Cool Tool of Interest: Twitter as a Daily Newspaper

A great way to stay on top of all that is shared by the people you follow is through paper.li, which organizes links shared on Twitter into an easy to read newspaper-style format. Newspapers can be created for any Twitter user, list or #tag.

Samples for review can be found at: The Twitter Fast Company Daily, The Twitter The Economist Daily, The Twitter Entrepreneur Mag Daily and I just created an account under my own name here (as shown above).

It's as simple as 1-2.3 to get started and can be used to get the word out on your business online in a whole new way, especially if you click on the "promote it" button.

Start your business daily newspaper now. Go here.

Posted by: Women Presidents' Organization Chicago

Cool Tool of Interest: Google Realtime

In case you've been too busy to catch the latest and greatest from Google, they just released a new and improved version to their Updates with Realtime Search (http://www.google.com/realtime), which lets you see up-to-the-second social updates, news articles and blog posts about hot topics worldwide.

Getting public response or a reaction is getting speedier and more efficient all the time. WPO members can use this tool to their competitive advantage by utilizing instant knowledge of what people are thinking, instead of waiting for polls, studies or reports on what the public wants.

Use the results to power up and strategically grow your business.

Give it a try here. We did and found all sorts of interesting real-time news on the Women Presidents' Organization!

Graphic illustration source here.

Article of Interest: Build a Better Whatchamacallit

What does your business have in common with creators of products that grill a burger, catch varmints, and save the earth? Design excellence.

Learn more here:

Build a Better ... Mousetrap

Pictured: Guaraná Jesus is a Brazilian soft drink produced by bv0, a Coca-Cola bottler based in São Luís and one of the winners of the 2010 International Design Excellence Awards.

News of Interest: 7th Annual WPO Chicago 2010 Summit a Huge Success

We are happy to report that our 7th Annual WPO Chicago 2010 Summit held August 12th at Carnivale Chicago and sponsored by Harris N.A. and Wm. Wrigley, Jr. Company was a huge success.

Program presenters were as follows:

• Andy Busch, Global Currency and Public Policy Strategist, BMO Capital Markets, Harris, N.A., talked about how the global economic environment can and has influenced small business in the United States and how to use this information to better position your business for future success.

• Donna Westerman, Director Supplier Diversity and Social Responsibility, WW Procurement, Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, spoke on the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to WBE’s, why it is relevant and what corporations are expecting of their suppliers.

• Barry Moltz, expert on how to get your business unstuck, talked about how your business can thrive during any economy.

• The Riot Act showcased how improvisation can be used in business to explore serious issues in unconventional ways.

The highlight of the day was a surprise appearance by WPO President and Founder, Dr. Marsha Firestone, who spoke about the global growth of the Women Presidents' Organization. We were honored that she could participate in the most important event of the year for WPO Chicago.

Throughout the program, which ran from 11:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m., we had the opportunity to learn, network, be inspired and grow together. It was in line with our theme: "NEW DECADE: Finding Inspiration, Innovation and Pro$perity." Our long-time friend and colleague, Hedy Ratner, co-founder of the WBDC Chicago, joined us for lunch.

Thank you to our presenters and sponsors for supporting and participating in our program this year and special appreciation to our WPO Chicago Steering Committee Members for their help in putting together this fantastic program. We also wish to thank our national sponsors for their continued support to WPO.

Pictured (top): Room setup before members and guests arrive. Center photo: Lunch part of program. Bottom photo: Dr. Marsha Firestone, President and Founder, WPO, speaking during the Summit lunch.

Photo credits: Laurel Delaney at WPO Chicago Summit, Carnivale Chicago 8/12/10.

Posted by: Women Presidents' Organization Chicago

Article of Interest: Embrace of Power

As more high-achieving women -- such as the entire WPO membership base spanning across four continents -- grow their businesses to multimillion dollar + levels, they will continue to embrace power to get things done.

Read this controversial piece, "Women and the Uneasy Embrace of Power." Share your comments at the origin site and report back to us with your insights because we always like to hear from you.

The comments (33+) are worth a look.

Article of Interest: Make Changes That Last

Growing your business is not a sprint. It's a marathon that requires a plan and a process involving trials, errors and successes.

After analyzing decades of scientific research and case studies, best-selling authors Chip and Dan Heath have discovered that there are simple things you can do to snap the cycle of busted resolutions (things you should be doing that you are not for whatever reason) which can get in the way of making progress with your company.

Here's a snapshot (adapted from "Switch: How to Change When Change Is Hard,” by Chip and Dan Heath):

• Stop procrastinating.
• Make better decisions.
• Give yourself crystal-clear directions.
• Handle big changes.
• Keep yourself motivated.
• Make your environment support your change.

