Devoted to women of color in business

Did you get your free cone at Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day yesterday? (April 29, 2008?)

I hope you did. My favorite is Coffee Heath Bar Crunch: whenever I get to a Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop I get that on a sugar cone.  Last year, the company gave away more than a million cones from its stores worldwide on Free Cone Day.  Wow!

In thinking about the publicity Ben & Jerry's generated, Free Cone Day is just a small part of the company's outreach to community and its ability to capitalize on its brand as a loyal, family-friendly, salary-capped, organic and eco-friendly company (I know some of you are grumbling that the original owners sold out, but remember, the company continues to donate over a million dollars to charity-- and also gives away significant amounts of ice cream-- every single year).

A free giveaway of your main product may not work for you and your business, but I know you can find something -- even a little something! -- that you may give away as a promotional item or an introduction to your services.

If you're predominantly in services, consider doing some pro bono work for a local nonprofit. If you offer books, software, tapes, or CDs, consider giving some away to people who will help you publicize your work. If you have physical items, find schools or groups who will help promote your product to generate "buzz" about your corporate generosity. You might want to follow Ben & Jerry's example and do an annual day where you focus on your pro bono or volunteer efforts, just for the day.

For some more ideas on sharing, try this link from A Successful Woman:

Business Builder: Give Something Away to Receive Something Back  

 

http://www.benjerry.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_&_Jerry's
 

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Honolulu to attend the annual Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) Hawaii Chapter installation and scholarship dinner, a fun-filled event with honorary guests, a silent auction, lucky raffle tickets, and entertainment. The new chapter president was sworn in at this event, which was graced with the attendance of Honolulu's mayor, Mufi Hannemann.

The event was held at the swanky Sheraton Waikiki, in the upstairs ballroom with about 50 tables of 10 people each. I sat with my host, Claudine Cheng, who gave me a fragrant lei and who introduced me to the various officers of the group. Thanks Claudine!

We had great food (six courses including egg flower soup, duck with taro, sweet and sour fish, and fried haupia -- mmmmm), and great conversation with the people at my table, including the OCA president-elect Susan Chong Wong, city councilpersons Rod Tam (District 6) and Romy M. Cachola (District 7), and the State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism business development program manager Steven R. Lee.

I was definitely impressed with the enthusiasm these guests and all the others raised for the organization: the fundraising from just the lucky ticket sales alone topped $2500.

The Organization of Chinese Americans was founded in 1973 to advance the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) in the United States, and there are currently 80 chapters throughout the country.

[picture of Ginny Gong and Claudine Cheng from ocanational.org] 

The group recently completed a campaign to buy a building in Washington DC to serve as the main center and home for APAs nationwide: OCA is the first organization of its kind to make this kind of purchase. The importance of having a physical structure is very high to Asian Pacific Americans: it signifies that the group has arrived and is here to stay.

OCA plans to start a new Asian Pacific American Policy Institute and to provide other services from the Washington building.

[picture of new OCA building in Washington, DC]

What warmed my heart about this event was the members' emphasis on giving back to the community, especially to young people. OCA Hawaii sends young adults to Washington on a fellowship so they may learn more about how the government works. There's also a new Jessie Cheng Scholarship that sends young people to intern at the city, county, or state level to get a sense of how public service works.

 

I took away two ideas from the dinner:

1)  Being a part of a community helps smooth business connections.

Perhaps you've heard of the term guānxi (wikipedia entry) , which loosely translates into "social capital." The basic premise of this is just like whuffie (SistersinBiz article: Where is whuffie?), where you as an individual operate within a large network of people who help each other with mutual assistance, contacts, and support. In business, personal reputation means everything, and referrals and recommendations are extremely important in some cases.

From attending the dinner, I see the obvious benefits (friendship, connections, business opportunities, charitable giving) that come with being a part of a large network of people. When you tend to others, they tend to you.

2) To whom much is given, much is expected.

The honorees at the dinner were all leaders in business, government, and community organizing. I realized that it's so important to share back with people, groups, and associations who help you along the way. The OCA event honorees were all extraordinarily successful, and they all have the capacity and willingness to give back much in the way of time, treasure, and talent to help support the organization's mission.

