9/17/2007

If you're a reader of Michelle Anton's Weekend Entrepreneur blog, you won't want to miss her speaking at the Head to Toe Women's Expo on Saturday, September 30 at 3:00 p.m. at the Orange County Fair and Exposition Center in Orange County, California. Anton, a former producer for Dr. Laura Schlessinger and author of Weekend Entrepreneur 101: Great Ways to Earn Extra Cash, will join more than 250 exhibitors demonstrating the latest trends in hair and fashion, in addition to cooking demos by Discovery Network's Chef Marcela. Tickets are available at the door for $8 and parking is free. For more information about the event, visit www.headtotoewomensexpo.com.

9/12/2007

For some people, it takes years, possibly even decades until their entrepreneurial dreams become reality. But for entrants of the Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program, many of their dreams have been realized before their 18th birthdays. The contest, sponsored by the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, recognizes teenage girls exemplifying exceptional entrepreneurship. To kick off the eighth annual program, Guardian is offering three one-day conferences around the country. "These conferences give us an opportunity to educate young women on the range of entrepreneurial opportunities that are available to them," said Emily Viner, a field vice president for Guardian. Conferences are scheduled for November and December in Georgia and New Jersey, with additional conferences lined up next year in Florida, Pennsylvania and Florida.

As for the contest, the grand-prize winner will receive $10,000. Girls between the ages of 12 and 18 can enter the contest, and applications must be received by February 15, 2008.

8/21/2007

Yesterday, Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), both of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, urged the Small Business Administration to comply with a law to make renewal grants available for Women's Business Centers nationwide. "Unless the administration acts quickly to get funding to these Women's Business Centers, some of them may be forced to cut key services or possibly shut down entirely," said Kerry.  

Originally, Congress planned on implementing the renewal grants program immediately to ensure centers received the necessary funding by October 1. But since that didn't happen, the centers would have to wait another year for funding. Kerry and Snowe are asking the SBA to make a compromise regarding its grant-making process so those centers can receive the grants by January 1 instead.

8/15/2007

When you were in the beginning stages of building your business, did you think about the geographical implications? After reading this article, you just might think again about where you're doing business. According to a study by Bizjournals, certain regions of the country are more conducive to women executives in business. The survey looked at variables like education, elevated salaries and entrepreneurship in determining the ranking. Topping their national list: The San Francisco-Oakland area, thanks to its mix of industries and supportive network for women. Coming in behind San Francisco is Washington, which ranked high in the survey due to the education levels of its female workforce. New York City and Los Angeles came in third and fourth, respectively. Madison, Wisconsin rounded out the top five. "These are places with exciting business climates and strong population growth," said Erin Fuller, executive director of the National Association of Women Business Owners. "I think they tend to be more creative and more open to the advancement of women."

If you want to know where Bizjournals' findings suggest women avoid doing business, take a look at the state of Utah. Ogden, Utah came in at the bottom of the standings, with the average female worker in Ogden being paid 50 percent less than the average male. The other cities ranking at the bottom of the list include Salt Lake City, Bakersfield and Stockton, California, Augusta, Georgia and Palm Bay-Melbourne, Florida.

8/8/2007

Entrepreneur.com and Womenentrepreneur.com columnist, Tamara Monosoff, also founder and CEO of Mom Inventors Inc., is currently offering three tele-seminar series topics:

• Business Basics for Entrepreneurs
• Inventing & Product Development
• Sales Education for Non-Sales People

The courses will address the most common questions Monosoff receives, including the first steps to inventing, product safety and getting onto QVC. Monosoff will be offering the classes via telephone and internet. For additional seminar information, visit Monosoff's website. If you want to give her tele-seminar a test-run, Monosoff is offering two sessions of the "First Steps to Inventing" seminar for free.

8/2/2007

Do you feel like your life is a little too much like an episode of The Office? Then Bizzflip.com has the perfect contest for you. Yesterday, the website launched its "10% Lunch Online Video Contest" inspired by its blog, The 10% Lunch. BizzFlip says its blog reflects the way many people feel about the corporate work environment. As the contest website says, "This is a call to action to stop complaining about your job and to do something about it!" To enter, you must submit a 30-to-60-second video by November 1. Videos will be judged on creativity, originality, overall appeal and the likelihood to motivate someone to tell their boss enough is enough. So here comes the good part: One grand prize winner will receive 10-percent ownership, in private stock, of BizzFlip, Inc.

