RSS FEEDS!

ABOUT RE:INVENTION™, INC.

Our team in action!

CONTACT US

RE:INVENTION BLOG BUZZ

Client Endorsements
- See What Clients are Saying...

National Media Mentions
- Read What Media is Saying...

"...Some of the smartest people I have met, I've never met..."
- Inc. Magazine (Aug '05)

"...a plethora of resources about women business owners...plus current news."
- Entrepreneur Magazine (Aug '04)

"...marketing and business tips and tidbits for women entrepreneurs."
- The Washington Post (Mar '05)

"...re:invention has been reinvented..."
- About.com (Jan '06)

"...Don't miss re:invention's shoe of the week feature!"
- Seth Godin's Bull Market 2004

"...one of the best marketing blogs out there for everyone."
- Web Digest for Marketers

"...wins honorable mention, Best Small Business Blog."
- Marketing Sherpa

FEATURED BLOG SPONSORS

RE:INVENTION'S SHOE OF THE WEEK™ ...TATTERED OLD SHOES (SIGNALLING THE LOOMING GLOBAL DEPRESSION).

SMART WOMAN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"We encourage all our fellow men and woman to buy at least two stocks to help with the global economic crisis. We want everyone to step up and help in any way that they can. This is a huge crisis we face, but together we can make a difference. Do not just sit by and watch."
-- Jackie Christie, Fashion Guru/Founder of film production company, Infinite Love Productions.

RE:INVENTION'S "VENTURE FUNDING FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS" REPORT

FACTS ABT WOMEN BIZ OWNERS

Women Fortune 500 CEOs List

More Statistics

SEARCH FOR TOPICS

APPRECIATIONS

Many appreciations to Scott Kiekbusch (A Fresh Design), Tony J. (CrashShop), Dan T. (Core12), Peter D., and Ann K. for their work sprucing up this BLOG. 4 good men & 1 great woman.

We began this blog with appreciations, a Whole Foods Market tradition. We thank our mentors, our business partners, our clients, and our readers. Thank you for giving re:invention wings.

CLOUDS

re:invention writes about...

Friday, September 28, 2007

RE: Jeez Kapeez, What Would Jane Do?

Poor Jane Austen. She was a fetching chick (see photo right) and one of the most influential novelists in English literature, but she never married and died at the age of 41. Eek! Note to self: eat healthy, work out more.

Jane was never snarky (like the gals at RE:INVENTION). She had impeccable manners and social skills and heeded proper etiquette. We concede there *may* be something here for us to learn. So this weekend you'll find us with our feet up on our coffee table as we finish reading: The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking (or What Would Jane Austen Do?).

Written by two brilliant women, Diane Danielson (CEO of Downtown Women's Club) and Lindsey Pollak (Author of "Getting from College to Career"), the book is a modern how-to guide to networking through email, blogs, bulletin boards, and online social networks. We're charmed by Chapter 3, "Give Better Google."

The book is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

P.S. Don't expect us to turn over a new leaf and start behaving like proper ladies anytime soon.

P.P.S. Congrats to Diane and Lindsey for an insightful, noteworthy book!

posted by reinvention-marketing | 11:39 AM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

RE: Happiness = Soap Operas, Sofas, and Bon Bons.

According to not one but TWO new studies (Brookings Institute and U of Penn), the happiness gap between men and women has widened since the 1970s. Men are in fact more happy and women are less happy than they were three decades ago.

Brief moment of silence for our male readers who are thinking to themselves, "hell, are women EVER happy?"

Best explanation of women's mounting unhappiness so far, compliments of Keach "The Skinny" Hagey (CBS News) -- "Now(adays) you have to be a Harvard-bound, track star, volunteering-at-the-homeless-shelter-on-weekends hottie. That's enough to bum anyone out."

For more academic opinions from intellectual pedagogues, peruse today's NYT article. Of note, most of the article (so-called) expert sources attribute the growing happiness gap to the fact that women have extended their to-do lists. In addition to household chores they are spending considerably more time on paid work.

Interestingly enough, according to another recent study authored by U of Chicago professor and fellow Economic Club of Chicago member, Erik Hurst, women spend 10 hours less per week on domestic duties than they did 40 years ago due to modern technology...

...and those (increasingly happy) men work less and watch more TV.

posted by reinvention-marketing | 5:34 PM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

RE: Forbes Life Executive Women Mag Launches.

