women with know how november issue 2011

8/3/2019 Women With Know How November Issue 2011

1/36

Amelia Keit

Pretty in the Queen Ci

Fight the Coldand Flu Seaso

with FoodHow to ManageYour Small BusinessComputer Security

November 2011


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From the publisherDear Readers,

As we approach the end of 2011, now is the time to start

planning for 2012.Plan your goals, business and marketing plan.Set a budget for your advertising dollars and request

media kits in publications that serve your target market.

November is also a time to give thanks.I am so thankful to all of you who read Women With KnowHow every month and for all our advertisers. It is becauseof all your support we are able to produce this magazineevery month.

Please let our advertisers you saw them here.

Last month we launched our video feature. Video en-gages the reader and is interactive. Having your videoadvertising gives our readers a great web experience, itincreases click through rates by 200%-400%, drives socialbook marking and commenting, and is highly cost effec-tive. Video also engages the reader and is interactive. Formore information please contact me at mimi@womenwith-

knowhow.com

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Mimi

Mimi ZelmanPUBLISHER


3/363 www.womenwithknowhow.com NOVEMBER 2011

Publisher/President

Mimi L. Zelman

[email protected]

Vice President Marketing

Wendy [email protected]

Design and Page Production

Dustin ShoresChristina de Castroof eSplash Marketing

Contributing Writers

Mary Elizabeth MurphyRobyn CriggerApril Oliver

Cover Photography

by Dustin Shores Photography

For more advertising informationcall Mimi at 704-491-1207

or email her at:

[email protected]

Copyright 2011

Content

COVER

Amelia Keithis Pretty in the Queen City

25

PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT

Tracy Watkins4

How to Manage Your SmallBusiness Computer Security

8

Fight the Cold and Flu Seasonwith Food

12

The Student Loan Bubble:Toil or Trouble

16

Simple, Solid Advice for MegaGrowth

18

Avoid The Holiday Gain by UsingOne Trick

20

Does Doing All the Right ThingsReally Get Women Ahead?

22

Outwitting Pyrrhus28Create a Delicious HolidayMenu

30


4/364

How did you get started in this

business?

I started my business in 2004 afterI had been laid off from BurlingtonIndustries in 2002 where I workedas a plant engineer for 11 years. Ihad a daughter with a diagnosis ofcerebral palsy in 1997 and she wasstarting kindergarten in 2002 and Ineeded a job that would allow meto have a exible work schedule.

I had a friend encourage me totake a few classes to learn how todecorate sugar cookies for cookiebouquets. I had baked growingup and loved art. So it started asa hobby. I was selling my cookiesat the farmers market with anotherfriend who makes specialty breads.My farmers market friend wasdelivering bread to the Dean andDeluca at Philips Place and calledto say they needed some specialtycookies like mine. I brushed it offand did nothing, but she called meagain in two weeks. So I dustedoff my business attire and went tosample my hand-iced sugar cook-ies. I was able to start selling mycookies wholesale to Dean andDeluca at Philips Place at leastonce a month and more during

the holidays. I have been doing sosince that time. I have sold to otherplaces wholesale also since thattime. I have also sold my cook-ies through my website and shipanywhere FedEx can carry them.My husband has always been verysupportive and when he lost his

job in February 2011, it gave usthe opportunity to open our ownbake and coffee shop. We now

have more than just the hand-icedsugar cookies. We offer a widevariety of baked goods from theBouji cheesecakes in 13 avors,to the various cakes, brownies andhouse cookies. The cheesecakesare offered in ve local restaurants.Everything we offer makes a niceselection for any event.

What is your background? what were

you doing before this business?

My background was in engineer-ing. I actually have a degree inelectrical engineering from Clem-son University. I worked for 11years as a project manager andplant engineer. So I supervisedcrews of electricians, carpenters,mechanics, havoc mechanics, etcfor several years as well as handled

million dollar capital projects.

I also worked as a volunteer forseveral years with now EasterSeals UCP of North Carolina invarious capacities. I started outas a parent volunteer, and workedmy way up from president of theJohn and Carol Belk ChildrensCenter parent Group to member

of the state Board of Directors forthen UCP of North Carolina. Be-ing involved with other parents ofchildren with special needs reallyhelped me heal and learn to be-come an advocate for my daugh-ter.

What is a good early story about your

business?

