Young Female Entrepreneurs | Support group and incubator for women in their 20s and 30s.

President Obama Speaks on Consolidating Government Departments to Encourage Business

January 22, 2012

President Obama spoke last week on the work his Administration is doing to consolidate the six major federal departments and agencies that focus on business or trade into one to better serve American business owners.

In the speech above he is “calling on congress to reinstate the authority that past presidents have had to streamline and reform the executive branch.” The last time a President was given authority to do this was in 1984. He explains that when you talk to small business owners today they say “To deal with government on a regular basis is not always the highlight of their day.”

When running for office he pledged to make our government “leaner, smarter, and more consumer friendly” stating that “we live in a 21st century economy but we still have a government organized for a 20th century economy.”

He then goes on to outline the changes he will make if Congress gives him the power to streamline the Government with the goal to be specifically streamlining business and trade with one department, one website, one hotline, and one mission.

Currently, the “system is a maze” explains President Obama.

There is a number of websites and customer service numbers that all offering different forms of assistance for the small business owner. Small business owners want to concentrate on the doing and the government wants to make it easy for them. President Obama’s answer for this is:

1 Department: BusinessUSA
1 Website and Hotline

That will take them from the day they have an idea, create the product, and are ready to export. He argues that will will save tax payer dollars while helping American businesses grow, which will in turn help our economy.

The first thing President Obama is doing is to elevate SBA to a cabinet level agency starting today. Karen Mills is going to make sure SBA has a seat at the table at cabinet meetings. Following that, the new Business USA website will be unveiled in the next few weeks that is a one stop shop for business owners. He will keep going with or without the support from Congress, but emphasizes it will be easier with their support. Find more at whitehouse.gov.

Young Female Entrepreneurs wants to know…
Will this help grow your business in 2012?
What questions do you still have after watching this video?

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Sh*t Young Entrepreneurs Say?

January 14, 2012

By now the majority of you have seen the series “Sh*t Girls Say” where Creator, Write, Director and Cast Member, Graydon Sheppard dresses as a “girl” and makes comments like “so good, right?” or “I’m just kinda like haaa…” There is a corresponding Twitter feed that tweets little gems like “I mean, she’s pretty, but that’s about all she has going for her.”

The popularity of these videos have paved the way for a number of spinoffs, notably LuluLemon’s “Sh*t Yogis Say” and the Wedding Channel’s “Sh*t Brides Say” where they explain “Brides say some funny sh*t and at WeddingChannel.com, we couldn’t love them more.”

While most people get a kick out of the videos others see them as sexist and inappropriate (see Why the “Shit Girls Say” Meme is Sexist, Racist and Should End). What are your thoughts on the videos? Funny? Embarrassing? Crossing the line?

Why keep the spinoffs focused solely on women? If you have ever been to a young entrepreneur networking event you will agree with me that there is plenty of room for parody among the twenty something entrepreneur crowd in what we say at times too… male or female.

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Your New Year’s Resolutions

December 29, 2011

Young FEmale Entrepreneurs

As young, female entrepreneurs many of us have industry, business, and fashion magazines piled up on our bed stands. Our interests vary as do our lifestyles. However, one thing is for certain, there is something exciting about starting a new year. As you look back on your 2011 and make big plans for 2012, get some help from your peers. Here are products and services created by young, female entrepreneurs for YFEs that will help get your 2012 off on the right foot.

Get Fit and Healthy

At my company we purposely point out that good health is something we value to keep it top of mind everyday. Sick, tired, and grumpy people is not what a good company is made of. Are you committing to prioritize your health in the new year as an entrepreneur? Here are a few items that will give you some extra motivation to hit the gym, ditch the coffee, and reach for the h2o.

Get support

Last year after having my son, I really needed a boost of energy to keep up with being a new mom while building a business. I decided to commit to fellow young entrepreneur, Jennifer Jordan’s Resolution Challenge and was amazed at how much I had really been neglecting my health in the process.

If you are like me and just need a reminder and a plan to get you going again, this is a great recipe for change. With the Challenge you are essentially outsourcing your planning to For the Glow who provides you with meal and workout plans with the knowledge behind it so that you can make healthy, educated decisions post Challenge. Jennifer is generously giving YFEs a two for one special too! Once you receive the orientation packet, respond letting her know that you’re a YFE & provide your pal’s email address and name. She will then email the friend all the details. Grab you business parter, VA, or best Facebook friend and have fun getting fit and healthy together.

