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April 29, 2010

Interview Tidbit - Amy Voloshin of Print Fresh









(samples from their vintage archive)










On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!

To kick off our first Philadelphia interview day, we visited Amy Voloshin at Print Fresh. This amazing company designs prints and textiles that are then sold to all sorts of stores - ranging from department stores to Anthropologie for them to use in their clothes and fabric products. It was awesome to see their offices, which included a design room, screen printing room, and vintage fabric archive!

Aside from serious envy about this very cool job, here are a few things we walked away with:

Amy - I found it so heartwarming that Amy feels she is working in her dream job because she is creatively fulfilled - and that this self created "dream job" is her deliberate act of creating work that works best for her!

Adelaide - Relinquishing control is a challenge for most entrepreneurs, but I was struck by how comfortably Amy began hiring people right from the beginning. She has and is considering many growth options for the firm and she knows that each of them require getting the right talent at the table.

Thank You, Amy!

- Adelaide & Amy

April 28, 2010

Save the Date - Field Trip to LILLA P showroom May 26th 3-5pm





















We have wrapped up yet another interesting month of inFOCUS.

So far we have taken a behind-the-scenes in-depth look at
Selia Yang, Meredith Barnett, and Bottlerocket.

Next up?


Pauline Nakios of LILLA P.

For more than a decade, New York based fashion line LILLA P has developed a coveted market niche by taking fashion’s most iconic creation, the classic cotton tee shirt, and flirting with its styling, construction, and fit. Built around a modern rethinking of that iconic silhouette, Lilla P has grown into a busy Meatpacking District design studio with a devoted retail following for expertly tailored knitwear.


Both hilarious and sharp - Pauline is not to be missed!


Join us for a private gathering at her showroom. Pauline will be talking about her story, the brand, its history and future, and lessons learned along the way.


WHEN: May 26th, 3-5pm
WHERE: LILLA P showroom - address will be provided
RSVP: igcrsvp@gmail.com


In the meantime, you can follow them on Facebook and watch our blog for snippets of our conversations with Pauline.


April 27, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Frances Lappe




(Frances pictured with her daughter Anna)







On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!

Frances Lappe has been hailed by Gourmet magazine as one of the 25 people who have changed the way we eat. Frances was writing and teaching about the impact of our food choices on our health, economy, politics, and humanity long before it was in vogue. She wrote the revolutionary book Diet for a Small Planet more than 20 years ago and since then has been waiting for the rest of us to catch up with her. We were honored to have the opportunity to speak with her.

Aside from gratitude and awe, here are a couple of things we left thinking about:

Adelaide - I was amazed by Frances’ ability to continually create new solutions and alternatives when the existing options didn’t appeal to her. Completely unsatisfied with contributing an ounce less than she possibly could, Frances’ entire career has been about creating opportunities for her and others to make necessary changes in the world. Over the years she has leveraged several formats and outlets including books, foundations, speaking, writing, and community building. I am in awe of what one person can do.

Amy - I was so intrigued by her mantra that it is "not possible to know what's possible". It was clearly her way of channeling fear as energy. Besides it is a wonderful statement that in many ways defines and fuels entrepreneurship.

Thank you, Frances!

- Adelaide & Amy

April 26, 2010

Book Learnings: Entrepreneur is a thorny word









(image courtesy of leaping gazelle)










When we set out to interview women for this book we were hoping to see examples of the 8 themes that we are going to write about in the book. These themes illuminate various aspects of growing a business or what we have referred to as best practices in the business of building your business.

So far, after interviewing more than 33 women (business owners) we have found incredible examples of how different women have addressed the process of growing their business. In addition, we have been able to hear how thoughtful and deliberate they have been in structuring their business in a way that makes sense for them.

We have been sharing many takeaways as we have been going along in the form of “Interview Tidbits” and will of course share more lessons in the book.

Along the way, however, we have frequently been asked what has been surprising about the interview process? What have we learned?

