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Women Entrepreneurs Less Inclined to Lean In

May 21st, 2013 | Posted by jasmine in Business strategy | corporate culture | Entrepreneur - (0 Comments)

A survey by the small business social network Manta revealed that 61% of the 1,089 female small business owners who responded were either indifferent to or disagreed with the premise of Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s recent book Lean In.

Perhaps because Sandberg wrote from the perspective of an executive who had climbed existing ladders, rather than as a founder, entrepreneurial women don’t find her advice particularly resonant.  If you’re there all the time anyway, “first in, last out” hours are meaningless.

Or maybe in the world of start-ups, a woman needs a different approach for success:

“there’s also the perspective that in the fast-paced (and often cutthroat) race for scale and success in the startup arena, that leaning in long and slow might not get women to the table fast enough. Maxine Manafy, founder and CEO of digital and mobile ad platform Bunndle, says that rather than “leaning in,” her approach has been more of the “barge in” variety. She’s encountered firsthand the bias shown to females in the workplace, and eschews the shrewd, political networking approach favored by the Sandberg movement for a louder, more intrusive, “I’m here, respect me and my talents” approach, which she credits with winning her the respect of the Silicon Valley boys club. The year old company has raised just shy of a million in seed funding from SoftTech VC and 500 Startups.”

One size does not fit all women, and neither does any single path to career success.  Isn’t one of the points of the women’s movement a broadening of the definitions of what it takes to be a professional, a leader and an executive?

Laura Abrahamsen, May 21, 2013

Sponsored by ArnoldIT, developer of Beyond Search

Managing Change is the Only Way

May 2nd, 2013 | Posted by jasmine in Business strategy | Change Management | Technology - (0 Comments)

Grant McCracken, posting for the HBR Blog Network, applied Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’  model of the five stages of grief to adoption of new technology in the post “The Five Stages of Disruption Denial.”  McCracken’s reconsideration of change in the context of technological innovation is a provocative conceptual framework.

He takes Twitter as his case in point, and runs his reactions to it a reworking of Kubler-Ross’ five stages:  Confusion, Repudiation, Shaming, Acceptance and Forgetting. By forgetting, McCracken means how we try to cover our early confusion and repudiation of a new technology and rewrite our personal history as before-the-curve early adopters.

Denying our early confusion does no one any favors:

 “We have to accept that change is the new structural reality of our lives and we have to begin a new set of problem solving routines that can put things right (or righter).

When you first lay eyes on something like Twitter, don’t react emotionally, don’t reject it out of hand. And when you go back to correct those first impressions, don’t conceal the evidence so that it looks like you (we!) were right all along.

Instead, do a careful, thoughtful analysis, for and against the innovation. Write it down, and consult it every time “Twitter” comes up and enter a new, corrected assessment of where the innovation is and where it might end up. Keep doing this until, as in the Twitter case, we find ourselves 6 years down the road and can look back to see what we got right and what we got wrong.”

The digital world is moving so quickly that predicting change or figuring out what the next big thing is going to be is absolutely impossible. Adopting McCracken’s assessment strategy will help keep it all in perspective.

Laura Abrahamsen, May 02, 2013

Sponsored by ArnoldIT, developer of Beyond Search

Tools They Cannot Do Without

April 25th, 2013 | Posted by jasmine in Business strategy | Information sources | Mobile - (0 Comments)

Francesca Levy recently posted “Five Essential Tools You Shouldn’t Start Your Workday Without” on the LinkedIn blog.  The post is an overview of “Things I Carry,” a special feature about LinkedIn’s designated “Influencers.”  The peek into the toolkits of business leaders like Esther Dyson, Richard Branson and Deepak Chopra is both enlightening and whimsical.

As you might expect, some kind of mobile device is high on most Influencers’ lists.  They range across platforms, include tablets and smartphones, although Craigslist founder Craig Newmark is using his Dick Tracy-like watch that takes voice commands more and more.  Whatever the device, these business leaders are always in touch and working wherever they are.

Surprisingly, number 2 on Levy’s list was actually good old analog pen and paper, or a writing instrument of choice and something to write on.  Whether it’s a handwritten note or a design sketch, a lot of leaders are still thinking on paper before their ideas go digital.