Get the equipment

If yoga, pilates, and running are already staples in your day, check out Zweet Sport for workout clothes that will spice up your daily routine. Marja and Kimberly founded Zweet Sport from their shared passion for fitness and fashion. The company produces “high end active wear” that looks and feels good.

“Our top sellers are the light weight Jaco shorts (loved by hot yogi’s and pole fitness ladies) and our Brasilia & Ezieza tops” explains Co-founder and Managing Director, Marja Toan. “We’re working on our Spring/Summer line which will debut in Feb/March. We’re incorporating a tank, another Capri pant & restocking all current styles with new color combos and prints.”

YFE’s most recent profile is on one of Youtube’s Next Trainers, Amanda Russell. You can subscribe to her videos to round out your focus on staying healthy while keeping busy here. Another Youtube Next Trainer is Cassey Ho who created POP Pilates and oGorgeous yoga bags. Check out her line of gym and yoga bags to help you stay organized and ready to get your sweat on.

Take Action on your Ventures

Having compelling goals in both your personal and work life that excite you are one thing, but having the confidence and know-how to get them started is another.

Get clear and gain confidence

Molly Majar recorded an amazing Young Female Entrepreneurs Podcast episode for us on the topic of getting past our fears to get stuff done. She has a new program called, “Create Your Magical Year” that is aimed at helping us quarter lifers get our vision out on paper. The program is affordable and includes a digital download of “3 training calls, 20 art-filled worksheets, and 7 inspirational interviews from women you admire.” Molly added two bonuses to the download that include a process for creating “your theme for the year” and a “reading of Shakti Gawain’s Clearing Blocks visualization.” Check out Molly’s program.

If you are a fan of Napolean Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” you will want to check out Natalie MacNeil’s 21 Day New Year Challenge. Natalie is using MightyBell.com as the platform for walking participants through Napolean Hill’s book and recorded videos that have recently been made public. “Mightybell enables people – like Natalie MacNeil – to quickly and easily create new ”experiences” as a short series of step-by-step, day-by-day ‘actions’ you can do.” Join the Challenge here.

Get help

While it’s not packaged in a bow, colorful, or sexy in any way, the SBA provides programs and resources across the country for budding and growing entrepreneurs. If you haven’t given your local office a ring in the last year, make an appointment to do so in the next week. Here are a few links for you to keep in mind: NWBOC: The Nationals First WBE Certifier, SCORE Mentoring, National Women’s Business Council: Advisors to the President, Congress, and the SBA

Celebrate and Enjoy Life

Yes, New Years Eve is on Saturday and time is winding down to grab your perfect party dress. However, why let the celebrating stop on Saturday night? As a young, female entrepreneur you will have a number of occasions to celebrate throughout the year. Be prepared with the right dress when the time to unplug, shower, and head outside comes around.

Dress to Impress Celebrate

One company I’ve followed for the past few months that is helping this cause is Jolie & Elizabeth. Sara Elizabeth and Jolie, two New Orleans fashion designers are often in the press for being among a select group of young entrepreneurs who are revitalizing the city’s economy. Their dresses stay “true to timeless southern style” Co-founder, Jolie recommends the Revanche dress- “We offer it in a pink/ grey colorway and a mint/grey colorway. It’s normally priced at $242 but we’ve marked it down to $120, for the next week, until New Years. The name, Revanche- is french for Revenge, a good heartbreak dress!”

Moving westward, a hot name in the Seattle scene is VueSociety. Founder Rachel Kim explains that the online shop’s focus is on “the extra curricular activities that happen outside of the working environment.” She specializes in high end one pieces and dresses serving women that “knows what she wants. She dresses conservatively and is labeled a trendsetter.” In for some sparkle? Then check out Vue Society’s Olive Green Sequin Dress from Blaque Label. If you are less of a dress girl, then take a peak at the Again Apparel Flaunt TRUX Skirt made of embossed pleather with stitching detail. Rachel is offering YFEs a promo code to use for the New Year: NYE2012. Receive $20 off the entire order along with free shipping to all WA state orders (plus, 5% of every purchase is donated to WWIN!).

2012 will be a break out year for many young, female entrepreneurs. By minding our health, our businesses, and remembering to still have fun outside of work we can all expect great things from one another. Many thanks to the young, female entrepreneurs featured in this piece who offered generous discounts. If you or a young, female entrepreneur you know of has a great product or service that would benefit YFEs in prepping for the new year, please share in the comments below!

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Role Models for the Young Female Entrepreneur

December 22, 2011

In the quest to find women entrepreneur role models who have been in business longer than five years and are forty and older, YFE wants to know what women entrepreneurs you look up to and why? Comment with her name, where you first heard of her, and why you look up to her in business.

