Stephanie A. BurnsChairman, President,

& Chief Executive Officer Dow Corning

Work Here. Fly Anywhere.www.skywest.com/careers

the journey begins here

3

Editor’s Letter

Stephanie A. BurnsChairman, President,

& Chief Executive Officer Dow Corning

One Thing Never Changes

One of the most oft-repeated eu-phemisms goes; “The only thing that doesn’t change is the fact that everything changes.” And yes,

there have been several here since the last issue of Women In Business And Industry. In fact, we’ve completely re-vamped the magazine.

You’ll find all-new layouts, more articles about entrepreneurial success stories, columns about cur-rent trends in the world of business, and a guide to women’s professional organizations. Our bookshelf feature continues, but has been expanded to take in a broader variety of tomes. Rather than featuring books at random, we’re targeting one or two significant issues and presenting authors who have addressed them in a way that will prove beneficial to you as you shape your

lives, businesses and careers.In our new “Entrepreneurial Endeavors” features, we chronicle the efforts of suc-

cessful women who are in business for themselves, offering you the benefit of learn-ing from their experiences. Similarly, our new “Corner Office” profiles give you an opportunity to gain insights into the thought processes of the most powerful women in corporate America.

We’ve also added columnist Rieva Lesonsky. The author of several books about small business and entrepreneurship, including the bestseller Start Your Own Business, Rieva Lesonsky is founder and CEO of GrowBiz Media; a content and consulting company that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Prior to co-founding Grow-Biz Media in 2008, she was editorial director of Entrepreneur magazine. Rieva will be offering her unique perspective on the latest developments in the business world.

Here in the pages of Women In Business And Industry magazine, it is our overarch-ing goal to make sure you get as much information as you can to ensure the success of your career––or whatever entrepreneurial opportunity you choose to pursue. So please peruse the issue, get back to us and let us know what you think.

Did we nail it? Did we miss it? Have we left something out?Please, let us know how we did.

Lyndon Conrad BellEditor

Inside This IssueCLICk On A PAGE nuMBER tO GO tO tHAt StORY

CLICk On A PAGE nuMBER tO GO tO tHAt StORY

PUBLISHEREqualityMagazines.com

MAnAgIng dIREcToRJeff Palmatier

dIREcToR - MARKETIngMark cohen

EdIToRLyndon conrad Bell.

ART dIREcToRFran Sherman

WoMEn In BUSInESS & IndUSTRY is a publication of EqualityMagazines.com

Views and opinions expressed within the publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisherreserves the right to reject or edit any copy, advertising, or editorial, The publisher is notresponsible for any unsolicited materials.

copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

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One of The Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women In The World, Dr. Burns has evolved Dow Corn-

ing into a thoroughly modern company, dedicated to fostering a positive climate of collaboration,

creativity and commitment. All while generating record profits.

Make Mine A Million $ Business

Page 6: News BriefsPage 8: Social Studies: Beauty As A Liability?Page 10: Dollars & Sense: Small Biz Tax TipsPage 12: Business Bookshelf: What Men Don’t Tell WomenPage 24: Rieva Recommends: Think LeanPage 26: Guide To Women’s Professional Organizations

Silver Moon Desserts Inclusion INCPage 14 Page 16 Page 18

On The Cover:Dr. Stephanie A. Burns, chair,

president and CEO of Dow Corning

Features:

Departments:

Page 20

According to The Center For Business Research, only three percent of all woman-owned firms have revenues of one million dollars or more. What would happen if one million women business owners each generated one million dollars in revenue? An ambitious program is on its way to find-ing out.

key to success as an entrepre-neur is cultivating relation-ships with those “who’ve been there”. Following her dream, Sheri tate successfully tran-sitioned from hard-charging Silicon Valley technology executive to hard-charging founder of an award-winning artisan ice cream and sorbet company––Silver Moon Des-serts.

In business, inclusion tools are important for both upper management and front line workers. Creating an environ-ment where everyone feels appreciated and understands how their role contributes to the overall success of the or-ganization promotes engaged, productive employees who work well together.

Page 6: News BriefsPage 8: Social Studies: Beauty As A Liability?Page 10: Dollars & Sense: Small Biz Tax TipsPage 12: Business Bookshelf: What Men Don’t Tell WomenPage 24: Rieva Recommends: Think LeanPage 26: Guide To Women’s Professional Organizations

Departments:

THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE4

3

HISPANIC TODAY

A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITYWe are the world’s largest ASME Authorized Inspection Agency. Although we are best known for our services as an AIA, we’ve leveraged experience gained over more than 136 years of operation to become an industry leader in a variety of engineering services fields.

Job opportunities are currently available at HSB Global Standards. Please visit our website for more information on current openings.

www.hsbglobalstandards.com

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.Transportation | Land Developement | Environmental Services

www.vhb.com | Offices located throughout the east coast

Consistently named among the “Best Civil Engineering Firms to Work For” by CE News magazine, VHB is committed to providing a challenging, dynamic and rewarding work environment. Our staff enjoys opportunities to grow professionally and work on interesting projects. Our dynamic, people-centric organization focuses on our culture of collaboration, personal development, and developing lasting relationships both inside and outside of our firm.

VHB is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.VHB ensures non discrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.VHB participates in the E-verify employment authorization program.

6

News Briefs

DEtRIOt – A General Motors scholarship program en-courages women to consider a career in automotive retail.

The GM Women’s Retail network Dealer Development Scholarship is intended for women who are enrolled in undergraduate, graduate and non-traditional educational institutions that offer degrees in the automotive retail field. Several scholarships will be available beginning in 2011 in award amounts up to $5,000.

Women who wish to apply for this scholarship may do so beginning in January 2011. Scholarship awards will be an-nounced in May 2011. Applicants will be evaluated on the strength of their academic performance, community service and volunteerism, work experience and a personal state-ment.

