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""Women small business owners are not just more optimistic about their own businesses, they're also more bullish about the prospects for female entrepreneurs who are just starting out," said Billie Dragoo, national board chairwoman of the National Association of Women Business Owners. "With a positive outlook and strong entrepreneurial spirit, women business owners continue to be a driving force of our economy." The research also gauged how female business owners are using social media to help grow their companies. While 85 percent of the women surveyed believe social media is important for building customer relationships, only 67 percent currently use social media to connect with customers. The study found that just 25 percent of female business owners are posting on social media at least once a day, with 23 percent rarely posting at all. When they do use social media, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube are the preferred platforms."

Meghan Casserly of Forbes interviewed 20 young female entrepreneurs and how to use Twitter to find mentors and those that can give you advice as you build your business. All agree it is essential to have mentors, not just 1, and a support group of women in the same stage as you are or a little ahead in building a business.

interesting report on female millennials including their views of diversity, upward mobility, international opportunities, etc.

An organization that uses chat, livestream, instagram, YouTube and other social media to connect young, female entrepreneurs in their 20's and 30's. They ahve a Book Club, ACTION calendar, networking events, and live online Thursday night networking events.

Interesting model for us to look at

Rebekah Epstein talks about the young female entrepreneur and the rules they are breaking and making, while embracing their femininity.

"In 2002, approximately 12 million people were employed by nonprofits and another 100 million volunteered their time to help these organizations (O'Neill, 2002). If any sector could be exempt of the glass ceiling - where professional women would advance and be paid at the rate same as men - the nonprofit sector seems like the most viable candidate. An overw helming percentage of nonprofit employees are 3 women, so it logically follows that in this sector, the percentage of female CEOs would be larger than the percentage of male executives and the two groups would be similarly compensated (Hays, et al., 2009; Johnston, & Rudney, 1987; Gibelman, 2000a; Joslyn 2003; Shaiko, 1996; Pynes, 2000; McGinnis, 2009). Perhaps in this se tting, supportive female co-workers would be more likely to confront inequity and encourage women as they work toward promotions. But such scenarios are the exception rather than the norm. It turns out that the glass ceiling of nonprofits is similar in construc tion and resiliency to the gl ass ceilings of government and private industries. "

informed assessment/report by Justin Wolfers, NYTimes, on how extending parental leave policies cause unintended impacts

An interesting infographic on female millennials and their views of diversity, role model gap, work-life strategy, global careers, new era of talent, career confident, feedback culture, financially empowered.

Interview with Ursula Burns, the first A-A female CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Xerox on what young women should do to accomplish their career goals. March 25, 2013

Fast Company article on how female voices are perceived differently (downgraded) from male voices, when they are offered in the same conversation and the same message is being conveyed. Women CAN improve the way they express themselves but there is a clear bias in how they will be perceived.

good lock at women with sTEM credentials and why they haven't stayed in field

Top 100 websites for women at end of 2012 Did a call in from Forbes groups to identify sites with "informative and compelling content, smart navigable design, engaged communities, and a voice that speaks to and for the female reader that's kept fresh, timely, and in-the-know by savvy staffers and impassioned writers. ... Does it have that amorphous and often indefinable quality that inspires us to share--with out social networks and in e-mails and conversations with our moms, sisters, friends and colleagues."

Adafruit was founded in 2005 by MIT engineer, Limor "Ladyada" Fried. Her goal was to create the best place online for learning electronics and making the best designed products for makers of all ages and skill levels. Over the last 6 years Adafruit has grown to over 45 employees in the heart of NYC. Adafruit has expanded offerings to include tools, equipment and electronics that Limor personally selects, tests and approves before going in to the Adafruit store. Limor was the first female engineer on the cover of WIRED magazine and was recently awarded Entrepreneur magazine's Entrepreneur of the year.

Someone my London cousin suggested we look at. She is quite something and has grown a very successful company. She is the first woman engineer featured on the cover of WIRED. Her site is interesting, and she awards badges for acquiring skills.

A blog post by Jessica Leber published by Fastcoexist.com about Angeline Gragasin, a documentary producer and her Women of the Future, a monthly series of webisodes on inspiring renaissance women. Love the quote below attributed to the first interviewee Eva Franch, a Catalan architect who directs Storefront for Art and Architecture, in NYC SoHo neighborhood. Excerpt In a 30-second preview clip you can watch above, Franch shares with Gragasin her inspiring thoughts on creativity: "Culture is about expanding your horizon of expectations in relationship to what is possible. Curiosity is actually the only thing that allows you to go further, right? To find new horizons."

"Today, more women are breaking free from the traditional, gender-specific roles and venturing into the business world. Not only are they holding high corporate positions but they are also successful women entrepreneurs who own almost half of all businesses in the United States. The steady rise in female entrepreneurs can be due to many different reasons, most of which share the same rational as their male counterparts-passion for their ideas, the desire to become their own boss, and the need to address philanthropic causes. A recent study indicated that 1 out of every 11 adult women is an entrepreneur in the United States. Women business owners contribute to the overall employment of 18 million workers and generate anywhere from $2 to $3 trillion in U.S. economy revenues. Many of the important facts that follow will support these findings."

"According to a new study by Professor Susan Madsen there are more female executives heading nonprofits than males both nationally and in the state.  This is a standout fact in Utah, which was ranked last by the Center for American Progress for women in positions of decision-making and leadership."

"These are our favorite female bloggers and career sites for women. The list is taken from our blog. It is in alphabetical order rather than priority. We could not include everyone. Please add your own favorites if yours is not included."

NAFE (National Association of Female Executives) has a women of excellence award and interviews with the women on their site. Reminds me of our women of worth. This is the call for entries as well as the link to the previous winners' interviews.

"Women's entrepreneurship has hit a media tipping point. The question is: Is it just a passing media fad that will soon be a blip on the radar screen, or is it actually a real, fundamental economic force that's reshaping the world? I think it's safe to say that it's the latter. Women-owned entities in the formal sector represent approximately 37% of enterprises globally - a market worthy of attention by businesses and policy makers alike. While aggregated data is often challenging to find, the recent Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) found 126 million women starting or running businesses, and 98 million operating established (over three and a half years) businesses. That's 224 million women impacting the global economy - and this survey counts only 67 of the 188 countries recognized by the World Bank."

"The growth of women's entrepreneurship in the last few decades has been extraordinary. According to the Small Business Administration, women-owned businesses accounted for a mere 4.5 percent of all businesses in 1977. In 2008, more than 40 percent of all businesses are 51 percent women-owned. However, only 3 percent of these companies gross more than a million in annual revenue. The Center for Women's Business Research studied this elite group (those businesses grossing over a million in annual revenue) and determined some key characteristics that were common in all of the companies. These characteristics are as follows: "