Monday's post talked about what motivated me to research and write The New Power Girls series. It briefly discussed the history of women in corporate America and how the women of that era played a part in inspiring the project. It wasn't that long ago that women in the corporate workplace was a novelty, sparking a cultural trend of movies and music. It also created a lot of the sexual harassment and anti-discrimination laws that protect all of us today.
The stories of how these women persevered and endured would move just about anybody.
But it's not just the past that sparked my interest in writing the series but also the present. It's the some sixty women entrepreneurs I have met and know in running my own startup that have their sights on success at the highest level. They want to be the next IAC, Newcorp, Rachel Ray or other multiplatform, multimillion dollar company, and they're on their way to doing it. It's also the more than three dozen women-owned start-ups that I've seen launch this past year and the approximate 7.1 million female founders of all types of businesses nationwide who contribute into the trillions to the U.S. economy every year.
They're inspired and inspiring. Here's how:
Think Big: Today's successful women see life in a wide lens. It goes beyond what they do to what's possible, and onward from there. Know your individual goals and dreams and live them.
Collaborate: Power Girls know there's huge value in numbers and are highly collaborative. Connect with both men and women in your industry, take lunches and work to develop relationships.
Trust Your Instincts: Some of the biggest business people in the world cite instincts as the secret of their success. Trust your gut at all times and follow it as often as you can.
Be Fearless: The modern women entrepreneurs and executives expect to come across glass ceilings and other barriers. They charge ahead regardless of obstacles, boundaries or limits. Know that any goal worth achieving is a challenge and push ahead.
Spark Conversations: Power Girls get people talking through their work. Share what you're doing with others and learn what others are doing as well.
Know Value: The most important skill an entrepreneur or executive can have is an understanding of value. Know what constitutes this in your market as well as in your specific work or business. Then stand on it.
See No Limits: A common trait among the women entrepreneurs and executives I've met and know is the inherent ability to ignore gender and other limits. See what others can do, regardless of race, sex, origin, etc., and believe you can also do it.
Have It All: Business women today know all the different things they'd like their lives to include, from work to play to having a relaxing house to being stylish, and they balance it.
Make A Difference: Power Girls are among some of the most charitable women I've met. They donate time, money, insight and experience to a multitude of people and causes. Be driven by the impact you can leave on the world beyond yours.
The new brand of business women want to live by example and be an example for others to do great things with their lives and work. Most of all, they're doing it.