Many things have begun to stand out, and they feel worthy of sharing. One thing in particular is women’s relationship to the word entrepreneur.

We have discussed repeatedly the need to expand the definition of an entrepreneur. We have made calls for more women to use the word because in our minds it seems like they should give themselves the credit they are due!

However, it is quite clear that many if not most of the women we have talked to so far don’t identify with the term entrepreneur and have reactions such as:
"it's so corporate"
"I picture men in a suit"
“it seems too tech-y or startup-ish for me”
"I am not on a high growth fast track"

This is coming from women who are clearly enterprising, often pioneering, and who are running profitable and long-standing companies! Many have employees.

Nevertheless, they often prefer to think of themselves instead as small business owners, or according to their trade (designer, consultant, engineer, etc).

We also put out the question “When did you start considering yourself an entrepreneur?” through HARO and received more than 50 interesting responses that in essence ranged from always to never.

This all really begs the question of the importance or relevance of expanding the definition. Should we be emphasizing a word or term that doesn’t feel reflective or appropriate?

We are also aware that we aren’t the only ones talking about this.

In Rework, Jason Fried’s new book, he calls for the retirement of the word entrepreneur because it is outdated, limiting and not descriptive enough for many of the ventures and enterprising folks out there.

True. It is quite difficult to come up with one definition that encompasses all the various permutations and ventures that seem entrepreneurial.

On the other hand, Scott Belsky in Making Ideas Happen encourages more people to consider themselves entrepreneurs, because as he says, "It is your responsibility to make your ideas sustainable. For an idea to thrive over time it must be treated like an enterprise."

Also true.

Overall, we are reserving judgment for now, but are excited to continue the conversations.

What do you think? Time to go? Time to expand?


- posted by Adelaide Lancaster & Amy Abrams

April 25, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Sarah Endline of SweetRiot








On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!

SweetRiot has been an amazing brand to watch grow over the last several years. It not only has a unique product but a tremendous social mission. We were excited to share some time with Sarah Endline, one of several social entrepreneurs that we are interviewing.

Aside from some yummy treats, here are a few things we walked away with:

Adelaide- I was inspired by the amount of passion that Sarah clearly has for both her business and her mission. She was determined to be a social entrepreneur early on which has clearly shaped the feel, growth, trajectory and soul of the business.

Amy- I was struck by a great phrase that Sarah used when speaking about the importance of connecting with a community. In her case, she spoke of her community of entrepreneurs, many of which are friends but said the attraction was based on an “entrepreneurial chemistry”

Thank you, Sarah!

- Adelaide & Amy

April 23, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Noha Waibsnaider of Peeled Snacks






On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!

We have known of Peeled Snacks practically since its launch and it has been terrific to see it grow so much over the years. We had a great time on Noha's office roof deck (ooh-la-la) talking about her journey!

Here are a few things that were on our mind when we left:

Adelaide- I was impressed by how resource Noha has been in acquiring research and data and feedback. Customers and supporters have really help to determine what is on the shelf and the way it is presented. Noha has been open to hearing feedback and new ideas even when they haven’t matched up with her original plan. And it has paid off! Many of their best-selling products have come from customer suggestions.

Amy- I was impressed by her thoughtfulness around making charitable contributions that had a lasting impact. Instead of just giving donations, they established a partnership with the American Farmland Trust which helps to increase support to farms in the US.

Thank you, Noha!

- Adelaide & Amy

April 21, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Grace Bonney of Design Sponge







On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!

Being a total home decor and design junkie, Adelaide was particularly excited to meet Grace Bonney the creator of Design*Sponge. It was also quite cool to meet at her apartment and see so many of her creative ideas in action - and to meet her two feline office mates!

Here's just a couple things we walked away thinking about:

Adelaide- It was interesting to learn that design*sponge began not as a business aspiration but as a way to gain experience and score a print editorial job. A lot has changed since 2004! It has not only become a business of its own, it has opened up lots of other opportunities including a book!

