Four Minutes With On The Dot

Ladies, if you’re a home baker who’s in search of a new profession that feeds your soul while making you some good dough, you might want to consider joining the pastry industry. 2018 is a good year to be a female pastry chef. And here’s some proof to back up that claim: The annual James Beard Awards, generally recognized as the top culinary prize in a variety of food-related categories, nominated five chefs and bakers in the Outstanding Pastry Chef category for 2018 that the James Beard Foundation claims are national standard bearers of excellence—and they’re all women! And that’s no pie in the sky. The post Angela Garbacz: How to Empower Through Flour appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Were you ever scared of monsters? One serious movie covers this topic: Monsters, Inc. OK, maybe it’s not so serious, but it’s definitely a great flick. The gist is that monsters scare kids and kids scream, and those screams work to power the city. But, of course, there’s a problem with the monsters harnessing children’s screams. Spoiler alert: The monsters are actually scared of the kids. Aside from the movie being adorable and funny, the message has always stuck with me. We’re often afraid of what we don’t know, of who we don’t know: a new job, a new face, a new experience. The secret that everyone tends to forget is that we’re all trying something new, like, all the time. So, I guess the lesson is don’t fight the monsters; befriend them. The post Candice Romo and Hollie Siglin: How to Conquer Parenthood appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

In the film Landline, two sisters navigate life in the 1990s. Back before we all carried a smartphone everywhere, we were bound to landline phones for communication. In the movie, Jenny Slate’s character gets into situations that’ll make you wish landlines still existed, if you’re hoping for a little avoidance from constant connection. But without continual internet access via a smartphone, there was plenty of stuff in the ’90s you may have missed out on, like invites to parties and gossip about who’s dating whom. Today, pull up your browser and search for a fun event you and your friends can check out this month. Put it on your digital calendar and give a thankful nod to our modern ability to stay connected without having to be tethered to a landline. The post Julia Hartz: A Focus on Company Culture Can Grow Your Biz appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Last night, I slept four measly hours, interrupted by drawn-out periods of thinking about sleep. Thinking isn’t even a strong enough word for it. Longing, pining, heck, even being homesick for zzzs is more like it. We’ve all been there, right? Our alarm buzzes as we’re already wide-eyed and anticipating it. We have to go to work or make an appointment or meet some other obligation. While we hope to make up for it tonight (yeah, right), there’s only one answer for now: caffeine. Lorelai Gilmore of TV show Gilmore Girls famously demanded coffee via an IV, but since that’s yet to be FDA-approved, I guess I’ll just have to pour myself a big old mug of the good stuff! The post Alyza Bohbot: How to Support Female Coffee Farmers appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Posters on telephone poles, billboards on the highway, commercials during prime time, sponsored social-media stories: These are all forms of marketing, but I’ve begun to notice a little more about what attracts and keeps loyal customers. It isn’t ad placement or celebrity endorsements; it’s authenticity. Millennials, who are quickly becoming the biggest and most powerful consumer group, can sniff out counterfeit realness with one swipe. Whether you’re a one-woman show or part of a billion-dollar brand, remember to stay true to yourself, to your values. Respect your clientele by being honest and treating them as more than a data point on a spreadsheet. The post Michelle Peluso: Achieve Work/Life Balance, Even in the C-Suite appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Our mission when we launched On The Dot back in 2016 was simple: Provide women with stories of relatable female role models. What we’ve discovered is that such ladies have always been there; it’s just that men’s success stories have often sidelined them. From Brownie Wise, a single mom who turned Tupperware into the home-party gig of the 1950s, to Madam C. J. Walker, an orphan turned hair-care entrepreneur who was the first American woman to become a self-made millionaire, we’ve been surrounded by relatable lady moguls for years. It’s about time we celebrate them every day! The post Tiffany Pham: Need Entrepreneurial Advice? Ask a Mogul appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Do you ever use a product without realizing you have no clue how it’s made? Take the stuff we read, for instance, like a book. Someone writes it and a publisher puts it on paper and then it’s probably put in a box and shipped somewhere, right? But there’s so much more to it. There are plenty of details in between that are just as essential as the writing itself. Editors weed out the gobbledygook. Designers give the story a visual point of view. Marketers and public-relations experts get the word out to readers and retailers that the book actually exists. Nearly every type of business involves such intricacies and hard work that we often simply don’t consider. Today, I tip my hat to all those ladies working behind the scenes to create and bring to market some of my favorite things. The post Marika Flatt: How to Become a Media Maven appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Apathy doesn’t create movements. Indifference doesn’t illicit change. When Gandhi and 60,000 Indians marched in protest of British rule in 1930, they weren’t impassive. When, in 1965, 3,200 nonviolent demonstrators marched from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, during the course of five days, they weren’t wavering. And when more than a million people of every generation, background and orientation marched across the United States for gun control in 2018, they weren’t nonchalant. Today, we’re talking about the power of those who stand together in anger and sadness and purpose to make a difference. We’re talking about how much bigger and louder our voices are when they’re in unison. The post Emma González: Use Your Vote as Your Voice appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

