Women Entrepreneurs Thrive In Our New Economy

Despite the tough economic times, these black women continue to thrive with their businesses.

• Jacqueline Ogutverenm Grace Realty
• Martha Price, Little People Day Care
• Laferia "Freda" Brown, Freda's
• Jennifer McLeod, Platinum Motors

Read more here.

Separately but related to women of color from diverse career paths, Black Enterprise has announced the 2010 Women of Power Legacy Award winners.

They are as follows:

B. Smith, Founder & Chief Creative Officer, B. Smith Enterprises; Hon. Shirley Jackson, Ph.D., President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Audrey Smaltz (pictured): CEO and Founder, The Ground Crew Worldwide; Aulana L. Peters, Retired Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; and former Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman, who now serves as Chair and CEO of New Ventures LLC.

Congratulations to all!

Learn more here.

Photo: Audrey, Smaltz, CEO and Founder, The Ground Crew Worldwide

O Sisters: Female CEOs, Top Execs and Entrepreneurs, Where Art Thou?

The numbers of female CEOs, high-level executives, and entrepreneurs in the U.S. today are surprisingly low. Why?

We will let Vivek Wadhwa (an entrepreneur, senior research associate at Harvard Law School, and executive in residence at Duke University) discuss his research (in an article for BusinessWeek) that shows that women entrepreneurs are very similar to their male counterparts in background and purpose ...

... which is why he thinks the lack of female entrepreneurship, especially in the tech industry, is a "societal failure" on our part.

Read all about it here.

A Guide Toward Bold Innovation

My latest contribution over at the American Express OPEN Forum.

Check it out and if you like it, say so via a Tweet + hit the Thumbs Up button (at the bottom)! Many thanks.

The Art of
BOLD
iNnOVatIoN

LOLASAB: Laugh Off Layoff and Start a Business

Not too many people care why you start a business. What matters most is that you do it and are excited about it! But in this case, a layoff and an innate passion were the tipping points for Kathy Standage (pictured) of Colorado who launched Exclusive Vail Rentals.

Read about her background, start up plan and hopes for the future with her business -- here.

What about you? Are you going to LOLASAB in 2010?

Photo credit: Chris Schneider for USA Today

Go, Gaga, Go!

If you are hanging out Sunday evening, be sure to catch the Grammys (some highlights here) to take in the new Digital Diva: Lady Gaga (pictured in typical form). Her debut album has generated four No. 1 songs.

Always a fan of both Madonna and Fergie, it appears that Lady Gaga will soar past them both with her ability to go beyond just selling records and CDs to encompass everything from merchandising, touring, clothing design and makeup deals. She's got big time global appeal. More important, she sure can sing and perform stunningly!

Watch her. Don't miss her opening act with Elton John which is rumored to be the Grammy highlight. Looking for inspiration and creativity? Lady Gaga will deliver. She can teach us a thing or two about boldness and expressing ourselves -- whether through entertainment or entrepreneurship.

More here. Song clip here. Video clip here (McDonalds is advertising on it -- I'm lovin' it).

Leap of Faith is Paying Off

Lauri Jo Bennett (pictured) recently quit her teaching job to open a canning business in Southwest Georgia that specializes in salsa, jellies, and green tomato pickles. In just a short time, she is selling product in 16 states. It's her dream job that's employing three others, and now she's preparing to meet with a national retail chain trying to sell her product.

Read more about Lauri Jo's journey here and visit her company website: Lauri Jo's Southern Style Canning, LLC.

Photo credit here.

How to Create a Winning Social Media Strategy For Your Business

Digital Deconstructed:
How to Create a Winning
Social Media Strategy

Here’s a primer on how to create a winning social media strategy that takes the world by storm.

It involves your ability to quickly cover the five W’s:

1. Who – who are you trying to reach (friends, clients, old school pals)?
2. What – what are you trying to accomplish?
3. When – when do you want to make this happen (this year, first quarter 2010, in your lifetime)?
4. Where – where will it occur (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or all of the above)?
5. Why – what’s the purpose of doing this?

Read the entire article here and if you like it, pass it along.

(Full disclosure: Verio is a client.)

It's Never Too Late To Start a Business

JoAnn Cardin (pictured) is 75 years young and has opened a new consignment business in Leachville, Arkansas. She named her new shop Twice Around Treasures. Here's what she has to say about it:

"This is my first time in retail and it is the first time I have owned my own business," she said.

The is making plans for the future but now has mostly clothes and shoes for all members of the family and a large variety of purses.

Congrats to JoAnn! Read more about her business here.