Go here for the entire article.

Are you practicing any of the above as you build your business? If so, we'd love to hear from you on exactly what you are doing and how you are doing it.

Article of Interest: Jump Your Business Ahead

Many business owners feel that summer is typically a slow time of year for their business. Is that you too? Obviously a lot depends on where you live, your firm's sales cycle, whether you market seasonal products (locally and globally) and what else is going on in the industry and economically.

According to Tom Hall, co-author of "Ruthless Focus: How to Use Key Core Strategies to Grow Your Business," with leadership expert Wally Bock:

Summer is a great time to jump your business ahead. If your clients and customers are all taking a break, take advantage of the slow market and get yourself ready for the fall.

How do you get ready? He offers a couple of fun recommendations here.

And be sure to review his thoughts on how to remedy the "I must do it all" mentality for business owners.

What are you doing this summer to stand out from the crowd with your clients and customers? We welcome hearing from you.

Posted by: Women Presidents' Organization Chicago

Article of Interest: What To Do When Your Company Makes a Mistake

What do you do when you or someone in your company makes a mistake -- whether it be in producing a product, launching an advertising campaign or making an inappropriate off the cuff statement on a national television network?

If you follow the path of Apple's iPhone's debacle, the first thing you do is admit you made a mistake and then claim that you are not perfect.

"We're not perfect," admitted Steve Jobs, the boss of Apple, at a press conference today at which he discussed the firm's new smartphone, the iPhone 4. To people who have long ascribed almost God-like powers to Mr Jobs, that may come as a shock. But the ham-fisted way in which Apple has handled a fuss over connectivity issues with its new device has shown that even one of the world's most admired companies can get things wrong every now and again.

Read more here.

According to WSJ's blog Digits, here are five things Apple (or any business that finds itself in a similar situation) should do regarding its flawed iPhone 4:

1. Apologize
2. Put Steve Jobs (President/CEO) front and center
3. Explain what went wrong
4. Offer a real fix to consumers now
5. Explain whether the phone will be changed later

What approach do you implement to recover from business missteps every now and then? We welcome hearing from you.

Related article on the ability to learn from mistakes.

Article of Interest: Are You Rebalancing Your Businesss?

In view of the notion of a potential double-dip recession coming to our economy very soon, whether it happens or not, how do you prepare for such an event?

Are you rebalancing your business in anticipation of a period of greater risk? If so, what steps are you taking to ensure a "steady as she goes" sort of approach to growing your business?

We do know this to be true:

Economic growth is not likely to return in a sudden and massive way. The “New Normal” is viewed as an economy of much tighter regulation, much higher taxes for the wealthy and for corporations, higher government spending, and consumers living with less and enjoying far less opulence than in prior years. It is even arguable that the recovery was merely a stimulus and stability recovery matched merely by an inventory replacement cycle with no follow-on gains.

The Huffington Post defines 'Double-dip' recession here.

As always, we welcome hearing your views and insights on this hotly debated topic.

Article of Interest: Should Your Business Be in the Cloud?

At a recent WPO Chicago downtown II chapter session, one of the questions that came up was: "Will cloud computing impact your business model now or ever?"

The answer: What is cloud computing?

According to Wikipedia:

Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand.

Think along the lines of Google Docs (particpate in our test here), Google Gmail or Scribd (example of how I use it for my business) but take it further to consider the implications of its use in other aspects of business.

For example, consider cloud workplaces, cloud research projects or cloud peer groups (we already experience this among WPO Chicago chapter members by using common links through Google Docs where everyone can share, network and edit critical documents).

Needless to say it's something to track and monitor closely as it grows in popularity. You don't want to be caught off guard should our world become more cloud-driven.

The big question we will leave you with is this: Should your business be in the cloud?

Learn more here.

Posted by: Women Presidents' Organization Chicago

Event of Interest: Edward Lowe Foundation at Big Rock Valley

Having just completed an enlightening business leadership retreat at the Edward Lowe Foundation (ELF) with WPO Chicago downtown III chapter members, it only seems fitting to bring attention to what ELF at Big Rock Valley is most known for: helping business owners reach second-stage growth.

How do you define second-stage growth?

Second-stage companies are those that have grown past the startup stage but have not grown to maturity. They have enough employees to exceed the comfortable control span of one owner/CEO and benefit from adding professional managers, but they do not yet have a full-scale professional management team.

A business typically begins to enter its second stage when it approaches $1 million in total receipts. The transition process can continue until it hits $100 million in receipts, although for most companies $50 million represents the upper limit of second stage. By $100 million, a firm will have to be professionally managed in order to continue to thrive and grow and be in its third stage of development. Employee numbers and revenue ranges vary by industry, but the population of firms with 10 to 100 employees and/or $750,000 to $50 million in receipts includes the vast majority of second-stage companies.

