff writers Emily Shearing and Laura Nichols.

www.MastersDegree.com shares an article with Womensnet

2011-03-07T08:37:00.000-08:00

50 Fascinating Facts for Women’s History Month

March 3rd, 2011
History texts and classes are often dominated by male figures, yet women have played and continue to play a major role in the world's economy, politics, culture and discoveries and deserve their fair share of recognition as well. March is Women's History Month and there's no better time to celebrate their contributions. Here are some fascinating facts about women's history that will showcase some standouts, accomplishments, impacts and just how far they have come.
By the Numbers
Here you'll find some amazing stats about women in the world today.

Today, 71% of moms with kids under 18 work. In 1975, fewer than 47% did. Once upon a time, the idea of women working outside of the home was frowned upon and most women who did so worked as maids, seamstresses, took in laundry or worked in one of the traditionally female fields. Today, more women not only work outside the home, but hold a wider variety of jobs, with some even making it to the top of business, technology and science fields.
Women currently hold 17% of Congressional and Senate seats and 18% of gubernatorial positions in the U.S. While women are still underrepresented in political life, the current state of things is a far cry from a time when women weren't even allowed to vote — a mere 90 years ago.
In almost every country in the world, the life expectancy for women is higher than men. For virtually all causes of death at all ages, mortality rates are higher for men. Scientists aren't entirely sure why this is the case, but believe it might have to do with the presence of estrogen in the body improving immune function.
Approximately 14% of active members in the U.S. armed forces today are women. In 1950, women comprised less than 2% of the U.S. military. Today, women play an active role in serving their country through military service, but many in years past would simply disguise themselves as men in order to gain access to the battlefield, including well-known examples like Frances Clayton in the American Civil War.
Over 60 percent of college degrees awarded in the U.S. every year are earned by women. In fact, women are more likely than men to get a high school diploma as well, and the numbers are only expected to rise in the coming years.
The two highest IQs ever recorded, through standardized testing, both belong to women. One of these high IQ women is the columnist and author Marilyn vos Savant. Of course, these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, as IQ tests aren't perfect in measuring intelligence, but it does help show that women aren't inferior to men in intelligence – as was claimed for centuries.
More American women work in the education, health services, and social assistance industries than any other. It seems that while women are moving into the workforce in large numbers, they're still taking on traditionally female positions like teaching, nursing and social services. These three industries employ nearly one-third of all female workers.

Sports
Check out these facts to learn more about women in sports throughout recorded history.

No women or girls were allowed at the first Olympics, but the Games of Hera, featuring footraces for women, were held every four years. In fact, women were not even allowed to watch the Olympic games or encouraged to participate in athletics (with the exception of the Spartans) so that the games existed at all is surprising. At their inception, the games only included that one event.
At the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924, the only event open to women was figure skating. Only 15 women participated in these games, something that would change drastically over the decades.
Women were not allowed to compete in track and field events at the Olympics until 1928. The ancient Greeks and Romans may have let women run in footraces in the Heraen Games, but when it came to the Olympics, both ancient and modern, these events were off limits to women until 1928. Unfortunately, some of the events were too much for the untrained female athletes, and because many collapsed after the end of the 800-meter race, it was banned until 1960.
Roberta Gibb was the first woman to run and finish the Boston Marathon in 1966. Of course, she didn't get official credit for it, as women were not allowed to enter the race until 1972, but her wins, in '66, '67, and '68 seriously challenged long-held beliefs about the athletic prowess of women.
Virne "Jackie" Mitchell, a pitcher, was the first woman in professional baseball. While women still don't have much of a presence in baseball today, Mitchell proved that it wasn't because they couldn't play. During an exhibition game, she struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Her performance probably played a part in baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banning women from the sport later that year.
Mary, Queen of Scots is reported to be the first woman to play golf in Scotland. Golf today is still seen as a man's sport, but this powerful and scandalous queen couldn't have cared less. In fact, she even went out to play golf a few days after her husband Lord Darnley's murder.
Donald Walker's book, Exercise for Ladies, warns women against horseback riding, because it deforms the lower part of the body. While this book was published in 1837, the views it documented about women doing any kind of exertion or exercise were to hold throughout the Victorian era and beyond.

Culture
Learn more about the role women have played in art, music and literature from these facts.