Photo credit (Town Crier photo/Revis Blaylock)

Can't Get No Job Satisfaction. What About You?

Not just women, but Americans in general, continue to grow increasingly unhappy at work. This is a long-term trend that should be a red flag to employers, according to a report released January 5th by The Conference Board.

We've been on this trend for women since 2003 with our Escape From Corporate America article published by the very same, The Conference Board.

The report, based on a survey of 5,000 U.S. households, finds only 45 percent of those surveyed say they are satisfied with their jobs, down from 61.1 percent in 1987, the first year in which the survey was conducted.

"While one in 10 Americans is now unemployed, their working compatriots of all ages and incomes continue to grow increasingly unhappy," says Lynn Franco, director of the Consumer Research Center of The Conference Board. "Through both economic boom and bust during the past two decades, our job satisfaction numbers have shown a consistent downward trend."

Read more about it here.

What's a woman to do? Hmmmmm, ever thought about starting a business? You've come to the right place!

Chart credit: The Conference Board

Spontaneous Innovation

My latest post for the American Express OPEN Forum:

2010: Spontaneous Innovation

If you like, hit the thumbs up button at the bottom and the Tweet button at the top!

Many thanks.

P.S. Two posts in a row featuring adorable babies!

Age Is Never a Barrier In Fulfilling Your Dreams

Dara Torres (pictured), five-time Olympian, mother of a 2-year-old daughter (also pictured) and the oldest member of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team, recently answered an 'age' question with simple confidence: “I’d be 41. When you hit the water, the water doesn’t know what age you are.”

Torres admits she returned home thrilled with her effort, and she also realizes what it means for middle aged America. “If it helps anyone else out there who is in their middle-aged years, and they put off something they thought they couldn’t do because they were too old or maybe thought that, because they have children, they can’t balance what they want to do and be a parent, then I’m absolutely thrilled,” she says.

Read more about Torres here and how she inspires people of all ages to strive toward their personal best.

It's never too late to fulfill your dream and start a business. Think of it this way, "When you strike out on your own, the world won't know what age you are!"

Clear Your Path in 2010

Sometimes all you need in life is a clear path to move ahead in the world.

The photo (click on to enlarge) is taken outside my home in the gangway. We have a table set up year round that holds all sorts of things such as potted plants, lakeside rocks and seasonal items like the little snowman on a bicycle (pictured). You can really appreciate just how much snow we received in Chicago this week. I unburied the cyclist and wiped out a path for her!

Clear your path in 2010.

Photo credit: Laurel J. Delaney, the official Escape From Corporate America blog

Someone Says No. Don't Let It Stop You

I am a huge fan of the Chicago Reader and traditionally the first Thursday of a new year they publish a magnificent photo collection better referred to as "1,000 Words: Our Annual Photo Issue." We were featured once -- remember? I made a point to pick up a complimentary copy at my local 7-Eleven so I could go through all the inspiring photos taken by ordinary people like myself who have an interest in capturing life at its best.

But this entry is not about that. It's about another equally inspiring story -- not photo -- by gifted writer Deanna Isaacs that I happened upon concerning entrepreneur Roberta Brown (pictured) and how she gets gigs (and food) for her piano business. Roberta is an octogenarian and a lifelong Chicagoan.

The title says it all:

How to Get Gigs

Roberta Brown not only plays the Walnut Room at Macy’s for free—she bought the piano.

My favorite part of the article which you absolutely, positively must read for the sake of truly understanding a "calling" or "passion" when it grabs hold of you and you can't shake it no matter how hard you try. That's Roberta with her piano playing.

Why just look at this comment from her. It's so gripping ... so compelling ...

Brown says she'd been playing at Sunday brunch before Macy's bought the store. After the purchase the brunches went the way of the Field's name, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. "My art is my life, and my life is my hobby," she says, "and whatever I want to do, I do."

Be inspired. Read the entire article here.

Photo credit: Lloyd Degrane (amazing photographer!)

Happy 2010: Ring in the New Year with a Splash of Entrepreneurship!

Happy New Year! It would not feel like a new year unless I headed over to my neighborhood Polar Bear Swim New Years Day at Pratt Avenue and the lake in Rogers Park, Illinois. And that I did with hubby along (after he finished a 5K race earlier in the day in Lincoln Park -- man it was cold -- but he finished in impressive record time).

Let me set the stage for these photos. I wrote about this tradition a year ago today here and today's weather was no less challenging than last year: 10 degrees with a wind chill of 3 degrees below zero (a little bit of a wind so if you look closely at the photos, you'll see the waves).

