In Women We Trust

Jill Konrath and Sales Sisters are Breaking the Sales Book Ceiling

Friend and big company sales expert, Jill Konrath has done it again, she has a top sales book on Amazon along with Linda Richardson and Andrea Walz. 

Jill is dead on with SNAP Selling, I've pitched thousands over the past 35 years; those on the other side of the desk were making snap decisions long before the Internet shorten their attention span even further. 

I can't wait to read her book, Jill always delivers fresh approaches that work in today's environment. I'm going to take advantage of the download freebies here as well.  

Congrats. Go Girls!

#1 SNAP Selling, Jill Konrath

#2 Sales Coaching, Linda Richardson

#3 Perfect Selling, Linda Richardson

#12 Selling to Big Companies, Jill Konrath

#20 Getting to No, Andrea Walz

Mother's Day = Save Society Day?

Is it time for a new Mother's Day tradition that goes beyond flowers and dinner? That would be YES if Michelle Obama and women around the world have a vote. 

Julia Ward Howe started it in 1870 with her Mother's Day Proclamation. It was a pacifist reaction to the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian Way. She believed that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level. 

Today at 1:00, women will be standing silently across the globe for 5 minutes as witnesses for change. They'll be recreating the moment when two grandmothers stood still for a day in a park and more and more women joined them in silent protest as they stared at city hall. It seems like a silly thing to do, but imagine how you'd feel if 1000 people gathered and looked at you in silence. 

This morning Michelle Obama sent the following email outlining the things that the Obama administration has done to make the world a better place for women and families to live. It's too good not to reprint the entire thing.

Women tamed the wild west, why not the world? Happy Mother's Day to all who bring peace to their homes. (kisses Bena)

Dear Friend, There's no way I could ever measure all that my own mother has done for me. She is my rock. She pushes me to be the best professional, mother, wife and friend I can be. As a mother myself, I've come to realize that being a mom isn't always easy and that no one can do it alone. My husband understands the many challenges facing today's mothers and their families. His Administration has taken steps to level the playing field and ease the burden. The first bill the President signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ensure that no women face the same discrimination and injustices that Lilly did after 20 years on the job. When women make less money than men for the same work, families have to work harder just to get by. The President signed an Executive Order creating the first-ever White House Council on Women and Girls to ensure that all Federal agencies take women and girls into account in their daily work and to ensure that our daughters have the same opportunities as our sons. Through the Let's Move! Initiative and the President's Task Force on Childhood Obesity, we're helping to provide parents with the knowledge and tools they need to make healthy choices for their children and teach their children to make healthy choices for themselves. This week, we are celebrating Women's Health Week to promote steps women and girls can take to lead longer, healthier and happier lives. Mother's Day is about showing our gratitude for the mothers and mother figures who have influenced our lives. The President and I would like to extend our warmest Mother's Day wishes to all of the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and friends who have inspired a child. Happy Mother's Day! Michelle Obama

Changing to Greener Transportation

Next stop Fullerton, watch your step...

Diane asked us to write on transportation for this month's Green Mom Carnival. Perfect timing, this morning, I'm riding the train into LA and that gives me an hour of productive computer time in and out. After the initial craziness of figuring out schedules and drop off points, it's become a mindless exercise. 

Buena Park, please use handrails when walking about...

I've been in LA for seven years and until six months ago I never knew that the Metrolink to downtown existed just a mile from my home. I heard the whistle in the distance, but had no reason to check it out further. That all changed when I had to commute to downtown. From my home in Orange to LA it's only 35 miles - a nothing commute if you traveled at highway speeds, when we don't - a 35 minute ride is more like 1.5 to 2 hours one way. Ugh. 

This is Norwalk / Sante Fe Springs, all aboard, the doors are closing...

I was forced into finding an alternative or be willing to get up at 5 am and beat the rush. As much as I like an early morning drive, the afternoon bumper car party can not be avoided. 

I looked on the maps and in bright blue, red, gold and purple colors you could see the Metrolink train routes which were everywhere except coming out of my town. It turns out they don't color the Amtrak/Metrolink route because it's an Amtrak, track. No wonder I couldn't find it.

Now the question becomes how much and is it worth it? For me it's not quite a financial wash, I drive a Honda Civic that averages 33 mpg in the city, or 2-3 gallons a day at $3 something. Let's call it $10. Then there is parking at $6.50 in the cheap lot.  

Honda miles/painful drive and long commute - $16.50 a day.

No miles/computer time, predictable commute - $24 a day with the 10 pay pass.

What do I get for the $8 extra dollars? Head time and less adrenalin pumping through my body as I dodge idiots cutting in front of me. 

I can plan my day instead of my day driving me. If I grab the 7:30 train vs. the 7:00, there are less people and we skip over the city of Commerce and head straight into LA. In less than 45 minutes i'm dropped at Union Station, from there I pick up the red line and three stops later I'm a block away from where I have to be. Nice. 

In less than an hour I can go from my office at home to my office in LA and still pick up an extra 30-45 minutes of computer-and-me time. Not a bad trade off. 

 

Union Station, all passengers must exit...

Time to pack up, thanks for riding along.