Women in Wireless

2nd Annual World-wide Multi City Speed Networking Event

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 21:50:57 -0400

Women in Wireless

2nd Annual World-wide Multi City Speed Networking Event - Evening of Sept 11^th, 2012

For the second year in a row, thousands of professionals, throughout the world, who connect with the mission of Women in Wireless, will unite to meet, mingle and ‘speed network’.

Join us in New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Dallas, Calgary, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and Hamburg for this unique coordinated event.

New York, 7pm EDT start time

San Francisco, 7pm PDT start time

Los Angeles, 7pm PDT start time

http://wiwla.eventbrite.com/

Dallas, Partner Event, September 13^th

www.dwfmissrep.org

Boston, 7pm EDT start time

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/4222447454

Singapore, Calgary, Chicago, Hamburg will be updated soon…

Here’s a fascinating Women in Wireless panel discussion at...

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:16:00 -0400

Here’s a fascinating Women in Wireless panel discussion at MobileMonday Toronto. (by MaRScentre)

Speakers:
Veronika Sonsev Insparq
Heidi Lehmann Moxie Q
Polly Liberman Celtra, Inc

Organizer:
Maria Ocampo Women in Wireless

Learn about role of women in leadership positions and get inspired by a panel of successful women leaders from the communications industry.

Interested? Don’t forget to vote Start-up Junkies - Girl Addicts by SXSW Panelpicker 2013

Check out more at http://mobilemondaytoronto.com/

Recap - Women in Wireless Panel @ Mobile Marketing Forum 2012 NYC

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:16:46 -0400

Women in Wireless Panel @ Mobile Marketing Forum 2012 NYC

[INFOGRAPHIC] What Do Marketers Need from Their Agency?

Women in Wireless is seeking a Program Management Intern

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

As a Program Management intern, you will have the opportunity to work with leading women in the mobile industry. You will report to Veronika Sonsev and Charlotte Fors (co-chairs of the organization). You will be a key part of our executive team and will have direct impact on delivering our mission. You will be responsible for managing and administrating Women in Wireless sponsored projects as defined by the executive team.
Estimated hours required: 10-15 per week. This is an unpaid position.

Women in Wireless was established to develop and empower female leaders in digital media. We pursue this mission through the following taskforce groups: Networking, Panels & Inspiration, Mentoring, Careers, Communication and Philanthropy.
Women in Wireless organize regular networking events at most of the major mobile and interactive conferences. We’ve produced panels for a number of shows, including the Mobile Marketing Forum and CTIA, and we launched a successful mentoring program in 2011.

Key responsibilities:
Develop and manage the Women in Wireless growth strategy for 2012.
Establish and manage the Women in Wireless leadership council — this will be a senior board of women in the mobile field who will provide guidance and mentorship for the member base.
Manage and administer the Women in Wireless website, which is currently being developed. No programming skills are required for this.
Develop and manage the Women in Wireless membership database.
Assist the leadership team with the production of Women in Wireless networking events and represent the women in wireless at industry functions.
Participate and administer the Women in Wireless bi-weekly executive meetings.

Skills required:

Entrepreneurial drive and the desire to make a difference
Keen interest in the mobile and/or digital media field
College Degree
Proficiency with MS Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
1-2 Years previous business experience

Candidates should contact melissa.fudor(at)womeninwireless.org.
Please send your resume and a cover letter (or email) explaining why you are interested in the Program Management internship.

Women in Wireless London Launch

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:44:00 -0400

(Article originally published on SOMO Global)

By Kirsty Styles (Communications Executive, SOMO)

Jerri DeVard addressed the few men braved the Women in Wireless London launch with “welcome to our world, we have expertise in discomfort!” Said with a smile and charm, she won everyone over immediately.

In a lemon dress, the tall African-American Executive VP and CMO of Nokia cut an interesting figure, and brought with her a truly inspirational story that left time poor women in the crowd scrambling to call their mother, wherever in the world she is.

Like Jerri, her audience want to be happy and successful. Before us, it felt like we had the embodiment of just that. “I wanted to be successful personally too, jobs come and go, your family is always there” she added.

The Women in Wireless launch couldn’t have been better timed, coinciding with the news that the pay gap in London is the largest in the UK, almost 23%, childcare costs stop women from going back to work, while female unemployment has risen by 7,000.

Jerri has two children, and committed with her husband that they would be ‘present’, there would always be someone to sit down and have dinner with them. She has turned down meetings to be at their special moments.

“We all stand on someone’s shoulders” she said, of the need for women to help guide others to success . She mentors young women around the world, giving them anything from an email, a text, to a shoulder to cry on. As a teacher, you have to ask ‘How can I help you?’

“Can you have it all?”, the age old question came from the audience. “Maybe you can’t have it ‘all’ at the same time. But we owe it to ourselves to find out what ‘it all’ is. You make it work.”

She finished her address with the words of Nicky Giovannia, the American writer and activist: “I really don’t think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don’t mind the failure but I can’t imagine that I’d forgive myself if I didn’t try.”

On Work
The best thing you can say to someone in business is, ‘I’d like your help’.

Know your strengths and play to them.

There is no substitute for being good at what you do – you have to be good to enjoy it, you have to enjoy it to be good.

Lean to those people who think differently to you.

Find those people at work who will give you an honest opinion about who you are and how you are perceived.

On Family
Your mum is someone who loves you, and also someone you can trust [not necessarily guaranteed in a relationship]

Friends tell you what you want to hear.