I think the best early story aboutmy business was the one whereGod gave me the push to start sell-ing wholesale to Dean & Deluca.Laleh Dalili was the bakery manag-er at Dean and Deluca at the timeand she was wonderful to give methe opportunity to sell my productto them as a local vendor. I wishthat more companies would do thesame. Even when their corporate

PROFESSIONALSPOTLIGHT

Tracy WatkinsBy Mimi Zelman

Connect and Grow With Women In Our Community


5/36TM5

ofces still has them buy from abig company, if they could still setaside a few dollars to order fromlocal vendors, it would help ourlocal economy so much. Now thatDean & Deluca buys from anothernational company, it feels good tostill be able to do business with

them after 6 years even if it is on asmaller scale.

What is unusual or unique about

your business, in comparison to your

competitors or similar businesses?

What is unique about my businessis that we make cookies and cakeswith our customers events in mind.If you send me an invitation or nap-kin, we can make a cookie or caketo match your theme. I even have

the ability to make a cookie cutterif I cannot nd one to match thetheme. I have made cookie cuttersfor a nutcracker themed party. Ihave made a guitar cookie cutter

for my daughters birthday partywhere the theme was Girls Rock.I have even made a cookie cutterfor the crown of Queen Charlotte.I love creating something newand unique for any occasion fromweddings, birthdays, anniversaries,graduations, baby showers, etc.

Is there a customer experience you

are most proud of?

I would say that all of my customerexperiences are special. I cantthink of one that was better ormore rewarding than the other. Ican say it has been really cool toprovide cookies for weddings andthen actually see them in the ven-ue. But I am proud of all the work Ido, it doesnt matter if the order is

large or small, the same amount ofcare goes into each one.

Do you do any charity or non prot

work?

We do a lot of charity work. Wetry to pace ourselves since we justopened our retail location. Our longstanding charities are Easter SealsUCP of North Carolina, becausethey helped my daughter so muchduring the developmental yearsand Misty Meadows Mitey Riders,

which is a therapeutic horsebackriding program that my daughterhas participated in for 9 years. Werecently participated in the Great

American Bake Sale that wassponsored and organized by GoodEats-Charlotte and beneted ShareOur Strength: No Kid Hungry. TheBake Sale was held at SouthParkMall and lots of other CharlotteBakeries participated to help raiseabout $2500. We also had an of-

fer on Amazon Local where 10%of sales went to the Easter SealsUCP Walk With Me on October 8.We were able to raise $150 withcustomer support. We also helped

www.womenwithknowhow.com NOVEMBER 2011


6/366 Connect and Grow With Women In Our Community

with the Assistance League, Char-ity League and Junior League byproviding various products forevents. We also value to educationof children and parent involvement,so we have provided products ata discount to local PTA for teacherappreciation.

Who are some of your most notable

clients?

My most notable clients are theriders of Misty Meadows Mitey Rid-ers. Each child who rides there hasmade such remarkable progressfrom participating in the program.I probably made my rst specialcookie cutter for the program tomatch their logo. And each yearI look forward to making cook-

ies for the programs bake sale attheir Spring Festival. The owners ofthe farm, the families who partici-

pate and the staff there all touchmy heart. The place is heaven onearth.

What is an interesting story about

a client interaction you had?

One interesting story was when acustomer called for one cookie for

her son so he could ask a younglady out to the homecoming dance.I had dreamed of making the cook-ie gift box that was to ask someoneto marry, or be my bridesmaid, butthis wasnt a request that I hadimagined. It was fun to do and Icouldnt resist. We even packagedthe cookie in a pretty box with aribbon.

What are some of your greatest chal-

lenges in your business?Some of the greatest challengesare keeping balance between time

and money. I think everyone hasthat challenge. Having enoughtime and money to do the things togrow your business. Starting out ishard, scary and exciting all at thesame time.

What would you most like the reader

to know about your journey in busi-ness?

I would like the reader to know thatthis journey is far from over and Iam just waiting for them to comevisit and use our services to maketheir dreams a sweet reality.W

Tracy WatkinsKais Kookies & More

Director, Renew Weight Losswww.kaiskookies.com980-819-8256



FamilyFeatures

So if youre a smallbusiness owner,

here are some

Internet security tips

to help keep yourbusiness running

smoothly.

Photo courtesy of Dustin ShoresPhotography



Protect your growing businesswhen expertise is not on yourside

Its often said that small businesses are the back-bone of the American economy, and it couldlikewise be said that technology is the backboneof any small business especially micro small

businesses, which typically have only 1 to 10computers.

According to a recent survey of small businessowners by Norton, nearly one in three respon-dents (28 percent) identied technology as one oftheir top business priorities, even ahead of reduc-ing labor costs.

