Let me first tell you that I don\’t like the term “networking.” For many boomer women, it conjures up negative memories of networking in the 80s, when you hurled business cards at 100 strangers, dumped the 100 cards you received in return into a drawer, and didn\’t truly connect with anyone. Networking has come a long way, baby. Think of it as relationship-building, rather than networking, because that\’s the goal: really connecting with people. Women are natural-born relationship-builders, so this is an arena where we have a serious business advantage. People do business... Read More

The beauty of boomer women in business is their collective spirit of collaboration. Rather than being intimidated by a potential business competitor, boomer women will often seek out ways to cross-promote, pool resources, and support one another. They understand that there is enough business for all of us, and the more they work together, the greater the demand for their particular product or service. And this is a good thing…when you carefully select the women with whom you align yourself. And while there are magnificent, talented, brilliant boomer women that you\’d be smart to connect... Read More

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While there are numerous aspects to being a successful entrepreneur that transcend life stage, there are challenges and opportunities unique to being a boomer woman in business. Being aware of your individual perspective as a boomer entrepreneur is important because it will help you navigate your business more effectively. Unlike younger entrepreneurs, boomers have a wisdom that comes from a life lived and lessons learned. You know who you are and what you have to offer…and that it has value. You also have more work experience, as you may have been in one industry for thirty years and seen... Read More

Many boomer business owners think they\’re good at what they do, and they\’re right. The problem is that a lot of other boomer entrepreneurs are, too. Competence and even excellence are only one part of the successful entrepreneurial equation. In a crowded marketplace, how will you differentiate yourself? The short answer is positioning, which basically amounts to the perception you create among your prospects that you are the ultimate solution to their needs. You need to give as much thought and planning to how you will position yourself as you do to profit margins, as I can promise... Read More

If you build it, they will come…but you have to let them know it\’s there, provide directions, and give them an incentive to make the drive. No matter how fantastic your service, or phenomenal your product, you can\’t sell something to people who don\’t know it exists. Some fundamental Ps of Promotion include: Assess what\’s involved. There\’s an old adage that you “pay for advertising and pray for publicity.” While advertising is an important part of your promotional mix, so too are public relations, marketing materials, and community outreach. Think... Read More

Many boomer women get so excited about parlaying their passions into sustainable businesses that they sometimes forget to do the legwork needed before jumping into entrepreneurship. While this process may seem tedious at first, and something that is simply delaying your dream, evaluating the marketplace, your skill set, and how the two fit together proves to be empowering, illuminating, and undoubtedly saves you lost time, energy and money. When you think you\’ve done enough research, do some more. You simply can\’t ask enough questions or do enough digging when it comes to starting... Read More

Because a solid foundation is essential to a strong entrepreneurial start, months and sometimes even years of preparation are critical for any budding entrepreneur, let alone a savvy boomer woman such as yourself. From building up financial reserves to crafting a well-researched business plan, boomer business owners must dig the well long before they\’re thirsty. Thinking they were eventually planning on starting a business some day anyway, all too often boomer women get fed up with office politics, jump the corporate ship, and land amid the initial icy waters of entrepreneurship. With no... Read More

Financial guru Suze Orman taught us to look at our first “money memory” from childhood to help us understand how we view and handle money in our adult lives. Now, let\’s take a look at your “childhood entrepreneur” memory, and get a sense of what your now-boomer self can learn from her inner entrepreneur. The more successful business owners I talk to, the more I see clear evidence of an entrepreneurial spirit as far back as elementary school. Rather than a simple stroll down memory lane, there is something to learn from looking back as you continue moving forward. When... Read More

We women entrepreneurs like our work. We\’re great networkers and natural relationship-builders. We welcome the opportunity to pitch our services to a prospect. We send out one heck of a newsletter. Our customer service is the best in town. And, we\’re forever reading articles and attending seminars to educate ourselves about how to run things more effectively and efficiently. But when it comes to conversations about “backing up the system” and “customer management software” our eyes glaze over and we begin to wonder if reindeer really do know how to fly. The truth is that... Read More