When you think of self-care, what comes to mind? Engaging in luxurious spa routines and embracing moments of Zen pop up in my head, along with indulging in copious amounts of green smoothie. But writer Brianna Wiest speaks the not-so-attractive truth: Sometimes self-care means creating a fixed budget or axing a toxic friend. Self-care can be making tough decisions that, in the end, are good for you. Today, show yourself a little love in ways that will improve your long-term wellness. The post Remi Ishizuka: How to Have a Productive Morning appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Nearly a decade ago, a wonderful photographer shared an eye-opening project called Where Children Sleep. I’ve never forgotten the dozens of images that show the disparity of what kids around the globe call bed. The intention was to elicit more empathy in kids, but even as a grown woman, I find it’s a much-needed reminder that everyone’s experiences are unique. From one Kentucky toddler with dozens of pageant ribbons on display in her princess-like bedroom to a young Nepalese girl who lives in a one-room house near the granite quarry where she works, girls experience life differently but absolutely share the right to be heard and have their stories told. The post Martice Sutton: Why Travel Will Lead to Your Daughter’s Success appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

While at a social event full of business leaders, a man introduced himself and asked what I did. As I explained, I saw his eyes dart behind me and then glaze over in self-thought. He dismissed me from the get-go based on my job title because he assumed our paths would never cross and I could be of no help to him. Maybe that was true in this instance, but I’ve noticed that oftentimes, when you sit down with someone for a focused conversation, the two of you can find at least a couple ways to connect, either professionally or personally. Today, don’t rebuff the value of a solid 15-minute conversation with someone new. The post Rana el Kaliouby: Focusing on Diversity Can Make Your Tech Product Better appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

When you’re pregnant, you hear plenty of old wives’ tales from friends and neighbors. Carrying high? It’s a girl! Dry skin? It’s a boy! Got mad heartburn? Expect your newborn baby to have a full head of hair. Devouring an ice cream cone a day? Baby must need her calcium. You’ll also realize that when you Google any pregnancy symptom, you will get sucked into a terror-inducing internet-baby-forum spiral. Avoid! Take comfort in the fact that many generations of women before us birthed child after child, all with little to no expertise from those helping out. Today, thankfully, we’ve got a bit more knowledge of how to create life and bring Baby safely into this world. The post Clemmie Hooper: Preparing for Motherhood; Best Tips for Moms-to-be appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

When we’re young girls, we can appreciate a lot about the idea of being a princess. Princesses get to prance around in ball gowns and don’t have to clean their rooms? Sign me up! I’ve always liked the idea of princess perks but never really got into the whole Prince Charming thing. I wanted more stories about how a princess gets to do what she wants. Thankfully, one enterprising girl dad thought the same thing and decided to take action, creating a wonderful action-adventure comic series called Princeless. The main character, a headstrong young princess, isn’t into the usual advantages that come with being a member of royalty, like fancy dinners and lavish dresses, instead exuding the kind of independence and heroism that every girl reading her story can’t get enough of. The post Rebecca Melsky and Eva St. Clair: How to Empower Your Daughter appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

When you’re in a creative industry, you often encounter what I call Discount Dan and Entitled Ethel. These are the people who shamelessly expect you to provide your creative services for next to nothing. A friend of a friend asks an editor to “just look over” his resume (aka for free), a customer asks a designer to create at least six versions of her company logo by this weekend and is appalled at the expedited fee, and so on. From now on, ladies, don’t undervalue your creative work. Demand respect and appropriate payment for your creative endeavors. After all, just because it’s creative work doesn’t mean it doesn’t have real value. The post Molly Neuman: Know Your Worth; Don’t Undervalue Your Creativity appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

