Female Factor

There are two sexes in the race, and one of them does all the shopping. Women. When it comes to purchasing power, they are the moder lode.

That's what the Chicago-based Female Factor Corporation claims. And founder/CEO Bridget Brennan (pictured above) goes on further to say:

Women buy 83% of all products in the United States. Yet many marketing strategies are based on age and demographic lines instead of the most obvious line of all – gender.

Men and women have been a mystery to one another since the beginning of time. And in marketing and sales, the situation is no different. Women have a distinct set of motivations and priorities that drive their purchasing decisions. Assuming otherwise limits the ability to compete in a marketplace that is absolutely dominated by female consumers.

Cracking Corporate America's Glass Ceiling

As women struggle to crack corporate America's glass ceiling, they may find more success with running their own business or in this particular case, in breaking the job barrier from the top down, a study said this week.

The more women on a company's board of directors, the more women are likely to be among that company's senior management, according to the study by Catalyst, a nonprofit organization that researches and helps promote women in business.

Read about it here.

Separately but related to women who have not escaped from corporate America yet have done a magnificent job, I want to make sure everyone caught that Shelly Lazarus is stepping down as CEO of Ogilvy & Mather. Another great woman departs (retires) from the top echelons of business.

Elsenhans Is Tops in Corporate America

Shell veteran Lynn Laverty Elsenhans (pictured) joins the tiny club of women leading major U.S. corporations by taking over the reins of Sunoco (their first woman CEO). Read more here.

Let's put our hands together to applaud and congratulate Lynn!

Women Entrepreneurs SCORE!

SCORE launched a Women Entrepreneurs Web site which provides interactive tools, mentoring, workshops and articles that can help women entrepreneurs achieve their business dreams.

Complete a simple registration form to take advantage of the full range of options.

50 Most Influential Women

Surprises come in every shape, size and form but this was a real shock. I am honored -- Laurel Delaney here -- to have been nominated for the Irish Voice's 2008 50 Most Influential Women by The Irish Voice Newspaper. This is a celebration of Irish-American women success in corporate America, entrepreneurship, the local business world and the Irish community.

Many thanks to the folks at Irish Voice Newspaper, especially to the Consul General of Ireland who is generously hosting a celebration gathering at his residence in New York on July 10th.

Why do I feel a little luck from the Irish coming my way? As I have said many times in this blog, whatever your dream, do it.

Happy Birthday, America and Escape From Corporate America!

Celebrating No. 4 birthday for the official Escape From Corporate America website and this blog and No. 232 birthday for America.

Enjoy. Have fun. Thanks for your readership.

Now go out and celebrate your freedom and independence!

Do Your Dream

Discover a world of opportunity when you get out of your comfort zone.

That's what Kristen did when she left a successful career to dig wells in Africa. Listen in ... here.