Some examples could be… a woman that is in your industry, who is local to where you live, or who you have seen in magazines or on television.

Thank you for sharing!

The women pictured above (While some are incredibly well known, others you may not of heard of. Be sure to do a search for their name to learn more about their journey to success).

- Theresa Daytner, Daytner Construction Group
- Traci Des Jardins, Chef and Restaurateur (IMG Src 2010frankenyimages.com)
- Oprah Winfrey, Harpo
- Barbara Corcoran
- Eileen Gittins, Blurb
- Coco Chanel, Chanel

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Driven: Profile on Fitness Personality, Amanda Russell

December 21, 2011

Amanda Russell is a Youtube Partner and Next Trainer that overcame a career changing injury and is on the path to becoming America’s next Oprah of the fitness world. Her story is inspiring and reminds us all that there is always a way to achieve our goals. The path to success might not always be as clear and straight as we like, but Amanda reminds us that you will get there if you want it.

I’m excited to share Amanda’s story and advice with you on the Young Female Entrepreneurs Podcast that is available on iTunes. Over the summer I featured guests that spoke on topics meant to encourage entrepreneurial young women for the Motivated Monday series. There is a great episode from Ronnie Cho, the White House liason to young Americans on what “winning the future” means to him and another from Molly Mahar, the founder of Stratejoy who shares three ways to overcome your fears and take action. Amanda’s profile marks the start of the YFE Profiles series that will be published periodically to the channel. Please subscribe and rate the Podcast on iTunes.

YFE asked Amanda what her vision for Amanda Russell Workouts is and if this doesn’t motivate you to think big, I don’t know what will. After listening to her Profile YFE thinks she will do it…

“I have a huge vision, I actually just answered this question for a Forbes interview. Here is what I want for the future:

It is my goal to make my channel the ‘go-to’ fitness channel on Youtube and lead people to my website where I hope to help bring a new audience to online fitness! My site will host everything from full-length workout shows, to shorter clips addressing specific exercises, problem areas, and training philosophies. In addition, I will have other shows, such as my weekly talk-show which showcases everything from current trends and hot topics in the fitness and health world to my secret tips, tricks and cheats.

I believe interaction is key, and I want viewers to feel like they can give feedback, ask questions and be part of a supportive community. It is my goal to make my channel the ‘Oprah’ of the fitness world, and help people go from ordering DVD’s and searching online to simply logging on to my channel and finding everything they need.

I do intend to do a line of DVD’s, a book series, sell on QVC, host macro-level events, package The AR Diet and Fitness PRogram in a way that everyone who visits my site can make a purchase.”

“I’d also like to do a TV show, but right now I think online television is the future and growing my channel is my priority. However, if I were to do TV, I’d like to do a real-time show with average people, with busy lives who want to lose between 10-20lbs (like the majority of our population. The key here is to implement fitness into someone’s normal chaotic life versus taking them out of their life just to get in shape – that’s not realistic, and many people can’t relate and/or apply it to themselves.”

Listen to the Podcast here to hear why she is making her mark on the world as a trainer and business woman and what you can learn from her entrepreneurial journey.

Subscribe to Amanda’s Youtube Channel at youtube.com/amandarussell; you won’t be sorry! You can also find Amanda online at amanda-russell.com.

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Women Entrepreneurship Online Q&A Hosted by the White House Today

December 20, 2011

Note from YFE Director: Please attend today’s live, online Q&A hosted by the White House today. This is your chance to have your questions answered first hand by policy makers.

Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing segments of the small business community, but women continue to face challenges, including access to capital and lack of opportunities to grow.

Ask questions and learn more about the federal government’s policies and programs that are designed to help women entrepreneurs at our upcoming “Open for Questions,” session with Christine Koronides of the National Economic Council, and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Associate Administrator for Small Business, Ana Harvey.

What: Open for Questions: Women’s Entrepreneurship
Who: Christine Koronides, White House National Economic Council, and SBA’s Associate Administrator for Women’s Business Ownership, Ana Harvey
When: Tuesday, December 20, at 3 p.m. EST
Where: Watch live at WhiteHouse.gov/live and submit your questions via Facebook, Twitter using the hashtag #WHChat or our webform.

This post originally ran on the White House Blog.

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Love What You Do

December 18, 2011

“LOVE what you are going to do because you are, most likely, going to live your new business.”

Read the full profile.