I realized that part of the obligation and the benefit of being in a leadership position is you do have the ability to make policy changes or to create a reality out of an idea. I think all of us, especially women of color in business, may strive for even greater responsibility and even more opportunities in whatever situation we find ourselves.

Because of the nature of my work (web development) I get periodic inquiries from offshore companies wanting to know if I'd like to hire them to fulfill the demands of my business.

Here's one such message (a .WAV file from my voicemail):

Listen to file 

If you can't hear it, it's a solicitation message and it's a little bit garbled.

This is the e-mail that came with the message:

<snip>

This is

[name here]*  (*for privacy, I took out any identifying information)

., working for WEBDEVCOMPANY* - a web Solution Company. I visited your company`s website and wanted to inquire whether you would be interested to hire our well experienced web designers or web developers.

Our Company provides efficient web designers & web developers who are equipped with creative minds, fast fingertips, and are proficient in latest technology. We take great pride in our diverse and exciting designs, from simple text and graphics to more intricate designs, we provide you with amazing services at very affordable prices. No matter what your budget is we will give you the absolute best solution to accomplish everyone of your goals. We invite you to browse our website and learn more about our services.

WEBDEVCOMPANY offers reputed companies monthly human resource hiring. We provide you with a team of highly trained professionals who are well experienced in ASP.NET, Web designing, Graphic designing, PHP, MYSQL and much more.
Our resources will do your work with high quality and a very cost effective rate.

You can hire our professionals for $7.27/hr onwards. This cost effective rate does not imply that we compromise with the quality of our work. Please go through the following links and get back to us if you are interested.

We have two different packages which will be suitable for your web solution needs.
</snip>

 (image from the demotivational series at e-forwards.com)

All in all, a pretty standard solicitation message, but it does remind me to revisit my policies on staffing.

When I visited the Philippines a few years ago, I thought it would be good to establish some connections with staffing there: the cost of living is much lower so wages are much lower. However, since then I've come to realize that our customers appreciate the "personalized" touch, the excellent value they have with us, and the ability to interact with us, and they are not willing to sacrifice these (as opposed to going with a cheaper solution, which oftentimes is exactly that: a cheaper, not necessarily better, solution).

In terms of what we offer and what we believe in, I feel good that we are able to hire locally, create long-term relationships with our staff, improve people's lives in our communities, and provide great service to our customers. Hiring overseas wouldn't be in keeping with our values. We may be able to grow much more quickly if we hired offshore, but in the long run I wouldn't feel like we were building a company that was focused on our mission of community involvement.

That said, $7.27 an hour is a bargain for web development work. I know a number of people who follow the "Four Hour Workweek" also hire people offshore as virtual assistants or to help with e-mail, research, or data entry. Offshoring is not just grunt work: there are medical transcriptionists and accountants who are also being hired offshore.

What do you think? Some would say that the money invested in offshore companies means you're increasing the quality of life for a Filipino, or an Indian, or a Russian, in their own country. Some would also say that with a focus on efficiency, you get tremendous amounts of work done for the money paid. After all, this may be no different than manufacturing goods and even foodstuffs in China and shipping them to the United States to sell at a higher profit.

 For now, however, I appreciate having staff that I trust and who I've met and know.

My NAWBO newsletter came in and there were two tax-related points that interested me and which I thought would be of interest for other women business owners.

1) 50% Bonus Depreciation: allows American businesses that buy new equipment this year to deduct an additional 50 percent of the cost of their investment in 2008.

2) Increased Section 179 Expensing: means that a business placing less than $800,000 worth of equipment into service this year would be able to immediately deduct up to $250,000—up from $128,000—of its investment in 2008.

If this is a year of expansion or you've been considering investing in equipment, now would be a good time to take that expense. For example, if you've been leasing equipment or you need to increase your output with a more efficient machine, these rulings will assist you this year.

