In 2007, over 100 bloggers came together to write a book called The Age of Conversation. One of my favorite bloggers (and a marketer I truly respect), Drew McLellan, and his friend, Gavin Heaton, conceived the idea with all proceeds going to Variety, a Children’s Charity. The book is sold through LuLu.com. Following is the synopsis from LuLu.com:

In what began as a half dare, the editors, Gavin Heaton and Drew McLellan challenged bloggers around the world to contribute one page — 400 words — on the topic of “conversation”. The resulting book, The Age of Conversation, brings together over 100 of the world’s leading marketers, writers, thinkers and creative innovators in a ground-breaking and unusual publication.

Drew and Gavin are getting a jump on the follow up to The Age of Conversation. Visit Drew’s Marketing Minute where you can vote for the topic for the new book or contact Drew if you’re interested in being one of the authors of the follow up book. I already voted and volunteered to be one of the authors for the next book!

Tags: Age of Conversation, Drew McLellan, Gavin Heaton, Lulu.com, publishing, blogging, Variety children’s charity, collaborative writing, blogging book, marketing book, conversation marketing

One of the blogs I read frequently is Biz Chicks Rule, which is authored by Kristen King and Bridget Wright.  Kristen was interviewed for an article in the Washington Post that was published on Sunday about networking.  In fact every businessperson who was interviewed for the article by author, Gabriel Goldberg, is a woman from the Washington DC area, and they give excellent advice to jumpstart your networking efforts.

Here are some of the networking tips given by businesswomen in the Washington Post article:

• Kristen King, a freelance writer, speaker and consultant warned that we should avoid, “talking only about yourself instead of getting to know the other person.  If you’re totally egocentric in your marketing, people will avoid you like the plague.”
• Jeanine Cogan, a leadership coach said, networking is an, “opportunity to reveal your character and competence, and to support others in their successes.”
• Ardell Fleeson, a frequent speaker on business networking, reminds us of the importance of business cards and warns against running out of them.  Without business cards, the chances for follow-up are slim to none, and networking is worthless without follow-up.

I agree with all three of these tips.  Networking is about more than boosting sales or finding a new job.  It’s about building long-term relationships and learning from each other.   

Can you think of any other networking tips to add?

This past week, Robin Matuk who writes the Creating with Impact blog contacted me after finding Women on Business. I’m so happy she reached out to me because that gave me the chance to discover her blog, too, and I have to say, I love her blog. Robin provides great information and tips for female entrepreneurs.

One of the first things I spotted on Robin’s blog is her Entrepreneur Personality Test. Robin lists eight personality traits a woman should have (or aspire to have) in order to be a successful entrepreneur.

The Entrepreneur Personality Test tells women that to be a successful entrepreneur you need to be:

• Flexible
• A risk-taker
• Willing to step out of your comfort zone
• Dedicated and committed to achieving a goal
• Creative
• Willing to learn

Can you think of any other traits that a female entrepreneur should have or try to develop in order to be successful?

Follow the link to read more about Robin’s Entrepreneur Personality Test.

Tags: women in business, businesswomen, female entrepreneurs, female business owners, women business owners, women on business

Businesswomen living in Australia not only have trouble getting promoted to top-level jobs, but once they get there, they’re grossly underpaid in comparison to men at the same level. According to an article on Forbes.com this week, Australian women hold just 7% of the senior executive jobs in the country’s top 200 public companies. Most of those women earn half as much as their male colleagues in the same positions. Continue reading »

The Principal Financial Group provides financial products to business and individuals, but the company also provides a section on its company website dedicated to women in business. As part of the Principal Financial Group’s dedication to helping women succeed as business owners, the company offers 10 free teleclasses each year called The Principal Women in Business Teleclass Series.

The teleclasses are held via telephone at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on the dates scheduled and last one hour with speakers discussing topics of particular interest to women in business. Audio and notes of each teleclass can be found on The Principal Financial Group’s women in business website after each class. Typically, the speaker will be a well-known, successful businesswoman. Previous speakers have included Suzy Welch and Katrina Markoff of Vosges-Haut Chocolat. Continue reading »

Meg Whitman, CEO of eBay, is considered to be one of the most powerful women in business. She joined eBay in 1998 and now, 10 years later, she’s following her own advice and leaving the company she helped drive to online success. Meg Whitman, 51, has been quoted saying a CEO should never stay with the same company for more than 10 years, because by that time the company needs a fresh outlook. 47-year old John Donahoe, president of eBay’s auction business unit is expected to be first in line to takeover Whitman’s role. Continue reading »

The 35th Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Award will be given out in April 2008. Nominations are being accepted through February 15, 2008. According to today’s press release from Veuve Clicquot, the award recognizes successful British businesswomen with judges focusing on the following qualities:

• Achievement
• Motivational ability
• Innovation
• Creativity
• Business acumen
• Entrepreneurship
• Dynamism
• Charisma
• A profound concern for the sustainable growth of her business and development of her team
• A focus on responsible and sustainable growth as it relates to the environment

Do you know a British woman in business who fits the bill? Why not nominate her on the Veuve Clicquot website?

Tags: Veuve Clicquot, businesswoman of the year award, women in business, women on business. female executives, female leaders, businesswomen

Global EXEC Women is an organization comprised of women in executive positions in the business and technology sectors and provides networking, learning and knowledge-sharing opportunties to its members. Recently, Global EXEC Women recognized seven female executives for their exceptional global leadership and innovation at the organization’s International Women of Influence Awards. Continue reading »

I read an article on the USA Today website earlier today that includes an interesting debate about whether or not tears are ever appropriate in the workplace. The debate stems from Hillary Clinton’s highly publicized tears during an interview session that may or may not have helped her gain some ground in the polls and come out on top in the New Hampshire primary last week. Continue reading »

Katrina Markoff, founder of Vosges-Haut Chocolat, won the 2007 OPEN from American Express & Entrepreneur Magazine Woman of the Year Contest. Katrina Markoff launched her gourmet chocolate company in 1998. While working out of her Chicago apartment, she created a line of specialy chocolates using a variety of exotic ingredients from around the world. The steps she took next to bring her chocolates to a larger market would bring her great success over the course of the next decade. Continue reading »