In Women We Trust

Why Great Teachers Quit

A few years back, a friend of mine was griping about how easy teachers have it and how only the bad ones stay to teach. I was stunned. Could she possible be serious? Or maybe she just didn't have any teachers for friends. "They always cut out at the end of the day as fast as they can," she said. "They're probably heading to their second job," was my reply. Her solution was to gather with her other mom friends and pray that God would find an answer--He did, many years later in Katy Farber who decided to shine a big light on the issues and the solutions. Rather than wait for an answer on high, Katy researched the frustrations and offers them back in a concise summation of facts, failings and successes.

Her book, Why Great Teachers Quit and How We Might Stop the Exodus lists off the usual suspects:

• Standardized testing.
• Working conditions.
• Ever-higher expectations.
• Bureaucracy.
• Respect and Compensation.
• Parents, Administrators and School Boards.

She then offers resources and solutions culled from interviews with 70 teachers across the nation. Their stories echo the frustration this profession generates. The issues raised are not new, but by having them all in one book it allows each participating member to see things from the other's perspective. As the adage goes, "Awareness is the first step..."

Why Great Teachers Quit is an essential workbook and reminder of how pervasive the problems are and what simple steps could be taken to reverse the brain drain. Each school system has it within their ability to retain the top influencers on the next generation; Katy's book can turn the he said/she said battles into "We did it together" solutions. 

Thank you Katy for changing our world and keeping the best teachers in place and our kids safe at home. 

A Mindful Momma is more than "Practically Green"...

... She's practically everyone's Grandma. (sorry Micaela, but you gave me a flashback)

In her new book, Practically Green, Micaela Preston embodies women of another age who understood how to make their own cleaning supplies, create their own fun and COOK!  Practically Green provides all the tips that you'd normally get from working side-by-side a sage woman of the house, but with a green twist. It won't take you a lifetime to learn however, Micaela takes the learning curve done to a month or less. 

Micaela, who also authors the Mindful Momma blog, created this delightful book that's a joy to read and hold in your hand. At 5-1/2 by 7 inches, its small size makes it easy to carry in your purse for a reference while shopping. 

Like many of the how-to-be-green books it's jammed with ideas and fun facts for keeping your family toxin-free. What makes it different is the tone. Facts come at you in small bites with lots of pictures that draw you through the book. 

It would make a perfect stocking stuffer, but it might be more fun to follow Micaela's instructions for making lip balm or fizzy bath balls from scratch and give green gifts this year. Or, instead of making a fruit cake you might want to bring Very Veggie Loaf to the holiday open houses. Why not? At least the Very Veggie Loaf will be eaten.

This isn't green for the sustainable die hards, it's green for the rest of us who just want to live our lives a bit better, but don't know where to start or how to stay motivated. The book will keep you busy trying its recipes and crafts and also give you tips for getting food and glue out of clothing. Or, dump the clothes and try the vanilla sugar body scrub.

Start inserting these practical changes into your family and your grandchildren will remember who taught them what to do. 

Smart Mama is out to create a LOT of Smart Mamas...

If you've been following this blog, then you've read the increasing trend in topics around toxic households. Included in that group are endocrine-disruptors that can mess with your sex life. 

Last week in the  Sunday's NY Times, Kristof's opinion piece provided a long write up on the short comings of all males, not just human, due to endocrine disruptors. While he gave fact after fact on where the stuff was coming from, he didn't provide answers. It must have hit a nerve, however, as 171 people commented on his blog on the same topic.

What's a mother to do? These chemicals and more are messing with our bodies and our children's bodies. 

Then along comes Smart Mama's Green Guide: Simple steps to reduce your child's toxic chemical exposure, by Jennifer Taggart

Jennifer is part of the Green Mom Carnival crowd and also practices environmental law. Instead of covering all the eco-bases in her book as others have done, she focuses on ONLY toxins - from how they got into her body to what she's doing to keep her home free of them for her children. 

Toxins are the #1 eco issue when it comes to green moms. If you're a marketer of consumer goods and you need to know what will put a customer over the edge, I suggest you get a copy of Smart Mama's Green Guide and keep it in the department library.

Jennifer does not sugar coat anything. She cites example after example of how bad some highly marketed products are for your home. If fear is the best motivator, then this book is will leave you very motivated. She also is very clear on what the government is doing and NOT doing to protect citizens. 

 

Jennifer exposes us to new terms such as body burdens, i.e. how much can a 5-pound bundle of joy handle? Small bodies, large risks. Watch Jennifer on FOX News testing toys here. 

She covers some sustainable product standards that are beginning to get toxins out.  I'd like to hear more from her on what standards (if any) are the best.  

Anyone who isn't afraid to find out what's in their carpets, clothes, foam and cleaning chemical will find this well documented book will have an accumulating effect on them. 

No, It's not all in our heads...

By now many guys think that customer inequality no longer exists. That women and men get the same treatment as long as the card clears. WRONG! It happens even to successful and tech smart women like Elizabeth Albrycht. Elizabeth runs her Corporate PR biz from France and recently reviewed In Women We Trust (thank you!) starting it off with a personal testimony and punch line...

