Women = Greater ROI

40 years ago, it would have been rare to find women running, much less owning their own businesses in Australia. In fact, if we look at my career choice, to be a Trade Commissioner for Australia, it would actually have been impossible!

Fortunately times have changed, at least in Australia with women currently running about 1/3rd of Australia's 1.9 million small businesses, and almost 50% of the home-based businesses (which is also one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy). And again, if we look at my career choice in the public service, women hold around 36% of senior executive positions.

But we still have much to do when compared to some other countries like Norway, USA and the UK. In the US surveys show that 89% of companies on the S&P 500 have at least 1 woman on the board and 64% have more than one. In the UK the figures are closer to 77% of FTSE 100 companies having at least 1 woman.

Yet similar figures for Australia show only about 29% of boards have at least one female (top 500 companies). And worse, for our top 200 listed companies women represent 8% of Board members, 6% of CEO's and only 2% of Chairpersons.

This despite the fact that surveys abound that show a businesses financial performance is usually greater with female management, than without. Specifically, a Catalyst report used by Barclay's shows that companies with the highest female representation on their senior management teams enjoyed a 34% higher return on equity than those with the lowest representation.

34% higher return on investment

There is no better business case for us to encourage more women into business.

But we are often our own worst enemies. Surveys, prior to the global financial crisis, from people like the Women's Enterprise Task Force in the UK noted that women frequently cite a lack of confidence as reasons for lower risk appetites, lower debt and slower, more consultative decision-making processes. Well in the post GFC period, lower risk profiles, more collaborative working styles and lower debt all seem like strengths to me, not weaknesses.

Yet that lack of confidence thing is something only we, ourselves can address. it holds us back and holds back our economic future. We need to be aware of it and how it translates on our ability to do business. I recently read a quote by Dr Rebecca Harding of the London School of Economics where she said: "Women cannot always sell their business ideas well to male investors. Women have a lower expectation of how their business is going to grow, even when they are very high powered. Women are far more risk aware, frightened that things will go wrong and frightened of flying too close to the sun".

I don't know if that ever rings true for you, but for me, in the times when I doubt myself I try to remember the fact that I can make a difference - at least a 34% difference.

Tattoo Parlours - Guidelines for Choosing the Best Tattoo Parlors

If you were going to invest in a piece of art, would you feel better about buying it from an accredited gallery which could prove it was authentic, or from someone selling it from the trunk of their car?

So think of the tattoo you are about to get as a piece of art, because that's what it should be. Tattoos are one of the most ancient forms of body art, for which you will be providing the canvas. And because tattoos have soared in popularity over the past decade, there is no shortage of tattoo "studios" more than willing to practice their artistry on you. How do you separate the best tattoo parlors from the rest?

Let me confess. I have, for years, indulged in oil painting as a hobby. I have an easel, brushes, a palette, paints and mediums too numerous to count, palette knives, and even a smock. I have won a few awards in amateur competitions, and even sold a few pieces of my work. Does that make me a professional artist?

No more than owning inks, needles, designs, and renting a store space makes someone a professional tattoo artist. Before you decide to patronize a particular tattoo parlor, learn what a successful parlor should look like. If the one you are considering doesn't measure up, take your money, and your canvas, elsewhere.

When you start looking for the best tattoo parlor, you'll be able to tell a lot simply by paying attention to your first impressions when walking in the door. If you see clutter, overflowing ashtrays, dirt in the corners and dust on the furniture, will you really be able to overlook them?

Pay attention to the quality of the tattoo designs on display. Tattoo "flash", all those design posters covering the walls of every studio, are, or should be, anyway, copyrighted artwork purchased from professional artists. Do they have the bright colors and clear definition of professional artistic prints? Can you see the copyright and the artist's name?

If the flash you are looking at appears washed-out, and you can't see any identifying marks, you may be looking at designs bootlegged from anywhere; the same people who sell traditional artwork or bootlegged movies from the trunks of their cars are perfectly capable of selling stolen tattoo designs. Any merchandise that has a market is merchandise which can be counterfeited, and the soaring popularity of tattoos has made tattoo designs prime bootlegging material.

