Celine Dion, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson and Toni Braxton ruled the pop charts while “Forrest Gump” and “The Lion King,” drove movie ticket sales. It was 1994 and also the year the U.S. government declared the goal of awarding 5 percent of all contracts to small businesses owned by women.
Read MoreIn the time it takes for a child to move from prekindergarten to her college graduation—14 years—the planet will have achieved gender equity. That is the sincere hope and the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day at United Nations Women. “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step it Up For Gender Equality” urges all countries to embrace a future of equal pay, equal treatment and justice for all women and girls globally.
Read MoreHere’s the management truth many of us know too well: We’re promoted because of our track record as front line employees. Our job skills are strong, so they put us in charge of the work. That’s when we discover we need a whole different set of skills, because we’re not just managing work, we are leading people, a responsibility that is complicated and challenging, worrisome and wonderful – and rarely easy.
Read MoreWhenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light – Vera Nazarian
There’s nothing like a good book to educate, entertain or inspire you. Studies are proving time and time again that reading is beneficial for everything from improvement of memory to stress reduction. And for children, stories have the power to bring emotions to life, and help children understand their own feelings and those of others.
Read MoreMarch is Women’s History Month, so it is fitting that the month begins like a lioness and hopefully will stay as strong in recognition of women role models for the rest of the year. No bowing out like a lamb. Aiming to honor all those who have shaped our culture throughout history and those who are coming up in the world, we march into March applauding our sisters who are women leaders and role models in business and beyond.
Read MoreCommunicating is about building networks and connections with other possible collaborators on startups, not wasting time on chit chat. And purposeful small talk can lead big-minded women entrepreneurs into finding new projects and even new organizations. Communicating with confidence is key.
Read MoreSixteen centuries after St. Bridget urged St. Patrick to use Leap Day in Ireland as the one day every four years when women could ask men to marry them, Take The Lead Co-Founder and President Gloria Feldt writes in Fast Company that women can use this day as a reminder to “ask for what you deserve.”
No wonder “Nashville” entrepreneur Rayna James started her Highway 65 label in her hometown city. Even though the singer played by actress Connie Britton on the ABC-TV drama is fictional (as is her blockbuster country music record label), it is very real news that Nashville just snagged the title of No. 1 city in the country for women entrepreneurs, according to the latest research from Wallethub.
Read MoreAs a way to celebrate Black History month, Take The Lead welcomed author and leadership strategist Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever recently to Virtual Happy Hour. Dr. Jones-De Weever is an expert on race, gender, the economy and the creator of The Exceptional Leadership Institute for Women. Named to theGrio 100, recognized by the Women’s Media Center as one of 30 women making history, and acknowledged by BET as one of the most influential women in Washington, Dr. Jones- DeWeever’s mission aligns with Take The Lead to achieve leadership parity across every sector by 2025.
“Now put your hands up.”
A peach of a new study out of Georgia State University finds that more than men or married women, single women have the highest rates of entrepreneurship of all individuals. What makes a single women start a company on her own more often?
Read MoreIt seems every major company around the globe– and many not so major companies– are taking notice of the inequities of their female employee rosters at all levels. All this talk of diversity and fairness, plus counting and publishing the percentages has not budged the numbers much for women in leadership. Women still fall far short in reaching the equity goal in most every arena from Hollywood production to tenure positions in academia.
Read MoreOf course we are not talking Michael Kors, Google or BMW. But we all know everyone managing a career has a personal brand. And as women in leadership, we each need to cultivate and protect that brand as carefully as marketers for Coca-Cola, IBM or Facebook. According to Joanne Tombrakos,creator of Your Digital You, you need to manifest your personal brand just as carefully as these megastar branding teams of global companies.
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