Meet Featured Diva Debbie Barth

What is the name of your business and a description of what you do?

I am an Independent Associate for Talk Fusion.  I consult with business owners and entrepreneurs concerning their video branding needs, as well as their social media and promotional needs.

I am also a co-producer/co-host for a one-hour internet talk show … On The Grid and a co-producer and co-host for a 30 min. internet talk show … Three Wise Girls.  I also contract with a local company and help the CEO with his administrative concerns.

How much has your business direction changed in the past five years and why?

As far as Talk Fusion is concerned, my business direction hasn’t changed as much as the company itself has expanded exponentially, and has expanded its video branding tools to include live broadcasting and video conferencing.  This of course affords me the opportunity to offer a suite of superior video branding tools not found elsewhere. (as a suite of tools)

I am much more involved in internet talk radio than ever before and intend, with the help of my co-hosts and guests, to expand our listener base greatly due to the professional standards we set and the caliber of the people we have been blessed to have on our show.  In fact, we will be offering advertising
opportunities and guest-hosting opportunities in the very near future.

What advice do you have for women who are trying to grow their businesses?

Keep an open mind concerning what others are using to grow their businesses.  Don’t underestimate the power of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the use of free and more professional video branding tools.  Seek out new social media networks (online and offline) and become involved with those groups that appear to suit your personality and time constraints.   At the same time, don’t spread yourself too thin.  You won’t be as affected.

Don’t be afraid to ask others what they are doing to growing their businesses.  I find most professional women are more than happy to share their experiences with you.

What do you know now that you wished you knew 10 years ago as it relates to business?

Know what your passion is … believe in yourself … and follow YOUR dreams, not the dreams others perceive are right for you.  Had I realized than then …. I would be ten years ahead now.

 How can I reach you to learn more about your business/product/service?

 Debbie.barth@yahoo.com

336-471-5686

http://www.debbiebarth.com

http://www.trumpnetwork.com/debbiebarth

http://www.talkfusion.com/1000695

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Summer Fashion Tips for the Over 40 Crowd

Special Guest Post by JoJami Tyler & Deborah Boland

What are this summer’s fashion trends, and are they age appropriate if you are over 40? Find out how to wear them without looking too old, too young, but just right.

1. Asymmetrical Dresses and Blouses

Michelle Obama led the way by wearing a white crystal one shoulder dress by Jason Wu at the Inauguration Ball. Now this trend is everywhere. One shoulder dresses are an easy way for women over 40 to look sexy without having to reveal too much skin. Just make sure:

your arms are toned, the dress is not a mini and that your one shoulder dress looks like it was inspired by an elegant Grecian goddess, rather than Wilma Flintstone.

2. Cardigans that Pop

Cardigans in bright shades all are the rage this spring. Orange, yellow, Pink, red and especially electric blue are the must have colors. If you think that means all you have to go out and do is buy a matching sweater set and throw on a pretty necklace, think again. This look is matronly and needs to be cranked up a few notches! Mix up your cardigan with one of this season’s colorful painterly blouses. Add a pair of white jeans and flats and you’ll look youthful and hip.

3. Ruffles

Ruffles are adorning everything this season, but can be a difficult look for women over 40.

Watch out for ruffles that make you look more like Little House on the Prairie than 2009 Fabulous over 40 woman. Less is more.

4. Jumpsuits

You probably wore them in the 70′s and maybe in the early 80′s and now they are back.

Could you ever wear one again and not look silly? Yes, but proceed with caution. Avoid the skimpy, tight tube top jumpsuits, best suited to Paris Hilton types and go for something more flowing and drapey with better coverage up top. It’s a much more elegant look that can work. Don’t forget the shapewear to smooth out those over 40 lumps and bumps.

5. Athletic

If you have a sporty side to you, you fall in love with the new athletic trend that is showing up on runways. It’s highly graphic; an effortless look that’s perfect for those times you want to look stylish, but casual. If your sporty dress looks like you are on your way to your next tennis lesson then you know you might have crossed the line into looking like you are wearing a costume. Buy a subtle version of this trend.

Deborah Boland and JoJami Tyler (The Glam Gals) are members of Boomer Diva Nation as well as Image and Style Experts specializing in helping women 40 plus look and feel fabulous. They are the authors of the book, The Glam Plan~ 12 Simple Steps to Take You from Frumpy to Fabulous and Tweak Your Chic- Mother of the Bride, as well as coaches for their Tweak Your Chic™, Image make-over program. For more tips go to www.fabulousafter40.com and sign up for their bi-weekly newsletter. You can also contact them at: info@fabulousafter40.com

Deborah Boland & JoJami Tyler

The Glam Gals

Fabulous after 40

Wilmington, DE

302-893-2111

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Does the ‘Real World’ Still Exist?

