Women in Business, Jobs, Women Entrepreneurs, Women in the News: News On Women

Selena Rezvani Interviews Powerful Women to Find a Roadmap to the Top

Selena Rezvani works to propel more women into the top echelons of businesses. Selena wrote her debut book, The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won’t Learn in Business School (Praeger, 2009), while pursuing her MBA at Johns Hopkins University where she graduated first in her class! Selena has this to say about her book:

"As a first year MBA student and aspiring business leader, I saw a hole in the leadership development literature.  Being on the cusp of Generation X and Generation Y, I sought a roadmap that could tell me how someone of my specific age and experience level could move up in the business world.  I wanted to hear advice from women who had actually achieved leadership status, including “Don’t do this…,” “Make sure you do this,” “Skip wasting your time on that….”  Propelled to find answers to my questions, I interviewed thirty c-level women, including Melissa Monk, CIO at CapitalOne, Jamie McCourt, former President of the LA Dodgers, Mei Xu, CEO of Chesapeake Bay Candle, and Katharine Weymouth, CEO of The Washington Post.  The advice provided became the basis for my new book, The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won't Learn in Business School, which details the hardest-won lessons of women at the top in a candid and conversational style. The guidebook I wished I’d had when graduating with my MBA, the book provides tangible how-tos on navigating the workplace as a woman.  As the title of my book suggests, many of the topics I cover are ones that you don’t learn about in formal business preparation programs.  Too many people assume that if they’re technically competent, they have everything they need to succeed in the business world.  This is not true.  So much of one’s career trajectory is affected by the ability to influence, affect change, motivate others--even one’s level of likability.  The book provides the missing information, arming women with tools and insights covering all of these topics and more."

Read more about Selena's book on nextgenwomen.com.

Julie Greenwald of Atlantic Records Talks to Moira Forbes About Success.

Dana Perino helps Women get ahead with her Speed Mentoring Event

Dana Perino went outside the box with her fantastic "speed mentoring idea". Calling on the powerful women she knew, Dana organized an event where women could seek quick comments from experienced women who wanted to share their expertise. The women who provided the speed mentoring included Dee Dee Myers, former press secretary to President Bill Clinton, and Candy Crowley, CNN’s senior political correspondent. Read more about it in Mary Jordan's article in the Washington Post.

Is Access to Capital Really the Problem?

Access to Capital has long been a bottleneck for women entrepreneurs, but this hasn't stopped them. Ernst & Young recently released a report titled "Scaling up: why women-owned businesses can recharge the global economy", pointing out that women entrepreneurs are critical drivers of economic growth. With limited access to capital however, women entrepereneurs often have to seek new ways to grow their companies. Springboard Enterprises, through its programs connecting women to investors, and Count Me In, through its Make Mine a Million $ Business program, are two organizations that help women entrepreneurs grow their companies and improve their access to capital.

Finding a solution to grow can be an aha! moment. Such was the case for Lindsay Napor and her company, Ecological, which specializes in sustainable construction. Alison Gregor of  The New York Times tells Lindsay's story in her article, "A Cheap Nest For Fledgling Firms", about a business incubator in New York City that assists companies by providing cheap space in which the companies can operate. Lindsay heard about the cheap space at a Yankee game when an announcement said the City was looking for companies. In addition to cheap rents, local universities are involved so students get a chance to work at the companies, an added benefit for both the companies who get extra help and the students who get hands on experience.

In this time of tight money, women need to be  creative. We can learn from each other so tell us - how did you grow your company?

Fox News Meteorologist Janice Dean Shares Her Unique Outlook

Janice Dean, FOX News Channel Meteorologist, knows what she can control and what she can't. Janice hasn't always faced the uncertainties of the weather. Prior to joining FNC, Janice was News Editor and Entertainment Reporter for WFAN-New York and simulcast nationally on MSNBC. Her varied experiences have given her a unique perspective, and she shared some of that with us:

1. How did you get interested in Meteorology?
"I always enjoyed science and math class as a kid – finding out how things work, and problem solving.  I have to admit when I was in high school it wasn’t very “cool” for girls to excel in these subjects, so I kind of purposely lost interest and instead  gravitated towards English and Drama which I found fun and easy, and eventually went the route of journalism out of high school. I studied radio television broadcasting in college thinking that I wanted to be a reporter of some sort. My first job out of college was a community events reporter, and once I did that for a few months, I was asked to fill in as a local weather anchor in my hometown. It was my first television job out of school, and I enjoyed it because I was able to be outside at different community events and give the weather around the city. Weather reporting was different from regular reporting because you could have a personality, interact with people out in the field and have fun at what you were doing. I always understood the basics of weather, but I realized if I was going to do it as a career, I needed to really study the “science” behind the forecast.  When I was hired at Fox as the daytime weather anchor, I decided it was time to get back to school, and get back to the books. There was a big part of me that was so happy I found my “inner” science and math geek that I thought I had lost all those years ago!" 
 