Beyond this, there are other signs that indicate to a CEO that second stage is at hand.

Read about them here.

Where is your business at? What have you done lately to take yourself out of your business and reflect on "next-level thinking" with your peers?

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, WPO Chicago Chapter Chair

Save the Date: 7th Annual WPO Chicago 2010 Summit

Article of Interest: How to Create an iPhone App for Your Business

Let's face it, we all like to stay ahead of technology plus save money at the same time. Here's a nifty little article, "Why and How To Create an iPhone App for Your Business," that helps you understand the power of providing a useful service to your customers. Remember it all starts with a good idea.

Read more here.

Related resources:

• How to Create Your First iPhone Application (very comprehensive yet easy to follow)
• iPhone Dev Center - Apple Developer
• Creating an iPhone Application

Event of Interest: The Senior Businesswomen's Forum

On June 3rd, many of us from WPO Chicago had the great pleasure of attending Foley & Lardner's event, "Getting Your Message Out In An Over-Messaged World," -- hosted by Miki Vucic Tesija (pictured and a WPO Chicago downtown I chapter member) and Mary Kay Matire, partners at Foley & Lardner Chicago office. They were responsible for the content of this program along with co-sponsor Huron Consulting Group.

We heard from award-winning journalist Anne Kavanagh and award-winning producer Maria Dugandzic on how to make yourself heard in a world consumed with noise.

Foley & Lardner is a national sponsor to the Women Presidents' Organization and also hosts our WPO Chicago downtown II chapter meetings. We are very proud of this amazing relationship -- so "thank you" to everyone at Foley & Lardner for your continued support to the WPO! We appreciate it.

Article of Interest: Making Sense of Twitter

Many business owners are still trying to figure out how to use Twitter to benefit their business. Is that you too? This article, "Reach Customers in 140 Characters, All of Them Free," helps you make productive use of the service.

A couple of highlights on how to get started:

• First of all, listen.
• Do not be boring.
• A live version of a FAQ.
• Create a focus group.
• Soapbox for thinkers.
• Starting small is fine.

Read the entire article here.

Follow us on Twitter @WomenPresidents
Use hashtag #WPO

Event of Interest: Women's Leadership Breakfast 5/25/10

The Executives' Club of Chicago Women's Leadership Breakfast, "Personal Board of Directors: Building Your Powerhouse Network" will be held Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at the The Hilton Chicago, Grand Ballroom (720 South Michigan Avenue) from 7:00-9:00 a.m.

Description:

With all of the downsizing and diminishing job opportunities, we are in a climate that cultivates an "every woman for herself" mentality. In these tough economic times, you can experience bad behavior from BOTH sexes. But there is some heartening news, women are helping women and are concentrating on a new type of networking. This panel will discuss alternatives to hiring a career coach like cultivating your own personal board of directors. Learn how convening individuals from past jobs and professional associations can bring a fresh perspective on individual strengths, values, goals and next steps.

Moderator: Maria Bartiromo (pictured), Anchor, CNBC's "Closing Bell," Host and Managing Editor "The Wall Street Journal Report with Maria Bartiromo"

Panelists: Carol Bernick, Executive Chairman of the Board, Alberto Culver Company; Christy Carpenter, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, The Paley Center for Media; and, Michele Coleman Mayes, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer, Allstate Insurance Company

The Women Presidents' Organization Chicago is a proud partner of this empowering high-level women's program.

Registration is 7:00 a.m. Seated Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. Panel Discussion, 8:00 a.m.

For more information and to register, visit here.

I hope to see you there! Feel free to contact me to arrange a meeting in advance (ldelaney(at)globetrade.com).

Article of Interest: Values-Driven Companies

Whether you run a Fortune 500 company or a vibrant small business, the values you put forth play a vital role in managing and transforming a company.

According to Harvard Business School Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter ...

A new type of 21st century company is emerging that is transforming how business is conducted. These are values-driven companies that define a core set of values and rely on these values in making all strategic decisions. Such companies are transforming themselves, their industries, and the world.

A snapshot of the key concepts includes:

• Ability to change themselves and the world because they put values at the center of their company.
• Gain tremendous advantages.
• Hold true to core values.
• Identify, understand, and stay true to values.
• Operate a business that brings value to the world.
• Influence the behaviors of other corporations and leaders.

For more in depth knowledge, go here.

Are you willing and able to change and bounce back quickly from challenging situations? As always, we welcome your comments.

Article of Interest: Are You in Pursuit of Perfection?

As you grow your business, are you in constant pursuit of perfection, new opportunities and new possibilities?

