Last weekend, Hillary Clinton officially backed out of the race for President and showed her support for Barack Obama. No matter what your political views are there is a lesson here for all of us who are trying to climb the corporate ladder, build their business or whatever we deem to succeeding in life.

By showing she has the brains and the brawl to run, she has made the path to the White House smoother for those who will follow. Even her harshest critics admit she is smart, tough, disciplined and incredibly hardworking.

Thanks to Hillary, there cannot be many Americans left who still doubt that a woman could be president. The real message here is thanks to Hillary Clinton’s highly visible example, it more plausible and more socially acceptable for Americans in every field of endeavor to imagine a woman at the top.

So we all owe her a debt of gratitude.

Whether you are in a relationship or looking for one, if you are a woman, chances are you will out earn your man. Times have changed, women are more educated, we are rising in the professional arena and have a higher degree of success as business owners.

The shift in economic power has caused many problems for men who were raised with the mindset that they need to be the bread winner. They may also feel threatened taking on household duties and child care in order to help out and share responsibilities.

The time has come where we don’t have do be super women. It is a commonly accepted fact that we can bring home the bacon and the men can fry it up in the pan!

In a couple, the person who makes more money tends to feel more powerful. It is important if you are a woman who is either in or looking for a good relationship that you treat your partner as an equal regardless of who earns more money. This means he can still continue to treat…but so can you! Celebrate your success!

Did you know that at least 40% of seats on company boards in Norway must be held by women? Corporations there are embracing women! In 1993, this number was at 3%. Sweden is number 2 with 21.3%, Britain is number 3 with 15.2% and then the U.S. is 4th with 14.8%. Most of us who sit on boards of companies or associations have had to fight our way up the ladder. With the mandate in Norway, companies actually recruit, train and put future professional and entrepreneurial women through the company culture to where they can eventually end up as CEO. Interesting isn’t it?

Over the weekend I decided I needed to treat myself to something special. I was tired from traveling and needed a pick me up. I scheduled myself for a facial. I love facials! If I could afford them I would have one every week, nice music playing, soft hands applying lotions and potions to my face, ahhhh.

I scheduled the appointment with a day spa I had not visited before. I arrived on time for my appointment, got changed into the nice soft robe and sat in the waiting room waiting for my therapist.

My name was called. As I stood up to meet the person who would be treating me for the next 60 minutes, I assumed it would be a she. Imagine my shock when it turned out to be a he—Joe from Brooklyn NY was going to do my facial. I thought I would walk out right there and then. I have never had a male facial. A massage I could understand, but a facial? Don’t people go through cosmetology school for this? My mind was racing. Ok, hair dressers are men as are some massage therapists. I even had my nails done by a man once, but a facial?

I followed Joe back into the treatment room. I explained I never had a male facial. He laughed and said he gets the same response every time he treats someone new. He went on to say it will be an experience I will never forget.

So for the next hour, I let him apply the lotions and potions, scrub my face, apply the steam, the mask and the eye gel, with a bit of apprehensiveness. We talked a bit about real estate investing and what his objectives were. It was not at all relaxing.

When we were through I looked at my face; it looked dewy and relaxed. But I did not feel that way. Maybe I am a bit prejudiced here but I do feel more relaxed having a facial from a woman. I am not a chauvinist. I believe in equality. I just could not relax having a man touch my face no matter how hard I tried.

So now I have learned in the future when I want a facial to request a female therapist. Hope you are enjoying some time for you on this Memorial Day! Lisa

I sit on a national “professional” board. We meet three times a year. These meetings are supposed to help grow the association, among other things. I just came back from a board meeting which was painful to sit through. It was completely disorganized, and communications became brutal.

If you find yourself in a position where you must conduct meetings with more than just a couple of people, please utilize the following 4 tips to help you stay focused and be productive. Your participants will appreciate it.

1. Have a complete agenda with starting and ending times. This will keep everyone on track.

2. Send the agenda in advance of the meeting and ask for any additions or corrections.

3. Control the trouble makers or the big talkers—it is your responsibility as the leader to stay on track.

4. End on time.

These may seem like simple, common sense tips. However, after spending two days listening to ramblings and fights, I cannot stress enough the importance of staying focused and communicating a positive outcome.

From Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement
May 09, 2008

A woman retiree in the U.S. is far more likely than a man to face economic hardship, or even poverty, says a new study written by Cindy Hounsell, president of the Women’s Institute for Secure Retirement (WISER) in Washington, D.C.