Amy- I was struck by Grace’s commitment to her vision of the company. She was clear that it was important to her not to forget the reason that she started the company and that she felt her company would lose authenticity if she made decisions for others.

Thank you, Grace!

- Adelaide & Amy

April 19, 2010

Consider leaving work at 3:15 - after all, that may be all you are paid for!















Women across the country will be walking out of work at 3:15 tomorrow, after completing only 78% of their work day.

This awareness-raising campaign was arranged by NOW (National Organization for Women) to commemorate Equal Pay Day (which is tomorrow, April 20th).

Since women on average still only make 78 cents on the dollar, NOW is encouraging women to take a stand and for just one day to show employers that you get what you pay for.

The lifetime impact of this pay disparity is devastating on many front, particularly for women's financial security and stability.

Read the data about the impact and reality of unequal pay here.

Though it is a bit difficult to walk out of work when you work for yourself, we support NOW and want to call attention to this very important issue.

Not just because we believe in the principles of equal pay but also because we believe that pay disparities have a direct impact on women's ability to become entrepreneurs or self-employed and to properly capitalize a business should they want one.

We are seeing more and more women leave the corporate ranks to strike out on their own only to again experience less financial security and bring in smaller earnings.

We know how bleak the average revenues are for most women business owners (and have written about it before) and we know that women business owners typically start with less capital and experience a higher turnover rate then male entrepreneurs.

In our minds it is clearly a problem that has wide and serious reverberations.

So, help raise awareness about this issue. Consider leaving work tomorrow after 78% of your work day. Reflect on the impact of pay disparity in your own life and in the companies that you work/ed for. Spread the word and support Equal Pay!
posted by Adelaide Lancaster

April 18, 2010

Bottlerocket: Part 3, chief cook and bottle washer










Another installment for our inFOCUS Bottlerocket series!

In addition to our introduction to Bottlerocket, we have talked about the back story and how Tom went about tackling the problem he wanted to solve.

We then turned our attention to one of our favorite topics: role.

We are always curious about how entrepreneurs choose to spend their time. What responsibilities do they give themselves? What is their job description? We asked Tom about his role at Bottlerocket:

"The entrepreneur's job is always 'chief cook and bottlewasher.'

In the beginning, all of the forward momentum of the business had to come from me. I had the idea, the vision and the desire. But I also had to learn a new business from scratch, and move a lot of balls forward simultaneously. Before you open any new business, you have legal issues, branding issues, real estate, software and systems, and a host of other challenges. It's a steep learning curve for most entrepreneurs at this early stage.


After the door was opened, in addition to selling wine to new customers and making sure their experience was excellent, I then had to focus on creating systems and procedures to make our business run smoothly, efficiently and excellently. I have been extremely fortunate to work with a very talented team, both outside experts and staff, who have helped me take everything that we do to a higher level. But this work continues nearly four years later. There are always ways for us to improve our business. And there will always be new opportunities to be identified and captured.


Today, in addition to hiring, training, paying bills, dealing with whatever the fates may deliver in a particular day, constantly revising our strategy and operations, and the seven thousand other jobs I juggle, I am focusing on expanding our operation to new locations.


The adventure continues!"


To find out where Bottlerocket is heading, join us on Wednesday evening for a special IGC talk, tasting and tour.

Interview Tidbit:: Emily Powell of Powells Books






On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!

As complete book lovers, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to connect with Emily Powell, the woman soon to take the helm of Powells Books.

Here are a few things that stuck out from our terrific conversation:

Adelaide- I was really struck by a metaphor Emily used about “firing bullets, not cannons”. She used this to describe their continual experimentation and recalibration efforts. It is clearly important to Powell’s to be invested in a process of continuous improvement. With open eyes and ears they are always asking, “how can we do this better?”

Amy- It was very interesting to me that Emily spoke of connecting with a few different groups of entrepreneurs to get support. She cultivated specific communities (women CEO’s, retail groups, e-commerce group) and was clear that one group was never enough and that affiliating with several groups afforded many outlets for her as an entrepreneur.

