Now is the time to reflect on what needs to change as you map out your 2021 journey.  One of the key components of your strategic plan will be generating income.  If your plan includes creating a business or growing your business, there is a resource that can offer guidance.

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Ramapo College is a federal-state education partnership, primarily funded by the United States Small Business Administration, that provides no-cost business management counseling and information services to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Kathleen Cronin leads outreach operations at the SBDC at Ramapo College. During her tenure at the SBDC, she has used her outreach and business advisory skills to particularly help women-owned businesses navigate the challenges associated with starting, growing, and operating a business. These kinds of services have been especially helpful to business owners in navigating the challenges brought about by the pandemic.

Ms.  Cronin serves as the center’s liaison to the Council on Foreign Relations, United Nations Association, UN Women, Bergen County Black Business Network, and Turkish Cultural Center of New Jersey. She previously served as an Executive Board Member of the Irish Business Organization of New York.

Click to contact the SBDC at Ramapo College:

We laughed as the rain literally drowned out discussion leader Andy Bluestone’s voice at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, NJ as he gave us his wisdom on ways to improve and expand one-on-one conversations by asking open-ended questions. We surrendered to the rain for 5 minutes, which most used as ample time to connect with those they were sitting next to at their table.

I met so many fantastic people, and I believe everyone truly benefited from this event—despite the unfortunate weather conditions. My favorite part was definitely the 30-second profiles exercise, which was a chance for everyone to be taken out of their comfort zones and split up into groups, each person being allowed 30 seconds to basically tell us what they are all about. I loved hearing everyone’s different aspirations, and seeing the way their faces lit up when they could talk about something they are proud of and passionate about.

Discussion leader Jack Killion spoke about how a lot of people come to networking events with negative attitudes, feeling as though they have nothing interesting to say or are intimidated by people who are far more successful than they are. I am only 20 years old, halfway through college and taking on my first internship. I was definitely intimidated at first by all of these successful entrepreneurs and business leaders, but then Jack made it clear that every single one of us has something that sets us apart from the rest. Jack was nice enough to introduce me and mention that I will be studying abroad in Australia this coming semester. I instantly felt more confident because this is something I could easily talk about, and it was something everyone was interested in.

Andy pointed out that building your network doesn’t have to take up all your time and effort—it just takes being aware of those who are around you and seizing opportunities to talk to people anywhere and everywhere, whether it be at a party, a wedding, or even a gas station. My mother has taught me to always assume everyone has something you can learn from him or her.

Another favorite moment was when everyone got the chance at the end to stand up and say who it is they are looking to connect with, or what they are looking to gain from this networking event. Many were looking for potential clients, some were looking for volunteers—I’m just a college kid looking for experience. When I went into this event, I barely understood the reason why Jack pushed me to get business cards. When I came out of this event, I had at least five people to follow up with—and I had the business cards to prove it.

Jack Killion, Bluestone+KIllionYour 12 Step Search Action Plan

Any professional in transition needs to have a well thought through and implemented search action plan. These 12 steps will help guide you.

1. Write down very clearly your career objective(s) in your resume and covering memo. You may have more than 1 objective depending on the organization you talk with. Fit the objective to the organization you are trying to get to work with.

2. Develop a great resume. You may have several versions depending upon the type of opportunity you pursue when you send it out or hand in to someone. Send it in Word and not as a PDF. Get feedback from othjrs as you develop your resume.

3. List the major clusters of your contacts of people possibly able to help you. Consider for example the people you are connected with from previous or current employers, your college alumni group, your community, various clubs you belong to, your personal and family friends, your religious affiliations and non-profit groups you know and help support.

4. For each of these groups list the 5-10 people most likely to be able to help you in your job search.

5. Contacts the top 5-10 people in each category in person, by phone and/or via email and ask for their help in your search. You are not asking for a job with them or through them. You are asking for them to meet (if possible) or talk by phone (Skype) with you to comment on your career objective, your resume, your current search strategies and to suggest others they can connect you with for the same type of discussion.

A Connections and Learning Summit for Professionals In Transition

Join Garden State Woman on November 28th for a vital educational, networking and information sharing event for Professionals in Transition and searching for new career opportunities.   The Summit will be a major learning experience for anyone stuck in this position, unable to find the next right career opportunity.