2. What challenges have you faced in the field?  
 "On the job, because I do national weather, my job is a little easier than the local weather anchors. I hear many stories about local weather folks getting angry emails when they don’t get that 5 day forecast right. I’ve had a few people ask me to forecast their outdoor events and weddings, and I always remind them a lot can change when it comes to the weather forecast a few days out!  The biggest weather story I’ve covered was Hurricane Katrina, and the biggest challenge during that story was trying to remain calm and focused while I knew this hurricane could cause so much devastation before it made landfall. My emotions did come to the surface a few times when I was on the air and seeing those pictures when the levees broke. It was hard to hold it together, and at times I had to gulp down tears while on the air. Those images are seared in my memory forever."
 
3. What advice would you give to other women about getting ahead in their careers?
 "I would say always be open to challenges. You never know where your career is going to take you, and never close the door on any opportunities that come your way. Once you find your “niche”, do your best to learn as much as possible about what you’re doing, and always set goals for yourself. That old saying “you’re never too old to learn” is so true, and I find you learn so much about yourself when you’re trying new things! Be the best that you can be, and try to surround yourself with positive people who encourage your dreams and aspirations. Having a sunny outlook on life will always get you through those days when the clouds roll in!"

Read more from Janice on her blog at foxnews.com. 

The Founder Institute to Hold Sessions in Seattle for Entrepreneurs

Founderwise will partner with The Founder Institute to run a four-month business incubator session for entrepreneurs in Seattle beginning Monday, Dec. 7, 2009.  Focused on creating the next generation of CEOs and open to both new and seasoned entrepreneurs, the company-building sessions will be guided by experienced CEOs and held one evening a week. CEO Mentors in Seattle will include Derrick Morton, CEO of FlowPlay, Bryan Starbuck, CEO of TalentSpring, David Kidder, CEO of Clickable.com, and Bryan Thatcher, CEO of Empressr. Chris Early, a  Seattle-based entrepreneur and former Microsoft Exec who started Founderwise, will be heading up the project. Read more about how to apply for the Seattle incubator sessions on FounderInstitute.com.

The  Bay Area California Founder Institute session which finished in September 2009 resulted in 54 companies being founded by 66 of its graduates. Almost 15% of these graduates were women.

Liz Claman of Fox Business Keeps her Eye on the Dow

Liz Claman, one of the top women anchors at Fox Business Network, keeps her eye on the Dow and how the market moves above and below Dow 10,000. The economic crisis of the past year has made us all sensitive to the direction of the Dow! Liz answered these questions for me about Dow 10,000 and what it means for women and the economy:

1. Why do you feel watching Dow 10,000 is important?
"Watching for Dow 10k is only important in that it’s a psychological sign post along the road to investing. We’ve been there before, and much higher (!) so from a purely fundamental standpoint, it’s not the most important benchmark for investors.  But it does indicate more positive sentiment among investors and traders… just watch out, because the herd tends to shift direction quickly and you don’t want to get stampeded!"
 
2. How has the economic crisis over the past year and the swings in the Dow made your job harder?
"The economic crisis has made our job more challenging in that we absolutely must be up to date on the latest information to keep investors and viewers informed. Economic data pieces are now more important than ever: Is inflation rearing its head? Is the unemployment rate going to go much higher? How’s consumer sentiment? All these things change from month to month and they all can affect the markets. It’s our job to distill information as it comes in and try to interpret it for the viewer/investor.  The onus is also on us here at Fox Business to get differing opinions. If 12 people come on to say you’ve got to be full invested in U.S. equities, we try to find someone with a great track record who says, “No way. Go for foreign currencies” or whatever has brought them success.  You run into trouble when you let the cheerleaders take over without casting a critical eye.  That’s how bubbles form."
 
4. How do you think women can take advantage of the improvements in the economy and the Dow?
"Women tend to be very creative and persistent: two highly important qualities when it comes to starting businesses. Some of the greatest businesses of all time---Fedex, GE, Hewlett Packard---were founded during recessions or the Depression. Women can take advantage of this unstable atmosphere by entering areas that were previously more difficult. There are a lot of opportunities to take out loans to start women-owned businesses. There are all kinds of breaks out there but, like scholarships, you have to seek them out."

Omgeo CEO Marianne Brown Talks About Risk

Marianne Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer of Omgeo, took part in a panel discussion at TheGlassHammer's "Women on the Buy Side" networking event last month where women in investment management gathered to listen. Marianne's remarks on operational risk were important, and I asked her to expand on a few points. Here is what Marianne had to say in response to my questions:

1. What aspects of risk management are particularly important today?
"One of the positive impacts of the crisis we’ve seen is greater collaboration amongst counterparties: There is marked behavior shift toward greater cooperation to identify and mitigate real and perceived risks early on in the trade lifecycle."
 