Then this little BIG article will fuel your desires.

Read: Steve Jobs: Master of Innovation

Find out how he changed the way we work, play and communicate -- with the best yet to come.

Are you stirring the pot to build a business of common good and lasting value? Let us hear from you. We welcome your thoughts and ideas.

Article of Interest: Powerful People Are Better Liars

Once in a while we have to take a chance at provoking (challenging) our readers. This is one of them. We read, "Defend Your Research: Powerful People Are Better Liars," by Dana Carney, published in the current Harvard Business Review and thought: Is this true?

Read it for yourself and let us know what you think. We all know the "type." They exist, unfortunately, everywhere but how do you deal with such a person, especially if they work for you or you work with them in some capacity at your business?

News of Interest: A High Five to the WPO High Fliers

Just returned from the WPO Annual Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at The Westin Beach Resort and I feel good -- inspired and ready to take on the world! What about you? Share your successes, powerful moments and learning lessons with us. How do you plan to use the information you received at the conference to grow your business? We welcome hearing from you.

In the meantime, check out some of the amazing media coverage we received during the conference:

The Wall Street Journal
High Fliers: Top Women-Led Companies

Snippet:

Marsha Firestone, WPO's founder and president, says the group began compiling the rankings three years ago in an effort to dispel the notion that female-led companies are primarily mom-and-pop operations in "retail, cookie-making or crafts." Most on the list are business-to-business companies, many in traditionally male-dominated fields such as transportation, construction, manufacturing and distributing, she says.

SmartMoney.com
Trailblazing Women Business Owners Achieve Rapid Growth Despite Challenging Economy

Snippet:

"The Top 50 list exemplifies the vital role women business owners have on boosting the economy and enhancing job growth overall," says Marsha Firestone, Ph. D., president and founder of the WPO. "We are pleased to partner with American Express OPEN to honor these powerful women and recognize their triumphs."

MiamiHerald.com
Female Executives Share Secrets of Success

Snippet:

A woman CEO may not want to ask for help to be successful, but the Women Presidents' Organization breaks that mindset in order to take women-owned businesses to the next level.And one more! "There's a perception out there that women grow and run very small mom-and-pop operations and that they are mostly crafts or retail or cookies, and that's not true at all,'' said WPO founder and President Marsha Firestone.

Firestone said some of the fastest-growing women-owned companies are in industries that aren't traditionally women dominated.

Catch us if you can! And if you'd like more information about WPO, please contact our headquarter office at 212-688-4114 or email info@womenpresidentsorg.com. In Chicago, call 773-381-1700 or email ldelaney(at)globetrade.com.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Photo credit: Starwood Hotels, The Westin Beach Resort, Fort Lauderdale, Sky Terrace where we had our "dessert" reception on the last evening of the conference.

Added 4/27/10 at 9:39 CDT -- WomenEntrepreneur.com
WPO Conference: 90+ Guru & Salsa Dancing, Too (hat tip to Karen Barnett for the info).

News of Interest: A New Kind of Company

When you started your business, you most likely went through the process of determining which type of entity best suits your short and long term needs. For example, some of your options might have been to form a limited liability company (LLC), C corporation or S corporation. Hopefully your attorney guided you along the way by asking the right questions about how you envision operating your business five, ten or twenty years out.

For those of you who are considering new business initiatives, especially if it is caused related or a socially responsible enterprise, you might want to take a look at this new type of business that redefines the very purpose and meaning of a business.

It's called a B Corporation. What are B Corporations?

B Corporations are a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Corporations are unlike traditional responsible businesses because they:

• Meet comprehensive and transparent social and environmental performance standards.
• Institutionalize stakeholder interests.
• Build collective voice through the power of a unifying brand.

Check it out and find out why it matters here:

Certified B Corporation

Resource of Interest: Google AdWords: Keyword Tool

We recently had Internet Marketing Consultant Amanda Bury from ReachLocal give a talk at our WPO Chicago downtown I chapter meeting and she did a very good job educating us on what SEO (search engine optimization) and SEM (search engine marketing) do for your online business, what the difference is between the two and how to use both effectively to bring greater attention to your business on the Internet.

One tool I always use for my business, and this is outside of the bounds of what Amanda spoke about, is Google AdWords: Keyword Tool. It's a free resource that lets you see what folks are typing into Google. I access great competitive information from it, use it to determine the best choice of words for blog titles and even determine the name(s) of new businesses that require a catchy domain name.

Tips for using Keyword Tool:

• Find keywords based on your site content. Instead of entering your own keywords, try using the Website Content option. It lets you enter the URL of your business website, or of any site related to your business. The AdWords system will then scan your page and then suggest relevant keywords.


