Category Archives: Women Entrepreneurs

Achieving Balance During Life’s Biggest Transitions

On Mother’s Day, I watched one of my daughter’s graduate college, and in a few weeks, my youngest will graduate high school. Within full of appreciation for their achievements and excitement for their futures, I am sometimes caught by surprise by the deep effect their transitions have on me.

As a mom, my children’s transitions actually constitute transitions for my life, too. Will they be living at home anymore? What level of support will being their mom mean in their next phase of life? how much influence do I actually have on their choices?

I remember distinctly the day my son (and oldest child) first drove away at 16 years of age with his newly acquired license. I knew I had to trust that the job I had done would guide him to make good choices, because as much as I didn’t want to admit it—once out of the driveway, he could do and go as he pleased. It also meant I would no longer be driving him everywhere — a significant convenience, yet a loss of one-on-one talk time with him that I loved.

Have you experienced some of these transitions, too?

The tricky part with these relationships we cherish is investing our hearts in them, while still maintaining our own center of gravity. We require our own dreams and inspirations so that as our children become less dependent on us we are not left with a black hole in our lives. It is even true of our spouses, friends and work. Our center of gravity must remain in us, while we nurture, love and put our all into the things we care about.

I have not always been good at this balance — often being far more invested in others than myself. However, what has changed all this for me is having a BIG goal of my own! Even if I am fully investing most of my time in my children or my work, if I have identified my BIG personal goal and invest just a little time towards it regularly it establishes my own center of gravity, my own destination, and feeds my inner light. And ironically, I have found I am a better mother, friend and worker when my inner light and center of gravity is strong!

It has also made these transitions smoother and more joyful, even if I do still cringe that the part of my parenting journey where my children are living at home is coming to a close — I have more energy invested in my future than grieving what is past.

Here is to gloriously smooth and joyful transitions for your life!

Interviews with Influential Women: Donna Berber

Adversity and sorrow can often put things in perspectives and reveal a clear path. For A Glimmer of Hope President Donna Berber, that’s exactly what led her to advocate for Ethiopia’s impoverished women. In this installment of Interviews with Influential Women, we discuss how she discovered her passion and what women can do to find their way too.

In 200 words or less, please give my readers a short background on your personal journey that brought you to today.

When images of the great famine in Ethiopia emerged in the mid-1980s, I was shaken to my core. I was in my 20s, sitting in my comfortable home in London as I witnessed the suffering of people a world away. This planted a seed for what would become my life’s work and passion.

Years later, after life took my family and I to Texas, the voice inside became too loud to ignore. It was then that I was moved to found A Glimmer of Hope in 2000 to empower women and girls living in the rural, impoverished villages of Ethiopia.

Over the course of this amazing journey, I have traveled throughout Ethiopia and met a forgotten people burdened by extreme poverty. The need to affect change in the world often starts from the broken places in our hearts. I realized through this work that my path here began at a very young age after losing my father in a plane accident. I find that the tragedies in our life can often become our inspiration, and this was certainly true for me.

Who are your top 3 female role models, and what about each inspires you?

Mother Teresa immediately comes to mind. Her outreach to the poorest of the poor is the most absolute reflection of selflessness I have ever witnessed or experienced. She fulfilled her mission to do God’s work—giving love and a place to die with dignity to so many. I am so humbled by her life’s work and how it lives on in others today.

Marianne Williamson, an author and advocate for women and the world’s poor and hungry, is also a true inspiration. She encourages women to step into their own power, enrich their lives, and honor their gifts—ultimately, fulfilling one’s own potential in the world. In her recent efforts to seek public office, she brings a level of consciousness never before seen in our political system.

Pema Chodron, as the first American woman to be ordained as a Buddhist monk, has broken a centuries-old tradition. She carries with her a message of the deepest compassion and self-love, as well as awareness for deep reflection of this human experience. Her teachings offer great insights and a wonderful roadmap for personal journeying, with Pema herself as a perfect example.

What challenge (s) did you face & overcome to get to where you are?

My greatest challenges stem from my childhood memories of losing my father and personal belief systems about not feeling worthy (both of which held me back in many ways). It curtailed my growth and contained me so that I shrank rather than expanded. Through many years of searching from within, I began to identify these belief systems as simply untrue. From that place, I have been able to extend and expand myself to fulfill the potential of being a woman in the world with a dream.