The world's first novel, The Tale of Genji, was published in Japan around A.D. 1000 by female author Murasaki Shikibu. It is still revered today for its masterful observations about court life and has been translated into dozens of languages.
In 1921, American novelist Edith Wharton was the first woman to receive a Pulitzer Prize for fiction. She won the award for her novel The Age of Innocence, a story set in upper-class New York during the 1870s.
Women often wrote under pen names in times when it was not seen as appropriate for them to contribute to literature. Even some female authors who are highly acclaimed today had to resort to fake names like Jane Austen, the Bronte Sisters, Mary Ann Evans (perhaps better known by her pen name George Eliot), and Louisa May Alcott.
In the early years of the blues, from 1910 to 1925, the vast majority of singers were women. It might go against the common idea of just what the blues are or what they should sound like, but new research has found that some of the biggest players in the form of music were actually women.
In an era when female painters had to struggle for acceptance, Artemesia Gentileschi was the first female to be accepted by the Accademia di Arte del Disegno in Florence. A follower of the style popularized by Caravaggio, her work is often particularly adept at bringing to life the passion and suffering of mythological and biblical women.

Amazing Women
These amazing women make for some pretty inspiring facts, perfect for Women's History Month.

Marie Curie is the only woman to ever win two Nobel Prizes. Her first award was for physics for her work on spontaneous radiation with her husband, with her second being in Chemistry for her studies of radioactivity.
Hatshepsut was one of the most powerful women in the ancient world and the one and only female pharaoh in recorded history. She was the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt after taking over as a supposed regent for her son and reigned for over twenty years. While accounts seem to paint her reign as a favorable one, her images have been defaced on temples and inscriptions as though they meant to wipe her existence from history.
Queen Victoria ruled one of the largest empires in the history of the world, at one point controlling land on nearly every continent.This included countries like including India, Australia, Egypt, Kenya, Canada, and British Guiana promoting the saying that the sun never sets on the British empire.
Martha Wright Griffiths, an American lawyer and judge, pushed through the Sex Discrimination Act in 1964 as part of the Civil Rights Act. This act has helped protect countless women on the job and in everyday life from discrimination based on their gender.
Journalist Nellie Bly put Jules Verne's character Phileas Fogg to shame when she completed an around the world journey in only seventy two days– quite a feat before the invention of the airplane. Bly is also well-known for her expose on mental institutions, a project for which she had to fake psychological illness to gain access to the facilities.
Jane Addams was the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Because of her work with the Hull House, the public philosopher, writer, leader and suffragist went down as one of the most influential and prolific women in American history.
Upon her husband's death, Cherokee leader Nancy Ward took his place in a 1775 battle against the Creeks, and led the Cherokee to victory. After the victory, she became head of the Woman's Council and a member of the Council of Chiefs, playing a key role in social and political changes to the Cherokee nation throughout her life.
In 1777, sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington raced through the night to warn New York patriots that the British were attacking nearby Danbury, CT, where munitions and supplies for the entire region were stored during the heat of the Revolutionary War. While Paul Revere gets all the glory for nighttime rides, her journey took her twice the distance and helped the troops prepare and repel a British attack.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony spent their lives fighting for women's suffrage, but neither lived long enough to see the Amendment granting them the right to vote. Stanton passed away in 1902, decades before women finally won out, and Anthony in 1906 only a few years later.
African-American performer Josephine Baker was working in France during WWII, but not only as a singer, dancer and actress. She was also helping the war movement, smuggling numerous messages to French soldiers. She often hid messages inside her dress or concealed with invisible ink on her sheet music. Baker's work in the war is only part of what makes her such an amazing figure, as she was the first African American female to star in a major motion picture, perform in a concert hall and played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Famous Firsts
Paving the way for generations to come, these women took down barriers to become the first of their kind in a wide range of fields.

