Live It, Love It, Earn It


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Hardcover
249 pages
ISBN 9781591842552 Published Dec. 2009
Portfolio
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Live It, Love It, Earn It
A Woman's Guide to Financial Freedom
By Mariana Olszewski 

Related Blog Posts
Live It, Love It, Earn It
Posted Jan. 4, 2010 3:40 a.m. by jon
In - 800 CEO Read Blog

Marianna Olszewski starts off 2010 with a book for women.  Titled, Live It, Love It, Earn It: A Woman's Guide to Financial Freedom, the book addresses how women can take more control over their careers and lives and gain independent success through the lessons the author herself has experienced.  Check out the overview video below, and then the brief Q&A that follows for more info on her perspective, and some of her helpful ideas.  The book itself is easy to digest, but filled with a broad scope of information to help any woman who's balancing family and career, starting her own company, or simply wants to gain leverage in her job and life.

What inspired you to write the book?

I wanted to share my story and other women's stories with women who are struggling - facing mountains of debt, landing a first job, dealing with unemployment, changing careers in midstream, or going solo after a divorce. My vision is to help women feel more energized, optimistic and confident with their life and their money. I am from very humble beginnings, growing up in a small town in New Jersey, all 7 of us living in a small apartment above a butcher shop. I was the first to go to college, follow my dream to start my own business and made millions in my early thirties – if I overcame financial and life challenges, so can every woman.

What do you think is the biggest mistake women make today with their careers?

Not believing in themselves! Most women are so supportive of other people but when it comes to their own financial independence, dreams and desires.  But often, they second guess themselves and brush their goals aside because they don’t have enough time to focus. I know women are stronger than we think. We can have our dream career, a beautiful balanced life, and financial freedom. Live It, Love It, Earn It has practical tools and success strategies including how to get a promotion, negotiating tactics, how to start your own business, mentoring and modeling and so many other tips that help make your career vision become a reality.

What are some key practices to balance smart business vs. creative impulses?

Going from fuzzy to firm – which is to take all of your ideas of what you want to do out of your head and put them down on paper. When your ideas are down on paper you can look at them more objectively and either go forward or tweak them.

Seizing the moment – Oftentimes we have a perfect business opportunity staring us in the face but we choose to ignore it. We need to be in sync with what’s important so that when opportunity does come knocking, you’ll be able to act quickly, without missing a beat.

A woman with a plan – If you want to start your own business, I strongly suggest a clear and concise business plan. (see www.liveitloveitearnit.com for a sample 5-step business plan) A business plan is a must for two reasons: so that you are clear about your business objectives, goals, plans and financials and also so a potential investor can very clearly see all the details.

Family vs. work: Is it really possible to succeed at both?

Yes, however at times it can be challenging. Being organized is the secret. Every night before I go to bed I list all the things I need to do the next day. I also say “no” to invitations and activities I don’t necessarily enjoy or want to do so I have the time to say “yes” to myself.

What is your advice for women with lots of business ideas, but little money to get them up and running?

You can do it. I had close to zero when I started my business and made millions in just a few years. I suggest following the steps outlined in my book – putting your dream business on paper, the 5 step business plan, doing your due diligence, creating financials, and most importantly asking for the money! There are a number of sources for money – institutional loans, private loans, family loans etc. A business plan is necessary to explain to investors your idea and financial background which they use to evaluate whether or not they want to place their money in your hands. Live It, Love It, Earn It offers practical tips and suggestions that make it easier than you think.



A Man in Woman's Clothes?
Posted Dec. 21, 2009 9:41 a.m. by the-roy
In - 800 CEO Read Blog

I just spotted an article posted by aol jobs this morning about a woman in Quebec that posed as a man on her blog and received benefits on both professional and monetary levels. It's astounding to think such sexism still is in place at the end of 2009 - read on:

    What's in a Name? Big Profits, Apparently - by Lisa Johnson Mandell

    Oh no he didn't! Oh yes she did-- and it worked! You wouldn't think professional gender bias in this century would be much of an issue, but according to an extremely successful female blogger/copywriter who goes by the name of James Chartrand, taking on a male pen name meant the difference between applying for welfare and buying a house.