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Live Chat With Threadless Co-Founder & YFE Online Monthly Meeting Tomorrow

December 14, 2011

Update: You can watch a recording of the Threadless founder Q&A here.

The Young Female Entrepreneurs online monthly meeting is tomorrow, Thursday December 15th from 7pm to 8pm PST (10pm EST). Also happening tomorrow is the Young Entrepreneur Council‘s livestream with Threadless founder, Jake Nickell (pictured above speaking at TEDxBoulder.

At 12 p.m. ET tomorrow, Dec. 15, streaming live exclusively on Mashable, Threadless founder Jake Nickell will be answering questions from readers. As part of the launch of the Young Entrepreneur Council’s new program called YEC Global, Nickell will be answering questions live via video chat broadcast exclusively on this site.

To watch the live stream and ask questions to be answered by Nickell you can check Mashable tomorrow at 9am PST (12 EST) or get the email reminder here. Read more: Announcing a Live Chat With Threadless Co-Founder Jake Nickell.

We still have a couple seats left for tomorrow’s free YFE Online Monthly Meeting. Want to meet other entrepreneurial women in their 20s and 30s from around the country? Here is you chance! The YFE Meeting kicks off at 7pm PST (10pm EST), so you have time to take in what you heard during the Nickell live stream and share your thoughts on it all with the group! Reserve your seat.

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Tweet Tonight at the #YFEchat Holiday Mixer

December 6, 2011

We are moving the champagne bottles, white elephant gifts, and bad sweater experience online via Twitter tonight at 6pm PST/9pm EST under the hashtag #YFEchat. Meet new people and celebrate the holidays with your YFE girlfriends. Stay in your pajamas, get work done on the side, or watch Love Actually while you tweet.

#YFEchat is a Twitter chat that occurs every two weeks where entrepreneurial women in their 20s/30s go to discuss topics related to owning a business as a young female. Follow YFE on Twitter @YFEntrepreneur.

Tonight’s chat will be 10 questions that are presented via the YFE Twitter account for participants to discuss. We’ll be focusing on what doing business for you looks like during the holidays. The goal of the chat is to allow participants to get to know one another, so there will be plenty of opportunity to tweet about why you are in business, what you do, and how you do it.

Get a Reminder:

Share the chat: Tweet

A Twitter Chat, or Twittery Party is a live event where Twitter users socialize under a common interest using a single hashtag to filter the conversation. In YFE’s case, our Twitter Chat is a group of young, female entrepreneurs meeting and socializing under the hashtag #YFEchat every two weeks at a preset time.

For Beginners: Twitter Chat in 5 Steps

1. Sign in/Sign up for Twitter

2.Go to Tweetchat.com

3. Click Sign In and then click to Authorize app

4. In the box, enter hashtag to follow type in YFEchat and click go

5. View the stream of tweets in your browser. To update your status, simply type in your message and Tweetchat.com will add in the hashtag for you. Click reply, retweet, and other commands within the room.

We recommend you test it out prior to a chat to get comfortable with the application before use.

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Dallas, Boston, and Seattle IRL Meetups Planned

November 30, 2011

While we are working on adding additional features to our events page to share who is going to what event, I wanted to let you all know that there are three in real life meetups planned for December as of today. Two hosted by the Crave Company and one by Power Chicks. On behalf of the YFE community, thank you to both organizations for having us!

Here are the events where young, female entrepreneurs will be meeting each other in real life… they are coming up soon, so act fast!

BOSTON

Crave Boston Buzz Party
Monday, December 5th from 6-8pm
“Meet the fabulous Jennifer Saphier Whitman, our CRAVE Boston Partner, browse through past CRAVEguides, and learn why you need to join the CRAVE community at this buzz party.”
Cost: Free!
RSVP HERE
CRAVE DALLAS

DALLAS

Crave Dallas Chat
Monday, December 5th from 6:30-8:30pm
“Connect with some of the best and brightest intelligentsia and enhance your network with fabulous new resources!”
Cost: $25 for 2
REGISTER HERE

POWER CHICKS

SEATTLE

Cool Chick Holiday Mixer
Thursday, December 8th from 6 to 8pm
“eWomenNetwork, ChickChat, and The Power Chicks are joining forces to bring our awesome groups of ladies together for a FUN and FAB Holiday Mixer to get us in the Spirit.”
Cost: $30
REGISTER HERE

Planning on attending the Seattle, Dallas, or Boston events? Let us know by commenting below so we can keep everyone in touch! More will be coming out on who your YFE point of contact will be at each event!

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