Document the World
My first female boss was a dynamic woman at SUNY Oswego. At the time I thought she was wise beyond her years since I was a 21 year old bright-eyed professional taking notes from this 40 year old, seasoned career woman. As a manager she was the perfect blend between educator, disciplinarian and friend. I learned two of the best business lessons of my career working for her.I remember walking in her office for my first evaluation confident I could ask for a substantial raise because she liked me and I was doing work above and beyond my job description. She looked me directly in the eye and said, “Tracy, you are doing a good job but not enough for me to grant you a raise. Work harder and we can talk about it again.” I remember walking out of her office deflated but determined to work harder to earn that raise. Three months later she surprised me with a 60% raise in my salary! I’m not sure I worked that hard, I think it probably demonstrated how low I was paid when I started working, but the lesson learned was if you don’t ask for what you want you won’t get it.
The second lesson came from a dark period in the office when my boss discovered the staff bookkeeper wasn’t keeping the books correctly and the company was in financial despair. With an audit coming within a month, the attitude in the office shifted from positive to downbeat within a day. My boss from that day forward made sure every single employee documented their work, documented communication, and documented agreements. I often said I learned to “document the world” when I worked there. But documentation has always served me well, especially as an entrepreneur, when unexpected communication issues and business problems have developed with vendors, clients and associates.
Today’s post is to remind you about the importance of asking for the money you deserve and to always document communication whether it seems important or not. Both will eventually get you what you want. We must be our own best advocates. We can’t be afraid to ask for what we feel we deserve, we must remain mentally strong when it comes to finances and negotiation, and we must always take a stand if we are treated unjustly. Bottom line, it is up to us and no one else to watch out for ourselves.
Become An Expert in Your Field
In Jay Conrad Levinson’s book, “Guerrilla Publicity” he features hundreds of sure-fire tactics to get maximum sales for minimum dollars. One of the chapters is entitled: “Find Your Uniqueness and Capitalize On It.” He states, “Take inventory. Find out what’s unique about you and what special ingredients distinguish you and your product or service from the crowd. Then come up with a clever, interesting, and unusual way to tell the world about it.”
In every media outlet in the world, we see individuals who have discovered or created uniqueness and have become known as experts in their field. Martha Stewart, Suze Ormon, Mary Kay Ash and Debbie Fields are just a few. These women have created a brand around their expertise of home design, money matters, cosmetics and cookies! They all had to start somewhere. Each woman had to look at themselves and identify what made them different from the norm; and then they had to capitalize on it.
One of my Women TIES Advisory Board Members has done the same thing for herself. Trisha Torrey, President of EveryPatientsAdvocate.com, has created 
an amazing brand which helps patients become their own best health advocate. In five short years, Torrey has become an author, newspaper columnist, radio talk show host, About.com patient empowerment expert, blogger and dynamic healthcare speaker. All of these titles sprung from her personal story, unique position in the marketplace, and her interest in becoming an expert in her field.
Today consider if your own special insights, understandings and perspectives make your voice unique. Consider how you can capitalize on your uniqueness today so you can position yourself as an expert in your field in the future.
Longevity in Business
Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with another women entrepreneur about longevity in business. The discussion focused on whether longevity is seen as beneficial or harmful in the eyes of consumers. It seems as novice businesswomen it takes a lot of convincing and sales to prove our value in the marketplace. Then as we matured in length of years in business, our confidence and sales grew. Then suddenly when we approached our 15th, 20th or more years in existence, younger businesses have come in and gained ground. Their fresh appeal can make any confident business owner stop and pause to consider whether the time has come to change or stay the course.
There seems to be a fine line between being known as a solid, reputable, long standing company and a new, progressive enterprise. The world is made up of consumers who love both. So as a woman entrepreneur with an accomplished and sustainable business it’s not a bad idea to periodically analyze where you stand. We can’t be afraid to be honest with ourselves and to make the changes we need to make to stay viable and keep up with the Jones.