Her mum put herself through college after having two children, ‘isn’t being my wife and the mother of my children enough for you?’ her husband urged. ‘No. I want to do more.’ She rose to become the Commissioner for Literacy for the State of Massachusettes.
Remarried.

On Relationships
Be careful who you choose to take on your journey.

Golden Seeds Presentation: Mobile Overview & Trends

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:49:00 -0400

On April 12, Women in Wireless members Kristine Van Dillen, Polly Lieberman, and Veronika Sonsev gave a presentation for Golden Seeds, the third largest angel investor network in the United States. Attendees of this event were provided with an overview of the mobile industry and its current trends, plus predictions for its future.

Topics covered during this presentation included:

Mobile Penetration
Mobile Usage & Consumption
Monetization of Mobile
Distribution & Discovery
Convergence
Future of Mobile

Interested in viewing the full presentation? See below:

Mobile Industry Overview & Trends Part 1

View more PowerPoint from EMFella

Mobile Industry Overview & Trends part 2

View more PowerPoint from EMFella

Interview with Theresa Spralling, CEO of Women of AT&T - People Don’t Care How Much You Know Until They Know How Much You Care

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:40:00 -0400

By Elizabeth Fella

I met Theresa Spralling, Senior Associate Director at AT&T, through a friend of mine who recently began the Business Sales Leadership and Development Program (BSLDP) with AT&T, which is a training program for recent grads that prepares them for a future position with the company.

Although not all individuals in the BSLDP have a direct work relationship with Theresa, she is very well known with everyone involved in this program. Each person I met in BSLDP gave me nearly identical responses when they found out about my upcoming interview. They all said something along the lines of, “I LOVE Theresa, she’s awesome!”

Upon meeting Theresa, I realized what everyone was talking about. Not only was she recently named the CEO of Women of AT&T, but she is also genuinely kind and inspiring. This was remarkably clear to me even after our relatively short interview. It was a pleasure to sit down with Theresa and get her thoughts and advice for females. You’ll find her answers below:

Elizabeth: So as the CEO of Women of AT&T, why do you think it’s important for women to network with other women and be involved in organizations like Women of AT&T and Women in Wireless?

Theresa: It teaches you a lot about yourself. I joined Women of AT&T to get to know women like me. I needed a network of people who could help me outside of the workplace. At my job, it is important to me to have my manager and bosses know that I’m doing a great job. I joined WOA because I wanted an organization to accept me for who I was and see the goodness in me as a leader. This organization has helped me to grow even though it doesn’t have anything to do with my performance evaluation at the end of the year. That’s one of the reasons I joined. You learn to lead and grow AND learn about yourself. So I know who I am, I know my worth, and I know there’s more work for me to do to fully realize my potential

Elizabeth: What advice would you give to young females, who have recently graduated and are just entering the work force?

Theresa: Bring YOU to the table. Know that you are unique, that you have value, and that is what the corporation is looking for. No matter what company you work for. You are the deciding factor from being good to great. Corporations do have guidelines, but you are you. You are unique and should never forget to bring yourself to the table. The fact that you have a personality, show it. The fact that you are smart, show it. You know how to get things done, show it. While corporations will spend time and much money to train young people, they still want you to be you. It’s that uniqueness that they’re trying to capture. So know who you are and bring that person to the job everyday.

Elizabeth: What do you wish you knew as a young female?

Theresa: I wish I had a program like we do have now (Business Sales Leadership and Development Program). In this program, we pick the best and brightest and directly support their personal and professional growth and development. We help uncover all the good stuff our participants have to give and we take it to the next level. I wish I had that.

I also would trust more of a network. I really thought I was the only one out there having to fight my way through, make my way through, help myself up. While in retrospect, there’s always been a network of support out there for me. I just didn’t know how to tap into it. So I’d like to tell young women now, there is a network out there; you just have to know how to tap into it. You tap into it by getting actively involved in your communities. There are people like me who will share the lessons they’ve learned and will do it willingly. The only expectation is when you learn it you pass it on.

Elizabeth: In what ways can young females cultivate their leadership abilities?

Theresa: Volunteer and get actively involved. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Leadership starts with caring, caring about the bigger picture, the end result, not about yourself. So get involved with your community and your workplace. Get involved building relationships. And then find a need. Leaders are developed not born. Find a need, get actively involved, and then execute a solution that fulfills the need and impacts the lives of others. You’ll find out so much more about yourself and all of a sudden you’re the go to person. When you share that information, you will emerge by caring more about the greater good, not just about yourself

Elizabeth: What helped you break through the glass ceiling in a male dominated industry?

Theresa: I haven’t broken it yet. I bump my head on it; bump my head on it every single day. I must continue to try. This is one reason why I’m excited about this new leadership role as CEO of Women of AT&T. I’m excited to become the example that it can be done. It is being done. AT&T is doing a good job as a corporation but there’s far more we can do. We should be the rule, not the exception. Every woman coming into AT&T should know this is the right place for growth, opportunity, and breaking through that glass ceiling. We still however, oftentimes find ourselves sitting at that male dominated table in a male dominated environment.

Elizabeth: What are your thoughts on females and finding that work life balance?

Theresa: I’m an empty nester; I don’t have to pick up kids, cook dinner for them or care for aging parents. Imagine if I had a family at home. I would be difficult for me. The hours and demands of a corporate environment often strain a female. And guys are strained too; I applaud the guys who are actively engaged in directly supporting their families even though this is still considered a non-traditional role for men. Let’s face it, most of the time, the female is the one and only who has to balance home and work life so we’re left trying to balance that scale, but there really isn’t a balance. I don’t mind admitting to you that for me, there never has been a work life balance. I work because I want to create a better life for my family. There are times I have to give 150% and then some. The balance comes when I have the good sense to take time off and recharge and then plug back into work. But there’s never been, for me anyway, an even scale where I could do my job and really fully attend to my family, there’s a sacrifice to be made. And I find that women more often are the ones that make that sacrifice. Unfair, but we’re getting there.