Also, I was thrilled to hear that she is inspired by retail stores that are sell products that are very different than books. That these stores are a source of inspiration to her and she brings ideas from her store visits back into the business by shopping (a girl after my own heart).

Thank you, Emily!

- Adelaide & Amy

April 16, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Darla Cohen of Fork in the Road












On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!


We originally met Darla Cohen, of a Fork in the Road, through a blog post she wrote on her husband, Jason Cohen’s blog. The post was about business growth and we quickly crafted a supportive reply on our own blog. It was a pleasure to get to learn more about her and her story.


Here were just a few takeaways from our very interesting conversation:


Adelaide- Our conversation was a good reminder of how important it is to consider how your business fits into your life. Darla is a great example of how clarity around your goals helps you to craft a business and work life that makes you happy and satisfied.


Amy- Despite being steeped in a culture of high-tech entrepreneurship, Darla still recognized her own validity as a small business and entrepreneur and found the right path for her and her business.


Thank you, Darla!


- Adelaide & Amy

April 14, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Michelle Madhok of SheFinds.com


















On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!


We have known Michelle Madhok for several years and have loved watching SheFinds.com grow in scope and reputation. We were thrilled to visit her stylish office, right here in the flatiron hood.

Here are just a couple things that we took away.


Amy: It was reminded how running your business and continuing on a path towards what you believe in can open the door to many unexpected possibilities – in Michelle’s case, she has national corporate sponsorships as an online personal shopping expert, making for a fantastic but unplanned opportunity.


Adelaide: Michelle really underscored for me how important it is to find the right peers at various stages of the entrepreneurial process – which is not always easy if you’re growing quite quickly. I was really impressed by how much emphasis Michelle places on continued learning and cultivating the right corporate culture for SheFinds.com.


Thank you, Michelle!


- Adelaide & Amy

April 13, 2010

Input Needed: What have you found to be an Entrepreneurship Myth?







(image courtesy of thebackporchshoppe)








As you know we are thrilled about our new book deal! And oh joy - the interviewing, writing & research has begun!


A big part of our book will be including stories, experiences, anecdotes & tips from women entrepreneurs and all of you! We will be posing weekly questions to help us with our writing and brainstorming. Sometimes we will be soliciting a tip and other times a reflection on your own experience.

Thanks to all of you who shared their thoughts on what has been surprising about entrepreneurship, how you work best, what you love most about entrepreneurship, when you first considered yourself an entrepreneur, and more...(to see them all, click "GOOD COMPANY: book questions" on the right hand column).

Next up… short and sweet…:

What have you found to be an entrepreneurship MYTH?


We’d prefer if you reply in the comments because it makes the conversation richer and I think you’ll see that you’re not the only one with the same insights or challenges! If you’d feel more comfortable sending me an email, you can do that too. Adelaide@

April 12, 2010

Bottlerocket: Part 2, Tackling the problem




















In our month-long introduction to Bottlerocket, we last left off as Tom decided to figure out a model that would fundamentally change the wine shopping experience, instead of just creating an alternative that he liked better.

We asked Tom about how he approached this challenge and what solutions he came up with. Here is some of what he shared:


“Businesses talk about being ‘customer focused’. But what does that really mean? Bottlerocket's model grew from a serious look at the pain that consumers feel when they buy wine. As a product category, wine is challenging. There are many regions, grapes, styles and vintages for the consumer to consider. And it is not cheap! Each purchase represents a financial risk. With all of these unknowns, how can a smart, thoughtful buyer make the optimal choice?

Bottlerocket's answer was to dig deep into decision science. How do we make decisions? And what do we need to optimize our personal choices with such a multitude of choice?

