Women's Forum 2009- Women Making a Difference
The Women's Forum, founded by Aude Zieseniss de Thuin, provides an annual platform on which men and women decision-makers converse on topics of social, economic and political global growth. The three day event taking place in Deauville, France, from October 15-17 features all-day speakers and panel discussion for the more than 500 attendees to partake in and observe. The Forum's emphasis is on "creativity and innovation, courage and resilience, and practical wisdom. These are traits which women exemplify, and women’s voices feature at the Global Meeting." w2wlink interviewed some of this year's speakers before the event to get their views on women in business, where they hope to be in 10 years and how they have enough time in the day. Sháá Wasmund, CEO and Founder of Smarta.com, United Kingdom 1.      A year from now, what one change do you wish for the world? More women running businesses and leading innovation.  Women have a lot to teach the world but due to the socio-economic...
Author: Site Contributor

Women's Forum 2009- Women Making a Difference
The Women's Forum, founded by Aude Zieseniss de Thuin, provides an annual platform on which men and women decision-makers converse on topics of social, economic and political global growth. The three day event taking place in Deauville, France, from October 15-17 features all-day speakers and panel discussion for the more than 500 attendees to partake in and observe. The Forum's emphasis is on "creativity and innovation, courage and resilience, and practical wisdom. These are traits which women exemplify, and women’s voices feature at the Global Meeting." w2wlink interviewed some of this year's speakers before the event to get their views on women in business, where they hope to be in 10 years and how they have enough time in the day. Changhua Wu, The Climate Group’s Greater China Director 1.      A year from now, what one change do you wish for the world? The global leaders have come together and agreed to a meaningful Copenhagen climate change agreement, which starts to drive po...
Author: Site Contributor

Get Into the Game of Golf
A membership in the Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) offers many personal and professional benefits for career growth and business networking.  You can build connections with a diverse group women from coast to coast, and in Canada and Europe too. Engage in year-round golf, social, education, and networking events geared for busy women at all golf skill levels. Here are some key benefits: • Golf gets you outdoors and provides time just for you. • Golf has long been a sport for doing business - don't let your resume be without it. • Golf is all about relationship-building. • Golf with the EWGA is more than a game - it's a lifestyle. EWGA is currently offering several courses that can get you started, reveal the benefits of golf to your business, and help get financial assistance to those that need it. GET GOLF READY Get Golf Ready provides all the basics to help a new golfer become comfortable on the golf course.  The "Get Golf Ready" program is an industry-wide initi...
Author: Site Contributor

How to Hire a Babysitter or Nanny
Hiring a babysitter used to be such a simple process: plan a night out, call the neighborhood kid to come over, pay her $3/hour and enjoy your evening. But with today's caregivers undergoing special training, putting together detailed resumés, citing personal references and actively seeking jobs online, child care is no longer confined to the cul-de-sac. In fact, it's like hiring your own employee, except she works in your home instead of your office. With the increase in options, convenience and technology also comes the increased need for an effective way to screen these potential sitters and nannies. A quick but effective way, that is, since working parents are especially pressed for time. As the founder and CEO of Sittercity.com, and author of “Love at First Sit,” here is the simple four-step screening process we recommend to families across the country. Step 1: Check Online Reviews Good child-care Web sites allow parents and sitters to leave reviews for each other. Does...
Author: Genevieve Thiers

Maximize Value Through Differentiation - Porter Strategy
Differentiation is one of the classic Porter strategies and it means creating an offering that is percieved as unique in a way that is superior to competitive offerings. This allows the price point to be more flexible as customers show more brand loyalty. Costs to differentiate usually include core competencies in market research, product development, creativity to innovate, distribution channel network, marketing skills, ability to communicate the importance of the unique selling proposition, and the ability to attract highly skilled, creative people. Cost effective differentiation adds value by helping customers save decision making time and increases the overall value of the brand, relationship or association of the customer to the brand becomes a strong competitive advantage because to best it, a rival cannot merely invest in an obvious feature, but must work against a non-concrete invisible barrier. Cost effectiveness is critical because one can spend their entire budget and no...
Author: Jean Lewis