If the shop you are visiting was willing to cheat legitimate artists out of the royalties they should be getting for their tattoo designs, will they be willing to give you full value for the money you spend on your tattoo? The best tattoo parlors offer new needles, fresh high quality ink, clean gloves, and artists who will spend all the time necessary to make sure your tattoo is the best it can be.

How is the lighting in the studio? At the best tattoo parlors, your tattoo will be done in natural light, so that you can judge how it will permanently appear. Or will it be done under fluorescent lighting, or in a dimly lit corner? Fluorescent lighting will heighten the effect of yellow and greens inks while graying the blues and reds.

If the studio's cleanliness, flash, and lighting seem acceptable, it's time to learn about their history. How long have they been at their present location and can they give you the names of some satisfied customers? Do they have a portfolio with pictures of their healed tattoos to show you? Do the artists know how to avoid scarring, or what to do if they see plasma leaking during the tattooing process? Do they even know what plasma is?

There are some terms you can throw around to find out how familiar a tattoo studio's employees are with safety regulations. Asking whether they practice "Standard Precautions" will let you know if they are in compliance with the OSHA guidelines for controlling bloodborne diseases.

Standard precautions mean that the best tattoo parlors will have artists who sterilize their packaged needles and tubes in an autoclave before opening them for use. Any equipment they use on a customer, including inks, glove, razors, ink cups, and ointments, will be discarded after sue, and the artist will wipe down the work area with a virucide, to destroy any lingering germs or viruses.

The best tattoo parlors dispose of any sharp instruments in the same way that hospitals do, in "sharps" containers, and any other materials which have come into contact with blood in biohazard containers.

The simple rule is that anything which is exposed to human blood, in the best tattoo parlors, will either be disposed of or autoclaved after use.

It may seem uncomfortable, but you want your tattoo artist to treat you as if your blood were infectious. Even though you know it isn't, you can't say the same for everyone else who has been tattooed at that particular parlor. So the best tattoo parlors will approach everyone that way. Don't take it personally.

If the person who greets you when you enter the parlor is reluctant to answer your questions on the parlor's safety practices, and can't refer you to another employee who will, scratch that tattoo parlor off your list.

And if you live in a state which requires its tattoo parlors to be certified, you are in luck.

In the U.S., only three states, New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts, require their tattoo artists to be certified by the American Academy of Micropigmentation: http://www.micropigmentation.org/

And only one state, Oregon, has a state certification program. Oregon's tattoo artists have to complete and pass a 368-hour training course at a state-approved training school. New Mexico, North Dakota, and Washington D.C. have no regulations on tattooing at all.

So if you're in a state which is either unregulated, or only requires its tattoo parlors to pass an occasional Health Department inspection, the easiest way for you to find the best tattoo parlors is to look for those whose artists belong to the Alliance of Professional Tattooists. The APT admits only those artists who have educated themselves in proper tattoo safety.

Look at choosing the best tattoo parlors the same way you would look at choosing the best art galleries. You are buying artwork, and you, and the rest of the world will be looking at it for the rest of your life. The best tattoo parlors take pride in their work.

And you'll probably be able to tell you are in one of the best the minute you walk through its door.

Author: Matt Garrett - © 2007 http://www.TopTattooDesign.Com

Discover how to avoid being the one in four who Hate thier new Tattoo, including simple Tattoo safety tips, in our your free Tattoo Guide : -

Free Tattoo Guide

No More Excuses With Wayne Dyer

Wayne Dyer's presentation on his new book Excuses Be Gone, is a captivating one! His latest works is a natural next step from Dr. Dyer's, "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life."and "The Shift - From Ambition To Meaning" a film which highlights the changes we encounter in our lives.

In his newest work, Dr. Dyer, challenges the denial system inherent in us all as he looks at the 18 most common excuses we use in our lives. His presentation invites the individual to take an honest look at the excuses such as: " I am Too Old", It will take too long, It is too hard, I dont have enough money, " as the excuses we tell ourselves that keep us from moving forward in our lives. Dr. Dyer offers the correlating 18 Affirmations and invites the listener/reader to begin utilizing new language and belief systems about the potential in this life.