Perhaps its eye-opening then that almost six outof ten small business owners (59 percent) admit-

ted to having experienced some sort of malware(malicious software on their computer) in the pastthree years, and half of them (51 percent) had topay an expert to resolve the problem.

So if youre a small business owner, here aresome Internet security tips to help keep your busi-ness running smoothly.

Wi-Fi Security

Public Wi-Fi connections are everywhere, but theisecurity may be inadequate. Internet hotspotscan be a virtual goldmine for cyber vil lains lookingto steal your personal information and drain your

bank accounts.

TipsChange your network conguration to manuallyselect each wireless network it joins.

Turn off le sharing while at a hotspot.

Avoid banking, stock trading, or conducting othersensitive online nancial transactions.

How to Manage

Your SmallBusiness Computer

Security



Phishing Attacks

Phishing masquerades as a legitimate email orwebsite that requests personally identiable infor-mation, like bank account information. When thisinformation is entered, cybercriminals collect thedata and either use it for their own purposes orsell it on the underground market.

TipsKnow the online policies of your online accountprovider. Banks, credit providers and other ser-vices will never ask you to conrm your personaldetails via email.

Make sure the URL of the site linked in the mes-sage matches the name of the company it pur-ports to be from. For example, AcmeMetroBank.com is not the same as my.acme.metro.bank.com.

Never click on a link within an email, IM or socialnetworking site. Instead, type the address intoyour browser.

Firewall

A rewall is a software or hardware program thatprovides a rst line of defense preventing unau-thorized users from accessing your computer ornetwork. Without one, your computer is exposedto any computer connected to the Internet, whichcan invite malware, hackers and other unwantedintrusions.

TipIt is never necessary to disable your rewall whenperforming a download, install, or other onlinetransaction. Choose a modern rewall from atrusted vendor such as Norton that automaticallyallows access to legitimate applications, whileblocking everything else.

The pressures facing small businesses are huge taxes, payroll, hiring, marketing, just to namea few, said Krysten Thompson, director of busi-ness development at Norton (smallbusiness.nor-ton.com), a maker of leading consumer Internetsecurity products. When it comes to technologythat supports critical business operations, easy-to-use security software from companies such asNorton by Symantec is the way to go because

they allow business owners to set it and forgetit..W


11/36



Often when we talk about food we are talkingabout it in regards to weight loss, cravings, cel-

ebrations, that time of the month or having a blue

day. Its true that we talk about food constantly.

Instead of talking about the norm in our food

conversations, I want to talk about how your food

can protect you through the cold and u season.

Its not something we generally stop and think

about or maybe even know.

The u vaccine signs started coming out in Septem-ber. A subtle warning that the cold and u season isapproaching. Statistics show that more people comedown with colds and u during the holiday seasonsthan any other time of the year. Is it the weather? Oris it something else?

Lets breakdown what is happening during this time ofyear. For many families it will start with children goingback to school. Lunchables are being packed or piz-za and fries are being eaten in the cafeteria for lunch.

The school parties start and there are lots of birth-day cakes, candy, sodas and other party food. Thiscarries over to October when we have Halloween..more candy that lasts until Thanksgiving. Thanksgiv-ing is a wonderful family feast of family favorites whichinclude many sweets and desserts. Then we go fullswing into the holiday season of Christmas partiesand party food, sweets, desserts, candy, maybe morealcohol and the stress of keeping up with everything.We are horribly compromising our body and its effec-

tiveness to ght those cold and u germs that comeour way.

Our body has a hard time ghting these germs be-cause we have shut down our immune system. Whenwe eat sugar sweets, candy, desserts, sodas orsugary drinks as well as the amount of sugar thatis found in many of our foods we are suppressingour immune system for up to 6 hours after enjoyingthese foods. Another culprit of that affects us are thefried foods found in fast food restaurants or the goodold southern fried cooking smothered in all kinds of

things. These foods affect our digestive systems. Ittakes a lot of energy for our body to break down thesefoods. This is energy that your body should use toght the u or cold you may have.

We can avoid or minimize the cold and u season bychoosing foods that support our immune system andbody. These foods are high in phytonutrients, antioxi-dants, vitamins and minerals. These arent mysteryfoods. We spend all summer eating salads and fruitsto maintain that swimsuit body. When fall comes, westart putting on more clothes and may not focus as

much on the fresh vegetables and fruits. The FDA andsupporting studies show that eating 8 to 13 servingsof fruits and vegetables per day supports the properfunction of our immune system. Each day you needto continue to eat as many servings of vegetables andfruits as you can.Fresh salads, lightly steamed vegetables, fresh cutfruit or all good choices. Even though the season haschanged there are still many fresh, seasonal choicesavailable.