The agenda will be a series of presentations and discussions  led by real, down-to-earth experts prepared to spend their time with attendees sharing their expertise and wisdom on how to go about uncovering and following up on new career opportunities.

Focus of the Summit

The focus of the Summit is on anyone, both women and men, in either an unemployed or under-employed situation including those:

Personal Branding is One of the Keys to Your Career Success.

Yet few people really consider the careful development of their brand as one of the keys to their long-term career success.  To be perceived in the way you wish and in the way that is most advantageous to you, you have to be paying attention to all dimensions of your Brand. Are you?

Your Brand has many components including your educational background, your career, your current employment, your body language, your verbal skills, your personal appearance, your networks of personal and professional connections, the social and business related groups you belong to, your involvement in the community and more.

Today your Brand is going to be hugely impacted by the way you position yourself on social media sites including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other internet resources.  A recent survey of partners in a national professional services firm found that nearly 30% lacked any presence on LinkedIn. Obviously they are missing an important tool for solidifying their personal and firm's brands and driving the growth of their business.

Social Media Event
On September 14, 2012, Garden State Woman is organizing an educational event focused sharply on using social media for personal and organization branding and development for corporate, professional and entrepreneurial women.

David Deutsch of SynergiSocial will be sharing his expertise on the pros, cons and "how to's" of using social media.  David heads his own firm training major organizations and their leaders to use social media effectively. Come prepared, loaded with questions so that David can address your specific issues, challenges and concerns.

It's this simple. In order to grow your business, you have to network. In person. Yes, the buzz is all around social media and social networking, but the tried and true way to grow your business is in person networking. The truth is, most people don't like to network and find it uncomfortable to enter a room of strangers and strike up a conversation. On the other hand, some people are natural networkers. They know how to join a conversation in progress, they know just the right things to say, and they are at ease doing so. But networking is not something only for the social butterflies. It's a skill that can be learned if you keep at it.

What is networking?

At its core, networking is about building relationships. And relationships take time to build. Just like you wouldn't meet someone today and marry them tomorrow, you wouldn't meet someone at a networking event and then ask them to buy your product or service the next day. It takes time to build a rapport and a level of trust. Networking is critical to both the professional and the personal aspects of your life. But many of us don't possess the skills to use our network to its fullest. Are you a good networker?

The NQ Pulse™

The NQ Pulse™ was recently administered at events focused on developing networking skills. It is a gauge for measuring your "networking quotient". It is also a technique for understanding if you possess the skills to identify opportunities that drive deeper relationships in your current networks.

The 2012 NQ Pulse™ results thus far indicate that while most people believe that building and maintaining professional relationships is important to current or future business success, many tend to do business only with people they know and like.

Only 18% of those who participated have a pulse that is healthier than normal. This minority can be considered expert networkers. They have the know-how to grow and keep business relationships. These individuals have embraced networking as a lifestyle, and clearly understand the benefits to cultivating connections by making others a priority and looking for ways to be a trusted resource.

– Not Against You.

Chatting with a group of women whom I'd describe as "older," one remarked, " At our age..." (which included me). I shuddered. "Does she think I'm as old as she is? Or does she think she's as young as I am?" Oops! My own age bias is showing!

HOW DOES AGE IMPACT CAREER WOMEN?

As an ambitious career woman, I've been driving myself mercilessly, striving for success ever since I can remember. I created a multi-million dollar marketing company with Fortune 500 clients, but it sank fast when I was hospitalized with handicapping back surgery. My energy was sapped. I could only concentrate on pain, not business. Time to reinvent myself, as I refused to allow my business or me slide down the tubes!

Those of us who work independently, or own a business, have to be concerned not only with getting, but keeping, clients. That means discipline in staying in step with constant technological advances. They're challenging because you have to know how to successfully integrate them into a marketing mix. The clock keeps ticking, trying to pull us back into the past. Staying current means you have to keep up with the present as well as with the future. Learning and retaining become more challenging and time consuming as we age.

Another criterion that can work against us: No one can stop age from happening, nor can you really hide it, no matter how hard you try. If your appearance doesn't reflect it, an Internet site can betray you if someone is sufficiently curious to dig deep. Funny, isn't it that age is the biggest bias of all, affecting everyone, men as well as women, yet it gets less publicity than other prejudices! It's as if everyone is afraid to talk about it.

