About.com Women in Business

The 25 Top States to Start a New Business

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:56:11 +0000

Site Selection Magazine recently published a list that ranks the top twenty five states by their "business-friendly climate."� According to Site Select, the top ten best places to start a new business are:

North Carolina
Texas
Virginia
Ohio
Tennessee
South Carolina
Alabama
Georgia
Indiana
Kentucky

The other fifteen states making the list are:

(11th) Pennsylvania, (12th) Michigan, (13th) Florida, (14th) Illinois, (15th) Iowa, (16th) New York, (17th) Mississippi, (18th) Oklahoma, )19th) Missouri, (20th) Colorado, (21st) Utah, (22nd - tied) California and Minnesota, (24th) Arizona, and Louisiana ranked 25th.

The 25 Top States to Start a New Business originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 12:56:11.

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The Truth About Gender Discrimination in the Literary World

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:19:38 +0000

In a November 2, blog post, I shared information about a webinar from Ladies Who Launch on how to make your book a best-seller.� Today, I came up with another great reason women writers might benefit from this webinar:� the blatant sexual discrimination against women in the literary world.� Honestly, I had no idea how bad it was.� But now, I do, so I am passing this important information along to you.

Publisher's Weekly recently published their annual "Ten Best Books of 2009" list.� Once again, all the authors chosen for a plug are male. A scathing post on PoliticsDaily.com, "Same Old Story: Best-Books List," by Lizzie Skurnick, offers some insight into gender discrimination that lives on in the publisher's realm.

Another article by Alison Flood, "Fury After Women Writers Excluded From Books of the Year," shares information about a new United States literary organization, Women in Letters and Literary Arts (WILLA), that has formed in response to this unfair balance, and "...has gathered more than 5,500 members since it launched in August with the aim of bringing "increased attention to women's literary accomplishments and [questioning] the American literary establishment's historical slow-footedness in recognising and rewarding women writers' achievements."

WILLA has now created their own list of "Great Books by Women in 2009."� If you are looking for a good new read purely based on a publisher's "top" list, you might want to reconsider their objectivity if the list consists entirely of all male authors.

The Truth About Gender Discrimination in the Literary World originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 21:19:38.

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Take Part in a Graphic Arts Survey for Nonprofits

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:03:28 +0000

Dulles Airport Plane Pull
Brad Whitford

Participate in Survey for Nonprofits to be Eligible for Free Graphic Art Services

Brad Whitford, a student working on his thesis, wrote to me (at my own nonprofit) asking me to participate in an online survey about the importance of graphic arts for charitable organizations.� I took the survey a few weeks ago, but received a recent update:� he needs more participants for his thesis, "Graphics for a cause - creating revenue for the nonprofit in a foundering economy."

Brad will select one survey participant to receive free graphic arts services to help their cause.� He is graciously offering to create a variety of design materials such as website design, brochures, posters, logos, HTML eblasts, pocket folders, mailers, etc.

You can participate in the survey at:� Free Online Surveys

Visit Brad's Website to see his work, or to contact him with questions about the survey.

Take Part in a Graphic Arts Survey for Nonprofits originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 11:03:28.

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New Problem With Joomla Versions 1.5x - Joomla Advises Users to Update Software

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:30:03 +0000

I received a notice today from Joomla warning users that 1.5.x Joomla installs prior to and including 1.5.14 have a new issue.� When logged into the front end with "Author" access, it is� possible to replace an article written by another user.� If you have not upgraded Joomla recently do it ASAP.

Joomla and Drupal are two of the most frequently hacked open source software applications.� They are great tools, but you absolutely MUST keep your software updated.� Even with updates it is a good idea to check your site regularly for strange files.

For more information visit Joomla.org.

New Problem With Joomla Versions 1.5x - Joomla Advises Users to Update Software originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 21:30:03.

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Hope for Better Insurance Laws for Women Who Are Victims of Violence

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:49:03 +0000

According to a recent email from the National Organization of Women (NOW), there may be some positive news for women regarding the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962):

...Positive features that would benefit women are: a prohibition on gender-rating -- the practice of charging women more than men for the same coverage in the individual insurance market. Insurers would now be required to cover maternity services as part of an essential benefits package and out-of-pocket payments would be limited for certain preventive care services, among other benefits. The House bill would ban insurance companies from denying coverage in the individual market based on a woman's history as a domestic violence survivor, which would go into effect as soon as the bill is signed into law (enacted as of January 1, 2010).

Currently, many health insurance companies can legally, and often do, deny coverage to women who have been raped or abused in the past.

Throughout the nation, even in states that have made insurance rescission illegal (the practice of post-claims underwriting and retroactively canceling coverage when an insured files an claim) many women who think they have coverage, find out the hard way that their coverage can be canceled if they did not disclose rape or abuse when they applied for insurance benefits.

I will keep you posted!