It doesn’t mean we lose our original perspective or our recognizable brand. It means we step back to study and determine if it’s in the best interest of our companies to stay the same, make slight upgrades or do a total overhaul. The answer is most likely dependent on how successful we are financially. If we are maintaining market share and our companies are growing, we will stay the course. If we are losing ground, we need to make moderate or major adjustments.
Today’s post is to make you consider whether or not you feel comfortable with where your company stands in the marketplace. If so, keep doing what you have been doing and let me more people know about your company. If not, look at up-and-coming businesses in your field and figure out their edge. See what you might need to alter to stay relevant and attractive to consumers.
I don’t know many women who like getting older. But many do it by keeping themselves in shape, staying healthy and making changes in their lifestyle when they know it’s imperative. It’s the same thing we need to do for our aging companies. We must give them check-ups, keep them in shape, maintain their health, and make changes when it prolongs their existence.
Making Different Work
When my 6’4″ athletic son came home with a multicolored silly bandz
around his wrist, I knew the newest trend had truly penetrated the marketplace. Having never worn any type of adornment before, I was astounded to see the latest fad making its way so brightly into his life. Of course intrigued by what shape the silly bandz would make, I asked him to take it off and show me. After a lot of prodding and reluctance on his side, he took it off and it said, “I Love You” – a gift from his girlfriend. In that moment I realized the impact an innovative creation like the silly band can have on a naïve mother.
Through the ages “making different work” has been fruitful for entrepreneurs and consumers. You can see it demonstrated extremely well in the latest television commercial showing the domino effect of inventions through the ages. A visual timeline of inventions from the buggy to the car; to the airplane to the rocket ship; to the big computers to the hand held ipods; knock each other over as the inventions progress through time. Innovative thought, design and creation have paved the way for the next best product to be formulated. I’m not quite sure the silly band naturally follows the ipod but it is a money making invention that works.
When women entrepreneurs start their businesses they intend to make different work. We don’t set out to start a company just like one we’ve seen before. We don’t want to duplicate someone else’s success. We want to create a unique product or service aimed at being different enough to be noticed and similar enough to be understood and accepted. It’s a fine line.
When I created the first annual Women TIES Retreat last year, I aimed at producing a conference that didn’t feel like a typical convention. It was meant to have a strong educational core with excellent presenters but the essence of the event was different. The speakers were asked to make sure they delivered the educational content in an inspirational way. Knowing how much women entrepreneurs love to be inspired, I knew making this conference different by basing it around business inspiration would work – and it did. Today we launch the exciting lineup of the Second Annual Retreat with the same essence and spirit – learning through inspiration. I hope you’ll attend find out from our Denver, Colorado keynote speaker, Julie Pech, The Chocolate Therapist, LLC, why “different has worked” for her. 
Today’s blog is to inspire you to feel fantastic about the unique business you have built. I hope it’s a different type of company than you originally envisioned. I hope it’s bigger and better than you thought it would be. I hope being different in your marketplace has worked for you.
If not or if you feel like your vibrant company has become a static enterprise, I hope you’ll open yourself up today to be inspired to be different or to learn from women who have created unique businesses and are making it work. Find them at our September Retreat, at tomorrow’s luncheon or within our directory. We all need inspiration from time to time and that’s just what women entrepreneurs love to give and receive.
Customer Service – Packing for Ice
One hour later, six different individual conversations, and the only solution being to wait 36 hours to have the unit replaced, we understood how this national company really handles client crisis – not very well. Since my husband is the corporate operations manager for a locally owned, multi-million dollar company who prides itself on quickly and effectively solving customer issues that involves shipping, and sometimes reshipping products, their response to the immediateness of the problem failed with him. Since I pride myself on addressing membership or event issues immediately, their response was equally unbelievable to me. We both decided our professional expectations for how we would have handled this issues were much different than theirs.