Ruth Krauss' The Carrot Seed tells the journey of a little boy and his gardening adventure. Said boy plants a carrot seed and waits for the magic to happen. Despite some familial pessimism about whether the seed will actually develop into anything, the boy dutifully tends his garden; watering, weeding and watching. When there are no signs of growth, what does the boy do? Well, he keeps watering, weeding and watching. Eventually, a sprout appears and the boy is ultimately rewarded with a rather tasty-looking carrot! Ahh...success :-)

I loved sharing this book with my kids, and used it in my classroom when I taught preschool. It never failed to open discussions beyond the actual story as The Carrot Seed is about so much more than gardenting or planting. It's about solidarity of purpose, resilience, delayed gratification, power of focus & intention, and faith.

These principles also happen to be integral to a successful journey back to work. As a Comeback Mom, you spend time writing and customizing resumes, creating cover letters, updating skills and knowledge, networking.... Like the boy in Krauss' classic story, you may not immediately see any evidence of progress. And family and friends may not provide you with the encouragement you desire.

But...stay the course. Pace yourself, maintain your stamina, and keep on keeping on. The boy in the story didn't plant the seed, water it once, and sit back waiting. He continued to tend his garden, even when he couldn't see results. And you'll continue to move forward with your job search strategies, gathering insights, networking, polishing skills, and possibly reaching out for assistance in the form of workshops, job clubs, or coaching, even when signs of progress are not visible.

You will eventually see results. And, with perseverence and patience, your garden will bloom, too.

Finding Your On Ramp Back To Work and Career

When women leave work and put their careers on hold, it's referred to as off ramping.

In their 2005 report, Center for Work Life Policy researchers Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Carolyn Buck Luce coined the term to describe an emerging workplace trend. Their research revealed that for many of us, a linear career trajectory is not the norm. Instead, various life situations and stages may result in our off ramping from the well-worn career path and opting for flexible work arrangements, transitioning to part time, or taking a scenic detour completely away from work and career. For some, this may be a short-term situation. And for others, it can be much longer.

If you're a woman who's off ramped and is now looking for work , or on ramping, you may be surprised at the challenges you're facing as you find your way back.

The changing workforce and difficult economy certainly factor into the equation. But there are personal challenges that come into play, too. Original career goals may no longer resonate or inspire, there could be uncertainty surrounding your skills and navigating a 21st century job search requires new, unfamiliar strategies.

On ramping is often a time of questioning and self-discovery. Some common questions women often consider as they plan a return to work include:

I have been doing a lot of headshots these days. New jobs, starting companies and social media seem to be fueling the need to update photos. Your professional headshot photograph has to convey a lot about you: approachability, confidence, professionalism and personality.

Before you book your photo session for new headshots, here are some pointers to keep in mind:

Clear your mind of any and all negative thoughts about your appearance.

It never ceases to amaze me how many seemingly successful people have so many insecurities about their looks. Men and women alike say they don't like their smile, their nose, their teeth, smile lines, their weight ... you name it! Kids do not do this. Period. So, just when does that little voice begin for most of us? Somewhere between birth and adulthood which leads me back to headshots. Best you can, slay that dragon (or at least muffle it) before your photo shoot!

Collect headshot photos you like.

"As you noted, networking does pay off -- sometimes in ways you cannot even begin to predict."

That was one piece of feedback from Garden State Woman's recent networking event and discussion. Meeting new people, networking and developing long term friendships and successful business relationships is one of the real keys to living the quality of life you seek.

On September 15th, at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, we held our 2nd event this year designed to share insights and techniques for networking and developing new, meaningful relationships. Attending was an impressive group of successful women (and a few good men!) including CPAs, bankers, lawyers, business owners, consultants, educators, authors and others.

We had a lively discussion at the 9/15 event with everyone participating by sharing their networking successes and challenges.

Garden State Woman is now developing a program to bring networking and relationship development skills into organizations that recognize that these tools are vital for any organization to grow profitably through the relationship building skills of their key people.

