Author Archive
Celebrating Success in Equal Pay and the Lilly Ledbetter Act
Posted by: | CommentsThree years ago, I wrote a post on WomenOnBusiness.com about the need to support the Lilly Ledbetter Act giving women a better chance at receiving equal pay for equal work. A couple of weeks later, the Lilly Ledbetter Act was the first bill signed into law by President Obama. If you’re not familiar with Lilly Ledbetter’s story, watch the video below. It’s both moving and inspiring.
You can also follow the link to read an op-ed piece that Lilly Ledbetter contributed to the Charlotte Observer on January 29, 2012 — the 3rd anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Act.
This month, President Obama released a new video asking for support of the Paycheck Fairness act, which would protect women who try to find out if they’re receiving equal pay and would make it easier for them to take action if they’re not. You can view that video below.
As President Obama says, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act brought us one step closer to equal pay for equal work, but there is still work to be done. Every step forward is a step in the right direction.
The Growing Power of Women in Business
Posted by: | CommentsGuest post by Daniel Burrus (learn more about Daniel at the end of this post)
It used to be that the business landscape was a man’s world. Times have certainly changed!
Today, women are wielding more and more power on both sides of the business transaction.
First, let’s look at some facts from the consumer side. In family purchases that involve two adults (a woman and a man) women make:
- 94% of the purchase decision on home furnishings
- 92% of the purchase decision on family vacations
- 91% of the purchase decision on home purchases
- 80% of the purchase decision on healthcare
- 60% of the purchase decision on family cars
- 51% of the purchase decision on consumer electronics
It’s clear that in many cases, women are not just influencing the market; they are the market. And perhaps even more surprising is that these statistics have changed very little over the past ten years. In other words, women have been the market for some time now yet many executives have not taken action on this huge opportunity. And while these figures represent US households, the percentages are being exported due to technology driven globalization. Even in countries where you’d expect women to have no voice at all, thanks to computers and smart phones becoming more prevalent worldwide, people everywhere are getting informed and empowered, which ultimately has an effect on culture.
Women Small Business Owners Are America’s New Job Creators [Infographic]
Posted by: | Comments
Did you know that 99% of the employers in the United States are small businesses? Did you know that the number of women-owned businesses in the United States increased by 20% from 2002 to 2011?
In other words, women small business owners are playing an incredibly important part in job creation in the United States as more and more women take control of their own careers, start their own businesses, and create jobs for more people.
A new infographic from BOLT Insurance Agency offers a visual representation of how women small business owners are impacting job creation in the United States. Using information from the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy and the Center for Women’s Business Research, Infographic World designed the infographic shown below.
Take a look and learn more about how women-owned small businesses are affecting job creation (23 million new jobs), economic impact ($3 trillion), and more.
Via: Bolt Insurance
3 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Business
Posted by: | CommentsGuest Blog Post by Lourdes Balepogi of Chispa Marketing.
For many, a New Year represents a chance at a fresh start. And business owners are constantly in search of ways to reinvent themselves; to capture that next edge that will help them grow their business and better serve their clients. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to do it. To get you started, we’ve picked three resolutions you should make for your business in 2012.
1. I’ll only solve problems
It’s a common pitfall among small business owners. You love what you do and you want
to do it all. Well guess what? You can’t – at least not if you plan on being financially
successful. As a business owner, your job is to focus on delivering exactly what your customer wants – not what you think they might want. In 2012, keep that at the forefront of your mind when approaching your work.
2. I’ll meet with clients and prospects in person
Make your business seen and heard in 2012 – effective PR planning and implementation
Posted by: | CommentsGuest post by Georgina Dunkley (learn more about Georgina at the end of this post).
Implementing an effective PR strategy, particularly for any start-up business or company which has little or no experience handling communications, may seem a daunting task, but as we all shake off the apathy of returning to work and prepare for a successful 2012 in the spotlight, I have developed a series of PR top tips.
Make time to plan – having the best of intentions and an enthusiasm to get started is all well and good, but without effective planning and thought, your PR outreach will be inconsistent, not on message and lacking clarity. Developing a strategy doesn’t need to be a long drawn out process, it just needs to include a clear breakdown of what the main aims and objectives of the activity are and how the proposed PR activity will help meet those objectives. Who you want to reach out to and what you want to say to them in addition to the mechanics to do this are also vital, so incorporate target audiences and media, key messages and tactics.
End-of-the-Year Tax Tips for Last Minute Savings
Posted by: | CommentsGuest Post by Perry Sheraw (learn more about Perry at the end of this post).