Fight the Cold and

Flu Season withFood

WELLNESS

By Vickie Bunzey



What foods support our digestive system? If we doget sick and not feel well, pick foods that are easy todigest and allow your body to use its energy to getyou well. Foods easy to digest are lightly steamedvegetables, whole grain rice, clear soups and easy todigest proteins such as sh or very lean meats.

Stress runs high during the holidays as we try to keep

everything organized and running for the family, man-age the parties, plan family dinners, get holiday shop-ping done and attend our family holiday dinner. Aswe know, stress also compromises our body. Here iswhere practicing positive thinking is benecial. Posi-tive thinking also plays a large role on immune health.

A study supported by the American Psychological As-sociation on how optimism is associated with immunefunction, showed that optimism is associated withhigh T cell count and high natural killer cell count. Thismeans that just having a happier, more positive viewon things actually results in a stronger more efcient

immune system. They found that those people knownto be more optimistic had fewer illnesses compared totheir pessimist friends.

And, of course, sleep. You need your sleep.8hours. Night is when your body does its repair andhealing work. If you dont get your sleep, your bodycan not rejuvenate and keep you strong.

Try this soup and add it to your fall and winter menus.

Alicias Magical Healing Soup(by Alicia Silverstone, The Kind Diet)Serves 2

chopped medium carrot chopped medium daikon chopped red onion2 3 chopped celery stalks3-4 broccoli orets4 button mushrooms, sliced2-3 cremini mushrooms, sliced chopped medium leek

Ginger juice to taste (grade a 1 piece of ginger and



squeeze out the juice with your ngers)Shoyu to taste (or a low sodium soy sauce)1 whole scallion, sliced diagonally bunch watercress (discard tough stems)

Optional: Toasted Nori pieces

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add

the carrot and daikon. Reduce to a simmer. Add redonion and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add celery, broccoli,mushrooms and leek. Simmer until the vegetables arecooked through but still slightly rm, about 5 minutes.

Add the scallion and turn off the heat. Serve in bowls.Top each serving with watercress or toasted Nori.

Note: You can make this soup into a miso soup byadding about 2 to 3 teaspoons of miso paste at theend. Dilute the miso with a little soup broth and addit to the soup at the end of the cooking, allowing it tosimmer for about 2 to 3 minutes. W

For more nutritional and weight loss information, Vickiemay be contacted through at 704-995-1951.www.YourBalancedHealthstyle;www.RenewWeightLoss.com

Vickie BunzeyCertifed Holistic Health CoachDirector, Renew Weight Losswww.RenewWeightLoss.comwww.YourBalancedHealthstyle.comwww.SimpleWholeFoodNutrition.com704-708-4437704-995-1951 Cell


15/36TM



As if our nancial system hasnt sufferedenough or caused enough suffering economists worry that more difculties lieahead in the student lending sector. Students,parents and lenders alike are stressed by ris-ing tuition costs, mounting debt and a weakjob market. Will the student loan bubble burstunder the pressure?

For recent college graduates who borrowed heav-ily, these issues may hit very close to home. Federal

loan repayment kicks in a mere six to nine months

after graduation. Loan default, which can damage

your credit report, makes it difcult to purchase a

home, get a job or even nd affordable insurance,

is a very real possibility for many young people. If

youre a new college grad and facing your rst loan

repayment deadline -- or have a child in this situa-

tion -- here are some strategies that can help, even

in tough times like these.

Gather the factsTo meet your debt obligations, you need to know

how much you owe and when its due. Open your

mail and read your loan agreements. While the

numbers may be intimidating, they can also inspire

action. Armed with concrete information, you can

determine how much income you need to meet your

monthly bills and focus your energies on tackling

the challenge. If you have questions or have missed

a deadline, contact your lender immediately.

Explore your repayment optionsBefore your grace period ends, familiarize yourself

with the repayment plans offered on your federal

student loans. With a standard repayment plan, you

are expected to repay your loans with equal monthly

payments over a 10-year period. Under special

circumstances, you may qualify to extend the re-

payment period up to 25 years or make payments

that increase over time as your income increases.

Income-based repayment is a newer option that

caps your payment based on your income and

family size. Under this plan, you may pay less than

10 percent of your income, and if you still owe after

making payments for 25 years, your balance may

be wiped clean.

Keep it simpleWhen you set up your repayment plan, opt for auto-

mated monthly loan payments. Its a convenient ser-vice you can be condent your payments will be

made on time and avoid the temptation of spending

the money elsewhere. Most importantly, you may be

eligible for an interest rate reduction when you sign

up for automatic debit. Ask your lender about auto-

matic debit benets.