The study, “The Female Factor 2008: Why Women are at Greater Financial Risk in Retirement,” posits that women face unique challenges that could jeopardize the economic security of their retirement years. Among them is that women on average spend fewer years in the workforce than men, and earn $0.77 for every $1 earned by men––the median salary for women working full-time in 2006 was $32,515 versus $42,261 for men. African-American women earned a median salary of $27,535 and Hispanic women earned just $22,285.

Only 22% of women over the age of 65 received income from an employer-sponsored retirement plan in 2004 (the year used in the study), compared to 29% of men who received such payments. The median annual benefit for these women was $4,488 annually, less than half of what men received. Similarly, the average Social Security benefit for women is $800 a month, compared to $1,177 for men.

Compounding the income disparity problem is that women typically live five years longer than men, meaning they have to make their retirement money last longer. And older women living alone face higher poverty rates than men—according to the study, about 20% of unmarried elderly women are considered poor.

The long-term trend isn’t particularly encouraging. The study says that a 25-year-old college-educated woman today can expect to make $523,000 less than a 25-year-old college-educated man over a lifetime, which means less savings going into retirement.

Hounsell’s report says lifetime annuities can be an important retirement tool for women by providing a steady income stream and making it easier to manage a nest egg. Her organization is part of an effort to back proposed legislation that would eliminate half of the taxes on income payouts of lifetime annuities, up to $20,000 a year.

WISER is a nonprofit group that provides basic financial information to low- and moderate-income women ages 18 to 65 to help them be more financially independent.

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
‘If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.’

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
‘You better pray that will come out of the carpet.’

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL .
‘If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!’

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
‘ Because I said so, that’s why.’

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
‘If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.’

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
‘Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.’

7. My mother taught me IRONY
‘Keep crying, a nd I’ll give you something to cry about.’

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
‘Shut your mouth and eat your supper.’

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
‘Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!’

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
‘You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.’

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER .
‘This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.’

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
‘If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!’

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
‘I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.’

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
‘Stop acting like your father!’

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
‘There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do.’

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
‘Just wait until we get home.’

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
‘You are going to get it when you get home!’

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
‘If you do n’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.’

19. My mother taught me ESP.
‘Put your sweater on; don’t you think I know when you are cold?’

20. My mother taught me HUMOR .
‘When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.’

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
‘If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.’

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
‘You’re just like your father.’

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS .
‘Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?’

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
‘When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.’

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE
‘One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.’

Every worn out woman needs a place to think, to recharge those batteries and renew. Whether it is yoga, a day spa, or a soak in your bathtub, taking a “timeout” everyday does help your perspective. This is especially true when life seems like an endless treadmill of stress, distractions and long hours. We may have a lot of experiences but are we really enjoying our journey?

When your children throw temper tantrums, do you issue a time out? When they take the time out, do they come back quieter and calmer than they were before the tantrum? This is the same for us. Take a time out and get perspective, and balance in your life! You will be happier and more productive, and your kids, spouse, employer and clients will notice! Time outs are not just for kids!

Happy Mother’s Day. May you get the best gift of all…time.
Lisa

Did you know that 10% of parents disinherit at least one child? This is fact. Some of us might be shocked, but disinheritance is on the rise. My Aunt Roz is one of these mothers who disinherited her son. Here is her story. Aunt Roz is in a nursing home. She is 83 years old. She made her fortune in the stock market. When Aunt Roz turned 65 she revised her will leaving her entire fortune to her one son, Jim. She specifically wrote her other son, Steven, out of her will. Her legal counsel revises her will every year so there is no mistake as to her intentions. She has not changed her mind. Why would she do this?

She said, “My son Steven was never there for me. Like when I fell and broke my hip. Or when I was starting to go blind. He was only there when he needed money. When I finally went into a nursing home, he came over to me with a power of attorney and insisted I sign over my rights on all matters to him. Alarms went off in my mind. I may be blind, but I’m of sound mind, and besides…I’m not stupid.”

So she wrote him out of her will. Does he know? Probably not, but she doesn’t care. “It’s not as if I ever hear from him anyway.”

We Moms always feel we should be fair, that we should divide everything by the number of kids we have. But this isn’t always the correct thing to do.

By writing Steven out of her will, Aunt Roz actually rests in peace knowing her assets will go to the one who cares.

The moral here is to think through everything you do so you feel comfortable with your legacy. After all, it’s your money and your belongings!

Did you know in 2007, women owned the majority of share of 7.7 million firms in the U.S? That they employed more than 7.1 million workers and generated more than $1.1 trillion in sales?

The Center for Women’s Business Research is forming a nationwide panel of women business owners. The research uncovered from the panel will help shape decisions made by the government, financial institutions and more. I encourage any woman business owner to participate. Log onto www.cfwbr.org to learn more.