Women entrepreneurs are making a difference.  Our numbers our growing, and so are our collective voices.  A grassroots organization, MomsRising.org, epitomizes the power that women can have in effecting positive change in their lives and in the work place.

Founded in May of 2006, Moms Rising is working to build a family-friendly America to increase the economic security of all women and families. Moms Rising promotes awareness on many issues affecting women - from health care to wage discrimination to disparities in equality for women of color.  And, their membership base is proving to be a powerful and formidable voice.

Among their accomplishments is the key role Moms Rising played in securing paid family leave in New Jersey, Washington, and paid sick days in Milwaukee.

Most recently, MomsRising members sent over 4,500 emails in support of a California bill to stop discrimination against women in healthcare who were being charged as much as 39% more than men, simply based on gender.  But California law is now changing and taking one more step forward in eliminating gender discrimination when it comes to health insurance premiums.

According to MomsRising, "Today, approximately one million women in California buy their own insurance. And a recent study found that women were being charged up to 39% more than men for the same plans.  When the bill takes effect on January 1, [2010] California women will finally have equal access to health coverage!"

Thank you, Moms Rising for pushing this important issue for self-employed and self-insured women, and to those (men and) women who supported this fair insurance coverage bill.

More Women's Organizations Making a Difference

A budding female entrepreneur from Duke University wrote and asked me to share a survey link for a project she is working on as part of her MBA program.

She is attempting to determine if there is a potential need or consumer group that would want a web service to help them live a healthier lifestyle. This can include people struggling with food allergies, heart disease, Celiacs, diabetes, etc.   The data she is looking for at this stage is very basic:  "Do people that have particular dietary goals actually need additional resources?"

If enough favorable information is gathered, Duke students may pilot an online web service that brings local food resources to consumers with special needs.

The survey only takes a few minutes and you do not have to create an account or give out email information, etc.  The survey will be open for approximately one week. To take the survey:  Duke University Survey.

Thinking of starting a business in Maryland?

I grew up in Montgomery County, MD and spent summers traveling throughout the state from Hagerstown to the Eastern Shore.  Maryland is a wonderful place to start and grow a business so I have compiled information and links you need to get you started.

Begin with How to Start a Business in Maryland.  If you are planning on starting a business in Maryland, you will need to register your business name, register to pay taxes, and obtain licenses and permits depending on the structure of your business and if you will have employees. This article contains information you need to help you start a business in Maryland.

Many types of business in Maryland require a business license - but not all do.  Read "Business License Requirements in Maryland" to see if you need a business license and how to get one.

You can find free resources for support and training in Small Business Resources for Maryland Women in Business.

Sarah Lindholm, one of Women in Business' 2009 Women to Watch, and president of Cooper Martin has just launched two new collections of adaptive apparel.

The Love Collection and Luxe Collection  are two "highly evolved collections of luxurious, stylish lounge pants for women in four vibrant colors and four sophisticated neutrals. These cotton terry and velour lounge pants seamlessly fuse fashion and function with a progressive design and elements of flair."

Sarah continues to push ahead towards success even during an economy in which clothing sales have slumped.  Her innovative designs, marketing, and passion for business are certainly contributing towards her accomplishments which include a recent appearance on Good Morning America Health (view video clip).

Sarah will also be appearing on Fox Business tomorrow (November 18, 2009 at approximately 2:40 PM) to talk about small business.

More About Sarah Lindholm

• Sarah Lindholm Named 2009 Entrepreneur to Watch
• Interview with Sarah Lindholm, Founder, Cooper Martin

A robots.txt is a plain text file that instructs search engine robots and web crawlers on how to crawl your website.

Key Points About robots.txt files:

• Must be created in a plain text editor (do not create them in Word or HTML.)
• Should always have a .txt file extension and be named plural, all lowercase like this: "robots.txt."
• Are always uploaded to the main root directory of your website.
• Contains simple commands that allow or disallow (forbid) robots access to your entire website, or to selected directories, and/or files.
• Command most reputable robots and crawlers for major search engines.
• Are not fool-proof and some sophisticated malicious robots may ignore robots.txt file commands.
• Are an important part of your sites' overall search engine optimization strategy.
• All websites should have a robots.txt file.

More Information About robots.txt Files:

• Can a robots.txt file protect my website against malicious intruders?
• Do all search engines require a robots.txt file on a site?
• How do I create a robots.txt file?
• Where should I upload my robots.txt file?

There are many ways to build a newsletter subscriber list but the best place to start is by adding a "Subscribe" button to your website or blog.

Whenever possible, do not automatically add subscribers without their permission. It is annoying to customers and may even be illegal.  You must also give subscribers a way to "opt out" (unsubscribe) contained in every email you send out to list members.

Do not purchase email lists - they are a waste of good money and no reputable mailing list service will allow you to use their services with purchased email lists.

If you do decide to send out unsolicited emails, be sure to read Unsolicited Email Marketing Campaign Mistakes first. The wrong approach will result in alienating potential customers rather than attracting new ones.

Starting a business in Virginia? Why not? Virginia is a state filled with opportunities and resources. In fact, Virginia ranked an impressive #3 on Site Selection's 2009 list of "Top 25 Places to Start a Business."

Virginia is not just for lovers ... it is also for women in business!

• How to Start a Business in Virginia
• Virginia Business Resources
• Funding Resources for Small Businesses in Virginia

Before you start writing press releases, it is important that you understand what a press release is the purpose a press release serves.

What is a Press Release?

A press release is a written communication reporting specific, but brief information about an event, circumstance, or other happening typically tied to a business or organization.  Press releases should always be written in the third person.

Press releases are provided to the media through a variety of means, but are not always picked up by news media. However, if you are lucky, they may still be picked up by bloggers, Twitterers, and others who read it and find it worthy of promoting within their own social networks.

Entire Article

See Sample Press Release

The main differences between advertising and marketing can be summarized this way:

• Advertising tells a story about something to attract attention. Advertising is a step in the marketing process.
• In business, "marketing" is the planning of, and steps taken, to bring merchants and consumers together.

There are many ways to market your business including network marketing, direct marketing, telemarketing, and Internet marketing. No business should rely on just one marketing approach. Here are basics to help you explore your best marketing options.

Full Article

You can start a business any time you want - while you still have a job or are cash poor, or even if do not have a lot of time right now.

Businesses begin with an idea and desire and are then formed in steps. Many of the initial steps in starting a business are free or inexpensive and can be done in your spare time. Since a large part of forming a business involves research and analysis, the sooner you start, the better. Here are the first steps to take to become an entrepreneur.

Here are steps you can take to start a business, now!

• Prepare a Comprehensive Feasibility Study
• Write a Business Plan
• Choose a Business Structure
• Choose a Name For Your Business
• Get a Business License
• Get a Domain Name and Start Working on Your Website
• Start Networking
• Research Copyrights, Patents and Trademark
• Start Looking for Venture Capital and Investors

Full Article