Poverty stalks Women New report says millions of women at risk of falling into poverty, economic ruin

New report says millions of women at risk of falling into poverty, economic ruin  and the War on women continues

Women make up close to two-thirds of minimum-wage workers in the country — and upwards of 70 percent of those low-wage workers receive no paid sick days whatsoever, according to the report. 

“These are people who are trying to survive on minimum wage, which is not a living wage,” Shriver said on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday. “The number one thing that would make the most difference to them is getting sick days,” she added.

All the while, some 40 percent of all American households with children below the age of 18 include mothers who are either the only or primary source of income — with the average earnings of full-time female workers still just 77 percent of the average earnings of their male colleagues, the report reads.

As a nation we say one thing...motherhood and children are our future....and yet our treatment and laws allow poverty to continue to stalk women.   Our  future is doomed if we continue to allow this downward spiral to continue. 

EmpressofBiz, Biz Tip What do you want? Job? Career? Business?

What do want?

 What is it that you want in life? A job? A career? A profession? Or a business? Only you know the answer. Each one requires a set of skills, attitude, preparation,  and dedication with its own set of rewards, risks, trade offs  and challenges.

To me...a job is something you do to bring in money.  It is something you tolerate so you can pay the bills and get on with your life.  Done that...hated it.

  A career is where you have found something that you are invested in and are goal oriented.  Usually it is doing it for someone else and being tied into their goals and expectations ...done that...and did not like it.  

A profession usually means you have spent a lot of time and dollars  being educated to do something hopefully will bring you money, respect and prestige i.e  Doctor, Lawyer, Dentist, Engineer or Indian Chief.  That was not a track I chose to follow.  

For me... I chose to be in business.  It is  the most challenging, rewarding and risky.  Yet I love it and would not do anything different.  When I was growing up "girls did not plan to go into business".  They got a secretary job with a big corporation which would provide safety and security.   

So when I went into business it was totally unacceptable.  It took my family 15 years to even acknowledge that I had a business.  There were of challenges to overcome...which I did.  And yes, there were times when  it was  quite daunting, harrowing and lonely....but thirtyfive years later I am still here..and still loving it.  

If you decide to jump into the entrepreneurial pool  there is  a number of thing you need to succeed besides a great idea.  You need a vision,  money, a business plan, a buying public, a willingness to work harder than you ever had, technical and people skills and plenty of courage, patience and dedication.  

And one other important thing...is Friends to support you and listen to you.  You cannot accomplish this without a support system.  Sometimes your family will be...sometimes they will not.  Make sure in your "business plan" you build your support team...it will be one of your most valuable assets.

And a special thank you to all of you  who have been my friends along the way.

EmpressofBiz, Biz Tips: Empressofbiz, Biz Tips. Awards bring Respect, Recognition & FREE Publicity.

AWARDS...BRING RESPECT, RECOGNITION
   FREE PUBLICITY!

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Writing Tips
JoAnn R. Forrester

            Awards are an excellent way to position a client, business associate or oneself for Respect, Recognition and FREE publicity.  The publicity received is often worth hundreds of thousands of dollar$.  The following tips will give you an overview of writing a nomination that will stand out and shout, “Pick me.”

1. Preparation:  Knowing the RIGHT steps to take, people to nominate and what awards to nominate your nominee for saves time, frustration and losing  submission.

2. READ, know and follow the guidelines exactly for the nomination.    If you have questions… ASK the organization sponsoring the award.

3.  Nominee’s Permission:  It is essential  to ask the intended honoree’s  permission to nominate him or her for an award.    Explain the award and let the nominee know up front  if financial data is required. Some nominees are uncomfortable with disclosing financial information and will elect not to continue.

4.    Supporting material: If there are supporting documents required, start gathering them immediately.   The supporting documents and letters can be referenced in the nomination write-up to illustrate strong points of the candidate.

       5.    Writing:  Give yourself plenty of time to write.  Figure at least 10 hours for each            nomination.  This covers research, interviewing, verifying material and writing. List each criteria and answer that only.   Use short and brief sentences with strong follow-up points.  Long sentences and narratives are boring. The committee soon gets tired of reading and will start to skim over material and you will lose points..

6.      Editing. Have the nominee  review and verify what  you have written.  If you are unsure of a fact, do not use it.   If it states no more than 5 pages, stick to that!

7.      Submission: Make sure All information requested is enclosed. Do not guess on postage if mailing.  Get proof of mailing or delivery verification of nomination.  Make sure you have the name of the person who received it.

8.    Congratulate Yourself.  You did it! Pat yourself on the back! You deserve it and when your nominee wins…it will be a great time for all.

 The author of this article, JoAnn Forrester, of S. I. Business Associates, is an award winning business consultant, teacher, lecturer and writer.  JoAnn has written over 300 award winning profiles for her clients, including the U.S. Small Business Administration National Small Business Journalist of the Year, U.S Small Business Administration National Small Business Person of the Year Award, YWCA Racial Justice Award, YWCA Tribute to Women, SBA Minority Business Advocate, Athena Awards, Stevie Awards and the PA Best 50 Award. If you do not want to write your nomination she does.  JoAnn can be reached at 412-440-6969 or selfimagebz@aol.com. or empressofbiz@gmail.com

Empressofbiz, Biz Tips Job vs Business ownership I love Mondays...what about you?

 I love Mondays...do you?

Monday Biz Tip ;) Good morning...the Monday adventure begins anew. I remember once upon a time...I use to hate Mondays... now I don't. I must have been a terrible employee...much better owner of my own business. For those of you who have "jobs" I really hope you enjoy them. 

