50 Female Entrepreneur Resource Sites

I have hit the motherlode! Yes, I am a google freak, but this is just the beginning. I am sincere when I tell you my goal is to unify the field for women entrepreners. We deserve to have great information, easily accessible. We deserve to be united. We deserve the best of the best. I am starting to make a dent in that goal…

Check out all these blogs/sites/articles, and the massive amount of business, marketing, advertising, and entreprener guidance they have to offer. It’s like gold! (Be sure to mark this entry to return to it…it’s going to take some time…)

1. http://jenniferkushell.wordpress.com/
2. http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/
3. http://investinwomen.wordpress.com/
4. http://bettersalesprofessional.com/
5. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/ (Seth Godin is one of my uber heros–great stuff)
6. http://theunknownentrepreneur.wordpress.com/
7. http://www.wowowow.com/
8. http://leighhouse.typepad.com/advergirl/
9. http://www.b2bemailmarketing.com/
10. http://www.blogwriteforceos.com/blogwrite/
11. http://www.brandeo.com/
12. http://brandandmarket.com/
13. http://www.ck-blog.com/
14. http://overtonecomm.blogspot.com/
15. http://www.conversationagent.com/
16. http://ringblog.typepad.com/corporatepr/
17. http://customersrock.wordpress.com/
18. http://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com/bloomberg_marketing/
19. http://www.womensnet.net/
20. http://www.hiyaahpower.com/
21. http://wendy.kinesisinc.com/
22. http://getgood.typepad.com/
23. http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/tag/michael-cheney/ (I love Michael…he’s so enthusiastic)
24. http://midlifecrisisqueen.com/
25. http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/startherup/archives/138518.asp
26. http://www.nafe.com/?service=vpage/1474
27. http://www.score.org/women_resources.html
28. http://avirtualbiz.wordpress.com/
29. http://www.copywritingmaven.com/
30. http://www.womensventurefund.org/
31. http://cloud9design.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/woman-owned-business-resources/
32. http://www.internationalentrepreneurship.com/Women%20Entrepreneurs.asp?pid=3
33. http://www.womeninpower.com/home.asp
34. http://www.womenpower-radio.com/
35. http://www.womenpartner.com/
36. http://www.womensvoicesforchange.org/
37. http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/
38. http://psdblog.worldbank.org/psdblog/2008/01/attention-frien.html
39. http://debnyberg.blogspot.com/
40. http://drwright.blogspot.com/
41. http://empowerwomennow.com/news-women-entrepreneurs/
42. http://inspired.entrepreneur.com/
43. http://www.getentrepreneurial.com/
44. http://www.julielenzerkirk.com/index.nhtml
45. http://mindpetals.com/blog/2006/11/20-hot-resources-for-women-entrepreneurs/
46. http://elizabethpottsweinstein.com/
47. http://realwomen.wordpress.com/
48. http://www.weblogmv.com/
49. http://www.blogher.com/
50. http://icanhascheezburger.com/ (This site is to renew your humor—the creator of this blog just got a national publishing deal with a $300,000 advance to write about how he made this blog into the success it is today…he makes tens of thousands each month….and it’s hysterical! Check it out and have a laugh on a brilliant idea!)

When you explore and post to these, as you see fit, tell them SmartWoman sent you. Please be sure to post your feedback about the sites here too. 

Let’s connect with others who are working for the same goals we are! Together, we are stronger.

Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

Goals are Overrated

I am a little bit of a list maker. Not totally obsessive, but bad enough. And, I have made lots of lists that include my goals for my entrepreneur adventure and business success. Not a darned one of them got accomplished by being on that list.

Now, please don’t get me wrong. I watched The Secret(and loved it) and I have dozens of Brian Tracy books and tapes (like Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time), and I believe in focus. But a goal cannot stand on its own. You must take action and it must be the right action to achieve what you desire. See if you relate to any of these downsides to goals:

Sometimes the act of distilling down a proper goal drains the energy off it. You feel like you’ve accomplished so much because you’ve spent so much mental energy capturing it with the perfect wording and description. By being so exacting you’ve taken away the excitement of the journey and it feels too clinical to do, so, well, you don’t.