What are the 3 most important things you do (or did) that contribute to your success?

I followed my heart from a place where I was deeply moved. I witnessed an abhorrent sense of imbalance and injustice in the world, and I followed this thread as it pulled me along a journey into a completely unknown space. I trusted the thread not knowing where it would end, but knowing I was compelled to do so.

I listened to the inner and outer voices. I listened to the voice inside of me that became louder and louder as my vision became stronger—refusing to accept “no.” I also learned when to take outside counsel. I allowed myself to be mentored by those who had walked the path before me. Tapping into the shared experiences of others, during both challenges and successes, has been invaluable.

Finally, I tune into those around me. I listen to what is being said, and unsaid—allowing me to fully comprehend the underlying dynamics. The personal growth that has come through listening and honest communication has had a profound impact on the work we do at A Glimmer of Hope. Before we ever break ground on a project, we listen to community to fully understand their needs. Hearing directly from the people allows us to establish partnership and trust from the outset and create an environment that changes the lives of women and girls for years to come.

What are the 3 most important things women need to do or consider when charting their next chapter of life, whenever that may be for them?

I believe women need to connect with their passion. Incredible wisdom comes from the intersection of your passion, your gifts and what the world needs.

It’s important for women to respect and follow their instincts. Women are highly intuitive beings. We often have the answers we need and tapping into that wisdom is something women do exceptionally well.

I find as I move through this phase in my life, I get the best input from other women. Women can amplify and elevate their vision by garnering the support of those with like minds, like hearts and shared passions. Sharing knowledge, struggle and joy can be immensely inspiring and energizing.

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Donna Berber is deeply passionate about the issues of injustices relating to poverty and women in Africa. Born in London, England, Donna’s world was shaken as a young woman when she saw horrific images of starvation camps during the Ethiopian famine in the mid 1980s.

After Donna and her family moved to Texas in 1991, the call within became too loud to ignore, and she was compelled to take action. From that, A Glimmer of Hope was born in 2000. Glimmer works in four vital areas—water, health care, education and microfinance—to create a powerful force to lift villages out of extreme poverty in rural Ethiopia. Since its founding, Glimmer has invested more than $85 million and built more than 9,000 projects in Ethiopia.

In 2014, Donna stepped into the role of president of A Glimmer of Hope, building on her significant contributions and passion as founder. Donna lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Philip, and their three incredibly handsome sons.

women professions after graduation

To the Graduating Women of 2015

Graduating women of 2015, congratulations! You have achieved your goal and are about to embark upon the next journey of your life.

You may receive advice from parents, friends, and other well meaning people on what job to take, where to live, or any other significant decision you are making as you leave the container of college. Yet, no matter what path you choose there are some things that can help you on your way.

  1. Believe in your capacity to do great things. Maybe you are naive, idealistic, and impractical. Good. Stay that way as long as you can. Thinking outside the box is the only way new and wonderful things have come to humans, so let yourself believe — regardless of what others say. As a serial entrepreneur, I have found believing in myself the most important thing I have done to create opportunities and succeed.
  2. Know you will probably encounter gender bias at work and in life. It is still an unfortunate reality. However, more important is to remove any internal gender bias you might have that will hold you back from shining. Two ways young women do this are either to retract into sweet, non-assertive mannerisms to avoid offending the men in power over them, or to over masculate their mannerisms–hiding their feminine nature. Neither work and both will leave you in a one down position. Be yourself. Bring your feminine and masculine strengths to your life. And speak up for yourself with the expectation you will be heard, not with the expectation you will have to fight for your rights. Stay alert to your own subconscious gender bias lest it sabotage your success before you even start or creep in slowly without warning. Other people cannot hold you back if you are enthusiastic and believe in yourself.
  3. Find women you admire and connect with them. Having strong women in your circle will help you in ways you cannot imagine, until it happens.
  4. Take a leap of faith and do what your heart is calling you to do. You are not commiting for a lifetime, so let go of the fear this has to be “the right” choice. When you follow your heart, and not your head, you will avoid spending decades in dead end jobs that seemed responsible. Plus, you will have spent your energy pursuing what excites you and there is no telling today what great things will come out of that tomorrow. To bring your innate gifts to the world, you have to pursue what you are passionate about. The world needs your passion and creativity, not some mindless motion of another cog in the wheel.

