How Not to Be Afraid of Failure

Bluster or Blowhard?

Another thought-provoking piece by Karen E. Klein and published by Bloomberg Businessweek:

Must Women Entrepreneurs Learn to Bluster?

Truth be it, I had to look up the word to figure out what it meant in the context in which it was being used because I only thought of bluster as "a fierce wind blowing!"  But take a look at the definition above, especially how the two examples referenced are from "men."  And don't miss the word "blowhard" either because they might be interchangeable.

Great article by Karen -- definitely worth a read -- and how refreshing to catch Camile Alcasid's insights:

Camille Alcasid, a software engineer who runs Santa Monica, Calif., new media consultancy Westside Websites, says she routinely experiences the double standard. "Men can get away with bluster because it is more accepted or expected in society and in the workforce, while bluster is sometimes confused as noise when not properly executed or received," she says. Working in a male-dominated field, she says, "I've come to learn some of the tricks men do to cover up for what they don't know and how they expose or conceal their flaws and strengths, depending on the situation."

Ladies ... What do you think?  Can you muster up the bluster?  Or should you bother?

Illustration credit:  Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney, Escape From Corporate America blog

Jam'n to Her Own Business

Learn how Dafna Kory (pictured) spends nine months of the year working full-time on her budding food business (INNA jam is the name of her company/blog here), and supplements her income the other three months with editing gigs.

You can get to where you need to go -- starting and running a profitable business -- with baby steps.

See how she's doing it here.

Photo credit: Dafna Kory website

Animate Out of the Gate with Your Business: Here's How

These wonderful user-friendly animation tools make it easy to set your business apart from others by expressing yourself in a distinctive, fun-loving way.  Check them out and see how you can use them to bring positive attention to your business.

1. GoAnimate
2. Animasher
3. Xtranormal

Illustration credit here.

Posted by:  The official Escape From Corporate America blog

From Superdoglover to Superentrepreneur to Supercollar®

Jane Angelich, CEO of supercollar®, has two passions:  her dogs and her business.  She invented a product, supercollar® (pictured above), that satisfies both her passions and at the same time fulfills the needs of her customers who are dog lovers too.  And to accomplish this she just happened to leave corporate America at the age of 39.

Jane got her big idea one day when noticing her fireman husband's utility belt. Firemen need to carry a lot of tools around their waist and do so by having them attach to a retractable belt —the tools can be pulled, used, let go, retracted, and returned to their spot quickly.

Learn how you too can get a new, entrepreneurial leash on life (pardon the pun) -- just like Jane did -- by reading USA Today columnist Steve Strauss's five tips on how to do it here.

Illustration credit here.

Astia Propels Women Entrepreneurs

A resource you should know about:  Astia (www.astia.com).

Sharon Vosmek (pictured-right), is CEO of Astia, a global not-for-profit organization that propels women's full participation as entrepreneurs and leaders in high-growth businesses, fueling innovation and driving economic growth.  "Women are a part of the economy that if tapped for their full potential and abilities, could provide us the economic recovery we seek," says Vosmek.

According to research conducted by Babson College, 'if women entrepreneurs in the U.S. started with the same capital as male entrepreneurs, they would add a whopping 6 million jobs to the economy within five years -- 2 million of those in the first year alone.'

Source:  No. 14

Astia blog

Photo credit Flickr.

Posted by:  the official Escape From Corporate America blog

Do It Your Way: Create Your Own Business

 _______________________________________________________

In creating a business of your own, don't look back.  Only focus on making the best of your brilliant idea.

Having said that, let's re-visit an old article that is still relevant and timely for today's business climate, especially for those who are looking at leaving corporate America to start their own business.

She Did It Her Way

Now, I ask you this:  How are you doing it your way?

I welcome hearing from you.

Graphic source here.

Posted by the official Escape From Corporate America blog

Alicia Morga, Look No Further: Women Entrepreneurs Can Be Found Right Here!

Hi, Alicia,

In response to your commentary, "Where Are the Women Entrepreneurs?," over at the Huffington Post, you can find women entrepreneurs right here and at the Women Presidents' Organization (WPO)!  You and VCs just need to look harder.

Thanks for your interest.

Best,
Laurel Delaney

Illustration credit here.
Note:  Full disclosure:  I serve as the Chicago Chapter Chair for WPO.

Women Entrepreneurs Bolster Growth For Economy

Jackie Taylor (pictured) and her colleagues at the Michigan Women’s Foundation hope to help women entrepreneurs bolster growth for the economy.

