Marketplace Mavens

I had a lot of female role models growing up.  They had a variety of different roles, occupations, and families.  Many of them stayed-home while their children were young.  Some worked full-time, balancing career and family.  Most were married, although a few were single.  I learned a lot of lessons from them, like how it was okay to put work on-hold to raise a family if you wanted, and that women could be leaders in their industries.  

My favorite type of role model, however, was the female entrepreneur.  I gravitated toward the idea of having a "cottage industry" that you could mesh with your other life responsibilities.  Most of the entrepreneurs I knew had small businesses, often operated from their home (aka micro-business), and they commonly provided goods and services to other women.  I liked their lifestyle--how they fit work in-between their home and family responsibilities.  They were mothers, wives and entrepreneurs, all at the same time.  And that really appealed to me.  

These childhood role models would eventually come to inspire the type of woman I aspire to be: a marketplace maven.  A maven, by definition, is someone who is an expert on something.  A marketplace maven, then, is an expert on the market.  In other words, she knows how to apply her unique skills and talents to the market for both profit and pleasure.  

Marketplace mavens surround us today.  Titans like Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey show us that there is no ceiling to success.  But my favorite mavens are the small ones--the women who run businesses alongside their day-to-day lives.  

Not every maven is a business-owner, though.  Many mavens apply their market expertise in the traditional workforce, shining creativity and innovation into their industry.  A workplace maven is a woman who goes above and beyond in her career.  She practices creative thinking, and presents her ideas to her superiors.  She is always envisioning a newer and better way to do things in her company or industry.  She is a reformer and a visionary.  She takes ownership and initiative in the marketplace she works in, and quickly rises to leadership because of her efforts.  

I will be starting a new feature on www.stephaniehillberry.com called "maven of the month," where I'll be searching out marketplace mavens and sharing their stories.  Whether they operate a side-business, are self-employed full-time, or work in the traditional workforce, these women are inspirations.  Please send me your maven story, or nominate a maven you know, by emailing me at shillberry@comcast.net.  

Conventional was not for Me

I have been reflecting on the past a lot lately.  Have you ever been in a place in your life where you feel a bit lost?  Like you're playing a game, only everyone seems to have the rules but you?  A year ago, that was how I felt.

I was working full-time in a big financial company, celebrating my one-year anniversary with them.  My employer is well-known and respected, and I was thankful for my job.  I liked my coworkers and my customers.  The pay wasn't great, but it was enough.  And people around me were constantly getting promoted, so I knew there were possibilities for advancement.  

But something was definitely missing.  I had always seen myself doing something more creative, more community-oriented, more...me.  No matter how hard I tried to find an alternative, though, I couldn't seem to settle on one.  I considered working part-time so that I could pursue more creative interests, but all of the part-time jobs seemed like a demotion.  They were almost exclusively secretarial or retail.  I looked into other full-time options, but doors kept closing in my face.  

I finally started to ask myself if "conventional" was really what I wanted.  I mean, I know that we're supposed to grow up and get "real" careers so that we can pay for things and save for the future.  But that path was making me miserable.  I wanted to be home more.  I wanted to create more.  And I wanted to have more control over my time and my future.

Perhaps you can relate?  Maybe you are pursuing a conventional career path, and though everything seems to be on track, you somehow feel left behind.  Maybe you would prefer to spend more time with your family, or wish you had more energy for your friendships.  Or maybe you wish you were doing a different type of work--work that was more "you."  

The solution for me was to leave my corporate job and pursue something more entrepreneurial from my home.  And though the transition has had its share of discomfort, I am so glad I took the plunge.  My appreciation is what has led me to create this blog, and my website, and then fill them with reflections and resources for women in all types of work and family situations.  I realize that not everyone will feel led to make the same choices I did, but fortunately that is not a requirement.  What I wanted was an opportunity to choose a different path from the status quo, and to be a leader in it.  And what I want now is to encourage other women who would like to do the same.  

Share with me your story about how "conventional" was not for you, or how you would like to move into something more fulfilling by emailing me at shillberry@comcast.net.  

Fits like a Glove

Have you ever tried to wear a pair of gloves that were too tight?  I have a pair that was given to me one year for Christmas.  They were a stylish brown leather, slim and attractive.  I wanted them to fit, but every time I put them on, I could slowly feel the blood to my fingers wane.  

I bring this story up because sometimes I feel like the modern economy is too tight.  The four philosophies that I wrote about yesterday--the ones that I think are pulling the economy out of balance--feel constricting to me.  Perhaps they make you uncomfortable too.