2. How do you think the markets have changed over the past year?
"Today there is absolutely more due diligence being conducted in terms of operations. Over the past couple of years, the world of operations has certainly come to a point where its relevance and the role of ops professionals is more enhanced. The ability of the operations function to both see and mitigate risk early on has dramatically increased. The industry is responding by increasing the investment in risk management capabilities."
 
3. What opportunities/challenges do these changes present for women?
"Opportunities and challenges do exist in the marketplace. Operations has traditionally not represented the demographics of society, but today there is an opportunity for diversity, coupled with an urgent business need. For women considering this void that can be filled, opportunities abound."
 
4. What kind of career opportunities do you see in your industry for women?
"The field of operations is screaming with opportunity for women, both at the entry level and for women who are reengaging after being out of the work force for any given time."
 
5. Any advice to women starting out?
"It’s all about objective results. Women need to make sure to define and deliver against their unique value proposition and to express and measure their value in objective business terms."
 
"It is also absolutely critical to ask questions. I can remember a time early in my career when I was tasked with writing up minutes for a meeting. The discussion went from A to B to C to E. I was petrified to speak up to get clarification on the missing part D, but realized I couldn’t complete my job without doing so. It turns out, no one else understood either, so my asking clarified things for everyone."

Read more about the "Women on the Buy Side" networking seminar on theglasshammer.com.

Sramana Mitra Gives Expert Advice on Positioning Your Company

Sramana Mitra, a Technology Entrepreneur and Strategy Consultant who holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, has just released her next book, "Positioning: How To Test,Validate, and Bring Your Idea To market". This is part of her Entrepreneur Journeys series, an amazing set of books for anyone interested in having their own business. "Positioning" is a great conversation between Sramana and a number of Entrepreneurial Executives who take the time to share stories of how they got started as well as how they are "positioning" their current ventures. I am sure you have heard of some of the companies, but Sramana brings us new insight and converts their experiences into roadmaps for the rest of us. I learned a lot about really focusing on not only who my competition is, but also who my competition should be! In addition to the book, Sramana holds positioning roundtables online where participants can learn more about strategy and entrepreneurship. You can also hear more from her on her blog, SramanaMitra.com.

Leah Brown and Molly Fuller Run with their Own Businesses in the Make Mine a Million $ Business Race

The Make Mine a Million $ Business Race sponsored by "Count Me In" and American Express OPEN is in full swing and the business women in the Race are working hard to succeed in this difficult economy.

Molly Fuller (pictured left), President of Hands on Gourmet, started her business because she wanted to make money and work for herself, and experience what is was like to run a company.  In part, this inspiration came from working at start-up. The idea of being the creator and the visionary of her own company was very exciting.  The other part of the story is, as she was talking with her father about what was going on at the start-up, he said, “if you’re going to work so hard, work for yourself...”  She took that advice to heart.

“The M3 Race has helped me focus on my vision and the big picture," says Molly.  "This year our revenues are shrinking, however, I am very optimistic about what I have learned in this environment, which will drive business growth.  And I am very optimistic about the opportunities that this environment has created. My advice to women looking to start their own business is to go for it.  You don’t need to have all the details in order to start.  Starting is the most important detail.”

 

A10 Clinical Solutions, Inc. (A10) was founded by Leah Brown (pictured left), a 2007 awardee of Make Mine a Million $ Business, who launched her business as a by-product of her grieving process over the unexpected death of a close relative stricken by HIV/AIDS. The initial focus of A10’s services was to help clients get life-saving, innovative, investigational drugs to market faster and safer by managing critical clinical trials. But through the support of Make Mine a Million and OPEN by American Express (OPEN), she was able to roll out several others successful divisions including A10 Clinical Research, A10 Clinical Care, A10 Clinical Government, A10 Clinical Career Coaching, and A10 Clinical International and now operates in 28 different states. Leah admits that she couldn’t have built this highly successful multi-million dollar healthcare enterprise without the business coach provided by M3 and the financial health assessment and line of credit provided by OPEN. “M3 and OPEN became an extension of my staff.  They were there when I got stuck on a problem and “freed” me by providing excellent tools and sound advice.  The race helps me track my progress and most importantly, inspired me to uncover other revenue sources for optimal diversification of the company’s services and increase revenues from a myriad of channels.”

Chandra Clarke of Scribendi.com on Life as an Entrepreneur

Chandra Clarke is the Founder, Co-owner, and President of Scribendi.com, an online English-language editing and proofreading company. Chandra founded Scribendi.com in 1997 after encountering error-laden press releases as a newspaper journalist and editor. A pioneer in the male-dominated field of computer programming, Chandra developed and implemented Scribendi.com’s original proprietary backend workflow system. A self-professed “robot geek,” Chandra loves technology, science, and knowledge acquisition. She graduated with honors from Athabasca University with a double major in English and Psychology and also holds an MSc in Space Exploration Studies from the University of North Dakota. Chandra, who is launching a new website today for Scribendi.com, has this to say about running your own business:

“I’ve learned many things as an entrepreneur. For example, being a business owner is much harder than it looks, in terms of how all-consuming it can be. Not only are there always a million things to do right now, but there are at least a million things to think about doing in the near and distant future. It’s hard to get away from it sometimes—and that’s the other thing I’ve learned. You have to get away from it on a regular basis. It is all too easy to get into that 70+ hours a week habit, but at a certain point you start getting an exponentially diminishing return from that time. Sometimes it’s just better to down tools and go home to do something completely unrelated, rather than push hard all the time.” 

