| December 17, 2012 | News for women business owners |
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- Report links women board members, better company performance
A Credit Suisse Research Institute report found that companies with women on the board of directors posted average net-income growth over the past six years of 14%, compared with a 10% average for companies that had no women on the board. Another report, by Ernst & Young, found that 17% of S&P 500 companies have women on their boards this year. CFO.com
(12/14)     
| Business Trends | | |
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- Is Silicon Valley really a meritocracy?
Silicon Valley bills itself as a meritocracy, but hidden biases persist based on gender, race and other factors that might affect entrepreneurs as they attempt to get their companies going. "What's going on below the level of conscious awareness is that we make a split-second decision," said Freada Kapor Klein, founder of the Level Playing Field Institute. "This is an entrepreneur. This isn't an entrepreneur." Bloomberg Businessweek
(12/13)
| Small Business Spotlight | | |
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- Why a good idea isn't enough to achieve success
The quality of your idea isn't the only factor that will determine the success -- or failure -- of your startup, writes Lindsey Guest, founder and CEO of Beauty Army. "The bad news is that the idea is not even [0.1%] of the difficulty of being an entrepreneur," she writes. "Great teams can make a bad idea work and bad teams couldn't make a paper plane fly." It's important to trust your instincts and to be flexible as you build your business, she writes. Women 2.0 blog
(12/13)
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Enter to win $10,000 for your business
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the 2013 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®, honoring standout small businesses and the people who run them. The winner, seven regional finalists and 75 Blue Ribbon winners will be recognized at America's Small Business Summit, April 29 to May 1 in Washington, D.C. Applications are due Jan. 7.
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Do you serve on any corporate boards?
 | Yes, for a public company |
| Yes, for a private company |
| Yes, for multiple companies |
| No |
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| Best Practices | | |
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- How to make the most of networking events
Connecting with others is a key part of building your business, but if you are naturally shy, it might be a good idea to take a friend with you to networking events, Deb Evans writes. "It's a waste to attend an event leaving without engaging with others," she writes. "Together you can meet and greet new friends." Bring business cards, and be sure to reach out to the people you met after the event, she writes. Deb Evans Consulting
(12/14)
- Coach your employees to success
Children often admire their coaches, but they tend to be wary of their teachers, according to Sal Khan, author of "The One World Schoolhouse" and founder of the Khan Academy. This might be because they believe their teachers are judging them but think their coaches are genuinely interested in their development, Khan notes. You can apply this insight to your business by making sure you act like a coach when you deliver your performance reviews, Laura Vanderkam writes. CBS MoneyWatch
(12/14)
| Lifestyle | | |
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- How to stay healthy at your next holiday party
Holiday parties provide an opportunity to interact with colleagues, friends and family members, but they can also be a breeding ground for illness, writes Jason Tetro. It's a good idea to carry hand sanitizer with you and to stay away from bowls filled with party snacks. Also, try to stay positive throughout your time at the party, as some evidence suggests an upbeat mood can keep one's immune system more active. HuffingtonPost.ca (Canada)
(12/17)
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