And of course, here is a list of my favorite business expenses that you'll want to take, if applicable (always ask your tax person for specific advice regarding your situation)

daycare assistance for employee

auto expenses (for company-owned cars/trucks)

membership dues for business organizations

books and magazines directly relevant to your industry

transit passes or parking expenses

company meal plan or business meals with clients

If you have your tax forms available, you might want to check out the IRS's rebate calculator to see how you personally will benefit from the "Economic Stimulus Package": http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/
 
If you're in business, now might also be a good time to  plan when you'll offer a "Rebate Check" sale or some other way to encourage consumers to buy with you (when they receive their rebate)!

Springtime is here! Now is a terrific time to do your inventory of things in your life and your business that you'd like to focus on. It's also a terrific time to get rid of things that are weighing you down, from unproductive staff to unhelpful clients to unnecessary furniture.

Today is the vernal equinox, and as a business, here are five ways you may celebrate:

1) Spring Sale: Offer a discount or springtime special. Are there products in your inventory that have been lagging? Spruce them up and sell 'em off with a "Spring into Spring" sale.

2) Easter Celebration: If your business focuses on children or families, how about offering an Easter special with an egg hunt or egg-dyeing activities? Toddlers and preschool age children (and their parents) are always looking for activities in their neighborhood. Bring in some customers with an Easter Special.

3) For the season, you may compile a list of resources such as part-time job opportunities, nonprofits in your area, or ways that people may volunteer. Encourage your customers to find a way to reach out to others in your community: spring is a great time for rebirth and regeneration, and many of your clients will appreciate the opportunity to focus their energies on helping others.

4) Spring Cleaning List: Offer a drop-off box in your store for customers wanting to do their spring cleaning. They are able to collect some gently-used clothes or useful items around the house and drop them off at your store for you to collect and send to Goodwill or Salvation Army. Offer a discount for people who participate.

5) Springtime Festival: Are there spring festivals, tradeshows, sporting events, or gatherings in your community or industry? Find a way to either support, sponsor, or raise awareness for your company at your local event. You'll increase your brand visibility and make great connections with others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_equinox

 

 Guest Post by Liz Pabon

After working with women entrepreneurs for the past five years, and of course being one myself, I've noticed a common thread the most successful share.

It's what enables them to create massive amounts of income the moment they set their minds to it.

It's what attracts opportunities to them at the speed of light.

It's what makes the difference between wishing for success and experiencing success.

That difference is desire.

Or so I thought...

While desire certainly tops the list of success trait patterns, wanting isn't always enough to get us moving.  Our desire for success can sometimes lead us down a winding road of disillusionment, distress and questioning our ability and direction.  
You see without desire's 'lucky charm' the road to success is like a road with no end in sight.  Try as you might, you can't seem to get to your final destination fast enough.

The real common denominator amongst hugely successful women from all walks of life is sheer, unadulterated will.

Where does will come from?

Some believe it's something you're born with while others (present company included) believe we all possess that ever powerful force…how else can you account for saying no to that last piece of chocolate cake you eyeballed all evening?  They don't call it "will power" for nothing!

And the power generator of will starts in the mind.

What an incredible muscle and tool you possess yet few of you understand and use it fully.  I've certainly been guilty of being asleep at the wheel of my life not tapping into the power of my will to make things happen and instead, dreaming (wishing) and yearning for more; more success, more money, more freedom.

All the success, power, money and freedom you want is within your grasp.  But if you rely on desire alone without combining will, you'll risk wondering how you'll ever get that next joint partnership, or the funds to expand your team.

Your determination combined with your desire to excel is the winning mix that will literally transform your life because your will demands that what you desire come to fruition.

Recognize that you are a glorious, powerful instrument for change (no matter your line of work) and every resource you need to move you to a whole new level of success is lying dormant (or partially used) within you.

When you connect with that force and free yourself from worry or fear you are standing fully in your power and your MavHERick™ spirit.  It takes a connection with this independent, optimistic and courageous part of you to make the shift you need to grow and thrive.  

And along the way, you not only engage with the power you already possess but you inspire heroism, and excellence from others.

Let's use the month of March to collectively join hands and support the MavHERick™ in us all.  I've coined March the MavHERick™ Magic Marathon month.  With each purchase of my book, "The MavHERick™ Mind: How to Win the Battle for Success by Using What You've Got to Get What You Want," I will donate proceeds to the eWomen Network and Women for Hire foundations.  