When you work hard to create a high quality company – complete with quality products, quality service, quality staff – and an expectation by the consumer that you back everything you promise, it is unbelievable, and at times, unnerving to deal with companies where quality and service aren’t a priority. No matter what type of company a person is running, the quality of their customer service can matter much more than the quality of their products.
Today’s blog is to remind you to think about your customer service policies. When faced with customer complaints, do you have procedures to remedy problems immediately? Does every employee understand those procedures? If you are a sole proprietor have you thought about how you would handle a client crisis personally and corporately? Are you prepared?
A Daughter’s Entrepreneurial Tribute to Her Father
Adam, Tracy and Thomas Higginbotham
The door would open up and my sister and I would race to the coffee maker to pour a cup of coffee for the ski customers entering my parents ski shop. Once they left, we played beneath the hundreds of skies that created a teepee on the ski rack. The smell of hot wax drifted upstairs from the waxing room where skiies were prepped for different types of ski conditions. Later at night my sister and I would head downstairs to watch exciting ski jumping movies with the guys who worked for our parents. We usually made ourselves our own coffee – with much more sugar and cream than coffee – as our treat.
I believe my entrepreneurial spirit was born during the late 1960s and early 1970s when my parents were entrepreneurs during the winter months in Upstate New York. There was something exciting about the cash drawer opening, watching my father smile and laugh with his clients, the comfort created in the shop making staff and clients feel like family. In my eyes, mind and spirit, entrepreneurship meant creating a welcoming environment for everyone.
Today as I recognize the fourth year of my father’s passing and stare at the original Van Alystyne painting of a skier that represented him and his entrepreneurial spirit, I am very grateful for his prescence in my life. For not only teaching me how to be a good human being, a loving parent to two wonderful sons, but for also teaching me how to be a kind and generous entrepreneur to my clients. So today as I work, I celebrate the man who gave life to me, inspired me, and loved me. He remains close to my heart and mind as I work every day to be the best person and entrepreneur I can be.
Going it Alone vs. Partnerships
Tracy Higginbotham
For the past fifteen years I have answered hundreds of business questions from women entrepreneurs. The one question that comes up frequently is, “Wouldn’t it be easier for me, and more successful for my business, to take on a partner?” My response has always been “no” for the multitude of reasons I’ve gleaned from women who have experienced poor business partnerships. Most of the relationships ended because each woman wanted to run the operation her way.
Having celebrated Independence Day a few days ago, the thought of running a business independent of a partner’s influence rang louder in my mind than the Liberty Bell. Having recently witnessed the demise of a company’s partnership with another, I honestly believe women entrepreneurs should operate their businesses with 100% authority. If physical, mental or financial assistance provides comfort and support to a woman contemplating a partnership, I suggest they find a more successful solution to their needs by hiring someone, not partnering with someone. Conflicts always seem to arise in partnerships when it comes to decision making and control.
As hard as it is at times to be solely responsible for corporate performance, financial responsibilities and business choices, it’s still better to be the only one responsible for the decisions so success or failure rests on one person. Partnerships can survive successful decisions but typically not poor decisions. When it’s only up to you to make the decision, you live or die by your choices; and in most cases you’ll live by and rejoice in your choices.
Today’s blog is to remind you there is great freedom that comes with being a woman business owner. Choose wisely before giving your freedom away in partnerships. Brave, independent women must believe they can succeed on their own with the secondary support of staff and advisors, not the primary support of a partner.
Rejoice in your independence today and all year long especially if you are a woman entrepreneur who wakes up every morning ready to face the world with her own daring choices.
Independence Day for Women Entrepreneurs
Independence Day means alot of things – the birth of our nation, rights and values, truths and certainities and most importantly freedom. As a woman entrepreneur Independence Day reminds me how fortunate I am to rise every morning with the ability, ease and permission to live my own life. To pursue my own passion, to inspire others who believe in what I do, to speak my mind, to profess my ideals and to take up the cause of supporting women entrepreneurs every day. I can’t imagine living in a country where I couldn’t speak my mind, would be punished for my beliefs, or even harmed for being a woman and doing what I believe is right. American women are lucky women.