This program can be delivered either as a single workshop or as a series of workshops spread over many weeks or months and designed to: go much deeper into the key topics and have participants be accountable for implementing the techniques they learn.

In this troubled economy, women are more adversely affected than ever. They continue to be the victims of gender, sex, pregnancy, family responsibilities, age and disability discrimination.

Deutsch Atkins, P.C. one of the most highly respected plaintiff's law firms in the tri-state area, will host "Understanding Your Rights in the Workplace," an informative seminar for women, on Thursday, October 20, 2011 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Marriott Glenpointe, 100 Frank W. Burr Boulevard, in Teaneck. Attorneys Sheila O'Shea Criscione, Kathryn McClure and Carly Skarbnik, who have a wealth of experience and knowledge in employment and discrimination law, will share their insights concerning the following issues:

· Gender Bias & Discrimination - relevant workplace concerns such as "The Glass Ceiling," Workplace Bullying, Women & Racism/Ageism, Family Responsibility Discrimination

· Pregnancy and Maternity Leave

· Family & Medical Leave Issues

· Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Knowing Your Value by Mika Brzezinski is an important new book. It is an introspection of her career and the difficulty, often faced by career women, she had in asking for a salary that reflected her value to the company. She interviewed numerous successful women to compare notes and found almost universal agreement with her theory that women need to be strong and firm in their salary negotiations.

Going through several detours in her career, she finally became co-anchor on the morning political show, Morning Joe. As the show became successful, she was aware that she was being paid considerably less than several of the other men on the program. Joe Scarborough, for example, the key host of the show was getting paid 14 times what Mika was earning! If you ever watched the show you will know that was not fair or reasonable. The salary gap bothered Mika big time. On various occasions, she would approach the "top brass" with little results. Even Joe realized Mika was underpaid. One year he shared his year-end bonus with Mika. Finally, she concluded that she could not continue to work for a company that did not value her fairly. Getting tougher and smarter in her salary negotiations has brought her much closer to where she thinks is reasonable.

This is an excellent read. Her point that women often put more value on being liked than being paid their value is frequently a stumbling point in negotiations. Every working woman who has to swim with the sharks can learn from this book. What makes the book important is that Mika takes the blame for accepting these conditions. She doesn't try to hide behind excuses. It is the ultimate book on personal accountability.

There may be one wonderful side effect of recent world events. People don't seem to have "situational permission" to be so arrogant!

Think about it. Can anyone honestly say that s/he knows exactly how much debt the United States can handle? How can a person really prevent getting cancer? When and how will the Gulf of Mexico fully recover from the BP oil disaster? Can New Jersey's pervasive culture of corruption and power brokers ever really change? How should the WAR in Afghanistan be handled from here forward? When/how will unemployment levels recover? How can thousands of years of unrest in the Middle East truly change? What about the Taliban? Make your own list.

I attended a convention of a professional association this week and noticed that the audience didn't tolerate arrogance very well. When a speaker inferred "There is no reason you can't..." conference attendees looked down, began fiddling with their Blackberries, and stopped listening to the speaker. That is all it took. When a speaker bragged about how their business has been growing this year, the skeptical audience stopped listening. Maybe they "should have" been more motivated to hear what the speaker was doing differently to experience success, but they shut down. A dose of humility might have helped credibility and reception.

Somehow, the convention made me recall an experience I had a few years ago at a previous conference of this same association. A friend of mine had invited me to join her for lunch. She wanted to introduce me to her daughter, her son-in-law, and her new grandchild. The young couple was so taken with themselves that I just wanted the lunch to be over as quickly as possible. They were incredibly disrespectful of their mother, had no interest in who I am or what I do, did not make eye contact, and acted like they were the only people in the world who had smart children, meaningful jobs, and advanced education.

That lunch was in early 2008. Their careers were related to huge financial institutions. Most of us do not wish for bad things to happen to other people, but I do wonder. Wouldn't the world be a little better if these young people got a needed wakeup call and gained some humility?

