Say it Better

Morphing the Female Face Over 500 Years

From DaVinci to Picasso, how have artists in Western civilization depicted women in their portraits over the ages? Via Sue Pelletier, I discovered this video, morphing the changes. Startling to see the evolution in such quick succession.

Mom's Moving Story. A Gift.

Not just for Mothers Day (even on the morning of this special day you can still create and share it) but for any time, here’s two ways to make a customized present that can have more meaning than most you can buy in a store.

Create a digital scrapbook or an online slideshow for your family member or friend. Your Scrapblog-created gift can include photos and other images of your special person, video vignettes, music and your thoughts.

Storyboard the scrapbook around their life, an event or other celebration. Then send that person an email, alerting them to their personalized URL that you have published. (scrapblog.com/herorhisname).

Alternatively gather together photos of your loved one or friend. At Slide.com you can upload them in the order you want and Slide.com will turn them into a your truly moving slide show. Here, too, you can get a special URL. Send your mother or other intended gift recipient your e-gift card or email, telling that person the url to see the custom slideshow story. They'll turn to your gift long after the gifts of chocolates and roses are gone.

What woman could resist this free offer?

What woman can resist getting something for free?
Especially if it is something she might really like?
And don’t most of us like to tip off our friends about products we love…. or do not?

Imagine that, for the rest of your life, you can get a stream of products for free in exchange for your candid feedback. After all, woman, we are part of an annual $7 trillion dollar market. Our advice is worth it.

And, since savvy Aliza Freud has devised a clever way to capture this opportunity for everyone: SheSpeaks.

That’s why I’ll bet that you’ll be emailing your women friends about it within minutes after you finish reading this most. I am understating my enthusiasm.

Thank you, Aliza. What a powerfully simple idea, an elegantly executed business:

“SheSpeaks seeks smart women who are willing to test products and provide honest feedback. SheSpeaks also strives to provide our members with a community where we come together, share our opinions and see the power of our voices in action.”

It is the epitome of a valuable, first-if-a-kind, “won’t waste our time or mislead us” online social network that’s a win-win-win for everyone involved:

• Win for women as members.
• Win for the businesses that give products to women.
• And a win for SheSpeaks.

“Understanding the tremendous power that women have as consumers, Freud created SheSpeaks. As women, after all, we are responsible for $7 trillion dollars of spending every year. Women are a growing economic force in the world and more companies are recognizing the need to understand our preferences in much greater depth.”

"What if, as women, we could get together in large numbers and tell companies what we want, what we like and what we don't?", asked Freud. "What if we could directly influence the products and services we consume?

With SheSpeaks, now we can."

Plus I couldn’t help reading the excerpt from Karen Quinn’s book (out in April), Wife in the Fast Lane. SheSpeaks doesn’t clutter its site yet offers some interesting reasons to visit again.

Here's an alert to all the wonderful women I've met at ChiKii Woman to Woman, Boomer Women Speak, BoomerGirl, Ladies Who Launch, 50 Fabulous, Downtown Women’s Club, WomenSpeak, Fabulous 40, BlogHer, Real Girls Media, Girlfriend's Cafe, Women's Community, Women Can Do Anything, Gutsy Women Travel, She She Me, Femail, The Spirited Woman, Girl Posse, Mommy Club, Mommy Buzz, Women's Forum, CREW, Diva Tribe, WITI, Digital Woman, eWomen Network, Connecting Women, Sassy Pink Peppers, Sisterwoman, Bella Online, Women's Leadership Exchange, Second Chance Fashion, Chic Blvd., ASWA, Go Lightly, Woman Speakers, Zia, The Genesis Initiative, Tango Diva, NAWIC, AAWD, NAFE, EWGA, NAIW, DSWA, WPOACA, AMWA, WVA, NAPMW, NAWBO, FWA, NAWW, WCR, AWC, Mom MD, WPC, Military Women, Capessa, TeamSugar, MothersClick, Oomph, SEWA, BPW, AWRT, WE, NCWBA and MeetingsNet.

The Tiara Syndrome

The Brand Dame, Lyn Chamberlin has a great post on what Carol Frohlinger and Deborah Kolb, have dubbed "The Tiara Syndrome." As Lyn describes this view that most of us women, in our work, have felt at some time or another: “if-I'm-good-they-will-come mindset.”