The expression, "fits like a glove," is supposed to mean that the fit is just right.  Not too tight, not too loose.  This is how I want to feel about the economy.  Unfortunately, because of its current preference for big and impersonal, the fit is wrong.

What would the right fit feel like? I wonder.  Of course you know me well enough by now to know that I'm leading up to the answer to that question.  The right economic fit is the SHEconomy.  The SHEconomy fits well precisely because it elevates what the modern economy squashes.  It nurtures relationships as a necessity rather than an inconvenience, because women are relational.  It values small and nimble, because we have long since learned that being smaller and "weaker" can make us quicker and more agile.  The SHEconomy measures success in multiple ways, like health and well-being and community welfare, instead of just monetary gain.  And it understands that the economy often operates in the midst of life, in between dinner and soccer practice and grocery shopping, rather than within tidy boxes.  

Do you see why the SHEconomy, by counter-balancing the philosophies of the modern economy, could create a good fit for women?  It is a place where women can take leadership and ownership, because it affords us an opportunity to express what is important to us.  And it capitalizes on what we naturally excel at--on our economic strengths.  

For the rest of the week we are going to talk about what the SHEconomy looks like, and how we can nurture it regardless of our lifestyle.  Staying at home?  Great, the SHEconomy is for you.  Working 9-5?  Awesome--the SHEconomy has opportunities for you.  Stay tuned for more!

Me? An Economic Leader?

Hello!  Welcome back after a long holiday weekend.  Hope you all enjoyed it!  

Before launching into this week's series of posts, I want to recap from last week.  As I wrote last Monday, I'm starting a whole month's worth of discussions on women and community leadership, and will be introducing some new concepts, as well as new resources.  

Last week we talked about community leadership and the "I'm Rooted" campaign on www.stephaniehillberry.com.  I wanted to end that discussion by mentioning that I had a great time spending the week thinking and writing about female leadership, and that I compiled all of my thoughts into an online resource found by clicking here.  This small "treatise" on leadership can be downloaded and forwarded to others, or printed and mailed.  My hope is that you'll take advantage of the "write it out" and "talk it out" activities, as well as the "3 weeks to rooted" calendar.  Even more, I hope you'll write to me at shillberry@comcast.net and share your thoughts and ideas on community leadership.  

That said, I am going to transition the conversation to the next topic: the SHEconomy.  I've mentioned that term on this blog a couple times before, but want to spend the whole week talking about it in more detail.  So, for starters, those of you who follow my current event blog, Cigars in the Parlour, know that I like to write about economics.  Now, I recognize that the economy is by all accounts a fairly boring topic, and one that is intimidating and difficult to get into.  Rest assured, I am Not an economic expert, and therefore won't even attempt to talk about it like one.  I am however, very interested in it.  And very convinced that we as women have a great opportunity to lead in it.  In fact, we have an opportunity to put our own feminine stamp on it.  A stamp I like to call the SHEconomy.  

The SHEconomy is not meant to replace the traditional economy that is currently buzzing about around us.  Rather, it is intended to provide some balance to the way it operates.  We women are particularly good at balancing things out, and the economy should be no exception.

Therefore, my hope is that by the end of this week you'll:

* no longer be intimidated by the economy

* recognize your potential as an economic leader in the SHEconomy, and

* take some time to contemplate how you're going to start walking out your leadership

First step will be to peek into some of the...ahem..."testosterone" qualities of the economy as it currently operates, and contemplate how some "femininity" might give it a boost.  Stay tuned tomorrow to read more!

Relationships--our Community's Greatest Asset

Another quality that gives women unique potential to be leaders in our communities today is our relationships.  Yes, the very same relationships that we are always being made fun of for.  You know--the ones with your girlfriends and your mom and your neighbors.  The people you spend hours talking on the phone with and hanging out with and sharing your life with (meanwhile, the men roll their eyes and wonder aloud what we could possibly have so much to talk about).  

The truth is that marketers and executives would pay premium dollars for our relational networks.  This is because they know that relationships are powerful, especially in this day and age when so much else is faceless and impersonal.

I once took a tour of one of the firehouses in my community.  To show us how they operate, the firemen split us into ranks and titles, and gave us walkie-talkies.  Then they demonstrated how they communicate when an emergency strikes.  The person at the top contacts the next tier of people, and so on down the list.  They were very efficient at it, and obviously needed to be.  