• Create new, separate ad groups with similar keywords. We recommend creating several ad groups in each campaign, each with a small, narrowly-focused set of similar keywords. Use the Keyword Tool to discover relevant keywords, then divide them into lists of 5 to 20 similar terms. See examples of ad groups promoting a single product or service and multiple products or services.


• Identify negative keywords. The Keyword Tool can help you identify off-topic keywords that users may be thinking about. Suppose you sell cut flowers and you give the Keyword Tool the keyword 'flowers.' It may suggest the related term 'gardens,' and you may want to add that term to your ad group as a negative keyword. That will keep your ad from showing on searches for 'flower gardens' or similar terms. This helps make sure only interested customers see your ads.


• Specify a language and location. If you're using the Keyword Tool while signed in to your account, you can modify your keyword search with advanced settings and tailor results to a particular location and language. If you happen to be targeting Spanish speakers who live in France, make sure you set the Keyword Tool to that language and location.


• Start broad and then get specific. Try broad terms like 'flowers' in the Keyword Tool first. Then try specific terms like 'red roses' or 'miniature cactus.'

On our own, we did a test (as illustrated above) using keywords: 'women presidents' (clicked the box to use synonyms) and found these keywords related to the term(s) we entered that were searched regularly:

women college presidents
women presidents in the world
women university

What does that mean? You have to factor it in when you create, for example, blog post titles or designate choice paid search listings with keywords for your business. There's so much more -- so spend some time reviewing and learning about how you can use this tool to grow your business.

Give it a whirl here:
Google AdWords: Keyword Tool

Stuck? There's always an online classroom.

Article of Interest: Total Virtual, Is That Your Business?

Have you fantasized about ditching your office space, saving a boatload of money (rent) and taking your entire enterprise virtual? It's in line with the expression: If you can dream, it, you can do it! We know for a fact that many WPO members are already running thriving virtual companies. Technically, your office is wherever you are.

If you want a practical look at the why, the how, and the why not of going virtual, think of it as your blueprint for your officeless future, read:

"The Case, and the Plan, for the Virtual Company"

While you are at it, check out: "How Virtual Offices Work."

Let us know what you think of this glimpse at the future of work.

News of Interest: Get Ready For the Next Big Gamechanger

Oftentimes it's the little things that sneak up on us while we run our businesses. Suddenly, out of nowhere, we find ourselves shaking our heads wondering how or why we fell behind, especially concerning the powerful capabilities of the Internet.

Take blogs, for example, remember when people questioned why in the world anyone would start a blog? Pause for a moment to appreciate the explosive growth in blogosphere. Blogs increased from 4,000 in 2004 to currently more than 133,000,000 (is anyone still counting?). Note: the Women Presidents' Organization launched its blog in 2006!

Then came Linked In, Facebook and Twitter. Many of us could not comprehend what these new media platforms meant for our businesses. Now we get it. As a result, we're racing ahead to catch up and leverage the digital revolution in a way that drives positive results for our businesses.

And now, along comes still another new magical and revolutionary device. It's called the iPad (a lightweight screen meant to move). Think it won't change the way we do things? Guess again.

The iPad has all the signs of a global gamechanger. Ready yourself and your business for it now (official release date is April 3). You want to win the race this time around.

Read: 13 of the Brightest Tech Minds Sound Off on the Rise of the Tablet

Photo credit: Apple

Breaking news: Well what do you know ... just in via online by the king of tech reviews, Walter S. Mossberg, WSJ (April 1, 2010):

Laptop Killer? Pretty Close
iPad Is a 'Game Changer' That Makes Browsing and Video a Pleasure; Challenge to the Mouse

News of Interest: Women Presidents' Organization Has a New Blog Look

The online paint has finally dried. The Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) headquarter office has a new look at their blog.

Pay a visit here.

If you've been following, be sure to change the RSS feed and sign up to receive notifications of blog posts via email.

Now you have WPO 360º!

Article of Interest: Reconsider Your Hiring Practices

USA Today columnist Rhonda Abrams challenges women business owners to change the way we think about hiring if we want to grow — really grow — our companies.

She highlights:

Here's a startling fact: nearly 7% of male-owned businesses gross more than a million dollars a year, but less than 3% of women-owned businesses do. In fact, there are only about 250,000 women-owned businesses that generate $1 million or more in sales a year. One reason: women's reluctance to hire.

Abrams also emphasizes it takes a confident women to be in charge of others.

Read the entire article here. Agree? Disagree? Weigh in with your comments. We always enjoy hearing from you.

Photo credit here.

News of Interest: U.S. $6 billion a Year in Export Financing for Small Businesses

For those already running a global small business or thinking about taking a business international, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke pledged U.S. $6 billion a year in export financing for U.S.A. small businesses through the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

What does this mean for you and your business? If you haven't looked overseas to build sales for your business, you should now.