“One good way to do that is to invest some of your time in making sure you’ve got the right people on board. The right person for a position might not necessarily be the one with all the credentials either. If you don’t have the right fit in terms of personality, job requirements, and company culture, it won’t matter what knowledge and skills training they’ve got on their resume. Get the right person in the job though, and you’ll be able to delegate more often and with more confidence.” 

"Native New Yorker" CEO Jami Lee Talks Family Business

Jami Lee, CEO of Native New Yorker, an Arizona restaurant chain famous for its New York style Buffalo wings, inherited the job from her father. Jami assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer at Native New Yorker Restaurants in July 2008. She has spent her entire career working alongside her sisters to build the company her parents founded in 1979 from a single restaurant into a successful franchise business with 24 locations. Jami, a mother of three, continues the tradition of growing the company and tells us what it's like to be in her position:

"At just eight years old, I would often climb atop a stool to scrub pots and pans in the kitchen of my parents’ small Arizona restaurant. Today, I’m privileged to be at the helm of the fast-growing restaurant franchise that has sprung from that single eatery to serve as a legacy to the memory of my father who moved his family out west to chase a dream.

In the wake of the Blizzard of 1977, Floyd and Judy Anderson packed their four young daughters into the car and headed west from their native Buffalo, New York to Phoenix to begin a new life in Valley of the Sun. Determined to make it in the restaurant business, they remained undeterred even when their first tiny Italian shop consistently failed to earn more than $60 a night. On a wing and a prayer – literally – my mother bought some chicken wings to try out a local favorite from their native Buffalo on the few patrons they had left. Thirty years later, Native New Yorker has become an icon in the Phoenix metro area, known for the best New York-style Buffalo chicken wings west of New York. With 24 locations throughout the area, our restaurants have consistently earned the coveted title of the Best Wings in Phoenix for 30 years in a row.  

While my family is blessed to have each other for support (all three of my sisters also work for the company), the path has not always been easy. The poor economy has taken a toll on every business over the past 18 months. However, since stepping into the role of CEO in July 2008, I’ve come to realize that the challenges we face today are not unlike those my parents endured when they launched this business in 1979. They overcame financial hardships and slumping sales, but worked very hard to deliver the best food at reasonable prices with outstanding service – despite their difficulties. As we continue that legacy, it excites me to visit our restaurants and see them full – and know that my family worked hard to create this environment where families can enjoy great food together.  

With my father’s passing in January, it’s been an emotional experience for me to take the reins of a company he’d built from the ground up. But like the example he set for us, I’ve learned that the challenges we face today will only make us better and stronger as we look toward the future." 

Bibby's Best Advice on How to Get Ahead

Bibby Gignilliat transformed a career in Marketing at Williams Sonoma Inc. into an exciting career in professional cooking. Bibby is the Founder of Parties that Cook, a company that runs hands-on cooking class parties and corporate team bulding events. Bibby shares her story with us to help us achieve success:

"It’s inevitable: a new entrepreneur starting a business is bound to make a mistake or two along the way. If you let them, mistakes can hamper your goals and make you less confident in the task you set out to do. It’s important to realize, however, that mistakes often provide the greatest lessons, and getting through the biggies can make you feel like you can conquer any obstacle in your way. In my own career, I made three key mistakes that strengthened my resolve and my business savvy, and helped to make Parties that Cook what it is today.

Mistake #1: When I first started my business in 1999, my partner and I were the only local company hosting culinary team building events and in-home cooking parties. We started landing clients immediately, and we began to get a little cocky about our popularity and our skills. As we both worked out of our homes, we decided against a dedicated business line that neither of us wanted to answer, and we relied on voicemail to take messages from potential clients. We responded to messages, but it wasn’t right that second. Then competitors entered the fray, and they answered each and every call personally, immediately. We quickly began losing out on business, and the first crucial lesson was apparent: If you don’t take care of your customers, someone else will. One of the key ingredients to Parties that Cook’s success is that we provide the best in customer service. We strive to give our clients more than they expect, and our clients notice because plenty of companies don’t go the extra mile. 