Information about the GM Women’s Retail network Dealer Development Scholarship is available at wrnscholar-shipinfo@gmsac.com. Those wishing to make donations to the scholarship program should contact the CMS Founda-tion at 888-377-5233. WIBI

DEtROIt- The Inforum network for professional women and Sphere trending have released “The new Mom,” the second installment of their “Women In 2010” series of reports exploring trends affecting women in the second decade of the 21st century.

key findings from the report, include: •MomsHavePower: The mom of this mil-

lennium is the fastest growing demographic in the business sector, challenging the tradi-tional ways business has been done and not afraid to create new solutions.

•MomsareCreativeandDemanding: today’s mom is unlike previous generations; she is more highly educated and more likely to be employed. She demands more from products that affect the health and wellness of her family and is more creative in finding ways to save money on what she wants.

•MomsareSavvyWebUsers: Forty-three percent of women actively use the web to seek advice from blogs and other social media outlets. That provides opportunities for businesses to increase awareness through local efforts, social media, mommy blog-gers and tech conferences designed just for women. WIBI

WASHIngTon – nASA and recording artist Mary J. Blige are collaborating to encourage young women to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Working with the nASA Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy project at York college of the city University of new York (cUnY), the joint effort is training high school girls in the program to deliver nASA Summer of Innovation technology education content to middle school students at the new York city Housing Authority Van dyke community center and the Harlem children’s Zone Promise Acad-emy.

For information about nASA’s Summer of In-novation project, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/soi

For information about Blige’s FFAWn founda-tion, visit: http://www.ffawn.org. WIBI

nEW YoRK - In a June 2010 Harris Poll Survey, seven in ten respondents said women often do not receive the same pay as men for doing exactly the same job. Three in five agreed women are often discriminated against in being promoted for supervisory and executive jobs.

Women were more likely than men to agree, but almost half of men agreed with both sentiments. Four in five women agreed women often do not receive the same pay for the same job compared to 58 percent of men, and 75 percent of women agreed women are discriminated against in promotions compared to 48 percent of men.

Respondents also believe women have more trouble getting credit, bank loans, mortgages, and equitable insurance rates. WIBI

GMScholarshipforWomenPursuingRetailAutomotiveCareers

Changing Role of Motherhood

NASA and Mary J. Blige Encourage Science Careers For Women

Three in Five Agree: U.S. Hasn’t Reached Gender Equality

THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE8

ClimbersWanted.To us, “diversity” meansmore than “race” or “gender.”

It means developing,manufacturing andmarketing life-enhancingmedical technologies inseveral therapeutic fields.

It means cultivating a work-force that spans a variety ofcultures around the globe.

And it means fostering thecareers of talented individuals,whatever their background oravenues of interest.

Take the next step in yourcareer. Visit us at:

C. R. Bard, Inc. is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

www.crbard.com/careers

TM

Looks Do MatterIn a study released in the May/June Journal of Social

Psychology, Stefanie Johnson, assistant professor of manage-ment at uC Denver Business School, found beauty has an ugly side––at least for women.

Attractive women were discriminated against when apply-ing for jobs considered “masculine” and for which appear-ance was not seen as important to the job. Such positions included titles like manager of research and development, director of finance, mechanical engineer and construction supervisor.

“In these professions, being attractive was highly detri-mental to women,” said Johnson. “In every other kind of job, attractive women were preferred. This wasn’t the case with men which shows that there is still a double standard when it comes to gender.”

The study, co-authored by Robert Dipboye, professor of psychology at the university of Central Florida, kenneth Podratz, an organizational development manager at united Parcel Service, and Ellie Gibbons, research assistant at the university of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, found attractive men suffered no similar discrimination and were always at an advantage.

According to Johnson, beautiful people still enjoy a significant edge. They tend to get higher salaries, better per-formance evaluations, higher levels of admission to college, better voter ratings when running for public office and more favorable judgments in trials. A recent Newsweek survey of 202 hiring managers and 964 members of the public con-cluded that looks matter in every aspect of the workplace and they mattered more for women. When asked to rate nine character attributes on a scale of one to 10 with 10 be-ing the most important, looks ranked third, above education and sense of humor, the magazine reported.

But in one narrow aspect of life, beauty can be a hin-drance, something researchers have called the “beauty is beastly” effect.

“In two studies, we found attractiveness is beneficial for men and women applying for most jobs, in terms of ratings

of employment suitability,” according to the study. “How-ever, attractiveness was more beneficial for women applying for feminine sex-typed jobs than masculine sex-typed jobs.”

In one experiment, participants were given a list of jobs and photos of applicants and told to sort them according to their suitability for the job. They had a stack of 55 male and 55 female photos.

In job categories like director of security, hardware salesperson, prison guard, and tow truck driver, attractive women were overlooked. In each of these jobs appearance was perceived to be unimportant. Attractive women tended to be sorted into positions like receptionist or secretary.

“One could argue that, under certain conditions, physical appearance may be a legitimate basis for hiring,” Johnson said. “In jobs involving face-to-face client contact, such as sales, more physically attractive applicants could conceiv-ably perform better than those who are less attractive. However it is important physical attractiveness is weighed equally for men and women to avoid discrimination against women.”

The study chided those who let stereotypes influence hiring decisions. Given the importance of hiring and the consequences of making a wrong choice, the authors said, managers need to rely more on information from the indi-vidual rather than on stereotypes about physical appearance.WIBI

ResearchFindsBeautifulWomenFaceDiscrimination

While many see no downside to being beautiful, a professor at the Univer-sity of colorado denver Business

School says attractive women face dis-crimination when it comes to landing certain kinds of jobs.

