Follow Your Gut

Whether you start a business, form a joint-venture or take a business global, there are two ways to make your decision.  You can conduct research and think a long time about something or you can simply follow your gut.  

Join us on September 12 (downtown Chicago!) to hear Julie Smolyansky, President and CEO, Lifeway Foods, when she talks about how she has learned to follow her gut for the right way to go on the following:

• How global factors influence company values and mission
• Why we should empower women entrepreneurs around the world
• How to channel inspiration from travel experiences into marketing initiatives 

I'll be there.  Hope you will too! To learn more and to register, visit:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/weggtm-workshop-follow-your-gut-presented-by-julie-smolyansky-tickets-48655708534

2018 Top Franchises for Women Report

Franchising is a great way to start a business without all the risks.  Typically a franchisee pays an initial fee and ongoing royalties to a franchisor. In return, the franchisee has use of ongoing support, a trademark, a designated geographic territory, and the right to use the franchisor's processes and systems.

The Midwest-based coffee franchise Scooter’s Coffee, for example, has experienced incredible growth this past year and was recently named a top franchise by Franchise Business Review in its 2018 Top Franchises for Women Report.

Might be worth a look.

How to Look Bigger at an Affordable Price: Virtual Office Space

A virtual office or co-working space offers small business owners an official address, communication options and flexible working space.  It can also help women have a professional edge.

Even if you run a home-based business:

... business owners can use a virtual office space for conferences, mail delivery, customer service and as part-time dedicated work space.

Read more about how virtual office spaces can be a good option for female entrepreneurs.

Black Women Vintners Are Changing the World of Winemaking

Indianapolis, Indiana-based women wine makers from Sip and Share Winery and Wine and Candles differ from other wineries.  While both women enjoy making and sharing their wines, they also love educating consumers on wine etiquette, different wine varieties and the winemaking process.  And the two owners are Black women.

In her research, Kearney [owner of Sip and Share] said she’s found about 100 Black and Latino winemakers throughout the country. The wine industry is ripe for more people of color to get into winemaking. Revenues from wine sales are $62.7 billion worldwide.

Read more about how these Black women entrepreneurs are changing the world of winemaking.

Amplifying the Voices and Work of Women

The Women’s Equality Coalition (WEC) of Linn County is getting ready to celebrate Women’s Equality Day scheduled for Aug. 26, and they are currently seeking nominations from the community for their Woman of the Year award, which is presented at the event. The last day to submit a nomination is July 25, and nomination forms are available on the WEC website, womensequalitycoalition.org.

According to WEC, role models are key to changing perceptions, and bettering lives.  But if their goal is equality, the first steps must come in their communities, by amplifying the voices and work of local women.

So, please, nominate a woman you value in Linn County -- a positive female role model so she can be honored and everyone can learn from.

Read more about looking for a few (more) good women.

Women Have a Lock-Down on Entrepreneurship

From trucking titan to the immigrant taking on Elon Musk in space, here is the annual Forbes ranking of the 60 richest self-made women.

These 60 women, who have a record combined net worth of $71 billion, up 15% from $61.5 billion in 2017, have shattered [glass] ceilings and scaled new heights, making fortunes in everything from genetic testing to slimming shapewear. The minimum net worth needed to make this year’s list is $320 million, up from $260 million last year.

Find out who made the list.  You won't be disappointed.  In fact, you even might be surprised!

Women-Owned Businesses Are Growing Five Times National Average

According to a survey by the National Association of Women Business Owners, the number of women-owned businesses is growing five times the national average, with 1 in every 11 women being an entrepreneur.

"To be able to support a woman-owned business is just the icing on the cake," said Katelyn Perry, a shopper at the Sequin Siren [on Popps Ferry Road in Mississippi].

A woman-owned business is something other women have no problem supporting.  Read more here.

Are You a Hair-Care Entrepreneur?

If you are running a hair-care business, this post is for you because beauty-supply company Sally Beauty recently launched a business-accelerator program specifically designed to help female beauty entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

Women is actively seeking out the next line of innovative hair-care products, offering one phenomenal female-owned brand entrepreneurial mentorship, $25,000 in financial support and distribution through Sally Beauty’s website.

