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As you may have read, Jane Dough is one of 5 types of Janes–women entrepreneurs looking to build a successful business.

Jane Dough enjoys running her business and is comfortable and determined in marketing and selling. She may be working longer hours, but she doesn’t mind because she enjoys the enterprise so much. Her focus on growth is why she is five times as likely as the average woman entrepreneur to hit the million-dollar revenue mark with her company. She is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business that she can later sell or pass on to her children. It is estimated that 18 percent of women are Jane Doughs.

Please meet Jenny Ford, founder of www.monkey-toes.com.  She’s the first Jane Dough to send us a video.  When you watch her, you’ll see immediately how focused she is on growing her business by thinking strategically and using great systems.

Jane Dough - Monkey-Toes.com

I suspect, too, that once you’ve seen her video, you’ll just have to pop over to her site to see the awesome shoes she has for little ones.  If my son, RJ, were little, I’d snap them up in a heartbeat … but I guess at age 18 and shoe size 14 we’re a little out of Jenny’s target market.  :)   My brother and his wife, however, are expecting — so there may be some monkey-toes in my future that way!

I came across this great article today based on the premise that WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS around going to be key in turning our economy around!

What are YOUR thoughts? A Million Woman TurnAround… Hmmmm….

Here is an excerpt from this article by Nell Merlino with the Huffington Post:

From my recent experience helping US women grow their businesses, I am convinced women will lead America out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Kept out, put out or having walked out of the “boys will be boys” boardrooms, C-suites or the dead end jobs we had propping up the fellas, women have started small businesses in record numbers — 10.5 million to be exact. Rather than depending on or hoping that the handful who caused this economic crisis will rescue them or bail them out, women are poised to grow their businesses and rescue the country themselves. Read the rest of the article…

Here is a great article by marketing and business coach, Katrina Sawa. I met Katrina this weekend at Alexandria Brown’s Online Success Blueprint Workshop in Los Angeles, CA. She has great energy! And coincidently, this article appeared in my search this morning for women entrepreneurs and I decided to share with you.

Partnering is a great way to build your business quickly. In fact, Jane has partnered with a number of experts for this reason exactly. I call these partnerships Joint Ventures. Women are naturally gifted to create great relationships. When you can tap into this talent for your business, you can catapult yourself into long-lasting success.

Check out Katrina’s 2 simple tips to build partnerships by reading this article! Continue reading »

Here is an article that claims that women are paid less than men for the same jobs because they spend less time networking. In fact, many successful women state that their success can be credited to their deep relationships. Perhaps women can spend less time networking but they are better?

What do YOU think about this? Do women really NOT socialize as men do? Or do we just do it differently? Tell us your thoughts.

Networking gap means less pay for women

Posted by Fran Wood October 15, 2008 8:15AM

Categories: The Working Life

In 2006, New Jersey women earned 78.3 cents for every dollar a man earned in comparable jobs. Today that number is down to 77 cents. Granted that’s an improvement over the 72 cents it was the first time I wrote about this issue in 1978.

Still, a nickel strikes me as rather pitiful progress in 30 years.

Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington), who co-sponsored legislation to create the state Council on Gender Parity, has noted that part of the reason women’s pay remains lower is not because of some conspiracy but simply due to circumstances.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that a major component of those circumstances is difficult, if not impossible, to change.

That part is “networking” - socializing off the job with those who are in a position to affect salary and promotions. Read the rest of the article

Here is a reprint of our latest press release. This research is so exciting, we want to be able to share it with all women entrepreneurs and everyone who does business with these women.

New study shows female entrepreneurs fall primarily into one of five categories Tampa, FL (August 28, 2008) – A two year study, commissioned by Jane Out of the Box, a research-based online resource community for female entrepreneurs, shows that all women business owners, though highly dynamic individuals, can be categorized as one of five types. The distinction between the categories, says the study, is based on women’s choices in balancing personal and professional needs.

As a result of the study findings, Jane Out of the Box also provides information on how women who are dissatisfied with their “type” can take relevant steps to move their business and lifestyle to a position that better aligns with their goals. Women who are satisfied with their type will also be given advice on how to reap even greater rewards from their businesses.

Additional information, as well as a free, evaluation/classification assessment, can be found at www.JaneOutoftheBox.com, then log in and click on Which Jane Are You?

The first type listed in the study, referred to as Jane Dough, enjoys running her business and is comfortable and determined in marketing and selling. She may be working longer hours, but she doesn’t mind because she enjoys the enterprise so much. Her focus on growth is why she is five times as likely as the average woman entrepreneur to hit the million-dollar revenue mark with her company. She is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business that she can later sell or pass on to her children. It is estimated that 18 percent of women are Jane Doughs.

Go Jane Go, is the second Jane type. She is a successful female entrepreneur who has grown her business to the point that she may now struggle to get time away from her work for vacations or to take care of herself. She feels confident and organized and has put systems in place to get her work done, however she may have difficulty saying no to clients and/or volunteer opportunities. She is four times more likely to hit the million-dollar mark than the average female entrepreneur. On average, Go Jane Go types also have the highest personal income drawn from their businesses, though she has the least amount of personal time. Go Jane Go types are the least common, weighing in at 14 percent.

The third type of female entrepreneur, Tenacity Jane, may be struggling with cash flow concerns, but her passion is undeniable. She’s likely to be feeling stressed and may also feel overwhelmed and worried, specifically when it comes to business finances and cash flow. She may have a dissatisfactory balance between her professional and personal life, but is determined to make her business a success and refuses to give up. The study showed that 31 percent of women business owners are Tenacity Janes.

Merry Jane, is the fourth “Jane” type. She has created a business that meets her needs for time freedom. She has time to take care of herself and can take time off when she wants to. She is typically working 40 or fewer hours per week and does not feel extreme stress. Though she generally has a lower income than the other “Janes,” she is happy with the balance she’s created in her life. According to the study, roughly 19 percent of women business owners are Merry Janes.

The final “Jane” identified in the study, Accidental Jane, is a successful, confident business owner who makes a good income. She most likely did not intend to start a business, but had an area of expertise that lent itself to a business idea. She has created her own ideal job through her business, which she may have started due to dissatisfaction with her previous employment or following a layoff. While at work, she may have some difficulty prioritizing what she needs to do, but she readily leaves work “at the office” when she’s done for the day, so she’s not stressed as a matter of course. She likely has no big plans to aggressively grow her business and is simply enjoying the work as it comes. About 18 percent of women business owners are Accidental Janes.

“US Census statistics show that only three percent of woman-owned businesses make it to the $1 million mark,” says Michele DeKinder-Smith, founder and CEO of Jane Out of the Box. “This research should help female entrepreneurs everywhere identify their own type, and determine whether or not the businesses they have built fall in line with their personal priorities and values. Women of all five types may find themselves wishing to be more like a woman in another group. We believe, based on our research, that if this is the case, it is possible to follow a specific plan to change the group you’re in.”

Jane Out of the Box is an online, research-based resource community serving the needs of female entrepreneurs. Jane Out of the Box offers tools, research, resources and networking opportunities to members. Additionally, Jane Out of the Box provides training and marketing consulting services to Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations and government organizations looking to meet the demands of women entrepreneurs.

Take the free assessment now and discover which Jane you are. Then, come back and post your thoughts here!

They say women are great at multi-tasking — and so many of them even take that up a notch when they are in business for themselves.  They’re doing it all - bookkeeping, web design, marketing, and the core work of the business, sometimes with a little one at their feet and a load of laundry in the dryer.

When it comes to your business, though, not all tasks you do are really related to the core work your business does.  Many of these tasks are not very inspiring, they may not be things you have natural aptitude for, and they can subtract from the total amount of time available for the kind of work at which you excel and which you really enjoy.

Often as your business grows, these very important support tasks eat up more and more of your time.  When you feel yourself struggling to get it all done, or find yourself “stuck” doing the books instead of the work you really want to be doing, hiring a bookkeeper, a web designer, and/or a marketing consultant or agency can lead to increased revenue and personal sanity.  These are investments that can and should pay for themselves.

Tenacity Jane may particularly struggle with outsourcing, however, because cash flow can be a real challenge in her business.  To get over the hurdle, you need to really understand what an hour of your time is worth when you unleash your own personal talents on the growth of your business instead of doing more routine/mundane tasks.  For example, you might save $35 an hour by managing the bookkeeping but if you’d spent that hour working with a client instead, you might have made $150.  As part of this, you can’t underestimate the value of being well rested and fresh, especially in times of stress.  The keys to successfully handing these tasks off lies in building the financial case for it and then making sure you use the time productively to make more money and enjoy your work than the cost of that which you are outsourcing.

Merry Jane and Accidental Jane – take note.  Odds are, you’re loving your work and business and not feeling overwhelmed by these tasks.  But word to the wise … look down the road and plan ahead for outsourcing if you’re not already.  Keeping your plate from getting overfilled is key to maintaining the joy you feel in your business right now.

Not sure about what group you’re in?  Take our free assessment to find out today!

Modern technology means we can now pick up email and voicemail just about anywhere. But, compulsively checking your Blackberry every few minutes you’re not at your desk is not generally conducive to mental health or relaxation.  Maintaining contact at all times can easily become a vicious cycle because it teaches your clients, partners, and/or employees that they can expect you to be available around the clock, making it increasingly difficult to take time away from the business or to focus on enjoying relaxed weekends or vacations.

This problem may be particularly an issue for two types of female entrepreneurs, Tenacity Jane and Go Jane Go who may feel the need to be immediately responsive more strongly than other groups.  Tenacity Jane may worry that something is going wrong in the business or she will miss an important business opportunity if she is not in constant contact, while Go Jane Go may believe that her immediate availability is one way she shows her clients and employees that she cares about them   (Don’t know your type?  Take our free assessment.)

Personally, I love my Blackberry because it gives me a quick, simple way to make sure that everything’s going OK when I’m traveling on business.  I’ll quickly scan to make sure nothing’s brewing but leave most emails to respond to later when I have focused time at my desk.  When I’m home, unless I’ve told someone I’ll be available, it’s off by 6:30 p.m. (no emails or calls) until the next morning. 

What are your strategies for managing the 24/7 phone and email flow?

I just received an interesting email that discussed results from a research study conducted by The NPD Group.  According to the study, more lunches in 2007 were “brown-bagged” from home and the most often place to eat these lunches at work was at one’s desk.     

That got me thinking about entrepreneurs’ lunchtime habits.  Unless I’m traveling (usually every other week for a few days), if it’s a weekday, I’m normally in my office.  Because my office is now in a house (not our primary residence), I’ve got a full kitchen and my wonderful husband, Rob, usually keeps a supply of healthy foods I like stocked.  So most days, I whip up a smoothie or make a chef salad and eat it at my desk, often multi-tasking as I eat.

What about you?

As the presidential campaigning heats up, as the economy stays in the news, several reporters have we know are interested in learning more about whether and how the economy is impacting women business owners.  We’ve pulled together a quick 5-question survey on this topic.  Help us out by taking the quick survey or by posting your comments in response to this article.

Some of the feedback we’ve heard so far:

• “Some of my clients are slower to make decisions that have a financial impact.  They aren’t saying they won’t spend, but they are taking longer to decide and being more critical in evaluating where they are spending their money.”
• “Business is still good and strong.”
• “I feel like the market I am targeting has not been impacted by changes in the economy.”
• “People have been dropping out of my longer-term programs because they are in a financial crunch.”

Overall, whether or not economic changes impact your business are going to be at least partially dependent on your industry and who your customers are.  We’re actively researching this topic for an article we’re releasing soon, so share your thoughts, opinions, and experiences and you could be included in our article.  And, as always, best of luck to you and have a happy, safe Labor Day weekend.

Michele DeKinder-Smith, founder

Over the past two weeks, I’ve been interviewing many, many women over the phone as we continue making progress on our book about the 5 types of women entrepreneurs we’ve uncovered in our research.  In those interviews, I continue to be amazed and impressed with the determination, passion, and intelligence of the women I’ve met.

A very common theme among the many women I’ve interviewed who have children is how hard they strive to balance their roles as business owners and as mothers.  Some have really found ways to strike that balance and have built very large, very successful businesses on their own terms and are able to build their workdays around school and summer camp schedules.  Although other moms who own businesses may struggle to strike that balance, there’s no question that many women are pursuing entrepreneurism in the belief that “you CAN have it all.”

So if you’re a mom with a great business idea, check out the Mother of Invention contest sponsored by Whirlpool.    They’ve got some great prizes to help a few lucky moms get a great start in creating the businesses of their dreams.  I just discovered this contest today — but there are still two weeks to enter.  Go, moms, go!

Michele DeKinder-Smith, Founder

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