On BNET I just found this great short interview by Brad Howarth with Emanuel which offers a glimpse of the Napoleon story including growing a business locally and then taking it global – not an easy feat particularly during the GFC.   If you have a spare 12 minutes it is well worth viewing particularly if you are a business owner or looking to start your own venture.

The Financial Times ranked the IE Business School as fourth best in the world this year for “Executive Education – Open Programs”, following only behind the Harvard Business School, University of Virginia (Darden) and IMD, Switzerland.

The three (English-speaking) program options where half-scholarship applications are invited from qualified women in our Expat Women network are as follows:

1. Advanced Management Program (AMP) Blended http://execed.ie.edu/altadireccion/ProgramasAltaDireccionDetalle.aspx?id=1248
> This program is aimed at high-potential directors in transition towards the top executive level and at entrepreneurs who are currently launching a new project. Work focus should be clearly international.

First In-Class Module: 15 – 22 February 2010
Intersession Online Module: 29 February – 8 May 2010
Second In-Class Module: 17 – 25 May 2010

2. Advanced Management Program (AMP) Intensive

http://execed.ie.edu/altadireccion/ProgramasAltaDireccionDetalle.aspx?id=1238

This program is aimed at managers and entrepreneurs who are preparing themselves to make the transition to general management or broader responsibilities. They would bring to the program over 10 years of experience in management.

In-Class Module: 1 – 23 July 2010

3. Global Senior Management Program (GSMP)

http://execed.ie.edu/altadireccion/ProgramasAltaDireccionDetalle.aspx?id=1250

> This is a joint program with the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

http://www.chicagobooth.edu/

The program is aimed at members of the Managing Committee and Administrative Councils, presidents, company owners, managing directors, vice presidents, negotiations directors, country managers and other senior managers, whose responsibilities are strategic affairs within their companies, whose focus is clearly international and who each would bring to the program over 15 years of experience in senior management.

First In-Class Module: 16 – 21 May 2010 (Chicago)
Intersession Online Module: 24 May – 19 June 2010
Second In-Class Module: 20 – 25 June 2010 (Madrid)

Full tuition fees for these programs range from €16,900 – €18,900. So, half-scholarships range in value from €8,450 to €9,450.

This is a fantastic opportunity for professional (expatriate and non-expatriate women) to apply.

The deadline for Expat Women network scholarship applications is: 30 November 2009.

All enquiries and applications should be directed please to Yvonne Sanchez (Yvonne.Sanchez@ie.edu), Associate Director of Top Management Programs at IE Business School.

Kelly Magowan, CEO and co-founder of Six Figures said that “we are delighted the site has been acknowledged by the market for the value it delivers to both advertisers and job seekers. We set out to evolve the job site model by offering a high quality service to discerning advertisers and high income earners wanting more than a transactional and hit and miss experience. Our members are amazingly talented and our advertisers are enjoying being able to access this untapped resource of Australia’s best passive talent.”

To read more visit the Six Figures Blog or Flossie

Here are six easy steps to negotiating your next pay rise:

Step 1. Don’t wait to be offered
Step 2. Talk yourself up
Step 3. Learn about salary negotiation
Step 4. Practice makes perfect
Step 5. Value yourself
Step 6. Putting it all together

Read the full article on the Cosmopolitan Website ‘Show Me the Money”

In an article in the NY Times, ‘Blue Is the New Black’ it seems that while women start their lives more fulfilled than men, as we age and achieve more women become less happy, whilst men get happier as they get older.  Woman are taking on more in all aspects of their lives and men are playing a greater role in helping care for the family and doing the housework, so the argument of women carrying all the domestic responsibilities has dwindled. With this change, we are also seeing men relieved of some of the financial pressure that they once carried as the breadwinner.  As one of the interviewers clearly articulates “Choice is inherently stressful,” and “And women are being driven to distraction.”

This is an interesting article for both men and women, demonstrating the dramatic shifts in society when it comes to the world of work and the positive and negative impacts it is having, particularly on women.

The secret to happiness according to Schwartz is having low expectations!

What are your thoughts?

Equal Pay Day

Census statistics released in 2008 show that the gap between men’s and women’s earnings changed by less than one percent from 2006 to 2007, narrowing only slightly from 76.9 to 77.8 percent.

Here are the facts:

* Women working full-time, year-round in Australia are paid only about 83 cents for every dollar earned by men
* Lower wages mean less lifetime earnings for women giving the a lifetime of fewer choices
* Some women in CEO and finance positions earn less than half of their male equivalents
* The pay gap for women key management personnel is on average 28.3%, 11% higher than the national average gender pay gap
* The average superannuation payout to a woman is projected to be $150,000, that’s half of the average payout to a man in 2010-11
* The 17% gender pay gap is a national average that opens up to over 30% in some industry sectors
* Pay inequity reveals systemic discrimination and continued under-valuation of women’s work
* Equal pay for women raises family income which means more money to spend on food, housing and child care
* Single mothers and working families lose thousands of dollars annually to the wage gap

To find out more about Equal Pay Day and to get involved visit the Equal Pay Day Site.

