Are networking events actually empowering to women, creating lasting and beneficial business connections or merely preying on the desperate?

There used to be only a few events targeted to women networking. They were primarily focused on women in business – almost like secret women’s business for business women. Fair enough – many women were moving into executive roles in workforces dominated by men.

Senior positions were hard to crack and women had a need to meet, connect, to create beneficial contacts for their own personal and career betterment.

Are these events actually serving the networking needs of women?

The larger, older and more established groups offer a high calibre experienced speaker that you may not otherwise have access to. But then again this is an important lesson for women to stop taking the back seat. If you don’t ask you can’t get. You would be amazed the people you can speak with and seek counsel from if you just ask.

So in some ways these inspirational and motivational events can be a disservice because they fail to teach us to recognize and rely on our own inner resourcefulness.

Beware of Women Only

There are women’s networking events that do not allow men to attend – which is ok it’s about women’s networking opportunities.

My real issue is with women who will not allow even the most competent, established, credentialed and inspiring man to speak. Why? What are they afraid of? Are men totally incapable of being connected, interested or encouraging and beneficial to women?

I don’t think so. If anything it creates yet another sense of limitation. Is a group that will pass over the most inspirational speaker serving your interests or offering you a well rounded experience? These are questions you should be asking yourself.

Thinly Veiled Spiritualism

There are now more than ever events targeted at the more spiritual, personal connection side.

This may seem like an enlightened step, however I ask you to question the credentials of the leader? Is this group about you or the shameless self promotion and following of the leader? What concrete benefits are you gaining?

I am sorry to question this but the most successful spiritual and empowerment based network events for women that I have encountered seem more to foster dependence which seems almost cultish.

Networking – It’s All About You!

Networking is a fundamental tool of life. It can help you create lifelong friendships and career connections. Or it can leave you prey to the unscrupulous who take women susceptible to “obligation” and “reciprocity” bleed them dry, and spit them out.

Harsh but let’s talk about avoiding that!

You Can Have Successful Effective Networking

Choose your events wisely. If there is a high membership fee and an ongoing fee for events question the value and return on investment you receive.

If you are in business and doing it for business evaluate your investment as you would any other business decision.

Learn to network! Develop an elevator pitch. Try it, practice it, get help if you need it. Imagine we got into a lift together on the 6th floor and I asked you “what do you do?”. You have till we hit the ground to get it out and leave me interested enough to ask you a question such as “how much”, “where”, “can I have your card” etc.

Many women are unprepared for the elevator pitch. Get it right, be humorous, interesting and deliver it confidently in a voice that can be heard and you will win attention.

Know your point of difference. Create a point of attention (you know in a room of dark suits wear something bright & beautiful). Be the person people want to be around.

Be interested – note not interesting but interested. You can stand out from the crowd. So before you go, know what outcome you want to achieve. What you need to do to achieve it.

Go forth and conquer, leaving a band of raving fans in your wake.

Summing Up Women’s Networking Events

They aren’t all bad. They can be great, positive experiences. BUT that is up to you. Don’t fall victim to the needy and desperate. You are in business you have a value and a worth. You do not work for people out of obligation but because you are good at what you do.

Don’t add people to your list without asking them, or having them sign up. Alternatively if someone asks for your card and you don’t know why – say “you aren’t going to put me on a mailing list are you?” Uninvitied and unsubscribed email newsletters are spam.

Find an event that works for you. Find an event with people of the calibre of you, who you can help and who can help you. You can be picky and choosy because while you’re there it is time away from your business and life – the networking event needs to serve you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Belinda_Faulkner

Join us in August @ BlogHer’s 6th Annual Conference!

Building on the momentum of five consecutive sold-out annual conferences, BlogHer ‘10 will bring bloggers from every corner of the blogosphere together for hands-on learning, rich discussions, opportunities to meet with the brands that support them and plentiful networking opportunities. BlogHer ’10 will take place on August 6 & 7, bringing over one thousand attendees together to celebrate 2010.”

One of the number one reasons we all attend BlogHer every year, whether coming for the first time or as an old-timer, is to meet our online community. So after five years we think it’s a great time to celebrate the fact that our blogging, whether personal, professional or political, has brought us work, friends, satisfaction and is most definitely a significant part of our real life!