Forbes Life Executive Women, a magazine targeting executive women, debuts October 1, just weeks after the annual Forbes Executive Women's Forum took place in D.C. Publisher Moira Forbes (daughter of Forbes President, Steve Forbes), will helm the new quarterly pub which will profile women execs and serve as a "concierge with articles on fashion, travel, beauty, and fitness." Estimated reader household income: $147,000.

FLEW follows on the heels of Pink, Working Mother, and CondeNast Portfolio. WSJ plans to launch a similar weekend glossy magazine in September 2008.

Makes sense. Twenty million women hold professional or managerial positions in the U.S. For an optimistic rundown of stats, in spite of continued disparity in gender diversity....

75% of all U.S. firms employ women at "senior levels."
Over half of all corporate purchasing managers and agents are women who have direct purchasing influence over everything from financial and health services to office supplies.
86% of Fortune 500 companies have at least 1 female board director.
10% of all Fortune 1000 companies have a woman executive at the C-level (CFO, CMO, CEO...).
While full-time year-round working women earn only 76 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts, the wage gap is rapidly narrowing. Through 2000, while men’s income barely budged (+0.9% after adjusting for inflation), women’s income soared by +63%.

Many thanks to rising star reporter Lauren Sherman, who recently included me in her "Luxe for Less" Forbes Life column.

posted by reinvention-marketing | 12:52 PM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

Monday, September 24, 2007

RE: Stevie Awards for Women Deadline is Oct. 1

Pardon our absence. We went 7 days without Internet access for a national magazine story. Shame on the people who taunted me with multiple Facebook pokes, text messages, and IMs.

In the world of working women today, the Stevie Award for Women in Business entry deadline is October 1. Women entrepreneurs and executives can compete in 40 categories including Best Entrepreneur, Best Executive, Mentor of the Year, Fastest Growing Company of the Year, Best Young Entrepreneur, and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Get yer game face on. Sometimes the simple secret to success is just showing up!

posted by reinvention-marketing | 10:24 AM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

Thursday, September 13, 2007

RE: Honoring Entrepreneur Anita Roddick.

Anita Roddick -- awe-inspiring entrepreneur, philanthropist, crusader, blogger, and mentor to millions of women -- passed away on Monday at age 64 after a brain hemorrhage.

She never repressed her originality.
Our thoughts are with her family.

posted by reinvention-marketing | 12:16 PM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

RE: Women Entrepreneurs and Electronic Security.

According to a new study released by IBM and the Center for Women’s Business Research, female entrepreneurs are much more worried than their male counterparts about the security of online transactions, the impact of disasters on technology, general system failure, computer viruses and accuracy of online information. Only 23 percent, however, have a plan in place to deal with these concerns.

Female business owners spend an estimated $38 billion annually on information technology products and services.

Business opportunity here? You betcha!

posted by reinvention-marketing | 11:38 PM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

RE: Stressed Out Women Don't Sleep.

According to Wil Schroter, apparently male start up entrepreneurs don't sleep. "P'Shaw," Wil says, "I'll sleep when I'm dead." Wil declares this proudly like it's a choice -- a badge of honor. Oh the pain and personal sacrifice for poor Wil! ;)

Stressed out women can't sleep, Wil. We're worried - not "only about our businesses" but our families, our finances, and our futures. We're up taking care of our kids. 72 percent of working mothers and 68 percent of single, working women suffer from insomnia (Source: National Sleep Foundation, March-2007). That same NSF study revealed that women working full-time were the nation's worst sleepers.

Business opportunities here? You betcha!

posted by reinvention-marketing | 12:35 PM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

Monday, September 10, 2007

RE: Don't Let Hot Leads Go Cold.

Fascinating new data on sales leads follow up from Marketing Sherpa. In a sneak peak leak revealing research that will be presented at Marketing Sherpa's B-to-B Demand Generation Summit next month, this article outlining strategic advantages...

Headlines?

Follow up on abandoned shopping cart leads within 24 hours.
Schedule sales follow-up calls for 3 - 6 P.M.
The very best conversion rates happen between 3:30 and 4:25 in the afternoon.
Friday afternoons are an untapped goldmine for the best contact rates.

Who knew?

According to B-to-B Lead Generation Blog, "velocity of follow-up is critical to winning the sale." Leads go stale just like bread.

Read more from Marketing Sherpa.

posted by reinvention-marketing | 11:16 AM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

Friday, September 07, 2007

RE: Why Working Women Are Insecure.

I'm occasionally insecure - dare I say it?
Shocking!
Bet there are days when you are insecure too.
Even intellectual pedagogues -- like Seth Godin -- are insecure. He called me once after a RE:INVENTION blog post, hyper-sensitive, asking me to "stop picking on him." He was worried perhaps that women in the blogosphere may listen to me.