Peer Groups: A Networking Goldmine
Many people tend to think of networking in terms of attending events with a large number of people or building relationships on an individual basis. In fact, some of the most powerful networking happens while participating in small gatherings such as peer groups. What is a peer group? A peer group is made up of people at similar places in their careers who act as a personal advisory board for one another. Peer groups can be an important part of your network, as they provide you with a trusted group of colleagues that you can turn to for advice, resources, connections and support. Ideally, peer groups offer an open and safe environment to test business ideas, discuss challenges and opportunities, and to gain honest feedback. How do I find a peer group? Peer groups can be informal, occasional gatherings of a select group of people, or a more formal organization, with dues, bylaws and specific membership requirements. In some cities, the local chamber of commerce organizes formal ...
Author: Marny Lifshen

When a Short Request Is Acceptable
In the work place short requests are not uncommon. There are many times when a short request is appropriate and necessary, but would seem rude in a social situation. William Swanson, well-known for being the CEO of Raytheon Company, and author of Swanson's Unwritten Rules of Management, stated a goal in rule number 14, to strive for brevity and clarity in all oral and written reports. "Rudeness is in the eye of the beholder," says Dr. Barbara Griffin, organizational psychologist, from the University of West Sydney, Australia. She goes on to say that "rudeness is purposeful or non-purposeful lack of courtesy."  Considering the fact that the context of business is clearly different than social, the rules change. That being the case, rudeness can still happen and will have an undermining effect on the bottom line, according to Chris Young, founder of the Rainmaker Group; however, since the rules are different and there is more need for brevity, the leeway for targeted, generally briefer...
Author: Jean Lewis

How Do YOU Handle Change?
How well do you handle change as an entrepreneur? Change can be sometime difficult, especially if you weren’t expecting it.  Are you responding expeditiously to the social, environmental and technological changes that can affect your bottom line?  The most successful entrepreneurs not only embrace change, they actively seek it out knowing that greater fulfillment, success and growth is obtained when you can adapt to an ever changing market. So, what do you do if you experience change in your business or personal life?  Perhaps you've grown from a one-person office to managing a staff of five or maybe one of your largest clients just announced that they no longer need your services. Whether large or small, sudden or planned, change is change! As a former entrepreneur of a successful building maintenance company, I remember having to deal with a few situations where I needed to make quick and fast decisions. Though frustrating, I was able to look at each situation and make sou...
Author: Site Contributor

Press Information for w2wlink.com
w2wlink.com is the premier community dedicated to professional women, helping you get to where you’re going – faster. We provide you expert knowledge, tools to overcome obstacles, and connection with others in our online groups.    Hot Topics: women business, women networking, women entrepreneurs, executive women and women mentoring.   Click here to download the w2wlink Media Kit. The w2wlink Team publicrelations@w2wlink.com o: 214.866.0299 f: 214.889.8001
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w2wlink.com Announces Ascendancy Awards for Business Women
w2wlink.com Announces First Ascendancy Awards for Business Women in Eight Cities and an "At-Large Any City" Category Dallas, TX. (January 13, 2009) -- w2wlink.com, the premier professional women community announces its first Ascendancy Awards for Business Women. The awards will go to outstanding women who have "ascended" to achieve and innovate in Corporate, in Entrepreneurial and in Career Transition settings. w2wlink.com initiated the Ascendancy Awards to recognize, reward and inspire women to maximize their potential in their careers. Lisbeth McNabb, Founder and CEO w2wlink said "Our vision is to inspire and recognize women who are ascending professionally and mentoring other women around them--as these key steps will link to driving higher levels of women in the executive ranks, more entrepreneurs with growing businesses and more female directors on boards in the next decade." w2wlink.com is accepting nominations for candidates from eight cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas...
Author: Site Contributor

w2wlink Presents the 2nd Annual Ascendancy Awards
w2wlink.com, the premier professional women community announces its second annnual Ascendancy Awards for Business Women. The awards will go to outstanding women who have "ascended" to achieve and innovate in Corporate, in Entrepreneurial and in Career Transition settings. w2wlink.com initiated the Ascendancy Awards to recognize, reward and inspire women to maximize their potential in their careers. Lisbeth McNabb, Founder and CEO w2wlink said "Our vision is to inspire and recognize women who are ascending professionally and mentoring other women around them--as these key steps will link to driving higher levels of women in the executive ranks, more entrepreneurs with growing businesses and more female directors on boards in the next decade." w2wlink.com is accepting nominations for candidates from eight cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. They are also accepting nominations for at-large candidates from any other cit...
Author: Site Contributor