Mistake #2: Starting a new business is uncharted territory, and I doubted that I could make it alone. In an ideal partnership situation, you outline priorities, objectives and business roles up front. Unfortunately, my partner and I didn’t outline anything – we were friends, and didn’t believe we needed an agreement. Although we had complimentary skill-sets, the business was my livelihood and her hobby. Over the next 5 years, I spent more time managing my relationship with my partner than I did managing the business. Business relationships can be like a marriage – they take work, even more so if you are don’t see eye to eye on the direction and success of the company. It was clear that the relationship wasn’t working, and we eventually dissolved the business. But I learned that I could manage, even thrive, on my own. I didn’t need a partner to be successful – and I re-launched Parties that Cook soon after. Once I finally believed in myself, went out on my own, hired great contractors and employees and focused fully on managing my business vs. a demanding partnership, the business flourished. 

Mistake #3: Every bump in the road is an opportunity. Unfortunately, as the economy started to falter last fall, instead of being proactive and adapting, I ignored the warning signs and went on with business as usual. I didn’t want to face reality – I was fearful of making tough decisions, I didn’t want to lay anyone off and I wasn’t sure the best route for cutting costs. I took the long road to taking the necessary steps, even as my bank account dwindled and my loan application was denied. We needed to be strategic to keep the business afloat, and we needed to reinvent ourselves a bit to find every last source of revenue available. To better adapt to the changing climate, Parties that Cook began hosting cooking classes that were open to the public, and we developed a low-priced cooking party option to meet our customer’s dwindling budgets.  Instead of the status quo, we negotiated reduced rates with our vendors including our landlord, and our staff graciously took pay reductions to help us get through the hard times. However, I learned that you cannot rest on your laurels, regardless of the situation. Tough times are an opportunity to focus on priorities, to be creative, and to streamline business operations.

If I knew 10 years ago what I know now, I could have avoided a lot of mistakes.  But I believe the only real mistakes are the ones we don’t learn from.  James Joyce was right. “Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” Embrace your mistakes -- when you fail, you practice success."

Bibby is the Author of the cookbook, Sumptuous Small Plates: 30 Recipes for Deliciously Fun Entertaining. She was named 2008 Small Business Owner of the Year by San Francisco's Small Business Network (SBN) and recently awarded the 2009 NAWBO Rising Star Award. 

Bonnie Marcus and Garnett Newcombe Out Front in the "Make Mine a Million $ Business" Race

The "Million Dollar Mindset" is the goal of the Make Mine a Million $ Business Race. Sponsored by the Count Me In Organization and American Express Open, it has helped women all over the country build their companies and reach the million dollar sales mark.

One of the Million $ Race particpants is Bonnie Marcus. In 2002 Bonnie Marcus started the Bonnie Marcus Collection “where fashion meets paper” from her kitchen table in Westport, Connecticut. While most moms-to-be sit back and relax during their third trimester, Bonnie ambitiously set  out to start her own business! As a wedding planner and Director of Special Events at the 92^nd Street Y in New York City, Bonnie was very familiar with the party industry and always knew that there was a lack of stylish invitations available for weddings and other special events.  Her company was an immediate success, with features in “O” The Oprah Magazine and New York Magazine as a “Best Bet” soon after launching. In 2006, Bonnie won the Make Mine a Million Dollar Business contest which catapulted her business to the next level!  In 2007, Bonnie took her business to the million dollar mark, with the help of the coaching and confidence from being affiliated with the contest and a large group of other successful women entrepreneurs.  Today Bonnie not only manufacturers stylish stationery sold in major retail stores, she also licenses her designs to companies like Kodak, and you could find her award winning illustrations on everything from fabulous flip flops to beautiful beach bags.

Another success story for the Million $ Race is Dr. Garnett Newcombe, although it took her several years to create a multi-million dollar business. She started Human Potential Consultants (HPC) with partner Joyce Keener to help displaced individuals out of work for long periods with additional employment training and support, to get them back to work. But after years of working 14 hour days, she reluctantly signed up and won the Make Mine a Million $ Business Race in 2006.  “I was doing everything, because I thought no one else could do the work better than I could” says Newcombe. But a business coach provided as an award recipient helped her to see the importance of delegating tasks to staff and focusing on the bigger picture as a CEO. “I learned how to change my mindset” says Newcombe. A line of credit was also awarded by American Express OPEN which allowed her to hire more staff and focus on getting more customers.

HPC (looks like a great group!) provides staffing for various federal, state and local government agencies. Even in today’s environment, HPC is steadily gaining new contracts and will increase 125 staff members to 150 by year end because Garnett understands her customer needs, advice she always shares with other women business owners. “Identifying the agencies which could use our services was very important” says Newcombe. She also has numerous certifications after narrowing down which list of agencies to approach. Dr. Newcombe emphasizes the importance of listening to potential customers' structure and concerns, then matching services to their areas of need.

I love the lessons I learned from reading about these terrific women - don't wait for the perfect moment, surround yourself with others who can help, delegate when you can, keep your eye on the big picture, and listen to your customers! Best of luck to all the women in the Make Mine a Million $ Business Race!!