Hope for Better Insurance Laws for Women Who Are Victims of Violence originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 11:49:03.

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Webinar Alert: Make Your Book a Bestseller

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:53:52 +0000

Ladies Who Launch is offering a webinar on November 12, 2009 ($99.00) from 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM Eastern standard Time.� If you want to learn how to get your book published, and how to increase your chances of your book becoming a best seller, sign up for this webinar.

The webinar will discuss choosing a publisher, marketing, best-seller lists (are they important and how to get on them), and much more.

About the Speaker, Cindy Ratzlaff:

A 20-plus year veteran of major publishing houses such as Simon & Schuster and Rodale Inc., Cindy Ratzlaff was named to the prestigious Advertising Age Marketing 50 list for her blockbuster launch of the worldwide bestseller, The South Beach Diet.�� She managed the publishing arm of that brand worldwide where it ultimately published 11 bestselling books in 36 countries and selling more than 22 million copies.

More Information / Register

Find more seminars and events for business women (or post your own event information) in Women in Business' forums.

Webinar Alert: Make Your Book a Bestseller originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 09:53:52.

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November is "National Month" List of Month-Long Observances in November

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:34:19 +0000

November is "National Month" Calendar

Many countries adopt causes or a special interest group to promote during a calendar month. The United States is particularly prolific at creating "national month" events to promote business interests.

The following events are observed calendar month-long (unless otherwise indicated):

Aviation Month
Epilepsy Awareness Month
Good Nutrition Month
Hunger Awareness Month
Latin American Month
National AIDS Awareness Month
National American Indian Heritage Month
National Diabetes Awareness Month
National Epilepsy Month
National Georgia Pecan Month
National Long Term Care Awareness Month
National Novel Writing Month
National Peanut Butter Lover's Month
National Pepper Month
National Raisin Bread Month
National Red Ribbon Month (anti-drunk driving)
National Stamp Collecting Month
Vegan Awareness Month

Is there a way your business can benefit by promoting itself during "November is" national month?

November is "National Month" List of Month-Long Observances in November originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 09:34:19.

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Enter to Win a New York Office or a TCBY Franchise

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:45:46 +0000

Thanks to�Sandra Grauschopf, Guide to Contests and Sweepstakes for providing information about the following two business contests:

Regus - Win an Office Sweepstakes! Grand Prize: The right to use a fully-furnished office at one of the 18 Regus locations in New York City. The office includes high-speed internet, telephone answering service, a receptionist and welcoming area, on-site administration, office cleaning services, and more. (ARV: $30,000 - $72,000). More Contest Information
Win a $300,000 TCBY Franchise! Show TCBY why you and your town deserve to have a new frozen yogurt store in it and you could win a franchise worth over $300,000 in TCBY's This Could Be Yours, The Great TCBY Store Giveaway.� Deadline: November 30, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. MT. More Contest Information

Find more business contests in WIB's Forums, or subscribe to me on Twitter @AboutWIB.

Enter to Win a New York Office or a TCBY Franchise originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 20:45:46.

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101 iTunes Feeds to Boost Your Business

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:51:59 +0000

Amber Johnson from OnlineColleges.net� wrote to let me know that they just posted a new article, "101 iTunes Feeds to Boost Your Business Savvy."� The list includes everything business from ethics and law to management and financial matters.

If you are interested in listening to speakers from Yale, Stanford, Duke, UCLA, or University of Cambridge professors, be sure to check out the list.� Once you select a program to listen to just click on it and listen via iTunes in your computer while you work.

For fun, while you are on the site, trip over to "Best and Strangest Courses Online."� I did, and had to roll my eyes (and laugh a bit, too) at the "Philosophy and Star Trek," "The Joy of Garbage," and everyone's favorite college classes" Joy of Waling" and "Underwater Basket Weaving."

Thanks for the resource tip, Amber!

101 iTunes Feeds to Boost Your Business originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 09:51:59.

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WIB Congratulates Winners of Ernst & Young LLP 2009 Entrepreneurial Winning Women

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:36:53 +0000

Congratulations to the following nine, remarkable women who are all winners in the Ernst & Young LLP 2009 Entrepreneurial Winning Women competition.� Click on each name to learn more about the winners and their companies!

According to a, October 22, 2009� press release:

"Ernst & Young LLP created the annual Entrepreneurial Winning Women program to help successful women entrepreneurs realize the full potential they envision for their companies," said Maria Pinelli, Americas Director, Strategic Growth Markets, Ernst & Young LLP.� "Through the program, we aim to give outstanding female entrepreneurs targeted and customized knowledge and business insights as well as access to highly influential networks of investors, advisors, and top entrepreneurs to quickly accelerate the growth of their businesses."

Learn More About the Winning Women Program

WIB Congratulates Winners of Ernst & Young LLP 2009 Entrepreneurial Winning Women originally appeared on About.com Women in Business on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 20:36:53.

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