We get there by talking it through, and working it through with corporations like AT&T, who understand and value family as part of our lives. We’re getting there with women who are knocking it down in the workplace with their husbands at home sharing the responsibility or managing the entire household. But that is the exception, not the rule. When that becomes common place, when you can accept a role no matter what the job demands and time constraints are and not feel guilty as a female, we will have succeeded in breaking down these barriers. For some reason, many females feel like we have to wear that superman cape and do it all. In my mind, guys don’t have to do this; they just have to be good at what they do. We impose so much responsibility on ourselves. I encourage my young daughter to have her husband help with the children; she should not assume that full burden. She has a career as well. That career should be equally valued and equally respected in her household. While we are not there yet, we’re getting there. There are women who are getting close to experiencing what I have described. They are setting examples and paving the way. We are smart enough, we are good enough, and here we come, Get ready guys!

Elizabeth: Which one of your many accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

Theresa: Knowing that I am whole and I am not defined by the letters behind my name. I’m defined by the work that I do and the people I help, and the lessons I learn, and the information I share. Yes I have accomplished a lot but there’s so much more to do. It’s not about the title, it’s about the worth. My greatest accomplishment is realizing my own net worth. I am rich beyond measure because I understand I bring value to the table. I have led large organizations including Toastmasters International, as the District Governor for the state of Georgia, with over 6000 members strong. A lot of people would say that’s a great accomplishment. While I was named 100 Top Women of Influence in Georgia, people would say that was the accomplishment, even with the CEO for Women of AT&T title, people would say Theresa, that’s the accomplishment, but I would say that it’s me understanding there’s more. More for me to do, I feel compelled to do that.

Elizabeth: What females inspire you?

Theresa: Dr. Maya Angelou. I look at her and think, that’s my grandmother’s wisdom and to know she had that type of wisdom even as a young girl. I encourage you to read her story. I am inspired by her because of the power she has possessed throughout her life and her ability to overcome tragedy. At the age of 7 she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. She told on him and he was sent to jail. He was eventually let out on bail and was murdered that night by Maya’s uncles. As a result, Maya believed that because she spoke up, she caused his death. So she refused to speak. For years she remained silent. Thankfully, she eventually found the courage to speak and found the power of her voice. This tragic experience was the inspiration for her first and most well-known book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. I’m inspired by that. We all have a voice and there is power in that voice when we use it.

I also look up to Michelle Obama. I admire the strength and the fortitude that this woman has and through all of the controversy and political strife, she remains a lady, a mother, a wife and a professional. May I remind you that President Barack Obama actually interned for her long before he became president.

And one more, Nancy Reagan. Full of grace, always appropriate. She ran the White House in my opinion. And very few people realized that until after president Reagan left office. Mrs. Reagan was the mastermind behind it all. She proved that you can make a lot of things happen quietly, silently, yet appropriately.

Event Recap: Presentation Skills Bootcamp

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:44:00 -0400

By Elizabeth Fella

WiW recently presented Part IV of their Educational Series, a workshop on presentation delivery skills. The class, Think Outside of the Slide: How to Deliver a Powerful Presentation, was taught by Martha Denton, founder of The Presentation School and a Presentation Coach for TEDx. The workshop covered all the essentials of successfully developing and delivering your presentation.

Developing Your Presentation

Martha began by providing attendees with tons of useful tips on ways to develop their presentations. First and foremost, it is important for the presenter to know their audience. At the start of developing a presentation, always ask yourself who, what when, where, why, and how.

It is also important to realize that the culture of your audience plays a role in the development of a presentation. For example, the way you present to an English audience will be different from the way you present to a German audience. Different cultures place value on different things and it is vital to realize that when developing your presentation. It is also important to take into account corporate culture. Research the internal language of an organization and use it in your presentation. Lastly, remember color culture when designing a presentation. If you are presenting to Coca-Cola, do not show up with a presentation with a blue color scheme, the color of Pepsi, its biggest competitor.

Furthermore, properly planning out your presentation is fundamental in the development stage. In order to find your message, write an outline. You can also use a mind map to organize your ideas around a core topic. Once you have your core topic, storyboard your content to decide how you want to lay everything out.

Presenting

Martha also offered attendees tips for the actual presentation. Before presenting, she says to visualize being awesome. Picture yourself giving an amazing presentation. There is great power in visualization, and imagining yourself succeeding will help you to actually succeed.

In addition, Martha recommends picking four people in the audience who are actively engaged and making them your eye contact points. It makes presenting to larger audiences less intimidating because although there may be 200 people in the room, you are only focusing on the four individuals who are your eye contact points.

Lastly, Martha provided attendees with tips on presenting yourself during presentations:

Appearance Tips

Your mother was right, always remember to stand up straight
Don’t wear red, yellow, white, or big print - instead stick to colors that are flattering on you
Wear more makeup than usual onstage
Don’t wear heals that are too high

For more information on taking your presentation skills to the next level, Martha Denton recommends the books Slide:ology and Resonate by Nancy Duarte. You can also check out The Presentation School’s website to see learn about the different presentation classes offered by Martha and her upcoming events.

A big thanks to Martha for the great workshop and to all the women that participated! Find out about our upcoming Educational Series workshops and all other WiW events by signing up for our newsletter here.

