Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with women and business

Movies Featuring Successful Women

lohmannn — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:28:25 -0800

I'm trying to compile a list of movies about successful women, bonus points for entrepreneurs and business owners. The plot line doesn't necessarily need to be about her career. For instance, in my favorite movie the lead character dumps her crappy boyfriend, dyes her hair blonde and starts her own PR firm. That's not what the movie is about, yet the movie still has a successful female entrepreneur as the main character.

Thanks!

[posted for a friend]

Shoe shopping makes me angry.

deludingmyself — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 23:55:11 -0800

Men have Allen Edmonds, Aldens, etc. But where should I turn for classy women's dress shoes that I can walk miles & miles that will last 5 years or more? I've seen plenty of comfortable-for-walking-but-classy-looking women's shoe questions here, including this one quite recently.

I've got money to spend on good-quality items. I've read, bookmarked, namechecked and regularly returned to this post inspired
by the Sam Vimes 'boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness. In the spirit of this post, I see the men of MeFi keep recommending Alden & Allen Edmonds when it comes to high quality footwear that looks great & lasts forever. But what's a financial district-working, sock+flats loving, 2+ mile a day walking girl who regularly wears business suits to do?

Right now I'm on my second pair of these Franco Sartos in under 12 months. I'd love them if they didn't start losing structural integrity after 400 miles (I actually walked my first pair into the ground in Europe this summer). But I'm open to other styles that would still let me wear socks (I have very cold feet) if they're equally or more business-suit-to-jeans friendly.

From previous posts, I am aware that if I buy high end shoes I should be resoling (haven't gotten a good pair of work shoes to last that long yet), polishing (need to learn how to do this), and alternating two pairs of shoes so that the first pair can air out completely before going back on my foot. But where should I turn for this mythical, classy but indestructable girl-shoe? Tiny European men's styles? Bespoke cobblers in San Francisco? Or am I missing a better solution? Hope my feet, MeFi.

Is selling disposable flat shoes a good business idea?

Spamfactor — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:33:26 -0800

Is selling disposable flat shoes to women struggling after a night in painful high-heels a good idea? I live in Glasgow and a few weeks ago I was walking along one of the busiest streets at 2 or 3 in the morning. I had to walk past hundreds of people who had spilled out of clubs and bars and were heading home. One thing I noticed is that a lot of women had taken off their high heels, even though they had to walk through puddles and on the dirty ground. Obviously after a night of dancing their feet were killing them. I was wondering if I bought a bunch of cheap disposable flats on the internet and sold them on the streets after the clubs had shut, would women actually buy them? Is this a good idea to try?

She works hard for the money...

firei — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:05:20 -0800

A friend of mine wants to open a business, and is looking for information on business loans or grants specifically for women. I've been on the SBA and SCORE websites, but haven't been able to find too much info. Everyone always says that there's a lot of financial assistance for women looking to open businesses, but I'm having trouble finding it!

If it helps: I believe she is looking to open a dog grooming/training facility.

Specifics would be awesome, but general links would be alright as well.

Girl Power!

boulder20something — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:10:27 -0800

What can a group of women do to add some fulfillment to their lives? My group of friends, all in our early 30s or late 20s, some with families, all in relationships, are looking for a project or business we could do together. Something that could give us more purpose and an escape from the boredom that seems to creep into life when you settle into a routine. We all have various skills and live in the Boulder, CO area. Skills include: computer programming/database/web development; accounting; sales; marketing; design; event planning; real estate...

A few of us work from home, which can get boring without the companionship of coworkers, and others have kids which is great but can lead to the feeling of "is my life only about building blocks and alphabet games?" We got together last night and realized that we all have lately been feeling under utilized and "stuck" in our chosen places. We want to come up with some type of business opportunity that we could all contribute to, do some fund raising, or volunteer together.

Any ideas? How could a group of women with no experience of working on our own (we are all employed by others) get something started like this? How can we help? Who can we help?

Jenny from the block

milarepa — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:33:54 -0800

Who are some famous or very successful female, minority business owners? Also, where could I get information about female, minority business owners in general, preferably online? Someone I know is looking for information on female minority business owners. That's female and minority business owners, meaning no to Martha Stewart and Jay-Z, but yes to J. Lo and Oprah.

Any famous names are helpful, but more valuable would be some stats, links or book recommendations containing trends, history, etc.

Most info available is for female or minority owned businesses, not both.

Any help is appreciated!

NOTE: I really dislike the term "minority" but used it here for the sake of ease

Business outfits for Tokyo's summer

clearlydemon — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:57:34 -0800

I'll visit Tokyo in late August to attend a training course. Business attire is recommended. Help! We'll visit some Japanese companies and I must dress appropriately, but I'm not used to business clothes. Also, I'm told the weather will be very hot and humid. What kind of clothes should I wear to make a good impression and not melt in the heat? Extra points for shoes and handbag tips.

Google says not to wear revealing clothes, and to be very formal. Would it be ok to wear a short sleeved fitted blouse?

I don't live in the US, so store recommendations are not helpful.

About me: I'm 28 years old (but look younger) and thin. I'm a graphic designer, and I usually wear casual clothes to work. I like to wear skirts and dresses, but I'm not a fan of high heels.

The Single Mum's Guide to Social Enterprise

divabat — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:01:36 -0800

Socially conscious business ideas for a funky media-savvy single mother? One of my best friends had a baby a few months ago, which led her to put her career on hold. However, being a single mum (long story about custody) she needs to get some income.

She used to work in television as a presenter for many many years and is actually quite well known in her field. She also has experience in producing, scriptwriting, directing, radio presenting, public speaking, writing, and acting. She used to be a model and sometimes still does modelling work, but she doesn't want to keep doing that (she is a looker though!) She had a love of glass-blowing when she was younger, but I don't know if she'd necessarily call herself "crafty". She enjoys travel but due to the baby will have to cut this down. She is feisty, extroverted, and opinionated, but also caring and friendly and helpful. She's PASSIONATE about women's rights and is incensed when she senses injustice. Many people find her inspirational. She has a LOT of energy and is quite a workaholic, so the sudden stop of her career is driving her nuts!!

She was initially looking for an actual job, but I suggested she start her own business because she has pretty good skills for that. She said she's thinking of it, but she needs to start a business that is (in her words) "ethically sound, beneficial business that safe, eco friendsly and co op based. And lucrative!"

Any ideas for what she could do while raising her child? It doesn't have to fit ALL her criteria (first thing I'll tell is "you can't expect to save the world") but something socially conscious, or examples of women (particularly single mothers) that have successfully done the same would be appreciated.