What Is Your Gender IQ?

Through PwC’s partnership with the UN Women's HeForShe initiative, they are working towards achieving global gender equality in the workplace and beyond.

Imagine a world where girls and boys have equal access to education. Where women and men earn the same for similar jobs. Where women have equal opportunities to reach leadership positions – and men have the same opportunities to achieve a fulfilling work-life balance. This is what global gender equality looks like.

What is your gender IQ?  You can take an online course to find out.  Begin the course here.

How Small Businesses Are Teaching Big Companies a Thing or Two About Growth

As the PwC network says, "The most successful companies find unconventional ways to bridge that [strategy to execution] gap, and while there is much to learn from the large companies that do this best, there is also a wealth of knowledge to be uncovered by taking notice of the strategies and practices of smaller companies."

In Three Growth Lessons Large Companies Should Learn From Smaller Organizations, three WPO Chicago members are featured.  This is an article you won't want to miss.

WPO Chicago Member Joanna Sobran Named a Top Business Woman in Illinois 2017

Oh we love to brag about our members because they are all inspiring, ambitious and successful women business owners.  But the purpose of this blog post today is to honor one in particular who just recently earned the award of one of the Top 15 Business Women in Illinois.  And she's Joanna Sobran, President and CEO of MXOtech, Inc.

Learn more here.

Congratulations to Joanna.  Keep up the amazing work.  We are so proud of you!

New Research Supports Women in STEM

Recently, Congress passed two bills designed to promote women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions, and presented them to the White House.  And on February 28, President Trump signed these two bills—The INSPIRE Women Act, and The Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act—into law.

The National Women’s Business Council’s latest research supports the need for solutions such as these that seek to address the disparity between men and women’s STEM workforce participation and commercialization efforts.

Read more here.

The Only Real Failure in Business Is Giving Up

Founder of SB Projects, Scooter Braun, manages superstars like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Kanye West and Usher, and has broken more new music acts than any executive in the last decade.  He was also ranked one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Below he talks about 9 golden lessons for success in business and in life.  One is never giving up.  But you already knew that, right?

Go here to read the article.

After the Success of Women's March, What Happens Now?

More than a million people who turned out on January 21st for women’s marches in all 50 states have put down their signs, taken off their pink hats and ended their calls to action after what was an extraordinary display of solidarity for women's rights.

A critical question remains: What happens now?  How do you channel all that passion and energy into action that produces political change?

Read more here.

For the Week of Action Toolkit, visit here.

Color Outside the Lines

How can you find or reignite that passion to start and grow a business?  It's not easy for if it were, everyone would be doing it. Success Magazine asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council what advice they would give themselves.  Here's what they shared -- there are , in toto, 9 lessons.

No. 1:  Color outside the lines.
No. 2:  Don't doubt yourself.

Read more here.

A President's Secret Weapon: Other Presidents

According to Leo Bottary, a thought leader, speaker and educator on the topic of peer advantage, we learn best in groups.

This is why it's so essential for CEOs [Presidents] to surround themselves with other CEOs [Presidents] who are committed to listening more than talking, learning more than judging, and discovering what being a great CEO [President] is truly all about. Joining a pear advisory ...

The Women Presidents' Organization serves such a purpose -- allowing you every month to be with people like you, yet different from you, with whom you can share common aspirations and challenges that allow you to take your business to new heights.

Read more here.

What Differentiates Successful Women Business Owners From Mediocre Ones?

Our friend and esteemed colleague, Dr. Sharon Hadary, a recognized thought leader on women's leadership and entrepreneurship, writes a wonderful article for the Beatrice Daily Sun on "Top Ten Characteristics of Successful Women Business Owners."

Discover whether you have any of these great qualities and if you don't, you have your work cut out for you!

Women March Worldwide in Solidarity

Hundreds of thousands attended Women's Marches around the world in solidarity on Saturday, January 21, 2017.  Worldwide, including in London, Paris, Berlin and Tokyo, an estimated 3 million people participated in the march, according to organizers.

USA had big city representation from New York, Chicago (grew from 75,000 to 250,000), Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, San Jose, Los Angeles and Seattle, to name just a few, to march together for equal rights, women's rights, and human rights in general.

Read more here.  Our country and the economy must prioritize women entrepreneurs for future prosperity.

A Look at Some Powerful Female Entrepreneurs

These sixteen redefined power by building their own businesses against all odds.  From fashion designers to tech giants, the following are power women who are the best of the best in female entrepreneurs.

Read more here.

What Inspires You to be a Great Leader?

As we move along in a new year, many business owners always want the $5 answer to the million dollar question:  How do you get inspiration to think differently and stir positive change within your organization?

It starts with lifelong learning.  And you've got to carve out the time.  Here are a few good books to read in 2017.

Happy 2017 from the Women Presidents' Organization Chicago

We wish you a new year filled with tremendous joy, excellent health, and great prosperity.

Join us in prioritizing the success of women entrepreneurs not just in 2017, but everyday throughout our lives.

Photo credit:  Los Angeles Magazine

Wishing You a Merry Christmas and Joyful 2017!

©2016 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

How to Translate Your Vision Into Concrete Actions

How do you translate your vision into concrete actions your people can identify with and get excited about? Here are seven proven techniques for building a solid team.

One of the most insightful tips I [Nido Qubein] learned about leading others is that people do things for their reasons, not for your reasons or for mine. So the goals, the plan of action and the strong conviction have to be communicated in a way that directly answers the question, “What’s in it for me?”

7 Ways Leaders Can Inspire Commitment to Goals

Unlocking Entrepreneurial Potential in Women

Women entrepreneurs face significant obstacles to growing and scaling their businesses, especially with accessing capital, education and resources.  They don't always have the same opportunities as men.  This is why Tory Burch started the Tory Burch Foundation, which empowers women entrepreneurs and provides programming designed to level the playing field.

Read more:  TB's Top Business Advice for Women

Screenshot courtesy:  Tory Burch Foundation

Effecting Change and Inspiring Others

Our U.S. election has been simultaneously inspiring and deeply challenging for women.

Chicago Inno reached out to several women founders, tech executives, and organization leaders to hear their reactions after the election. While many expressed frustration and fear, women also expressed resolve to push forward, and the importance of entrepreneurship and tech as a means to equality.

Here's what they had to say.

Entrepreneurs: The New Face of the Uninsured

Read the story of a 58-year-old entrepreneur who, over the past 20 years, had two bouts of breast cancer, is now cancer-free, but due to the change in the health exchange marketplace, is in a position of being wary as to who will insure her next.

Learn more:  Are entrepreneurs the new face of the uninsured?

It Ain't Easy Growing a Business Past the $1 Million Mark

According to Small Business Trends, entrepreneurship among women is on the rise. Women own 36 percent of all businesses. Yet, women get 33 percent less capital for their ventures.  Those numbers are according to the American Express report.

Women who start and run businesses, especially past the $1 million mark, do not let roadblocks get in the way.

Learn more:  The Truth About Women-Owned Business

How to Overcome Your Biggest Challenges

There are three (possibly four) primary lessons for small-business growth.  It starts with how to stay in business and revitalize the communities around you.  In addition:

1. Know your numbers
2. Engage in smart marketing.
3. Ask for help.

Read more:  Robert Herjavec's 3 Lessons for Small-Business Growth