Don't believe that the gender wage gap exists? Don't believe it really matters? New statistics provide some startling proof and perspective. Today is Equal Pay Day, so let's take a look at some statistics that really put the gender wage gap into perspective from a recent report by the National Partnership for Women & Wage Families. Nationally, women are paid 77 cents … [Read more...]
Strong Women in the Front Row
Telling a group of men to “show up and be accountable” is new territory for most women. We have been in back of or on the side of our men for eons. Not that we have to be loud and bossy to get our way. We just have to be clear. Margaret Thatcher, portrayed by Meryl Streep in the film The Iron Lady, was a woman of depth and conviction. Strong in an arena that few women … [Read more...]
Celebrating Success in Equal Pay and the Lilly Ledbetter Act
Three 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 … [Read more...]
Women, Leadership, Self-Care, and BLUE MONDAY
You wake up Monday morning, pour yourself a glass of orange juice, and get breakfast ready for your clan. Off to the office, you battle the traffic, thinking about how to tell your rebel employee that there have been complaints about his behavior. You dread the meeting and yet know it can’t wait. Pulling into the parking lot you feel a wave of frustration, seeing that … [Read more...]
When Being GUTSY Starts Young
I recently spoke at a women’s networking group and asked the bright and creative professionals to think about the earliest time they could remember when they spoke out for themselves. To jog their memories, I told a story about unfairness when a boy in my elementary school class was yelled at when I was the one “sneaking” in front of him in line. (You can read the whole … [Read more...]
What Do Women Want?
It’s really simple. What women want is to be heard! We do not need to have the problems solved for us. However, before we can make change happen we require dialogue, discussion, debate. In my book “GUTSY: How Women Leaders Make Change”, I did some digging to consider basic things that have been handed to us that have become part of who we are, part of our culture. I … [Read more...]
Women and Responsibility
Times, they are a changing, always. However, changing times seem to happen in the blink of an eye. I do believe we women leaders need to stop and take a deep look at what we are doing and the profound consequences of our actions. In days of yore, we were to be kept “barefoot and pregnant” and now we have “freedom of choice”. The big question is, what are we choosing and … [Read more...]
Start-ups, Franchises, Venture Capitalists Oh My!
How to Get the Government to Promote Your Start-up Recently there has been buzz around New York City Mayor Michael Blumberg giving support to a local start-up Zaarly. So how did Zaarly land a prominent leader to support their start-up? Eric Koester, Zaarly's co-founder and chief marketing officer, provides great tips to any new start-ups in the early stages. Here are … [Read more...]
A Gutsy Woman Leader Occupies Wall Street
There she was, tufts of purple hair framing her face as she stood daring the policeman to arrest her. “What if I punch you in the eye?” she queried. “What if I knee’ d you in the groin?” she challenged. She was told she would not be arrested if she stayed with the protestors and that made the day much brighter. Think about it. What do you do when you feel the passion … [Read more...]
Progress for Women in Economic Equality Lower Than Health and Education in Recent Study
The sixth annual World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2011 shows that over the last six years 85% of countries have been improving their gender equality but in several African and South American countries it is declining. There is also a small decline in South Africa, New Zealand, Spain, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom in the last year. Gains have been made in … [Read more...]