Dear Smart Women,

Welcome to all the new Smart Women Members this week! So happy to have you as part of the Smart Women FamilyCassidy as well as the brand new wealth and health blog posts.

In the Health section I share a video of the 1st woman to ever regrow her own breast after a mastectomy using her own stem cells. And I think you will recognize this smart woman pioneer right away.

What’s Coming Up at the Smart Women’s Institute

Ultimate Business Building & Implementation Program

Have you ever wanted a coaching and implementation program. For years, I’ve coached and ran masterminds only to leave all the implementation to the client. For the first time in our industry, we will be offering a full program that includes coaching, info products, one-on-one branding strategy, and then our SmartWomenTeam.com division will then build everything you need (website, social networks, newsletters, and more!) and also implement your marketing for the first three months. I can’t wait to help brilliant women live their WHY and make money doing what they love A LOT FASTER. Stay tuned for all the details in the coming weeks and be the first to sign up for this program.

Take Care!

Sheri McConnell

Smart Women’s Institute™

http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com

This “intro” was taken from our latest newsletter. Not getting our newsletter? Sign up by clicking on “Grab Your Smart Tools Now” at the TOP of this page and you’ll also receive a free membership!

Q: When did you realize your big WHY?
A: I was driving in traffic in LA (stuck, actually) and muddling over a conversation I’d had with my best friend and thinking about what my next steps were because I wasn’t happy at my corporate job. It literally hit me and I knew I HAD to do it! I knew I wasn’t the only woman working hard and having barely any time or energy for a personal life, let alone a family (which was nowhere near in the picture at that age!), so I committed to building a company that made women’s lives easier (specifically, busy professional women trying to balance it all) and that empowered the women who worked with me as well.

Q: How and when did you make living your WHY a reality?
A:  Two weeks later I’d given my notice and so a month later I was on my way. I started by building the foundation and getting the pieces of the puzzle in place – all the paperwork, etc. that needed to be filed and then just started networking and marketing and inviting all of my friends to be on my newsletter list! It’s been a slow and steady process with lots of personal growth and so many amazing clients who I HAVE been able to help make their lives a bit easier.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far about living your WHY?
A: You have to have a support system around you that can remind you WHY you’re doing this because it’s not always an easy road to travel, but it’s so much more fulfilling. And always read your client’s testimonials when you need a pick me up and reminder of your ‘WHY.’ But mostly, even as a solo-preneur, you’re never alone if you have a great support system that gets it. If I may expand into an extension of the lesson, it’s that while you’re learning and growing and evolving, some people may fall out of your life and that’s OK. They don’t get it now, maybe some day they will, but you need people around you who are at a frequency that supports you instead of brings you down.

Q: What is coming up next for you?
A: My clients are high six figure earners plus, but my goal has always been to make fashion and working with a stylist approachable and accessible, so I’m launching an online shopping site in the next few months that does just that. I’m a little bit excited about it. It’s kind of revolutionary!

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your life in a positive way.
A: Wayne Dyer changed my life. I was working in the Fashion Industry, but in accounting as a way to get my foot in the door and my dream job was to be a merchandiser. It’s not easy to get a merchandising job – most people go back to school to get a second degree or study it specifically in undergrad. The Power of Intention and his comments on doubt made a light-bulb go off. 2 weeks later I got my merchandising job at BCBG.

As I continue my education and I LOVE to read, I’ve found Edwin Gaines, Napoleon Hill, etc. and I also love to read one of my clients writings, actually. Christine Kane has such a powerful way with words and she uses so few. But I always go back to Wayne Dyer.

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: When women get excited about their new outfits and clothes (often just from their closet) when we’re working together. They get downright giddy and I love it! More than that, they have this new confidence in themselves as they have new confidence in their style. It’s electric and it makes me so happy. Otherwise, Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream and curling up with a cup of tea and a good book when I’ve just woken up. No need to rush into the day!

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About this section: Each week we feature one of our Smart Women Book SeriesTM authors. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming newsletter and on our blog permanently, click here: http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com/2011/12/become-an-author/

I just returned from Miami after a kick-butt mastermind meeting with these 7 figure smart women: JJ Virgin, Jackie Hicks, Pamela Bruner, and Annika Rockwell.

While I was there, I received just what I needed as I always do when I set the intention to receive and listen. (I don’t always do this well, but I try!)

In honor of one of the many goals that came out of the meeting I want to talk about your Internet Business Metrics. (And thanks for the push on this Jackie!)

Now stay with me and don’t click away….

When you learn what metrics to look at, as well as how to talk about them and leverage them, they get pretty darn sexy.

