StartupNation Honors Empower Me! Corporation in Nation’s Top Home Businesses of 2009

Adrienne Graham’s Empower Me! Corporation Wins Top Ten Honors in Business Competition in the Savviest in Social Media Category

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Atlanta, GA– Nov 17, 2009 – Atlanta, GA – Empower Me! Corporation http://www.empowerme.org has been recognized by StartupNation http://www.startupnation.com as a Top Ten business in its 2009 Home Based 100 competition under the category of Savviest in Social Media. http://www.startupnation.com/homebased100/contestant/7515/index.php

Many of the StartupNation Home-Based 100 submissions revealed that business owners are bucking the current economic downturn and finding business success in these tight times. Historically some of today’s most well known businesses started in a downturn, including Microsoft and General Electric.

“The 2009 ranking shows that the home-based business is more relevant than ever. The current recession has spurred a new wave of home based businesses as a response to loss of jobs, the need for supplemental income and the sheer passion for blazing your own trail and running your own show,” said Rich Sloan, co-founder of StartupNation.com, one of the leading small business networking and advice websites. “Home based businesses are the biggest block of all businesses in existence and we expect numbers to grow ever greater as extra bedrooms, kitchen tables, basements and garages become host to the innovative thinking and pursuit of success by millions of Americans.”

“Being selected as a Top 10 winner in the Savviest in Social Media category is an incredible honor for me”, says Adrienne Graham, Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation. “It shows that small business is what the country is built on, and that Social Media has leveled the playing field for more small businesses to grow and be created. This award has further solidified my expertise in Social Media and I am excited to see what’s to come as the field develops”.

The StartupNation Home-Based 100 highlights 10 top-ten lists making it not just your ordinary business ranking. From the wackiest, to the most innovative, to the savviest in social media – this unique and diverse list highlights the home-based businesses that usually go unrecognized, but still play a vital role in the economy today. MSN publishes the ranking as well in an editorial collaboration with StartupNation. The ten categories for 2009 include:

• Recession Busters

• Savviest in Social Media

• Most Innovative

• Boomers Back in Business

• Greenest

• Yummiest

• Wackiest

• Highest Vote-Getters

• Most Slacker-Friendly

• Most Glamorous

Empower Me! Corporation was selected from among thousands of contestants by a StartupNation judging panel, which issues the ranking results annually in the November. The full results of the Home-Based 100 ranking are available on StartupNation’s website at http://www.startupnation.com/homebased100/. The 2009 ranking was sponsored by Microsoft Office Live, Infusionsoft and FedEx Office.

About Empower Me! Corporation

Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org) is a media, publishing and professional networking organization for the upwardly mobile professional woman. Empower Me! is the top resource for Professional women and the companies concerned with initiatives for the advancement of diverse Women in the work place. We celebrate the diversity of all women of all ethnicities and are sure to keep it fair and balanced showing all of our stories. Empower Me! is a professional lifestyle brand for the upwardly mobile Professional Woman who epitomizes & strives for professional success. It’s about Professional Women connecting and effectively netWORKING for the empowerment and success of self and others. Building relationships is vital. THAT is empowering. “Your success is my success” is the attitude we live by.

About StartupNation

StartupNation (www.startupnation.com) provides over 175,000 pages of business advice and networking for entrepreneurs and serves millions of entrepreneurs annually. StartupNation is a free service founded by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs with the intention of providing a one-stop shop for entrepreneurial success, including blogs from small business experts, podcasts, forums, webcasts, eBooks, award-winning step-by-step advice, online and offline networking groups, and more.

StartupNation co-founders and “chief startupologists,” Rich Sloan and Jeff Sloan, are two of the country’s leading small business experts and run StartupNation from home to this very day. They speak frequently at entrepreneurial forums and act as sources for top media venues nationwide. They are authors of StartupNation: Open for Business, published by Doubleday, and provide their insights online at www.startupnation.com. The Sloans are regularly quoted and featured in media such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fortune Small Business, Entrepreneur Magazine, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, FOX News and many others.