Your support of this cause will help empower women from all walks of life remember two things: 1) they already possess the greatest power of all... the power of desire and will and 2) they are not alone...

Liz Pabon is an award-winning publisher and author.  To support her MavHERick™ Magic Marathon month movement, visit her at www.mavherickmind.com.

©Copyright 2008 Liz Pabon.  All rights reserved.


About Liz:
An International business coach and brand strategist, Liz's branding and success insights have been featured in the books; Inspiration to Realization Volume III, Power & Soul, publications such as Comstock's Business, and Personal Success magazines.  A columnist for Personal Branding magazine, her advice has been spotlighted on Entrepreneur Magazine Radio and her articles have been published worldwide.
 
A former Media Executive, Liz established her background in marketing communication as a VP of Sales & Marketing at some of the world's leading media publishers.  Having a passion for entrepreneurship, Liz P. Communications was born.
 
As the company's CEO and Branding Maven, Liz specializes in developing brand and business development strategies that help empower female entrepreneurs to connect with their purpose and design profitable businesses that is fueled by spirit, smarts and strategy.
 
Liz enjoys reading, watching classic movies (Hitchcock and anything featuring Doris Day & Rock Hudson are amongst her favorites), spending time with her hunky husband and three "fur" kids. An avid shoe and handbag queen, Liz enjoys adding new items to her court of accessories. On occasion, she lifts weights and has a passion for yoga... you've got to be fit to strut in those shoes!

The Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia recently out with a report on African-American buying power, (link to 2006 PDF and link to 2007 press release) which points out that by 2011, the combined buying power of African-Americans, Asians and Native Americans will be $1.8 trillion, with African Americans accounting for about $1.1 trillion of that.

This past year, the report states that African-Americans spent $845 billion (as a group this is as large as the tenth largest country in the world in terms of Gross Domestic Product).

Jeff Humphreys, director of the Selig Center and the report's author, says "In 2007, the Hispanic consumer market in the United States is about the same size as Mexico's entire economy -- in terms of its GDP. The same can be said for the size of the African American consumer market. And I'm becoming convinced the Asian market in America is reaching the point of critical mass, where their economic clout in a number of urban markets is going to create great opportunities for businesses to pay attention to their needs."

For your own business, now is a great time to address this trend in terms of your marketing, outreach, and product development. The nation's largest consumer markets in 2006 were California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, and Virginia. Companies and business owners based in those states will benefit from substantial rates of increase in minority spending, so what's your plan to address these trends?

 

When I was in Oakland, friends looking to get their hair done would mention how most businesses and products catering to African-Americans would be Korean-owned. There exist great opportunities for those of you who are interested in targeting a niche market with your products. Forbes recently put out an article on the rise of demand for natural hair products tailored to "ethnic" hair, citing the rise of companies who serve women who are going natural and not relying on chemical straighteners or "relaxers."

Some ideas as you plan for success in reaching minority markets include:

1) working with a marketing coordinator who knows specific markets and can either translate or help you make  appropriate  statements in your advertising

2) hiring more diverse staff to bring their viewpoints to your company's knowledge base.

3) taking time to understand census data for your geographic area, as well as national and international trends in your industry. www.census.gov

4) offering translations of your materials, or offering multi-lingual tech support or even a translation widget on your website: Google and Babelfish offer simple plug-ins

5) establishing an "idea group" or committee to research, predict, and brainstorm on how your company will communicate with your expanding market: tap the potential of your current employees or advisors

6) highlighting diverse individuals in your stock photography: use an Asian-American female model for a picture that would typically show a white male

7) identifying ways you may convert your products or create new products that serve the diverse needs of different consumers. Band-aids don't come in just "pink" anymore: they come in all colors and also have cartoons, too! 

According to the data, your business retains a competitive advantage if you reach out to and "capture" the minority consumer market first.  I'm curious to hear your suggestions, too. 

During times of recession or when there's a potential slippage into recession, most women in business become extremely concerned about jobs and their ability to continue operations as usual. Minority women face particular challenges because many of us are in startup, micro, or newly-expanding mode: we might have additional vulnerabilities as we grow our businesses.

