I just joined a great group of columnists-turned-bloggers that discuss strategies for reaching your target market. The blog-pub, published by Glam Media, is called eBrandMarketing, and it launched late last year. The articles focus on a variety of marketing topics, and I will be adding to the marketing-to-women voice. Check out my first post: You gotta love eHarmony – even if you’re not in the market for love.
It all starts with you—and your dreams. That’s what got you thinking about owning your own business in the first place. You want to do it right. You want to make a difference. You want to call the shots. And you’re not alone. Women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men (maybe more), leaving corporate jobs because of inflexibility, frustration with the good old boys’ club and the glass ceiling, lack of creativity in the workplace and pure boredom. Mary Kay is one of my favorite success stories. Frustrated with the way she had been treated in a male-dominated world, a retired Mary Kay Ash used her life savings of $5,000 to launch a cosmetics company in 1963. Initially, she had only nine independent beauty consultants and a 500-square-foot store in Dallas, but she was equipped with a plan—and a passion. During her [...]
Last Wednesday I flew to New York City for Happy Hour. That is, "Happy Hour" on Fox Business News with Rebecca Gomez. It was a whirlwind trip—there and back in a day. Located in a crowded bar—with standing-room only—Rebecca interviewed me about the book. There was plenty of commotion. But it was relaxed, natural and exciting! She asked me what it means to be true to yourself. And like I’ve said so many times before, you have to start with a passionate idea about what you really want to do in life. Find it within yourself. Be true. Then you can go from there.
Water main break. Sink hole. Blizzard. Yes, I’ve encountered all of those in the last 12 hours. All in the name of book promotion. Despite the conditions, I had a great time in Cleveland. Andrea Vecchio and Eileen McShea from “Good Company” on WKYC were fantastic! We discussed mompreneurs, like Meredith Liepelt (featured in the book), are proof that women with successful inventions are everywhere. All it takes is knowing yourself and your passions, and taking action. For more, check out the segment. And thanks to Anngela, a former business owner who will be one again, for stopping by my book signing at Tower City!
It's striking how similar the comments I have been receiving from people who have read the book. They're ready. They're energized. They know they need to put themselves in their businesses. We are all tired of faking it. It's time to follow our hearts and our passions and by doing so, have a much more authentic, rewarding and interesting business life. So, that's really the first step of the system found inside the pages of Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs. It's up to you to decide you're ready. And you are! Hey, my first book review came out! Here's a link: http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/022808/Dublin/News/022808-News-504016.html&sec=home&tab=tab1
The first amazing step in publishing a book is holding the finished product in your hand. The next most amazing encounter is seeing it held in someone else's. That's what has been happening this week. I spoke at several events this week - to women entrepreneurs who are part of the eWomen Network, to undergraduate business women at The Ohio State University, to high school juniors at the YWCA, to individuals at a bookstore - and each time I had a chance to interact about the book I felt the same excitement. The possibility of connecting on a deeper level. Of sharing ideas that are a bridge between us, and the chance to add empowerment on both sides. I love to learn from each encounter - and hopefully the feeling is mutual. The third part of publishing a book is having someone approach you, or [...]
Ok, it might not be as exciting to you as it is to me, but I just finished my first podcast about the book. I was interviewed by my friend Keith Ferrazzi, the best-selling author of Never Eat Alone (recommended in my book). Keith's message fits perfectly with the message of Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs. You need to make sure the real you is in your business: your passions, your gifts, your unique point of view. It's how you build relationships. It's your competitive advantage. Click and listen to us talk about the essence of the book. Let me know what you think! http://www.keithferrazzi.com/podcasts/ferrazzisturdivant.mp3
The culmination of the book publishing journey is when you see your book on the shelf at your local bookstore. And I just did. It was an amazing feeling. It's just like launching a business, really. Getting that first business card printed. Securing your url. It's all about bringing something new to the world. Putting yourself out there. And as you know, that's the essence of entrepreneurship. Bringing something to the world with your unique spin on it. In Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs I've created a chart to help you remember that spark as your business begins to grow and prosper. The chart is an organizing system, a tool for you to use to make sure you are always referring back to your own unique personal brand and bringing it to the world as a business that is distinctly yours. With [...]
Successful entrepreneurs. They're inspiring. Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs is about to launch, and one of the most exciting parts of the book is my ability to introduce you to just some of the amazing entrepreneurs I've been priveledged to meet, interview, laugh with, and share with over the course of my last two decades in business. Earlier in my career, while working for different advertising agencies, I could spot the entrepreneurial clients the moment the meeting began. It's a special spark, a flame of creativity. A passion. As a marketing executive for several large service companies, I had the privelege of packaging that spark into break-through brands. And at the helm of my own writing business, each time I interview an entrepreneur I smile. It's fun and inspiring. That's why I've featured 24 real stories in the book, with more being [...]
Here's the thing: when you have 24-hour news slots to fill, you have to fill them. And what has proven to draw viewers, more than anything else, is negative, sensationalized news. We all know that - and yet - we all play into it by watching. Ick. So, yes, the economy is not what we hope. But how many different news segments do we need to hear/watch filled with doom and gloom to get the picture? Housing - whether your area had a bubble or not - has faced record trouble, but in many parts of the country, things are starting to stabilize. At my company, Real Living, we are based in the heart of the heartland - Ohio. And here, like other areas of the country without the extreme highs, buyers are coming back into the market. You don't really hear about that though. [...]