Many of the business owners we work with say they’re ready to get 2011 behind them. January 2012 beckons as business objectives glisten with potential revitalization and realignment. The drudgery of doom and gloom financial news has worn us all down and we welcome a little holiday frivolity, frugal as it may need to be this year.
Plenty of good news remains in 2011 for business owners yet to capitalize on three last minute tax planning tips that keep more cash on hand for 2012. It is imperative to work with trusted advisers to determine set the best course for you and your company, but these tips lower taxable income and, in some cases, lower the company’s or business owner’s tax bracket.
1.) Defer Income – Seasoned seasonal guidance, yet many business owners overlook it. The US legislature failed to settle on an agreeable tax reform plan in 2011, and tax reform during a tax year is about as popular as a centipede in a sock. Chances are tax rates will remain the same until 2013; thus, if you can afford the luxury of deferring income now, push it into 2012 and reduce your 2011 taxable income immediately. Two examples:
Pleasant Website = More, Happier Customers
Posted by: | CommentsGuest Post by Barbara Austin.
You could say there are two kinds of websites: those that are enjoyable, and those that are downright painful to use. The more pleasant the site, the more we tend to gravitate toward it, spending more time there and going back more often. So how can you ensure that your website is providing that positive experience, as opposed to making your customers want to pull their hair out? Just follow these three essential rules:
Quality of information: Without the right content, everything else is pointless. Ask yourself: “What do my visitors want to see? What specific information are they looking for? What would they find most useful? And what do they NOT want to see (what would annoy or frustrate them)?” By giving people what they seek, you’ll make their lives easier, leaving them happy and more likely to return to your site again and again.
Getting The Best Out Of Your Staff
Posted by: | CommentsGuest post by Rebecca of chillsauce.
The key to being a great manager is to monitor your staff’s performance, identify strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately make sure your team is working productively. There are many approaches to motivating your staff and rewarding them for hard work and success, from a mention in a meeting or in a internal publication to a promotion in the company hierarchy.
Whilst these methods work great on a longer term scale, staff need incentives on a more regular basis in order to reach goals and gain work life satisfaction. Recognising this need within your team makes you a fair and dedicated manager.
Changes in work culture
Where the demands of work have increased, so have the expectations for rewards. Many companies will offer great social reward opportunities from the start of an employment contract and this can be a great way to gain and retain great staff. It is always important to remember that as well as individual rewards, group incentives work well, building moral for the company and better communicative relationships between teams and departments.
Individual Rewards
Jess Webb Joins the WomenOnBusiness.com Team
Posted by: | CommentsPlease join me in welcoming Jess Webb to the WomenOnBusiness.com team of contributing writers. Jess brings a creative flair to the business discussion as you’ll learn from her background below.
About Jess Webb
Jess is a quirky 20-something who loves to help women entrepreneurs be irresistible online to attract their ideal fans and clients, and make more money. She is drawn to beauty and has a knack for taking what you already have and turning it into a work of art that reflects your unique awesomeness and draws your ideal customers to you.
Her mission is to help change the way business is done in this world by empowering women entrepreneurs to embrace their inner Goddess and uncover their irresistiblity, in and out of business and marketing. When we, as women, truly step into and embody who we are meant to be, with all of our amazing feminine power, we truly will change this planet!
Whether it’s your website, Facebook Page, Twitter profile or ebook, Jess can help you make it irresistible to get your big message out into the world! If you want to Be Irresistible Online and start making more money and a bigger difference, you can get join the Be Irresistible Online community on Facebook. You can also find Jess at her Be Irresistible Online blog.
News and Insights from Business Women (December 16, 2011)
Best Jobs for Women in 2012
Jenna Goudreau of Forbes shares a list of the best jobs for women in 2012. At the top of the list is post-secondary teacher. Get the rest by following the link above.
4 Principles of Stress-Free Management
Want to learn how to run your business without all the stress? Click the link above to read 4 key tips for stress-free management from Rene Shimada Siegel of Inc.com.
Movers and Shakers: Karen Wimbish, Director of Retail Retirement for Wells Fargo
The Glass Hammer shares the story of Karen Wimbish whose career soared after her children had grown. Karen refers to herself as a “second half champion” and urges other women to defy the old myth that successful careers have to skyrocket at an early age. Follow the link above to learn more.
Victoria’s Secret Revealed in Child Picking Burkina Faso Cotton
Cam Simpson of Bloomberg Markets Magazine reveals some disturbing news about human trafficking. See Victoria’s Secret’s response by clicking the article link above.
