Backwards to Business

Posted on | February 27, 2008 |

by Lindsay O’Neill

Honey I’m home. Last year I left “corporate America” to pursue my passion of connecting and empowering women in advertising and other fields of business. After a year long stint of running The Femme Network and other socially dynamic web-portals, I’m breaking back into the biz. What biz? The biz of online advertising, digital media and oh yes: performance marketing.

Has the biz changed since March 2007? Yes. But not drastically. Big companies like Google, Yahoo, Apple and Microsoft continue to compete to build the new hot products, while they gobble up smaller companies that compliment their mission. New versions of new technologies launched, giving advertisers a better look at their current and target customers. And the web is red-hot with political nuttiness.

I know, I know, but life was so good for me! I could wake up at 8:30 – roll into my home office around 9, and spend my day working on making a positive impact on my peers. Flexibility, gratification and fun reined my days… and my nights. I planned the wedding of my dreams, spent time with family and took extra long vacations.

Now, after creating 3 companies, running them successfully and attracting hundreds of members, I am trying my hand at something new. Why? Well, let’s just say “they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse”. It’s true. As a young woman living in NYC I have many responsibilities. Not just paying rent and cab fare, but also many social responsibilities.

Okay – so that is the “PC” answer for my foray back into the “biz” – but I know you want the juicy details. So here is the explanation you really want to hear: Mental stimulation, money, human contact, and new shoes. Yes, new shoes. Why not? When you are a “do gooder” you don’t always make enough money for extravagant purchases… like new shoes. Thanks to Naturalizer I got a few pairs of shoes gratis, but that is another story!

Many women I know are looking for a way to get OUT of corporate American, and work from home or start their own business. Why? As a recently married woman, and someone who wants kids, I can understand the draw of working from home. But don’t be fooled. When you own your business you will find that you work MORE hours, and are managing tasks all day long. Being a small business owner is a thrilling, gratifying experience. And it is exhausting.

Don’t worry, The Femme Network, Femmepire and my other businesses are not going anywhere. I will continue to host awesome parties in NYC, D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, SF, LA, etc. and bring you the most inspirational tidbits of news, helpful tips and interviews with successful women in business. For those of you who still want to make the leap from Corp. America to self employed I encourage you to contact me. I have lots of awesome contacts and resources that can help you get started.

And if you are in “the biz”, let’s work together! I’m back – and happy to be here.

[tags] online advertising, digital media, performance marketing, Femme Network, Femmpire, women entrepreneurs [/tags]

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