All I can say is no guts, no glory and that applies not only to these folks jumping into icy cold waters who want that glorious feeling but to all of you who keep thinking about starting a business but don't do it.

This year, muster up your guts so you can have your glory too in 2010! Start that business. Surprise yourself and everyone else around you. You can do it. We're counting on it.

As you review these photos,
smile :-),
DREAM big,
be bold,
TAKE THE SPLASH into entrepreneurship!

Wishing you a new year, a new YOU, a new decade -- all filled with promise and opportunity that includes a new business start up!








Photo credit: Laurel J. Delaney, the official Escape From Corporate America blog!

Personal Qualities of an Entrepreneur

Gender discrimination and pay inequities in the corporate world cannot be underestimated so women might as well choose the path of business ownership for these reasons and more. Further, having control over your destiny is a mighty powerful motivator.

Becoming an entrepreneur requires numerous personal qualities regardless of gender. All entrepreneurs are:

Bold, daring, cReAtIvE, calculated risk takers, INNOVATIVE + autonomous

The profile of women entrepreneurs is not necessarily different from our male counterparts. What's noticeable is the contrast in managing style ... other than that ... pretty similar.

For my women readers, may you start a business in 2010. Best wishes for a happy and successful year.

Photo credit: Laurel J. Delaney, lake front at Rogers Park, Illinois, U.S.A., from The Official Escape from Corporate America Blog

Shine Bright This Holiday Season and Let Your Entrepreneurial Spirit Sing with Joy!

Wishing you the happiest and brightest holiday season ever. May 2010 unleash your creativity and get you going with a new business!

Women Business Owners Know How To Create and Be Creative

New research forecasts women small business owners will create 5+ million new jobs by 2018, while creating a far more inclusive workplace environment through their distinctive management approach.

Based on the Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute’s projections, women-owned small businesses will generate more than half of the 9.72 million new small business jobs expected to be created, and roughly one-third of the 15.3 million total new jobs anticipated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics by 2018. This projection is striking, given that women-owned businesses currently account for just 16 percent of total U.S. employment.

The Institute’s projections are based on a rigorous analysis of converging factors, including the faster growth rate of women-owned businesses vs. male-owned; higher college graduation rates by women vs. men; the predicted growth of industry sectors and occupations dominated by women; and The Guardian Life Index: What Matters Most to America’s Small Business Owners.

A Thorough Human Being

Maybe I should surprise you and begin with "Big Women" or should I say "Strong Women." Thoughts come to mind about big women because it's the complete opposite of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, "Little Women." But the real reason for bringing this to your attention is to focus on one of the characters, Josephine "Jo" March, the chief protagonist of the novel based on Ms. Alcott (pictured above) herself.

Jo is a tomboy and the second eldest sister at fifteen. She is very outspoken and has a passion for writing. Her bold nature often gets her into trouble. She is especially close to her younger sister Beth, who tries to help her become a gentler person. At the beginning of the book, she is employed by her Aunt March as a companion, but when Beth becomes ill, Amy is sent in Jo's place. Jo cuts off her long, chestnut brown hair — "her one beauty", as Amy calls it — and sells it to a wig shop to get money for her mother to visit their father, a sick Civil War chaplain. She refuses the proposal of marriage from family friend Laurie (despite many letters sent to Miss Alcott to have them married), and after Jo moves to New York, later meets and marries Professor Friedrich "Fritz" Bhaer.

Quite simply, Jo was and will forever be remembered as an entrepreneur and a thorough human being. Here's one of her famous remarks:

"Look at me, World, I'm Jo March, and I'm so happy."

If you have a chance, watch (review here) the original 1933 B/W classic "Little Women" movie to experience a couple of hours of warm and fuzzy feelings. I think I've seen it at least three dozen times and plan to watch it again this holiday season.

2010: Go Your Own Way

As you pave the way to success for yourself, pay a visit to Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (pictured) for additional ideas:

The Kauffman Foundation is working to further understand the phenomenon of entrepreneurship, to advance entrepreneurship education and training efforts, to promote entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and to better facilitate the commercialization of new technologies by entrepreneurs and others, which have great promise for improving the economic welfare of our nation.

See, you are not living in a vacuum. The world is working with you to get that business idea off the ground!

Learn more here.

Let the Truth Be Told By a Scholar About Women Entrepreneurs

Maria Minniti Ph.D. (pictured), holder of the Bobby B. Lyle Chair in Entrepreneurship at SMU’s Cox School of Business, proves to us that studying women entrepreneurs sheds light on entrepreneurship and wealth creation, employment choices, human capital, labor market dynamics, family dynamics and employment, business creation and peace, to name a few.