Career Transition for Women
Since the late '60s, as an outgrowth of the racial equality movement, there has been increased emphasis on the equality of women. In spite of this, the facts facing women in the workplace affect their ability to change jobs and "climb” the corporate ladder.  Wage Earning Facts When women begin their careers, out of college or graduate school, they earn about as much as men do. From ages 25 to 29 women earn 90 percent of what their male counterparts earn. But that all changes when they become mothers, and by the time they're 44 years old, their wages are down to 71 percent of what their male counterparts earn. The prime years for having children are also prime years for establishing a career.  Consider these statistics: Half of the women from the graduating class of Stanford in 1981 left the workforce by 1998 and one out of every three MBA-earning women of the same class were not working full-time jobs at that time. In comparison, only one out of every 22 male MBAs of the ...
Author: Tony Beshara

The Risk of Heart Disease in Professional Women
Heart disease is the number one killer of women, and with the pressures that professional women face, heart disease is an especially important issue to that subgroup in particular.  To some of you this may come as a shock, but I assure you, this is nothing new. In fact, over the past decades while the death rate for heart disease in men has been declining, for women it is increasing.  There are many reasons for this discrepancy, including the fact that women have not been included in major studies looking at heart disease.  Even to this day, on average, only 25% of studies on heart disease include women.  Needless to say, women need to know their risk and how to do something about it, so they don’t become just another statistic in this epidemic that was once known as only a man’s disease. It was recently overheard that, "the more women live like men, the more they are going to die like them."  There are multiple risk factors that lead to heart disease besides age and family history, s...
Author: Suzanne Steinbaum

Brilliantly You Awards Celebration
Sherri Shepherd, Co-Host ABC's The View, Tina Knowles, Dee Lincoln, Casey Shilts And Other Extraordinary Women Take A Little Time To Celebrate The Brilliance Within! Women That Soar celebrates its second year of their memorable Brilliantly You Awards Celebration September 19, 2008, at the Dallas Arboretum, from 11:30-1:30 p.m. This amazing event honors 10 extraordinary women in the fields of art, entertainment, sports, business, civic, fashion, and media. "The women we are honoring have made great personal and professional accomplishments. They have paved the way for so many of us. Some of them have been magnificent in their pioneering and advancing of women. It is their life journey that they share with other women that allows us all to soar and celebrate the brilliance within us," said Gina Grant, Founder and CEO Women That Soar. This stellar celebration will include an unforgettable luncheon, a glamorous champagne reception sponsored by Veuve Clicquot and fashion show featuring d...
Author: Site Contributor

Four Ways Women Are Redefining Leadership
Evidence shows that women bring distinct personality and motivational strengths to leadership roles—and do so in a style that is more conducive to today’s diverse workplace. In a study conducted by Caliper, women leaders showed themselves to be different from their male counterparts. The study revealed four major findings: Finding 1:  Women leaders are more persuasive than their male counterparts Finding 2:  Women leaders feel the sting of rejection, learn from adversity and carry on with an "I'll show you" attitude Finding 3:  Women leaders have an inclusive, team-building leadership style of problem solving and decision making Finding 4:  Women leaders are more likely to ignore rules and take risks Read the entire article on the study. About Caliper For nearly half a century, Caliper has been helping companies achieve peak performance by advising them on hiring the right people, managing individuals most effectively and developing productive teams. The accuracy, objectivity a...
Author: Site Contributor