Sometimes you make it so small it should be a to-do item not a goal, or you make it so big that it should be on a miracles list. Something so small seems hardly worth any effort and the enormous goal seems overwhelming and unachievable. Either way, it still does not get done.

I’m going to go off the beaten path now–one of the other downsides of goals (and rigidly seeking them) is you leave no room for the wonder and mystery of the Universe to do Its stuff. If you had all the answers and had found the definitive, perfect way to achieve satisfaction, success, and progress, you would be doing it, right? Why write that down at all?

Truth is, most of us aren’t completely sure. We think we know the best way, we have done our best to figure it out, but ultimately, we hope so, not know so. If we don’t open our hearts and minds to the unknown and trust that the very best options are there for us to discover, how will we ever know so? The Universe wants to cooperate with us–let’s give Her some room to speak to us!

Next time you decide you need to write out your goals, be honest with yourself. Look at what you hope to gain, not just the thing itself. In the same way a middle aged man may want a Ferrari (when he really wants to feel young again, not own a new car), so too we much ask for the truest end. Take the time to investigate what would make you happy and move you forward and ask for that thing directly. Sure, make lists that lead you there, but never forget that the journey is part of the fun. Flexibility is a blessing.

And, when you’re done with your list, add “this or something better for the greatest good of all”. Then, TAKE ACTION! Get moving and you will achieve. Let the journey, not the process of preparing for the journey, be your joy.

Until next time, remember–together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

 

Get Organized

It’s easy for Life to push against a woman entrepreneur’s work agenda. You have kids, chores, errands, TV, etc. You also have something that I can inertia. It’s easy to stay still if you are already still. The opposite of that is that it’s also easy to keep moving if you are already moving.

So, how do you start moving? You begin small. The smallest step you can take. Don’t berate yourself that it’s not enough. Just pick a small task and complete it. Set a schedule, and if you can make the small task an important one, even better. But either way, do a small thing. And, even if you go off schedule, get that one thing done before you get into bed that night.

Flow develops when you move consistently. Flow makes work easy. For me, you get extra points if the small task you choose to complete is also fun. Keep focused on why you are an entrepreneur to begin with. If you wanted a slave-master boss, you’d be in the corporate world, right?

Micheal Cheney, a wonderful internet marketer, says you should choose your task with your F.E.E.T. Here’s what his acronym means:
F: fast
E: easy
E: exciting
T: Tingle  (as in, makes you tingle)

So, if you need to shift your inertia, get moving. Don’t try the biggest thing first. If you’ve put off a very important thing because you are concerned you aren’t going to do it so well, pick a warm up activity. Do something that lets you practice or feel comfortable. Just do something and do it consistently.

Tomorrow we will talk about goal setting. To me, it’s a bit overrated and tomorrow you’ll see why I say that.

Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher

p.s. Thanks to those readers who checked on me over the weekend–I took some much deserved time off. I am glad you noticed….

Women, Karaoke, and Business–Hear SmartWoman Sing!

Hear SmartWoman sing!
CLICK ON THE “RATE THIS PERFORMACE LINK” BELOW TO HEAR MY SONG:

Rate this performance at The Sims On Stage

 

 

As a lifelong singing fantatic, the advent of karaoke was a dream come true for me. I simply love it. I’ve even been a KJ (karaoke host) so that should give you some perspective. It’s just so much fun!

One of the reasons why I enjoy karaoke so much, beyond the fun of singing, is you get to see into the heart of people. You witness a side of their personality that doesn’t always have a chance to show up in day to day living, especially the business side of their life. It’s a rare glimpse into their souls and it’s very intimate.

It takes courage to stand up in front of people and sing your heart out. And, make no mistake–the most audience beloved singers are not the ones that are perfect singers. It’s the ones that mean it, that sing their heart out with all they’ve got. People crave authenticity and like to feel they can relate to you.

