Welcome Home to
Ann Arbor and the Ross School of Business
The Women’s Initiative and the Michigan
Business Women would like to welcome you back for fall 2008. You will
find a host of programs and events that are sure to expand your
intangible skills, keep you intrigued and multiply your network of
incredible people.
Additionally, when you come to this web site to learn about
and register for the programs/events - please take note
of the SmartBrief. SmartBrief is updated bi-monthly with the latest
information published for and about women in business in newspapers and
magazines across the nation. It allows you to update at a glance what
else is going on in business. If you find the synopsis of the
article interesting, click through to read the full article. We are always looking for new ways to assist you and save you time.
Enjoy the fall and get involved with the Michigan Business Women and
Women’s Initiative.
-Mary

Women's Initiative Smart Brief News

Women in the News
Study sees strong bottom line with women at the
top
A new study of Fortune 500 companies that have women on the boards of
directors or in corporate executive positions suggests women are good for
business. In the study, companies with the highest representation of women
in corporate-officer positions had 35.1% higher financial performance than
companies with the lowest representation of women in key posts.
Financial Post (Canada) (5/14)
Full Article
Author tells women entrepreneurs to think
bigger
Women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men but fewer than 3%
will pass the $1 million threshold, says Susan Wilson Solovic, author of
"The Girls' Guide To Building a Million Dollar Business." The reason,
she says, is women are "not thinking big enough." Seattle
Post-Intelligencer (5/9)
Full Article
Management and Leadership
Be a successful mentor
Several highly successful executives credit part of their success to having
excellent mentors. Such relationships can't be forced, but there are steps
you can take to be a successful mentor to others. CIO (5/2)
Full Article
Improve your "functional intelligence"
Want to be smarter at work? Then learn new things, temper your stress and
exercise. Afterward, take a quick nap to improve your memory and top it all
off with a cup of tea. The New York Times (registration required) (5/10)
Full Article
Marketplace
Mothers, daughters benefit from running business together
Mothers and daughters who run businesses together must overcome
challenges not faced by other entrepreneurs. Because of their personal
relationships, a few women who have met success together say they had to
define their roles, give each other space and plan an exit strategy.
They also gain from the experience. "You've got a friend," says one mom.
"Not only a daughter, not only a business partner, but a friend." The
Post-Crescent (Appleton, Wis.) (5/11)
Full Article
Women stay on job longer before starting maternity leave
In the U.S. workplace, 80% of the women who are pregnant stay on the job
until a month or less before giving birth, according to newly released
census statistics for 2003. That is a significant increase from 1965,
when only 35% stayed so long on the job. Experts attribute the trend to
two factors: they need the money and they want to use their time off
after the baby is born. Abilene Reporter-News (Texas) (5/11)
Full Article
Best Practices
Relationship, not branding, grows small businesses
Author and marketing guru George Torok says he is alarmed by a recent
poll that indicates most small businesses consider branding a top
priority. Small businesses cannot afford branding and are better off
developing customer relationships as their marketing initiative, he
says. National Post (Canada) (5/12)
Full Article
Tending database can improve marketing, sales
Few companies excel at mining their database to turn prospects into
sales, says Colleen Edwards, CEO of PowerMark Group. Consistent and
continuous effort on the details of the information are needed to affect
revenue. BusinessWeek/Today's Tip (5/13)
Full Article
B-School Basics
Eight
tips can help in getting past "hello"
A list of eight
tips for overcoming social anxiety and feeling comfortable in making the
first move in a business situation include making the conversation all
about the other person's thoughts and listening intently to their
responses. Another tip is to rehearse icebreakers with a friend before
going to a meeting or gathering. Forbes (4/10)
Full article
Entrepreneurship
Students gain experience while financing
entrepreneurs
Students at Yale and Harvard have developed microfinance programs to give
low-income and other disadvantaged entrepreneurs get financing and give
students real-life experience with startups. Students at Georgetown,
Rutgers, University of Rochester and other universities are in various
stages of developing similar programs. The Boston Globe (5/12)
Full Article
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