8/2/2007

It's no coincidence that the hottest women's interest magazines like Women's Day, Self and Oprah all incorporate health and wellness sections. When it comes to well-being, women show they're more apt to seek help than their male counterparts. A study analysis by Bensinger, DuPont & Associates revealed that although women make up less than half of the U.S. workforce, they're three times more likely to call Employment Assistance Program services. What are they calling for?  While services include alcohol abuse, career planning and conflict resolution programs, 5.7 percent more women are seeking help in mental health-related issues. Men, on the other hand, call up to 7 percent more frequently to find help for relationships, substance abuse and work-related stress. The study gives employers a better idea of areas in which male and female employees may be struggling.--Jessica Chen

7/23/2007

In May, we told you about the Whirlpool Brand Mother of Invention Grant program, which is accepting applications through July 30. Even if you don't end up receiving a grant from the contest, you can still enjoy an educational workshop for inventive women and mothers.
When: Saturday, August 25, 2007
Where: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Event Description: The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is conducting this half-day workshop aimed at helping women take their product ideas to mass market. Get advice on how to protect your idea, how to determine if there's demand for it, how to manufacture it and much more. The featured lunchtime speaker is Alyson Probst, winner of a first prize grant in the Whirlpool contest for her creation of the "Snack and Play Travel Tray." To register, go to www.learntocreate.com.

7/13/2007

A new study by Pew Research Center shows a growing divide between employed and stay-at-home mothers. But both sides of the spectrum agree on one thing: Working full-time isn't as attractive as they once thought it was. The survey compared responses from more than 400 mothers this past spring with the answers of about 450 moms in 1997. Of the working moms, 60 percent say working part-time would be their ideal situation. That statistic has risen from 48 percent in 1997. At the same time, stay-at-home moms have become more adamant about their choice to stay home: 48 percent say staying at home is ideal, up from 39 percent in 1997.

So why is the gap widening? "Working moms are trying to stand their ground, as are stay-at-home moms. Sacrifices are made at both ends," said Rachel Hamman, author of Bye-Bye Boardroom. "Working in the home or outside the home, there are things you give up."--Kristin Edelhauser

7/9/2007

 The Center for Women's Business Research and Babson College are accepting applications for upcoming forums in Dallas on September 20 and in Chicago on January 24. They're recruiting participants for a national research project and are specifically looking for more women minority business owners. As a participant in the "Accelerating the Growth of Businesses Owned by Women of Color" project, you'll receive advice and mentoring to help your business succeed. To qualify, you must own at least 50 percent of your business, have been in business for at least three years, have annual revenues between $250,000 and $5 million, and want to grow your business beyond its current level. Go to this website for more information and to apply to participate in the study.

7/6/2007

Sure, you love doing your part to help save the environment, but what can you realistically do on a daily basis? The Green Girl Guide hopes to help you do just that. The site was started by three women hoping to find and highlight environmentally conscious people and products in the world of beauty and fashion. As stated on the website, "We believe being 'green' and fabulous shouldn’t be a hassle, but part of a lifestyle and that you can be good to the earth while still getting your fashion and beauty fix."

Speaking of environmental issues, tomorrow's the highly-anticipated Live Earth event, taking place on 7/7/07. It's a concert lasting 24-hours and spanning seven continents. More than 100 music artists and 2 billion people are expected to come together to start a movement focusing on the climate crisis.

Be sure to check out the rest of this post from Trend Central to explore two additional websites for women.

7/3/2007

Congratulations to Linda Denny for being named president of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. The announcement was made at WBENC's 8th annual conference, Women in Business 2007: Launching a New Decade, the last week of June. "Linda Denny brings a vital and engaging leadership presence, a deep knowledge of both corporations' and women's business issues, and strategic vision to the position," said WBENC Board Chair Bill Moon.

6/26/2007

How do you start a food or catering business without funding, ample kitchen space or the proper equipment? Some women in San Francisco are finding it's not as hard as they thought, thanks to the help of La Cocina, a kitchen incubator where women entrepreneurs without assets can rent kitchen space and learn their craft. Most of the women in the kitchen share the common goal of starting their own food businesses and cooking their way out of poverty. The chefs do have to pay for the space and utensils they use, anywhere from $8 to $10 an hour. "The reason we charge a fee is that we want them to have a business model that is sustainable. If they don't incorporate the cost of doing business, it's artificial and it's going to crumble," said Valeria Perez Ferreiro, executive director of La Cocina. More than half the women are Latina, while another 8 percent are African-American, and the remainder of the chefs are Asian or Caucasian. Their products reflect their diverse ethnic backgrounds, ranging from Brazilian cakes to Mexican street fare.

The National Business Incubation Association, a nonprofit membership organization, estimated there are about 1,200 incubation programs in the U.S. currently. But only 19 of them are kitchen incubators, since the start-up and operating costs are significantly higher than for a mixed-use space.

6/26/2007

On the night of June 18, our Inside Sales & Marketing columnist was teaching a marketing class on the same Charleston, South Carolina, street where a tragic fire killed nine firemen. Thankfully, she's fine, and one of her fellow woman business owners, Sherrie Bakshi, is holding a fundraiser for the victims' families.