Rebecca Thorman talks about Alice.com

Rebecca Thorman works in marketing and social media at the start-up company Alice.com in Madison, Wisconsin. Alice.com is a new venture that provides a way to manage all of your household essentials online. Since we all can't have a housekeeper like Alice on the Brady Bunch, maybe Alice.com can do the trick to help us save time and money.  Rebecca answered some questions for me about Alice:

1. Whose idea was Alice.com and how did it get started?

"Our co-founders Brian Wiegand and Mark McGuire have an entrepreneur track record that includes three previous start-up successes, the most recent being Jellyfish.com which sold to Microsoft and formed part of the basis for Bing. They left Microsoft about a year ago, and at the time, they set out to answer one question: 'Why doesn’t anyone buy toilet paper online?' The question was a metaphor for the larger challenge of how to get the mainstream consumer to buy Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)—non-perishable stuff like toilet paper, toothpaste, laundry detergent, and diapers—on the Internet."

2. What are the challenges you faced in starting a website like this?

"There are three main reasons why consumers choose to continue to drive to the store to buy things like toilet paper and trash bags: a.) Shipping Fees. Paying for shipping sucks, and most online shoppers just can’t stomach the thought of paying $6 in online shipping fees for a $3 tube of toothpaste; b.) Competitive Pricing. Try buying things like shampoo and conditioner online today and you’ll often pay anywhere from 20% to 40% more than you do at traditional mass retailers; c.) Online is Too Late. Lots of people buy household essentials when they run out, at which point online purchases aren’t really an option. For Alice to be successful, we needed to address all those issues and decided that we would build a service that always had free shipping, competitive prices, and a Netflix-like reordering queue that made it easy to plan ahead."

3. Who do you see as your competition?

"Other online places like Drugstore.com, Amazon.com, Diapers.com, Peapod, Walgreens.com, etc."

4. What advice do you have for women who want to start their own ventures?

"Show up. I used to run an organization that helped young entrepreneurs and the meetings and events would be extremeley well-attended... by men. I knew there were so many women entrepreneurs, but they rarely showed up to such opportunities losing valuable networking opportunities, resources, etc. I love the organizations that are focused on women helping women, but you have to network with men too if you want wide-spread success. It's just the nature of the game."

5. What it's like for a woman to work at a startup?

"Working at a start-up has a completely different culture than many workplaces. My experience has been that everyone's ideas are valued and there is much more of an equal playing field no matter your gender, years of experience, etc. The fast pace and goal-oriented approach means that we all lean on each other to create a successful company, and while there certiainly is very strong and inspirational leadership, it definitely feels like a team working together."

 6. How can alice.com save time and money for women executives?

"Alice is great for busy professionals and busy moms. It's such a hassle to buy things at the store - at least for me - especially when you buy the same things repeatedly in a chore-like fashion. Don't get me wrong, I love to shop, but for things like clothes or a new iPod. Alice makes it fun and easy to shop for things like toilet paper. We remind you when you're running low, provide free shipping, great prices and find and automatically apply coupons. Basically, we take all of the chore out of it for you so that you just have a box show up at your door with the things you need right when you need them."

Thanks Rebecca! Rebecca has a personal blog which has been featured in several media outlets including the New York Times. Her favorite brand of toilet paper is Cottonelle.

Social Media a Passion for Denise Smith

The importance of social media just keeps growing.  Denise Smith is passionate about the topic. Denise is the founder of Chicks who Click, a social media conference for women, as well as the woman responsible for launching the Event Practice at Metzger Associates in Boulder, CO.  Denise has been a force in the events industry for 15 years. Here's what Denise has to say about her venture:

"Chicks who Click, was launched in Boulder, Colorado in January 2009.  This conference was created by women for women who are achieving new heights in social media; to connect with like-minded women and stay connected through social media.  We wanted to create a conference that encouraged the conversation, to bring women together in all fields to talk about how they were using social media if different practice areas.  Chicks has been a great forum to connect these women to create, connect and collaborate in this space.  We are combining local and national speakers across the country who are educating and encouraging women in social media.

When launching Chicks, I knew I could combine my personality traits to create something fantastic, I had the passion, vision, and the energy!  I am passionate about social media and how it is impacting communication, I am a connector of people, I love the community of women it has inspired and the conversation it has created.  I built the structure, but it would not be standing without the amazing women it houses."

When asked about getting ahead, Denise had this to say:

"I think if you are trying to get ahead in your field, any field, read, absorb, listen, be part of the conversation and your community.  Join a group of like-minded women to know what is happening and stay as connected as possible.  Don't be afraid to take some chances, you might fail, but you just never know when you will succeed!"

Shibani Joshi asks Women in Business to Plan for the Future

As a Reporter for the Fox Business Network, Shibani Joshi has seen first hand the ups and downs of today's economic turmoil. Shibani, who started her career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley and who holds an MBA from Harvard, is well aware of the challeneges we all face. Her advice? - Review your finances and plan for the future!

