Public Relations

 Entrepreneurship is awesome! Along the way you will inevitably learn a plethora of things about yourself and what it takes to be successful in business. While many business challenges are common, there are unique lessons that women entrepreneurs will learn in business. Here are several lessons I’ve learned as a successful female entrepreneur and what every Gen-Y woman entrepreneur should know along the way:   1. Own your success. There are several things that, as a woman, you should never apologize for … at the top of that list is, your well-deserved success. The apologetic undertone of some women entrepreneurs is subtle, laced with an excuse, chocked up to ‘luck’ or a dismissed congratulatory pat on the back. Many of us aren’t outright asserting, “I’m sorry that I am successful,” but a lack of confidence and all of the above are bedfellows of the same notion. In fact, studies reveal what most of us already know – “If you think you hear women saying “I’m sorry” more than men,...

 According to the 2013 Women-Owned Business Report, published by small business payment card issuer American Express OPEN, more than 8.6 million U.S. businesses are owned by women. This is the good news. Women-owned businesses, on average, employ just one additional employee besides the owner. Also, women businesses generally max out at salaries of $155,000, well under the $400,000 for typical private businesses. And this is the not so good news. It’s important to understand the gravity of these statistics. However, it’s just as critical for women-owned businesses to ensure data and statistics do not define their destiny. You can and will create your own wonderful small business story by taking risks and learning from others. So we asked twelve business leaders to share their very best advice for women entrepreneurs. Here’s what they had to say.   1. Face your fears. “The idea of leaving a stable job to start your own business or investing your life savings in a startup is und...

 Competent countries like the United States, Spain, Greece and Great Britain continue to grapple with the economic slump while speculations about another economic recession are rife. Interest rates are at an all-time low and investors are in a fix regarding where to invest. During these volatile economic times, we seek solace in different recession-management techniques. As an entrepreneur you may be wondering — will the European debt crisis threaten to derail the world and my small business? If so, it’s time to learn recession-management tips from those equipped to handle it best — women. Surprised … possibly confused? Here are some interesting, startling and helpful facts. “Everyone knows that men and women are rarely thumbing through the same book, let alone settling on the same page,” according to Bill Morrow, Founder of the investment network Angels Den. “Speaking as a Y chromosome-toting entrepreneur, it is not easy for me to admit this, but facts are facts, and it is the mor...

 According to a new National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) study published in a recent Forbes article, over half of all new small business jobs created in the next five years will come from businesses started by women. So why are women so successful as entrepreneurs? Caring About What’s Important Women are typically better at networking than men because women tend to focus on the other person. This natural nurturer skill is something that seems almost genetic. Women are not typically afraid of their emotions, so helping an employee or customer through an emotional life event is comfortable for women. This ability to connect emotionally also means that the bonds that women create will almost be certainly stronger. Women are also less focused on their personal success. They are willing to share credit and innately work better as team members than their ego-driven male counterparts. A 2009 Time magazine study reported by Mashable found that women are less worried about tit...

 Based on their accomplishments and net worth, the following ladies made our cut for some of the most successful women entrepreneurs to date. Love them or hate them, they sure made names for themselves in strong careers.    1. Oprah  No last name is needed for Oprah, known as "the first lady of talk shows." As noted in her online biography, she was born on an isolated farm in Mississippi, where she entertained herself by playacting in front of farm animals. She came from a poor family and experienced sexual abuse at the age of 9, but she says she hit a turning point in her teenage years when her father saved her life.    Oprah Winfrey's first streak of success came when she won the titles of Miss Black Nashville and Miss Tennessee in her freshman year of college. After graduating, she moved into the TV industry and was soon getting better ratings than daytime talk show pioneer Phil Donahue. Today, Oprah is best known for hosting The Oprah Winfrey Show, bein...

Owning your accomplishments  The communal, consensus-building qualities encouraged in young girls can leave women unintentionally downplaying their own worth. Molly MacDonald, founder and CEO of The Mobile Locker Co., a startup that provides personal storage for events, said she has always found it difficult to convey her own value as a leader.    "When I talk about the company … I always find myself saying 'we' instead of 'I,'" MacDonald said. "Using the first person to discuss successes feels to me as if I'm bragging, and I cannot shake the idea that if someone knows it's just me in control, the value of what we do will go down. As I grow the business, I am making an effort to own what I've accomplished."  Similarly, Shilonda Downing, founder of Virtual Work Team, advises women to recognize the value of their creative ideas.   "I've had to catch myself on occasion when I noticed that I'm giving away too much without a finan...