Aldonna R. Ambler, CMC, CSP has earned the right to be called THE GROWTH STRATEGIST™. She has won over 2 dozen national and statewide "entrepreneur of the year" awards for the resilient growth of her international businesses across 4 recessions. Her midsized BtoB service, technology, and distribution clients get on...and then stay on...the published lists of the fastest growing privately held companies. All of her own service businesses (strategic planning, growth financing, executive advisory, radio show, executive search, speaking, etc) help midsized companies keep growing. Ambler is in her 6th year hosting a weekly peer-to-peer-to-peer on line radio program at www.business.voiceamerica.com or www.GrowthStrategistradioshow.com that features interviews with CEOs/Presidents of midsized companies (typically between $20 and 200 Mil/yr) sharing success tips about the growth strategy-of-the-week. She can be reached toll free at 1-888-Aldonna or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We speak every day without fully recognizing the impact our voice has on the our success and that of our organizations. The voice that picks up the company telephone or speaks to the customer or supplier represents that organization, whether it's the receptionist, sales person, human resource rep, general manager or CEO. Everyone creates a vocal impression of the company they work for.

It is said that when a person is sight-impaired, all other senses are heightened. They hear more sharply, they smell and taste more intensely and the sense of touch is enhanced. When we communicate over the telephone the communication skills we are left with need to become more enhanced – they are now more critical for our success. Unlike our body, however, our skills will not be enhanced on their own. We need to take active steps to achieve our goals.

There are two areas that directly impact your vocal impression: your voice and your words. Your voice must be clearly understood by everyone who listens to you. On the telephone this becomes even more critical as there is not the accompanying body language you have in a face to face situation Make sure you enunciate your words clearly. Avoid slang and poor grammar.

Make your voice as expressive as your face. Your voice has wonderful nuances and shadings to give meaning to the words you use, providing you let it. For example, read aloud a passage from a favorite book. Does your voice conjure up images or feelings? To use your voice effectively in business, you'll need to use the same skills. An expressive voice creates a comfortable atmosphere in which to conduct business. Your expression can help create a sense of urgency; or instill confidence in yourself and your products.

Don't overlook the importance of enthusiasm in your voice. Enthusiasm is contagious – it will catch on. A simple way to increase the enthusiasm in your voice is to keep a smile on your face. It has a side benefit of helping to make your voice sound more pleasant to listen to.

Check your volume. If you speak too softly, you'll appear to be timid. Besides, no one will hear you. If you speak too loudly, you'll be thought of as aggressive and pushy. Strive for a middle ground.

"Should I be interactive in my presentation?"...

It's a daunting question for some speakers, but in many cases the answer is, "Go for it!" Depending on your purpose, adding interactive elements can be a tremendous help in making your message stick.

Presenters that get results in today's high-stakes world need to create experiences that challenge listeners to think, discuss, and even question what's being said. So, what can you do to incorporate interactive elements that emotionally, physically and verbally involve your audience?

Ask Powerful Questions. Don't wait for your audience to ask you — engage them by posing questions that inspire thinking and support the sharing of thoughts and experiences.

Pro tip: To get a response, be sure to establish and maintain direct eye contact — this communicates that you are expecting an answer. Silently count to ten as you wait for a reply.

Get Rhetorical. Asking rhetorical questions is a particularly useful technique when the schedule is tight and there's no room for a verbal give-and-take. Using this technique, you'll still be able to connect with your audience even when time is short.

Pro tip: Establish and maintain eye contact, but move on after three seconds. This lets your listeners know you aren't expecting a vocal response and allows you to move on to your next point.

Call for Examples. Let audience members share their own experiences by building in opportunities for listeners to contribute examples. Not only does this technique encourage interaction, it also helps you illustrate points in highly relatable and personal ways.

“Rainmaking” is a must-have skill for any professional woman (not just lawyers) motivated to move up the ladder.

The National Association of Women Lawyers®(NAWL®) and the NAWL Foundation®  reported the results of the fourth annual National Survey on the Status of Women in Law Firms (“Survey”).  Results likely mirror those in most career paths for women.

The survey showed women play a surprisingly small role in the highest levels of law firm leadership.

Only about 6% of law firms have women managing partners. Women lawyers account for fewer than 16% of equity partners

“Rainmaking” was a major focus of the 2009 Survey. The ability to “make rain” – bring in substantial business to a firm – is well known to affect the prospects of a successful career in private practice. The role of women as major rainmakers is surprisingly weak. Almost half the firms – 46% – count no women at all in their top 10 rainmakers. The fact that women do not play dominant or even substantial roles in law firm rainmaking also impacts their prospects for leadership and compensation.