BlogHer ‘10 will take place at The Hilton New York. We will kick off on Thursday, August 5 with our 4th annual BlogHer Business Conference, and will continue with the two-day 6th annualBlogHer Annual Conference on Friday and Saturday, August 6 & 7.
Check back often as we update our agenda, speakers, and sponsors pages.

This was the second year I was asked to help judge this competition, which looks at the candidates’ career achievements as well as their their ability to project an image that reflects the role of today’s young workforce in society. And once again, this was a tough and close contest, with each of the five women competitors taking the initiative to compete before judges as well as a final speech before members of Boulder’s BPW organization.

In one part of the competition, all of the candidates join in a group discussion, looking to come up with solutions to a topic presented by the judges. With a sex therapist, an ice cream shop owner and others involved in different businesses, from architecture to financial consulting, the candidates decided they wanted to launch an community education group, providing mentoring and education on topics such as equity in pay to other women. And one idea for the name of the group? “Sex, Ice Cream & Business.” Now that could certainly attract some participants.

I was always a supporter of BPW while I was editor of the Boulder County Business Report, and the business newspaper continues to be a sponsor of this competition, along with Flatirons Bank and w3w3.com. Joining me as judges were Sue Deans, former editor of theBoulder Camera, and Wendy Reynolds, senior vice president of Flatirons Bank in Boulder.

Skyler, a Ph.D. and board-certified sexologist, was enthusiastic and kept the audience listening closely as she spoke about her career as a sex therapist. She also writes several sex columns: “Sophisticated Sex” for the Boulder Weekly; “Sexy Shabbos with Dr. Jenni” for theBoulder Jewish News; and Sunday Sex Talk on www.Buffsecret.com. She spoke on how to build healthy sexuality and how this helps men and women in our society.

Shaw also impressed both the judges and BPW members with her own life stories of how she has been a businesswoman for the past six years after encountering sexual discrimination in her first career as a teacher. Her talk about how she lost her job because she was living an “alternative” lifestyle — dating another woman — was open, honest and from the heart.

Also competing were Julie Winslow, an investment adviser with Securian Financial Services; Katie Pekarek, a project manager for Kristin Lewis Architects; and Kathryn Matta, an event specialist with A Spice of Life Catering. All of the young businesswomen are active in numerous humanitarian and nonprofit organizations.

Funds raised from the event help support the Colorado BPW Education Foundation, YWCA and other advancement of women programs. The competition is also designed to attract new young member to BPW, and Skyler won a membership in the organization.

To learn more about the Boulder Business and Professional Women, visit their Web site atwww.boulderBPW.org. The group meets monthly with the mission of full participation, equity and economic self-sufficiency for working women.

VOTE HERE!!

If you could ask 5 other people to vote as well? Our volunteers are too young to vote (18 or older only!)… We would love your support.

We are finalist out of a thousands in the Pine-Sol Make a Powerful Difference Contest and #2 right now!

Please vote for GlamourGals (Organizing teens to visit elderly) each day through April 21!

Help GG win $10,000 and a feature in Ebony Magazine!

http://clorox.promo.eprize.com/pinesolessaycontest/

If you could tweet this:

GLAMOURGALS is in SECOND PLACE NOW! Thank you! KEEP VOTING EACH DAY!
“Organized teens to visit Elderly…” PLEASE –>RT! http://ow.ly/1wWIv

Guess what?!? I LOVE it! I go about five times a week. Not only do I enjoy the classes, but I’m getting a really well rounded, vigorous work out. I also have a favorite class, which is a combination of aerobics and yoga. The teacher reminds us to be in the moment and to repeat positive thoughts. The more we say them, the better the chance of us believing them and making them real. I initially thought it was more than a bit hokey, until I found myself one day in a business situation stating “What I really, really, really, really, really, really want is…” You know what? I got what I really wanted.

Who knew? Positive thinking… it really works. I encourage you to find a little bit of it in your day.

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my blog which has more fun info!

All my best,

Aruna

Ani Marketing Service, LLC.