It is fantastic material. For all those who are ready to lose the excuses and start living in the potential of who they really are, this is definite must have in your library! I personally, I have seen the results in my attitude and perspective in the past 10 days by beginning to take an honest look at the excuses in my life - and am applying the Affirmations. It is really an eye-opening experience. I encourage all those who are tired of their own excuses and ready to begin living a more fulfilling life, to get this book or video presentation today! "The Shift - Ambition to Meaning" - which is a great movie for all ages.

http://www.aprudentway.com.

Terrie Crowley
http://www.aprudentway.com

Models For Midlife Women

There was a beautiful article about role models for women written by Karen Batchelor and posted on BlogHer this week. It got me thinking about how few models there are out there - both actual women and women in movies. The Dove ads are a good start, but we need many more advertisers to get on board with this idea that women's bodies come in all shapes and sizes. This includes heavy (which the Dove models really aren't).

Hollywood Women blog says there are plenty of role models. See TV Likes Older Women and Did Hollywood Get the Message About Women? It was great to see Meryl Streep do the cannonball off a dock in a trailer for her latest role in the movie Mamma Mia. And she said she didn't even have to practice for it but was a cheerleader in her distant past!! She's clearly in very good shape though.

Maybe midlife women are holding their own on the big and small screen, but they make only half of what men make for movies. And when it comes to real life women, the media is cruel and misogynistic when they step into formerly male roles. The media excoriated Hilary Clinton last winter during her run for the US Democratic leadership. She was damned if she did and if she didn't. See my Women's Place is Where? blog.

When I brought Judith Duerk, (my mentor and author of A Circle of Stones: Woman's Journey to Herself), here to the Sunshine Coast to do a woman's retreat, there was a woman in our group, originally from England, who Judith thought was a wonderful model of aging. She found her to be feminine, graceful and strong, as I recall, without the brittle quality that so many North American women she knew had.

After my blog on Beyond Body Image posted last week, Nancy Bruno posted a comment to let all of us know about the Beautiful Women Project book featuring 35 women. I will think you will find the philosophy of this project very refreshing.

Through her 'Odyssey of Change' coaching program, Ellen Besso offers Midlife Women the opportunity to navigate the midlife maze and find joy & fullness in their lives.

Personal action plans include strengthening the body-mind connection; releasing beliefs that limit growth; & specific actions to move you forward into your ideal life.

Ellen is uniquely qualified to be your guide because she has personally journeyed through perimenopause and into an inspired life as a menopausal crone! Her professional credentials include certification as a Martha Beck Coach and an M.A. in Counselling from City University.

To find out more about Ellen's work and read articles written by her contact:
http://www.ellenbesso.com or ellenbesso.com/midlifemaze
info@ellenbesso.com 800 961 1364 - N.Am. or
604 886 1916 - Gibsons, BC

Unemployment Nightmare For Women Over 60

Thank God for a new year. For many of us 2007 was great, for others not so good. I fell into the not so good part back in February when I was evicted from my home of 10 years. If any of you have ever bartered for your rent you know that if you are gainfully employed with a full time job, bartering (in this case working part-time for a pool service which was owned by the person I rented from) constitutes, in reality, a second job. It is a heck of a lot of work.

Although family and friends quickly came to my rescue I had to leave a job I loved, move out of the area and relocate to eventually, after a second move, live with a family member, because my paycheck covered expenses but not my rent. The first move was costly but by selling off a lot of what I accumulated over the years I was able to pay for the move with garage sale funds.

After the move, I applied for unemployment but was denied the benefit. If you have ever gone through this process before, you will recall you had to speak to a representative who would go over your situation and then write his or her decision sending the correspondence that takes another week or so to get to you, by mail. Without too much prejudice, I am guessing, by the sound of my interviewer's voice, she may have been in her mid to late twenties. I sensed we had, not just a generation gap, but that she really did not hear or at least, sympathize with my situation. Ah, to be young and naive again!