Here's what Shibani has to say:

"With hardships come opportunities. We are seeing the financial markets start to turn from a turbulent place to a place where people are starting to dip their toes into it with some money because they see opportunities over the long term. Everything that has happened in the last year has brought money and economic issues to the forefront of Americans’ minds.  The markets performance, while turbulent, empowered me, personally, to retake control of my finances.  Even with my MBA and having worked in finance for many years, I wasn’t actively managing my money in a manner as disciplined as I would have liked. Basically my investment plan was on cruise control. Cruise control doesn’t work on a rollercoaster ride. Many of us, especially women, were forced to finally look under our hood and confront our finances, some for the first time."
 
"The fantastic opportunity we have as women right now is the chance to take control of our finances. This is not something that should be saved for the fellas. This is the time to ask the questions you may have been embarrassed to ask. Today is a great day to look at your mortgage rates, credit card balances, 401k contributions and figure out where you want to be, financially, in 5 years. There is no better time to walk into a financial planner’s office and say: “where do I go from here?” Look at what you spend. Do some soul and sole searching (if you’re a shoe lover, like me) – after examining your expenses, figure out what you can live without like, perhaps, an extra pair of Jimmy Choos this month. Save vigorously and spend conservatively. There is no excuse for not knowing what is going on in your financial house. It may feel daunting or, worse yet, scary to face your financial obligations, but everyone is cleaning house right now and you should be too. If you do the hard work now, you’ll be able to reap the rewards in the years to come. That’s when you will see your investment accounts sprout healthy returns because of your careful seed-planting today."

Kara Goldin, Entrepreneur and Mother of Four, Helps Us Drink to Our Health

Entrepreneur Kara Goldin, Founder of HINT Essence Water and a mom of four who found success in a highly competitive industry, offered to answer our questions on how to create that business that so many people are scared to start. As a former AOL Exec, Kara (pictured with her daughter) has an extraordinary track record. As VP of Shopping and E-commerce, Kara grew AOL’s shopping business from startup to more than $1 billion in revenue in less than seven years.  Now her company, HINT, all natural essence waters with no sweeteners and nothing artificial that began as a small start-up, is a multi-million dollar international success with distribution in Whole Foods, Stop & Shop and www.drinkhint.com.

Here's what Kara had to say:

Where did the idea to start "Hint" Essence Water come from?

I was working as an AOL marketing executive when one day I asked my daughter what she wanted to drink and she went for a sugary beverage and I asked her to pick again. This time she went for my drink which was water with a slice of lemon. That’s when I realized that there were no truly healthy beverages for my kids to drink and that triggered me to start HINT Water, all natural water with no calories, sugar and just a hint of flavor.

What experience did you have in starting a company?

Starting a company was something I always wanted to do but the timing was never right. I took a lot of time and did research on the industry and the potential competitors. Once I had a concept, I started on a small scale, I had my friends try HINT and give me their honest feedback. When we had the final product we went to the stores and sold our ideas and our products and never turned back.

What challenges did you face in such a competitive industry and how did you overcome them?

We knew we had a lot of competition and we would be going up against the big hitters but we knew we had a great product with a great message. A product that was truly healthy and enjoyable for the whole family was truly a void in the industry so we filled it. That’s a big part of succeeding is finding that one thing that is missing and making it work. A challenge we faced when getting out of the shadow of the energy drinks and sodas on the market and finding our own space and so far we are on the right path.

How are you dealing with this difficult economic environment?

It really comes down to smart business decisions. We hired very knowledgeable people to help us build our business. Another huge part of succeeding during a recession is to have great distribution. HINT is available in Whole Foods among other retailers, but Whole Foods is the place to be for healthy and nutritious products which is right in line with our belief that HINT is at the heart of a healthy lifestyle.

Additionally, brand awareness becomes a huge factor in success during a recession. HINT just partnered with Women’s Professional Soccer to become the official water sponsor of the inaugural season. This brings HINT Water to a brand new audience that we have been working to reach. The more consumer groups you can reach the more successful your business will become.

What do you feel are the keys to starting a successful business?  

It’s all about time management. We hear it all the time, but it really is true. Keeping a tight schedule is the best way to manage both a budding business and family. Of course, there will always be unexpected occasions but as long as you have a schedule and list of what needs to be done, it will make it all that much easier.

Also, work with people you trust! You have to be able to step away from the business at one point and trust that things will run smoothly without you. My business is extremely important to me, but my family will always take first priority and I have to feel that if I have my daughters play at school, that I can go to it without worrying.

How do you balance work and family?  

A lot of it comes down to time management but also setting your priorities. I make it a point to eat dinner with my family every night and try not to miss important occasions at school and home. While this is an incredibly hard time to run a business and you need to be completely involved, it is important to take a step back and realize that there are other things going on around you.

Any advice for the rest of us?  

Take one thing at a time! There is always so much going on including business and family that you really have to make sure that you are thinking about each decision you are making.