About Microsoft Office Live

Microsoft Office Live is the award-winning service that offers a complete, affordable set of easy-to-use Internet-based tools that help small business owners create a professional web presence. More information is available at http://www.smallbusiness.officelive.com. Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

About Infusionsoft

Infusionsoft, the leader in automatic follow-up software, helps small businesses grow fast by putting email marketing, CRM and e-commerce on auto-pilot, backing it with the ‘Double Your Sales’ guarantee. The privately held, three-year-named Inc. 500 company is based in Gilbert, Ariz. and is funded by Mohr Davidow Ventures and vSpring Capital. Marketing and small business insight from the Infusionsoft team can be found on the Infusionsoft blog at www.infusionblog.com.

For more information, press only: Rich Sloan, for StartupNation, (248) 766-2905, rich(at)StartupNation(dot)com

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Darden-UVA Women in Technology Event

I was recently invited to be a panelist at the Women in Technology event at the very prestigous Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. I am very honored and this is an exciting event. This event will be held on Monday, November 9th at 6PM EST. And rumor has it there will be a LIVE WEBCAST of this event too.

Make sure you check me out at the Darden-UVA Women in Technology Panel Nov. 9th

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192881438956

Here are the details:

Darden- UVA “Women in Technology” Panel

November 9, 2009 6:30-8:30pm

Abbott Auditorium The Darden School

Hosted by Paul T. Harper, Director of Special Programming in Diversity, The Darden School

The purpose of this event is to bring recognition to a relatively invisible but important population in technology entrepreneurship. The women on this panel represent different styles of engagement with social media technologies. They are also great examples of the new business strategies that social media technologies have enabled. Please join The Darden School for what promises to be an eye-opening evening.

Moderator: Sonya Donaldson, Editor-At-Large for Technology, Black Enterprise Magazine.

Mary Spio, founder and President of Gen2media, created the digital media technology behind Star Wars Attack of the Clones, Ocean’s 11, and Planet of the Apes.

Adrienne Graham, Founder and CEO of Empower ME! Corporation, a professional networking company for women.

Shireen Mitchell, an entrepreneur who is also chair of Media and Technology Task Force of the National Council of Women’s Organizations.

Angie Brement, Entrepreneur and blogger for “C’ville Entremoms.”

This event will be webcast live.

Please RSVP at: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGs0U2NkS1ZvZzlHZnZjOUJaZlRfcHc6MA

 

Are You a Power Brok(H)er™?

Nominate a Power Brok(H)er™

She’s savvy, successful and WELL CONNECTED. She always gets the job done and there’s nothing she can’t negotiate. She closes deals and never uses the glass ceiling or the “Ol Boys Network” as an excuse for her not to succeed. She is fearless and accountable. She takes no prisoners!

Do you know her? Maybe you ARE her!

Empower Me! is hosting the Power Brok(H)er™ contest. We are looking for women who personify just what it means to be a power broker.

Entry is relatively easy. Prepare a short video (under 5 minutes, no exceptions) showing key highlights of what makes you or your entrant a Power Brok(H)er™. It can include day to day business or job activities, closing deals, networking with key influencers, mentoring others, etc. You only get one shot, so make the video as meaningful and powerful as you can. Remember, it’s about Power Brok(H)ers, women of influence. It’s not for the timid or shy! The video must include the person being nominated, the reason why they are being nominated and what makes them a Power Brok(H)er™. We want to feel your message!

Go to our YouTube Channel and submit your video. You must SUBSCRIBE to our channel, add as a friend, and sign up for the newsletter to have your submission accepted. When you submit your video, please leave a comment on the page introducing your entrant and the video. Videos are accepted through November 30, 2009. The winner will be announced December 5th.

What’s the prize you ask?

Well one lucky winner will receive the Power Brok(H)er™ Package. It includes: a one year scholarship to the Power Brok(H)er™ Club ($25,000 value), be a guest on Views From the Top Radio Show, be a guest blogger on our Blog to chronicle her journey through the program, and be in a feature article in Fearless Woman Magazine. We’re talking MAXIMUM EXPOSURE! For more information about the contest, please email us at info@empowerme.org. Good luck!

Power Brok(H)er ™ Club members receive exclusive high level services not made available to regular coaching clients or Basic Members. Please visit the site for more information.