Get a job ASAP

The Student Loan

Bubble: Toil or

Trouble

FINANCE

By April M. OliverCFP CERTIFIED FINANCIAL

PLANNER



Though it may be easier said than done in a strug-

gling economy, be realistic about making income

now that youre a college graduate. Backpacking

your way across Europe after may sound like fun,

but think ahead to how it will affect your job pros-

pects and your wallet as your loans come due.

Polish both your resume and interviewing skills. If

necessary, take a job outside of your eld to gener-

ate income as you search for something better. Evenpart time work can help pay the bills.

Delay repayment, if you mustIf you simply cannot manage your student debt,

talk to your lender immediately to determine if your

case warrants special accommodation. You may

also consider other ways to postpone repayment,

as appropriate to your situation. For instance, if

another degree or more course work will improve

your job prospects and future income potential, you

can defer student loan repayment by continuing

your education. Take this course of action with care,as the last thing you want to do is incur more debt

simply to delay repayment. Another way to post-

pone student loan repayment is to join a community

service organization such as Americorps or Teach

for America. These programs provide valuable work

experience and a modest stipend in exchange for

your talents and an automatic extension of your stu-

dent loan grace period.

Tap a nancial expertAs any college student knows, information is power.

Seek the expertise of a nancial advisor who can

help you sort out your nancial goals and responsi-

bilities and create a plan of action. If youre consid-

ering a consolidation loan, an independent eye can

help you evaluate lenders and weigh the feasibility

of payments.

Your hard work will pay off eventuallyIt takes time and effort to eliminate debt. Fortunately,

when youre young, you have time on your side and

energy to spare. Take advantage of the resources

offered by your alma mater, your lender and your

community as you face your responsibilities. With

hard work, discipline and a bit of luck, you can

make good on your loans and capitalize on the edu-

cation you received from your school and from

the valuable experience of overcoming a nancial

hurdle.W

April Oliver, CFPCERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER practi-tionerAdvisor is licensed/registered to do business withU.S. residents only in the states o CA, CO, FL,IA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NY, OR, PA, SC, TN,TX, VA.



How much time do you spend on your job/

business? Forty hours a week? More? How

much more? Do you get much accom-

plished? Do you feel that you are produc-

tive? Successful? If not, you may need to

step back and look at how you are spending

your time and effort.

Too many of us y by the seat of our pants,sitting down at the computer or picking up thephone without having a plan for our day. BIGMISTAKE!!! It is too easy for time to slip awayfrom you, and then little gets accomplished.

It may sound boring to make lists, but it is alsoVERY UPLIFTING when you can check off mul-tiple items on your list or better yet gain newbusiness by organizing your day!

Anyones job should include making or savingmoney for your business. Are you doing that?Why not? If you can identify expenses that can

be reduced, that is money in your pocket (or thatof your employer, which will make him/her VERYhappy!!!).Do you nd yourself getting into a rut of call-ing the same people/clients or sending out the

same message or information? If you think itis boring, your clients are probably saying thesame. There is nothing wrong with copying aclever idea that you see another business doing,though you may want to mix it up a bit. Perhapsyou can meet with fellow business associates

and exchange business and marketing ideaswith each other. If your business target is medi-

um-sized companies, look for different compa-nies/industries, which target the same kinds ofclients and help each other with new marketingideas to try.

Networking is critical for all businesses. If you

have been attending the same networking orbusiness associations for years, you shouldreally do yourself a favor and check out otherassociations. There are tons of business organi-

zations in our metro. Remind yourself of who isyour target audience, and then look for groupswhere these people frequent. You dont needto join them all, but it would be wise to select afew that seem to be a good t. You should also

include some organizations for professionalgrowth as well as ones for business opportuni-ties.

Simple, Solid

Advice for MegaGrowth

BUSINESS

By Robyn Crigger,CEO

Compass Career ManagementSolutions OI Partners Inc.



Robyn A. Crigger, CEO/OwnerOI Partners Inc.-Compass Career Management Solutionswww.compasscareer.comVISIT ROBYNS BLOG --http://transitionalbusinessconcerns.blogspot.com704) 849-2500; FAX (704) 845-2420

Many small businesses have been suffering thepast 2-3 years, and quite a few have closed theirdoors. In order to grow a successful business orbe an employee to help your employer to grow,your time and energy needs to be spent wisely.