 

Entrepreneur Elizabeth Grace Saunders Warns Against BurnOut

Elizabeth Grace Saunders embodies everything great about being a young entrepreneur. She found her calling a year out of college, writing entrepreneurship columns, magazine articles, marketing materials, and ghostwriting books for clients from Miami to Seattle.  Over 45 different publications feature her work. Elizabeth gives us this advice about how to build a business without burning out: 

"As a young female entrepreneur who has run a writing business, Grace Communications Inc, for 3 1/2 years and started a time management coaching company in 2007, RealLifeE, I understand the challenges of balancing multiple items on the “work” side of the equation.

Here are some of my tricks for building businesses without burning out:

    * Identify Income Sources: Have a clear picture of what activity generates income and spend the majority of your time on it. Also look for ways to generate passive income streams and/or increase your hourly rate.

    * Focus Business Development: Think carefully about what activities actually lead to income: is it networking at a young professionals event or at industry conferences, is it making cold calls or writing blog posts? If you’re pressed for time, only do the ones that bring results and limit your time doing these activities.

    * Say No (nicely): If someone asks you to do something that 1) Doesn’t generate income, 2) Doesn’t develop your business, and/or 3) Doesn’t interest you, tell them: “I really appreciate the offer, but right now I’m afraid it won’t fit in my schedule.”

    * Organize Your Responsibilities: The key to avoiding overcommitment is to have absolute clarity on your commitments and how you will keep them. This means having a calendar, a list of projects ordered by deadline, and written business development goals. It’s good to have quarterly, monthly, and weekly reviews, but I find nothing trumps reviewing these documents each morning. This allows me to set and adapt my daily priorities in light of the current situation.

I am PASSIONATE about empowering entrepreneurs to build businesses without burning out and am REALLY excited about unveiling a home study course on this topic this summer (All of the secrets of my coaching process in an easy-to-use guide!)"

Shari Gunn Gives Us Her List for Getting Ahead

Shari Gunn, Vice President of Advertising and Business Development at the social shopping community Kaboodle, advises us to be ready for the unexpected career opportunity. Shari, whose job is to develop media programs and partnerships connecting advertisers with the Kaboodle community and before Kaboodle was the Director of Marketing for Hearst Digital Media in New York, thinks we should all be ready to connect when the chance appears. Here's what she has to say about getting ahead:

"A lot of professionals have mapped out their five, ten and even fifteen year career goals and objectives, but for better or for worse, I have always maintained a much more fluid approach to my career.  When it comes to everyday planning and organization at work, I’m a stickler for details, timelines, deliverables and results.  But as far as the big picture goes, I can’t say that I always apply the same philosophy.  Other than a very purposeful decision to pursue my MBA (and at a very specific time), my career track has been extremely eventful and unpredictable.  And, as a result, incredibly rewarding.   
If you asked me a year ago I never would have foreseen that I would be living in the San Francisco Bay Area helping shape the future of Kaboodle, a leading Web 2.0 company.  My life was great living in Manhattan having been recruited by one of the country’s largest and most respected media organizations, but I made the change and packed my bags for the left coast. And even before that, I didn’t really plan on being the co-founder of a dot-com (round one, pre-bubble), move to Los Angeles, and join another large media company during some of its more transformational years.  Nope, I didn’t strategize about these specific career and geographic changes, nor did I plan them.   
Instead, I’ve often managed to position myself to take advantage of good opportunities as they have arisen.  Or I’ve been able to massage situations in order to create the opportunity that I was really looking for. This is not to say that I claim some sort of infallible and divine inspiration in every decision involving my career nor that every single decision has been perfect, but I can say that the balance is in favor of having many more positive experiences than not.   
I have had a number of rewarding, challenging and exhilarating professional experiences and now I’ve also lived in three of this country’s most diverse and fascinating urban areas.  (My family has long since resigned themselves to “penciling in” my details in their address books.) As I think about the progression of my career and the path I’ve been on, there are a few key lessons that I’ve picked up (and am finally able to articulate!) along the way:

• Trust your instincts.  It’s easy to let your instincts and judgment get clouded by those who claim to know more and to know it better.  It’s valuable to seek advice from those whose opinions you value, but ultimately, the decision is yours.  I feel like I know in my gut what’s right for me. 
• Don’t be afraid to deviate from The Plan.  Some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had (both professionally and personally) have come about when I least expected them and when I deviated from the path that I “should” have been on.
• Find a niche and fill it.  Is there a void in your department, division or firm?  Work that’s not currently being done for whatever reason?   Finding a way to fill that void can create a learning experience for you and value for your company or clients.  And who knows, maybe the unmet need you have identified is a whole business on its own! 
• Be open to opportunities.  If something interesting comes up that was NOT on The Plan, don’t necessarily dismiss it immediately.  Give it some thought.  I thought “I’m not moving to Manhattan NOW, it’s too late!”  And then 3 months later I was snug in an apartment on the Upper West Side.  

It’s not just about being in the right place at the right time; more importantly, it’s about recognizing and giving consideration to situations as they arise.  Stop and listen to your gut, take a chance, you never know where it might lead you."