Women’s businesses tend to be smaller and to grow less than those owned by men. But do those tendencies really convey the nuances inherent in female entrepreneurship and its full impact across the globe?

A couple of highlights from Professor Minniti's research:

• Women are involved in entrepreneurial activities out of two primary reasons — opportunity and necessity.

• Countries which have healthy and diversified labor markets or stronger safety nets show a more favorable ratio of opportunity to necessity-driven women entrepreneurs.

• Only recently has the link between peace and female entrepreneurship been appreciated; it could represent a very significant source of stability in some of the most unstable areas of the globe.

• On average, women seem less networked than men and, in some cultures, have access to fewer social resources.

• Minniti notes that "women are very strong at negotiating, achieving goal-congruence, and consensus-forming.”

• Self-satisfaction is more important to women that financial profitability and growth; and of course, family considerations are very important in women's jump to self-employment.

• How institutions promote or discourage female entrepreneurship should be studied for its policy implications.

Read more here. And to request a copy of Dr. Minniti's forthcoming paper, “Gender Issues in Entrepreneurship,” go here:

Click to email (Partial email = @cox.smu.edu)

When You Go With What You've Got; It Can Become Something Great

That's a quote from 30-year old Norah Jones (a favorite of mine) and I am inclined to agree with her. She's taking her entrepreneurial musical talents in a whole new direction (in her new album, "Come Away With Me," she plays the guitar).

Daring? Yes. BOLD? You bet. Will it pay off? I don't see why not.

We all have to update our talent constantly, go in new directions, launch fresh ideas and take chances in life to become who we are meant to be.

Is that your plan, too, for 2010?

Pictured: Norah Jones (the top one is her new look!)

We Interrupt This Blog To Bring You a Male Entrepreneur: Sir Richard Branson

"If you can run one company, you can run just about any company." ~ Richard Branson

Motivation comes in all shapes and forms. Capture something from this video to spur you on to starting your own business!

Leave the Rat Race for Entrepreneurship

Today I did a Google search on:

leave Corporate America

The purpose was to put myself in the shoes of many folks who intend to do just that in 2010 (and of course, it's something I did many moons ago). Below is what I discovered. Are you feeling this way?

Have you ever thought of leaving the rat race before becoming a rat? I worked in Corporate America many years and I don't believe that ...

My decision to leave corporate America crept up on me slowly. It wasn't some lightning bolt of revelation that vividly popped into my brain one morning ...

Corporate America is stealing your life and paying you to give it to them. Quit and start a business!

Incorporate every step listed above before you leave corporate America, and success is guaranteed. Many blessings upon you with preceding ...

Several former financial services and insurance company meeting planners talk about starting their own business—even during a recession.

When I finally decided to leave corporate America the first thing I had to do was determine what my basic needs would cost. I was pleasantly surprised to ...

Would you like to leave Corporate America? Have you thought about what it would take for you to leave Corporate America?

An ideal situation for many people is to leave corporate America and run a home based business. There is no boss breathing down your neck ...

No limits: how I escaped the clutches of Corporate America to live ... Luckily for me, a series of events led me to leave Corporate America back in 2005 and I am now trying to help other passionate and creative people like ...

Need assistance with your idea? Get in touch with a SCORE counselor who can help you live your dream of entrepreneurship!

Do It Oprah-Style: Be a Real Person

If you are trying to build a foundation for your business, why not do it Oprah-style by acting, thinking and speaking like your target audience? In other words, be a real person -- step into the shoes of your client, connect on a personal level and then create a community just for them.

Read more about what I am referring to here.

Pictured: November edition of Oprah magazine.

Berry Entrepreneur

Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry turns entrepreneur.

Berry's first fragrance, Halle, debuted in March 2009 after two years of development -- just as the economy was tanking. On March 9, the Dow tumbled to 6,547.05, marking its lowest point in more than a decade. Berry had her doubts about the timing, wondering if "now is not the time to be asking consumers ... [to] buy something else."

Read more here.

Subscribe to Halle's newsletter here.

Are You Limited in the Corporate World?

Jennifer Jack (pictured) is currently the owner and operator of Good Fortune Soap, an all natural soap and body care company located in Athens. However, when she graduated from Cleveland State Community College, she never knew that a few years later, she’d be a business owner.

“Working in a corporate job, I did not feel like I was able to use all of my creative talents and all of my gifts. I felt very limited in the corporate world, so wanting to start my own business was an expression of artistic freedom. The freedom of being my own boss and scheduling my own hours was a big plus for me.”

So in May 2006, Jennifer gave birth to Good Fortune Soap.