MWF recently launched the Women’s Angel Fund, a revolving loan fund that will provide early-stage support for women-owned businesses and disadvantaged women who are starting or growing businesses in urban areas.

Learn more here.

How To Go After Grants

Guts and Gumption Fuels Economy

Entrepreneurs are the force that will keep our economy moving forward and women entrepreneurs in particular will have a significant impact on our economy.

Read more:

Small Business Owners: Will 2011 Bring Our Mojo Back?

Women Business Owners Help Overall Economic Prosperity

Whether you are interested in starting a business in the United States or as in this case, Pakistan, working women face difficulties.

As a result, the Dawood Capital Management Limited (DCML) in collaboration with the British Deputy High Commission announced the launching of a special fund -- LadiesFund -- catering to the saving and investment needs of women in Pakistan.

The initiative comes as studies show that women are much better savers than men and can help in overall economic prosperity if allowed to start small businesses

Read more here

Illustration credit here.

Take a Blank Canvas Approach to Your New Business

This is a fantastic interview with Tere Blanca, commercial real estate executive and entrepreneur.  She left Cushman & Wakefield in 2009 to start her own brokerage and advisory firm Blanca Commercial Real Estate. 

Blanca shares her insights on the real estate industry and what it takes to launch a business successfully.  There are wonderful gems of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs within this interview.  You just have to look for them!

Read the entire article here.

Illustration credit here.

Happy 2011 Escape From Corporate America Fans, Colleagues and Friends!

May this be your best year ever.  Start that business.  Set realistic goals.  Attain a few.  Finish what you start.  Grow.  Be happy!

Best wishes for a successful 2011!

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney, the official Escape From Corporate America blog

Happy Holidays From Escape From Corporate America: Indulge and Enjoy

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays and joy (success) throughout the new year.

Photo credit:  Laurel Delaney, downtown Chicago, retail window dressing

Posted by:  Laurel Delaney, Escape From Corporate America

Are you a Chic CEO?

There's a new website in town:  CHIC CEO.  It is designed give female entrepreneurs the how-to information they need to get started in launching a business.

Chic CEO (http://www.chic-ceo.com) believes that women should have the business knowledge and support they need right at their polished fingertips. They need easy-to-understand, easy-to-implement instruction in its most basic form. By providing this valuable information, Chic CEO hopes to eliminate the guesswork for women trying to start businesses.

Learn more here.

Illustration credit here.

Posted by:  Escape From Corporate America blog (established 2004)

Start a Business Part-Time or Full-Time?

Starting a business can be awfully scary from the standpoint of answering these two critical questions:  How will I make money?  What happens if I don't?

Oftentimes, to minimize risks, people start a business gradually -- with one foot in the new business and the other in a full time job that offers a steady stream of income.

Yet, the part-time path also comes with its own set of challenges.  Here's a look at why.

Starting a Part-Time Vs. Full-Time Business

Where Is The Highest Percentage of Women-Owned Businesses in the Nation?

Maryland and the District of Columbia have the highest percentages of women-owned businesses in the nation.

Women in D.C. own more than 34 percent of businesses, ranking first, according to newly released 2007 Census Bureau figures. Following the District, Maryland women own more than 32 percent of businesses, placing second, according to the 2002 census. Virginia came in 10th, at 30 percent, with the entire region trumping the nation's 29 percent rate.

Read more here to learn why this is happening.

Start Small, Work Hard

Two Westport female entrepreneurs are celebrating their thirty-second anniversary at the locations where they started, Top Drawer on the Post Road and Pathfinders Travel on Riverside Avenue.

Two local women, Janet Bangser at Pathfinders and Joan Rotman at Top Drawer, find themselves in this happy position.  Conversations with both tend to indicate three fundamental ingredients to success.  There is always the so-called X factor but basically for these women it came down to a familiarity with the business going in, an affinity for detail, a pretty good idea of their customer base, and service, service, service.

Read the entire article here.

Illustration credit:  Pathfinders Travel

Next Step In Life: Launch a Business

The president of the Women’s National Basketball Association, Donna Orender (pictured), resigned to launch an independent marketing company named Orender Unlimited.

After five years ...

“It was simply time for me to take this step in my life,” Orender said in the statement. “My work on behalf of women and girls around the world will only deepen as will my ongoing engagement in sports.” 

Learn more here.

Photo credit here.