My vote is the latter.

Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Naymz.com, LinkedIn and even the microblogging site Twitter all should supplement your daily personal and work interactions, and NEVER serve as a substitute for face-to-face encounters.

Sure, it’s a lot easier to log onto your favorite site, type for a few minutes – maybe IM someone or “send a drink request” via Facebook — than scraping off your car in the dead of winter to fight traffic, or take a train, plane, taxi or bus to meet someone.

But, I ask you to consider … what price do you pay for this comfort?

A friend’s hurt feelings? A confused client? Upset relatives?

Reading words on a screen, even with a video and/or audio element added, is and never will be the same as having a real dialogue in person.

Many times there are subtle nuances to communication and body language that “speak” far greater than actual words. How does this non-spoken “conversation” get conveyed online?

It can’t. But, worse, yet, often the message being sent and even its tone are misunderstood or misconstrued by the recipients.

Before you drop your Internet access, I’m not suggesting that you close your online accounts, and resolve to meet everyone in your network once a week or even monthly.

I am simply reminding everyone of the importance of a phone call and in-person encounter.

So, the next time you consider sending your former colleague a friend request, sit back, log off, and pick up the phone.

Or, schedule a visit the next time you’re in his or her neighborhood.

I guarantee you that the impact you make in reconnecting with this person in such a manner, will far exceed the actual cost of the call or gas in your car.

Nothing speaks volumes more than a real-life hug or handshake.

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Women and The Power of Red

For years, business women have been taught that if you want to look professional you must dress a certain way.  Conservative colors and fabrics remain a standard in business attire for men and women. We’ve been told that nothing makes more of a statement of your class and professionalism that a black, navy blue or gray suit.

But wait a minute.

It seems as though Secretary of State and fellow baby boomer, Hillary Clinton, is proving you can exhibit class and make quite a power statement as a woman in red.  During a recent breakfast meeting in India, Mrs. Clinton made her own fashion business statement by stepping out in a bright red business suit.

She was described as “looking radiant”  with “her short blonde hair neatly pinned back perfectly complemented her attire with the ensemble being completed with smart cream and black pumps that seemed more than adequate for the long day ahead.”

Kudos to Secreaty of State Clinton for telling boomer women it’s OK to step out of your comfort zone–as long as you do it with class and style.

Have you or would you ever wear a red suit to a business function?

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Add Video to Your Marketing Strategy

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Need a Coach?

Special Guest Post by:  Heidi Richards Mooney

No matter what stage of life you are in a coach can help you get to that next stage. It’s like losing 20 pounds, the first 10 are the easiest and then it seems we struggle in our attempts to loose the last 10.  One of the reasons may be that we have no one to share in the final victory, or we fear judgment about how long it is taking or we second-guess ourselves about what we need to do to reach our final destination.  A coach can be a cheerleader, a resource for more information, and a friend who doesn’t “judge” the what, why or how of our plans. And a good coach can help us make better decisions and celebrate our successes. 

“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” Eric Hoffer 

One of the questions you need to first ask yourself before working with a coach is this: “Am I coachable.”  I believe baby boomers are very coachable. Why?  We have had enough experiences to know what we want and what we don’t want.  We become more open to ideas as we grow wiser, especially in this day of lightning-speed change. We are likely more adept at working with others.  Most baby boomers I know are optimistic, courageous, have a great work ethic, want more quality relationships and more meaningful careers.  We have been the self-indulgent route, we have had money and lost money and had it again and know that money doesn’t buy happiness.  We are used to working outside our comfort zone and are able to bounce back from setbacks. We actually listen to our peers and even younger generations and will take their advice when we know it’s good for us.  And we are ready to realize our full potential. 

Coaching works best when you know what you want to get done.  As long as you are open to feedback and willing to create positive change in your life coaching works.

So what are the things you should consider when working with a coach? 

1. Someone who is willing to give you the time and undivided attention you need to reach your goals
2. Someone who understands your needs and most importantly your goals
3. Someone you know, like and trust
4. Someone who can help you assess your own life and get very clear about what you want to accomplish
5. Someone who will help you evaluate your goals and come up with a plan (and timeline) to achieve your goals
6. Someone who asks good questions and more importantly listens for the answers
7. Someone who holds your feet to the fire (keep you accountable)

Where can you find a good coach?  Ask! Ask your friends for referrals. Network and find out who is using a coach and what success she or he has had. Interview potential candidates.  Ask for a sample coaching session.  See if she or he is a good fit for you.  While you don’t have to think alike it is good to have someone with whom you are not constantly butting heads.  Just as it isn’t good to have someone always agreeing with you, it is also not good for your confidence to have someone who always points out when you are wrong. When you do a sample coaching session you will find out if the coach is “in tune” to what you are all about.  

Working with a coach can be a very rewarding and exhilarating experience. And at times it might even be frightening.  The right coach can help you discover your true gifts and talents. The right coach will help you face issues you didn’t want to or couldn’t face.  Working with a coach can help you no matter what your goals are; whether it’s to loose weight, make more money or live your ideal life. Working with the right coach can help you grow in ways you never thought you would (or could). 

©Heidi Richards Mooney – (a baby boomer) is a Professional Speaker, Business Coach and the Author of 8 books including: “Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Grow Your Business Using Zany and Non-traditional Holidays.”  She is also the Publisher of WE Magazine for Women. Stop by http://www.speakingwithspirit.com to get a FREE copy of Quirky Marketing, Chapter 1. 

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The Stress of Being a Woman

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What Do Your Colors Say?

By Kaye Z. Marks

There is a reason why people wear black at a funeral and a reason why red is considered a power color. If you go to a toy store, odds are the section for young boys will be blue while the one for young girls will be pink. You simply cannot escape the idea of associating certain colors with different elements of our culture. Same association can be applied in advertising and color printing.

In designing ads, especially those that you would want to use a lot of colors on, you need to understand the kind of impact that colors can have on people beforehand.

The more visual advertising is the more important this becomes. Take for instance advertising flyers. This form of advertising requires a strong color motif to get people interested in looking at it. Unlike a longer form of advertising, such as a catalog, a single glance needs to hook a person when they look at an advertising flyer, which is why you need to be sure you understand what colors would look best.

Are you trying to convey a sense of prestige? If so, you might use silver in your ad. Alternatively, maybe you want to have a sense of spirituality and dignity. In that case you should have purple be a prominent color.

Of course, even in longer advertisements you will need to be aware of what colors look best. When using a brochure printing company, the colors can be just as important as it is with a flyer. Having colors that sync up with what you are trying to say will help strengthen the message.

The strength of well-picked colors is the fact that it can augment your message. Sometimes you cannot come right out and say certain things about a product as easily. If you want to imply a feeling of warmth and vibrancy, well, this is not something you can easily say your product has. However, if you use a strong orange coloring surrounding the product, you can get this message across without actually using the words.

Not everything in an ad is going to be immediately considered on the conscious level. If you are not aware of the messages different colors send you might end up undermining your own message by using colors that counter your claims. Make sure when using a brochure printing company, or any other kind of advertising, that you are aware of exactly what your colors have to say.

Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of developments in the color printing industry and how these improvements can benefit small to medium-scale business.

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Are Your Customers Satisfied?

If you’ve got a good product or business and a gift of gab, you should have no problem attracting customers.  But the question here is, how often do you get repeat business from the same customer? 

It’s one thing to sell lots of items but it’s also equally important to have customers who want to keep coming back.  Why?  Because exisitng customers are more profitable than finding new ones.

Once you make the sale, the business connection between you and your customer is just beginning.  This is the time you spend on nurturing your relationship so that your customer will want to do more business with you and even provide referrals. 

One of the things I recommend is to take a look at the successful business women around you  and see what makes their customers attracted to them. 

Remember this:  a satisfied customer is more likely to be a loyal customer and a satisfied customer is a reflection of who YOU are as a woman in business.

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Sexy is Not a Corporate Look

Summer time is here.  As women in business, that means we must be mindful, more than ever, of how we choose to dress to impress.

Barbara Pachter, a business etiquette expert and author of the NewRules@Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead (Prentice Hall Press), issues her comments on professional summer dress. She says ”sexy is not a corporate look” and warns that dressing seductively in the workplace can severely damage a woman’s credibility.

Although warmer weather is often to blame for unsuitable work attire, Pachter also blames inappropriate television role models, fashion designers and a lack of self-awareness as some of the reasons why many women dress seductively.

But she stresses, you can still be feminine—just without flaunting your figure.

The key, Pachter suggests, is to ask yourself what you may be drawing attention to via your clothing. “Are you promoting your ideas and your competence or your sexuality?

Here are 7 suggestions from Barbara to ensure your business wardrobe stays professional, regardless of the weather:

1. No Cleavage—Period. I am amazed that I need to tell women that cleavage is not appropriate for the office. And it’s not!

