Building a Culture that Empowers

When starting and building a business, one of the most important components is your competitive advantage. And with that unique competitive advantage, you are able to build a great culture.

You culture should be a reflection of your combined personal and business brands. To start building your culture, envision your workplace.

What spells success for your company? Is it an open floor plan or cubicles? What colors are the walls? How is the space lit? What are the attitudes of your employees as they walk in the door on a Monday morning?

Also, consider the following questions and more.
•How do you define culture? Words, symbols, images? Get specific.
•What’s your dress code?
•Will you offer flexible hours?
•Will you have holiday parties?
•Are employees free to work from home or the local coffee shop?

These are just a few jumping off points for building a culture. You are a unique individual with specialized talents. Be sure your culture truly represents you and your business.

Is the glass ceiling still around?

As the advancement of women is pushing new boundaries, many are wondering if the “glass ceiling” still exists. While it’s true that women are breaking the glass ceiling in some careers far more than others, such as real estate for example, they have a long way to go in other fields. Women make up 46.5 percent of the workforce, but they represent only 12 percent of all corporate officers. Those are figures that can’t be ignored. However, according to an article on AOL, some of the professions where women are earning more than men include sales engineers, statisticians, legislators, aerospace engineers, advertising managers and more. As you probably know, many women are also turning to entrepreneurship as an alternative. By establishing their real brands, they’re learning that they can make it to the top on their own terms.