The National Export Initiative is focused on three key areas:

1. A more robust effort by this administration to expand its trade advocacy in all its forms, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises. This effort includes educating U.S. companies about opportunities overseas, directly connecting them with new customers and advocating more forcefully for their interests.

2. Improving access to credit with a focus on small- and medium-sized businesses that want to export.

3. Continuing the rigorous enforcement of international trade laws to help remove barriers that prevent U.S. companies from getting free and fair access to foreign markets.

As Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says:

“Increasing the export of American products and services to global markets can help revive the fortunes of U.S. companies, spur future economic growth and support jobs here at home."

Discover how you can put the world in your hands and use the power of the U.S. government to increase your export sales here.

News of Interest: Two WPO Chicago Members Inducted Into Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame 2/25/10

We are thrilled to report that not one but two Women Presidents' Organization Chicago members have been inducted into the prestigious Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame (through the Coleman Foundation Entrepreneurship, Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago).

Category: Classic Start-up and Lifetime Entrepreneurs

The new members are:

• Francine Manilow, President (pictured left), Manilow Suites (downtown I member)
• Jennifer Bertoglio, Founder, President & CEO (pictured right), LawyerLink (downtown II member)

Those inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame embody the entrepreneurial spirit of Chicago area businesses: a determination to succeed, an unsurpassed commitment to excellence, and the rare ability to meet challenges and recognize opportunities through innovation, proactiveness and risk taking.

The Judges and their world-class sponsors, American Chartered Bank, Grant Thornton, Allscripts, MarketM and Crain's Chicago Business welcomed Francine and Jennifer as members this evening, February 25th, at the Chicago Hilton and Towers.

Of the many thousands of entrepreneurs in the Chicago area, the students, faculty, sponsors, and Judges select very few winners each year so this is quite an accomplishment for Francine and Jennifer.

We are very proud of them; congratulate them on this great achievement and wish them continued success. More importantly, we are very proud that they are WPO Chicago members.

Also note: Crain's Chicago Business, Enterprise City, "UIC adds names to entrepreneurs' Hall of Fame"

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, WPO Chicago

Articles of Interest: POWER Your Business Out of the Recession

Harvard Business Review Magazine is a good resource to refer to from time to time. And in this case, it might help POWER you and your business out of the recession.

Here is a sampling of complimentary articles for your use.

March 2010

• The Big Idea: Funding Eureka!

  Nathan Myhrvold

• Women in Management: Delusions of Progress

  Nancy M. Carter and Christine Silva

• The Soot Opportunity

  Jessica Seddon Wallack

• Engaging the “Pole Vaulters” on Your Staff

  Katie Truss and Emma Soane

• One Café Chain’s Facebook Experiment

  Utpal M. Dholakia and Emily Durham

• Vision Statement: A Better Approach to China’s Markets

  Max Magni and Yuval Atsmon

• Column: Think Outside the Building

  Rosabeth Moss Kanter

• Column: Who Do These Bankers Think They Are?

  Joseph E. Stiglitz

Event of Interest: Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) 13th Annual Conference April 22-24, 2010

Register now for the Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) 13th Annual Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on April 22nd-24th at the Westin Beach Resort.

To view the Conference schedule, registration (for both members and non-members who qualify), and all Conference information, click here.

This year's theme is:

Thriving in the New Economy

Keynote speakers: Professor Neeli Bendapudi, Ph.D., Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University; Jean Chatzky, Best-Selling Author and Financial Expert; Professor Rebecca Henderson, Harvard Business School; and Frances Hesselbein & Marshall Goldsmith, Chairman and Founding President of the Leader to Leader Institute, former CEO, the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. (1976-1990) and Best-Selling Author and Executive Coach.

There will also be five substantive workshop programs, and our closing session on Saturday is Salsa Away your Stress.

Hope to see you there!

Seeking: 50 Fastest-Growing Woman-Owned or Woman-Led Companies

The Women Presidents' Organization is in search for the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned or Women-Led Companies in North America! Applications are now being accepted through Wednesday, February 10th. Yes, that's right. Only two days left to make your move.

To be eligible, companies must be:

• Privately owned
• Women-owned/led
• Must have generated $500,000 in annual revenues by the first week of 2005
• Must have reached revenues of $2 million by year-end 2009

You do not have to be a WPO member to apply. What are you waiting for?

Click here to access the application form. Any questions can be e-mailed to fastgrowth(at)womenpresidentsorg.com

Article of Interest: 11 Ways to Create Great Online Content

Are you trying to snag new clients for your business with the content you produce on your website, blog, Facebook or Twitter platforms?