I have to admit, over the years I’ve gotten really good at learning how to leverage my financial numbers (traditional metrics) as well as my database and social networks.

Now it’s time for me to leverage our internet business metrics too.

So What Are Internet Business Metrics?

Traditional business metrics include ROI (return on investment), customer churn rate, and Profit and Loss. These are more of the financial metrics that you can see and track in Quickbooks.

What I want to talk about today is those online metrics you can leverage. And you can track most of these using Google Analytics plugin right in WordPress.

Here are some metrics you need to know and track:

• Visits
• Page Views
• Average Time On Site
• New Visitors Percentage
• Most Popular Posts
• Top Referrers
• Top Searches

Remember the golden rule of metrics – “What Gets Measured, Grows”

If you want to dig deeper and learn more about metrics… make sure to post your questions on our blog.

Dear Smart Women,

Welcome to all the new Smart Women Members this week! So happy to have you as part of the Smart Women Family!

A big big congrats to all the Smart Women that help make Smart Women Live Their WHY the #1 Bestselling Consulting book on Amazon last week! This is the second time in two years that Smart Women have used their buying power to catapult a female authored book right through the male dominated publishing ceiling. The top 25 spots in business books are held by men about 99.7% of the time. This has to change. Once of my goals this year is to write the next NY Times Bestselling business book for mainstream women. I want to help pave the path for more balance in the information getting to the public. Mainstream women need to learn what we are teaching ladies.

On that note… Want to be author in our next book? THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to sign up. Hop on over to http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com/2012transitionbook and check out the details. (This is the last time we will offer this opportunity for at least the next 2 years)

Is someone holding the space for you? I sure hope so.

I am leaving for Miami in the morning for my first mastermind meeting of the year with JJ Virgin, Pamela Bruner, Annika Rockwell, and Jackie Wicks. I have participated in masterminds for years with many of the leaders on the Internet today. Having vibrant, smart, brave, courageous, business women hold the space for me is absolutely the reason I am successful. They kick my butt and understand common blind spots and growth spots. And they are full of resources because they are successful also. Don’t forget to make networking with other women who have profitable businesses a priority this year. No excuses. Just make it happen..

Take Care!

Sheri McConnell

Smart Women’s Institute™

http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com

This “intro” was taken from our latest newsletter. Not getting our newsletter? Sign up by clicking on “Grab Your Smart Tools Now” at the TOP of this page and you’ll also receive a free membership!

Q: When did you realize your big WHY?
A: After a career in Corporate America & stints as the head of marketing at 3 successful startups I felt I had the right experience, idea and opportunity starting me in the face and clients asking me to help them so I just hung out a shingle, built a web site and got going!

Q: How and when did you make living your WHY a reality?
A: It became a reality right away since I had clients before I even officially launched, not a bad way to start a business in retrospect. It was right after 9/11 so the world was in flux, once I got my head into it we were off and running.

Q: What¹s the most important lesson you¹ve learned so far about living your WHY?
A: You need to treat yourself as well as you treat your best customers and always trust your gut.

Q: What is coming up next for you?
A: 2012 has started off strong knock wood, we have a lot of new clients in the pipeline and I will continue to write and speak about topics I am passionate about, it always leads to more great opportunities.

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your life in a positive way.
A: Carnegie’s How to Win Friends & Influence People, The Little Engine That Could children’s book is still one of my favorites

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: My friends and family are a constant source of energy & inspiration for me, I love to write and practice Tai Chi too that definitely feeds my soul

Bio: Paige Arnof-Fenn
Paige Arnof-Fennis the founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls (www.MavensAndMoguls.com), a global marketing strategy consulting firm whose clients range from early stage start-up to Fortune 500 companies including Colgate, Virgin and The New York Times Company. She was formerly VP Marketing at Zipcar and VP Marketing at Inc.com before the company was sold to Bertelsmann.

Prior to that she held the title of SVP Marketing and was a key member of the IPO team at Launch Media, an Internet start-up that went public in early 1999 and was later sold to Yahoo. Paige has also worked as a special assistant to the chief marketing officer of global marketing at The Coca-Cola Company and held the position of Director of the 1996 Olympic Commemorative Coin Program at The Department of the Treasury, U.S. Mint.

Previously Paige worked in brand management at Procter & Gamble. She holds and undergraduate degree in economics from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is quoted regularly in the media, was a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur for several years, is on the IDC Technology Advisory Council, and a Time Magazine Opinion Leader.

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About this section: Each week we feature one of our Smart Women Book SeriesTM authors. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming newsletter and on our blog permanently, click here: http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com/2011/12/become-an-author/

Is your business built on your WHY? Your special talents and passions?