 

You’re Stronger than You Know

First of all, let me acknowledge that I am late. I should have made this post last month. But better late than never. It’s no secret that Oprah is one of my role models. I may not agree with everything she says or does, but it doesn’t diminish my respect for her. You see, I can agree to disagree with her and not hate her. But in the end, she is always a shrewd business woman, a compassionate human being and a powerful force to be reckoned with. She is someone I aspire to be like. I don’t want to replace Oprah. I want to be a media mogul in my own right without trying to step into her shine. I just want to give women the tools they need to experience professional growth and empowerment through media.

Why am I writing about Oprah today? If you’ve already read the September 2009 issue you would know why.  I remember the day I was in Barnes & Noble looking for some business books when I happened by the newsstand section. I don’t subscribe to a lot of magazines and I don’t subscribe to O (sorry Oprah!). I only buy magazines off the rack that resonate with me or move me to pick it up. Sometimes I’ll get O sometimes I don’t. This particular day I was feeling so lost and down. I felt like I had hit a wall and all the motivational nuggets I shared with people were no longer working for me. I felt like something big was pressing up against my chest (literally) and I panicked because I didn’t know how I would defeat it.

As I walked past the magazines there it was. Standing out front and center with the words that made me want to pick up this magazine. “You’re Stronger Than You Know“.  That’s all I saw, no other headline on O or any other magazine in its vicinity. At that moment, tears started rolling down my cheeks. As I read on underneath the headline I saw “How to tap into your true power and really make it work for you”. The tears turned to sobbing as people started looking at me. I didn’t care. I started reading that first page of the article. I knew right then that I had to buy this and take it home to devour. So I rushed to the register, paid for the magazine and rushed home. By the time I was done reading that article, I was a wreck. I hadn’t cried that much since my Dad died in 2002. But strangely I felt this cathartic experience. I wasn’t sad or angry. I didn’t sit and drown in self pity. For the first time in a while things started to click. I rushed to the computer and emailed every woman in my inner circle and told them the needed to pick up this issue and READ it. I also told them for the first time that I had been going through some things and I was fighting some internal demons. I didn’t think about it or ask for any responses. But you know, the funny thing is, I felt like I was giving birth!  All the baggage I was going through felt like it was being peeled off by the layer!

The article or my experience wasn’t about Oprah. It was about me facing whatever I was dealing with and picking up and pressing on. That article made me dig deeper into myself and figure out what it was I wanted to do and what I needed to do. My next step was to take ACTION.  See, we can have all the rah rah motivational nuggets shared with us as we can stand. But if we don’t MOVE on it, we will forever stay lost. Reading that article inspired a new found motivation in me.  I had to learn how to take back my power and don’t put much stock in what other people think of me or say about me. I can’t live for them, I have to live for me. Power is not making tons of money or hob nobbing with the wealthy. It s satisfaction of knowing that you are living the best life and living in positivity. It’s about being unafraid to be you regardless of what others say or think. It’s about being able to touch people and give them hope and motivation to want to do better for themselves.

I did get around to reading the rest of the magazine (recently) and it’s a great issue. But I had to marinate on that Stronger article for  while. I can’t describe in words the renewed energy and positivity (and most importantly motivation) I now feel. If you haven’t read it yet, I suggest you call a friend who buys or subscribes to the magazine and get reading! Always remember, when things look bleak, you have an amazing strength inside that’s just waiting for you to tap into it. Be present in your power. Embrace it and own it.

Til next time.

Adrienne Graham

 

Open Letter to Ebony Magazine/Johnson Publishing

ATTN: Linda Johnson Rice & Johnson Publishing Staff

Hear me out and heard me good. I’m about to get extremely real and possibly offend. But it’s worth the risk.

I first heard about the impending sale from an email a friend forwarded to me yesterday. I had mixed emotions when I read it. On the one hand, I thought “here we go again. Selling out just like Essence. Well if they didn’t care about their readership, then good riddance”. On the other hand I thought, “wait a minute. Not again! We are losing our publications! Something has to be done”.

See, I grew up with Ebony Magazine. It was a staple as was Black Enterprise and Essence. Well of the holy black trinity, Black Enterprise seems to be the last man standing. Those magazines represented part of my culture. Ebony especially was dear to me because of Mr. Johnson and his struggle to bring to light his vision and show little black girls like me that we can be glamorous, beautiful, smart, sophisticated, successful. It was dear to me because he had broken so many barriers. In fact, his story drives me as I create my own media empire.