I look forward to learning all the amazing and wonderful contributions you make to our world!

 

Happy Mother’s Day Working Moms!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the women who have birthed, cared for and nurtured our young. It is the one job that cannot be done over or easily be replaced.

If you are a working mom, and worry that choosing your kids over work held you back in your career, you are not alone. So many women think they are unprepared to reenter the business world after staying home with their kids, or scaling back their career for many years.

If that is you, watch this video!

Our future is riding on you, so thanks for contributing so much, and Happy Mother’s Day!

Springing into Life for Success

Are you springing into life?

The past month I have been surrounded by millions of wildflowers on my land and the surrounding country roads — the air is actually perfumed with the gentle aroma of all these flowers. With gentle temperatures outside, I have been able to work with my windows wide open, inspired by breezes and songbirds.

Each spring, life puts forth such a magnificent show of new energy that it viscerally changes how I feel. Does it affect you that way, too?

I am happier, more motivated and inspired to create things myself.

I have also noticed that people have this same effect on each other.

When I am around someone who is on fire with life, creating with gusto some new venture, it inspires me to become more active on my own goals.

Are you working on a BIG goal?

If not, consider surrounding yourself with people who help you move from your own internal winter to “springing into life!” And if you are on fire with inspiration for what you are doing — THANK YOU! You are, perhaps unknowingly, infusing others with a spring-like energy that is worth more than you realize, I welcome you to share it with us.

Interviews with Influential Women: Diane Craig

Resilient. Powerful. Inspiring. Those are just a few words that I’d use to describe President and Founder of Corporate Class Inc. Diane Craig.

Featured in this installment of Interviews with Influential Women, Diane and I discuss just how she achieved monumental success for herself and her company amid constant personal tragedy.

In 200 words or less, please give my readers a short background on your personal journey that brought you to today.

One day, I was driving, and I saw a sign that read: “It took 20 years for this man to become an overnight success.”

I wish it had read 10 years, because I guess I took it literally. For the next 20 years, I was compelled to relentlessly pursue my dream and goal of growing my business.

I always had a passion for meeting people with great presence. After graduating from my fashion design program and teaching Haute Couture, I became an image consultant in our nation’s capital, Ottawa. In the 90’s, my claim to fame was working with Canadian political leaders. Not long after, I realized that appearance was only a part of what presence is all about. Content is still King/Queen.

I began studying what it meant to bring presence to each speech, conversation or room. In 2007, I launched my Executive Presence System, and it is now internationally recognized—including a licensing program launched internationally 2 years ago.

Who are your top 3 female role models, and what about each inspires you?

Christine Lagarde: As one of Europe’s most influential ambassadors in the world of international finance, she exudes Executive Presence. She is intelligent, well spoken, worldly, sophisticated and an inspiration to many women who believe reaching the top in a male dominated industry is nearly impossible.

Carolyn Wilkins: According to The Wall Street Journal, she is today’s most influential woman in Canada’s banking industry, not to mention the first woman to grace our currency. When I met Carolyn in 2010, she shared her aspirations with me, and we both agree that she exceeded them! She was able to reach this success, while remaining humble and kind.

Peggy McColl: She is a long-time friend and fearless entrepreneur. Over the years, she has overcome so many obstacles. The drive and passion put into what she believes in has always been an inspiration to me.

What challenge (s) did you face & overcome to get to where you are?

There were professional challenges but none as difficult as the personal ones. A year after I started my business, my husband was diagnosed with cancer and died 3 months later. We had been married 17 years. I was now a grieving single parent of two wonderful children, Kenny 12 and Sandrine 7. Four years later, my beautiful little girl Sandrine, at the age of 11, was killed in a school bus accident.

Overcoming those tragedies and finding the motivation to continue facing the challenges of owning my own business seemed insurmountable at times. My husband and daughter became my inspiration for forging ahead, and my son became my motivation. I wanted to provide financially and be a role model for him.

What are the 3 most important things you do (or did) that contribute to your success?