Get ready, because today you can get an exciting new book that will change the way you think about yourself and your business, whether you’re steeped in the “WHY” movement now or just getting started!

Grab Smart Women Live Their WHY Today only at http://tinyurl.com/buywhybooktoday

BONUS: Those who grab their copy today will be invited to s FREE Q & A teleseminar where Sheri will teach you how to manifest your next big leap with more grace and magnetic leverage. This information is the Secret of how she and the women in this book have been able to manifest so much success.

Talk about a match made in heaven!

Smart Women Live Their Why: How Women Entrepreneurs Are Living On Purpose and In Passion

Smart Women Live Their Why: How Women Entrepreneurs Are Living On Purpose and In Passion, and it is an incredibly inspirational read.

Full of heart-centered personal stories and practical business advice from women from across the globe, it is a true testament to the way female entrepreneurs are shaping and influencing the world.

Chapter after chapter, you are taken on a journey with a woman who has encountered challenging – sometimes downright severely traumatic situations – both in business and at home, that create the circumstances where her unique WHY is born. Then you learn how she cultivates and honors her WHY as she moves forward, teaching you in the process.

In today’s business world, it’s not enough anymore for women influencers to simply be savvy, tenacious and practical in business. Women want more. They want the whole nine yards: a thriving, successful business that continues making money year after year AND is one that brings their innate gifts to the world.

The WHY is the pivotal part of the equation. Now you can see through other women’s eyes and experiences how they’ve found their WHY and how they’re using it to give back and make positive change in the world.

Each woman’s story is vastly different from the next but incredibly motivating and eye-opening – a window into their hearts and souls. Just remember not to compare yourself with these phenomenal ladies. Learn from their insights but march to your own drum!

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying: “Do what you love and the money will come.” Now I REALLY understand this concept as evidenced in this brilliant Smart Women anthology. This is powerful, honest sharing at its best by women just like you who are ready to step into their WHY and build a business that flows from it.

Your WHY is an inside job. Your business is an outward reflection of it. Now join thousands of women around the world who are LIVING their WHY every day. This book shows you how!

To grab your copy today only and join the “Live Your WHY” movement, jump on over to:  http://tinyurl.com/buywhybooktoday

Oh, and don’t forget to tell all your friends. It’s through learning and sharing our WHYs that we grow, prosper, and inspire others.

BONUS: Those who grab their copy today will be invited to s FREE Q & A teleseminar where Sheri will teach you how to manifest your next big leap with more grace and magnetic leverage. This information is the Secret of how she and the women in this book have been able to manifest so much success.

Here’s to you LIVING your WHY!

P.S. I believe it will be the “entrepreneurial” woman who saves the world! Will you join the movement and start discovering and LIVING YOUR BIG WHY today? http://tinyurl.com/buywhybooktoday

P.S.S. Buying Smart Women Live Their WHY will certainly change your life and buying it today will help take it to #1 so many many women can uplevel right along with you! We hope you will be part of the WHY Movement today

Dear Smart Women,

Welcome to all the new Smart Women Members this week! So happy to have you as part of the Smart Women Family.

Today is an exciting day for all Smart Women!

Smart Women LIVE Their WHY goes to #1 on Amazon today!

Please share this link today to help take a female authored book to number one on Amazon. The boys do it all the time because they work together and use leverage. Let’s show the male dominated publishing/business world how powerful women are by showing them our leverage, ladies! Please share this information TODAY and grab a copy for yourself and friend while you are at it.

Just copy and paste this below and post on social networks, blogs, in newsletters, and feel free to forward this email also.

Smart Women Live Their Why. Over 400 pages of powerful stories from women entrepreneurs all over the world. Grab out latest book today only: http://tinyurl.com/buywhybooktoday

This is Last Week to hold your Spot and JANUARY 31 is Deadline to submit for our Spring Book, Smart Women Embrace Transitions

We have tweaked the title of our next book and taken 2012 out of the title… as much as I’d love to focus on 2012 and the magic around it, my editorial team and I decided that this book is so special already that taking the “2012″ out of the title really allowed us to help women with transitions for years to come. Make sure you check out this page today so you don’t miss this opportunity to partner with us for the next decade. We will not publish another compilation book for at least the next few years.

Only Two Weeks Left to Become an Author In Our Next Book! Deadline January 31st.

We have tweaked the title of our next book and taken 2012 out of the title… as much as I’d love to focus on 2012 and the magic around it, my editorial team and I decided that this book is so special already that taking the “2012″ out of the title really allowed us to help women with transitions for years to come. Make sure you check out this page today so you don’t miss this opportunity to partner with us for the next decade. We will not publish another compilation book for at least the next few years.