I decided to appeal the decision and won my case but it was another 4 months before I saw any payments and the benefits have since been exhausted. As I had no "backup" income other than a 401K with a couple of thousand dollars in it, living expenses such as car payment, car insurance, gas, cell phone expenses, credit cards, utilities, food, etc., quickly ate up what I had managed to save. In fact, I have a couple of credit cards I named Peter and Paul because I have to borrow from one to pay the other. For that matter, there is also Matthew, Mark, Luke and John that I'm stretching pretty far now too. Yada, yada, yada!!

This is not meant to be a poor me story because after some time of feeling sorry for myself and sitting on my "pity-pot" 8 months now, I have decided to work from home. This decision did not come easy but I have applied for over 150 jobs, both on-line and through employment agencies (I am registered with at least 7) and still no job. One of the agents actually called me after I had physically gone to them to apply, and asked me when I was born. I thought that was a little suspicious because I am now 61 and it is illegal to discriminate because of age, yet I think that is exactly what may be happening. What a shame! Nobody wants to be put in a position where they feel as if they are begging to procure a job they are not only qualified to have but will settle for something they did when they were first starting out in the job market. Just put me to work. To be a WalMart greeter is admirable and honorable, just not yet! The pay wouldn't even buy my groceries for the month, much less fill the gas tank.

At any rate here are 5 suggestions for those in a similar position, to help you keep in good spirits:

1. Surround yourself with those who love you because even though this is your own race and you must run it alone, it is great to have a cheering section.

2. Be diligent in your search for work, while being open to new opportunities.

3. Do not be afraid to ask for help (even from your children).

4. Accept, cherish and act on good advice from family, friends, neighbors and professionals not fogetting to thank them.

5. Keep yourself in good health by eating right, sleeping enough (not too much) and do whatever exercise your body can comfortably tolerate (a good walk at a talking pace for about 45 min. works for me).

As for me, I am just an ordinary "Jill" trying to make the best of my later years like many of my sister and brother baby boomers. My children remind me to stay positive (a phrase that confuses me at times especially when things seem to be going so wrong), and alas it is much easier said than done but if I don't stop breathing I guess that's a positive sign.

Contributed by,

Beverly A. Howerton
bahowerton@yahoo.com
http://miniver21.blogspot.com/

Church Position & Role of Men and Women in Christ Based on the Bible

God has a role for men and a role for women that He put within them when He created them and it is by nature that men and women live according to the Bible. No verse of the Bible will cancel out another verse or else God Himself would be contradictory in His writings making Him out to be a liar. We know that God is not a liar or else our salvation would be in jeopardy. Because of this knowledge what are the similarities and differences between man and woman?

Look at this Bible reference: Gal. 3:8 "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed"

Gal. 3:9 "So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham."

Gal. 3:26 "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus."

Gal. 3:27 "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

Gal. 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Gal. 3:29 "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Many people and Christians believe that men and women have the same authority and can both teach Bible doctrine in the church because we are all one in Christ. This Bible passage in the book of Galatians is teaching on salvation, blessings and our inheritance in Christ. The above scripture has nothing to do with our authority in Christ or our gender calling to teach in the body of Christ.

Galatians 3:8 & 9 is talking about the blessings of Abraham being upon all of those who are in Christ through faith in His blood. Galatians 3:26 & 27 is speaking about our eternal salvation and the position we have as perfect beings before God by the work of the cross of Christ. Galatians 3:28 is explaining God's viewpoint on how He sees His family being all one regardless of being male or female or being Jew or Greek. God is saying that there is no difference between male and female when it comes to salvation, blessings and inheritance.

God does see a difference between man and woman when it comes to teaching Hid Word and having authority. See First Timothy 2:12 (And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence) and you will see that God definitely notices a difference with men and women when it comes to authority. Galatians 3:29 speaks of all believers in Christ as having the same inheritance regardless of sex or background because all of that changes when you accept Christ as your Savior.

