If you make your female customers happy, your male customers will be happy, too. We are the demanding ones.

MAKE IT HAPPEN: Schedule a regular time (monthly or quarterly) when you and the members of your team can discuss how to touch base with your customers. During this time, talk about what’s working and what’s not. Consider what you might do differently—or better. Remember, your goal should be to stay one step ahead of her. Now, get moving! You have no time to waste.

TIP IN ACTION: Women are world-class consumers, making or influencing 85 percent of all purchases and 91 percent of home purchases. Given these statistics, don’t women deserve a little attention? In the 1970s, women were purchasing with his money. Today she is purchasing with her money. Knowing that, it’s no surprise that women are dramatically changing how products and services are designed and marketed. Call it what it is: the unstoppable trend of women’s buying power. At Real Living, we created the first residential real estate company built with women in mind, from the logo and font treatment to the consumer-friendly Web site. Look around you. No doubt you’re surrounded by other companies that are following a similar course of action.

Share your best practices for connecting with consumers.

For more on connecting with female consumers, check out Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs.

The Almighty Power of Networking

Networking is not just important, it’s absolutely necessary. In whatever stage of the game you are—whether you own a company or you’re working for someone else—networking with other individuals is essential because you never know who can help you move up or help you move on.

Here are my suggestions:

• Get over being intimidated. Leaving your comfort zone is never easy, but you can practice at home by role-playing what you’ll say when you meet people. Get your elevator pitch down.
• Go with a friend. If you know someone who’s really involved in a group or organization, tag along. She’ll be sure to introduce you to her circle.
• Always be on the lookout for networking opportunities. It might happen the next time you’re in the cafeteria. Introduce yourself to that person from another department—the one you see occasionally—but neither of you ever speak.
• And don’t fret; it gets easier!

To network with other women online check out the share forum on RealYouIncorporated.com, it’s a great way to get started. We’d love to hear from you!

Women in business have clout-lots of it. And we're gaining more every day.

MAKE IT HAPPEN: What about you? Do you dream about a career that affords you more clout? Do you think about how your life might be different as an entrepreneur? If so, trust your gut instinct and decide that now is the time to make a change. Next, take care of yourself. Remember, if you’re not happy, and if you can’t be there for yourself, you can’t be there for anyone else. In addition to that, don’t go it alone. Reach out to others and tell your story. Don’t be an island; that is too isolating. Finally, separate yourself from negative influencers, or snarks. Put simply, don’t worry about society’s expectations for you. Instead, do what feels right.

TIP IN ACTION: The statistics prove it. Women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men. In fact, every 60 seconds a woman starts a business. From home-based businesses to high-level entrepreneurs, women are taking control of their professional careers in a variety of ways. Why? For starters, it’s a way to break the glass ceiling. Women who are tired of taking a backseat in Corporate America are turning to entrepreneurship as a way to get ahead. But most of all, women are looking for a better way to align their personal life with their professional life. Some call it balance, but it’s really about pursuing dreams. Entrepreneurship is a means for accomplishing that goal.

Looking for more inspiration? Go to http://www.RealYouIncorporated.com/ to find out what other women have to say.

Is a Culture Vulture bringing down your team?

You’ve probably met this person at one time or another. They’re the employee that isn’t on board. The one causing friction among your staff and bringing down team morale. I have a name for people who sabotage businesses—culture vultures! And my best advice is to get rid of this person as soon as you can. If that’s not possible, then pay close attention to what’s going on, and trust your instincts. In other words, your perceptions of this person are probably right.

In the meantime, take comfort in the fact that culture vultures usually destroy themselves. Truth prevails, but it doesn’t typically happen as fast you’d like. Get help in the form of a business consultant, a person who will work with you to plan a strategy that ensures that every member of your team is on the same page.

Is your team being brought down by a culture vulture? Share your experiences with us! You can learn more about how to avoid culture vultures in Life Lesson Fifteen of Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs.

Things to consider before starting a business

Before bringing a great business idea to life, you must prepare yourself for what’s ahead. There are many things you can do, but begin by connecting with people. First, find a mentor, a person who can teach you the ropes and share personal experiences at the same time. Learn from this individual. Why is she successful? What could this person have done differently?

Of course, you may have to step out of your comfort zone. For instance, the next time you’re riding the elevator with a co-worker you don’t know, introduce yourself. It’s critical to develop relationships, so start immediately!

Do you have a fantastic mentor that you want to tell us about? Go ahead, we’d love to hear about the real people in your life! For more on mentors and networking check out my book, Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs.

If you lose your job, don't look at it as a setback

When women are fired, they feel ashamed. Men, on the other hand, take it as part of life. Let’s learn a lesson from the other sex just this once.

First, don’t take being fired personally. It’s all about business, and your personal brand can handle it. Get out of your personal funk and move on—to bigger and better things. Start gathering references; take samples of your work; and keep your head up high. This is the beginning of great things for you—and your personal brand.

Have you had experiences that have helped shape your personal brand? Tell us about them! To learn more about developing and communicating your personal brand, check out Real You Incorporated.

Should you join the family biz right out of college?

Joining the family business might seem like the easy route after college, but there are several things to consider. You must first decide, simply and emphatically, if this business is your passion. Sure, you’ve grown up with the business, but is working in the family business part of your dream? Be absolutely honest about your answer because it’s your life—and you can’t live that life pursuing someone else’s dreams.

If you make the decision to join the fam, do so only after obtaining the necessary training and know-how. Make sure you’re qualified and prepared for the task. This is important so that others have a positive perception of your role in the business—and they take you seriously.

For other tips on finding your passion see Real Fact Two in Real You Incorporated.

Reflect on your past, and write your life story.

Write your life story, but try to limit it to a page or two. Simply focus on the highlights. That will give you enough material to reflect on what you’ve learned from past experiences. It’s important to realize that with every experience, you grow.

You may never be forced to make a decision quite like the one Rosa Parks made when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. But, like Rosa Parks, you will have experiences that alter the course of your life. Her actions sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, which set a precedent for future non-violent civil rights protests. Unfortunately, Parks was fired from her job, and eventually she had to move to Detroit to find work. In spite of it all, she remained active in the civil rights movement for many years and eventually worked as an aide to Congressman John Conyers. In 1999, she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Clearly, the experiences and events that shaped Parks’ early life had a significant impact on her later years.

What about you? What’s your story? What experiences have shaped and guided you and made you the person you are today? Perhaps even more important, what can you learn from the past that will make you a better business owner, mother, friend or co-worker in the future? Gain inspiration from the stories of several women entrepreneurs in Real You Incorporated and share your own with us!

Stop Taking Credit for My Work!

I’ve been in too many businesses to name where a certain employee will continually take credit for others employees’ work. If your organization has one of these people on your hands, you’re dealing with an ego snark—someone who wants what you have and will go to any length to get it. These individuals are crafty, and they’re dangerous. They’ll also destroy your culture if you let them. Ego snarks often do their worst damage before you realize they’re a problem, causing animosity within your team and bringing them down. But you’ve at least spotted this person—hopefully before too much damage occurs.

Here are some quick tips for dealing with an ego snark:

• Single them out. Ask them their thoughts and opinions on a new topic.
• Hold them accountable for specific responsibilities that the team would conquer together.
• If the problem persists, confront them.

In any situation, always protect your ideas. The best way to do that is to surround yourself with a team of real people—the family, friends and staff who will help you achieve your goals.

Have you had any encounters with an ego snark lately? Tell us about it! Or to learn more about different types of snarks check out Life Lesson Four in Real You Incorporated.