Only Two Weeks Left to Become an Author In Our Next Book! Deadline January 31st.

Title and Mission of Book

The Smart Women’s Institute^TM is proud to open up the opportunity for you to participate and be an author in the 5th book in the Smart Women SERIES^TM.

Our first 2012 book title Smart Women Embrace Transitions – How to Lean Into Change with Your Body, Mind, and Soul will be a compilation of tips, advice, inspiration, and stories from women who have “thrived” through transitions.

The mission of our next book is empower women to embrace change as a catalyst for growth and to share how this is especially important moving into 2012.

Your stories regarding transitions such as career changes, marriages, child birth(s), adoptions, deaths, health changes, etc. are encouraged.

LEARN MORE NOW at: http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com/2011/12/become-an-author/

Have You Officially Joined the Smart Women’s InstituteTM Yet? It’s free!

If you you haven’t officially joined the Smart Women’s InstituteTM yet, now is the time. Click HERE to join now and get a lot of cool SMART TOOLS. And remember, if you post the membership seal on your website and/or at Facebook, and email us, we’ll send you a free PDF copy of our latest book, Smart Women Live Their Why!

Take Care!

Sheri McConnell

Smart Women’s Institute™

http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com

This “intro” was taken from our latest newsletter. Not getting our newsletter? Sign up by clicking on “Grab Your Smart Tools Now” at the TOP of this page and you’ll also receive a free membership!

by Erin Shell Anthony, MBA

If you love lists – and you love Twitter – I’ve compiled just the thing for you:  a listing of the Top Ten Inspirational Business Women to Follow in 2012.

Before I get into why I have each one of these women on my Rockstar-Womenpreneurs Twitter list, I want you to know that even though my blog is primarily about expressing your purpose through business, business and purpose are just two facets of being a Rockstar Womanpreneur.

At the end of the day, balance, priorities, joy, family…all of these are important, and they all help you to be more well-rounded and authentic with your followers, subscribers and customers.

Why Did I Choose Them?

I didn’t choose these women for their number of followers (even though they have quite a few)- but for their substance and style.  They are dynamic, insightful, funny and full of wisdom about business, social media, balance and family.  They also capture both inspiration and sincerity in their tweets, which makes them fun to follow.  I absolutely love following them – and I think you will too.

Top Ten Women Tweeters to Follow in 2012

@jenniferbourn:  Jennifer is a graphic artist and web designer who I started following several years ago not only because I was inspired by her clean, beautiful web designs, but also for her business knowledge and transparency in sharing her journey.  Follow her for quick tips on design, optimizing your site and enjoy her musings on family and business.

@MelissaOnline:  Creator of sheownsit.com (gotta love the name of her site!), Melissa Stewart “celebrates, connects and supports women entrepreneurs” and she does it through producing insightful content full of resources that help women be better, stronger entrepreneurs.  She also tweets her knowledge and actively engages her followers.  Follow Melissa for entrepreneurial tweets on happenings on the web as well as a lot of friendly interaction.

@powermommy:  Powermommy is actually a personal friend of mine who has been inspiring women for years!  She has a beautiful (and big!) family and manages them with such ease and grace you would think that anybody could just whip up homemade meals, balance a career as a Corporate Executive and take their teenage sons to spoken word events any day of the week.  She’s the bomb Mom!  Follow her for tweets on balancing life, career and family.

@isazapata:  Isa is an artist and it shows in her tweets.  Inspiration moves people to action and she shares the best of it through quotes, ideas and art through words.  In her own words, Isa wants to “remind everyone that life is simple and beautiful.” Follow Isa for mindful, positive tweets and to incorporate the beauty of art in your daily life.

@ElenaVerlee:  I began following Elena a few years ago and she has just about the best blog I’ve ever read for PR tips and tactics.  She’s a fabulous business woman, and her tweets and blog posts always introduce others to new ways to create positive PR for their businesses.  Follow her to learn more about public relations and implement her tips to attract more business.

@SheriMcConnell:  Sheri McConnell is the CEO of the Smart Women Institute, which is a community of women 50,000 strong.  She’s a master of membership based businesses and is generous with her wisdom – both on Twitter and on her website.  She’s also an inspirational connector of women! Follow Sheri for business advice and simply great mentorship.

@Womenworking:  An online community for women who want to advance in their careers and enjoy life, I love @womenworking for their concise, impactful tweets.  Their mission is to dare women to go for their dreams, and I retweet them regularly because their tweets are so inspirational!  Follow them for ways to optimize your career as well as for business motivation.