On Sunday, July 8, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., more than 40 restaurants and other businesses in Charleston will open their doors to "Dine for the Charleston Nine," an event to raise money for the firefighters' families. The event will take place at the Grand Ballroom at Charleston Place and will feature music, live and silent auctions, tastings, and an online auction. Tickets are $150 and reservations can be made by calling Table Maestro at (843) 329-4918. If you can't attend but want to help, you can send checks, payable to CP Firefighters Restaurant Fund, to:

Firefighters Fund
c/o Charleston Place Hotel
205 Meeting St.
Charleston, SC 29401

6/20/2007

Do you find it hard to get up in the morning, and even harder to stay focused during your workday? You're certainly not alone. According to the National Sleep Foundation, fatigue costs companies approximately $77 billion a year. Even worse, negativity costs businesses $300 billion a year, according to Gallup. The National Association of Women Business Owners wants to do something about that. The organization is hosting author and authority on positive energy, Jon Gordon, at a seminar in Orange County, California on Tuesday, July 10. Gordon will focus on helping business leaders re-energize and generate more enthusiasm and spirit in their workplace. Go to this link to get more information and to RSVP for the event.

6/13/2007

Now when nature calls you won't have to leave it hanging. MizPee finds the closest, publicly accessible toilets in the city and rates them by cleanliness for your emergency duck-ins and dashes. Simply access your cell phone's web browser, navigate to mizpee.com or send a text to (415) 350-2290 to receive an SMS link. Then type in your street address or intersection and a list of pleasant potties near you will pop up. Each toilet is rated by cleanliness, so that those who have time to spare can find the most sparkling of the toilets.

Other useful add-ons: MizPee informs parents of bathrooms with diaper-changing stations. The service also checks business hours to make sure the locations are open at the time of your inquiry. A number of businesses are offering promotions through MizPee for when users in the locality have fulfilled bodily demands.--Joanne Yao

6/13/2007

When you were first setting up your office space, did you have trouble finding furniture that appealed to you? Was it a bit too masculine or not as stylish as you would have liked? Several office-furniture companies are trying to erase the negative stereotype of drab office furniture by creating designs that appeal to the growing number of women-owned small businesses. Companies like OfficeMax Inc., Office Depot Inc. and Ikea are all hoping their new designs will do the trick. Unlike men, experts say women tend to look at their furniture as an extension of their own image, so they want to personalize their space. Not only does the new furniture look better, but it will also feel better. Furniture designers are offering chairs and desks that more appropriately fit a woman's frame. But it's not just about looks and comfort--the designs will also be more functional, offering purse storage and slots for other personal items.

6/5/2007

Think of it as Extreme Makeover: Office Edition. Now's your chance to create the workplace of your dreams, on IKEA's dime. By entering the "Small Businesses, Big Dreams: Furnished by IKEA" contest, you could not only re-vamp the style of your own small biz, but the winning entry will also win makeovers for up to ten neighboring small businesses. To enter, small-business owners need to film a video entry telling why their community's businesses deserve to win. Entries will be judged on creativity and the community vision. The contest celebrates the beginning of IKEA BUSINESS, a new online network giving practical and affordable design advice for small-business owners. Entries must be received by July 26, so get creative and let the filming begin!

6/1/2007

The Supreme Court overturned an Alabama Federal Court decision awarding a woman $360,000 in damages for her discrimination suit because she didn't issue the complaint within 180 of the "intentional discrimination" beginning. Although Lilly Ledbetter's salary initially matched that of her male colleagues, over time she received smaller raises. And at the time of the suit, Ledbetter was making 40 percent less than the lowest-paid man, even after 20 years of employment with Goodyear Tires. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission supported Ledbetter, arguing that each paycheck since the initial discrimination constituted an act of discrimination that "reset" the 180-day period, but Justice Samuel Alito dismissed these views as a "policy argument." According to Alito, "Current effects alone cannot breathe life into prior, unchanged discrimination."

The 5-4 decision split the court, as dissenting justices argued that workplace realities were ignored by the majority interpretation on the 180-day policy. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, voicing strong discontent with the majority decision to award zero damages, maintained that many employees would not know within three months whether or not they had experienced pay discrimination because co-workers don't usually share information about their salaries. Supported by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the Bush Administration, the decision interprets discrimination as a one-time act within Ledbetter's 20-year career. Many pay discrimination cases continue to be barred based on the 180-day requirement cited in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.--Joanne Yao

6/1/2007

When: June 18 - 19, 2007
Where: Miami, Florida
Event Description: This second annual trade show delves into the search marketing tactics that Latin American, U.S. Hispanic and American companies should use to build a presence in the Latin market. Though the event will be presented in English, it will also be translated live in Spanish and Portuguese. This year's agenda includes topics like multi-country and multilingual website optimization and targeting Spanish and Portuguese search ads by demographic and behavior. For more information on the event, go to the Search Engine Strategies Latino website.