The first challenge for buyers is the sheer number of bottles. It can be completely overwhelming. And while there is definitely such a thing as too little choice, it turns out that in the "paradox of choice," there is also such a thing as too much. Bottlerocket's model constrains itself to 365 wines, one for each day of the year. Enough choice to cover the world of wine and a range of price points, but deliberately curated to keep the experience from being overwhelming.
(read more about the importance of curating)

The second big issue in decision making is access to good information. Common among traditional wine shops is a wall of wine with nothing but a price tag as a data point. Bottlerocket goes deep and presents a wide range of information, ranging from detailed tasting notes, food pairing recommendations, critics’ ratings and the story behind the wine. This commonly formatted résumé is placed next to each wine where it sits on the shelf. Curious consumers can learn as much as is practical about each wine, short of actually tasting it.


The third big resource required to make a sound decision is context. The traditional organizational principle in retail wine businesses is region: France, Italy, Spain, etc. This is as logical as a Dewey-Decimal System for wine, but it does not necessarily speak intuitively to wine buyers. Consumers do, however, know why they need wine. They know what they are cooking for dinner that night, or to whom they intend to give a gift bottle.

Bottlerocket, in addition to the traditional method, presents its wines on islands that are organized by context, such as: Meat (Beef, Pork, Lamb, or Game); Take-Out (Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Pizza, etc.); Gifts (Someone You Barely Know, An Old Friend, Third Date, or The Boss.) Organizing wine around what a person already knows focuses that person on a small number of good and appropriate choices rather than an entire wall of wine.


Finally, the environment is important. Stress contributes to the challenge of making great decisions. Feeling judged, or unwelcome or just plain uncomfortable are huge hurdles to success. Bottlerocket is cheerfully lit, has a children's play area so parents can relax and enjoy themselves, is dog-friendly so people walking their pooches will know they are welcome, has fun and eclectic music to add whimsy, and is designed from green, unpretentious materials that all combine to say ‘come in and relax’.


Navigating a manageable number of wines, accompanied by excellent information, organized by need and by region, all in a comfortable, fun environment is Bottlerocket's recipe for the 'best wine buying experience on the planet'."


What’s more, Bottlerocket aims to please even after you’ve left the store!

Tom highlighted one more reason for the pain wine buyers feel. In addition to being a complicated product, consumers are also challenged by a lack of confidence. He believes that “this is only an issue of education and experience”.

The solution? Take-home information and 'bottlenotes'.

Tom says that, “While formal classes are valuable, and Bottlerocket offers a wide range, real wine education happens every time a person opens a bottle and takes a sip. So Bottlerocket puts a copy of each wine's note in the bag when a customer checks out. This information helps customers make better choices in the store, but it also provides a bite sized piece of wine education in the moment of consumption. Brick by brick, taste by taste, Bottlerocket is providing its customers a seemless track to becoming a confident, knowledgeable consumer.”

Get a chance to experience the Bottlerocket methodology first-hand at our upcoming taste, talk, & tour event on April 21st.

April 11, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Lotta Anderson of Lotta Jansdotter


















On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!


Lotta Anderson
of Lotta Jansdotter has been at the top of Adelaide’s interview wish list for years. As a home design and textile junkie, she has long loved her Lotta Jansdotter purchases. We spent a very rainy, rainy morning cocooned away in Lotta’s gorgeous studio office.

Here were just a couple things that we learned.


Amy: I was really taken with Lotta’s belief that running a business is as creative a process as designing!


Adelaide: I was amazed by how each avenue of business success has opened more and more doors of opportunity. These opportunities have allowed her to completely change the nature of what her business is about: from textile designer to a home décor/design brand, to a handmade/DIY expert, to inspiration and lifestyle icon. I can’t wait to learn about all the new, upcoming projects!


Thank you, Lotta!


- Adelaide & Amy

April 9, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Angie Davis of Byrd&Belle















On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!


Last winter, Adelaide, like many others, fell in love with the grey felt ipod/iphone sleeves. Ever since she’s been intrigued with Angie DavisByrd&Belle store. We were thrilled to learn more about this entrepreneur.


Here are a few things that stuck out:


Amy- I learned just how central autonomy is to Angie’s feelings of happiness and success. That autonomy ranges from having creative control of her products and designs to creating her own schedule and routine – Angie loves never having to set an alarm clock!