Women, I think, operate in the much the same way (minus the rank and strict formality).  Because we live our lives in close connection to other women, word can travel fast.  Having a network in place is often the most important thing when responding to crisis, or lending a hand to someone in need.  It is also very helpful when operating a small business, and circulating goods and services around in a community.  Furthermore, as every good leader knows, having a network in place is necessary for mobilizing people into action.  

The bottom line is that our friends and family--the connections that we keep--are probably our community's greatest resource.  Our network puts the "net" in "safety net."  And we naturally create these networks wherever we go, probably more effectively than government or business ever could.  

Of course, sometimes these qualities--being relational, being resourceful, being communal--are overlooked by our culture, and our leadership potential is dismissed.  Stay tuned for tomorrow when we'll talk more about that. 

Resourceful Lady

As I mentioned yesterday, one of the leadership qualities that we women can bring to our communities is resourcefulness.  

Certainly I'm not the only one talking about resourcefulness these days.  Being mindful of our resources is even trendy.  The culture is encouraging us to count our carbon footprint, to take short showers, to drive fuel efficient cars.  Of course, beyond its recent popularity, resourcefulness just makes sense.  There is a reason for the timeless adage, "waste not, want not."  In our age of plenty, we are quickly learning that some things can run out.  

I think that women have a special aptitude for resourcefulness.  I can remember working for an employer who grew up in the Depression era.  She knew how to stretch every last ingredient in her kitchen, and how to reuse items in new ways.  Her practices were both creative and practical.  

I remember feeling a little embarrassed sometimes when comparing myself to her.  I was always quick to buy something new, even when I didn't need it.  Even today I find things in my closets that I have forgotten about.  Perfectly good things that I should be using.  But don't.  

Still, I know that I have the potential to be as mindful as my former employer with a little practice and some discipline.  And it would be worth the trouble.  Not just for me, but for others, too.  Resourcefulness as an intentional lifestyle can strengthen communities.  When we take a step back from the onslaught of commercialism in our lives and maximize what we already have, good things happen.  Like getting out of debt, saving more, and working less.  Furthermore, resources we aren't monopolizing can be shared with and used by others.  

Will resourceful living cures all that ails us as a society?  No, of course not.  But the practice of utilizing and being thankful for what we own, and being thoughtful about what we acquire, can certainly help.  

Please send me your resourceful tips by posting comments or emailing me!  How do you keep from wasting things?  What successes have you had at using what you own.  What creative ideas do you have for repurposing items?  Please share!

"I'm Rooted"

I've been staring at my computer screen for at least half an hour, trying to figure out how to say what I want to say.  You see, I'm writing a short essay on community leadership for my website.  The plan is to add it as part of the "I'm Rooted" campaign.  Sort of a treatise on being a woman who wants to use her skills to lead in her neighborhood, town, or circle.  And though I haven't exactly figured out how to write the essay yet, I do know the attributes of this type of woman--a "rooted" woman.  

In my mind, a "rooted" woman has decided to anchor herself deep in her surroundings, be it her block, her apartment complex, her town, or beyond.  She feels that there are troubles in the world, and that the best place to dig in and rebuild is right where she's standing.  So, with that in mind, she is:

* mindful of her resources, meaning that she doesn't take them for granted, and uses them wisely.  She's smart with her money.  She tries not to waste.  She preserves and conserves and shares with others.  

* creative with the economy, meaning that she supports entrepreneurial endeavors, favors small and relational to big and impersonal, and partners with her friends and family to encourage a "living" that everyone benefits from.

* ready to help, meaning that she is prepared for the inevitable.  Prepared for sickness, emergencies, and discouragement.  She knows her neighbors and friends, and is willing to serve them when needed.  She understands that having a good "social safety net" starts with her.

* knowledgeable about the world around her, meaning that she is well-informed about local, national and global events.  She uses this knowledge to give her wisdom about how to act, and lives appropriately in the times based on what she learns.

This kind of woman is certainly not some exotic creature.  She lives among us even now, probably in great number.  Though I am not quite a "rooted" woman yet, I aim to be one, and get closer to it with each passing day.  It is one of the reasons that I quit working in corporate America--because for me (and this is not the case for everyone), to be rooted meant that I had to get out of the rat race and into my community.  

I'm going to be spending the rest of the week talking more about being "rooted," and hope that you'll come back to read more.  I also know that you might very well be one of the women I'm writing about, and invite you please to share your "rooted" story with me by emailing me at shillberry@comcast.net, or posting your comments on this blog.

See you tomorrow!

Creativity and Community

Part of what was so dissatisfying to me as a busy worker-bee in the corporate world was that my job provided no outlet for creativity or community.  Yes, the company I was with had many "corporate stewardship" programs that were admirable for sure--opportunities to volunteer, etc.  But I was looking for something a little more grassroots.