Another surprise?  Esther Dyson’s and Meg Whitman’s must-haves:

“I couldn’t resist including this one. While not every Influencer religiously packs a bathing suit — in fact, only two: HP CEO Meg Whitman, and healthcare and tech investor Esther Dyson — they both describe it as absolutely key. “I never check my bathing suit (and cap),” says Dyson. “I swim every day, so I can’t risk losing my luggage and ending up in some exotic location wondering whether it’s okay to swim in my underwear.” Whitman, too, swims regularly. Both say they need it for focus, discipline, and a clear-headed way to think through complex problems.

It’s a great reminder that something that may seem completely unrelated to work can actually be a necessary complement to the professional day.”

Rounding out the list are personal totems, since none of these Influencers spends a day sitting at a desk surrounded by framed photos, and most important of all—good people.   Over and over, business leaders to whom we look as models of success attribute it to surrounding themselves with smart people who challenge them.

Laura Abrahamsen, April 25, 2013

Sponsored by ArnoldIT, developer of Beyond Search

Little Behaviors Gain Big Results

April 23rd, 2013 | Posted by jasmine in Business strategy | Entrepreneur | small business - (0 Comments)

Once you have got your business plan, your million-dollar idea and your vision of company structure, you are all set to run a company and get rich. Except that running the company will falter if you focus only on the business and don’t practice the little behaviors that lead to consistent success.

Daniel Newman posted “5 Little Behaviors That Get Big Results” on the Huffington Post’s Small Business blog.  Newman’s list is less about business savvy and more about being a good person, whether in the workplace, amongst clients or at home. Following his tips will set a tone in all areas of your life.

My favorite, probably because I am a caretaker for a parent with Alzheimer’s is Newman’s third:

“Living in the Moment: We all have a million things going on in our business and personal lives. When you are in a call or a meeting, do everything that you can to be present. People can always tell when your mind is someplace else. This alienates you from whomever you are supposed to be with. Trust me when I say, I struggle with this mightily, but time and time again I have seen better results when I focus on being where I am and making the best of the situation.”

Alzheimer’s is all about the moment.  There’s really nowhere else to be.  More and more, I find myself thanking the people who show me that they are present in the moment, with me, with my dad, and in my life and my work, I strive to do the same.  In customer service, it’s listening and acknowledging what the customer wants and helping her find it.  By being thankful and listening carefully, I’ve also covered two more of Newman’s behaviors.  It’s not hard, and it makes a world of difference.

Laura Abrahamsen, April 23, 2013

Sponsored by ArnoldIT, developer of Beyond Search

Discover a Big Marketing Idea at Low Cost

March 13th, 2013 | Posted by jasmine in Business strategy | Information sources | Social media - (0 Comments)

Small businesses are always looking for the low cost or no cost ways to build their business. Mike Michalowiz took a look at “The 50 Best Marketing Strategies For Small Business,” in a recent article. Though his article attempts to provide 50 strategies, he makes note that if you implement just one good idea, you will be making progress.

According to Michalowiz, in order to be successful in your social media efforts, it is important to connect people that are within your niche and who are interested in what you do.

Among his list of tips are:

  • “Get Out of The Store”
  • “Share Your Expertise Freely”
  • “Never Stop Growing Your Network”
  • “Maintain Relationships With Clients”
  • “Twitter Giveaways”
  • “Listen. Tweet. Listen. Listen Again”

While in my opinion, this list may seem simple and easy, most busy business owners seldom stop to give them a try. Make a personal list and check periodically to see if you are actually focusing on one or more. They only cost you time, not money.

The author offers these ideas:

“Twitter is a great place to share photos (TwitPic), host contests, shout out to loyal customers, have scavenger hunts, and promote events. Think of ways you can incorporate Twitter into your promotions in a fun, engaging way. Thank loyal customers, retweet their tweets, and even host fundraisers. All the cool kids are doing it. Why shouldn’t you? “

As a marketer, I have found that the first steps to success come with trying one idea at a time. Something as simple as a web site with a coupon offer for 10 percent savings will give you an opportunity to begin a relationship with clients. Once you begin building relationships  you can learn how your customers and potential new customers prefer to communicate. Then you will have your next big marketing idea.

Ken Toth, March 13, 2013

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