Please don’t sell. This is the time to restrategize, get new talent, and implement new ideas. Not jump ship on a legacy that Mr. Johnson created. We live in an advanced technological society with wildly creative individuals. There’s a plethora of talented writers & savvy social media strategists that can breathe new life in Ebony (myself included).

Although it has declined over the years (let’s be real), I still supported it. Not so much for the content, but for what the company represented. I know it can be turned around. Hell, I will come write for the magazine myself!  Just don’t sell out. I can tell you as a reader what the core problems are from a consumer standpoint. Your articles lack creativity and freshness, they are not up with the times, and lack that motivational spark they used to have. The same stories are rehashed over and over. What happened to the real stories of real people that could be held up as role models and inspiration? Why so much glamorization of celebrities? Real Black Folks want to be motivated and inspired and see that they too can achieve those goals. We don’t care that Jay Z & Beyonce (although I like them) are a Top 10 Couple (are you kidding me with that?). What happened to the “black experience”, the lifestyle magazine that used to hit the heart of Black people everywhere? Mr Johnson created this publication because others wouldn’t give us a chance to tell our stories. Well, the world has changed, this is true. But we still need to see our stories from our eyes and our perspectives.

Mr Johnson went through too much and broke down many barriers. Symbolism alone is what kept me loyal. Linda Rice Johnson, I’m calling you out. Challenging you to reinvent the brand. Bring the magazine up to 2010 standards. Black folks are technologically savvy. Get on that social media wave. We are in top corporate spots. We are leaders, visionary, pioneers, trendsetters. Show that! Become that motivational tool that it once was.  If you sell, we’ll get what we got with Essence Magazine (yes said it publicly).  Watered down recycled versions of the “why my man left me” type articles.  Now, Essence Magazine, before you send your goons after me, I do note that you are TRYING to improve. But some of those alerts I get from you on Facebook make you lose those points. But this isn’t about you right now.

Johnson Publishing is a legacy. While I am not happy with how the magazine has nosedived, I think it can be turned around and saved. Linda Rice just needs to step back and re-evaluate and make those tough decisions to get the right people in there to save it.

So what do you say Linda? Will you take me up on the challenge? Are you open to listening to public opinion? Will you reorganize the company that your Dad worked so hard to build and give it a new 2009 flavor? Will you clean house and bring in some fresh new talent to kick start Ebony into a new era? What do you say? I’m open to discussion. (678) 698-6206. I don’t waste my time on minute issues. I only go after causes I firmly believe in. The challenge has been made publicly Linda.  Let’s chat.

Til next time.

Adrienne Graham

 

Balancing Motherhood & the C Suite

There is an ongoing “debate” as to whether or not women can successfully manage a career AND a family. Both are equally demanding aspects of women’s lives that they want to manage successfully. Some say women shouldn’t sacrifice their family, specifically their children, to be successful in business. Others say women should go for their dreams and be successful in business to give a good example to their children, specifically their daughters. It isn’t a black and white issue. Today’s upwardly mobile professional woman has her eye on her family and the prize and aren’t settling for one over the other. They learn to make it work without sacrificing quality in either area. My panelists say you CAN have both. Join me and my guests as we discuss the ins and outs of managing a successful career AND raising a healthy family…without losing your mind!

Listen in live tomorrow, Monday 9/28 at 9AM EST. If you can’t catch it live, listen to the podcast or visit iTunes to download. Join our chat room during the show to ask questions or give your opinion. Or call in at (347) 215-9362. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/viewsfromthetop

 

Starting a Business in a Down Economy

If you listened to my radio show this morning Views From the Top, you would have heard form four wonderful business owners who were on panel. They shared their experiences and tips for starting and growing a business in a down economy. It was a wonderful and inspiring conversation because two of the panelists have just started brand new businesses and are full of enthusiasm. Two had long since established their businesses and have adapted to the changing environment so that they come out on top when the economy turns. Here are my tips for starting a business:

• Establish a passion. What is it you love? What makes you feel so happy that you would do it for free (although you won’t!)? figure out what that “it” thing is and embrace it. The more passionate you are about something, the more likely it will become a success.
• Study industries into the future. When contemplating a business, determine if there is longevity for it. Follow the trends to see what’s rising and falling, then plan accordingly. Knowing where an industry is heading can give you insight into what actions you need to do to make the business successful.
• Create a need. There’s a market for almost everything. Figure out what pressing need is on people’s minds, then work to create a product or service solution. Get out and start creating a buzz for your product or service. Draw attention to the fact that people need it.
• Create a business plan. Do I even have to expound on this? I readily admit that I’ve run two successful businesses without a business plan. However, this business, Empower Me, requires that I have a business plan. A business plan gives you clear insight into the direction of your company. Plus it could lead to funding. So get to work and get it done.
• Market excessively and set aside budgeted funds for marketing. Before you form your mouth to say it’s not in the budget, consider this. The more visible you are the more likely people will buy from you. Market now so that clients will come to you in the future. Visibility will make people choose you over the competition who cuts back on marketing.
• Network. Of course you know I had to throw this in there. Networking isn’t about just exchanging cards or friending people on social networking sites. Seek to build relationships and understand what they bring to the table. You never know when a strategic partnership may develop.
• Don’t think “money” think value and equity. Money is the main reason people abandon their entrepreneurial dreams. It doesn’t have to keep you from moving forward. Learn to improvise. Use interns, barter service, seek free help (although you really need to be careful with this). There are non-monetary ways to get the things you need. Find them then tap into them. There are ways to improvise when you don’t have the big budget.
• Treat it like a REAL business. I hate that I have to say that. I detest the use of terms like “side hustle”. If you are going into business for yourself, think of yourself as in business. Think of yourself as a CEO. Treat your business like it is a high level corporation, even if the only employee is you. How you see your business reflects in how people perceive it.

Don’t let this so called recession keep you from stepping out on your own. Some of the most famous Fortune 500 and Inc 100 companies started during bad economies and are  flourishing today. I hope these tips help you get started. We all know that for some people, corporate isn’t their destiny. If you’re thinking about ditching that 9-5, be sure to follow the tips I shared above.

Good luck!

Adrienne Graham

 

Are You Keeping Up With Your Reputation?

I was a keynote speaker at an event last weekend where I discussed networking. Soon after I started, I asked the room how many people knew what people said about them when they were not around. Surprisingly, only one person raised her hand. Of course, she happened to be a high level executive who already had a firm grasp of her career path. Nobody else, however, raised their hand. If got me wondering how many people really pay enough attention to their brand and reputation.

I’ve stressed countless times through articles, on my radio show and speaking engagements that people need to determine (and monitor) their brands before others define it for them. Let’s forget for a moment, that promoting yourself and networking are important elements to building your brand. But did you know that if you don’t implement the right strategy you could be damaging your reputation?

I have clients who are so excited to start building their network and implementing strategies we discussed, that they forget all the rules of engagement I gave them. For instance, I share with all my clients (and listeners and readers) how I made a conscious decision to keep up with my network. I send out a quarterly email letting people know what I’m up to and and asking them to share what they’re up to. Well, one young man took this advice to the next level. He was looking for a job and decided to use my idea…only he sent an email EVERY SINGLE WEEK. How do you think this was received? Exactly. The first two email I received, I thought, great he’s taking initiative. After that it was spam. I emailed him and gave him some constructive criticism and told him his frequent email was turning people off. He was appreciative of the email and changed his frequency. Unfortunately, it damaged his credibility.

Another incident was a young woman who was extremely anti-social at work. She felt the only thing she needed to do was show up for work, get her job done, go home and do it all over again until Friday came. She argued me down and said that her work was so impressive that it stood on its own. She didn’t need to “schmooze” with her co-workers. A year went by and she didn’t get any additional projects nor did she get the raise and promotion she hoped for. Upon some investigative digging, it was revealed that her standoffish nature eliminated her from the running.