So, when I decided to take the plunge and launch out on my own, creativity and community were definitely a focus.  Of course, as with most big transitions, it's taken me awhile to figure out just what that looks like for my new domestic lifestyle.  Six months later, I feel like I'm finally getting some ideas.  And they're ideas that I'd like to spend the next month or so talking about.

You see, I've always been on the lookout for people and lifestyles that have the potential to lead a community in a positive direction.  My ears perk up when I hear testimonies of women who have started their own non-profit organizations, or when businesses make an effort to invest in their market base.  I've always seen lots of potential in civil society--otherwise known as churches, volunteer organizations, and associations.  And just recently I've been excited to consider how women can influence a town (and beyond), and more specifically, how women can plant seeds of change from their homes.  

So, I'm in the process of writing down some of my thoughts, and creating downloadable resources to share with others.  Certainly I'm not inventing anything new.  Women are already doing what I'm preaching, and doing it very naturally and successfully.  All I want to do is affirm what's already being done.  

Please join me next week as I start talking about the attributes of women with a mission to lead.  For a preview of what's to come, visit my new website at stephaniehillberry.com and click under "check it out!"

Moms vs. Al Qaeda

Did you know that Al Qaeda released more than "450 statements, books, articles, magazines, audio recordings, short videos of attacks and longer films" to the world wide web in 2007?  Reading that stat from an opinion piece in today's New York Times had me thinking.  First--wow.  Talk about a productive network.  They are proliferate, are they not?  Sinister, but proliferate.

My immediate reaction was a bit of guilt.  I barely get five posts out a week, and certainly my to-do list grows exponentially faster than my "done" list.  But, I have to cut myself some slack.  Al Qaeda certainly has more manpower than I do--I couldn't compete if I tried.

Then I got to thinking about how powerful the internet is, and how connections are made, and networks built, and influence wielded.  What if, I considered, women could harness this same web-strategy as Al Qaeda, and just flood the internet with writings and statements and books and films?  Only instead of violence and hatred, our topics would be about nurturing our communities and raising our children and boosting the economy.  

And then I spent some time surfing online.  Visiting blogs and websites maintained by women mostly.  And I realized that if there really was a competition to flood the internet, moms would beat the pants off of Al Qaeda.  Hands down.  No contest.  Even more, these moms are organized, with their own networks and advertising and public relations companies.  And they are very popular.  More popular, I'm guessing, than Al Qaeda.  

For me, this is just one more confirmation to my firm belief that it is a great time to be a woman leading in her community--be it in her neighborhood, or online.  We're naturals at it.  The blogsphere is just one of many examples.  

Housewife.  Mom.  Stay-at-home-working-mom....  Leader.  Visionary.  Influencer.  

Al Qaeda doesn't stand a chance.

Multidimensional Mothers

I just finished posting on my other blog, Cigars in the Parlour (on current events), about the 17 teenage pregnancies from one high school in Massachusetts, and it got me thinking about motherhood.  Okay, that and the baby zone I'm currently living in among my family and friends (you know, where everyone around you is having babies).  

It is true that I am not a mother yet, but I have spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the kind of person I want to be when I become one.  I am relieved, for one, that I'm well past the age of the aforementioned teens.  Who wants such a huge responsibility at such a young age?  They didn't even have a chance to figure out who they want to be as adults, much less as moms.  I, on the other hand, have had some time to figure out who I want to be as a grown up.

Probably most of you have come to the same conclusions that I have.  I want to be a mother, but also more than that.  Though I'm sure I'll want to have playdates and will talk endlessly about my kids, I also want to have responsibilities and passions outside of my children.  I don't know many women who feel differently.  

Fortunately for us women, we have been gifted with the unique ability to juggle many identities at once.  Mother.  Wife.  Friend.  Employee.  Volunteer.  Activist.  Leader.  I'm not sure we could be solely defined by one role even if we wanted to (I make an exception for women who've just had babies--you're pretty much just "mom," even if you wanted to do more.).  

It is this multidimensional quality that also makes us women great community leaders (a subject I will be focusing a lot on in the months to come).  In fact, right now I'm in the process of developing tools for women who want to tap even more into their leadership--particularly mothers.  So, if you have any great stories--or maybe your own personal testimony--of how you've become a multidimensional mother leading in your town, please email me at shillberry@comcast.net.  I'd love to hear from you!  Maybe you can become a great role model for those teenage moms in Massachusetts!