Pursue Your Big Idea: 7 Best Tips For Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur

Anyone who watches the ABC-TV show, “Shark Tank,” can witness in just a few minutes how a great idea that someone believes in unequivocally can either get supported to the next level or attacked with keen criticism. They either leave elated or deflated, sent back to develop their business further.

So what is the best advice for women entrepreneurs? What strategies can you put into practice to see your side hustle or your business dream launch into reality?

Take The Lead’s Power Up Conference, “Together We Lead,” on Women’s Equality Day in Washington , D.C. August 26, features a roster of speakers including Daisy Auger-Dominguez, author of Inclusion Revolution, and artist and filmmaker Tiffany Shlain, who excel as founders and entrepreneurs. There are also multiple networking opportunities at the conference to learn, connect and share your big ideas.

Career success, Ambition / IntentionMichele WeldonMay 31, 2024Entrepreneurship, business womenComment

Two Girls, A Little Boat, And 3 Big Lessons About Power

Issue 260— May 27, 2024

The weather app said rain would start at 3pm. I met Camille Jalandoni and Justyna Kedra, founders of WeRule for a walk in Central Park at 12:30 thinking I’d be home well before the downpour. I’m a big fan of walking meetings, and we had a purpose for this one: to talk about partnering to make the new WeRule mentoring app available to Take The Lead participants.

The SumGloria FeldtMay 27, 2024Mentorships, Power Up ConferenceComment

Making History Known: Biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin on The Power of Story

History is personal.

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer-Prize winning presidential historian and author of six other biographies, knows that well. She turns the spotlight on her own life, in her latest book, An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s, underscoring the need for everyone to know and share their history.

“The power of that decade was that people were filled with the idea that they could make a difference,” says the 81-year-old at a recent Chicago Humanities Festival event. That sentiment echoes again today.

Ambition / Intention, EventMichele WeldonMay 24, 2024Women Leaders, storytellingComment

Prioritize Yourself: Why Conferences, Networking Matter Most Now

It may be way easier to stay home and stay quiet. But it is not in your best interest—not for your professional advancement or for your well-being.

Particularly in 2024, as post-pandemic realities set in at many organizations, staying lean and looking to retain and onboard top talent, and as many women entrepreneurs launch their drwam businesses, it is urgent to take advantage of conferences to learn and launch your best ideas.

With Take The Lead’s annual Power Up Conference on Women’s Equality Day on the calendar for August 25-26 in Washington, D.C., this year’s theme, “Together We Lead” addresses the importance of learning, networking and sharing experiences with others in-person as well as virtually.

The New Greatest Generation: Commencement Address by Dede Thompson Bartlett

Issue 259— May 20, 2024

It’s challenging to think of an original idea when called upon to give a commencement speech, but my friend and International Women’s Forum colleague Dede Thompson Bartlett gave an outstanding address to the NYU Tandon School of Engineering class of 2024 on May 16, 2024.

Ambition / Intention, Career successGloria FeldtMay 20, 2024inspirational women, Inspirational LeadersComment

Leading With Creativity: How Music Improves Health & Life At All Stages

Renee Fleming hits all the right notes. The globally acclaimed opera singer, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, several Grammy Awards and honors from the Kennedy Center, was giving a piece of her mind to an eager audience recently at the Chicago Humanities Festival.

In a discussion on stage with Kelly Leonard, vice president of creative strategy for Second City, Fleming explains the mission of her latest book, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health And Wellness, as a deep dive into the impact of creativity and music on the physical brain.

EventMichele WeldonMay 18, 2024Power Up Conference, Women In MusicComment

Power To Her: Women Taking Action To Change What’s Needed

Power was on the menu for the 23rd Annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch in Chicago with national leaders encouraging the 1,200 attendees to use their power to act for change—particularly in the voting booth.

“If I have one goal it is you leave here feeling optimistic about the margin of effort, not the margin of error,” Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois said.

Michele WeldonMay 17, 2024Comment

Say It: How Speaking Up About Menopause at Work Improves Culture For All

Very few people could pull this off, but Halle Barry sure did.

On the steps of the U.S. Capitol recently, the iconic actress shouted, “I’m in menopause, OK?” as part of her mission to seek federal funding for the 2023 Advancing Menopause Care and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act.

Changing the Workplace, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonMay 12, 2024healthcare, Workplace CultureComment

Lonely at Work? 5 Tips To Address What Most Women Say Is A Problem

It is possible to be lonely even when you are not alone.

Unfortunately, new research shows that 80% of women in white collar jobs feel lonely because of their work. That shocking number is exacerbated for women of color, as loneliness is compounded by bias and discrimination in the workplace. Nearly a third of women of color say they do not feel respected at work—compounding their sense of isolation.

Changing the WorkplaceMichele WeldonMay 10, 2024Mental Health, Workplace Advice, Workplace CultureComment

Perplexed? Your Guide to Leadership at the Moral Crossroads

Issue 258 — May 6, 2024

Leadership lessons come from all kinds of places. Ever since I saw the 1986 movie “Crossroads” (not the later one with Britney Spears!), the metaphor of the crossroads has been in my head.

“A thin line separates the good from the great,” the old bluesman tells young Lightening Boy who is on a quest to find the original “Crossroads” song by the legendary Robert Johnson.

The M Factor: How Motherhood & Work Is Changing—Or Not

Just ahead of Mother’s Day, it’s prime time to examine the changing M Factor influencing the role motherhood plays in the workplace. Some say it is changing for the better. Some say it is the same.

Others say mothering in this culture—often referred to as the Motherhood Penalty-- is worse, thanks to COVID and economic factors forcing women to take on traditional roles.

And those who voluntarily embrace the “trad wife” role newly popularized on TikTok, say that full time parenting when not working remotely or out of the house is a welcome return to the 1950s era of stay at home moms. Still some trad wives find themselves without options if they face divorce.

Enough Gender Pay Gap: 5 Ways To Get Paid Your Worth & Why It Matters

As if shaking up the world of sports coverage is not enough, new WNBA draft Caitlin Clark is embodying the gross discrepancy in pay for women for the same work as men.

According to CBS News, the former University of Iowa basketball superstar will make $76,000 in her first year with the Indiana Fever. That compares to “rookie Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 NBA draft pick last year, whose 2023-24 season salary was more than $12 million,” according to ABC News.

No worries for Clark, though, as she recently signed a $28 million deal with Nike.

Career success, Gender ParityMichele WeldonApril 26, 2024Gender Parity, Pay Gap, Gender discriminationComment