8

THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE11

ResearchFindsBeautifulWomenFaceDiscrimination

Small Business Tax Tips That Add Up to Big Savings

(newsuSA) - In small business, it’s not about how many units of goods or services are sold. It’s about how much is left in your pocket, making every tax break matter. With small businesses still struggling to stay afloat, new laws to reduce federal taxes have come at an ideal time.

Among the provisions from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) scheduled to expire for 2010 returns are decreased estimated tax payments for certain small businesses and additional Section 179 expenses. The expanded net Operating Loss carrybacks will also expire. However, if you filed your 2009 tax return on time without electing the carryback, you have until Oct. 15. 2010, to make the election for either 2008 or 2009 losses.

One ARRA change carrying over to 2010 returns is the capital gains tax break for individual investors selling or exchanging small business stock. Stock must be acquired after Feb. 17, 2009 and before Jan. 1, 2011, and held for more than five years. up to a 75 percent gain can be excluded on individual returns, but is limited to the greater of 10 times the taxpayer’s basis in the stock, or a $10 million gain from stock in the small business corporation.

The health care reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, enacted a tax credit for small busi-

nesses and tax-exempt organizations paying at least half the cost of single coverage for employees. to qualify, businesses must have less than 25 full-time equivalent (FtE) employees earning wages averaging less than $50,000 per employee per year. Because the credit is FtE-based, the business may have more than 25 employees. The maximum credit is 35 percent of premiums paid in 2010 and 25 percent of premiums paid by eligible employers.

The 2010 standard mileage rates are lower than 2009 rates to reflect lower transportation costs. Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, the standard mileage rates for use of an automobile for busi-ness, charitable, medical or moving purposes became:* 50 cents per mile for business miles driven* 16.5 cents per mile for medical or moving purposes* 14 cents per mile in service of charitable organizations.

Consider using do-it-yourself tax preparation software like taxACt Home & Business Bundles that cost under $55. Each Bundle includes taxACt Deluxe and State, and your choice of 1065, 1120S or 1120C software. taxACt releases preview versions of its federal programs each October, which allows small business owners to get a head start on their returns and create a year-end tax plan. Visit www.taxact.com for details. WIBI

10

THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE14

Rehrig Pacific is a world-leading manufacturer of reusable

plastic pallets and crates for handling and transporting

commercial products, manufactured goods, produce, food

and beverage products, and more. We help thousands of

businesses move their products more efficiently through

the supply chain. An international company with licensees

worldwide, Rehrig Pacific offers an ever-expanding line

of transport packaging products, such as our new export

pallet, and logistical services for industry.

In addition, Rehrig Pacific also manufactures a full line of

roll-out carts and recycle bins for the curbside collection

of household waste and recyclables, and commercial

containers and litter bins for automated refuse and

recylables collection. Private haulers and municipalities

alike enjoy the many advantages of using Rehrig Pacific

collection containers and distribution services.

To learn more about us or to explore careers

with Rehrig Pacific, visit us online.

www.rehrigpacific.com

An Equal Oppprtunity Employer Committed to Diversity

Small Business Tax Tips That Add Up to Big Savings

12

On The Bookshelf

Ask For It: In their ground-breaking book, Women Don’t Ask, Linda Bab-cock and Sara Laschever uncovered a startling fact: many women who negotiate brilliantly on behalf of others, often falter when it comes to asking for themselves. now they’ve developed a guide to negotiation that starts before you even get to the bargain-ing table. Ask for It explains why it’s essential to ask and teaches you how to ask effectively––in a way that feels comfortable to you as a woman. guided step-by-step, you’ll learn how to draw on your special strengths to open doors that appeared closed, reach agreements that benefit everyone in-volved–and propel yourself to new places both profes-sionally and personally.

What Men Don’t Tell: A confessed “Young Alpha Male” decides to break the code of silence; give serious, ambitious women the scoop on how men view women in business; and explain every-thing women need to know about dealing with men professionally. You’ll learn what drives men to succeed, what women do naturally that undermines their ca-reers and how to show (or hide) emotion at work. You’ll also find out how to gain and maintain the trust of male colleagues, overcome poor treatment or offensive comments, and make sure you get credit for your work without embarrassing or alienating the man (probably your boss) who’s trying to take it all for himself.

The 10 Laws of Enduring Success: during bullish, op-timistic periods, people seem to ride an upward wave with ease and confidence. The tangible evidence is right there for all to see––in their jobs, bank accounts, homes, families, and the admira-tion of their peers. But it is a fact of life that success, once earned, is not neces-sarily there to stay. If ever there was a cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of success, it is the events of recent years. As Maria Bartiromo watched the cur-rent financial drama unfold from her front-row seat at the new York Stock Exchange, she began to re-assess the meaning of success––as a durable, lifelong pursuit.

The 4-Hour Workweek: timothy Ferriss has been de-livering controversial guest lectures at Princeton univer-sity, captivating undergradu-ates and professors alike with his take on the mobile lifestyle. The new Rich, he argues, have abandoned the “deferred-life plan” (slave/save/retire) and instead mastered the new curren-cies—time and mobility—to create luxury lifestyles in the here and now by distributing retirement throughout life instead of saving it for the end. The 4-Hour Workweek is the ultimate guide to doing more with less and making less do more. WIBI

Anyone in business can tell you the importance of negotiating skills. They are among the fundamental capabilities of any successful individual. Thing is, different people require different approaches and as a woman, sometimes you’ll need to overcome precon-ceived notions before you’re even heard. of course success, once achieved, can still

be a fleeting commodity. It’s important to recognize what you’re working for in the first place and manage your time so your life isn’t defined by the pursuit of it. These four books offer insightful perspectives on all of those points.

THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE17

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On The Bookshelf

Making A Million, One Businesswoman At A Time

So, what would happen if just one million women busi-ness owners each generated one million dollars in revenue? What would that do for the economy? How many jobs would be created? An ambitious program is on its way to finding out.

Since 2005, The Make Mine a Million $ Business program has been providing female entrepreneurs with essential tools to grow their businesses. A program of Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence, the leading not for profit provider of resources for businesswomen and found-ing partner, American Express Open, their goal is to help one million women increase their annual revenues to one million dollars by 2020. Through a combination of coach-ing, financing, marketing advice and entry into a supportive

network of women, the program is paving the way to turn this goal into reality.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Make Mine A Million $ Business is its unique competition for business-women that takes place in select cities throughout the u.S. each year. Women with businesses that are at least two years old and at $250,000 in revenue are encouraged to apply and are evaluated on their business plan and its potential for future growth and success. With the competition described by some as American Idol meets The Apprentice, finalists are chosen to present their three-minute business plan in front of a panel of business experts and hundreds of women entrepreneurs. The awardees go on to receive financing from American Express OPEn and other valuable resources

NellMerlino’sMakeMineAMillion$Business

Now, more than ever before, women are taking an ownership role in the workplace. Women represent nearly fifty percent of all privately-owned businesses—nearly ten million in total. It’s an impressive feat, considering it wasn’t until 1974 that women were granted the right to have business credit in their own names. Unfortunately,

ownership doesn’t necessarily equal economic success. According to The center for Busi-ness Research, only three percent of all woman-owned firms have revenues of one million dollars or more.

EntrepreneurialEndeavors

By MARyBETH GRASS

14

aimed at helping to grow their busi-nesses.

to date, over 5,000 women have applied and 259 have been accepted into the program. Forty women have already grown their revenues to a mil-lion dollars or more, generating over $100 million and creating thousands of jobs.

“The idea is that by inspiring female entrepreneurs to set bigger goals and offering access to coaching and funding, they’ll be better able to boost revenues over the million-dollar mark.” says Make Mine A Million $ Busi-ness founder, nell Merlino, adding, “The economic impact of accelerating women’s business success to this level will generate at least four million new jobs and close to $700 billion in eco-nomic activity. “

Merlino has no doubt she’ll see this goal accomplished in her lifetime. Throughout her career, she has been inspiring millions of people to take action. She is the creative force behind “take Our Daughters to Work Day,” which has moved more than 71 mil-lion Americans to participate in a day dedicated to giving girls the opportu-nity to dream bigger about their future. now Merlino’s creation of Make Mine A Million $ Business continues the theme of empowering women, helping them to be financially independent and successful. She’s seen firsthand what a difference the financial and the “can do” support provided by Make Mine A Million $ Business does for women and their businesses.

Merlino speaks proudly of the

many women who have reached the million dollar mark, such as Garnett newcombe, owner of Human Poten-tial Consultants, a human resource company that trains veterans, recently released convicts and others to return to the workforce. Before becoming a Make Mine A Million $ Business awardee, newcombe’s company was making a respectable annual income of $400,000, but she didn’t know what direction to take to further grow the business.

Merlino recalls, “Garnett was stuck in a place a lot of women entrepreneurs find themselves when running a busi-ness. She needed to overcome the fear of asking for help, including request-ing funding, learning to hire needed staff and delegating some of the work. Once she resolved these issues, there was no stopping Garnett from well surpassing the million dollar mark.”

Within a year of receiving coaching from Make Mine A Million $ Business, newcombe found herself on the fast track to making $4.2 million in reve-nue. Merlino notes women are so used to trying to do it all they often don’t realize hiring help can dramatically im-prove the state of their business.

Make Mine A Million $ Business awardee, Dawn Gluskin, founder and CEO of Soltec Electronics, ap-preciates the invaluable resources that have helped her company grow tremendously. Soltec Electronics offers strategic procurement solutions to electronic manufacturing clients around the globe. Gluskin started the company solo in her living room

less than two years ago, but has since experienced rapid growth and expan-sion. Since winning the competition last February, she attributes the great PR, support and planning advice she has received from Make Mine A Mil-lion $ Business and American Express OPEn to helping catapult her company into its accelerated success. She’s also come to appreciate the strong sense of community as well.

“I have learned so much from other awardees and finalists. There are so many opportunities to be a part of online forums where you can ask ques-tions and learn from other people’s experiences. It’s like having your own board of advisors at your fingertips.”

today, Make Mine A Million $ Business offers a wealth of information and resources to draw upon to tackle the challenges facing businesswomen. From the national competition events, to Webinars and online tools, along with local meet ups in cities through-out the u.S., there’s an opportunity for women entrepreneurs at every stage of business development to gain the insight they need to take the next step towards becoming a million dollar business.

“At the end of the day, it’s about taking women to new levels of inde-pendence, empowering them to act as economic leaders” concludes Merlino. “That’s when really positive things begin to take shape, affecting people’s lives for the better.”

To learn more about Make Mine A Million $ Business, visit www.make-mineamillion.org. WIBI

“The idea is that by inspiring female entrepreneurs to set bigger goals and offering access to coaching and funding, they’ll be better able to boost revenues over the million-dollar mark”

15

tate says working in tech startups, where one wore many different hats each day, honed her ability to strategize, multi-task, and execute efficiently with minimal resources. While these skills have helped fuel her success in the artisan food industry, tate says she could never have gotten where she is today without her personal and professional network.

upon leaving the tech industry, tate realized she needed to expand her Rolodex, and began seeking networking groups of women, food industry professionals, and success-ful entrepreneurs to help her succeed in her new venture. She insists the art of networking is a crucial aspect of run-ning a business—and the contacts and friendships she has cultivated with like-minded professionals have “made all the difference.”