When Hiring, Preparation Evens the Odds

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:38:00 -0500

Photo credit: Quad Aces by fitzsean, used under Creative Commons License.

***Join us for Anne Libby’s WiW Educational Series “How to be a Hiring Superstar,” January 25th, 2012 in NYC. Click here for more information.

By: Anne Libby

Within a month, it’s clear: your newest hire isn’t a good fit for your team, or your company.

She’s smart, nice, and has an impressive resume. Her recommendations shone. Everyone on the team interviewed her and gave her the thumbs up. The odds looked great.

Your leadership development depends on your ability to build a strong team. Now your next hire feels like a bit of a gamble.

Here are a few basic interview tactics that can make a dramatic difference in your results. Hiring managers can use these simple steps to help drive the process. Team members can use them to offer structured input to your manager’s decision process.

Have a well-defined job spec. A good job description describes responsibilities and expected outcomes in concrete behavioral terms. A job spec includes skills and experience that a successful candidate will likely bring to the job.

When a job spec lays out the details with the clarity of a 30 second elevator speech, you’ll source more appropriate candidates, and know what to ask them. Get this clarity before you start.

Understand your culture. At work, culture is often a set of unwritten rules: how we behave, to what we wear, and the language we use.

Culture is visceral. We might consider it to be a touchy-feely attribute, and think we’ll know the right fit when we see it.

This would be a mistake. To find the right fit, we have to be able to articulate the rules and rituals of our culture, and ask questions that identify whether people will thrive in our environment.

When interviewing, craft open-ended questions. The open-ended question is the killer app. And open-ended doesn’t mean haphazard or undirected.

Walk into every interview with a set of pre-defined questions. Each question should target a factor for job success: experience, skill, or ability to fit into your culture.

An example for a client-facing job: “Tell me about a time you disappointed a client.” Someone who has never disappointed a client lacks either experience or honesty. Unreasonable clients and incompetent colleagues may be red flags: those who disparage, blame or make excuses won’t be joining my team. I’m looking for the candidate who accepts responsibility, speaks respectfully about others, and learns from experience.

Pipe down and listen. Interviews are stressful, and open-ended questions may create uncomfortable silence. It’s important to avoid filling this silence yourself. Let a candidate tell you what you need to hear: stop talking and listen.

Every hire is a significant investment, in money and time. 80% of a successful hire is in preparation – without thoughtful preparation, the process is a crapshoot.

On January 25^th at “How to Be A Hiring Superstar”, you’ll up your game by learning to prepare, with intention. We’ll delve into how to execute on these and other steps you can take when hiring to increase your odds of success. You’ll leave with a simple, practical model you can use in your next hire, and suggestions for how to continue to refine your skills. Please join us!

An expert in managing people in the workplace, Anne is the founder of Anne Libby Management Consulting LLC, where she works with senior leaders, founders, business owners to build excellent general management practices and knowledge into their firms — hiring the right people, managing individual and team performance, and finding solutions in a wide range of workplace challenges. Find her on Twitter @annelibby, Facebook and at her blog.

About Anne:

An expert in managing people in the workplace, Anne is the founder of Anne Libby Management

Consulting LLC, where she works with senior leaders, founders, business owners to build excellent general management practices and knowledge into their firms — hiring the right people, managing individual and team performance, and finding solutions in a wide range of workplace challenges.

Find her on Twitter @annelibby, Facebook and at her blog.

Four Ways to Market Your Mobile App

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:17:04 -0500

(Article originally published with permission from Women 2.0)

By Aurelie Guerrieri (Corporate Development, SendMe)

Apps are either hits or misses – or are they?

What if you have a great idea for a safety app, a fitness app, a personalization app, or a privacy app? You build it with sweat equity in your garage, and after weeks or months of agonizing over every feature, it finally gets uploaded to the app store, and… nothing. Lots of really good, useful apps get buried amongst the mazes of the app stores.

The thinking used to be that if you build a good app, users will come. These dreams were fueled by stories of games turned into overnight hits through word-of-mouth, great press, and of course top rankings in the app stores. Unfortunately nowadays the leaderboards are chock-full of big consumer brands ramping up their mobile presence and of established game publishers.

The days of being able to ignore marketing are over. So what is a small, independent developer to do?

Tip #1: Know Your Metrics

With costs-per-install (CPIs) exceeding $1.50 in the US, it is paramount to ensure that every marketing dollar is a dollar well spent. Ideally, you will want to implement a robust tracking system and measure real-time performance of each marketing channel, although that can be fraught with challenges which are worth another discussion. Then, remember to leverage mobile’s unique targeting capabilities and track the effect of each parameter.

At that point, you should be able to know your CPI by platform, device, time of day and day of week, ad creative type, media partner and media placement type. Use this data to continuously optimize (AB test rigorously) and change parameters dynamically. For example, mobile users tend to be more active consumers on the week-end, so make sure your marketing campaigns are ready to reap the benefits of increased conversions come Friday evening.

Sometimes accurate tracking is a challenge. When a user is connected on wifi, often you can’t tell which device they are connecting from. Lean on the performance marketing teams of your mobile ad networks for tips. And when new entrants or established brands launch “surge” marketing campaigns, the rankings will get disturbed and your performance metrics will change. Stay on top of your data!

Tip #2: Maximize Revenue Per User

Know your retention metrics: apps get used between 5-25 days on average. Track retention all the way from the user acquisition marketing campaign — the results might surprise you!