Do you have the next best hair product?  Go get your opportunity now.

Ready to Launch? Have the Right Mindset.

Author Canyon Siang radiates a sense of possibility for women entrepreneurs.  After all, she wrote the book, The Launch Book: Motivational Stories to Launch Your Idea, Business or Next Career (as of this writing, 53 reviews on Amazon).

When launching a business, what is most often overlooked?  Having the right mindset.  Siang says:

"Whether you are a 20-year-old entrepreneur or a 70-year-old entrepreneur, what is critical is your mindset."

Read more and discover several mindset strategies that will help you with a successful launch.

Saluting the Notable and Visible Women in Business

Let's take a moment to salute and congratulate the notable and visible women in business.  As Deborah Levine (pictured), editor of the American Diversity Report, writes at the Times Free Press:

The national number of women-owned businesses grew 45 percent between 2007 and 2016, five times faster than the national average. Their flight to entrepreneurship may be a rejection of corporate dead ends and closed doors to the executive suite. But their entrepreneurship is driving our economy to the tune of 3 trillion dollars.

Read more to learn what this growth means for women and how venture capital is still, sadly, hard to come by for women business owners.

Likable Female Power Entrepreneurs

Here are three business lessons entrepreneurs can learn from women with ambition who are challenging what it means to be likable -- and succeeding.  Meanwhile ...

Flaunt your success.  Trust your instincts.  Don't ask for permission.

Newfound Respect for Female Entrepreneurs

Since quitting her day job and founding her own brewing company Lineup Brewing, Katarina Martinez (pictured) is one of the most-watched women on New York's bar scene.  In addition, she has developed a newfound respect for female small business owners.

Over the last year, the demand for her craft beers has grown so immensely that she is planning to open a new space — including a brewery with a 15-barrel system, an outdoor area, and a bar.

After she was disenchanted with the work scene, she decided to quit her job and launch her own business.

“I was just like ‘I want to start my own company, I don’t want to work for ‘The Man’ anymore,’ ” she remembered. “It was that moment when it clicked that I could do my hobby and my passion as a real-life career.”

Read more about how Martinez achieved success pursuing her passion, despite the fact that she won’t ever forget the hard work that comes with being a woman taking a risk.

Note:  You must read some of the media articles on how Martinez named one of her beers, 'Bieryonce' and how Beyonce came after her.

Make Something Out of Nothing

Pink-haired Therese Tucker's company, BlackLine was born in 2001 as a software company handling accounting tasks.

"I cashed out my nest egg from my options, I maxed out my credit cards, I took out a second mortgage on my house," Tucker says. "If I could have figured out how to get into my kids' college funds, I would have taken that too." Tucker was a single mother of two at the time.

Learn more about how Therese went against all odds, broke through a glass ceiling, and started her own $2 billion tech company.

And the pink hair?  It started as a dare and now has become a magnet for all things social and interesting at her company.

Everything You Need to Know About Podcasting to Grow your Business

We just love the work of Kathrin Bussmann over at Verbaccino.  Kathrin is considered the queen of podcasting and when you read the following article, listen to her WEGGinar™ and go over her SlideShare deck, there isn't anything you won't know about podcasting.  Tune in.  Learn a ton.

Kathrin Bussmann Offers Tips and Advice on Global Podcasting

Screenshot courtesy of Verbaccino.  Kathrin Bussmann's podcast setup.

Lessons From Mom

A Mom plays a big role in everyone's life, especially for people who go on to become successful entrepreneurs.  Here's what 14 leaders said they learned from their mother.

Example:

Follow your gut.  S'well founder Sarah Kauss left her career in commercial real estate after her mother asked her what she wanted out of life. When Kauss brought up a fashionable-reusable water bottle, her mother pushed her to take the plunge. 

14 Lessons Learned From Mom and Happy Mother's Day!

Striking Out On Your Own in the Porn Industry

Women have always capitalized on technological change to find a way into the male-dominated industry. Enter the zone of porn as earning a living.