Ladies, I don’t make these things up nor do I share them just to be nice. You MUST, absolutely MUST take control of your reputation. You should be getting feedback from everyone you know professionally. It is important that you understand how people perceive you and receive your brand. Ask for honest feedback on areas you may need to improve. But don’t stop there, accept the honesty without attitude and work on it. It takes a long time to build a solid reputation, but only minutes to destroy it. Be careful how you represent yourself and how others represent you. Focus on building up the positive aspects and improving the negative.

Til next time.

Adrienne Graham

 

Fearless Woman Magazine- Call For Writers

Coming in January 2010

It is with great pleasure that I announce the pre-launch of the newest project for Empower Me! Fearless Woman Magazine is the preeminent publication and blueprint for today’s upwardly mobile professional woman. The magazine is scheduled to launch in January 2010 and will be a quarterly publication. I have always admired publishers and the magazine industry. Sometimes they had hits, sometimes there were misses. I never stopped looking for “that” magazine that speaks exclusively to me and the type of women I admire and network with. So many have come and gone, and while there are a few remaining, I felt that there was lacking an intelligent, no-nonsense,unfettered down hard hitting magazine for the professional woman. Yes, each magazine on the stands now contains elements of what I was seeking. But no magazine has ever served as a catch all for the upwardly mobile professional woman. Do I propose that Fearless Woman Magazine will be that catch all? Maybe. But it will serve the purpose for the intended audience.

Have you signed up on the website yet? If not, you should. You can sign up at the website to receive updates and the Fearless Networking newsletter.

We are also announcing an open call for writers. We are currently looking for new and experienced writers with the ability to resonate with our core audience. If interested please contact us at: info @fearlesswomanmagazine.com or indicate that you’re interested in the message box when you sign up at the website. You may download the Writer’s Guidelines at this link. For a media kit, editorial calendar or advertising information, please contact us via email at info @ fearlesswomanmagazine.com.

I don’t know what the future holds for myself or this publication, but what I do know is that I am very excited. The more we plan and the more we pull it together, it is that much more real to me. I choose to believe that there is a place for this magazine and that with technology and good old fashioned ingenuity we will be able to bring you relevant content, resonant (and responsible) advertising, and aplethora of tools that will empower and motivate each of you to action. A fearless woman, an upwardly mobile professional woman always has her mind on her career and isn’t afraid to take risks to achieve their goals. That is an EMPOWERED woman.

Til next time.

Adrienne Graham

 

Fearless Networking Boot Camp- There’s Still Time!

People with a strong circle of influence are the most successful. Surrounding yourself with the RIGHT people at the RIGHT time is crucial to professional success! Do you need to amp up your networking strategy?

Networking is usually thought of in one of two situations: when you lose a job and badly need an introduction to power their job search campaign or when you start a business and want to get quick sales. Either way, these are the absolute wrong times to “start” networking. Networking is an ongoing relationship building process that should be cultivated long before you need help. Many women (and men) are afraid to network because they don’t know how, they feel the people they meet won’t benefit them or they simply don’t make the time. The Fearless Networking Boot Camp is designed for the upwardly mobile professional who wants to increase their professional capital and position themselves as a Power Networker.

During this 3 day intensive boot camp you will:

Learn the basics of developing, building, and maintaining a network of professionals that will enhance your job search and professional development.
Reach the correct type of people to network with.
Learn how to speak to anyone, anywhere at any time.
Grow your reputation & industry influence.
Increase your confidence & let go of FEAR.
Build real, solid, substantive relationships.
Showcase your expertise/brand yourself as a subject matter expert.
Choose events, organizations and strategies that align with your goals.
Set an agenda and clarify your goals.
Maximizing social networking while not losing your effectiveness in traditional networking.

Boot Camps are intense three day sessions where attendees not only learn the theory of networking, but also the practical application. Exercises, assignments and partners are assigned to each attendee to practice the material presented in the boot camp. Each participant will receive the Fearless Networking Workbook, a copy of Go Ahead, Talk to Strangers and the required handouts as part of their registration.

Are you ready to transform the way you network? Join my Boot Camp today. Contact me for more information on upcoming boot camps.

Networking Boot Camp- Live Online

9/9 – 9/11/09 6:30 PM – 9 PM EST

Register today. Seats are first come first serve. Must have internet access and phone access to participate.

Cost- $349 per person

http://www.goaheadtalktostrangers.com/bootcamp.html