  1. Seeing the glass half full
  2. Taking risks
  3. Believing in myself

What are the 3 most important things women need to do or consider when charting their next chapter of life, whenever that may be for them?

  1. Make time for yourself (yes, be selfish – go to the gym, frequent the spa, visit your friends)
  2. Continue learning (keep growing your professional and personal development activities)
  3. Remain current and relevant

Diane Craig is the corporate world’s choice for Executive Presence Training.

As President and Founder of Corporate Class Inc., Diane’s ongoing 30-year career mentoring North America’s business professionals spans Fortune 500 companies, multinationals and numerous educational institutions.

She maintains an intensive schedule of presentations and is a frequent speaker at national business meetings and conferences. The media seek out Diane’s perspectives on social, political and business etiquette — from conduct issues and appropriate attire to body language interpretation. She is frequently quoted in The Globe and Mail and National Post and appears regularly on CBC and CTV.

Diane is dedicated to community service. She serves as a Board Member for the Trillium Gift of Life Network, the provincial organization responsible for organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Diane is on the Board of Directors at Intriciti, an organization committed to the integration of faith and business.

Frequently heralded for her inspirational role in leadership, Diane is the recipient of many awards including the Governor General of Canada Meritorious Service Medal; Canadian Living Magazine and Avon Canada’s Women of Inspiration Award; Toastmaster International’s Communication and Leadership Award.

Rewriting History

I remember learning in college that some of the “facts” I learned as a child about American history were not always accurate (or at least not the whole story). It was disconcerting at the time, although I have learned since then that most of the things we call facts are really opinions. It’s why many governments choose jury trials–to allow multiple perspectives to weigh in.

The Emmy Award winning journalist, Cokie Roberts, has written two books to bring women to the forefront of the history of our nation–Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised our Nation, and her most recent Capital Dames: The Civil War and the Women of Washington. I am inspired by Cokie’s dedication to help us remember the courage and significant contributions women have displayed to shape the world we know today.

You might also look at your own life.  Have you been playing a supporting role that does not get much of the limelight or recognition? Perhaps, it is time to rewrite your own history–not for others but for yourself. Make sure you recognize your own contributions, even if you do not want the fan fare from others.

The Benefits of Hiring Qualified People for your Business

Does tax time leave you stressed and frantic?

Last week I was finishing my business taxes and this week I am completing my personal tax filing.  How is your tax preparation coming?

For years, this event has always weighed heavily on me.  As a perfectionist, I was always double checking accuracy; as an entrepreneur, I was just antagonized by the bureaucracy of it all.

Sometimes hiring a qualified person to do the work, becoming a little more familiar with the work needed, and asking lots of questions is your best path to success.

Unless you are a Certified Public Accountant you probably are not current on tax codes, estate laws, accelerated business depreciation options and other items that can affect your tax filing.  I am not an expert on these things either, and I prefer to keep it that way.  So I hire someone to do this for me—freeing my time to create incoming revenue, rather than worrying about how it is counted.

Many entrepreneurs fail this success test; they try to do too much and hold too much of the information close to their chest.  High stress at tax time is an indication this might be true of you.  Taxes, bookkeeping, payroll processing, website maintenance, or any other administrative job that is not directly tied to the success of your company is subject to this litmus test—no matter how small your company is.

My business taxes will cost me around $6,000 to have prepared this year and save me weeks, maybe more, of time I would otherwise have to spend doing data entry, understanding the current tax code, and finding the correct tax forms for each of my three businesses.  Investing two weeks finishing my Wealth Development Program and running my three businesses will earn me more than $6,000 AND I will be helping women like you earn WAY more than $6,000, too!

Is it a good use of my money to invest in my CPA entering all my business checks and credit card entries, reconciling them, preparing financial statements and then preparing my various tax filings for three businesses?

Absolutely, yes!

If you haven’t hired someone to do keep your financial books in order because you are too small I recommend you find a company that does virtual bookkeeping.   Their rates can be well below what you expect, and when tax time comes you will be reviewing reports, not creating them. My tax seasons have become much less stressful since I gave up doing this activity in the wee hours of the night and weekends.