Then take a good long look at these magnificent ideas on how to WOW your readers, actively engage them and integrate the material across all online media channels.

Snippet (which begs me to ask you: Are you a silo-buster?):

11. Bust silos. Do you have a print newsletter? Do you produce a regular podcast? Run a version of a print article on the blog, upload the best headlines to Facebook, post transcripts of your podcast online, and chat everything up on Twitter. A lot of the ideas here reinforce the notion that you should not silo your content. Rather, sprinkle it freely across any of your platforms. It's important to think like a publisher, and leverage any publishing platforms you've created.

Read more here.

Case Study of Interest: How To Leverage Twitter For Your Business

The BIG question: Why Twitter? And why Twitter for your business? Find out via an interview conducted by Mack Collier of The Viral Garden with Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs.

Hint on an a-ha moment:

When I (Ann Handley) saw that with Twitter came tremendous opportunity to report, filter, and engage. Later, a plane would land in the Hudson, and there would be wildfires in California, and demonstrating in Iran, and so much more (Obama, Susan Boyle, Motrin Moms, and a thousand moments in between).

Read the entire discussion here.

See how the Women Presidents' Organization uses Twitter by following us @WomenPresidents

When you visit, take a moment to let us know your Twitter handle (mine is @LaurelDelaney)!

eBook of Interest: What Matters Now

Seventy influential thinkers share an idea for you to think about relative to your business as we progress into the new year.

From bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert to brilliant tech thinker Kevin Kelly, from publisher Tim O'Reilly to radio host Dave Ramsey, there are some cool people delivering important ideas here.

The free ebook includes Tom Peters, Fred Wilson, Jackie Huba and Jason Fried, along with Gina Trapani, Bill Taylor and Alan Webber.

For a fresh look at our new world, go here. Shortcut (download here).

Illustration source, here.

Event of Interest: Women's Leadership Breakfast 1/27/10

The Executives' Club of Chicago Women's Leadership Breakfast, "Global Inclusiveness -- What It Takes to Succeed" will be held Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at the The Hilton Chicago, Grand Ballroom (720 South Michigan Avenue) from 7:00-9:00 a.m.

Description:

What is inclusiveness? How are diversity and inclusiveness defined domestically and internationally? Are women uniquely positioned to deal with cultural challenges? How do men deal with those same cultural challenges? Discover how women are using their inclusive skill set to guide their companies to success.

Moderator: Karen Jordan, Weekend Anchor and Reporter, ABC 7 News

Panelists: Gisele Riba Di Spigno, Director, IBM Global Opportunity to Order, IBM; Kelli Stokes, Director of Global Diversity and Talent Acquisition, Caterpillar Inc.; Homa Sabet Tavangar, Author, "Growing up Global: Raising Children to be at Home in the World."

The Women Presidents' Organization Chicago is a proud partner of this empowering high-level women's program (look for our tabletop with brochures).

Registration is 7:00 a.m. Seated Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. Panel Discussion, 8:00 a.m.

Registration Deadline:

1/26/10

For more information and to register, visit here.

I hope to see you there! Feel free to contact me to pre-arrange a meeting (ldelaney(at)globetrade.com).

Article of Interest: What's On Your EcoMind for 2010?

Recall Michael Porter's five (5) forces analysis he provided that determines and shapes the competitive intensity and attractiveness of a market?

Attractiveness in this context refers to the overall industry profitability. An "unattractive" industry is one where the combination of forces acts to drive down overall profitability. A very unattractive industry would be one approaching "pure competition".

Another force we need to look at today is green initiatives. What is your green strategy for your business in the new year, the new decade -- over a life time?

... views going green as an essential strategy in a global commercial landscape increasingly contoured by environmental policies, regulations, and attitudes. These companies recognize that consumers’ concern for the environment has morphed into buying behaviors that are at least somewhat recession-resistant.

Take a proactive look here at strategy+business: Green Is a Strategy. Interestingly enough, the authors offer five steps (not forces) to "differentiated" sustainability for a full embrace of environmentalism.

News of Interest: 2010

Event of Interest: WPO Chicago Downtown III Chapter Holiday Party

Celebrating our successes. Celebrating the holidays.

Wishing all of you a very
Merry Christmas and Happy 2010!

Article of Interest: What Facebook Can't Give You

Before Facebook, MySpace, Linked In and Twitter, there was and still is the Women Presidents' Organization and according to the article referenced below, there was also the Wednesday 10 (a group of men ... for a reason!) which mentions:

"In 1957, it didn't occur to us to include women," says Mr. Menschel. "If we formed it today, it wouldn't occur to us not to include women." When asked about the homogeneity, other members point to the many banquets that included wives and their invitations to Ms. Walters, Gloria Steinem and the late "Feminine Mystique" author Betty Friedan, each of whom addressed a Wednesday 10 meeting as a guest. Ms. Walters says she recalls nothing from the meeting she attended. Nor does Ms. Steinem. "It may not please them to know that I don't remember," she says. "But I would urge them to change the name to the Wednesday Men's 10."