Why are working women secretly insecure?
Well...

It might be because when we try to be "all business" ... we are deemed bitches.
Yet when we are "too lenient" or soft...we are perceived as insignificant or weak.
When we are "too sexy"...we have Tech CEO men texting us late night after meetings telling us they have "business crushes" on us.
When we work too much, our significant others fault us for not spending enough time doting on them.
When we try to make a remarkably insightful point during a business meeting, we are often shadowed by the loudest male voice in the room.

It's a tough balancing act. Being empathetic and authoritative. Being authentic and being reserved. Being sexy and smart. Being practical and innovative. Being.... a good woman, a good boss, a good leader, a good role model, a good mother, a good significant other, a good daughter, a good girl.

Women face a different kind of pressure than do men.

Men just wake up in the morning and do what they do. They feel pleasure and a sense of accomplishment...strive for success...aim to surmount failure...and perhaps (yes, perhaps!) they even occasionally feel guilt and remorse in the dark hours of the night (although they rarely scourge or blame themselves for their shortcomings as working women do)...

I'm a strong woman who is sometimes fragile. I am proud of who I am and what I have accomplished yet sometimes frustrated that I haven't achieved more. I'm both simple and complicated. I am passionate yet cautious. I'm confident - yet sometimes insecure. I embrace and appreciate the power of that dichotomy -- as should all working women.

A passage from the Tao expresses this best.

By yielding, overcome.
By bending, remain straight.
By emptying, be filled.
By breaking, become whole.
By losing, gain...
and become one with the world.

Only the most progressive men understand this point of pain for working women.

Peace.

kindly,
kirsten

posted by reinvention-marketing | 12:36 PM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

Thursday, September 06, 2007

RE: Forbes "Junior League" List.

Included in yet another "I don't have any $$$ but can you do work for me for free?" request from a Chicago woman entrepreneur....a link to Forbes new "Junior (Power) League" list.

Aww. What a cute throwback reference name. How was the list was created?

"They're not on the Forbes Most Powerful Women list yet, but keep an eye on these up-and-coming dynamos. Given the sorts of things on their to-do lists--like expanding wireless service across the frozen tundra of Alaska, feeding raw materials to the Chinese building boom and stopping terrorist attacks in Great Britain--we think you'll be hearing a lot about them in the future."

On the list:Marissa Mayer, Google
Liane Pelletier, Alaska Communications Systems
Amy Nauiokas, Barclays Wealth Management
Jacqi Smith, Home Secretary of Great Britain
Yang Huiyan, Billionaire and Director of Country Garden Holdings
Chen Ningning, Chairwoman of Pioneer Metals Co.
Genevieve Theirs, CEO of IL-based SitterCity (who wisely chose to launch a product lifestyle website business instead of a services business).
Betting none of those women on the list worked for free. And you shouldn't either. Rule Number One: you cannot build a business working for free, even though that is M.O. in Chicago.

For MORE ON FORBES JUNIOR LEAGUE LIST.

posted by reinvention-marketing | 9:52 AM | | |
CLICK TO LINK TO THIS POST

SOCIAL BOOKMARK THIS POST
Blogmarks del.icio.us Diigo feedmelinks Furl Google Give a Link Newsvine reddit Sphinn StumbleUpon

HOW TO MARKET 2 WOMEN

10 TIPS FOR 10 MILLION WOMEN™

BLOG SPONSORSHIP & ADS

WOMEN BIZ ORGANIZATIONS

SMALL BIZ TOOLS

WOMEN-WISE CORPORATIONS

WOMEN'S BIZ INCUBATORS

WOMEN'S BIZ DIRECTORIES

FRANCHISE OPPS

MARKETING RESOURCES

MEDIA RESOURCES

WEBSITE/SEO RESOURCES

BRANDING RESOURCES

TRADESHOW RESOURCES

NOTABLE & QUOTABLE TOOLS

REPUTATION MONITORING TOOLS

VC/ANGEL RESOURCES

LOAN/GRANT RESOURCES

BIZ PLAN TOOLS

BIZ CERTIFICATION

WINNING CORP/GOVT CONTRACTS

COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK RESOURCES

TRENDSPOTTING TOOLS

BIZ GROWTH TOOLS

MARKET RESEARCH TOOLS

SURVEY TOOLS

CREATIVITY TOOLS

EVENTS/MEETINGS TOOLS

CHICAGO ENTREPRENEUR RESOURCES