By:  Inna Shapkina, HHC

How different would our relationships be if we are rested and energized and our mood is stable?  Maybe we would be present for our partner and actually listen to what they have to say instead of attacking and engaging in a fruitless argument. May be we would be more patient and playful with our children. And what about our career?  You may think it is OK to skip meals and have a 3 hour sleep at night using all that time to build your business, because the more time you spend working on it, the more successful you will become. Is that really so? Read more

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For the past two months I’ve had meetings with founders of various types of businesses.  The founders were males and females.  I hate to say this but I found that men were more successful than women. 

While speaking with men, we got right down to business.  The men spent about 7 minutes explaining what inspired them to do what they do and about 40 minutes how they are accomplishing their goals.  The women, spent 40 minutes explaining what inspired them to launch their business, why they feel what they are doing is right, why they are qualified, etc.  Read more

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I wondered through all the years I was growing up.  I never really figured out an answer but promised myself that I will not be like my mama. 

During a business class I took five months ago, the instructor said that women are great at multi tasking but a lot of times we don’t focus on our ideas like we should because we do so much ourselves.  “Yes,” said one of the Caribbean women sitting next to me.  “We take care of our husbands, children and everything else.  We do a lot.” 

“Well I tell my husband to serve his own food, and do things for himself, ‘cause I am not his mama”  I said. 

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No I am not talking about changing my name after getting married.  I am talking about changing or shortening my name to make it easier to pronounce for the American society.  USA is a melting pot, a country of opportunity.  My parents brought me to this country to have the opportunities I would never have where I used to live.  I love this country.  I really do, and appreciate everything it has to offer.  I love the American culture and adapted well. 

But I am who I am and that will not change.  I will not change my last name.  It is what it is.  It looks weird.  People can’t pronounce it.  They mess it up.  Often they just spell it out.  At one point I was embarrassed of my last name and would introduce myself only using my first name.  Then after working in Corporate American, going to various meetings and seeing my managers introduce me to our clients using my first and last name, I thought if they can pronounce it and introduce me with my first and last name, why shouldn’t I.   Read more

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Caitlin Friedman is the co-founder of Girls Guide a company created to support women at work through books, a website, articles and workshops. Co-author of the best-selling and award-winning The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business and The Girl’s Guide to Being a Boss without Being a Bitch, their most recent book, The Girl’s Guide to Kicking Your Career into Gear was released in January 2008. Featured on CNN and The Today Show as well as covered by magazines ranging from Real Simple to Parade, the authors have become a voice for those women that want to achieve success in the professional world. As the co-author of The Girl’s Guide business book series, Caitlin has been invited to be a guest speaker at various conferences, companies and colleges including Amazon.com, Microsoft, Cornell, The California Governor and First Lady’s Conference on Women, the Phoenix Women’s Expo and The Texas Conference for Women. Their fourth title in the series, focusing on working mothers, will be released in early 2009. Caitlin lives in New York City with her husband and twins.

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