“From day one I studied soap making, natural ingredients, and the natural products industry as a whole. The fearless mad scientist I knew as a child took over as I experimented by making hundreds of batches of soap, scent combinations, shapes, colors, and more. I taught myself and basically perfected the process night and day while working full-time as a graphic designer.”

Since then, her company has grown tremendously. It is currently being sold in many cities throughout Tennessee, as well as over 18 states.

As the article states:

It proves that with a sound business plan, and a quality product offered at an affordable price coupled with innovative marketing, a creative entrepreneur can not only succeed, but thrive during these times.

Are you limited in what you are doing? Escape. Start a business. Read more here.

Death of a Business: 5 Signs

My latest contribution over at the OPEN Forum, "The 5 Deadly Signs of Business Decay."

Here's one:

2. The word 'new' has been eliminated from everyone's vocabulary. If you haven't launched one new "something" - project, product, service, technology or talent, for example - in well over a year (nowadays, with technology, it's more like every week!), you're in a downward spiral toward not just mediocrity but "Dullsville," and no one will pay attention to you, let alone buy from or consult with you. Experimentation or calculated risk-taking is essential, and if it dries up, so does the business.

Find out if any of these signs are happening at your business. I sincerely hope not! If they are, do something about it!

Boring Is Out. Facebook Is In.

Steve Strauss writes an interesting post at USATODAY.com on why it's important to focus on Facebook to boost your business.

An excerpt from his Q&A:

I recently saw a story about a woman starting a new business who, prior to getting started, joined a few groups pertaining to the industry. A few months later, as she got started, she posted a request for people who would be willing to be on her virtual board of advisors. She revived more than 50 offers from top people in the field.

Learn all of Steve's great tips here.

New Wave of Entrepreneurs Called Women

How to get inspired with a little help from your friends, a kitchen table, some moxie and a few bucks scraped together to launch an idea into a business.

Take Reneé De Pew, for example:

When Reneé De Pew heard about the impending shutdown next year of NUMMI in Fremont, the car plant's executive assistant decided to flex her entrepreneurial and artistic muscles, launching www.rcdepewfineart.com to start selling her artwork.

"When you see the light at the end of the tunnel getting dimmer, you start thinking creative thoughts about how to make money so you don't lose your home," De Pew said. "I figure if I don't have another job by the time NUMMI asks me to leave, I'll start teaching art or start a home-staging business."

Read more here.

A Resource That Provides Access to Women Entrepreneurs

If ever there were a key resource to tap into and get involved with, it's Women Entrepreneurs, Inc. (WE Inc.). Its mission is pure and simple: helping women in business. Full disclosure: I know the founder, Karen Kerrigan (pictured) -- she's a dynamo (a tireless advocate to women entrepreneurs)! -- and I serve as her Global Markets Advisor.

About We Inc.:

WE Inc. is a a project of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) -- a prominent advocacy and research organization dedicated to protecting small business and promoting entrepreneurship. WE Inc. aims is to improve and enhance the economic climate for women's entrepreneurship. By advocating for policy solutions that encourage business ownership by women, and providing information and resources to entrepreneurs at all stages of their business development, WE Inc. works to increase economic opportunity and financial security for those seeking the rewarding and challenging path of business ownership.

You may visit SBE Council's website at this address: http://www.sbecouncil.org/

Founder
Karen Kerrigan

WE, Inc. Agenda
Click here to read more

Check out the website, become a member and be sure to sign up for WE Inc.'s Weekly Brief. They also offer a phenomenal monthly e-newsletter filled with important news items and updates concerning women business owners. It's a great way to stay on top of things and push to get ahead (including taking your business global!).

Don't miss a beat. Go visit now!

Go Get 'Em Girls For This Guide Is For You!

I received a magnificent pitch by email this week -- one too good to pass up -- from Debra Shigley, author of the new "The Go-Getter Girl's Guide: Get What You Want In Work and Life (and Look Great While You're at It)."

What struck me is this part:

I graduated from Harvard (undergrad) and Georgia State College of Law, and briefly practiced employment law before returning to a writing career (I guess I'm an escapee, too :). I've appeared on The View, CNN, ABC news and more. I have also been quoted by the Washington Post, AJC, Wall Street Journal, and Redbook. I will attach a quick release about the book [Laurel here ... which she did], and you can learn more on my website here.

So naturally I responded to Debra with a "WOW ... great pitch ... send me a copy of the book -- no guarantees on anything -- but go ahead!" And she did.

