April 10, 2012 – 11:31 am
Unless you have been under a rock over the past few days, I am sure that you have heard, read, or seen articles about the Katniss character in the Hunger Games. Even the New York Times has chimed in their two cents as to how this role is a radical departure from other feminine heroes seen on the big screen. And though I think this character is a fantastic role model for young ladies out there, there is someone else who struck a chord with me yesterday. In one way or another, even without realizing it, we all play into the patriarchy system. We all in some way scrutinize and degrade women within our society. I was really impressed with Ashley Judd and her feminist essay surrounding the controversy of her “slightly puffy face.” It is a must read for anyone who is looking for a reality check on how we all (myself included) treat women. Check it out. Both examples made me wonder what really makes a female hero. Here are my thoughts for those out there looking to become one: Inner Strength: Despite adversity, a hero will find the inner strength to continue on. Failure is not an option [...]
Yesterday I spoke at Spark and Hustle, on “No Money, No Excuse.” I love when I can share with people tips and resources that are in “How to Start Your Business with $100” and even my personal story. For example, I was on a Skype call yesterday while one of my coaching clients. He knows that I advise companies on open innovation and sustainability, but he wanted to know the million dollar question: How can a person start a million dollar business? At least he got right to the point! But this is a good question that I encourage people to ask bluntly. While creating a million dollar business is not easy, I believe starting a million dollar business is easier than most people think. If you just have a great idea and a willingness to start, then you’re further along than most potential millionaires will ever get. So, here are some of my best tips for anyone who is ready and willing to start a million dollar business: Actually Make an Attempt. Groupon.com was started by a guy in his basement a couple years ago. Recently, Google offered to buy the company for billions of dollars. Many reactions to [...]
August 30, 2010 – 9:54 am
“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” -Margaret Thatcher “The word “must” is not used to princes!” -Queen Elizabeth I Equality has come a long way even in the short time that I have been in the professional world. The fact that 11% of U.S. firms with venture-capital backing in 2009 had current or former female CEOs or female founders, according to data from Dow Jones VentureSource to me is a good start. Not great, but a good start. This weekend, I came across two articles that made me step back for a moment. The first was the Wall Street Journal’s blog post, “Addressing The Lack of Women Leading Tech Start-ups.” In the post, WSJ tries to address the question of “Where are all the women in tech?” I then read a TechCrunch response by Michael Arrington entitled, “ Too Few Women In Tech? Stop Blaming The Men.” In the article, Arrington tries to sympathize with the issue but is fed up with the blame game. Can you blame him? I don’t. Though I run what is the largest community of entrepreneurial women in the world, I usually find myself in [...]