Organize your time. When is the best time to callyour contacts? When is a good time to do yourresearch? How much time are you getting out and

networking? Are you making sure to allow timefor follow through? That is so important! Seekout creative thinkers. Experiment with some newideas, and be careful not to waste your time onfutile efforts. If you organize you time and efforts,you will accomplish more within 40 hours! Dont

forget to educate yourself. There is always some-thing new happening in any industry. Are youaware of what your competitors are doing? Doyour homework and start thinking proactively. All of

this will help you to be more successful!W



Pumpkin is in the air. Pumpkin Cook-

ies, mufns, pie, lattes, pancakes...you name it, this season its made with

pumpkin. And I love it. But our waist-

lines dont seem to be in agreement

with our taste buds that we should be

able to eat these things without gain-ing! Ah, but we can. This is the beauty

of math.

Even if you dont like pumpkin avored everything,fall is a season where most people tend to gain.We can blame it on the eating of more tasty baked

goods, our not getting outside as much due toweather, or the fact that our bodies naturally store upfat for colder months, but the bottom line is the same.So are we stuck with this not so scale-friendly out-

come? Not if we take one simply math equation andmake it our friend.

Without getting too complicated by throwing in thingslike glycemic index, glycemic load, ph balance,insulin levels, etc., the bigger picture is that caloriesare numbers. While I would not use this theory for an

overall lifestyle (I would take the above mentionedinto account), it sufces to use it for a couple ofmonths to avoid the extra holiday weight. So what

do we do with these numbers? Simple. We addtheir negative counterpart to them and cancel them

out! Just as 1 + -1 = 0, we can enjoy a deliciousspiced pumpkin latte (380 calorie) and make it like

it never happened by adding to it its negative (380calorie) counterpart (55 minutes of tennis). The twocancel each other out.

However, if we had one of those lattes each day with-out adding its negative counter part, we could gainabout 3 pounds by Thanksgiving! Amazing, I know.

But, we will add our negative counter part and notgain the 3 pounds.

The simple equation or trick that you will usethis season is this. Delicious fall treat (calories)+ Your body in motion (negative calories) = noweight gain. Let me show you some examples:

Delicious Fall Treat: Spiced Pumpkin

LatteCalories: 380

Negative Counter Part: 55 minutes of playing tennis

Suggestion: Drive by Starbucks on your way to thetennis court with your partner. Make it a fun time tosip your drink before you challenge each other to agame.

Delicious Fall Treat: Tasty Pumpkin

CookieCalories: 122

Negative Counter Part: 30 minutes of raking leaves

Avoid The Holiday

Gain by Using OneTrick

WELLNESS

By Sunny Ayala


21/36



Jane C. WoodsChanging [email protected]://www.changingpeople.co.uk/

So goes the provocative title from thelatest piece of research on gender

equality from Catalyst, (a non prot

membership organization for women

in business). Their research is usu-

ally worth reading so I turned to it withinterest.

The Answer is No!In brief, the research concludes that the answer isno, women do not get ahead by doing all the right

things! They studied 3,345 what they called highpotentials, those likely to succeed that had followed atraditional career program after completing a full timeMBA. They chose a group in full time work, without

any breaks etc so as to get as good a comparisonbetween men and women as possible.Men Beneted More

They found that overall men beneted more thanwomen when adopting the recommended strate-

gies for getting ahead. Even when women used thesame career advancement strategies doing all the

things they have been told will get them ahead-theyadvanced less than their male counterparts and hadslower pay growth.9 Classic Strategies for Career Advancement

The report looked at 9 tactics high potential candi-dates used to advance their careers. Over a seriesof 9 posts Ill be looking at the report in bite sized

chunks with tip and hints from Catalyst and me! (You

can sign up for an RSS feed of the blog posts if youwish, top right).WDoes Doing All the

Right Things Really

Get Women Ahead?



COVER



Amelia Keith

When I rst met Amelia Keith I was

quite taken with her grace and style

and she walks her talk.Amelia began a modeling career during herteens, discovering early on her true passionwas behind the camera. Over the years she

has gained experience as an image consultant,talent agent, model/actress and has taught selfcondence/interview skill classes to individualsof all ages.

After continuously being approached by talent

for guidance in the Entertainment Industry, Ame-lia decided to open her own image consulting

rm. In late 2006, she transitioned the companyover to a talent agency. This proved to be a goodmove as Amelia was named a nalist in the 2007and 2008 American Business Awards, hailed asthe business worlds own Oscars by The NewYork Post, in the category of Best CorporateCommunicator and Winner of Best Creative Pro-fessional in 2008.