Likewise, find the best moments in the user’s lifecycle to introduce upsells. For example, if you offer a free version of your app with an in-app purchase option, you should provide just enough value to engage the user and make them want to upgrade, but not so much that there is no perceived value in the upgrade.

Tip #3: Re-Invest Your Proceeds (Create The Virtuous Loop)

Of course, marketing is expensive. How do you compete with the big guys when you’re on a bootstrapped budget? First, figure out how much you can afford to spend per new user.

Tally up all the revenue sources over a user’s lifetime, whether initial purchase, in-app upsell, or advertising. This represents the maximum amount you can spend to acquire a user, or the breakeven point. Then subtract how much you need to cover the cost of your business (someone’s got to pay for the late night pizzas!), and that leaves you with the maximum CPI you can afford to pay.

If your head is not spinning from spreadsheet overload yet, it’s time to include the viral ratio in your calculations: it represents the number of free app downloads you get from each marketing initiative, from referrals or an improved ranking. You will see dramatically different ratios per campaign and over time. A good tip is to choose app names that are very easy to understand and search for in a few words (e.g., battery saver, daily horoscope).

If your math is right, the more you spend, the more you make, and the more you can spend — the virtuous loop!

Tip #4: Stay On Your Toes

Once you’ve mastered rock solid performance marketing for the mobile ecosystem, be ready for best practices to be turned on their head, and new, exciting mobile marketing opportunities to open up.

About the guest blogger:Aurelie Guerrieri heads up Corporate Development for SendMe, the largest performance-based mobile content provider in the US. SendMe is leveraging its deep mobile marketing expertise to work with up-and-coming app developers. She is also the Co-Chair of the Local & International Chapters atWomen in Wireless. Aurelie is an executive who has helped digital and mobile media start-ups in the Silicon Valley shoot for the stars for almost ten years. You can reach her at aurelie [at]SendMe[dot]com or connect with her on LinkedIn.

When Babies Become Taboo

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:02:00 -0400

by: Melissa Fudor (originally posted on WomeninWireless.org)

I have babies on the brain. As a woman in my mid-twenties, starting a family has always been something that will eventually happen in the far and distant future. I have the timeline figured out: finish college, travel, start a great flexible career, meet someone, fall in love, get married by 30, and get pregnant (the latest) by 32. But recently I’ve been dreaming up some pretty hefty career goals which includes becoming an entrepreneur and starting my own business, which has left me wondering two things; 1) where a family fits into my ten-year plan, and 2) if having a baby will sabotage my career goals.

It isn’t easy to break the news of a pregnancy to an employer, the topic is hush-hush from the beginning of the interview process to full-time employment. For the most part, men make far fewer compromises when balancing a career and children. Studies show women still do twice the amount of housework as men and three times as much childcare. It’s evident that there will be definite break in my career where I will need to take time off, and multiplying that by two, three, or four (!) might take a toll on my advancement in the workplace. Kit Scott Brown, chief executive of InterExec seems to think so,

“many of the top headhunters were keen to see more women in senior executive positions, but at the same time believed that, in order to reach those top positions, many of them would unfortunately have to give up any career break, whether it be for health reasons, to travel or, in particular, to have children,” he said.

Even with the most supporting partner, a female who wants both a family and to climb high on the corporate ladder faces far greater repercussions than her male coworkers. Melody Adhami, President and COO of Plastic Mobile, has wondered if starting a family would undermine her role in the industry. She explains the anxiety some business women face when making this decision,

“There is the perception of leadership and pregnancy (‘can someone really take me as a serious industry professional if I am pregnant or a mom?’). It may be anxiety about the pregnancy and then their role as a mother and how that might perceived by their peers. However, I know that I’m not alone in that concern as women have been struggling with various stigma attached to gender roles in the professional arena for generations. We’ve come a long way in overcoming those but we’re not home free yet. “

Timing is everything. Being an entrepreneur and starting a family when your company is still in its growing stage might not be the best balancing act. Neither is becoming pregnant before you’ve made your mark on the industry. In Sheryl Sandberg’s words, ‘don’t leave before you leave’, aim high in your career, find a job that’s compelling enough to make you want to return. A British study found that “a third of female corporate managers moved down the career ladder after having a child. Two-thirds of that number took clerical positions and the rest moved into other lower skill jobs.” Women who ensure they are indispensable in their field before they take time off will have ample opportunities re-entering the workplace-their company and team notices when they are not around.

The secret to a successful work/life balance may lie in your who they choose as their life partner. Although counter-intuitive, Sandberg refers to it as the most important career decision a woman will have to make. A partner who is going to share the responsibilities of home life and who also feels that a women’s professional goals are as valued and important as theirs is. The reality is that sacrifices will have to be made, but how they will be divided can very well be negotiated. Adhami agrees it all boils down to support,

“Having the support of family, friends and colleagues is really what helps all of us get through challenging situations. I think that it’s the notion that one woman has to ‘do it all’ that dims the light on possibility, and as long as we rely on a strong support network, ‘doing it all’ becomes more realistic.”

Being a successful entrepreneur and Mom is possible, and we don’t need to resort to packing it all up and moving to a farm in Wisconsin. Starting a family is undeniably the most important career decision a woman will have to make, and one in which they have complete control over choosing their partner, timing and building a great support system. In my opinion getting your ducks in a row is a lot more important than listening to your biological clock ticking in your head.

Change The Ratio: Apply To YCombinator.

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:59:20 -0400

Change The Ratio: Apply To YCombinator.:

changetheratio:

Exec Summary, because this is long:

1. YCombinator is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs

2. The YCombinator community, great as it is, would benefit from the diversity brought by more women. Currently there are only around 4% female founders.