I tend to have a bit of stage fright in front of groups, so karaoke gives me the chance to practice my performance muscles, to put myself out there and get over it. Much like when you are giving a sales presentation or a keynote address, you are in the spotlight with all eyes and ears on you. Having the skill, the strength of spirit to allow that level of energy to flow through you and out of you is a valuable thing.

Don’t forget the fun and comraderie! Add a small touch of imbibing and you have a full blown confidence party, right?  I’m not suggesting that you have to be drunk to let go (I don’t), but taking baby steps to comfort yourself and nudge yourself into doing something new can change your entire perspective. Sip a margarita a bit (or meditate or go to one of those fire walking classes) if you need to, but jump in. Initiative always gets rewarded.

It’s easy to see how this relates to your business, isn’t it? Showing your authentic self, letting your guard down so people can relate to you, courage, initiative, fun, confidence, feeling comfortable in the spotlight…it all adds up to a better you as a woman entrepreneur.

So, grab some girlfriends and go check out your local karaoke scene. If you are just so shy you can’t imagine doing it in pubic, try going to www.singshot.com and singing a song or two there. Record them and share them with the online community. Even that can be a challenge so just do it.

To show I mean what I say, I recorded a song for you. It’s The Rose, made popular by Bette Midler. My singing isn’t perfect and I am nervous to share it with you, but I want to show you that I take my own advice. Go and have a listen then post your songs here. When you have a supportive community like this one, take advantage of it and do the scary things. It’s worth it.

Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher

 

Hear SmartWoman sing!
CLICK ON THE “RATE THIS PERFORMACE LINK” BELOW TO HEAR MY SONG:

Rate this performance at The Sims On Stage

 

 

 

Breaking News: Chicken Soup for Authors’ Souls–Get Published Now!

Okay,  I am SO excited! Recently in LA I attended an event where Mark Victor Hansen spoke (of Chicken Soup for the Soul) and he announced a new publishing venture he was about to launch. Besides committing his considerable energy and wealth toward abolishing poverty, he is also working to change the face of publishing. Great guy and great idea. Here’s the deal:

It’s free to get started. You can publish your stuff (all types of files) and either give it away or charge whatever you want and split the proceeds with the site. If you don’t like it, you stop doing it and all the copyrights remain with you. You keep control.

Most publishers charge 80-90% (yes, that is not a typo) to publish you and they do little to no promotion or marketing. They also traditionally retain certain rights (like the right to make audio recordings of your book, or develop training materials from them as an example). Not much of a deal, right?

This site is a 50/50 split and knowing Mark, it’s going to take off like a rocket. You can also earn an affiliate commission for referring others, so if you know the next Stephen King, sign up and send them an invitation.

The site went live TODAY, so sign up for your account and start loading up your files. E-books, audios, whatever, just get yourself out there. Don’t be afraid or intimidated, just get involved. I have! I want all of you to email me once you post stuff so I can go check it out, ok?

Here’s how to get there: You Publish

Go there and check it out and watch for SmartWoman offerings in the future. And for your own sake, get your own stuff up there too. Everyone’s got a book in them–it’s time to let it out!

Together, we are stronger!

Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

 

What is an Emerging Woman Entrepreneur?

To listen to the MP3 instead of reading, click here

 

I confess I have an agenda. I am passionate about connecting with and empowering women. Not just any woman, but the 35-55 year old female entrepreneur–what I call the “Emerging Woman Entrepreneur”.

I am often asked ”Why just 35-55 year olds?” and “Why just entrepreneurs?” and of course “Do you not like men?”. Fair questions and here are my answers.

Women go through a dramatic life change during the 35-55 year span. I call it the “Second Coming of Age”. It’s like a redux of puberty, with all the incumbent insecurities, questionings, and discoveries. (Read about it in New Passagesby Gail Sheehy, and Marianne Williamson’s latest book The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife.) I personally have experienced it (and still am) and I have not yet met a woman who hasn’t. It’s not imagined or just a physiological result of the onset of menopause. It’s a spiritual, emotional, and psychological awakening.