She is currently the booking coordinator for JenniSchaefer: Speaker,Singer/Songwriter, and Authorof Goodbye Ed, Hello Me (released in Sept 09 byMcGraw-Hill) & Life Without Ed http://www.Jen-niSchaefer.com/

When shes not working on building her upcom-ing organization This is Me...Unedited or book-

ing speaking engagements for Jenni, she is an

avid beauty product researcher and writer, shar-

ing her reviews and experiences on her personalblog PrettyintheQueenCity.Com . She is also a

contributor to the beauty website typeF.com (thenew beauty/fashion website for Tyra Banks) andmost recently the womens site SheSpeaks.com.

Amelia believes inner strength is the key to

reecting individuality and that many ignore their

dreams because of self doubt and the rst step in

succeeding is believing in yourself. If you dont,

no one else ever will.

What is your background-what were you do-ing before this business?For the last eleven years, I have worked in theentertainment business. I began a modelingcareer during my teens, discovering early on

my true passion was behind the camera. Overthe years I have gained experience as an imageconsultant, talent agent, model/actress and havetaught self condence/interview skill classes toindividuals of all ages.

After continuously being approached by tal-ent for guidance in the Entertainment Industry, I

decided to open my own image consulting rm.In late 2006, I transitioned the company over toa talent agency. This proved to be a good moveas I was named a nalist in the 2007 and 2008American Business Awards, hailed as the busi-ness worlds own Oscars by The New York Post,in the category of Best Corporate Communica-

Is Pretty In The Queen City

By Mimi Zelman



tor and Winner of Best Creative Professional in2008.

I was very fortunate to stumble upon the enter-tainment business. I truly enjoyed representing

actors across the world. Having a hand in help-ing others reach their dreams was very fulllingfor me.

What is a good early story about yourbusiness?The best story would have to be how little I knewabout what I was getting myself into. I seriouslythought Id just start a site, blog about some

products I loved and use that as my outlet. I wasin for a rude awakening. There was SO much tolearn (and still is) about the backend of this busi-nesshtml codes, stats, pitches, media kits

etc etc. Lets just say I had some pretty amazingfriends already in the business who gave mefabulous tips on how to get started.right downto choosing the best hosting site for Pretty in the

Queen City.

What are some interesting statistics aboutyour business?The most interesting statistic about Pretty in the

Queen City is that most of my readers are locat-ed outside of North Carolina. I began the site tobring something different to Charlotte and while Ihave readers here, most are in other cities.

What is unusual or unique about your busi-ness, in comparison to your competitors or

similar businesses?

One thing that is unique about me is the factthat I only write about what I love. If I am sent aproduct and dont have a positive experiencethen I just dont write about it. I also personallyreview every product unless otherwise stated ona particular article. I want my readers to know

that they can trust my experience with everythingI write about. Its very important to understandthough, what works for me may not work for youand vice versa!

Do you do any charity or non prot work?Its vital that my daughter grow up in an environ-ment where she learns the importance of giving

back to her community. I strive to be that rolemodel for her. I have worked with a variety oflocal charities/non prots including Dress forSuccess, The Center of Hope and Runway forthe Ballet beneting the NC Dance Theatre. I

Visitwww.prettyinthequeencity.com

Follow me@ twitter.com/prettyintheqc


27/36TM2 www.womenwithknowhow.com NOVEMBER 2011

am also passionate about a wonderful organiza-tion here in Charlotte called The Sandbox whodoes a lot of amazing things in this city as wellas BRAVO! Charlotte (the young professionalsgroup of Opera Carolina).

Who are some of your most notable clients?The one client my readers are most excited

about would be Tyra Banks. I am freelance writerfor her website typeF.com . I also have a vari-ety of clients that have hired me to review theirproducts and/or promote their services includingLaura Mercier, LOreal, Crest, Target, Macys andJewelMint (Kate Bosworth and Cher Coulters

jewelry line).

What is an interesting story about a clientinteraction you had?

I have a very interesting reader interaction. Ihave had multiple people approach me at eventsand knew who I was just because of the lipstickI was wearing. I have a huge love of old Hol-

lywood so I love my red lipstick. I was a Chanelgirl until I was introduced to iMpact color cos-metics-now thats the only red I wear! I have liter-ally had people approach me on more than oneoccasion and say Youre Pretty in the QueenCity! I knew because of your red lips. It alwaysmakes me laugh that Im known for that.

What are some of your greatest challenges inyour business?