3. Why do less women apply to YC? The strong…

School's Not Out: The Importance of Continuing Education

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:30:00 -0400

(originally posted on Daily Muse)

by: Melissa Fudor

When we hit our 20s, it seems like we’ve spent our entire lives in a classroom. We’ve slowly transitioned from grade school to high school to the final home stretch of college or a graduate program. For 16+ years, we’ve been educational sponges, absorbing information from classes, lectures, and seminars on dozens of diverse topics.

And then, it stops.

Like many students, I spent the better part of my academic years falling asleep in classes that were neither stimulating (Politics and the Constitution, 1867 to the Present anyone?) nor practical in everyday life. So I still remember being thrilled as I finished the final sentence of my last college paper, thinking “There! I’ll never have write an essay or go to school ever again!”

But of course, I was wrong. After entering the workforce, I’ve realized that learning is even more important now than it was back in my dorm room days. For one, Humanities 101 definitely didn’t prepare me for the skills I need to further my career—skills like how to negotiate my first salary, how to present in front of a large crowd, or even how to budget and invest for the future.

So I went back to the (figurative) classroom, and started learning again. It turns out that learning something new not only helps the brain function more effectively, but improves focus, overall confidence, and self-esteem. It’s also a great way to get social, meet new friends, and expand your professional network!

So if you want to kick your career into overdrive, consider going back to the classroom. Here are four great ways to continue your education:

1. Get Your Geek On

You probably put together a couple of PowerPoint presentations in college, but most majors don’t teach you other valuable tech skills—basic HTML/CSS or Photoshop, for example. And no matter what field you’re in, boosting your knowledge in a couple of computer programs will be both useful for your job and attractive to future employers.

To brush up on your skills or learn new ones, try take a class through your local college. Or, browse Meetup (nationwide) or Generalassemb.ly (NYC) for tech-related events, workshops, or lectures.

2. Become an Industry Expert

Attending conferences and networking events that cater to your industry niche are a great way to learn the ins and outs of your field and, at the same time, meet potential clients or business contacts. Conferences can be expensive, but they often allow you to get the first glimpse at new products and witness speeches and presentations by industry leaders.

Networking events will usually start with an educational seminar or forum highlighting new advancements or trends in the industry and then move to drinks and mingling. Both are a great way to continue learning about topics specific to your field.

Find events in your area by browsing industry association websites, or at Eventbrite or Meetup.

3.Speak Like a Pro

Does the idea of asking for a raise or leading a meeting send chills up your spine? You’re not alone—and that’s why there are classes out there for professional skills such as negotiation tactics, public speaking, or how to effectively market your company. Many classes will have you practicing what they preach: By participating in role-playing with a peer or speaking in front of the class, you’ll get hands-on experience before you have to use these tactics in the real world. (Bonus: if your class partner’s company is hiring, you may just happen to role-play your way into a new job!)

NYC ladies should check out Women in Wireless’ educational series this fall—covering topics in negotiation tactics, public speaking, and more. Or, look for similar courses at networking organizations or community colleges in your city.

4. Check in at the Hobby-Lobby

Yes, picking up a new hobby is fun—and it also can improve your skills at work. Studies show that investing some time into the arts sparks areas of the brain that improve cognitive skills such as memory and concentration—and adds up to seven points to your IQ score! Plus, taking up the violin, learning a new language, or taking a cooking class at your local community center or college could uncover a hidden talent (or at the very least, put something tasty on the table!).

Browse skillshare.com for a class that sparks your interest, whether that’s learning Mandarin or making jewelry or Wine Tasting 101.

You shouldn’t stop learning once college is over: It’s key to your career success. It doesn’t have to be in a traditional classroom, and it doesn’t need to burn a deeper hole into your student debt—you can find classes starting at around $10-20. And I promise, it’ll be far more fun than junior year calculus class. What’s a continuing education course that you have taken and would recommend?

Photo courtesy of Joi Ito.

Mentoring the Future Leaders in Mobile

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:18:00 -0400

Women in Wireless piloted its first Mentoring Program by hosting a meet & greet earlier this week at the Women in Wireless HQ in New York City. The eight couples were paired based on their industry niche, specific interests and career goals.

Here are some photos from the event:

The Ice-Breaker: The ‘Trust-Walk’

The happy couples:

Laurie Davis (Founder & CEO of eFlirt Expert) and Rachel Herskov (Account Executive at BuddyMedia)

Mahsa Hedayati (Policy Analyst) and Rosalie Sutherland (Mobile Apps, Media and Marketing at Rosalie Consulting LLC)

Amy Stern (Consultant at Amy Stern Consulting) and Emily Roeztel (Director of Marketing at Fresh Digital Group)

Yao Huang (Founder, The Hatchery) & Angela Wang (Founder, Apotheke Media)

Paola Conery (Engagement Manager at Kargo) and Anne Libby (Owner, Anne Libby Management Consulting)

Susie Huang (Founder of Searchgency) and Cathy Boyle (Director, Global Promotion at Reader’s Digest)

Kelly Hoey (Business Strategist) and Tarrah Little (Account Executive at Scanbuy)

Event Recap: A Woman's Guide to Negotiating

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:32:14 -0400

by: Melissa Fudor

The Women in Wireless Educational Series officially launched last Thursday with a workshop on negotiation skills, taught by Professor Lee Miller (author of “A Woman’s Guide to Negotiating”) in New York City. The workshops aim to teach professional women valuable skills that are essential for career advancement and feature special guest speakers who are experts on subjects like negotiating, public speaking, and sales tactics.

