What would it take for you to lead your business to $1m in earnings? According to one program for women entrepreneurs, a little healthy competition goes a long way. Nonprofit organization Count Me In provides everything a new business would need- from mentorship to microloans- as part of the Make Mine a Million $ Business M3 Race. … [Read more...]
How to Deal with Professional Disappointment
Anger doesn't fix any problem; profanity is a waste of breath and blame is an exercise in self-righteousness that really has no place in the workplace. And I know because I've tried all three! So what is the answer to overcoming a large-scale let down in business? It's the same as it would be in your personal life; and as a psychologist once told me, "disappointment is just … [Read more...]
Two items in the news really grabbed me this week. I blogged about them at my home blog, but today I want to talk about how they are related. First, I received an invitation from Forbes magazine to join a new site called Forbes Woman. I was angry and insulted when I visited the site because I thought it was not about primarily about women in their roles is business … [Read more...]
Kristy Straka Joins Women On Business as a Contributing Writer
I am pleased to announce that Kristy Straka has joined the Women On Business team as a contributing writer. Kristy brings with her a unique and diverse business background, which is sure to generate great conversations here on WomenOnBusiness.com! Rather than my trying to recreate Kristy's story, she was kind enough to put together the following bio to help us all get to know … [Read more...]
You Can’t Win ’em All
"Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing" is a well-known sports mantra. It exemplifies a form of unfettered competitiveness that has permeated American sports. Its assertion about the importance of winning has been touted as a basic tenet of the American sports creed and, at the same time, singled out as encapsulating what is purportedly right with competitive … [Read more...]
Kill Your Little Darlings
Post by M.J. Ryan, contributing Women On Business writer William Faulkner once said that writers needed to “kill their little darlings.” It’s a message about how, in order for inspiration to enter, we need to let go of the ideas we’re so in love with to make room for something better. It’s a willingness that everyone in business needs these days. I was reminded of this … [Read more...]
Live your Plan A
"Make it a lowercase 'A' if you have to, but live your Plan A. Anything else belittles the importance of life." - Vin Diesel, actor Lately I've been musing on my own quality of life and what it means to me to be alive. Every day when I wake up, I am so grateful and thankful for yet another opportunity to do what I love. As I understand it, if I'm still alive, then I still … [Read more...]
Use Your Web of Influence
Years ago, I went through a training program on customer retention that emphasized the importance of identifying a web of influence within a client account. The web of influence not only included that main contact or champion, but other individuals within the company that could "influence" your success. Having more than one contact is of utmost importance to maintain stability … [Read more...]
Graduating with Grace
I was honored to be asked to introduce the 2009 graduating class from Nashville OIC (opportunities industrialization center), a not-for-profit center designed to provide GED and soft skills education to ANYONE who wants it. 117 adults who defied odds, social stigma, economic condition, or whatever obstacle prevented them from graduating high school the first go around walked … [Read more...]
About Competition and Sales
On June 4th, I hosted the Whale Hunting Women Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana. The event provided inspiration, motivation, and direction for the more than 165 women who attended. As part of my own presentation to the audience, I talked about what I see as the movement from a culture of competition (a 20th century idea) to a culture of collaboration (a 21st century idea.) I … [Read more...]