@AnnTran_:  Ann Tran specializes in sharing quick ways that you can optimize social media – but she also sprinkles that social media wisdom with beautiful quotes, like a recent one by Bono – “Grace defies reason and logic.”  With over 270k followers, she’s a great example of how to use Twitter, and make it useful for both yourself and others.  Follow her for really good information on social media and for inspiration.

@ponderful:  Lynn Ponder is the founder of webcitygirls.com, a multi-cultural social media press team.  Another great example of how to use Twitter, Lynn fills all of her tweets with such a positive vibe, you can feel it!  Follow Lynn for tweets on social media news and happenings as well as to interact with someone who truly takes interest in her Twitter followers.

@drtiffanybrown:  If you like affirmations, you’ll love Dr. Tiffany Brown.  On a regular basis, she posts morning prayers that are truly positive affirmations for a healthy mind and spirit.  Her prayers are easy one-two sentence tweets that are perfect for getting your day started right, and perfect for retweeting.  Follow her for inspiration and mental clarity.

One Extra Shout-Out!

And although I can’t put him on the list above for obvious reasons -I couldn’t end this post without thanking Sean Gardner, aka @2morrowknight, one of my Twitter friends who introduced me through Twitter to two of my top 10 (@ponderful & @isazapata), and who, even with almost 300k followers, takes time out to respond personally and connect others.  Through his example, he demonstrated what is, in my opinion, one of the most useful ways to optimize Twitter and establish real connections.

Take a moment to follow these fabulous folks in 2012.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy them as much as I do!

Follow Erin @erinsanthony for tips on finding your purpose and expressing it through business, solid business & marketing tips and especially for #RENEW Wednesdays which are full of Erin’s affirmations for a joyful business and life!

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Want to be a Smart Woman Blogger?

Would you like to write for our blog and promote your company or website in the process?

We are looking for health, wealth, and business experts to write short weekly blog tips. E-mail us atinfo@smartwomeninstitute.com for details.

Q: When did you realize your big WHY?
A: Always wanted to go into either teaching or nursing from a young age. It wasn’t until I was a qualified nurse and on my journey of getting a degree that I realised – training and coaching other healthcare professionals was my why.

Why? Because nursing wasn’t enough, I wanted to help patients thorough the expertise and compassion instilled by the care delivers.

I wanted to make their lives easier, fulfilling and enjoyable and by doing that – share these same 3 values with those who needed the healthcare professionals guidance, care and expertise.

Q: How and when did you make living your WHY a reality?
A: This why became a reality when as a Marie Curie Leader I fostered a culture of support, growth, opportunity for the Marie Curie nurses who provided palliative care in the patients home.

This was a ‘tipping of the toe’ into an area that totally excited me. One where it feed my ego of making a difference – MAD.

Since then, I have created Enabling Success for health and social care leaders and managers. Building there confidence and emotional resilience in heading their organisations because it can be lonely at the top.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far about living your WHY?
A: Keep on track – take action – otherwise if you just sit on the tracks – you’ll eventually get run over.

Q: What is coming up next for you?
A: Developing a Global Network using the principles of Sheri McConnell and her Smart Women’s Institute

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your life in a positive way.
A: Paul McGee ‘SUMO’ Shut Up and Move On, Joey Martin – Shift Speaker Training,

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: travel, adventure and sunshine! Its the opportunity of not knowing where the day is going to end, how its going to pan out and with warmth of the sun to keep your spirits high.

Bio: Jen Sutton
Enabling Success and Your Success Factors
From Bedpans to Business Plans…

Jennie Sutton started her career in Nursing then went into leadership within healthcare as a result of her passion to make things better. Better for those who received care and better for those who delivered care.

Jennie enjoys getting people to realise their potential and believes that the way to facilitate that is through stepping out of your comfort zone whilst being supported in the process. Jennie works with practitioners within health and social care sector to overcome the challenges facing them in a highly stressful and emotionally charged profession.

Jennie currently combines her training, coaching and speaking business http://www.enablingsuccess.com and http://www.yoursuccessfactors.com with that of being a GP Practice Manager in Cumbria, in the UK.

Jennie is also a mother of four children and founder of a number of social enterprises, ranging from a Women’s Theatre Group to a Community Led Initiative in Health.
Jennie is some one who makes things happen. ‘No’ is not an option and provided the outcomes or actions make her MAD (Make A Difference), Jennie’s talents to make things come to fruition is her creativity and resourcefulness.

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About this section: Each week we feature one of our Smart Women Book SeriesTM authors. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming newsletter and on our blog permanently, click here: http://www.smartwomeninstitute.com/2011/12/become-an-author/