As vice president of marketing at a California startup, Sheri tate was no stranger to hard work, long hours and complex negotiations. to balance the hectic demands of a corporate career, the Michigan native indulged her gour-mand lifestyle by entertaining her foodie friends whenever she had free time.

“Being a tech executive was my day job,” says tate. “But somewhere in my heart I couldn’t ignore this powerful urge be an entre-preneur, to start my own company—I just had to figure out where I could be innovative and find the right product. Like my mother and grandmother, I loved to cook, to create, to explore

flavors and culinary sensations, so it was probably inevitable these two passions would merge,”

One of tate’s favorite creative outlets was making home-made ice cream and sorbets—with a twist. Memories of her mother’s decadent desserts—ice cream studded with pecans and drizzled with Irish Cream, sophisticated cocktails blending ice cream and liqueur—inspired tate to find new ways to combine spirits and ice cream. The lucky friends who benefited from tate’s kitchen marvels were enchanted by her unique and imaginative creations.

tate did not make the decision lightly to leap from tech to artisan ice cream. The recession was settling in for the long term and financial markets were shrinking. The specialty food industry is probably one of the most volatile market sectors, with razor-thin profit margins. Foodie audiences are notoriously fickle. And, not least, there were already several highly rated artisan ice cream products already aggressively competing for share in the $21 billion u.S. market for frozen desserts.

So, while still working, the San Jose, California business-woman spent weekends studying the industry and was clear-

eyed about the risks…and the potential. tate had a strong belief she’d found a product niche that would be game-

changing; ice cream combined with liqueur. So, in 2008, tate turned her hobby into a full-time career when she founded Silver Moon Desserts.

Networking’s Just DessertsSheriTate’sSilverMoonDesserts

Key to success as an entrepreneur is cultivating relationships with those “who’ve been there”.

Following her dream, Sheri Tate successfully transitioned from hard-charging Silicon Valley technology executive to hard-charging founder of an award winning, artisan ice

cream and sorbet company, Silver Moon desserts.

By JACkiE FLATEN

16

EntrepreneurialEndeavors

tate quickly turned to networking groups to find others who had been successful in launching and growing their own business. On the advice of a friend, she attended a monthly meeting of national Association of Women Business Owners-Silicon Valley (nAWBO-SV). She immediately felt welcome among this group of success-ful, accomplished women, all of whom were running their own businesses, from service to financial professionals, to CEOs of large companies. As she told her story, she received overwhelm-ing support and encouragement for her ambitions, even though the Silver Moon business was in the infancy stage compared to most of those at the event. She left the meeting inspired.

On the business side, Silver Moon was initially sold in bulk containers to restaurants and hotels.

“Because of my ‘other life’ as a foodie, I had some contacts within the restaurant and catering industry who were willing to give me a chance,” tate says. “I started supplying them and it was thrilling when they came back for more, saying their customers loved it!”

One year later, she launched a retail line and embarked upon sales to local specialty retail stores. Right out of the gate, tate’s products received broad acclaim, from national food publica-tions as well as a coveted award from the national Association of Specialty Food trade (nASFt). Her ice cream and sorbets have been featured as “fa-vorites” in national magazines includ-ing O, the Oprah Magazine, InStyle, Brides, as well as in hip online outlets

like Daily Candy, Dolce Dolce and by dozens of food bloggers.

As the months progressed, tate became more involved in nAWBO and food industry groups to fuel her desire to expand her professional network. She learned business owners are very skilled networkers, and are typically eager to share advice and resources to help a fellow business owner. tate says the concept of “pay it forward” is second nature for the most success-ful people in business for themselves. And, in the beginning, it seemed everyone was “paying it forward” for her—whether offering advice, making an introduction, or sharing resources and lessons learned.

“Making a cold call to a chef, versus getting an introduction from someone who knows that person well is much different,” tate says.

Carla Cobb Davis, CEO at BizBox technology and president of nAWBO Silicon Valley at the time, is one of the women who provided much inspira-tion and support.

“Carla is a truly remarkable busi-ness woman, and what I call a ‘power-networker’,” says tate. “She knows everyone from small business owners to executives in large companies to people at the highest levels of govern-ment. Passionate about helping women business owners succeed, Carla is always making key introductions to help women find partnerships that fuel their success.”

Davis now sits on the advisory board of Silver Moon Desserts, and is one of tate’s biggest fans. “Sheri is

smart, an incredibly hard worker, and is very methodical about building and growing her business. It is a big risk in particular for women to launch a new business, and I am so proud of what Sheri has accomplished in such a short period of time.”

tate has, in fact, partnered with many women she met through nAW-BO, in fact, the creative agency that designed her award-winning packag-ing is owned by a member of nAWBO. “The nAWBO women have helped me so much, and if I can partner with them to give something back, I jump at the chance. not to mention I have found such quality professionals here in this network,” tate adds.

And now, two solid years into her business, tate tries to pay it forward as much as she can too. With great con-viction she says, “In life, what you give comes back to you. Paying it forward keeps positive karmic forces alive and well.”

today, Silver Moon’s liqueur-infused ice creams and sorbets can be found on shelves in high-end retail stores all across northern California, including Whole Foods Markets. Competing on the basis of flavor, texture and original-ity, Silver Moon’s sophisticated desserts have earned a devoted and growing customer base. As tate’s business grows, she makes sure to make time to attend networking events despite her busy schedule because, in the end, it makes “all the difference.”

To find a retailer near you, or order Silver Moon online, visit www.silver-moondesserts.com WIBI

SheriTate’sSilverMoonDesserts

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I couldn’t ignore this powerful urge be an entrepreneur, to start my own company––I just had to figure out where I could be innovative and find the right product.