The book is full of examples that I am sure most of my female readers can relate to:  shopping for electronic equipment or cars are two iconic ones.  I still seethe when I think about how I was treated at a major electronics chain a few years ago when I went there to buy a digital camera.  Standing at the outside of the square counter, with the (male) clerk behind it, I was ignored completely while he waited on at least four other men (some of whom arrived after me), then when he finally asked me if he could help with a sigh, I launched into my questions, which he really didn't listen to (he barely looked at me) and then, when he was interrupted by another man with a “quick question” that turned into a lecture on the benefits of pixels, I simply walked away, left the store, and vowed never to buy anything from them again.  And I spread the word among my female friends.  I bought the $600 camera at another store.

A) She walked away from the moment and the person and the store never knew why they lost the $600 sale. B) She "still seethes" thinking about it. C) She was kind and didn't mention the store's name in her well read blog, but she did tell her friends.

Is that what you want ? A seething customer who talks to her friends? I know, I know, it's customer service 101 and oh well... can't win them all... But that's the point. You CAN win them all, if you treat all customers with the same level of respect and acknowledgment. She didn't walk because the sales rep was busy, she walked because of his attitude towards her.

By the way, check out her full write up for the top tips that resonated with her.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for the wonderful review and also for letting other's know what's in your head.

North of the border review

I have my first out of country review by Wayne Hurlbert who hangs his scarf in Manitoba, CA and on his site Blog Business World. Wayne's the first guy who has stepped forward on book tour to comment. I talked to him the other day and he isn't the least bit threatened by this women WITH women movement. In fact, he thinks the recognition that women ARE the majority consumer is long overdue and likes the changes that it's bringing to marketing.

Thanks for your comments, Wayne, I'm looking forward to hearing more when we go live on your BlogRadio program Oct. 12 at 5 PST.

One Piece of Advice You Can't Sell Without

Jill Konrath the author of Selling to Big Companies is at it again, only this time she's joined hands with nine other experts in the field of business to business sales. To get your FREE COPY of One Piece of Advice that you Can't Sell Without" go here.

I like the FREE part and the fact that Seth Godin leads off with one tip - TRUST. For him that was the beginning and the end of a business relationship. (Thanks Seth, I'm glad you agree...)  He didn't give any additional tips as to how to gain "trust," just that it was the most important thing. Thankfully, Jill and the others fill in the blanks with ways to accomplish that.

It's only 35 pages, but loaded with enough advice to turn any first time sales rep into a sage before noon.

Small Business with Anita Campbell

The best part of being on this virtual book tour is the great women I've met. Yesterday, I talked with Anita Campbell the editor of Smallbiztrends and gave her 5 Do's and 5 Don'ts for selling small business owners. Anita has put together an extremely helpful site for anyone in small business - not only is the content compelling, but the way the site is organized and promoted is a marketing lesson in itself.

On the main site, Anita offers the opinions of many experts through, radio podcasts, a newsletter, articles, blog postings and much more. All of which is focused on trends and how they can be applied within the small business arena. She also has many sub-sites that tie back into the main hub section. I don't know how she keeps it all flowing so well, but she does. If you're in small business, you'll want to subscribe and bookmark www.smallbiztrends.com.

More than a Book Tour

Wow! When my publisher and friend Yvonne DiVita set up this Virtual Book Tour, I had no idea what I was in for. I had some notion that it would be like going on Jon Stewart where I'd be virtually batted around for a five minute laugh with the book mentioned at the end. WRONG! These women are want answers and they are holding my brain to the fire.

Check out Deborah Brown over on the Bizinformer, one of her questions prompted me to talk about a recent car purchase where the dealer was selected by simply being more friendly than the other online car dealers... all it took was one well worded (and sincere) paragraph. No fancy ads, no pictures, just a few hundred words at the right time and the right place.

Toby Bloomberg didn't hold back, either. She highlighted one of the push-back problems attached to this cultural shift and asked me to respond to one of her male readers. He was happy that women were joining together to support one and another, but also felt like some reverse discrimination was going on. Read her interview and find out what I said.

On Tuesday I tour with Kirsten Osolind on her blog ReinventionInc. Kirsten is playing devil's advocate in her questions and they point out a perception gap between the women at the top of organizations and what is being done to communicate with their female customers.

(It's another reason that I keep talking about what Best Buy is doing to close that gap - see last Monday's blog posting - They aren't just putting women into management to increase diversity standards, they are taking advantage of women's social skills and networking to cross link departments and solve problems in a true marriage of right brain/left brain thinking.)

After Kirsten, I go live (yikes) with Dr. Gayle Carson in the afternoon, with a worldwide audience of 1.5 million - no pressure there! Later in the week, Susan Getgood will turn the burner up again on trust factors and more. On September 5th, Anita Campbell of SmallBizTrends, wants to see a list of 5 Do's and 5 Don'ts.

It's grueling, but great fun and it continues the conversation that In Women We Trust starts. My sincere thanks to you all for your participation and thought provoking questions.

Come tour with us

If you're going to take a virtual book tour, you couldn't possibly have better guides, i.e. reviewers, than these ladies.  Deborah Brown started me out yesterday at Bizinformer (kisses Deborah! Glad you liked it). Next on the list of interviews/reviews is Toby Bloomberg, Kirsten Osoling, Susan Getgood, Anita Campbell, Elizabeth Albrycht and Dr. Gayle Carson. A huge hug goes to my publisher and high level blogger herself, Yvonne DiVita for setting up this amazing lineup of women that every business person should know. My thanks to you all for joining on!