What makes up a Smart Woman? Women I invite to be on Smart Conversations? Well, first, they're smart. Next, they're approachable. Next, they have a message, a purpose, a story. And they want to share it with you. And they understand the concept of reinvention because they're been there, done that, wore the T-shirt out. Continue reading

I've had the pleasure to talk with dozens of amazingly smart women, over the years. I've done some of that in Smart Conversations, here on Nurturing Big Ideas. Other times, the conversations were with folks interviewing me. Still other times, I served on a panel of experts. During all of it, I have been blessed with new friendships, great learning, and insight into the many ways we ladies reinvent ourselves, over and over again. Today's post is a convocation - the word for a group of eagles, and make no bones about it, these women soar like eagles - for your viewing and listening pleasure. Continue reading

After years of struggling as an introvert, Tracey gradually overcame this #2 fear in business by trial and error. Gathering her own field-tested experience over 30 years, along with scientific research, her FEMININE FORMULA FOR EFFECTIVE SMALL TALK came into being. It fits the way women naturally connect and build relationships. Continue reading

This is why I asked Kae to be on Smart Conversations. She knows story. She bowled me over with her description of "cave man" storytelling! I almost fell off my chair! So brilliant! Continue reading

I learned it's good to look pretty. No, I don't mean run out to the beauty parlor. Or rush out to get a haircut. Or, put on your party duds. I mean, take a shower. Comb your hair. If you wear make-up, put it on. If you have a button down shirt, wear it. Continue reading

The post got me thinking because... my Mom isn't here any longer. Nor is my Dad. Neither Dad. Yes, I had two dads. It happens. My step-Dad passed so many years ago, I don't even remember the date. I only remember how he suffered and how angry I was that he wasn't going to be around for many more years. Continue reading

Who is behind the "you" that shows up at networking events. You need to tell a story, not give a report. Too many first authors give a report - they act as outside eyeballs giving a word by word description of what happened here or there, and when. Continue reading

I would love it if we could rely on the advice and insight of family and friends, but the truth is so different. These are not the people to trust when it comes to deciding to write a book. Their opinions will be suspect. Yes, share and discuss and take their thoughts to heart. But don't believe them when they say, "Yes, that's a great idea! It's going to be a best-seller!" Continue reading

Ladies, look carefully at your success and be proud of what you've accomplished. Now, share it. Because that's what you're doing when you write a book. You're sharing. Everyone knows sharing is caring. By writing your success story down, you inspire so many other women who are struggling, maybe just the way you struggled, way back when. You inspire these women to keep going, because you become an example, a mentor, a vision of the success they could achieve, if they keep moving forward the way you did. Continue reading

This woman is a powerhouse. She wasn't one to sit and wait for life to open a door for her, she gathered her courage and created the right opportunities, just by being herself. It's easy for us to say, "Go do it." I've talked about that before - the people who say "go do it" often seem so removed from the questions and worries of the people they are shouting at. Here's the key, sometimes, "go do it" means, learn how. Continue reading

As time went on, I moved my focus from my writing, to your writing. I discovered I enjoyed helping other writers become authors. I wrote a book. I published it through print-on-demand. I was unhappy with the experience. I started my own publishing company. I became a book coach. Continue reading

The corporate ladder is a commonly known analogy in the American workplace. It’s representative of honest and hard work to secure a prosperous life and achieve upward mobility. In short, it’s the American Dream. Continue reading

An Editor Turns Blah Into Beautiful That's a bold statement. I make it for a reason - in my work with clients I often see places where word choice could be improved. It's not merely a matter of helping them choose the right word, it's helping them choose the best word. It could be a word that is more powerful or a word that adds subtlety. And, I am passionate about word order - is the word in the right place in the sentence? Is the sentence in the right place in the paragraph? Is the paragraph in the right place on the page? Continue reading

If you have the life and work experience to lend a helping hand to people looking for answers, I ask you to do so. Write the book! Continue reading

If you're contemplating writing a book about any of that - a book you will want to take on the road in 2021 to speaking engagements (on the road being via Zoom most likely, but on the road, nonetheless), I'd like to work with you as you create your book. To get you started, here are some of the books from Nurturing Big Ideas. Continue reading

Waste happens at all stages of the supply chain from the cutting room, over production and then consumer behavior. 15% of all textiles produced end up on the cutting room floor! (this was eye-opening) 100 billion clothing products are manufactured annually (40% of which are marked down). On average in the US – people throw away 70lbs of clothing/person/year. (who finds this a bit shocking? I do) Continue reading

It means people sometimes just throw up on the page. Ack! What an expression! We say that in writing because a lot of new writers, untried writers, just getting started writers, do that. They write garbage. Not because they mean to. Not even because they think it's good - well, mostly. Some of them think it's good and then they come to me and I disabuse them of that idea. Continue reading

It took Tolstoy six years to write War and Peace. But you're not writing War and Peace. You're writing a business book to serve clients and new prospects. Your book will take as long as you make it take. The timing of writing your book is up to you. Continue reading

What if I could help you read faster by doing one little thing? One small, tiny, minuscule thing? What if you could forget all the other advice you've researched about how to become a faster reader - all in an attempt to be a better leader and business professional - and do one thing that would help improve your reading skills dramatically? Continue reading

Yes, when you have a book you are now "the author of" and become more sought after than before you wrote your book, but that doesn't have to mean neglecting your business. It means accepting speaking opportunities when and where you can, and selling books in the back of the room. Meanwhile, you are now the expert in that business you wrote about in your book, and the audience wants to know all about it, all about you, and how they can work with you. After they read your book. Continue reading

I'm here to turn you into an author of a book. A solid, inspirational, educational, entertaining book that shares the story of you with the world. When that happens, you become a whole new person. Actually, you become several new persons. Let's talk about that. Your role as a writer encompasses more than just holding up the book you wrote when you attend networking events. And, it's far more than announcing to everyone you know on Facebook that you wrote a book. Continue reading

A book cover is more than the pretty picture people see on the front of your book. If you've traditionally published, you may have a paper cover, over the actual printed book. This is where the pictures go; yours on the back, and a design on the front. If you're already wildly famous, if you're Taylor Swift, for instance, your picture would be on the front cover, not the back. In that case, it's the fame that sells the book, not the book content. Continue reading

I wasn't thinking of dollars and cents, while I wrote. I was thinking of dollars and sense. The dollars I would invest by self-publishing and the sense of pride and accomplishment I would have once the book was completed. And, the sense to know the book was not going to make me rich and famous. Continue reading

You've heard all the platitudes, think and grow rich, you are what you eat, think and believe, etc, etc. They're great quotes to hang on a wall, but I want you to reach deep, deep, deep down, into your soul and see yourself as you truly are - worthy of success. Just as worthy as any other woman, many of whom you've helped succeed. Continue reading

The world will judge your book by its cover. You have no control over that. People see a book and immediately form an opinion of it. If your cover is not professional, if it does not give the reader the right message about the book, right away, if the colors are off-putting, if they are confused by the title, subtitle, or design, they will look away. And then they will go away. Continue reading