The biggest challenge is that I never quit work-ing. As the editor of my own website with a listof other clients I freelance for, theres alwayssomething to do. At any given time, I typicallyhave 15-20 posts to complete for myself and myclients. Most individuals think this line of work iseasy-that we get to sit around and check out the

latest products and write our thoughts. Theres alot more that goes into what we do.

What would you most like the reader to knowabout your journey in business?Dont dismiss all of your random ideas. I wasnever one who could choose just one path orone career. I always have multiple projects goingon. The reason why is because life is short and

in the end, I can say I at least tried. Whether you

fail or succeed, the important thing is that yougive your ideas a shot. You never know where itwill lead. If I had of dismissed the idea of Prettyin the Queen City a year and half ago, I wouldnot be here planning a radio show, a web show,

my own limited edition lipstick etc. My small ideabecame a brand very quickly. Yours can too.

If you could stand up and defend anything,what would it be?I would stand up and speak on behalf of everysingle individual who was ever made fun of orbullied. I am very passionate about embracing

who you are no matter your height, weight, age,ethnicity or sexuality. You are who you are andthat is ok! We all came from a different mom anddad. None of us were meant to be the same.

We arent meant to have the same body type,the same hair style or the same talents. We areall here for a purpose. I dont want children tooverlook that and spend their life trying to live

out the life of someone else or worse feel there isno other option than to end their own life.

Accept yourself. Love yourself. Know that thebeauty you have is not in your physical charac-teristics but in your eyes. The love, compassionand life you have can be seen in your eyes. That

makes you beautiful.

Amelia is full of knowledge on the latest prod-ucts and doesnt promote them till she has triedthem herself. Visit her website regularly for loadsof information on fashion, cosmetics, beautyproducts and more. We all can be pretty in theQueen City with Amelias advise! W

Amelia Keithwww.prettyinthequeencity.comtwitter.com/[email protected]



Pyrrhus of Epirus is probably not high on

your list of memorable world rulers. But

as the commander of the Epirian, Molos-

sian and Macedonian armies, he was one

of the Roman Empires earliest and most

powerful and successful opponents. He

is also the namesake of the Pyrrhic victory, a

victory that comes at the expense of most of

ones resources, both material and human.After losing 13,000 soldiers over half of his

25,500-soldier strong army in two victo-

ries over the Romans, Pyrrhus was famously

quoted as saying, Another such victory over

the Romans and we are undone.

Why the history lesson? Those of you who

have been in the sales game for years know

that it is common and many times helpful

to think of prospects as battles to be foughtand of new clients as hills taken and lands

conquered. There are always situations inwhich it is more helpful to walk away than to

throw all of your resources at one prospect.

Victories, after all, must be worth their cost.

Primary among the costs of war is that of

time and effort. While you sometimes come

across a huge account that would, if won,

be worth several other accounts in terms of

income, this is not the case most of the time.

When you devote the vast majority of your

time and effort to winning a stubborn pros-

pect, you neglect other prospects, your own

company and your current clients. Believe

me, even winning that huge account I spokeof earlier is not worth losing a longtime cli-

ent because you failed to meet their needs

for an extended period of time while working

towards your Pyrrhic victory.

The second major cost of ghting Pyrrhus

style of battle is more personal. It comes at

the expense of your own mental and emo-

tional health. The frustration of battling with

this prospect, coupled with your own exhaus-tion springing from working round-the-clock

on the account, eventually combine to create

that most feared of all war injuries: burnout.

When battling for a difcult account, take

stock of your mental and emotional resourc-

es. Check to ensure that, once youve done

Outwitting Pyrrhus

BUSINESS

By Mary ElizabethMurphy



Mary Elizabeth Murphy,CPCC, ORSCCManaging DirectorS.T.A.R. Resources - Strategic Teams AchievingResultsCreating Environments in which People Want toWork Since 1993

your days worth of work on a new ac-

count, you still have the energy and drive

left to pursue other prospects and tend to

your current crop of clients. If you dont,

you need to consider walking away from

the big sale. While were talking about

current clients, make sure that you check

in often. Dont let current and reward-ing business be a casualty of aggressive

salesmanship, or you may wind up return-

ing victorious to an empty and ruined vil-

lage.W



FamilyFeatures


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Create a Delicius

Hliday Menu

You can host a abulous holiday dinner party

with a guaranteed-delicious menu like thisone, crated by Kendall-Jackson and e BeeChecko.Sweet and Savory Petite Steak Sandwiches set theparty o on the right note. e frst bite o theentre, juicy Pistachio-Crusted Tenderloin withCabernet Sauce, will have guests begging or therecipe. And or the perect ending, oerButtermilk Panna Cotta with Riesling Raisins.


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