In 1853 Antoinette Blackwell became the first American woman to be ordained a minister in a recognized denomination. Impressive, considering there are still only a handful of female ministers nationwide today.
The earliest recorded female physician was Merit Ptah, a doctor in ancient Egypt who lived around 2700 B.C. Many historians believe she may be the first woman recorded by name in the history of all of the sciences, making her achievement all the more impressive.
The first woman to rule a country as an elected leader in the modern era was Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka, who was elected as prime minister of the island nation in 1960 and later re-elected in 1970. She is still one of only a handful of female heads of states, though numbers are growing with female leaders being recently elected in places like Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rice, Lithuania and Gabon.
In 1756, during America's Colonial period, Lydia Chapin Taft became the first woman to legally vote with the consent of the electorate. While all women didn't enjoy this privilege until 1920, Taft was allowed to vote because her husband, a powerful local figure, had passed away right before a major town vote. She was allowed to step in in his stead.
The first woman to run for U.S. president was Victoria Woodhull, who campaigned for the office in 1872 under the National Woman's Suffrage Association. While women would not be granted the right to vote by a constitutional amendment for nearly 50 years, there were no laws prohibiting one from running for the chief executive position.
The first female governor of a U.S. state was Wyoming governor Nellie Tayloe Ross, elected in 1924. Wyoming was also the first state to give women the right to vote, enacting women's suffrage in 1869, making it a surprising leader in women's rights.
The first female member of a president's cabinet was Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor under FDR. She remained in office for the duration of FDRs terms and helped put together the labor programs needed for the New Deal to succeed.
The first person to make the daring attempt to go over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel was a woman. On October 24, 1901, Annie Edson Taylor, a forty-three-year-old schoolteacher from Michigan plunged over the falls. She survived with only a small gash on her head, but swore to never take them on again.
Jeannette Rankin, a Republican from Montana, was the first woman elected to serve in Congress. She was elected in both 1916 and 1940. A lifelong pacifist, she was the only member of Congress to vote against entering WWII.
On May 15, 1809, Mary Dixon Kies received the first U.S. patent issued to a woman for inventing a process for weaving straw with silk or thread. Before then, most women inventors didn't bother to patent their new inventions because they couldn't legally own property independent of their husbands. Few could get the support necessary to turn their ideas into a reality.

Historical Happenings
Learn more about women in history from these interesting facts.

Wyoming was the first state to grant women the right to vote. It was also the first state to elect a female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross.
The first country to grant women the right to vote in the modern era was New Zealand in 1893. In this same year, Elizabeth Yates also become major of Onehunga, the first ever female mayor anywhere in the British empire.
In 1770, a bill proposing that women using makeup should be punished for witchcraft was put forward to the British Parliament. The use of makeup was frowned upon during this period for the effect it would have on men, and women who were thought to be luring men in with scents, makeup, wigs or other cosmetics were thought to be performing the devils' work by inciting lustfulness. Even the Queen took a hard stance on makeup, calling it "impolite."
On Nov. 26, 1916 birth control activist Margaret Sanger was arrested for distributing birth control information. While Sanger's views on race are questionable, her efforts to provide women with control over their reproduction were not. Birth control is still a hot issue among many, with some conservative groups condemning it altogether.
Think that factory work was always done by men? In fact, during the 19th century, factory workers were primarily young, single women. Men and married women stayed home to work the farm or manage the house.
Until 1846, the practice of obstetrics was a female-dominated field. It was then that most medical colleges decided women could not attend and the newly founded American Medical Association barred women. Legislation intended to regulate the medical profession also made it nearly impossible for young women to pursue a medical career. Today, however, obstetrics is a female-dominated field once again.
Betsy Ross probably didn't make the first American flag. While she may have been a flagmaker, patriot and businesswoman of note, there is little evidence to suggest that Betsy Ross actually made the first flag. In fact, the first retellings of this story didn't happen until years after her death.

Innovative Women
These women came up with new and innovative ideas well worth reading about.

In 1903, Mary Anderson was granted a patent for the windshield wiper. It would become standard equipment on cars by 1916. She isn't alone in her inventiveness. Women have also invented such things as industrial lathes, white out, bras, non-reflective glass, the dishwasher, disposable diapers, petroleum refining methods and much, much more.
Amelia Jenks Bloomer didn't invent the bloomer, but she helped popularize this new article of clothing in the early 1850's, which now bears her name, that would help women be more active and free in their movement. Unfortunately, the style was much ridiculed and Bloomer had to revert to traditional dresses by 1859, but she remained an active member of suffrage movements throughout her life.
40s movie actress, Hedy Lamarr wasn't just a pretty face, she was also an inventor. Hoping to find a way to contribute to the war effort during World War II, Lamarr developed a radio-controlled torpedo device which used "frequency hopping" to prevent the signals from the torpedoes from being jammed. While the technology wasn't adopted for WWII, it was used in subsequent conflicts.
Susan Kare developed most of the interface elements for Apple Macintosh. You might not think that women have played a huge role in the development of computer technology, but in this case you'd be wrong. Kare helped develop the bulk of those little icons early Mac users clicked on every day. Kare left Apple in the 80's, and is still working with innovating new technologies and improving design.