Whether for taxes or another administrative tasks my decision process looks like this:

  1. I look at each area and ask, “Does this affect the heart of my business?”  If not, I hire out someone to help me if it is essential to get done (Things like payroll, taxes cannot be left undone or put off until later.)
  2. I look for quality people or firms to hire—they must be people I feel confident can get the job done well.  I always require referrals and I talk to them.  (It costs me even more time to fix something someone has done wrong than to do it myself, so finding the right person or firm is key.)
  3. Do they stand behind their work? (For example, I only hire payroll processing companies that will pay the penalties if they do something wrong with my payroll taxes because accuracy on someone’s pay is essential and IRS penalties can be steep.)
  4. I ask questions and get involved in the work so that I understand it—I don’t accept their work or recommendations carte blanche as absolutely right.  I have hired this person or firm to a specific task, but just like when I have an employee do work—it is still up to me to ensure it is right and accurately represents my company.  When this is in an area I do not have much knowledge, I ask lots of questions and make sure that what they have provided me makes sense based on what I know about how my company operates.  With financials if the resulting financial statements are different than I expect, one of two things has happened.  Either, I did not understand some piece of my operations or there is an error in how the documents were prepared perhaps based on a wrong assumption made by someone who doesn’t know my business like I do.
  5. I get out of the way and let them do the work they do best, so I can do mine.

The key is to employ others and recognize you do not need to be an expert at everything.  Then during tax time and other hurdles you can still be smiling and working on what you love.

I encourage you to review the list above and see what you can hand off to others in order to have more time for yourself and your business.

Want to change the game? Change the model.

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”  ~Buckminster Fuller

I love this quote because it reminds me to avoid the way I used to approach injustices—as if I could convince, demand or cajole the “truth” of my perspective.  Whether with my children, my partners, or at my work–the raw fact is other people have different “truths.” On top of that, it seems the more I fought, the less I got.  Maybe you’ve had some of these experiences, too?

  • Asking the kids to do the dishes…again
  • Fighting with a spouse about them always assuming you’re available to watch the children when they make plans
  • Feeling passed over for a promotion that you felt was yours

Sometimes, these situations feel futile and draining.  You might ask how can you build a new model for things like doing dishes?  It is possible, but you have to step back from the problem and look at it from a wider view.  Here is an example:

One year, I took the kids to a paint-your-own-ceramic outing. Each of us painted our own plate, bowl and cup.  We had a blast.  The kids were enthralled at the idea of having their own personally painted dishes.  When the day came to bring the beautiful glazed dinnerware home, we moved our regular dishes to an inconvenient location and put our masterpieces in their place.

After meals when it finally came time to do dishes, they were now forced to see that their dish was dirty and understand theirs had to be cleaned before they could eat again.  I no longer had to beg, plead, or threaten for anyone to do their dishes!  I no longer had to referee arguments over who’s turn it was or who’s mess it was.  I changed the model and the problems I was seeing under the old model evaporated.

The same is true for opportunities women have (or don’t have) in business, politics or any other field.  Statistics are shockingly low for women in positions of power and even lower for funding women entrepreneurs verses their male counterparts.

Should we fight this injustice?

I suggest we take Buckminster Fuller’s advice and change the model.  As important as it will be to change unconscious and conscious cultural biases, it is equally or more important for women with resources to start helping other women. This could be resources of time, money or position.

When Ella Fitzgerald could not get into a big Hollywood club early in her career, Marilyn Monroe told the club she would attend every show and bring the press.  The club agreed, and Ella Fitzgerald became one of the best knows female singers in the world. Marilyn used her position in the entertainment world and her time to help another woman.

According to Business Insider, women over 50 control $15 trillion in capital. When these women start to become angel investors supporting women entrepreneurs, it will completely change the game of early stage investment.

You may not have vast amounts of money or even time.  But that does not mean you cannot make a difference and help change the existing model of business, politics, education or any other field you are passionate about.  Think about it like this:

  • 85% of purchases in the U.S. are made by women
  • Women make 80% of healthcare decisions
  • 40% of all American private businesses are owned by women

Yet, 91% of women say they do not think advertisers understand them.  50% of products marketed to men are typically bought by women.

You vote at the polls, with your credit cards and cash, and even where you send your children to school.  Start to investigate the possibilities of where you can put your money, voice and time behind a woman.  Because if 50% of the population started to move our support to other women–rather than waiting for men to, the existing model will become obsolete.