“Doing porn, in the beginning, was never about politics,” Ms. [Kelly] Shibari said. “I wasn’t trying to break any barriers. I just wanted to have a good time.” And make some money, too. She found that both were more attainable by striking out on her own.

With technology, performers can now run their own shows. The rise of webcam work has opened up a style of performance that can be totally controlled by the model in her bedroom.

Read more here.

Your Best Coach is the One Who Cares Enough to Give You Feedback

How does one start a business called Project Gravitas?  Easy.

When Lisa Sun (pictured) was just 22 years old and starting out in her career, her boss at global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company told her that she lacked gravitas. “When I asked her how to get confidence, she said, ‘go get a new dress, big jewelry and great shoes,’” Sun said. So, Sun went out to purchase a new outfit and embraced the larger message.

"Feedback is a gift; your best coach is the one who cares enough to tell you,” says Ms. Sun.

Read more bout Lisa's new company and discover her best tips -- as shown below -- for putting the best foot forward when traveling for business.

• Never pack a bag
• Leave a pair of sneakers and workout clothes in another city
• Double up
• Stay organized
• Plan one thing fun for yourself on each trip

Bias Against Female Founders on VC Funding

My colleague, Devishobha Chandramouli (pictured), Founder and Editor of Kidskintha, authored two really good articles that will give you can idea of the bias that still exists -- even after the #MeToo campaign -- when women entrepreneurs go after VC funding to grow their business.

• 6 Disadvantages Confronting Female Entrepreneurs Seeking Venture Capital
• New Study Finds 5 Key Differences in How Male and Female Founders Raise Capital

As Devishobha says:

"The more women we bring to the decision-making side of the table, the more the skew of the male VC ecosystem is offset. VC firms with more women determined to see women entrepreneurs succeed are the need of the hour."

How One Idea Can Lead to Another When Starting a Business

What does Birmingham, U.K-based Katjes Magic Candy Factory do that no other factory can:  make customer-designed sweets using a specially engineered 3D printer.

Here's the scoop.  The idea came to Melissa Snover while she was in the process of growing her first confectionary startup, Goody Good Stuff, a pioneer in the market for vegan sweets.

The company started as a business-to-business model leasing the 3D printers, licensing software, and ingredients that would allow customers in stores to design bespoke gummy candy. It has since added two more revenue streams: consulting about 3D food printing and marketing to the entertainment industry (which included an appearance at an after-party at last year’s Grammy Awards). The company turned a profit by the 18-month mark, and revenues are forecast to double annually.

How about that for a turn of events?  It goes to show you how one idea can lead to another when starting a business.

Apply for a Grant from the San Francisco Women's Entrepreneurship Fund

San Francisco launches $135,000 women's entrepreneurship fund!

The Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) and the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA), announced the launch of the San Francisco Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund, which will provide mini-grants to local, women-owned small businesses. 

To qualify for the grants, businesses are evaluated based on financial need, a strong business plan, future growth potential and community impact.

To learn more about eligibility requirements, applicants are encouraged to visit OEWD's website or MEDA for more information.

Why Women-Run Businesses Make the Most Money for Kevin O'Leary

Who's Kevin O'Leary (pictured)?  He's one of ABC's 'Shark Tank' stars.  Here's what he says.

"I've been investing now for over 10 years on things like 'Shark Tank' deals — and other deals that are brought to me because of 'Shark Tank' — and the majority of my returns come from the companies run by women," O'Leary tells CNBC Make It of his portfolio.

Read why that is here.

What I Wish I'd Known When I Started a Business

Ready to start your business?  Good.  Today we look at a few factors to consider before you launch.

MPR News host Kerri Miller asked three women entrepreneurs to share what they wish they'd known when they started their own businesses.  Here's a snapshot of what came out of the discussion.

1. Go with the flow.
2. Have some risk-taking in you.
3. Look at the big picture, not the day-to-day stuff.

There's more.  Read the entire interview about what you should know before taking your idea and turning it into a business.

Ireland Wants Women Entrepreneurs to Lead and Succeed

It's only fitting on St. Patrick's Day to blog about what's going on in Ireland for women entrepreneurs.