Do not confuse your position in Christ given you by God when you have faith in Christ and become apart of the family of God enjoying the blessings of Abraham and your eternal inheritance as a reward for your faith with the natural role you have. Your role as men and women have been placed inside of you when you were created, therefore it is very natural to live out of this truth when you learn who you are as a person. The Bible tells you, who you are, study it and learn by God all about yourself.

Bill Naugle, Theology Instructor of the Bible. Microsoft (MCDST) and CIW Server Administrator Certification. Expert by self-study in SEO with proven success. Qualified Home Internet Business Entrepreneur with marketing achievement. Writer of many articles, books and ebooks that has produced many sales. http://truththatheals.blogspot.com

Top Ten Characteristics of a Successful Entrepreneur

There are certain characteristic traits needed to start and run a business. Most of us already have good characteristic traits or we can develop them over time. Have you ever wondered whether or not you have the characteristic traits to become successful in business? See the list below for the top ten characteristic traits of a successful entrepreneur.

1) Organization

2) Motivation

3) Honesty

4) Perseverance

5) Vision

6) Adaptability

7) Competitiveness

8) Risk Taking

9) Confidence

10) Persuasiveness

The ten characteristic traits listed above are a few of the many that you will need to possess to get started in a business and become successful in it. You may want to make note of two traits from the list above that you already possess as an entrepreneur. Or, you may want to make note of two traits that you need to develop to become a successful entrepreneur. Now you can make plans to develop these and other traits, if you do not already possess them.

As a woman, you may have to work a little harder than a man to develop some of the characteristic traits listed above. For example, some women may find it difficult in their new company to be competitive because as a child they may have been told that "a lady is to be seen and not heard," therefore she may not be as aggressive as she should be in her business. However, many women have found out that once they learn how to play the game, the rules become easier to follow.

Are you interested in taking my online courses?

To the new and experienced entrepreneurs, getting help with your small business is very crucial to your success. Getting the right help will cause you to avoid costly mistakes, and it can also help you to save a lot of time, money and energy. You will need to get the right help to form the legal structure of the business, financial, management, procurement/certification, marketing, pricing products, preparing a business plan, and more. If you are a business owner who is wondering if you can take your business to new heights, contact Dr. Waters at tina.waters@waienterprises.com

Are you looking to super charge your business? Did you know that you can start a legitimate business with little or no money? Sign up for Dr. Mary E. Waters’ free "Easy Business" bi-monthly ezine at http://www.drmewaters.com

It has many tips and techniques to help make your dream of becoming a successful business owner to become a reality. Plus, each month one lucky subscriber receives a free 30 minute on demand business consulting session! Dr. Mary E. Waters is an author, speaker, business consultant. She is the author of “Easy Business for Women with Little or No Money.” She strives on helping people to start their own business with little or no money. For many years, she has been helping people make their dreams of becoming a successful business owner come true!

Sign up for FREE online Self Publishing Guide. FREE courses and FREE tips at
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New Small Business Ideas For Women That Are Affordable

Even thinking about starting a small business can be exciting for a woman, but it is the money issue that tends to keep people from following through with their dreams.

Fortunately, there are plenty of new small business ideas for women that are quite affordable. As a matter of fact, a woman can invest as little as $200 and make her dreams come true.

Here are some of the small businesses that a woman can start up:

1. Counseling small children if you have a degree or certification that allows you to do so.

2. Merchandising - There are plenty of companies look for individuals to help them in this area.

3. Cooking - You can start a bakery out of your kitchen

4. Baby sitting - You can get a certification from your state that allows you to run a daycare out of your home. This is so you can watch a larger number of children. Otherwise, you can have several kids staying within your home while their parents are at work.

5. Bill paying - You can offer a service that allows you to pay bills for individuals. People love it when they don't have to do this on their own.

These are just 5 ways in which you can make some money. These are great for the stay at home mom or any woman wishing to start a profitable business. Anything in the services industry will pay off because we live in a world where people need things done for them. It might as be you reaping the benefits.

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