In recent days I have met several women and an equal number or more men who lost their jobs and are struggling to find new opportunities. They run the spectrum. One woman is a former special needs teacher who was downsized after nearly 25 years. Another was (up until now) a successful lawyer who had made a lateral move to a different and larger NY law firm after several years with her previous firm. Less than a year after making the switch she too was downsized.

The unfortunate part of both of these examples is that neither woman had really spent much time and effort in developing their networks of people who might be able to help in these tough circumstances. I was stunned particularly by how limited the lawyer's network is.

There are 100s of thousands of women and men in this identical position. The question is, what do they do about it? Most advice at a time like this is usually worthless but here are my thoughts nevertheless.

The first thing is to get into a positive frame of mind. Nobody wants to employ somebody who is moping around. You are in a tough spot but “pump” yourself up. Be convinced that you are going to find a better opportunity than the one you just lost. Why can’t you do that? If you don't believe in you who will? And if you do the "woe is me" routine at home what impact will that have on your family already worried about your situation?

The second thing to recognize is that virtually every organization is receptive to bringing in someone new for their team....if the new person will be a real difference maker. I see this situation every day. And I am looking to add these types of people every day in nearly all of the organizations with which I am working in various capacities. Even companies in the toughest of straits will hire new talent if the talent is special and good enough. Hiring you will likely mean someone else has to be let go but that's the way the capitalist world works. To take advantage of this pressing need for all organizations to add great new talent (for whatever position) you have to really assess your strengths and find opportunities where your unique abilities can make a difference. Every organization needs a better receptionist, a better secretary, a better accountant or CFO, a better sale staff member and/or sales VP , a better HR leader, a better in-house council and many need a better CEO. The opportunities are always out there if you can match your experiences and skills with their needs.

Enrich Your Life, Accelerate Your Career, Achieve Success

Networking should be taught in all schools as a life skill that everyone needs. Being strong at networking will enrich your life and your family's lives on both a personal and business level. It will drive your career and it will help you achieve your goals – whatever they are. It may be that you are looking for a new career move or maybe even to launch your own business. Maybe you need support getting your child into the college of choice. Maybe you need to be steered toward a special restaurant, boutique or weekend get-away spot. Maybe you need a new lawyer, financial advisor or realtor. Effective networking can help get you to wherever you want to be. 

The good thing about networking is that everyone can be really good at it. It is an ability that anyone can develop with a little guidance and a personal commitment. But it takes consistent effort doing certain key things well.

On July 22nd GardenState Woman held its 2nd Annual Networking Event in the Mansion at Fairleigh Dickinson University.There was plenty of time for attendees to network with other motivated New Jersey women. Everyone left the event a much more capable networker!

The networking discussion focused on key topics such as:

*  who should network and why? The answer may surprise you.

This interview with Joe Caso, head of his own executive search and career counseling firm, is for women either wanting to get back into the work force at a “reasonable” level or wanting to jump start their career again by changing jobs and moving on. We invite other career counselors to share their expertise and guidance with our viewers.

GSW:  For women who have been downsized or out of the job market for some time what do you recommend be their game plan for getting back working at a “reasonable” level? What specific things should they focus on doing over the next 60 to 90 days to create a new opportunity for themselves?

Joe:     When you say “reasonable level”, I assume you mean dollar level.  Being realistic is the key.  Most job seekers are aware of the terrible strain in the employment market today and are willing to make monetary sacrifices to land a new position.  I am a firm believer in making sacrifices “within limits”.  If a candidate is willing to take too little in compensation they may also have to step way back in responsibility.  That has its own set of pitfalls.  If the employer wants to “steal” a candidate they are setting themselves up for a problem down the road.  The correct answer is a reasonable compromise between the candidate and the company.  What I mean is that a candidate may choose to take a little less money for the opportunity to get back to work, but they should see the potential to make additional income and return to their former compensation in some reasonable time frame.  If they feel that the company is looking for a bargain hire with no future potential, a candidate should think long and hard about the overall decision to join the organization.  It’s always best to have clearly defined expectations on both sides.