Myself, I began at about 38 years of age to deeply examine all aspects of my life. At the end of my contemplation, I chose to get divorced, quit my high stress corporate job, travel, and finally, embrace my entrepreneurial calling. And, for the first time ever, I felt free and in control. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with those feelings, but they were fully there.

The essence of my quest came from asking what I wanted. I quit focusing on pleasing others and came to terms with what I wanted my life to be. Life began to seem too short to compromise anymore. So, I stopped, and it opened up a whole new world of choices that I now have before me.

I see many women who have followed the societal path of being an employee when they weren’t really well suited for it. The joy that honoring my entrepreneur inside gave me was something that had to be shared. And I knew that other women who hadn’t found theirs yet needed encouragement, especially during the sometimes dark days of their Second Coming of Age. I hope to offer that encouragement.

Lastly, I love men. Seriously. I enjoy the way they think and I appreciate how they see the world. (They go through their own awakening, but that’s another story). In the same way that I am not a mother so I cannot fully understand their mindset, I too cannot fully understand and speak to men’s needs. So, I stick with what I know and can speak honestly about. Ultimately, all are welcome here who seek to understand or can relate to what we’re discussing. It’s an open door.

I hope this sheds some light for you.  What do you think? Have you experienced this? Please share your own stories-I Iove the value of sharing.

Vicki Flaugher

 

Recommended Website: Divabiz at Prosperity Cast Network

I am not very good at MLM network marketing. I get the concept and I have respect for it, but I haven’t gotten the hang of it. Partly because I tend to be very solo, stay in my office cave and work on my computer more than go out and meet people. I enjoy people but I am not a social butterfly.

Well, to compensate for my lack, I found a website to recommend to you.
http://divabizatprosperitycastnetwork.wordpress.com/

You can go and get very solid general business advice (loved the 16 Steps on Becoming a Success in Your Home Based Business post) as well as information on how to make your MLM work. I’ve emailed the owner and she is passionate and committed to the success of women entrepreneurs, (my kind of woman! :-)) so go check her out and tell me what you think.

As always, your recommendations are welcomed and encouraged here. Do you have a favorite female focused site you’d like to highlight here? Be sure to post it and tell us about it. The internet is like a huge information shopping mall to me and I just love being told about great places to go visit, so speak up!

Until next time, best of success!
Vicki Flaugher

 

Time and Teamwork: Your 4-hour Work Week

I noticed that I tend to put in a P.S.  about delegation, so I felt I should go at my message more directly: Get some help in your business–now!

I know it’s hard to imagine it, but you can have a life outside of your work. You deserve it and you need it. Long periods of constant work reduce your creative abilities, cause health problems, and make you cranky. It’s an illusion that it actually moves your business forward. I work at home, I understand the issue, but I  am serious that it is not helping you. I think deep down you know that too.

Entrepreneurship is about following your joy.  Sure you’re going to work, but it’s time to re-examine the attitudes about it. Do any of these sound  familiar? Are you guilty of thinking/doing any of these?

If I don’t do it, no one else will.

It would take me more time to train someone than just do it myself.

I  don’t have the budget to hire people.

No one else can do it exactly like I want it done.

Insert your favorite reason/excuse here…

I  don’t know very many entrepreneurs who intended, when they left the “real” job world, to work all the time, but that’s what many of us do. I have done it too and there is a solution.

I read this really cool book by Tim Ferriss that gives you a roadmap to working more productively. Tim is this amazing young man who has learned the art of the outsource. He’s very cheeky and hip and he guides you through the ins and outs of contracting out your work.

The idea is that you focus on what you are best at and only that. There is no reason to focus on your weaknesses.  I know that we are taught to, but ignore that for now.  There is no sense in it. It only makes you meagerly better at something you were bad at in the first place.

Focusing on your strengths, that’s a different story. You can take what you are great at and become world class super-star amazing at it. That’s better, right?

Check out Tim’s book.  It’s a fun and easy read and gives very practical advice. It’s one of my favorites and it gives a true mindset shift that will benefit you and your business. Hey, you might even be able to go on vacation this year with your family if you follow what he says…hmmm…..

