Wednesday afternoon, the last panel of the day on the “women’s track” at Digital Hollywood was The Woman Entrepreneur: The Person, The Opportunity and the Challenge. 

photoHave any idea what that might be about?
Yeah, me either. And I was on it.
In fact, the moderator met with us in the Speaker Lounge before our event and we talked about not having any idea what we were supposed to present under this heading.

So we winged it.
And somehow…magic happened.

The response was amazing. In a small ballroom that was full to begin with, people started coming into the room during the session (a rarity at DH, where panels that start full often shed attendees like fur). At the cocktail party that immediately followed, all of us were told repeatedly that it was one of the best panels people had been to. One wonderful man raised his hand during the session and said, “I have been a journalist for many years and I am never going to forget this talk.”

We just put it all out there — about being a woman, being an entrepreneur, being a human being and all the challenges those raised for us. I guess we sort of figured out what the panel was about after all.

Watch for six excerpts from this talk in the posts from 11/20 through 12/2. Enjoy!

And don’t forget to pre-order your copy of How Women Can Succeed in the Workplace (Despite Having “Female Brains”) — order now and it will magically arrive on Monday!

4 Responses

  1. Wow! Sounds like it was amazing – so happy for you!
    Will listen this evening.
    In the meanwhile – book on pre-order. Looking forward to reading it.

  2. Thanks, David! I think you’ll really like this one — both the panel and the book. 🙂

  3. Thanks Valerie .. awesome lineup. Since I’m like belonging to the very distant past … I do believe in one matter that must take immediate effect so that in 2015 all women on this beautiful world and that is equal pay. Even if you won your own company investors lend to male counterparts fist then you and give you the lesser of the percent. As long as this remains … we are still that one step behind. That step ladies is not small its become an anchor we can no longer bare..the old chain and balls that was cast over us simple because (a person bearing two X chromosomes in the cell nuclei and normally having a vagina, a uterus and ovaries, and developing at puberty a relatively rounded body and enlarged breasts, and retaining a beardless face; a girl or woman.) just had to put it this way :). The heavens (Goddesses) gave us strength beyond the X of chromosomes so that we can move mountains and cause seas to rebel … But sadly that one step will always have us being weighed down by that anchor. This is the future ladies… let’s leave that myth of man behind shall we? I for one will and are ready to do something about this again…and that is? email me and I will let you know. I’m no one…just a woman that is still accomplishing life with my children that are now adults one being a young woman and for her I’m done with that anchor. And proud that my son is of that new generation of men being a true man to that real woman. And huge admiration for all of you ladies; (A woman regarded as proper and virtuous.). And ladies not all of us are 100 percent Virtuous…hahaha

  4. The burden of unequal pay is not only present, but it affects so much more than just that weekly takehome. Pay is the basis of retirement income, 401K matching, social security benefits, in some companies, health benefits. My mother worked for the same company for 30 years and one day, accidentally saw the paystub of a man who she trained and was 10 years her junior and he was making more than she was. Sadly, this is still the case in many places, and it is up to us to make our leaders take action. Companies won’t voluntarily pay more, but ending the secrecy is a good place to start. Thanks for commenting! By the way — I think you’ll really like the “Female Brains” book. http://www.amazon.com//dp/B00OB3S0OU. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it.