In college, I took a course called physics for future presidents. Everyone I told about it laughed, assuming it was some kind of alternative, blow-off class. But it did turn out to answer that age-old question: When am I ever going to use this information? In fact, a section about chemical weapons made me an expert during season 5 of one of my favorite shows, Homeland, and a portion about climate change helped me truly separate facts from politics. Though I’m no Marie Curie, many of those science lessons actually stuck with me, motivating me to further challenge myself throughout my career, proving that keeping an open mind can launch you light years ahead of the competition. The post Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski: Changing the World as a Woman in STEM appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Here’s a fun piece of trivia for you: In the heyday of cowboys, in the early 1900s, one of the best lassoing and roping cowboys was, well, actually a cowgirl! Her name was Lucille Mulhall, and at just 14, she was so good at cowgirling that she was invited to compete in a Rough Riders rodeo, with Teddy Roosevelt cheering her on, no less. After taking first place, Lucille went on to create her own touring show. While many embraced her, the media wasn’t sure what to call her. While her skills often exceeded those of cowboys, at least one newspaper referred to her as the “lassoer in lingerie,” even though she was quite clothed. This got me thinking that women have even tougher skin when we’re pursuing exactly what we want. This cowgirl just wanted to ride a horse instead of sipping a dainty cup of tea. And despite others’ opinions, she more than proved her mettle. Today, take Lucille’s story as a little inspiration. Rally your inner cowgirl and trot your own way! The post Gay Gaddis: How to Kick Ass in Business a

Today, I woke up annoyed, or, as the saying goes, “on the wrong side of the bed.” When your alarm sounds in the morning, do you ever just know every little thing will get on your nerves for the next 18 hours? How do you fight the morning doldrums? Some people try to tame their moodiness by thinking positive thoughts, distracting themselves or even having a one-person screaming match into the pillow. Today, in order to shake off my morning blues, I’m treating myself to a fancy coffee-shop mocha and quietly counting down the minutes until bedtime. To each her own, right? The post Nadia Galloway: How to Launch a Product With No Experience appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Yesterday, I was faced with a dreaded situation: My car wouldn’t start. As my two pints of Häagen-Dazs Sticky Toffee Pudding ice cream proceeded to melt in the backseat, I panicked. With no friends close by, I collected some courage, walked back into the grocery store and asked around for help. It turned out to be no big deal. A friendly fellow shopper jumped at the chance to jump-start my car, and I was driving home 15 minutes later. I’m unsure why I felt so scared to ask a stranger for assistance. I guess I was being needlessly self-conscious. It made me realize others are usually eager to help; we just have to ask. Lesson learned! Today, let’s all put on our big-girl pants when our first instinct says otherwise instead of trying to accomplish every dang challenge alone. The post Eileen Gittins: Go From Entrepreneur to Boss appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

As I’m chatting with you this morning, I’m sitting in the doctor’s waiting room on a sage-green pleather chair. We’ve all been here, right? We wait patiently for our names to be called, perusing old magazine issues or scrolling through our phones in the meantime. Today, I did something different. I looked around, not at the neutral art on the wall, but at people. Every person who walked in was different than me: a mother with a 10-year-old daughter, a son assisting his elderly father in a walker, a guy who couldn’t stop sighing. I guess today has reminded me that health issues don’t care who you are. We’ve just got to take life one day at a time and do our best to care for ourselves and our loved ones. The post Crystal Icenhour: Don’t Believe in Failure or Regrets; Get Results appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Actress and activist America Ferrera gave an impassioned speech at the Women’s March last year and has been an outspoken voice of what it’s like to teeter between identities as a Latina American. As she explained her experience as a first-generation American, she urged the crowd to remember that we, the people, make America what it is. Rather than relying on an inclination to hate those who are dissimilar to us, she reminded us we truly are stronger together. Today, whatever your background, whoever you identify as, remember that we women have your back! The post Kristina Guerrero: How to Stare Down Stereotypes appeared first on On The Dot Woman.