Enterprise Ireland and women’s business organization Network Ireland, in partnership with Entrepreneurs Academy, recently announced details of the annual nationwide Fueling Ambition Roadshow, which aims to encourage the ambition of women entrepreneurs at a national level.

The roadshow will included a leadership masterclass and an elevator-pitch competition with a cash prize of €2,000 sponsored by Facebook at each location. Additional prizes include 10 sessions with Enterprise Ireland mentors, annual membership of Network Ireland and attendance at Enterprise Ireland’s Excel at Export Selling training program.

Read more about how Ireland is driving support for women entrepreneurs to take on the o'world.

Enlightenment Now

Dr. Steven Pinker of Harvard University, has authored a new book, Enlightenment Now.  It's a long book but a joy to read because he is an exceptional writer.

In the latest Rule Breaker Investing podcast, Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner brings his listeners a special treat with an interview with Dr. Pinker.  He's a psycholinguist, award-winning researcher, and, according to Time magazine, one of the "100 Most Influential People" in the world today.

Here's an excerpt of my favorite part of the interview because it has to do with women:

"Societies that give more power to their women also tend to be democratic. They also tend to have low rates of crime. They tend to have moderate-to-high levels of social spending. They tend to have less inequality, and they also tend to be richer."

Learn more here.

Standout Women Entrepreneurs

What's the definition of standout?  According to Merriam-Webster:

:one [woman entrepreneur] that is prominent or conspicuous especially because of excellence

For the 2018 iteration of Forbes' annual 30 Under 30 list of game-changing young entrepreneurs, they highlighted 600 rising stars across 20 different industries. Many of the standouts this year -- across categories as varied as venture capital and entertainment -- happen to be women.

Meet 6 of the best and brightest.

Figurine credit.

Best Leadership Advice? It's Not What You Think

Contrary to what you might think, leadership is not mysterious. As leadership expert Adam Grant says:

If you understand how people and organizations behave, you'll have a pretty good idea how to maximize the performance of both. Fortunately, we're sitting on about a century's worth of research that reveals how leaders should manage, motivate, and develop employees, and how to improve their own decision making. There's no good reason to get this stuff wrong.

Got it?  Well let's find out what we can do right.  Here are seven important leadership insights.

Badass Entrepreneurial Women Share Their Top Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

I just love these tips.  Be sure to read them all.  Bottom line: Obsession matters.  That is, when it comes to your brand.  Here are the five tips.

1. Don’t just listen to your customers, act on what they tell you.
2. Just because you fill a void in the market, doesn’t mean others can’t, too.
3. Admit when you need help—and get it.
4. Live and breathe your brand.
5. Don’t underestimate your customer’s intelligence.

Read more here.

In Business, Complexity Kills

Effective strategic guidelines get three things right. They link to the corporate vision, identify critical vulnerabilities, and focus on what matters most.

This MIT Sloane Management Review article states:

Strategy is not about choice, it’s about choices. Few companies succeed based on a single big bet. They win through a series of trade-offs — about target customers, product, scope, and resources — that reinforce one another to create value. Attempting to describe every important choice in detail, however, leads to information overload. 

What do you need to know?  When it comes to execution, complexity kills.  Keep it simple.

Read the article to find out the three things you should focus on that matter concerning strategy and execution for your business.

Giving Women Resources To Succeed

While determination can fuel a company’s growth, other resources can aid women business owners: Programs aimed at women business owners.

Since 2014, Sonabank’s POWER (Potential of Women Entrepreneurs Realized) program has focused on connecting women entrepreneurs and giving them resources to succeed in a male-dominated field.

While the POWER program is run by a bank, helping with loans and other financings, the program has more to offer: A female-focused support system made up of more than 800 other women.

“She [Michelle Simon, senior vice president of Sonabank] told me about the bank and how they supported women,” Brumfield [Michelle Brumfield, CEO of BedCrafters] said. “I know how difficult it can be to run a business and run a house.”

Read more how women lift each other up.

Meet the Microloan Modernization Act

United States Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, announced the Microloan Modernization Act, a new bill to help minorities and women start small businesses and succeed.

