Economic Policy
President’s Fund Repays Liberia’s Market Women
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The Sirleaf Market Women’s Fund raises money for the dilapidated market places around the country that employ most of the women and function as multi-purpose social service centers.
African American
Friendships of Black Female Execs Boost Careers
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The Executive Leadership Council fosters close-knit peer support networks to help black female executives prevail in their careers. One group of friends has formed a second family, sharing everything from funerals to quizzes on the rap scene.
Work
After a Buyout, Fund Shops for More Women Power
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After weathering a rough first quarter in the stock market the fund manager of the Women’s Equity Fund is still bullish on investing in companies that prize gender equity. One of her favorite companies, Bright Horizons, has just been snapped up.
Work
Car-Dealer Daughters Jingle Keys to Gender Gap
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Women have been slowly gaining ground in car dealerships and passing milestones. But in a field dominated by family-owned businesses it may be the next generation of daughters who really change the showroom.
Work
Sisterhood Proves Powerful for Some Executive Duos
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Some sisters who are leading businesses together say a spirit of sibling rivalry helps make their partnerships work. Others tout a deep-seated trust and family bond. Many are cautious about recommending the arrangement to others.
Equality
Wall Street Women Form Their Own Inside Circles
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Financial women in senior jobs are networking, meeting in executive coaching sessions and forming “success circles” with more junior women and peers. Relationships with other women, they say, are key to getting ahead in an industry mainly run by men.
Entrepreneurship
Those Who Step Out of Careers Face Tough Re-Entry
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More women than men take time off from work, leaving women particularly susceptible to the turbulent process of re-entering the work force. To retain such workers, a recent study recommends companies improve flex-time and retraining programs.
Politics
Tips for Women Stepping Back In
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(WOMENSENEWS)–Heading back into the world of work often presents challenges to women hoping to pick up where they left off. Instead of welcoming arms, career coaches tell those about to step back in to expect skeptical employers and a rough re-entry.”It’s about women repackaging themselves as candidates. They are fighting the view of the soccer moms,” says Eliza Shanley, co-founder of Women At Work Network in Wilton, Conn., which connects women with employers, helps them re-enter the work force and offers career counseling and advice on resume writing.Shanley’s network has about 2,000 members; 95 percent have undergraduate degrees and 30 percent hold graduate degrees, many with mid- to senior-level experience. Most of the women have stepped away from the corporate world to raise children.The burden, says Shanley, is to anticipate re-entry will not be easy and work around it. Among other things, Shanley says, women should describe their volunteer work in business terms. “Don’t say you chaired the book fair, but that you oversaw a committee of six on a project where you increased sales 20 percent.
Arts & Culture
Microfinance Interest Rates Attract Mega-Banks
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Microfinance has gone far beyond a few small loans to struggling female entrepreneurs. These days it adds up to 10,000 lending institutions, at least 50 million customers and nagging questions about high interest rates.
Entrepreneurship
Business Project Watches Its Step in Afghanistan
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After troubles paying Rwandan widows for baskets sold in the U.S., Bpeace has learned some lessons. As it mentors female entrepreneurs in Afghanistan, the nonprofit uses a new playbook and is careful about its business partners.