Or to join the Equal Pay Day Rally on 1st September with BPW, 1.00pm Corner Bourke and Elizabeth Streets, Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne, In front of the GPO

In the past few months I have discovered the force of finance expert Suze Orman who is regarded by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Not sure where I have been (I suspect at work) as Suze is a regular on the Oprah Show, has written books, is on radio has her own show and much more. She is definitely an inspirational women who is focused is on educating women about money. She has a top selling book ‘Women and Money’ which highlights the need for women to take financial control, not just for the dollars however also for the sense of self.

Suze advocates many sensible money practices, such as ensuring you have a cash reserve aside for emergencies, paying off your credit card and also being willing to ask for a pay rise and enter into salary negotiations. This is an area that women can really develop very easily through education and practice. Download the Free Six Figures Salary Negotiation Guide for Women to help you get started. It is never to late to start learning about negotiation.

Suze also explores financial management for women in business, and not being afraid to raise your prices. Also be willing to negotiate with service providers and paying yourself first. I myself have seen this and done this in business where you pay everyone but yourself and often you get paid last or not at all. To have a viable business and a sense of self your business must be able to pay you first. So while many of you may be thinking that given the GFC it is not the right time to look to become more financially empowered, the opposite is true. Now is the time to start your financial management plan and to start taking care of your financial present and future.

ANYONE who has a hot online business idea and wants to make money online!

If you’re just not sure how to get started, this event will help you network with inspiring mentors and companies that are focused on helping you launch your business!

Who will be attending?

As you know, all our events feature a host of dynamic divas who form a panel and Q&A session, and our Melbourne event is no exception.

We can confirm that we will have four expert Online Divas speaking at our
event:

1)    Lisa Taliana from http://www.talianadesign.com.au

2)   Kate McKibben from http://www.dropdeadgorgeousdaily.com

3)   Kate Vandermeer from http://www.ispystyle.net

4) Amber Jones, PayPal

–PayPal offers seminar to the Diva Community–

Learn how to:

1) Make money online with PayPal’s expert advice

2) How to convert traffic to paying customers in 3 simple steps

3) How to retain customers and keep them coming back to your website

This is a very special offer ladies – Our Official Online Divas Sponsor, PayPal is hosting an exclusive ‘How to make money online seminar’ at our Melbourne event.

Cost?

$49 per ticket – this includes cocktails and canapes!

Contact us?

email:hollie@onlinedivas.com.au

or call the Pearl Office (02) 9331 1078 or

m.0416 430 385 (Hollie)

I don’t normally write about beauty products as it is clearly not my domain. My skills, expertise and experience are focused on careers and financial management. However I think the topic of beauty products does however fit with poor and good financial management!

Given the amount of businesses, websites, forums, magazines and so on focused on beauty and beauty products it is hard to ignore the subject of beauty. Particularly the amount that is spent (mainly by women) on so called miracle lotions and potions!  I myself have been skeptical of expensive moisturizers and so on and stick to the basic and cost effective brands. My view being that a good diet, sleep, exercise, water and a positive outlook on life is just as likely to keep you looking good as any of the expensive creams on the market. Also, I suspect it has something to do with genetics as well, which no product can alter yet!

My view was confirmed last week when I had a great chat with a friend of a friend who worked in marketing for a pharmaceutical company that made various creams. All the scientific research seems to show that an Oil of Olay face cream for under $20 is just as good as a Lancôme face cream for $120+. It is all in the packaging and marketing of these products. The promises of younger looking skin, less wrinkles, smoother skin and the like! Expensive packing and advertising clearly works – these companies make billions making us feel inadequate about how we look. 

Realistically all you can be guaranteed is that expensive lotions and positions will work no better than the cheap ones. The only difference being you will have wasted a $100+ each time you make a purchase if you opt for the more expensive option.  If you total all those ‘expensive products’ you purchase up each month, if you invested this money, you can only imagine the returns on your day cream, night cream, eye wrinkle cream, cleanser and so on.   You may have enough for a lovely holiday, to purchase some shares, further educate yourself or your children,  or potentially over time a deposit for a house.

Clearly life is to be enjoyed, and if you gain a lot of enjoyment from expensive purchases that is also fine. However if you have big dreams and ambitions, it makes sense to be money wise, as the long term benefits will be very enjoyable and hopefully will keep on giving as you invest your money wisely. With expensive lotions and potions, the fun and giving is gone once the jar is empty!

We all fall for the lure and promises that clever marketing and advertising deliver.  I myself have and no doubt will continue to,  however sometimes I check myself and as a result end up saving hundreds of dollars each year, which I put to long term investments that will keep on giving!

Share your thoughts about expensive lotions and potions versus the more basic products. Are you someone who has always been skeptical of the expensive products or do you advocate them and their benefits? Perhaps you have a different view on the topic completely.