Entrepreneur Magazine Names Top 50 Women-Owned Businesses

The November 2007 issue of Entrepreneur magazine published a list of the top 50 fastest growing female-led companies in North America.

The study, co-sponsored by the Women Presidents Organization and Entrepreneur magazine, solicited applications from women-led businesses in North America that met the following criteria:

  • Must be a privately held, woman-led company in the U.S. or Canada.
  • 2002 sales must have been $50,000 or greater.
  • 2006 sales must have been $1 million or greater.

Companies were ranked according to a sales growth formula and the top 50 were selected.

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The Role of an Executive Coach

Twenty years ago, if a person mentioned having a coach most people would have assumed that they were an elite athlete or that they drove a tour bus in their spare time. Today, having an executive coach has become an increasingly common feature of corporate life – but why?

In the past, organizations were relatively simple structures. There was usually one leader to whom a number of sub-leaders reported, each being responsible for a department related to their own specialization. There was usually a clearly defined hierarchy, explicit reporting lines and specific job descriptions. Of course this led to its own set of problems, in that departments did not always collaborate to the extent necessary, but it was at least fairly simple to manage. With globalization has come a complexity which was not present in the old traditional structure. Companies today have numerous different structures and matrices which overlay each other in a complex web of local market and centralized resources.

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Spotlight on People: Pat David, Citi Markets & Banking

This piece is the first in the Spotlight on People series, in which the editors of The Glass Hammer ask high-ranking women in business to share their secrets to success.

We first interviewed Pat David, MD and Head of Diversity for Citi Markets & Banking, about her experiences in banking and her advice on mentoring, balancing your work and your life, and getting ahead. Pat had the following wise words about mentoring to offer young women beginning a career in finance:

  • Take ownership of your career
  • Be a mentor to others – formal or informal
  • Build strong relationships with senior management and other people of influence – create your own ‘board of directors’.

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Why is Sexual Harassment Back in the News?

This past month in the news, sexual harassment in the workplace has been mentioned almost as many times as Lindsay Lohan’s efforts at rehab. First, it was the suit brought by Anucha Browne Sanders, an executive with the New York Knicks organization, who accused Knicks coach Isiah Thomas of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. A federal judge in Manhattan ruled that the company and its chairman had to pay Ms. Sanders $11.9 million in punitive damages, with a possible $9.6 million in compensatory damages to be decided upon shortly.

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One Woman’s Perspective on WOWS

As a young professional woman attending the 13th annual Women on Wall Street conference, I was impressed by what the panelists had to say. Their advice was pertinent, somewhat sassy and all together entertaining. They talked about changes in the work force, changes in their professional careers and changes that helped them achieve personal success.

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National Women’s Conference 2007

Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the National Women’s Conference (Houston’77) and join women and girls from around the U.S. at the Freedom On Our Terms Conference. There will be panels, workshops, issue caucuses and a concert. Rosie O’Donnell will be the special guest. Featured Speakers include Liz Abzug, Gloria Steinem, Carol Jenkins, and more.

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Women on Wall Street Conference WOWS the Crowd

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Last night at the Hyatt Hotel in New York, Deutsche Bank held its annual Women on Wall Street (WOWS) Conference. The theme for this year’s conference was “It’s Your Move: Driving Change in Your Career and Life.” Over 2000 women in finance packed the main ballroom to hear motivating speeches and frank advice from a panel of distinguished guests.

Brenda Barnes, Chairman and CEO of Sara Lee Corp. gave the keynote address, in which she emphasized the importance of creating a culture of diversity and inclusion where every employee is valued. She outlined five categories for how to achieve this. First, get people who do the work to know the answers, and create a culture that is conducive to encouraging people who know the answers to speak up. Second, change the representation of women in the company. Instead of just relying on “the pipeline” of female graduates from top MBA programs, companies need to do more to make sure women are represented at the highest levels. Third, create diversity and affinity groups in the workplace and put support networks in place so that those groups can thrive and flourish. Fourth, put your money where your mouth is by paying people more for engaging in behaviors that further diversity efforts. Fifth and finally, work on ways for companies to become more flexible, not just towards women, but towards all of their employees.

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Corporate Fallibility

I was recently having a cupboard clear out and found a stack of corporate paraphernalia. Hidden in my ‘Museum of Corporate Artifacts’ were pens, pads, desk clocks, stress balls and – most strangely – juggling balls.

When I was first earning my pinstripes, almost every management course seemed to start with a juggling lesson. The purpose was firstly to put everyone on level terms (although invariably there was always someone with a Masters Degree in Jugglement Studies) and secondly, to illustrate that keeping everything going is hard and at times you would drop a ball. On reflection, that’s nonsense – I think they taught circus skills to prepare you for those days when you feel like a performing seal.

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Deutsche Bank’s Women on Wall Street

Deutsche Bank’s Women on Wall Street® (WOWSTM ) network will host its annual conference on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, so save the date! This year’s theme: “It’s your move: Driving Change in your Career and Life”.

The Conference will be begin with a keynote address from Brenda Barnes, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sara Lee Corp. A panel moderated by Natalie Morales of the Today Show will feature Deutsche Bank’s Laurie Hodrick, Managing Director and global head of Alternative Investment Strategies; Sandra Horbach, Managing Director, Consumer and Retail, The Carlyle Group; Cathleen Benko, Vice Chairman and Managing Principal; Talent, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP; Denise Menelly, Managing Director, Global Head of GTS Client Delivery/CMB, Citi; and Tracey Travis, Senior Vice President Finance, and Chief Financial Officer, Polo Ralph Lauren

The conference will be immediately followed by a networking reception from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

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Connie’s Diary – Weeks of Freedom 2 and 3

Week 2 of Freedom:

Projects … projects … projects. After leaving my job at Merill Lynch as Director and Chief Operating Officer for Campus Recruiting, I finally have the time and energy to devote myself to numerous projects that were on the backburner while I was working. First up, decluttering my house.

Today it’s the walk-in closet. I didn’t think that 100 empty hangers could actually fit on my husband’s side of the closet. I wonder if the dry cleaners could use them … got to save the Earth from wire hangers! I found some interesting things on the shelves in there that I had not seen in ages, like my husband’s Movado watch that has been in hiding for two years. I also found some other strange things taking up a lot of room in there, like bags of unmatched socks. Well, they are history!

Next is the paper work piled up in the kitchen – these papers multiply like rabbits! I’m becoming a cleaning tornado and my paper shredder is working overtime. Thank God I’m not working anymore! Why did I wait so long to do this? I’m feeling giddy with all of this spare time and the sense of possibility.

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