As the fourth of July arrives tomorrow with backyards blazing with barbeques, skies lit up with glowing light, and voices raised in familar patriotic songs, I hope every woman entrepreneur stops for a moment and celebrates her independence – her freedom to live her very best life. Thank you to our forefathers for making sure our rights were stated and protected. Today is truly a day to celebrate.
Negotiating Contracts
Negotiating client contracts is a task most women entrepreneurs don’t like doing. By our female nature, we are more comfortable saying yes, giving away more than we should, and not towing the line with clients and vendors who ask or expect too much. We tend to give in which costs us time, money and resources to make our clients happy. In the end, we don’t receive the monetary compensation we need to be financially successful.
A few days ago I was with one of my female clients who is an expert at negotiating contracts. The key to getting what she wants is her ability to be non-emotional, frank and unwavering in her request. She doesn’t take no for an answer. She works hard to seal the deal. She is motivated exclusively by her bottom line. In the end, she might not be the most pleasant person to do business with, but she gets what she asks for and her operation is financially successful.
I’ve learned what makes her so good at getting the best deal for her company is her forthright negotiating skills. She has no problem putting what she wants on the table or walking away from a deal if her expectations are not met. Most women entrepreneurs don’t operate this way but there could be a lesson to learn from her approach.
If it’s been a while since you reviewed your own negotiating skills, take an inventory of how you make deals with clients, vendors and associates. During this economic period, every contract is important, so make sure your negotiating skills are up to par. If they aren’t, educate or train yourself on improving them. Remember there is nothing wrong in asking for what you need. It’s vital to keeping your business strong and successful.
Daring Women: Going for Gold
Last fall when I was looking for a dynamic speaker for our first Greater Albany/Saratoga luncheon, I was introduced to Merci Miglino, an energetic woman who had been promoting ideas and people within the New York political scene for nearly 20 years. A former teacher, reporter, communications director, campaign manager, and successful business coach she definitely had the credentials to be our guest speaker.
Merci Miglino
My favorite moment during her speech, on envisioning prosperity, was when she taught the lively audience of 50 women entrepreneurs how to get daily applause in their lives. Merci instructed the audience to stand up and pretend we had just gotten out of bed. As we approached the bathroom mirror, we were to visualize all our fans (the people who acknowledge us and support us every day) looking back at us. Then we had to take a big, energetic and effortless bow to thank them for their belief in us. It was so much fun to see 50 women taking bows in the middle of one of our programs. It lightened all of us.
Recently Merci contacted me because she is taking her show on the road and hoping to land her OWN Show on the new Oprah Winfrey Network. It didn’t take me long to say yes because the memory of how she moved the crowd at the Albany event resonated in my mind. I also love women with gumption and like-minded thinking. In 1999, I submitted my own video tape to appear on an Oprah Show and had my 30 second video shown. I didn’t appear on her show in person but I was seen by millions of viewers all over the world. It was a fantastic experience and one I have always treasured. Now ten years later, I am excited to support another woman trying to make her own Oprah dream a reality.
What I love about women is our willingness to get behind big dreamers and applaud them towards success. Not all of us have the bravery it takes to audition for our own show on Oprah, but Merci does. I hope her drive to share her wit and enthusiasm with the world will inspire you to dream big today and to vote for her (see the information on how you can do that below).
Today’s blog is to remind you to do something daring today. Follow in the footsteps of other women who are taking risks, challenging themselves and dreaming large to make something extraordinary happen for themselves. Now is the time to take some bold steps in a new direction. If you need some encouragement before you take the plunge, go look in the mirror, greet your fans and take your bow. Remember if Merci can do it and thousands of other women can do it, you can do it too!
Take a moment to help Merci obtain her OWN show by visiting her video and casting a vote by clicking here
Women TIES 