I read my copy quickly because I was curious as to what a Harvard grad-lawyer-turned author has to say about getting your career on track and staying stylish at the same time. Debra doesn't let us down. She, herself, is a smart go-getter and this quality shines through brightly on nearly every page of the book.

She guides us carefully on all sorts of office issues -- from the importance of networking to wardrobe building (which I could use a little help on) to how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. She does this through interviews with dozens of successful, stylish women -- many of them well- known (e.g., Soledad O'Brien; Tory Burch; Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss; Johnson Publishing COO Anne Ward; Spanx founder Sara Blakely, etc.) and many of them entrepreneurs that Debra claims: Escaped from Corporate America!

Here's what folks have already said about the book:

“A must read for savvy women everywhere. Debra's invaluable style and career secrets are sure to skyrocket you to success!”
- Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss

“So much more than a series of success stories . . . This kind of wisdom is priceless. With her keen understanding of today’s working girl, Debra explains how to put those street smarts into practice.”
- Carley Roney, Cofounder and Editor In Chief of The Knot Inc.

“Go-Getter Girls know that 50% of their credibility comes from how they look, 40% comes from how they sound, and 10% from what they say. Debra Shigley provides practical tools and tips for achieving 100% success at go-getter girl speed!”
- Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D., author of Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office

“Take the work place by storm! A fun step-by-step primer for getting everything you want out of your career. If you have ambition, this book will give you the confidence and tools to go out and make your dreams happen.”
- Bonnie Fuller, former editorial director of American Media

“A fast and fun read for the busy on-the-go girl who is looking for her ‘must do’ tips for success!”
- Keri Glassman, Early Show nutrition contributor and Women’s Health columnist

"If you want a fun, energetic, step-by-step guide to achieving the career of your dreams and look smashing to boot, this book is for you."
- Laurel Delaney, founder, The Official Escape From Corporate America blog

Learn more and purchase the book here.

Do What You Enjoy: An Interview With Artist Gina Signore

Gina Signore is a magnificent artist tucked away in the beautiful and peaceful area of Cassopolis, Michigan (village population estimated at 1,740) doing what she does best: artistry (shown above).

Recently, I had the great pleasure of being re-introduced to her work and ordered a few select note cards online for my own enjoyment. After receiving them in the mail and feeling like a kid in a candy store, I decided immediately that I must share the gift of knowing Gina with all of you, especially with the holidays right around corner.

To give more details, when I received my note cards, they were carefully hand-wrapped in cellophane with a delicate ribbon-tied bow; a tiny note accompanied each set with an original signature by Gina. Needless to say the cards are so beautiful that I most likely will never let them out of my sight. Instead, I might opt to frame them -- they are that gorgeous.

Gina's art work makes an ideal holiday gift for that special someone -- a colleague who made you shine through the year, a family member who's always there for you, a best friend who sticks by your side come thick or thin, that special client who thinks you are brilliant or the vendor who saves you gobs of time. Whoever it might be that is deserving of something special this year (I'll take 'em :-)!, they are sure to enjoy receiving Gina's art.

So, before I jump to where you can find her work, here's an interview I conducted with her discussing how she decided to start and grow the Gina Signore business of art.

LJD: What made you start your artistry business and please describe what it's all about?

Gina: I have been interested in art all of my life. I can remember drawing and painting when I was five years old.

I attended Aquinas College in the seventies and graduated with a Fine Arts degree.

The pursuit of my art degree exposed me to a wide variety of artistic mediums, history and theory. I majored in printmaking and painting.

After graduating from college, I became a partner in a Framing and Art shop in Grand Rapids Michigan. The frame shop connected me directly to the art community of West Michigan.

I was able to exhibit my work in a wide range of national galleries and juried art shows.

After residing in Grand Rapids for several years, my husband and I decided that we wanted to raise our children in a smaller community. The trade off to living in a smaller town is that venues for selling my art became limited.

Over the last ten years my digital camera, I-Mac computer and my access to high-speed Internet has become a strategic key for me to grow my business. Digital photography has become a centerpiece of my current artwork and five years ago I discovered the potential of selling my art online. I now have successful on-line Galleries at three websites Art.com, Zazzle.com and Etsy.com.

This was a wonderful way to get my artwork in front of many new viewers. These on-line galleries have allowed me to live in rural southwest Michigan and ship to far away locations around the globe. I am thrilled to know that my artwork has sold to individuals living as far away as Portugal and Australia.

LJD: What advice (best kept secret) can you give others that will help them unleash their potential to start a business?

Gina: When considering your career or business be sure that you are doing what you enjoy and that your work is aligned with your personal values.

I work and think about my art everyday. My parents passed their passion for art and gardening to me at an early age.