If you're not affected by massive layoffs or the impact of international trade, this upcoming recession may not hit you as much as someone who fears for their job security or is challenged by rising import/export prices.

With the latest $159 billion economic stimulus plan currently before the Senate, potential tax cuts and stipends to families will children means many Americans will benefit from an additional $300 to $1200 in their pockets in the form of rebates, come May 2008.

Where does this money come from and how are they coming up with it?

The bulk of Americans' taxes go to defense and war efforts and paying down our debt. Check out how your US tax dollars were allocated here:

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/taxchart 

If you, like me, run a small business, you know how to budget and you are very interested in how your gross monthly receipts are being allocated and how you may increase your efficiency.

 

Unfortunately, the federal government sometimes shows much less foresight, caution, and prudence: if it weren't for our very costly war and the debt we continue to make payments on (where the notes are held by China and the Middle East), we may actually have a surplus instead of our trillion-dollars debt.

US Office of Management and Budget:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2008/

Download the mid-session review and projections (PDF)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2008/pdf/08msr.pdf 

The stimulus plan may be a quick and easy temporary solution, but our biggest issue ahead is generating more U.S.-based small business growth, increasing economic self-sufficiency here at home, massively increasing our gross domestic product, and reducing the percent of expenditures that go towards our military.

As it is, we may be getting $300 now, but we're leaving a crushing, burdensome debt to our children. 

In America, mass marketers send out 19 billion catalogs each year: that's 170 to each and every U.S. household. This use of paper is astounding, and consumers frequently have difficulty trying to get off mailing lists, especially since their names are sold multiple times.

 The new project Catalog Choice http://www.catalogchoice.org helps: this free service allows you to opt-out of catalog mailings. It's my next favorite tool after the National Do Not Call Registry https://www.donotcall.gov where you may take yourself off telemarketer phone lists. 

When you participate in CatalogChoice.org:

"You benefit by reducing mailbox clutter, and the amount of time you spend sifting through unwanted mail.

Your participation benefits merchants, lowering their cost of distribution and helping them better target their market.

Your participation as a member of the Catalog Choice community collectively promotes the use of best practices in the direct mailing industry.

Your participation as a member of the Catalog Choice community will collectively make a huge positive impact on our environment, as together we reduce the energy consumed, the carbon emissions, and the lost forests resulting from the current annual production and discarding of more than 19 billion paper catalogs."

Furthermore, the service is free and easy to use.

The services is a sponsored project of the Ecology Center and endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Defense Council, and funded by the Overbrook Foundation, the Merck Family Fund, and the Kendeda Fund.

 

As an employee, your position and security within your company totally depends on a number of factors like your reputation, your work ethic, even if the boss likes you as a person or not.

Because so many employees are dedicated to their place of work, and so many owners and corporations are dedicated to keeping their employees happy, productive, and contributing to the bottom line, many different types of incentive packages are being added to the mix.

These include programs beyond health insurance and health savings accounts and moving into employee stock ownership plans, paternity leave, and the latest, "heartache leave" which businesses like the Tokyo-based Hime & Company use to "allow staff to cry themselves out and return to work refreshed."

Sick leave is often used by employees to coverdays when someone just is not feeling like they're able to come into the office (this is why many larger companies are investing in gyms, physical fitness, and health and wellness programs to boost employees' attitude and energy levels). However, if someone is bereaved, totally unhappy, or has their mind a million miles away, they probably won't be effective in the workplace.

All workers desire a good balance between their work, their family, their personal needs, and their outside time. If heartache leave allows an employee to stay with a company, remain productive, and find balance, I think it would be a good idea.

Some companies offer other options like flex time, an option to work from home, four-day workweeks, and other ways to work around people's busy schedules.

My sense is that if a worker gets a job done in an efficient manner, in the time allotted, then that worker deserves good treatment. A worker also deserves rewards, bonuses or commissions based on their ability to contribute to the profit of a company by finding solutions, identifying issues, or fixing broken processes.

This year, what types of employee policies is your company putting into place? If you're self-employed or the owner, I also encourage you to also consider applying policies that you would offer to any employee and make sure to give them to yourself!