    The single mother of two from a small town in Quebec, Canada, was at wit's end scrambling for writing jobs that would enable her to care for her young daughters. So she decided to take advantage of a perceived bias. "In my own perception of the business world today, I think of men in suits at the top. I think of male CEOs," she explains.

    Becoming One of the Boys

    Her first step was to create a writing persona that smacked of boys club success--someone those men in suits could easily relate to. She pulled the name 'James Chartrand' out of thin air, and began experimenting by pitching the same job under the same terms, with his name and with her own given name. The results were immediate and surprising. The male pitch won the assignment every time--every time!

    "They didn't question me as James," she says. "What struck me most was the instant respect I received. No one asked me about working at home and dealing with kids. They just assumed I worked in a professional office and had the brains, the talent, the ideas and the skills. I expected more money, and I got it."

    After testing the waters by submitting proposals under both male and female names, she eventually decided to stick with the masculine moniker, and began blogging under it. When Michael Stelzner listed her on his Top Ten Blogs for Writers, things really took off. Men with Pens was launched, a site that offers "On target web design and copywriting to help you hit the bulls-eye of success." It has been such a hit that she has taken on a partner and brought in the services of other writers as well.

    Coming Out of the Closet

    She kept her little secret under wraps for about three years, until an angry former friend threatened to 'out' her online. She decided to do the honors herself, and wrote an extensive blog on her popular blog site, copyblogger.com, wittily slugged "Why James Chartrand Wears Women's Underpants." The results of her outing were also surprising.

    "I'd say it's been about 95% positive, 5% negative," she notes. "Anyone who's ever been discriminated against on a job application because of their name, whether it's Indian, Asian or anything else, certainly understands." But has it affected her work?

    "My clients say it changes nothing -- they just want to know if they'll have their copy by Friday." She has decided to continue writing under her masculine pseudonym, more for privacy's sake than for any other reason. She lives in a small town, and is very protective of her children. "Using a man's name seemed to make some people uncomfortable, and they seem to think I'm repressing who I really am" she adds. "But writing as James, I feel liberated, not repressed James is part of who I am." She says she enjoys being free of female stereotypes--and lower female pay.

    Prose by Any Other Name

    "I'm looking at twitter right now, and people are asking me if I'm going to change my writing style," she laughs, incredulous that people would even wonder such a thing. Besides, going into proverbial closet then coming out may have been one of her most unwittingly strategic moves yet. Since confessing in her blog, she has been besieged by the media: in less than an hour she received a call from Newsweek, a literary agent, and an AOL blogger (that would be me). Do a web search for James Chartrand, and you'll see her story everywhere.

    Still, she says she wouldn't advise others to try it. "You face a lot of pressure from other people who question who you are," she says, referring to the fact that the tension inherent in keeping a secret about your identity can be daunting. Although she's received incredible opportunities for having admitted to her transgendered professional personality, she says most people respond with, "Yes, you're a woman, now can we all move on and get back to work?"

    For further reading on women and business.... try these titles:

    Live It, Love It, Earn It: A Woman's Guide to Financial Freedom by Mariana Olszewski

    Women in the Workplace: Wages, Respect, and Equal Rights by Jeri Freedman

    Backwards in High Heels: A Woman's Guide to Succeeding in Business by Sheila Stewart

    Tales from the Glass Ceiling: A Survival Guide for Women in Business by Jo Haigh

    The Power of Respect: Benefit from the Most Forgotten Element of Success by Deborah Norville



    The Portfolio Catalog & Business Beat
    Posted Nov. 6, 2009 3:43 a.m. by dylan
    In Publishing Industry - 800 CEO Read Blog

    PortfolioJavelinBeing the publisher of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time, we're obviously fond of the folks at Portfolio. Beyond the personal connection, though, we feel they have consistently put out some of most intriguing books in the business genre over the past decade, and continue to do so. The list below contains the titles coming out of that publishing house in hardcover before year end. (In the interest of full disclosure, I nabbed this list from the Portfolio Javelin blog.)

    And, if you haven't checked out The Business Beat over at Penguin's From the Publisher's Office website, you really should (Jack is a regular contributor to the feature). This month you'll hear Simon Sinek talk about his new book, Start with Why (listed above), and Jack discuss Max DePree's calssic, Leadership Is an Art. The latest episode is embedded below. If you like our blog, you'll love The Business Beat.




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