She says the bill will help provide loans and technical assistance to women and minority business owners who face problems getting loans from banks to start or improve their small businesses.

More good news. Gillibrand says the Small Business Administration will set more money aside as an extension of their Microloan Program.

Read more about the new bill to help small businesses start businesses.

The Future is Female

Women march on.

More than 120,000 protesters attended the march in New York on Saturday, according to a senior adviser to Mayor Bill de Blasio, who cited the figure as the official count but did not explain the methodology behind it. Thousands also turned out in Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Rome and hundreds of other cities and towns.

Read more about how a year after millions of people turned out for the Women's March and took the streets en masse in a variety of USA cities to make herstory.

Corporate America Must Examine Its Hiring and Promotion Policies for Gender Bias

Love this post by Jeanne Shaheen, United States Senator, Ranking Member, U.S. Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship.  In it, she talks about the barriers that keep women entrepreneurs from achieving their best in growing a business.  One of her findings is this:

Corporate America must examine its hiring and promotion policies for gender bias. Investors, company leaders and human resources departments must also have zero tolerance for sexual harassment and discrimination that hurts qualified women.

In "Tackling the Gender Gap:  What Women Entrepreneurs Need to Thrive," Senator Shaheen claims that women are the center of the American economy.  I personally feel women [entrepreneurs] are the center of the universe.

She ends with, "Let’s lift up the stories of successful women-led businesses and inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs. There is nothing women can’t achieve if given an equal opportunity to compete."

Thank you Senator Shaheen.  We salute you for putting the wind behind our sails!  

Keep Up With Trends in 2018

I trust you are off to a great start in the New Year!  May it be your best year yet.

I am presenting a WEGGinar™ on Wednesday, January 10 at 11:00 a.m. Central time on "Laurel Delaney's Global Trade Trends Report 2018."  I would love for you to participate and my gift to you is that it is FREE!  All you have to do is register and even if you get busy, you can listen to it later, at your convenience.

I"ll cover artificial intelligence, micro-learning, wearables, quantum computing and more -- technology advancements that we need to know about to run our businesses successfully.

Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1940601026277957634  Connect then!

Shine Bright Like a Star in 2018

©2017 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Joy.  Healthy.  Prosperous.  Inspire. Dare.  New business.

May Your Dream Business Come True in 2018

©2017 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Happy Holidays

May Your Dream Business Come True in 2018

Dip Your Toes Into the Gig Economy

One of the best ways to eventually start a business is to dip your toes into the gig economy first. Clueless on ideas?  I've got it covered. USA Today author Jenny Knizner offers a little inspiration for what you can do with your talents. Here are some personal business ideas to help get you going.

Read more about eight personal business ideas that might lead to starting your own business.

Support Women Entrepreneurs This Holiday Season

©2017 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Tis the season to be jolly and support businesses that employ, empower, and bolster women entrepreneurs around the world.

Here are companies led by visionary women who are using their businesses to employ more people and create planet-friendly products.

Learn more about the ultimate holiday gift guide for women, and by women entrepreneurs.

It's a Magical Moment When a Ladybug Lands On You

©2017 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

According to Mom.me:

Some cultures believe seeing a ladybug brings good luck. The person may then succeed in love, have good weather, experience financial success or simply receive some other desired wish. Other cultures presume having a ladybug land on you brings good luck, or that whatever a ladybug lands on will be replaced with an improved version.

So, I had a ladybug land on me and the first thing I did was take a photo!  Now it's up to me to make it magical for a lifetime.

Never Let Obstacles Get In the Way of Starting Your Dream Business

For a person with a disability, it can be very hard to get a job or take care of others.  That's what prompted Hattie Allen to start Helping Hands For Homemaking And Companionship. Hattie is blind and takes care of her ailing husband and elderly mother. She also watches her grandkids on an as-needed basis.

So far, Allen has one employee at her business, but she hopes to expand. Her goal is to hire other people with disabilities because she knows how difficult it can be for them to find work.

Allen says:  “I do not let any obstacles get in my way or stop me from doing what I have to do.” She goes on to say:  “I keep on pressing.”

Good advice for all of us.