My artwork is more than a job or career to me. It's my calling, my passion, and is an expression of who I am. When I am not actively working at my art, I spend a great deal of my time planning or working in my garden. Today, I plant my garden with the things I want to paint or photograph.

I value a degree of solitude in order to do my work and I find that my home is where I get most of my inspiration.

LJD: If we lived in a perfect world, what's the one thing you might do differently if you were 21 and starting all over with your business? In other words and in hindsight, what do you wish you would have known when you started your business that for sure, now that you do know, you would do differently to make things easier?

Gina: I think I would have benefited from taking a few basic business or computer classes.

I remember that as a young artist, the signals that I was receiving from the business world were not very positive. At that time, art and creativity were viewed as radical right-brain thinking that did not impact the bottom line.

I think I would have been more inspired if I had been exposed to the creative nature of entrepreneurial thinking at an earlier age. I am intrigued by the return of creative thinking that is now being embraced by business.

Looking back, I wish that I had embraced technology a littler earlier. Traditional art is about drawing, painting, and sculpture and was not as welcoming to computer design.

I am still working on my fear of technology; I just recently bought my first cell phone and can text my daughters but I am not sure how to make a call!

Find Gina's work at the following online places:

Etsy Site

Zazzle Site

Art.com

And kick back, relax and enjoy ...
YouTube - Gina Signore Photography

Mixed media photography credit:

© 2009 Gina Signore, Winter Twilight (top)
© 2009 Gina Signore, In the Morning (middle)
© 2009 Gina Signore, Autumn Footbridge (bottom)

Push Yourself To Grow Your Business

Here's a look at Europe's perspective (from an expert -- Paula Fitzsimons, Irish national coordinator for the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and director of Ireland-based Going for Growth, a business consultancy) on women, entrepreneurship, business ownership and growth.

An excerpt:

But if you want to make a significant contribution to economic growth, innovation and productivity, those [women-owned] businesses must become capable of growth. It's quite clear that Europe needs more 'gazelles' – i.e. companies capable of significant growth – and the point we're making is that we need to encourage women to not only be self-employed but to break the barrier to employing one or two people, or to move further if they're already significant employers.

In short, we should be pushing for them to have a growth aspiration at the earliest possible stage. They must have this initial strategic positioning.

Read the entire interview here.

Do you need to be pushed to grow your business? Do you think this is a trend indicative to the United States too?

Don't Sell Yourself Short: Break Out and Start a Business

Who are we kidding? If you act like an entrepreneur while employed at a large corporation, guess what happens? Your ideas are taken and the next thing you know, you're fired. Who needs that?

One of the single greatest lessons in life is to find out what makes you happy or come to life (passion) and oftentimes it starts with learning first what makes you miserable.

I agree with Janice Bryant Howroyd (pictured) at being the entrepreneur of your own career but if you are going to "be" than "do." Do the business. Start it.

Read more here. Within the article, be sure to focus on Ms. Howroyd's backstory:

Ms. Howroyd is an entrepreneur in the traditional sense. She said she left Tarboro, N.C., in 1976 to work for a brother-in-law’s talent agency in Los Angeles and two years later started her own small employment firm, ACT•1.At the beginning, she said, she played off the fact that “I was a minority-owned business in two ways, as an African-American and a woman.”

Boost Your Business

One way to boost your business is to look for organizations, such as Gateways to Entrepreneurial Tomorrows, Inc. (GET), who help minorities start, run and grow businesses.

Take Mabel Lopez of Poughkeepsie who is a successful protege of GET's program. Lopez is an event planner whose business is Lasting Impressions by Mabel.

Mabel Roman-Lopez has been planning events for nearly a decade.

Lasting Impressions by Mabel opened as the result of an inner desire to help people bring to vision a special event they want to mark in their lives.

Mabel has planned many memorable events, from baby showers to bridal showers, birthday parties, to festivals and corporate luncheons. From the spectacular to the simple. Mabel has the creativity and personal service for anyone wanting to create a magical event.

She launched her own business with help from GET.

Learn more here.

From Singer to Producer of Flavored Vodkas

Thirty years ago when Miyoko Yamakawa traveled from Japan to America, her dreams of becoming a singer were put on hold when she married a top Japanese chef in New York City, and moved to Rockland County to raise a family.

A year after the move, the family -- the Yamakawas -- opened Maiko 2, a New City restaurant where her husband Jiro cooked and Miyoko sang for customers on Friday nights.

Jiro created a drink and customers loved it which was a strawberry vodka that people asked for and wanted to buy it.

Slow forward 20 years in the restaurant business, the family sold Maiko 2 and began bottling Jiro's creation.

