This coming week I am going to be part of a panel of local women entrepreneurs speaking about Women in Business.  (This was organized by Andrea Paquette from the Lexington Community Education program where I regularly teach a class on using social media to market your business.)  I have to admit to being torn about being identified as a female entrepreneur.  I wonder if  this is a dated concept or if there is really and truly a unique set of challenges, issues and concerns for women.  Are we still in need of extra assistance?  Do we need our own special panel? (more…)

Over the years I have had dozens of interns, probably hundreds, from colleges all over New England.  Sometimes I have had one intern at a time.  Other times I have had up to nine interns working for me simultaneously.  I’m still in touch with lots of my former interns – some of them, more than 20 years later.  They are a great group of people and I am honored I got to work with them.

Over the years I have developed a method of managing the primary logistics of internships that has worked quite well for me and the interns.  As I have installed this process in several companies, it has even perpetuated a bit.  So, by request, here’s an overview.  (Note: This has little to do with the actual management of the interns themselves but more the process surrounding their internship.) (more…)

I just finished “Trust Agents” by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith and am happy to see they used the “Vowel Method” of  Business Book Writing.  Here’s how you write a truly terrific and useful business book using vowels — and based on some of the business books I’ve read, all business book writers should employ this method and far too many don’t. (more…)

Way back in May, our farthest-flung Mass Innovation Nights (MassInno or #MIN) visitor was from Colorado.  The June event?  A little closer to home but still a plane ride away, Chicago.  Mark J. Carter was in town for a week of networking and tweet-ups and managed to squeeze us into his Wednesday.  But let’s talk about his event on Thursday.

Networking for a Cause is primarily directed to young professionals interested in connecting with and helping nonprofits.  Although not a “young” professional, (more…)

The wealthiest people in the U.S. evidently met recently to discuss what they could do to shore up the non-profit world.  (If you haven’t heard, with the economy tanking, charitable donations are down.)   People like Bill & Melinda Gates, Warren Buffet, Oprah, Michael Bloomberg, Ted Turner and more.  As a group, they’ve donated more than $70 billion in last 13 years. Call it $5 billion a year for sake of easy math. (more…)