This article is priceless because, if you kick it up a notch, it reminds me so much of WPO and all our promising members who meet monthly to strategize about opportunities they face while growing their operations and to develop solutions to their most fundamental business challenges.

The article goes on to state:

To begin the meetings, each man gave an update on his life. Impending marriages and expected babies were nodded to, but the thrust of the discussion centered on career development. "It was a professional support system," says Mr. Meyer, 82. By the end of each meeting, he had a snapshot of what was going on in the realms of law, media, art, finance, real estate, public service and cancer research. "It was like reading a newspaper cover to cover," he says.

Read the entire article here:

(The Wall Street Journal, November 26, 2009)

What Facebook Can't Give You
Over 52 years, These Men Have Evolved Into Mover and Shakers -- Together

Another hat tip to Elisabeth Ritz, Ritz Communications, for the nudge to make sure we caught it. Many thanks.

Article of Interest: Wise Up

Around this time of year, we tend to reflect on all the things we did well (or in some instances -- not so well) to keep our business thriving during turbulent times. And one issue I constantly challenge myself on and wonder if you do too, is this: How effective have you been as a top executive?

The late Peter Drucker can help us address this question. As I was I straightening out my office this week, I stumbled upon a June 2004 edition of the Harvard Business Review and came across his classic article entitled, "What Makes An Effective Executive." I re-read it on the spot. It's a magnificent piece and one that is a must-read for anyone interested in becoming a more impactful leader, especially when we are readying up to face a brand new year.

The article begins like this:

"Great managers may be charismatic or dull, generous or tightfisted, visionary or numbers oriented. But every effective executive follows eight simple practices."

And the eight simple practices are as follows:

1. They asked, "What needs to be done?"
2. They asked, "What is right for the enterprise?"
3. They developed action plans.
4. The took responsibility for decisions.
5. They took responsibility for communicating.
6. They were focused on opportunities rather than problems.
7. They ran productive meetings.
8. They thought and said, "we" rather than "I."

Drucker throws in a bonus practice at the end of the article: "Listen first, speak last."

You can order an e-copy here.

In preparation for 2010, think about these eight best practices and how you might apply them as you grow your business. It only requires a healthy dose of discipline.

Article of Interest: Thought About Moving Your Business to An Urban Area?

If ever there were a consideration, now is the time to think about moving your business to an urban area. Why?

Goldman Sachs recently announced that it would provide $500 million in support for 10,000 small businesses, particularly those located in urban neighborhoods. A Who's Who of business leaders including the billionaire investor Warren Buffett and Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter have signed on the help.

But the person who will be responsible for running the initiative day-to-day is Dina Powell (pictured), a former State Department official in the Bush administration who worked with Karen Hughes on education and cultural issues. Powell joined Goldman Sachs in 2007, as the global head of corporate engagement. Her first task was to set up a program called 10,000 Women--an initiative to foster entrepreneurship among women around the world. The small business outreach effort will be modeled on that program.

Find out how the money will be spent by reading an interview conducted by Inc.com editor Mike Hofman with Dina Powell, the executive in charge of the program here.

Hint of how you get on the list:

Our criteria are that a business must have between $150,000 and $4 million in revenue, four or more full-time employees, and that it has been in operation for two years at a minimum.

News of Interest: Women Business Owners Have Huge Economic Impact, Study Finds

In case you did not know:

U.S. businesses owned by women have an economic impact of $3 trillion annually. That translates into the creation or maintenance of 16% of all jobs in the country, according to the Center for Women's Business Research. If U.S.-based women-owned businesses were their own country, it would have the fifth-largest GDP in the world.

A new study reveals the above and the economic impact of majority-women owned firms for the first time.

Download report here: Econimpactreport-final.pdf

A hat tip to Elisabeth Ritz, Ritz Communications, for letting us know about the study.

Resource of Interest: Choose Chicago

One of the points of interest we forget to blog about is our great city Chicago which many of you know is an incredibly delightful place to visit and conduct business.

Since we have so many WPO members in Chicago, we naturally assume you will be doing business with a few of them at some point or another. If you need specific introductions, drop me an email (refer to right sidebar of blog). Happy to oblige.

When you are ready to button down your schedule, explore Choose Chicago to make no small plans. We welcome your visit and look forward to connecting with you soon.

Pictured: Millennium Park sculpture.