Vicki Flaugher

 Click here to go check Tim’s book out ====>>

Recommended Site: Find Your Inner Entrepreneur Goddess!

I found this great website for female entrepreneurs and thought you might want to check it out.

Filled with helpful how-to articles, videos and tips,  the site is fun, well-layed out, and easy to navigate. The owner of the site, Kate Skow, and I may do some things together soon, so check it out and go visit her. 

www.entrepreneurgoddess.com

One of my primary goals in developing this blog is to unify the field. In my own research for help with my entrepreneur adventure, I have found many resources, but mostly they are scattered and frankly, they vary in their relevance wildly.

In the larger business journals, you only get a smattering of female focused articles, mostly ones that compare how we do against men (how many businesses we start, how often we fail, how effective or not we are in obtaining financing, etc.) I guess that can be helpful, and I hold out hope that the larger establishments come around to fully embrace our power group, but for now, we have to turn to more progressive thinkers.

Since there are many types of female entrepreneurs and lots of business models they follow, I intend to gather together the tools and help we all need to be successful. Not just the hard fact type of help but also the emotional and psychological assistance. Entrepreneur Goddess is a good example of what I mean.

So, go visit her and tell her I sent you. And, if you have a favorite female entrepreneur focused website to recommend, be sure to post it. The more we all communicate and share, the stronger we become!

Vicki Flaugher

Iron Chef Entrepreneurism

I am an admitted “foodie”. I love eating yummy food, I love cooking it, and I watch all the cable TV shows too. I don’t care for brussel spouts but overall, I am game for just about anything.

As I was watching Iron Chef Morimoto battle today, it occurred to me that the Iron Chef challenge is a lot like being an entrepreneur. You get to choose your challenger, normally someone who is experienced and ahead of you in the market. Much like identifying your competition in your niche, you can be very strategic about who you choose to go head to head with in battle. You size them up, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and pick where you feel you can excel. You rise to the challenge of their quality as you face a worthy adversary.

Next, the secret ingredient! You don’t know what’s getting thrown at you but you are required to work with it and make spectacular dishes with it.  For an entrepreneur,  your secret ingredient is your client’s needs and wants. Once you know what those needs and wants are, you have the basic information you need to develop the products and services that satisfy them. You have to apply your creativity, walking the fine line between traditional presentation and forward thinking inspiration, offering innovation that your clients can relate to as well as be lifted up by.

Don’t forget that 60 minute clock! You probably have more time than a mere hour to develop your products, but truth is, fresh is good and action is even better. Implementation to market is one of the biggest challenges of entrepreneurs. Set a mental clock and plate your dishes–your market is waiting so set a deadline and meet it. Doing your best is enough, even if it’s not perfect.

At last you get to the judges. Your market place and clients tell you what they think and they vote with their dollars. They admire uniqueness but be careful making trout ice cream unless your market is trout ice cream lovers (pretty small market, I think). Your clients will appreciate new twists on classic standards and they want to see that you really considered their situation in your solution. 

A winner is scored for taste, plating, and originality, so focus on all three. Make sure the substance of your offering is on point, but don’t forget about presentation. Put your personal flair into it, developing your unique selling proposition, always focusing on your clients rather than just being different. Different may be just what your market needs, so it’s not that you can’t be wildly innovative.  Just be sure that you are focused on giving your clients what they are seeking rather than fulfilling a personal ego desire.

Lastly, you get to be applauded and celebrate. Even if you don’t win, you gain experience, notoriety and popularity and you continue to build your reputation of excellence. So, enjoy your win and begin again tomorrow. Everyone knows that even the best chefs are only as good as their last meal. Continue to be challenged by the changing desires of your market, keep your knife sharpened, and love what you do. Bon apetite!

Vicki Flaugher

p.s. By the way–Iron Chefs all have 2 sous chefs. Get the help you need, people whose skill and integrity you trust, and you will get everything done. No one does it alone, so don’t pretend you can. Teamwork is a sign of a true professional.