Adelaide- Angie’s story really highlighted for me how important the role of experimentation and trying new things is. It has played a critical role in the evolution of her business ( a la the runaway success – a felt laptop sleeve). But at the same time she is responsible for creating collections and that requires careful curation and restraint. A great creative and artistic paradox and challenge!


Thank you, Angie!


- Adelaide & Amy

April 8, 2010

Wife, Redefined





(image courtesy of cute & custom eBay store)













Well, once again, Lisa Belkin has written an incredibly intelligent and eloquent piece that articulates the philosophy of wifehood perfectly. In last week's New York Times Magazine Belkin's story is inspired by her mother's decision not to remarry but instead to be in a committed partnership.

She cites a few statistics (including "working wives in the US bring in 45 percent of total family earnings, and 22 percent of women ages 30 - 44 make 22 percent more than their husbands") that seem obvious to me, probably because of all of the women I come in contact with every day through In Good Company, but that I know many people will find surprising.

What resonated most about her article was the idea that women who returned to the workforce in the late 70's "wanted a wife" to do the "scut work", the type that was work traditionally managed by a wife - e.g. cooking and cleaning.

But as I read this, I thought about how similar it is to running a business - think keeping house.

In our business, my partner Adelaide Lancaster and I often half-jokingly refer to our partnership as a marriage. In the case of our marriage, we have a wife in one another. We have worked very hard to structure our business and our respective roles in ways that allow us to spend the majority of the time doing what we enjoy and naturally do best.

On the whole, those roles maintain opposite aspects of the business but together that division helps us "keep house" and build our business. In our case, we have respect and admiration for the role the other plays and certainly appreciate the hard work involved in the other's contribution.

However there are large components of each of our roles that seem like scut work to the other. It is work that either of us could do but wouldn't enjoy if we had to do it with any consistency. So according to Lisa Belkin's article, in that way, we really do have a "wife" in each other.

Maybe it's time to celebrate the role of the "business wife".

posted by Amy Abrams

April 7, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Rebecca Kousky of Nest


















On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!


We have long been fans of
Nest, and it was great to have the chance to talk more with founder Rebecca Kousky, learn about the behind-the-scenes story, and hear where the company is going!

Here we just a couple things that stood out.


Amy – I was impressed with Rebecca’s ability to recognize how diversity in her work day and variety in the type of work she is involved with is critical for her as an entrepreneur. She identified that early on and then built a business around that need.


Adelaide – I was really taken with her story of how she created a new model of micro-lending. Rebecca applied the lens and principles of direct service social work (looking at things from the perspective of the individual) to world poverty, and innovated the micro-lending model to make it less oppressive for the women she helps. Her model has also continued to grow. She began with just one aspect (lending) and has continued to incorporate more and more systemic solutions (training for the women artisans).


Thank you, Rebecca!


- Adelaide & Amy

April 6, 2010

Are women business owners really second-class entrepreneurs?

Read an excerpt from my new Huffington Post article:

...

In short, I am being asked: "how can we get female entrepreneurs to start those blockbuster businesses that are so often started by men?"

And I get very frustrated, because in my mind this is the wrong conversation.

These questions are problematic because they reinforce the strong dichotomy that exists in the mind of the general public between businesses that are fast-growing, capital-rich, and highly-visible (and undeniably mostly male) and businesses that grow more organically, remain closely held, have greater longevity, have less capital, and stay smaller.

The first group gets deemed the legitimate "real" entrepreneurs, while the latter group, especially if they are run by women, gets passed off as "lifestyle" or "lipstick" entrepreneurs. While in reality businesses in the latter group are run by both men and women, I've yet to see a man's business pejoratively referred to as a "lifestyle" business.

...Read More


Do you think women are cast as second-class entrepreneurs?

As an woman entrepreneur, have you ever felt like you were a legitimate or "real" entrepreneur? When & why?