I Wanted You to be the First To Know: I Am Launching an E-Commerce Site

Like you, I've been contemplating whether to start a new business, this one e-commerce.  I hosted an amazing Global Small Business Forum in Chicago in October and the theme was e-commerce.  I was so inspired by the stories business owners shared about running successful e-commerce businesses that I decided to start one myself.

So, again like you, I must take it one step at a time, minimize risks and only focus on upside potential.  First, I had to come up with a name that makes sense for what I am about to do, and second, I had to reserve a domain name.  I've done both today (11/18/17).

I figure if Tory Burch and Rebecca Minkoff can do it.  So can I!

I'll keep you posted on developments because I want you to be the first to see the site when it's all done.  Wish me luck!

How to Maintain and Surpass Your Dad's Legacy Running a Business

The West Philadelphia-based minority business enterprise, Watts Facility Solutions, specializes in providing commercial janitorial services, window cleaning, carpet and upholstery cleaning and post construction cleaning. The company serves corporations, educational institutions, government agencies and medical facilities.

Theartis Watts started the business in 1956 by offering window cleaning services.  Yvette Watts (pictured) Theartis's daughter, joined the company in 1989 as a part-time supervisor while she was in college and subsequently took on advanced managerial duties.

Watts and her father worked together for 10 years and when he passed in 1999 she assumed the responsibility of becoming CEO and running the business.

Watts said networking through entities such as The Enterprise Center, the African American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware and the Women’s Business Enterprise Council has been a key aspect of helping expand her client base.

Learn more about what else has propelled her to the top of her game in running a business.

Leverage Social Media to Grow Your Business

I use LinkedIn to strategically connect with people who can help me grow my business and I write articles every once in a while about importing and exporting.  I use Twitter to post events, articles and helpful tips about anything to do with taking a business global (oh, and on the weekend, when I run, I post pictures of areas I run by).  On Facebook, it depends on my mood, but I typically post fabulous Chicago pictures, Like a lot of other friend's Pages and post an occasional article or event I am hosting on international trade.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.  My goal when I post on social media, is to create value for people in the global trade space.  See what other social media platforms I leverage to become a savvy global marketer.  I even share a few tools for monitoring your competitors.

Here you go ... access a few tools and tips for savvy global marketers.

Women Business Owners Are an Impressive Economic Force

Women are an impressive economic force, now. Imagine what they could achieve with some help from lawmakers.

October is National Women’s Small Business Month. There’s big news happening every day, so why should we focus on women small business owners?

Because women business owners—the vast majority of whom own small businesses—make up more than a third of our economy. And women start businesses at a rate five times higher than the national average. Clearly, women are driving economic growth, making it more important than ever that we recognize and supercharge their economic might.

Let's celebrate women small business owners!

Her Dream Come True

The love of creating and crafting initially led Joyce Stinnett to craft shows and launch Little Red Rooster, a unique home decor store featuring candles, craft items, jewelry, purses and more.

“I make a lot of my stuff,” she said. “My future daughter-in-law helps me, and my son cuts items out for me. My husband helps me also. I want to provide unique gifts; I strive to have different items in my store that one wouldn’t find elsewhere.”

Stinnett has made her dream come true by starting her own business.

Hurry! Only 6 Days Left to Register for our Chicago Forum on 10/20

©2017 GSBB Media LLC.  All rights reserved.

If you are thinking about setting up an e-commerce business or want to grow what you have already started, you should attend this event held in Chicago on Friday, October 20, 2017.

Name:  Global E-Commerce Explosion (GEE)!

Why:  Four (4) reasons why you should attend:

1. Network with entrepreneurs, business leaders, business owners, top executives, young professionals and students.
2. Enjoy and learn from experienced business owners who run multimillion dollar e-commerce companies as they share their perspectives and stories on expanding their businesses internationally.
3. Connect with seasoned international trade experts who can help you grow your business globally.
4. Be eligible to enter an exciting raffle for a chance to win special prizes donated by the speakers' companies.

Time:  7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Central time

Location:  The John and Kathy Schreiber Center, Loyola University Chicago, 16 East Pearson Street, 9th floor, Chicago.