New York, New York

Website: www.AniMarketingService.com

Email: aruna@AniMarketingService.com

Phone: 917-553-3790

A man is but the product of his mind. What he thinks, he becomes.

~ Mahatma Ghandi

Black Enterprise

Company: Nancy Alert & Associates L.L.C.
Principal: Nancy Alert working under RE/MAX Allegiance
Location: Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. (also licensed in Maryland)
Type of Business: Real Estate
2009 Revenues: $200,000-$250,000
In real estate, 2009 was just an ugly year. I decided I needed to get back to revenues of the year past, when I was making real money. I wanted to do what I could to make myself stand out and measure those efforts to see if they worked. So I implemented a number of new (to me) technologies to improve productivity and save time.

Read full article CLICK HERE

Click here to subscribe to Black Enterprise Magazine

Each Feb we feature a woman who stands out from the rest. Someone who sets the standard for the rest of the year, someone extraordinary.

This Feb we are honored to feature Mary Carlomagno – owner of Order.

Mary is the owner of Order which specializes in clutter control, urban apartment solutions, office spaces and shopping addictions.  Mary’s philosophy is simple, do not let clutter control your life.  Her easy going approach, sense of style and strong communication skills create an atmosphere where organizing is fun.

Mary has extensive television experience including appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the Today Show, Fox and Friends, Dayside, The God Squad, CBS News and Good Housekeeping TV.  She has been interviewed on National Public Radio, the Joan Hamburg Show, Martha Stewart Living and by Leeza Gibbons.

Her approach has been featured in Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Quick and Simple, For Me, Newsday and the Daily News.  Mary writes frequently on the subject of getting organized for magazines and newspapers including the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Pink Woman’s World, Body and Soul and Figure.  She is also an expert columnist on care.com and a regular contributor to Design NJ.

Her first book Give it Up! My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less is published by HarperCollins.  Her second book, Secrets of Simplicity is published by Chronicle Books.

She lectures to corporations like American Express and Ameriprise, to advanced learning organizations like Media Bistro and professional organizations like the Association of Administrative assistants and Business Networking International.

Femme of the Month – Standard Interview Questions

Femme Information

Full Name:        Mary Carlomagno

Title:     Author, speaker, owner of order

Company:         order (www.orderperiod.com)

Age:                 42

Home town:      North Plainfield, NJ

Place of current residence:          Hoboken, NJ

Favorite Food:                           Eggplant Parmigiana

Favorite TV show:                      30 Rock

Most Inspirational Quote:            Be the change you wish in the world- Gandhi

Interview

What was the most inspirational moment for you in 2009?

Appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Program was an unexpected highlight

What is your personal goal/mission in life?

No, I was nursing a three month old and a little fogged out!

How do you live out that mission in your business and personal life?

I balanced being a working mom really quickly

How did you get your start in business?

I was always organizing my closet and other’s people as well.  And as a 17 year publishing veteran, a journalism minor in college, writing would always be a part of my life too.

What peaked your interest about your current career?

I always wanted to own my own business, be my own boss and I was good at organizing…

Tell us about a turning point in your life or career that has gotten you to where you are today?

When my shoes fell on my head in my closet—this was my wakeup call.

What are your career goals for the future? How do you see your work/business progressing?

Television

What are some of the challenges as a female in your line of business?  And how do you overcome it?

I work with mostly women, so it is good to be in a women dominated field!

What is your favorite part about working in your line of business?

Making my own hours so I can spend time with my family

What is your least favorite part about working in your line of business?

If I don’t work and pitch and push, I don’t get paid- no surfing the net for me!

How do you balance your career with your personal life (and motherhood if applicable)?

I had to learn to ask for help and accept it when offered

What do you do for fun?

Travel, drink wine, cook, read, do yoga and spend time with my boys

Who is the person who most influenced your life and why?

My mother, the consummate homemaker is still inspiring and challenging me to be the best daily.

Who would you recommend to be a Femme of the Month?

Vivian Farmery, she is the owner of a non profit called just tell and I learned about her organization from a friend – I am inspired by selfless people doing work to better humanity.

She helps teens that are sexually abused and gives them a voice.

I also really admire a life coach friend Nancy Colasurdo, she writes for FOX business and helps people connect with their creativity, She is wonderful!