SWIFt: Sodexo Women's International Forum for Talent
Sodexo Women's International Forum for Talent (SWIFt) announced, inspired by Deauville Women's Forum Paris, October 15, 2009 – Sodexo, a world leader in Quality of Life solutions, announced a new initiative to increase the percentage of women in its top management with the creation of the Sodexo Women's International Forum for Talent (SWIFt). Twenty of the company’s senior female executives, representing 12 nationalities, will propose specific actions needed for Sodexo to achieve a level of between 23% and 25% female representation in its Top 300 by 2015. The initiative was inspired by the exchanges of best practices that took place during the 2008 Women's Forum in Deauville, France. "In listening to several speakers during the 2008 Forum, I had the idea of creating a council of women leaders to help drive the Group toward its objectives for gender representation in management, particularly in the operational functions” said Sodexo’s CEO, Michel Landel. SWIFt members already have ...
Author: Site Contributor

Maria Shriver Reports on the State of the Professional Woman
In a new study titled, "The Shriver Report," by Maria Shriver and the Center for American Progress, the lives of modern women were put under a microscope as thousands across the country, men and women, were asked to be candid about the expectations of today's working men and women. More specifically, the number of women professionals has grown steadily since the 1960s, and because they're not going anywhere, it's throwing both genders for a loop. Women are working just as hard, or harder than their spouses, and life at home is under constant negotiation between many couples. Who are these women blazing the trail and how do they measure success? As reprinted from Maria Shriver's report: "Women say they feel increasingly isolated, invisible, stressed, and misunderstood. I wondered what was going on. I talked to the women, and they filled out our questionnaires. I learned women are hungry for something that's missing in their lives—a place to connect. They say they feel increasingly ...
Author: Site Contributor

The Global Economy Recovery Will Be Driven By Women: Part 3
The business magazine, The Economist, has proclaimed that the next giant growth wave won't come from the internet, China or India, but from empowering women. “As the world struggles to recover from the current economic crisis, we are reminded of the important roles women play in the global economy,” said Alonzo Fulgham, Acting Administrator of International Women’s Day in March 2009.  “Empowering women economically can lift entire families and communities out of poverty.  Today, it is critical that we renew our efforts to expand economic opportunities for women. Not only are women the drivers of economic growth, they can be the drivers of economic recovery.” Globally, they control about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending. That is expected to rise as high as $28 trillion by 2014. Women currently earn $13 trillion annually and that figure could climb to $18 trillion in the same timeframe. In aggregate, women represent a growth market bigger than China and India combined—more tha...
Author: Site Contributor

Certification as Women-Owned Business
From my firsthand experience with successful women business owners, I have found trends and characteristics of high achieving women entrepreneurs and fast-growth businesses. This article will cover certification as a woman owned business. To read “Traits of Top Women Entrepreneurs,” the introductory article, please click here. Accomplished women entrepreneurs frequently do business with their local and national government entities and invest time in applying for certification as a woman-owned business, such as that from the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). WBENC is the nation’s premier third-party certification organization for women-owned businesses. Organizations such as The Women Presidents’ Educational Organization (WPEO) are one of 14 regional affiliates of WBENC. Research has found that leading edge companies are 2.5 percent more likely to be certified as a woman-owned business than others. According to the Center for Women’s Business Research, women-owned ...
Author: The Women Presidents' Organization

NAWBO Women's Business Conference
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Power Your Dreams Women's Business Conference Chicago 2009 June 24 - 26th, 2009 In business, when a keen sense of urgency combines with the deep vision of forethrough, powerful opportunities emerge. The NAWBO Women's Business Conference 2009 propels these opportunities to the forefront. Executives from among America's 10.1 million women-owned businesses - from diverse cultures and perspectives - will gath together on June 24-26...to Power their Dreams.  Cick here for more information: 
Author: Site Contributor

Women on Boards Equal Strong Financial Performance
Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women board directors attained significantly higher financial performance, on average, than those with the lowest representation of women board directors, according to Catalyst’s most recent report, The Bottom Line: Corporate Performance and Women’s Representation on Boards. In addition, the report points out, on average, notably stronger-than-average performance at companies with three or more women board directors. The study, which is the second of Catalyst’s Bottom Line reports, looked at three critical financial measures: return on equity, return on sales, and return on invested capital, and compared the performance of companies with the highest representation of women on their boards to those with the lowest representation. “Clearly, financial measures excel where women serve on corporate boards,” said Ilene H. Lang, President of Catalyst. “This Catalyst study again demonstrates the very strong correlation between corporat...
Author: Site Contributor