A big shout-out to our sponsor:  MB Financial and event host Loyola University Chicago, Center for International Business, Quinlan School of Business.  Without them, this program would not be possible.

To learn more (full lineup of speakers) and to register, visit: http://www.globalsmallbusinessforum.com.  For my Escape followers :-), use code GSBF25OFF to receive a 25% discount.  I'll be there.  See you there!

Entrepreneurship Is a Valid Choice For Women

The video, "What They Don't Teach in Business School about Entrepreneurship" is a tad long but worth listening to every word, especially from Nazila Alasti of Jooners, because she says, "entrepreneurship is a valid choice for women."

It's Fine to Source Your Products From All Over the World

©2017 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

When you try to make a quality product as cheap as possible, it's perfectly fine to source your goods worldwide.  But you must be truthful and fully transparent on where the product comes from or where a largest percentage of it is made.  That is designated on product labelling (as shown).

It is a known fact that most of Ivanka Trump's product line is made overseas.  So why the hush hush about it?  Because the White House is keen on highlighting American-made products.  They'll just have to remember not to include Ivanka's.  No problem.

Note:  Not a very good photo -- I captured it while at a second-hand shop :-).

Join Us 10/20 in Chicago for Our 3rd Annual Global Small Business Forum

Good afternoon Corporate America Escapers!  I wanted to let you know about a Forum my company is hosting on Friday, October 20, 2017 at 16 E. Pearson Street in Chicago from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Central time.  It's our 3rd Annual Global Small Business Forum, sponsored by MB Financial, GlobeTrade.com and Center for International Business Loyola University Chicago. The forum helps entrepreneurs like you and small business owners take their companies global.  This year's theme is e-commerce and what a lineup of speakers we have.

Two in particular you won't want to miss:

1. Andrea Sreshta, co-founder of LuminAID.  LuminAID was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2015, received offers from all 5 Sharks, and made a deal with Mark Cuban, the company’s first investor.
2. Jennifer Bayon, Vice President of International Sales for Paris Presents.  Jennifer leads the brands’ business development in over 60 countries, outside the United States.

Here's the full lineup of outstanding speakers.  And we have an amazing group of local partners on this!

I hope to see you there to meet up in person!  To learn more and to register, visit:  http://www.globalsmallbusinessforum.com.

Women Entrepreneurs Who Work Tirelessly to Help Other Women Entrepreneurs

The Greater Stockton (California) Chamber of Commerce has selected Gillian Murphy (pictured), a champion of local entrepreneurs, as its 2017 ATHENA Award recipient.  Ms. Murphy is a long-time advocate of small business and a mentor to female entrepreneurs throughout the area.

About ATHENA International:

ATHENA International is a non-profit organization that seeks to support, develop and honor women leaders through programs that we administer in partnership with ‘host organizations’ from local communities. These programs inspire women to reach their full potential and strive to create balance in leadership worldwide.

To attend the luncheon at the Stockton Golf and Country Club (11/16/17) or find out more about the ATHENA Awards, visit stocktonchamber.org/athena-awards/ or call (209) 547-2770.

Congrats to Ms. Murphy!

Go Offline, Make Friends, and Find Mentors

A new website -- aiming to give women a safe platform to help them meet like-minded women face-to-face -- was created by a husband-and-wife team from Toronto and is helping women find their own "elletourage."

What is "Elletourage?"  You must visit their website.

"What we [the husband and wife team] hope is you'll meet online and then you'll take that conversation offline and become friends wherever you are," co-founder Sam Chung told CBC Toronto.

Learn more here.

Be Honest About What You Want in Life

Before starting her own company DB+co, Debra Bednar-Clark was the global head of strategy and growth at Facebook, and spent time as Microsoft's director of US market strategy and engagement.

She told Business Insider that figuring out whether you're ready to leave a job starts with being honest about what you want.

Here's what else she said:

"I think one of the things that it can be really easy for us to do is build a career we think we should do instead of one that is really aligned with who we are in that moment."

Read more ... + explore Debra's great little blog here.

Screenshot courtesy of DB+Co