This article by Nellie Akalp tells us what we already know about women entrepreurs: they are thriving in the new economy and this is why: Read More

"Jen, I've just started my own business, do I need Professional Indemnity Insurance? And where do I get it?"  As it happens I received two separate emails this week asking about Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance, so maybe it's been in the news lately? Well anyway, if you're thinking about starting your own services business, this is something you should consider.   Read More

I'm often asked "wouldn't there be more women at the top of the food chain if they'd all just help one another?"  Some of you will know that I've long held a view on The Rapunzels and The Ladderkickers (The Rapunzels are the ones you want to work with)... and last week I had the chance to meet a whole new gathering of (male and female) Rapunzels at the Head Over Heels pitch night.   Read More

TiE Sydney, a not-for-profit organization supporting entrepreneurs, has announced a pitching competition for women to be held on March 2, 2011 at the Sydney Hilton Hotel at 6.00 pm. The prize for the most innovative start-up idea and business plan is a return ticket to India to attend TiECON, a leading annual entrepreneurship event, in 2011.  Entries close February 25, 2011.   Read More

In Part 1 last week we looked at both the obvious and not-so-obvious benefits of being involved in a Mastermind group.  Today we’ll look at how to set up and run an effective Mastermind. The ideal size of a Mastermind ranges from four to nine members: any more than that can be hard to manage and hard for everybody to fully participate. Ideally the group would meet in person, but it is possible to conduct a Mastermind group remotely. However, one thing is constant - the members of the group make a commitment to attend regularly and to contribute to each others' success. Read More

You've probably heard the old expression that “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. This concept proves itself over and over with the exponential power of the Mastermind Group.  The idea of a mastermind collective was first mooted in Napoleon Hill's classic Think and Grow Rich. Hill wrote, "No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind." Read More

Thank you to Sara Lucas who posted a comment on yesterday’s blog about The Tory Burch Foundation launched in the USA to support women entrepreneurs.  In response to my question on whether something like this would fly here in Australia, Sara posted information about Heads Over Heels, a new organisation founded in Australia earlier this year with the express purpose of supporting high growth female entrepreneurs.  Since its launch 6 months ago, the Head Over Heels team has already delivered high impact outcomes to its 6 portfolio companies, with astonishing results. Read More

Tory Burch understands the power of small business: having grown from a 2-person-show to a to a company of almost 700 people, in seven years ago, she believes that small businesses are the backbone of the economy. They create 75 percent of new jobs and Burch believes small business is the solution to the 22 million people currently unemployed in the U.S.  Read More

If you are looking to advertise to powerfully connected women, I can tell you as a networking nut from way back, there is no better opportunity to make sure we know and love your products and company then to give a sample at Ascend.If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend an Ascend Development Day, firstly you should. Now, before the early bird discount ends this week.

The Wall Street Journal has recently posted an article on the pertinent question – why are women-owned firms smaller then male ones? When you consider women have been starting their own businesses in ever-increasing numbers for over 30 years now, at twice the rate of male stared businesses.  Read More