Personally, when I first started out it took me a little while to warm to the word entrepreneur, even though I would talk about the process of starting my own business. I did a lot f research and read things geared towards entrepreneurs, but I didn't feel reflected in the literature.

However as the business became more involved, and complex, and strategic it was hard to identify as anything but an entrepreneur. I was also very encouraged by finding the right peers and resources. A very important book for me was Bo Burlingham's Small Giants, which profiles great companies that have other goals besides size. It was examples and stories like these that made me feel more comfortable taking up this new identity.

I really understand what it is like to wrestle with the title, but each time I hear the qualifiers lifestyle or lipstick, I cling to entrepreneur even more tightly!

I'd love to hear your experience.

-Adelaide Lancaster

Input Needed: When did you start thinking of yourself as an entrepreneur?









(image courtesy of jenskelley)







As you know we are thrilled about our new book deal!

And oh joy - the interviewing, writing & research has begun!
A big part of our book will be including stories, experiences, anecdotes & tips from women entrepreneurs and all of you!

We will be posing weekly questions to help us with our writing and brainstorming. Sometimes we will be soliciting a tip and other times a reflection on your own experience.


Thanks to all of you who shared their thoughts on what has been surprising about entrepreneurship, how you work best, what you love most about entrepreneurship,
and the adventures of getting off track.


Next up, we'd like to know:

When did you start thinking of yourself as an entrepreneur? Why?

If not an entrepreneur, what did you consider yourself when you started?

How do you feel about the word entrepreneur? Does it describe your experience?

Do you feel that others consider you an entrepreneur too?

We’d prefer if you reply in the comments because it makes the conversation richer and I think you’ll see that you’re not the only one with the same insights or challenges! If you’d feel more comfortable sending me an email, you can do that too. Adelaide@

April 5, 2010

BottleRocket: Part 1, the back story







Tom Geniesse, owner of
BottleRocket, began his career in the entertainment world, which he believes is at heart an entrepreneurial experience and process. With each new project you are always starting from scratch and your task is to bring an idea to fruition. To do so you not only have a compelling idea, you have to execute by strategically enlisting lots of key people, finding seed money, building a platform, generating buzz and support, and cultivating a following.

So during the dotcom boom it was fairly comfortable to move from the entertainment industry into a fast-growing tech startup.
Tom’s first business was founded with partners and was essentially an online portal that made it possible to access high-quality educational information and lectures anywhere. The virtual educational platform was intended to help connect the woman in Wichita with the professor at Harvard. The business was eventually acquired but not before it grew to employ several hundred people.

Through this venture Tom rode the dotcom wave and learned a lot about entrepreneurship and startups.
Fundamentally, Tom believes that an entrepreneur’s value is to solve problems.

And it wasn’t long before he spotted a problem that he wanted to solve. As a burgeoning wine drinker, Tom found it really difficult to interact with wine clerks and stores in an effort to learn more about his purchases. He was really trying to teach himself about the wine world and kept getting frustrated that merchants really didn’t make the process any easier.

Each bad experience left him questioning how things could be better set up. How could these stores make it easier for folks like him to learn and make more informed purchases?


Tom knew that it is easy to critique existing options but that it is much harder to create something that actually does a better job.


So right from the beginning, he really challenged himself. Instead of just creating an alternative that he would like better, he wanted to know if he could figure out a model that would fundamentally change the wine shopping experience.

And thus the research and brainstorming and collaborations began…!
(more about BottleRocket and Tom’s story to come in April’s inFOCUS series).


Experience BottleRocket firsthand and meet the man behind the business at our April 21st talk, taksing, and tour.

Workshop with “Social Media Guru” Shama Kabani at IGC! May 25th












We are so excited to be hosting
Shama Kabani for a special IGC event on May 25th.

Shama has just released a new book called “
The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz and Increase Revenue”, which helps readers access all the benefits of social media without the stress.

Shama has been recently featured in over 20 press outlets including
Entrepreneur, Fast Company, and Business Week. She is on the cover of Online Strategies Magazine.