Inclusion is a Business Strategy

This statement is a trademark of InclusionInC, a Min-neapolis-based inclusion and diversity consulting company founded in 2007 by CEO Shirley Engelmeier. Passionate about moving the conversation beyond representation of women and minority populations to fully consider the workplace culture all employees operate in, Engelmeier stresses, “Inclusion is for everyone, not just women and people of color.”

In business, inclusion tools are important for both upper management and front line workers. Creating an environ-ment where everyone feels appreciated and understands how their role contributes to the overall success of the organization promotes engaged, productive employees who work well together. Additionally, Engelmeier says, “Employ-ees in a highly inclusive environment are more likely to stay with the organization because they are valued––and they know it.”

With nearly 20 years as industry consultant, coupled with a corporate background in operations, sales, and organi-zational development, Engelmeier has come to appreciate how these five main characteristics ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of inclusion and diversity programs in the workplace.•Aninclusionprogramisidentifiedasamissioncritical

need to support the organization’s stated business objectives.

•Acomprehensiveformal assessment is conducted to analyze

the current state of the organization and inform the strate-gic development of an inclusion program.

•Relevantmetricsbeyondrepresentationareidentifiedand benchmarked, and a scorecard is developed to report organizational progress as the program unfolds.

•Inclusionprogramsarecraftedandimplementedwithregard to employees at all levels of the organization.

•Trainingincorporatesprovenadultlearningtechniquestoaffect the behavioral changes required to truly progress the organization toward its goals. Because every company has unique business objectives,

the team at InclusionInC uses these best practices to craft a customized solution for each client. Engelmeier and team have worked with executives, management and employees in companies such as ESPn, u.S. Cellular and Supervalu; helping Fortune 500 companies, non-profits and emerging organizations develop sustainable and practical inclusion and diversity programs nationwide.

“The workplace is changing,” says Engelmeier. “The recession has temporarily delayed the inevitable departure of Baby Boom workers. Couple this trend with the census projecting the Hispanic population will grow to one in five Americans in the next few decades, and labor statistics showing women are overtaking men as a percentage of

the workforce, and it becomes readily appar-ent those companies successfully creating and sustaining inclu-sive environments for

InclusionINCInclusion is a business strategy for employee engagement, retention and productivity.”

By MikE yiU AND STACy RiDER

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EntrepreneurialEndeavors

InclusionINC

diverse candidates will be the winners in the competition for talent.”

InclusionInC also assists clients with supplier diversity initiatives. More and more successful firms are now looking toward purchasing from women- and minority-owned businesses because they’re good for business. These small and local companies owned by veter-ans, ethnic minority groups, GLBt, or people with disabilities many times offer more personalized and flexible solutions because of their size. Many government contracts also lean toward firms that have a diverse supplier base as well.

During recessionary times, many inclusion and diversity programs are deemed as “nice-to-haves”, and inevitably removed when the tidal wave of budget cuts comes crash-ing down. But, as with any learning

process, culture change takes time. The moment diversity programs get cut is the moment management sends this message: “Inclusion is not important to the company. However, if inclusion were made a business strategy, cutting it would be like removing one of the firm’s key assets.”

Engelmeier has taken this attitude toward learning to a whole new level, she calls Learning Over time. too many Inclusion and Diversity con-sulting firms believe after a half-day session of sullen employees listening to a seminar, or watching a video, they’ll come out fresh, tolerant, and ready to practice their new inclusion skills on anyone who passes by. With Learn-ing Over time, the program is split into bite-size multimedia modules, placed at regular intervals throughout months, so participants are constantly

accessing what they’ve learned in weeks past. With more spaced repeti-tion comes more retention, of both knowledge and eventually of intellec-tual talent.

When it comes to true culture change, many diversity and inclusion programs are only as strong as their weakest supporter. Many programs are designed to cater to the needs of executives and key managers, with little involvement from the front-line workers. Yet these same employees are interacting with customers, work-ing with an extraordinary variety of communication styles, language proficiencies and cultural experiences. That’s why InclusionInC advocates the 360-degree approach—engaging all levels of the organization to achieve real, sustainable, lasting change. WIBI

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With Learning Over Time, the program is split into bite-size multimedia modules, placed at regular intervals throughout months, so participants are constantly accessing what they’ve learned in weeks past.

inclusioniNC’s client list includes some of the most recognizable organizations in the country.

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DowCorning’sDr.StephanieA.Burns

From The Laboratory To The BoardroomBy LyNDON CONRAD BELL.

Ironically, the break that set dr. Burns on the path to her current position is one she very nearly rejected. More scientist than administrator in her heart, when the opportunity was presented to her to move into management, she initially felt she was not suited for the job. Her love of science was such that being asked to do anything but research felt like

punishment. Fortunately, her husband convinced her it was a good move and today, dr. Burns routinely ranks as one of the Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women In The World.

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DowCorning’sDr.StephanieA.Burns

From The Laboratory To The Boardroom

Chairman, president and chief execu-tive officer of Dow Corning Corpora-tion, Dr. Burns has a seat on the Board Of Directors at GlaxoSmithkline, the American Chemistry Council, and the Society for Women’s Health Research. She was appointed to Dow Corning’s board in 2001, elected president in 2003, chief executive officer in 2004, and was elected board chair in 2006. In July, President Obama appointed Dr. Burns to the President’s Export Council, a public/private sector advisory com-mittee that advises him on international trade.

Dr. Burns’ 27-year career at Dow Corning has spanned scientific research, issues management, sci-ence and technology leadership and business management. She joined Dow Corning in Midland, Michigan in 1983 as a researcher. She quickly moved into product development, leading advances in electronic materials. In 1994, she became the company’s first director of Women’s Health. She relocated to Brussels, Belgium in 1997, initially as director of Science and technology for Europe and then subsequently as the director for two of Dow Corning’s industries—elec-tronics and life sciences. In December 2000, she returned to the united States to become executive vice president, responsible for global operations.