Professor Lee Miller began his talk with this little visualization exercise:

Imagine two people in a room negotiating, are these people sitting across from each other or beside each other? How about if they are influencing each other?

The key, Miller explained, is to be on the same side of the table during negotiations (either physically or figuratively) to actively influence the other’s decisions. Its not necessarily what you do per-say that is important but the perception of what you’re doing. If your counterpart perceives you as a competitor who is trying to get something that they do not wish to give you, that’s ‘negotiating’. But if they perceive you as being on the same side of the table as they are, working with them to achieve common goals to both get what you want, that’s ‘influencing’ their decisions and will lead to a more positive outcome.

Five Useful Negotiation Tips:

1. Never start where you want to end up. People need to feel that they are in a process and are heard in negotiations, going into a meeting and demanding what you want will make your counterpart feel threatened and bullied.

2. Have a goal. Set a scale with the best possible outcome and also know when to walk away. This will keep you from being caught off guard and settling on an agreement you are not happy about.

3. Find out what your counterpart needs and cares about and be prepared to accept it in a non-judgmental way. When people don’t see things our way our initial instinct is to convince them out of it. Take time to brainstorm ways you can accommodate their requests to leave them feeling valued.

4. Create an aura of authority. Use your title, credentials, appearance, etc to prove you are a legitimate player in negotiations. Speak slowly and confidently.

5. Never, under any circumstances, let anyone see you cry.

More useful negotiation tactics can be should in Professor Lee Miller’s book A Woman’s Guide to Successful Negotiating co-written with his daughter Jessica Miller.

The Women in Wireless team wants to thank Lee for his incredible workshop and to all the women who participated! Join our mailing list here to find out when our next class will be.

To Mentor or to Be Mentored, that is the Question!

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:22:35 -0400

by: Melissa Fudor

It’s pretty obvious why someone would want to be mentored; for personal development, to build a professional network, or even to learn valuable insider tips or advice about a given industry. With a boost of self-confidence and a clearer outlook on their professional career, a mentee walks away from the relationship a winner. Last month I wrote a blog post about the importance of having women-to-women mentorship programs, that offering a little reasurrance is what women really need to succeed in the harsh reality of the corporate world.

What might not be as obvious are the benefits of being a mentor, or if someone is even qualified to be one. Patty Azzarello recalls when he was called in to an HR meeting to discuss ‘mentoring’,

I remember when I first joined HP, I was notified by my manager that I was to attend a meeting with HR to discuss mentoring.

I went in thinking, “Boy, I could really use a mentor. I am new here, and this is a big company. A mentor could help me learn about other parts of the company and help me build my network.”

I was stunned in disbelief when I realized that they were recruiting me to BE a mentor. At this point in my career I had no idea what I had to offer. In fact, I was pretty nervous. “I’m going to get found out. … My mentee is going to report me as being a useless mentor.”

Patty then explained how overwhelmed he then felt that he didn’t think he had enough time to be a mentor (although five minutes prior he thought he had the time to work with a mentor). Stories like Patty’s are common, sometimes even the most senior executives often feel they are not successful or knowledgeable enough to be a mentor. The reality is, the things that may seem obvious or mundane to one person could fascinating and eye-opening to someone at a junior level. Mentors could teach their protege’s something as simple as how to craft an important email or how to perfect their elevator pitch, helping them get over the learning curve of essential business skills.

Still unsure if you are qualified to mentor? Its important to note that no matter how many years of experience is on your resume, there is always someone who can benefit from what you know. Mentors often find that teaching their mentees is a very rewarding and humbling experience - and reevaluating your industry from a fresh perspective might have you learning a thing or two yourself!

Women in Wireless has officially opened registration for the NYC Mentoring Pilot for Fall 2011, mentors and mentees can apply here until September 7, 2011 at 11:59pm. Our goal is to make mentoring mutually beneficial, to encourage both junior and senior level women to achieve levels they may have not thought were possible. The program will feature 10 mentor couples and we will follow the mentoring couples over the next few months. We will see what works and what doesn’t and use this as the basis to launch Women in Wireless Mentoring in additional cities in early 2012. Participants will be notified on September 12 and invited to our exclusive meet & greet and kick-off workshop on Monday, September 26th. Good luck to all!

- Deadline for application: 9/7- Announce: 9/12- Kickoff workshop: w/o 9/26

Women in Wireless in Mobile Marketer!

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:31:00 -0400

Mobile Marketer, the news leader in mobile marketing, media and commerce, has profiled Women in Wireless in this fantastic article:

Women in Wireless, with 1,000 members at launch, seeks to become market force.

3 Reasons Why Speed Networking is Better than Speed Dating

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:28:00 -0400

Whether you’re looking for Mr. Right or to meet ‘the right people’, the goal behind speed networking and speed dating is pretty much the same- to make connections and build relationships in the shortest amount of time. But adding names to your rolodex rather than your little black book may not only be a better use of your time but a lot easier too. Here are the top three reasons why:

1. People aren’t scanning the room looking for ‘potentials’ - your next business partner or contact can very well resemble George Costanza and it doesn’t matter the least!

2. Rather than listing off your hobbies (long walks on the beach anyone?), career networking is a great way to perfect your 30 second elevator pitch. As you continue to repeat your speech to every new person you meet, you will learn the right words to use to make a great first impression. Listening to the way others present their speech may give you good pointers as well.