For those of us in business and who work at what we love.... our main challenge is time management and focusing on what makes us money...not just doing what we enjoy and is easy for us.   
 Enjoy the day and make sure you do the activities that will bring you money!  :)

Plan your weekly list today...make sure the money making activities are there.  No money...no business.

Empress of Biz, Biz Tips. Sunday Morning Reflection: The Risk NOT to take

Sunday Morning Reflection:

Sunday Morning Reflection. In owning your own business there are calculated risks that you take. You do it because you have the confidence, courage and that inner drive that propels you. Sometimes you win...sometimes you loose. But there are times that your risk taking is not good. And one of those times is how we are protecting our families and business.

 This week I lost a business friend...only 61.  His family, employees, customers and business associates are still in shock. This is going to be a tough one for the family and the business.  It is a fifth generation business which looks like it is not going to make it.   No pre-planning...inadequate insurance and no one in sight who wants to take it over.  Most likely the assets will be sold for pennies of the dollar.    

Folks ...if you own a business please make sure your family and business is protected. I know money does not replace the one you love...but leaving things unprotected with little resources to take care of it...makes it so much harder to live thru. Please do some pre-planning to ...its the kindest and caring thing you can do.

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Carol B. Mitchell, Where Love Can lead you

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes:
Title: EMPRESS OF BIZ! Carol B. Mitchell Founder of Verland.a love story 
Episode Notes: Carol B. Mitchell, co-founder and President/CEO of Verland, is a amazingly 

dedicated woman who found a way to help those who had no place in society. Carol's 
organization, Verland serves people with significant intellectual and physical challenges in our area. The Verland story is one that will capture your mind and heart as you listen to Carol as she shares what it was like creating a program that support 230 plus individuals in 52 homes throughout our region. Join us and see how compassion, vision and courage led her and her co-founders to create a safe and loving environment for those who so desperately needed it. Listen...be inspired, Learn where a vision can lead you and prosper with the spirit of the story of Verland. 

EmpessofBiz, Biz Tips: Sunday Morning Reflection . All Started Small

Sunday Morning Reflection  

I believe in small business and you.   I know when we walk with vision,  a plan, courage,  dedication and confidence we can accomplish great things. All the big businesses that you see today....Google., IBM, Ford, Facebook, Apple & Microsoft  etc.....ALL started small propelled by someone's dream. My posting each day says I believe and support you.

My 30 plus years experience of owning business has taught me a great deal.  Some of the knowledge comes from successes I have had.  I have won numerous awards for my accomplishments,  achievements and advocacy of small business.    My clients have been recognized locally, regionally and nationally for their success.  Yet success alone does not build wisdom.  Many of my lessons have been learned painfully...mistakes made, shifts in market place, wrong advisors and my own shortcomings.

 I hope you will use these posts to stimulate your thinking and creativity. Please share your tips and experiences so we all can accomplish our dreams and continue to build our nation. Let us all dream big, support one another and make this our best year.

My best wishes for a prosperous and productive 2014.  May you be blessed with the energy, enthusiasm, courage and insight needed to make your dreams come true.
 JoAnn R. Forrester
SBA PA Women Business Champion 
PA Best 50 Women in Business
YWCA Tribute to Women, Entrepreneur Category
Co-Founder of the Women of Achievement Awards

EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! -Money Trends 2014

New Year...Money Trends... Who has it? Who wants to Lend it. Who doesn't?

What's working...what's not. My special guest, Sue Malone The Money Lady and  President, Strategies for Small Business andt & CEO, National Lien Law Number One Provider of the SBA Patriot Express Program will be my guest, "The Empress of Biz,  as we talk about MONEY and what are the money possibilities for  small busienss owners

Ms. Malone is an extraordinary success story. Early in her career, Ms. Malone spearheaded the nation's first for-profit and not-for-profit ice cream parlor, Dreyera's Grand Ice Cream, in Oakland, California 's  project that taught inner city teenagers to operate a business while concurrently turning a profit in its first year. She was the very first woman parking facility operator in the United States, overseeing seven highly lucrative concerns in San Francisco. Additionally, Ms. Malone crafted the branding and merchandising for the World Figure Skating Championships, delivering sales over $369,000 in just three days. As national chair of The American Cancer Society National Gala Task Force, she has helped raised over $13 million dollars. And, for over ten years, Ms. Malone served as CFO and Vice President of a renowned commercial and industrial real estate firm in Northern California.

Her impressive accomplishments prompted companies nationwide to seek out Ms. Malone for growth-stage guidance and crisis-stage rejuvenation. In every case, Ms. Malone delivered results: avoiding all bankruptcies for those in distress, and successfully advancing others during critical transformations. Her consulting experiences led her to become President and CEO of National Lien Law, the premier service network assisting contractors across the country. This striking composite of detailed operational experience sparked Ms. Maloneâ's passion to expand capital access for small business.

Therefore, since the inception of both the SBA Community Express Loan Program in 2002, and the SBA Patriot Express Program in 2007, Ms. Malone, through Superior Financial Group, has been the number one lender by volume for both programs  for every single year. In so doing, Ms. Malone has funded over 32,000 SBA Community Express and Patriot loans, an achievement simply unrivaled in the industry.

Inspired by her respect for Veterans, Ms. Malone has chaired the finance panel at the annual Veteran's Affairs Small Business Conference, and she continues to focus on providing Veteran entrepreneurs the best opportunities to obtain capital.
EMPRESS OF BIZ! Listen! Learn! Prosper! - Live & Recorded Episodes: