Email : belinda@ladygeek.org.uk
Women in Business
Jul
The Power of a Network
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It is these sub-networks, more than the huge networks that allow us to be ourselves online and show our identity- Facebook provides the platform, but the intimate network provides the expression. In our personal lives we have networks which allow us to express ourselves – why can’t it be the same in business?
Networks in business are beginning to be used in the same way – large corporations providing a platform for many small networks. It seems the new message is not ‘think big’ but ‘think niche’.
Recently Dell hosted an inspirational event in Rio called DWEN (Dell Women’s Entrepreneurial Network) which supports and showcases over 100 female entrepreneurs/CEO’s from around the world. Lets be clear- Dell are motivated by solid financial reasons, IDC predicts small business tech spending to reach more than $500bn by 2011, and with women at the helm of many of these small businesses, it’s certainly worth trying to get our attention. But is this the best way to get on our radar?
What I found refreshing was that Dell understand the ‘one way street’ method of marketing is becoming less successful amongst women. It’s no longer cost-effective to blast out a business message using the megaphone of traditional advertising. Even big companies need to engage with the targeted groups which are likely to buy their products – in this case Dell have developed the perfect strategy to engage female entrepreneurs.
Our research shows that women are 3 times more likely to talk about positive experiences than men. Within 2 days, DWEN managed to create a buzz and reach of 12.5 million tweets (according to Tweet Reach) -not bad when you compare it to an average tech product launch which would take 4 weeks to gather this type of momentum – and reach almost none of their female audience.
Clearly not every company has the financial might to arrange a lavish conference like Dell’s DWEN event, however we can all learn from this grass roots approach. We have set up Lady Geek PR to help companies pass on the megaphone to real women. Women know what they want and when given the opportunity the collective voice of women is the most powerful.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3671396&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr
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Nov
Lady Geek has been anticipating the launch for the Xbox 360 Kinect with our founder Belinda Parmar reporting on Channel Four News and Lady Geek’s Relationship Manager (moi) at the launch party.
Held at the National History Museum’s Ice rink with performers such as the incredible Leona Lewis and Britain’s new boy band The Wanted, Xbox 360’s launch of the Kinect was a great way to get the show going.
After seasonal mulled wine and wobbly yet graceful laps round the ice rink I got to try out the brand new Kinect. Result: I’ve added Kinect to my Christmas wish list… (hint hint Santa).
Not only is the Kinect’s accurate detection of players’ movements impressive (including celebratory fist pumps in the air) the console warns you when you get too close to the device and TV screen. So unlike Nintendo’s Wii, which had to bring out safety straps to stop controllers careering into TV screens and people’s faces; the Kinect allows you to maintain your enthusiastic volley ball slam dunks and pumping dance moves without the fear of smashing your brand new HD TV.
There are a range of games to choose from, all incorporating lively gestures without a controller, making the experience more sociable and fun than any other console. What’s more the Kinect records your moves, so if prancing about trying to look like a professional dancer wasn’t embarrassing enough, after each game you get to see film clips of your moves on screen.
Ah well there’s always room for improvement – Diversity better watch out.
To watch Belinda Parmar on Channel Four News see below…
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Nov
Lady Geek’s plug in
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Would you swap your ipad for Toshiba’s new tablet?
With the Folio 100 hitting the streets just in time for Christmas will people be changing their wish lists from ipad to Folio 100? Not only does the Folio 100 have a bigger screen (10 inch vs. 9 inch) it is competitively cheaper by £100. That is a significant save, especially during the season of present shopping for the whole family or sale season (bring on January).
http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2272728/tablets-toshiba-folio-100-ipad
East London to rival Silicon Valley: a fantastic opportunity to bring more women into technology industries?
David Cameron’s plans to create a UK based technology centre that is as successful and influential as America’s Silicon Valley could cause the biggest potential intake of women in technology companies. A shift that is long overdue!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11689437
Who are the most influential women?
British women voted for who they think are the most influential role models: from Maggie Thatcher to Oprah Winfrey.
“‘It’s these female one-offs who make it clear that the glass ceiling is permeable,’ she claimed. Ms Cochrane also suggested that female role models should be more realistic than pop stars and heiresses, and highlighted the work of campaign website PinkStinks.co.uk.“
http://www.womenintechnology.co.uk/news/women-compile-list-of-influential-role-models-news-800217405
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Oct
Connections
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I have tended not to go to conferences or events in the last year unless I am speaking at them.  I used to go with high expectations- hoping to be provoked, dislocated in some way.  The reality is that all too often, I was hearing the same old stuff (albeit with a new flickr image) said by the same old people (mostly 40 something men), done in the same old way (one way broadcast). And if I am going to sacrifice putting my children to bed, I want to feel a connection.
Last night was a real exception. It was The Next Women Funding and Pitching event. The first part of the night was inspiring female entrepreneurs such as Sarah McVittie (founder of Texperts) and Karin Loeffen (founder of Libersy) who told their story from the heart. The mistakes they made. The challenges they faced. The lessons they learnt. The hard way.  And the sacrifices and trade offs they had to endure.
It was real. It was from the heart as well as the head. No ‘commandments’. No ’5 principles’. No ‘long lists.’ Real stories. From real women.
And just when I started to feel guilty about the bedtime story I should have told my children, things hotted up where ‘Pitch-Preneurs’ who did a 3 min pitch for funding in front of angel investors. I watched in awe at some of the great ideas presented. I felt empowered.
I felt part of something. I felt a connection.
Innovation is thriving. Its an exciting time to be in business.
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