The workshop (which is for intermediate and advanced social media users) will cover:

- Why the traditional marketing rules cannot be strictly applied to social media marketing.
- How to find and create strategic joint venture (JV) relationships using social media.

- The 3 components needed to ACT (attract, convert, transform) new clients online and how to apply those concepts and tools to your business.

In addition to recent updates and applications for Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, Shama will address the marketing pros/cons of new applications and tactics e.g. GoogleBuzz, Plancast,
Foursquare, new website tools, video blogs as well as offer insight on the future of social media, websites and online marketing in general.

This event is open to the public but there are very limited tickets.


WHEN: May 25, 2-4pm
WHERE: IGC, 16 West 23rd Street, 4th Floor

COST: $35 without book/$49 with book

REGISTER

Sign up now to reserve your spot!

April 4, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Ellen Diamant of SkipHop













On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!

It was great to have the chance to meet up with Ellen Diamant of Skip Hop, a brand we both love and know quite well.

Here’s a couple things we learned:

Amy – It is amazing how timing plays a huge role in the success of some companies. Skip Hop introduced highly-styled and functional products that made new parents still feel like themselves at a time when the modern baby movement was just getting off the ground.

Adelaide – I just can’t believe how much of an impact Skip Hop has had! Aside from how much they have physically accomplished in the last 7 years, they have really redefined the baby product space by setting new design standards and creating for the masses.

Thank you, Ellen!

- Adelaide & Amy

April 2, 2010

Interview Tidbit: Cyndee Sugra of Studio7Media











On this exciting book journey we have the pleasure of interviewing nearly 100 women who are running interesting, inspiring, and innovative companies. While we of course will be including lots of details in the book and discussing the interviews over the next year, in the meantime we wanted to share a few tidbits from each amazing interview!

We had the chance to speak with (literal) rockstar Cyndee Sugra of Studio7Media who is based in LA. It was so nice to meet her over the phone and we can’t wait to connect in person.

Here’s what stuck with us:

Adelaide – I was amazed by how unassumingly Cyndee talks about her really impressive business, experiences, and the decisions that she has made. Despite being incredibly innovative, pioneering, and a big risk taker she is tremendously humble. It’s no wonder so many people trust her and her instincts!

Amy – I think that it is remarkable that an experiment (trying out software development vs. web marketing) was the defining moment from her company. While Cyndee didn’t consider the result of the project to be a runaway hit, the act of experimenting ended up taking the business in a new extremely successful direction AND that they had a benchmark/standard for the quality of work they would produce in the future.

Thank you, Cyndee!

- Adelaide & Amy

April 1, 2010

Introducing BottleRocket: Our April inFOCUS business














We are so excited to kick off April with a new inFOCUS business - BottleRocket, a wine shop just south of us in the Flatiron district.

BottleRocket is the brainchild of owner Tom Geniesse who has been an entrepreneur several times over.
Like many businesses, BottleRocket was born out of frustration with the existing options.

Several years ago Tom decided to learn about wine and was shocked that wine stores were engineered in such an uneducational, unfriendly, and intimidating way!


For those you have visited BottleRocket you will know that the store is shockingly approachable, friendly, and chock full of personality. From the innovative "themed" kiosks, to the take-home educational bottle notes, to Otis the yellow lab store mascot, this wine store is nothing like the traditional experience.

What's so cool about BottleRocket is to see how all these experimental elements have really come together to fundamentally change the way in which people experience and interact with wine.


We have long loved BottleRocket and are thrilled to get more of an "inside peek" at the business over the next month. We will get to learn more about its roots, future, owner, and ingenious system.

There are lots of customer service, marketing, and value proposition lessons to be learned here!


We are, of course, also excited about our April event with Tom - a talk, tour, and wine tasting at BottleRocket on April 21st!


It is a fantastic way to celebrate spring, learn and mingle with fellow IGCers! Because of the tasting experience, attendance will be limited, so please reserve your space.