Guess who is figuring things out at this stage? Miyoko Yamakawa is along with her husband and she is seeking help from a Small Business Center -- a great place to get free advice on how to start, run and grow a business.

Here's a quick look at some of the areas where Miyoko is getting assistance:

START-UP HOW TO: Step 1: Think like an entrepreneur

STEP 2: What kind of entrepreneur are you?

STEP 3: Ways to raise money to start your small business

STEP 4: Refine you business concept, develop your pitch

STEP 5: Step 5: Keys to your success; choosing where to work from

STEP 6: Polishing your business plan; where to go to get advice

Read more here. Their launch site, Me Oko, appears to be here. Another iteration is here.

And as for help on your own business, you might check out whether you have a local Small Business Center in your area.

The Official Escape From Corporate America Blog Has a New Look

We are pleased to unveil our re-design to the official Escape From Corporate America blog (www.EscapeFromCorporateAmerica.com). Let us know what you think of it. We welcome your feedback! And be sure to check out all the resources featured on the right sidebar.

ESCAPE From Corporate America!

What It Takes To Become a High Performance Leader

Wrote this article for American Express OPEN Forum to help folks fulfill their own version of the ideal, fully developed high-performance leader.

Here's the lead:

Achieving high performance in tough times is a serious challenge small business owners face. The ultimate goal may be extraordinary business performance, but you can still get comfortable and slip into mediocrity. To obliterate status quo, do you have what it takes to become a high-performance leader? Ten traits characterize the people who do.

See what you think. Hope you get some value out of it. We will add the feature to our blog's e-library on the right sidebar.

"10 Traits of High-Performance Leaders"

Find Creative Deals To Start Your Business

This article is about how to launch a small business on a shoestring but the following excerpt particularly struck me:

Yafa Sakkejha (pictured) made a deal with her father that’s enabling her to get House of Verona, a summer health-retreat business, off the ground. He agreed to “incubate” her fledgling company by giving her rent-free use of Blue View Chalets, his winter ski-resort property in Canada’s Blue Mountains, for the first year and by fronting some of her larger initial expenses.

Ms. Sakkejha is using her savings to repay Blue View half of the expenses it incurs for her and hire health experts, a fitness trainer and caterers. If [Laurel here ... WHEN] her business takes off, both parties win. She begins to build her own business, and her father gains a summertime revenue stream from the property.

There's another example cited within the article about Christine Marchuska, who started an eco-friendly fashion label, cmarchuska LLC, in November, using $40,000 in savings and severance she got after being laid off from Wall Street.

Find out what she did along with other visionaries to strike creative deals in the rough and get their businesses going!

Making the World a Better Place

Turtle Wings is born. Let me give you the lowdown.

As senior vice president of international marketing for CitiFinancial, Elizabeth Wilmot (pictured) had traveled the world and had seen some of the huge used-electronics dumps that have been created in nations such as India. She also had experienced the difficulty of trying to recycle a computer herself. "I thought to myself, 'I would pay somebody to pick this up and recycle it and scrub my data off of it,' " she recalls. Thus the idea for her company, Turtle Wings, was born.

Back then, Elizabeth was a single mom, quit her job and used savings and home equity to start the business in 2004. The company, once run out of her kitchen, now occupies two warehouses and 12 employees serving households, corporations and government agencies.

Read more about Elizabeth's successful leap from Corporate America to business ownership here.

Yummynosh

Don't you love words that catch your attention? You must read this entire article, "Feminine Mystique: Why More Women Are Applying For MBAs" to get the drift of how the ending from one of the graduates goes like this:

'What women want is to be treated equally'

Kuldeep Brar, 35, recently finished her executive MBA at Cass Business School. She is working in marketing at the school before setting up her own business.

"I come from a marketing and sales background in the City, so for me Cass was a natural fit. It was accessible – I could walk to it from my job at St Paul's – and its reputation for evening and weekend teaching attracted me. I wanted a flexible course.

There were quite a few women on my course, from a wide range of backgrounds. We had some pregnancies, so the flexibilities of managing work and home life mattered.

Earnings? The women on the course were just as hungry as the men. I didn't notice any difference in the calibre, and the expectations reflected that.

I think what women want more than anything else is to be treated equally.

I'm hoping to start a business in a completely different direction – home-cooked, healthy, delivered foods. I'm calling it 'yummynosh'. The MBA has given me the confidence to do that."

Although I had already started my business, that is exactly how I felt after I completed my MBA: loaded with confidence and lots of great ideas.

To Kuldeep Brar, I say: "You go girl!"