2. Avoid Short Skirts. Showing too much leg (even really good ones) is never an appropriate way to dress for the office. Avoid high slits and keep your skirts no higher than the top of your knees. When the skirt is significantly above the knee, the knee becomes a visual anchor and draws people’s attention down to your legs. Is that where you want people to look?

3. Make A Smart Decision About Stockings Michelle Obama usually doesn’t wear them, but should you? Some offices require them, others don’t. Stockings provide a cleaner, more finished look, but they are not always necessary in today’s business casual environment. Stockings won’t help an outfit that shouldn’t be worn to work in the first place. And the issue becomes moot when you wear pants. But the appearance of your legs should be considered. Legs with lots of veins, scars, moles or very pale skin are usually better covered up.

4. Less Really Is More The less skin you show, the more professional you’ll be, so no exposing your belly, no see-through tops, and no spaghetti strap tops. (And, ugh, no thongs showing from the tops of your pants. We just don’t need to see it!)

5. Stay Away From Skintight Outfits Your clothing needs to fit, and not overemphasize body parts. Fabrics bulge and buttons pull when the item is too tight.

6. Shoes Count People notice shoes. It’s one of the little details that add polish to your professional presence. No flip flops or sandals. It’s not the beach; it’s work. One manager said, “I do run a casual place, but when a job candidate showed up for the interview in flip flops, I just couldn’t hire her”

7. Know That Sex Appeal Has It Limits. If your road to success is being based on how sexy you look, you are dooming yourself to failure. Eventually you won’t be able to compete.

###

Barbara Pachter is the author of numerous books, including The Power of Positive Confrontation ($14.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.) and When the Little Things Count…And They Always Count ($13.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.) second edition.

Pachter is a speaker and coach specializing in business etiquette and communication. Her client list features major organizations worldwide, including Microsoft, Pfizer, Cisco, and Genentech.

For a free copy of Pachter’s communication e-newsletter, Competitive Edge, go to www.pachter.com. or you can check out her blog at www.barbarapachter.blogspot.com

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What is Your Marketing Soul Plan?

Every woman in business needs a marketing plan if she wants her business to grow and become successful.  Your plan should outline details of what you want to achieve and how you plan to achieve it. 

According to Business Coach, Kendall SummerHawk, there’s something called a Marketing Soul Plan—which is just as vital.  Here are some tools Kendall says you need for this particular plan:

Marketing Soul Plan Element #1: Clarity

There is no virtue in trying to help women entrepreneurs who don’t value what you do. Instead, choose a tribe of women entrepreneurs who are hungry and eager to have their problem solved and are generous in paying for that help.

Marketing Soul Plan Element #2: Money

Who else wants to be a Spiritual Millionaire? I do, and I am well on my way to achieving that goal with my woman-owned business. If you’re one of those woman business owners who have been holding back from allowing money to flow abundantly into your business (and hence, your life) then it’s time to do some soul-searching to clear out your old money stories.

Yes, it’s okay to be spiritual and rich… so how much do you want to make in the next year? Choose a number to include in your Marketing Plan that is both a stretch and realistic. Write it down, and then decide how much you want to create every 90 days and write those numbers down too. Stay focused on your Marketing Plan numbers as you decide how you spend your time each day.

Marketing Soul Plan Element #3: Boundaries

The road to success isn’t paved with good intentions (or affirmations); it’s lined with great boundaries that honor you and your Soul’s Divine Mission. What are five boundaries that you’ve been soft on? Those are costing you big time in lost focus, lost income and a lost sense of your own personal power. List them out in your Marketing Plan along with one small action you, as a woman entrepreneur, are a commitment to taking to clean up each of them.

Marketing Soul Plan Element #4: Perfectionism

Perfectionism is fear in disguise. It’s simply a smoke-screen that women entrepreneurs’ egos create to keep them playing small or hiding out. Include in your Marketing Plan this statement: “I agree, commit and promise to take action before I feel ready, before I feel that I know enough and before I know how it’s all going to turn out!” Then do it and see how much you leapfrog ahead of where you are now.

Marketing Soul Plan Element #5: Receiving

There’s no point in practicing gratitude and attraction principles if you aren’t also practicing receiving. If you believe that the universe wants to give to your woman owned business then you must be skilled at receiving. So where do you start to practice receiving? How about starting by raising your fees, asking for a referral or even just accepting a compliment with a gracious “Thank you?”

Kendall SummerHawk, the “Horse Whisperer for Business” delivers savvy ways for entrepreneurs to turn hectic businesses into 6-figure successes. Get her “7 Quick and Simple Tips to Brand, Package and Price for More Money, Time and Freedom” at http://www.kendallsummerhawk.com.

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