Dow Corning was formed in 1943, a leader in the devel-opment of silicones, the company developed breast implants containing the material in the 1960s. The initial intent was to provide a cosmetic solution for women who had mas-tectomies, but it didn’t take long for the implant to become employed purely as a cosmetic device. In time, autoimmune diseases attributed to the implants started showing up in women. While those allegations were never scientifically proven, Dow Corning pulled the product anyway in 1992. The personal injury lawsuits that followed forced the com-pany into bankruptcy.

Identified by many industry analysts as the catalyst for the turnaround of Dow Corning, Dr. Burns has set the company on a path toward innovations that will carry it deeply into the 21st century. Intriguingly though, the very problem that put Dow Corning into bankruptcy also brought Dr. Burns to the attention of the company’s senior management.

While Dr. Burns had not helped develop the product, she was named director of women’s health in 1994. The job required her to serve as a liaison between the Food & Drug Administration, the plaintiffs in the lawsuits, and Dow Corning regarding the results of independent research investigating the alleged side effects of implants. Dr. Burns even did a turn on Oprah, defending the veracity of the product.

Her tireless defense of the company, along with her ability to calmly convey

the essence of complex scientific concepts in down to earth language made a profound impression upon Gary Anderson, who was then Dow Corning CEO. In fact, he was so impressed with Dr. Burns he began promoting her—first to director of science and technology in Europe, and then to executive vice-president.

In June of 2004, Down Corning emerged from bankruptcy protection saddled with $3.3 bil-lion in settlement payments. The company will be financ-ing that debt through 2019. In addition to the heavy load imposed by the settlement payments, Dow Corning was also faced with the prospect of trying to achieve growth in markets that were already saturated.

The only solution was to pioneer new markets. Fortunate-ly, Dr. Burns’ early work at Dow Corning included devel-oping silicone compounds that held up when exposed to extremely high temperatures. She also worked on semicon-ductor materials for use in the automotive industry. Those experiences have her guiding Dow Corning researchers to press into other new areas—among them electronics and aerospace.

She had actually begun this strategy even before taking the top job. Back in 2003, she helped guide Dow Corning’s acquisition of Sterling Semiconductor Inc. That company makes silicon carbide microchips for the aerospace and au-tomotive markets. Dow Corning is now also working in the environmental sector, making more efficient silicon wafers for solar panels. Additionally, the company is innovating other new uses of silicone, such as mixing it with carbon in an effort to develop new fabrics, building materials, and pharmaceutical products.

Identified by many industry analysts as the catalyst

for the turnaround of Dow Corning, Dr. Burns has set the company

on a path toward innovations that will carry it deeply into

the 21st century.

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Another aspect of Dr. Burns’ strat-egy is to make sure Dow Corning has a presence in emerging markets such as India and China, where con-siderable potential for growth has emerged. And, by all measures, her guidance is having a positive effect. Dow Corning enjoyed record sales of $5.4 billion in 2008. The company is invested in Russia, turkey and Vietnam.

And while her success is easily measured by examining the bottom line, her humanitarian sensibilities are readily visible as well. In 2006, Dr. Burns was conferred the Van-guard Award by the Chemical Edu-cation Foundation in recognition of her staunch advocacy of science, math and technology education. She steered a work-life balance initiative at Dow Corning, which led to the company being listed in the Work-ing Mother’s 100 Best Companies in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Dr. Burns also received the 2006 SCI Mond Medal for Health and Safety in recognition for her leadership in Health and Safety at Dow Corning.

Looking to the future, Dr. Burns has committed Dow Corning to fos-tering a positive climate of collabo-ration, creativity and commitment. If past is prologue, Dow Corning, with Dr. Stephanie A. Burns at the helm, will remain a vibrant aspect of the American economy for many years to come. WIBI

Looking to the future, Dr. Burnshas committed Dow Corning to fostering a positive climate of collaboration, creativity and commitment.

THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE22

Starting A Business? Think LeanNo, Even Leaner!

The New York Times recently took a look at two entrepreneurs promoting a concept called “lean startups.” Eric Ries and Steven Blank, both serial entrepreneurs who advise other startups, believe the approach can work well for many types of startups.

By RiEvA LESONSky

Lean startups use technology such as free open-source programming tools and Web-based software to keep the costs of launch down. They also use technology to instantly get feedback from customers so they can fine-tune the busi-ness.

“Most technology start-ups fail not because the technol-ogy doesn’t work, but because they are making something that there is not a real market for,” Ries says.

to start lean, the pair advises, quickly develop a “mini-mum viable product”—one that has the minimum amount of features needed to attract one particular group of custom-ers. Continually adjust the offering, get customer feedback and change the product to fit their demands. Facebook is the best example of a company that grew this way.

The concept of a lean startup isn’t really new, and the Times’ contention that the method requires “hundreds of thousands of dollars instead of … millions” will make many entrepreneurs who launched for far less smile. (Alltop’s Guy

kawasaki has espoused similar ideas for years, and I know he doesn’t think you need hundreds of thousands to start a tech business.)

Still, I like Blank’s definition of a startup: “a temporary organization designed to discover a profitable, scalable busi-ness model.”

If you’re starting a business and want lots of free tools to help you start lean—and I mean re-ally lean—check out Startup Success: Boost Your Chances for Busi-ness Success With Web 2.0. At just $9.97, it will barely make a dent in even the smallest startup budget. WIBI

Rieva Lesonsky is founder and cEo of growBiz Me-dia, a content

(c) Rieva Lesonsky/GrowBiz Media inc. Reprinted with permission. This article originally appeared at www.smallbizdaily.com

and consulting company that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva, and visit www.SmallBizdaily.com to sign up for her free Trendcast reports.24

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A Dozen Women’s Professional Organizations

AMeRICANBUSINeSSWoMeN’SASSoCIATIoN (www.abwa.org) is dedicated to the promotion of women through leadership, networking support, education and national recognition.

