By Paige Churchman (New York City)

Today women account for nearly half of business travel, and most of them wouldn’t have it any other way. A 2003 NYU study found that 80% of women business travelers view business travel as a sign of professional achievement and, given the choice, 65% would continue to travel on business, despite cramped airline seats, security lines and long waits on the tarmac. The Glass Hammer checked in with women on the move to find out some of their secrets of survival on the road.

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by Paige Churchman (New York City)

When your coworker goes into quit-and-stay mode, it’s a drag but you can work around it. Your job gets a little harder when your boss does it. But when your company gets stuck in a holding pattern like that, even for a day or two, well, that’s when people start carrying their wedding pictures, potted orchids and Lucite deal tombstones out the door in cardboard boxes. We can’t stand the not knowing.

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By Ellie Barnes

I boarded a plane for Miami with all the confidence of a young (and naïve) salesperson ready and eager to pitch my company’s commodities expertise to Latin American clients at a conference in Miami. In my short eight months of experience, I thought I had met with enough clients and observed enough interaction to be able to handle what lay ahead. I had envisioned myself effortlessly wining and dining the clients, while simultaneously charming the senior management who had come to Miami from trading floors in Latin America and all over the globe.

Before leaving New York, I had gone over my products, practiced my pitch, and even I had picked my outfits weeks in advance. However, there was no way I could’ve prepared myself for the scene that was unfolded before my eyes as I descended into the hotel lobby. After one sweep of the crowd, I realized I was not only the youngest, the most junior, and one of the only non-Spanish speaking, I was also the only woman among at least forty Latin men. I took a deep breath and set off to wow them, but panic set in when the introductions began.

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By: Natalie Sabia

As I dial the phone number and await the first person to answer, a feeling of anxiety, yet excitement consumes me. I gather my thoughts and search desperately within myself for the golden ticket, the one that will determine if I survive this call or not: confidence. While waiting for that confidence to start brewing inside of me, I patiently listen for someone to answer. “Will I get the assistant again?” I ponder, “Will they give me a hard time?”

I obsess over these thoughts in my head, but at the same time wonder just what they will be thinking once they do pick up. Will the financial advisor give me an attitude and then laugh to himself and think, “Why is this girl calling me?”
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Contributed by Rebecca Ang

Oh my God, that girl from accounting is walking straight towards me. Oh, what is her name? Is she the one on my team or is it the other brunette with the bangs? Why do they both have bangs?

Am I supposed to say hello? Look past her? Look at the floor? Do I ask her how she’s doing? What if she asks first? What if we ask each other at the same time and the awkward jinx thing happens? Neither of us will know when to say we’re doing fine. Will we have to say it at the same time?.

Or even worse, what if we say ‘how are you’ like we’re singing a round, one right after another?

“Hihowareyou?” stumbles out of my mouth.

She is already two feet past me, the wind from her pistachio green wool cardigan stinging my fragile cheek.

That was my first week at my new job. Now that I’m in my sixth week, I feel like she and I really understand each other.

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