3. Career relationships are not at all the monogamous kind and ‘playing the field’ is strongly encouraged. In a 30 minute speed networking session you are estimated to meet around 40 new people, expanding your current network exponentially. Even if you don’t have the same business interests, the people you meet might connect you to their network of friends and clientele, so no new contact is a waste of time.

So bring out your business cards cause Women in Wireless is giving you five chances to exercise your speed networking skills for Mobile Marketing Week on September 8th! Mobile Marketer, the news leader in all things mobile, is launching Mobile Marketing Week, a global celebration of mobile advertising, marketing and media. Our five city international event in the fantastic cities of New York, San Francisco, Toronto, London & Calgary is a perfect opportunity to mix and mingle, networking, and build relationships with people from the mobile and digital industry! More details, including how to register can be found on our website here.

More details, including how to register can be found on our website here.

Bringing the 'Women in Tech' Revolution to SXSW

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:20:00 -0400

by: Veronika Sonsev

The tech industry has traditionally been a boys’ club—women have been under represented as developers, founders and c-level executives. However, thanks to traditional and social media, a network of loosely associated groups (Women 2.0, Change the Ratio, Rails Bridge, Girls in Tech, Women in Wireless, etc.) and an army of women driven to change the ratio, we are starting to see some early signs of improvement:

1) More women are pursuing computer science degrees

2) The number of startups lead by women is growing

Increasing the number of women in tech has become a movement, or a revolution of sorts. And although it is just the beginning, the lessons learned from the Women in Tech Movement can be applied to any cause: whether you want a new bike lane in your NYC neighborhood or you’re on a mission to end world hunger.
Some of the leaders of the Women in Tech Movement, put together a panel for SXSW as a case study to teach civil-minded leaders how to start their own revolution and we would love your VOTE of support:

Starting a Revolution: Women in Tech

Moderator: Veronika Sonsev – Women in Wireless, Inc.

Speakers:

Shaherose Charania ‐ Women 2.0

Tereza Nemessanyi ‐ Honestly Now

Sara Holoubek ‐ Luminary Labs

Ilén Zazueta-Hall ‐ Railsbridge

In the old days, starting a revolution required armed guerillas, violent protest … and “fast” meant 5-10 years. Today, a tweet or OpEd can circumvent the globe in seconds, instantly catalyzing a group of like-minded people to demand change. While today’s revolution employs thoroughly modern means, it exhibits classic features as well. Using Women in Tech as a case study, we’ll explore how to use technology and new media to go from cause to full-fledged revolution, resulting in measurable change. No matter the cause, the steps are the same: 1) voice the problem, 2) build coalitions of support, 3) grow awareness for the cause and 4) develop groups to take action. We’ll have with us the key players who tipped the scales, to talk about what happened and what’s to come.

VOTE FOR THIS PANEL HERE!

View all three of the Women in Wireless panels here

Your Old Mobile Is A Ticket Out of Poverty

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:16:00 -0400

by: Melissa Fudor

Let’s do a little vision exercise: imagine your mobile phone was taken away for a month (I know it may be traumatizing). Not only would your social life suffer but a lot of business and career opportunities would plummet as well. Businesses, especially those in poverty stricken countries, rely on mobile phones in order to keep lines of communication open between vendors and costumers.

Reuter’s estimates that there are 4.6 billion mobile telephones on the planet, they are no longer a status symbol for the Western world but have become the cornerstone of economic development. This article tells the story of small convenient store owners in a remote area of South Africa that have to close shop for a day to travel to another village in order to replenish their stock, wasting both time and money in the process. Mobile phones have completely revolutionized this painstaking task by integrating a software pilot project that connects owners to useful applications for their business. One application in particular allows the owners to use their mobile phones to communicate with an intermediary person who gathers bulk requests and delivers them to the shops.

Mobile phones may be the solution for the developing world to create and build efficient businesses. Women in Wireless has paired up with the Grameen Foundation this year to donate used mobile phones to help the world’s poorest, especially women, improve their lives and escape poverty by providing them with access to small loans, essential information, and viable business opportunities.

The following is one of the Grameen Foundation’s successful stories from Rwanda…

HIV doesn’t stop Marie-Claire from running a successful mobile phone business

Marie-Claire Ayurwanda stands on the rock foundation of the house she is building in Setwara, Rwanda, looking at the progress. “I want to finish building this house for my children before I die,” she says.

After her second husband died, Marie-Claire decided to start a business. She took a 20,000 franc ($40) loan from Village Phone microfinance partner URWEGO to open the Isimbi Restaurant. The profits from the restaurant help support the four children in her household and pay school fees. If a customer wants to make a phone call, she proudly takes them to a separate, private room where she has set up her Village Phone. Her Village Phone business was so profitable that she was able to pay off the loan for it in five months (rather than the standard six months). She is one of the top five Village Phone operators in Rwanda, generating about US$624 a year for herself and her children in a country where the average income is around US$230 year.

She is now interested in adding a second phone that she can run in another small village. She also wants to buy a pickup truck to help others in IMPUHWE thrive economically. “People in the association have their own gardens with Irish potatoes. With a pickup, I can take the potatoes to Kigali and sell them.”

If you have an old phone lying around your electronic drawer please consider donating it to the Grameen Foundation - you probably think that ancient Nokia or Motorola is worthless, but it can make such a big difference to someone else!

Please have a look at the Grameen Foundation’s website and see how you can help. We have donation bags for used phones (chargers not necessary!) at Women in Wireless HQ in Bryant Park, you can email me at melissa.fudor@womeninwireless.org to arrange a time to stop by, say hi, and donate a phone!

Hope to see you soon!