ASSoCIATIoNoFWoMeNINCoMMUNICATIoNS.(www.womcom.org) works for the advancement of women throughout the various communications fields. The association produces national and regional events and offers both professional and student chapters.

BUSINeSSANDPRoFeSSIoNAlWoMeN. (www.bpwfoundation.org) hosts networking events for members to advance careers and work toward equity in the workplace for women.

eMPoWeRINGWoMeNNeTWoRk(www.empoweringwomen.net), the largest professional women’s organization in the Midwest, offers monthly networking events.

NATIoNAlASSoCIATIoNoFFeMAleexeCUTIveS(www.nafe.com) is the largest businesswomen’s organization in the nation.

NATIoNAlASSoCIATIoNoFWoMeNBUSINeSSoWNeRS(www.nawbo.org) hosts a number of networking conferences and events each year.

NATIoNAlCoAlITIoNoF100BlACkWoMeNINC. (www.ncbw.org) is dedicated to Black women in the workplace. The coalition hosts networking events, conferences and leadership retreats.

NATIoNAllATINABUSINeSSWoMeNASSoCIATIoN (nlbwa.org) focuses on the advancement of Latinas in business and professional occupations. The association hosts national and regional conferences with networking opportunities.

SoCIeTyoFWoMeNeNGINeeRS(societyofwomenengineers.swe.org) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing women in the field of engineering. The society offers networking conferences as well as social networking.

oRGANIzATIoNoFWoMeNININTeRNATIoNAlTRADe(www.wiit.org) provides educational and networking opportunities for women who work in international trade and business.

WoMeN’SBUSINeSSDeveloPMeNTCeNTeR(www.wbdc.org) has many programs and services for established business owners and entrepreneurs starting a new business.

WoMeNINTeCHNoloGyINTeRNATIoNAl(www.witi.com) is the nation’s leading trade association for tech-savvy women. The organization features four different networks including professional, corporate, global executive and student. WIBI

As you may have gathered from reading Sheri Tate’s story on page 16, professional orga-nizations can be invaluable tools when it comes to founding, running and growing your business.

In addition to networking opportunities, you can often benefit from the advice of others who have gone through the experi-ences you’re having and learn from them rather than living through them. Here are some of the best women’s professional organizations in the U.S.

A Dozen Women’s Professional Organizations

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JACOBS is creating the world of tomorrow as one of the largest providers of architecture, engineering, construction, and other professional technical services. Jacobs Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jacobs Engineering, is a worldwide leader in providing advanced engineering and technical services for government and industry.

www.jacobstechnology.com

UPS Freight is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V

UPS Freight is one of the largest less than truckload carriers in the U.S. and offers

both LTL and truckload job opportunities. For Current Opportunities Visit:

ltl.upsfreight.com/aboutus/careers.aspx

THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE26

JACOBS is creating the world of tomorrow as one of the largest providers of architecture, engineering, construction, and other professional technical services. Jacobs Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jacobs Engineering, is a worldwide leader in providing advanced engineering and technical services for government and industry.

www.jacobstechnology.com

UPS Freight is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V

UPS Freight is one of the largest less than truckload carriers in the U.S. and offers

both LTL and truckload job opportunities. For Current Opportunities Visit:

ltl.upsfreight.com/aboutus/careers.aspx

THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE26

JACOBS is creating the world of tomorrow as one of the largest providers of architecture, engineering, construction, and other professional technical services. Jacobs Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jacobs Engineering, is a worldwide leader in providing advanced engineering and technical services for government and industry.

www.jacobstechnology.com

UPS Freight is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V

UPS Freight is one of the largest less than truckload carriers in the U.S. and offers

both LTL and truckload job opportunities. For Current Opportunities Visit:

ltl.upsfreight.com/aboutus/careers.aspx

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HISPANIC TODAY

CAREER AND BUSINESS NEWSAnother four percent of companies planned to give smaller bonuses than a year ago, which the same percentage who said as much in the 2008 survey.“Companies are not quite ready to ramp up hiring, but they are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. While most can probably justify postponing bonuses another year, there are growing concerns that job market improvements in 2010 could bring an exodus of workers. Companies are also sending a message that we appreciate that this has been a tough year for everyone, and that the workers’ part in ensuring continued survival is recognized,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Many employers are indeed expecting a rapid surge in turnover when the economy improves, according to a survey by consultancy firm Deloitte. The survey found that nearly two-thirds of managers were highly or very highly concerned about losing high-potential talent in the year after the recession ended.

“In addition to layoffs, the recession forced many employers to decrease workers’ hours, institute pay cuts, force employees to take unpaid vacations and halt matching 401(k) contributions. While some of these measures have saved jobs, they undoubtedly

left many workers disgruntled, frustrated and ready to move on as soon as the market improves. Year-end bonuses may not ensure the loyalty of all unhappy workers, but they could help entice some to stay aboard,” said Challenger.

While the human resource executives surveyed did not provide details on the amount of bonus checks, John Challenger said some companies may choose to be creative when it comes to year-end rewards. “In some respects, it truly is the thought that counts. Employees want to be recognized for their contribution to the company. It doesn’t have to be a Wall Street sized bonus check. Many workers would be happy with a $100 gift certificate to a local restaurant or store. Many would probably be happy with a couple of extra days of paid vacation at the end of the year. Many are simply happy to have a job in this economy,” said Challenger.

“Of course, those who are just happy to have a job are usually the first ones seeking greener pastures at the first sign of improvement. Companies understand this and it is why nearly two-thirds of them are finding a way to give bonuses this year,” he concluded. HT

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