"Lipstick entrepreneurs," the FT tells us, are on the rise. A new report - by, it should be said, by the "Future Laboratory for Avon" which arguably has an interest in fostering female entrepreneurs, as well as and the Federation of Small Businesses - predicts that the number of female enterprises" could double over the next 10 years, taking the number of self-employed women running businesses - from single-person ventures to more substantial ones - to more than 2m." I know, that doesn't sound like many - although it's a substantial gain since 2000.

So what at first sounds plainly derogatory, or maybe lesbian-specific, is in fact literal: a "lipstick entrepreneur" sells makeup, or similar. The rise in this kind of self-employment is an obvious result of the economy, since many families are in need of more income. And, the FT argues, due as well to an increasing number of female role models in the marketplace. To this we'd add the E-word: Etsy. While some might disagree, it's made part-time and flexible creative income seem compatible with a busy lifestyle and an enriching addition to other jobs. Or maybe it's just this female exec's rationale: women are "good at nurturing talent within our organisations, and perhaps we are not as threatened by talent as men can be. We are really good salespeople and we can be good at communicating."

Recession Spurs Rise Of 'Lipstick Entrepreneurs' [Financial Times]

First, some background. I'm generally an introvert by nature, and I converted myself into an extrovert sometime in high school. It was not a simple process, and my introvert self manifests in some weird ways. (Example: Most of my friends know that if they haven't heard from me in a few weeks, it just means I'm in need of alone time, not that I'm dead.) So, going up to complete strangers and trying to talk yourself up seemed like a horrifying proposition under the best of circumstances. Doing something like this in a work context was even more mortifying, and I openly envied the skills of my boyfriend and close friends, who seemed to have no problems at all starting up conversations with the people next to them on the bar stool, the bus, or in line at a concert.

But, unfortunately, we can't escape networking. The idea that we have to network, network, network is a staple of career advice, but they never explain exactly how we are supposed to go about this. It's great to say "be where the people are," but then what do you say to them? These career articles never seem to focus on the talking part. So, here are some quick tips on networking, from an fake extrovert who still finds herself nervously fiddling with a drink before she can put on her game face:

• Focus on Making Friends
  There seems to be this idea that networking means you always work the room, schmoozing and handing out business cards like there is no tomorrow. This does not work for me. The only time I ever feel compelled to work a room is when we host a Racialicious meet up. Other than that, I'm cool. But one of the tactics I've found to take the pressure off of networking is to go to events and try to locate one person that you want to talk to. Instead of rushing around and trying to meet everyone, focus on two to three people you would like to get to know. For example, I was at Feminism 2.0, just listening to the speakers, and heard girl pipe up that she worked in video games. After the session was over, I made a beeline to her seat and introduced myself as a fellow girl gamer.

  The person I made friends with that day was Tina Tyndal, and she ended up introducing me to her world of gaming professionals. And while I have more fun with Tina's crazy personality, it also helps that she is able to point me toward getting more involved with the gaming world.

• Use Tools
  Some times, networking isn't as much about meeting new people as it is about keeping in touch with those you already know. A while ago, I had designs on working for the Discovery Channel. They had a job that looked tailor-made for me, and I was raring to get into the company. But my resume didn't reflect my digital knowledge, and I really wanted to meet with someone in human resources there who could explain my chances. I went to LinkedIn, and searched for "Discovery Channel" to see if there was anyone close to someone in my network who worked there. Lo and behold, one of my old coworkers currently had a job there. We hadn't spoken in a few years, but it was a lot easier shooting off an email to him than to someone I had never met.

  
  

• Force Yourself to Make Three Openings
  A long time ago, when I was so broke I tried to work as a telemarketer, I learned something from the training that has always stuck with me. The trainers at the company made sure to stress that you always should attempt to get in "three asks." Before someone hangs up the phone, you need to ask them to try the product at least three times before admitting defeat. Unfortunately, I wasn't great at harassing people to purchase magazine subscriptions, so I only lasted a day. However, that three asks idea stuck with me, and I started re-inventing the rule for various scenarios.

  In networking in a new environment, I always try to make three openings. Normally, I'm slightly uncomfortable and sitting back against the wall nursing a drink. But by implementing the three openings rule, I force myself to approach three people, and try to initiate conversations with them using three different topics. (Why three different topics? The first one doesn't always catch, leaving awkward silence.) After that, if I completely strike out, I'm free to hang on the wall with my drink. But what normally happens is that at least one person is receptive to the opening, and then I have a hang buddy. Or, best case scenario, I chat up the right person who will make all the introductions for me. Sweet!

• Plan Ahead
  Before going to a conference or event, try to get some information. Who else is attending? Is anyone else you know going? Can you bring a friend? Is there anyone speaking that you are going to really want to pitch yourself/your product to? Be prepared - it's a helpful way to combat nervousness.

  
  

• Make the Most of Your Downtime
  A few years ago, I read Keith Ferrazzi's Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time. The book was a worthwhile read, but it was his title idea that made the most impact on me. After one particularly fruitful conference, I was having a hard time trying to remember to contact all the people I met on business cards. Ferrazzi's tip was to schedule lunch meetings, calls, and other types of relationship maintenance when you are otherwise idle. So you grabbing a sandwich turns into an hour long catch-up session at Cosi, and you being stuck waiting for the bus can be turned into time when you are talking to someone you met at an event. Quality relationships do require some nurturing, but if you are smart about your time, it's much less painful.

  
  

• Think of Networking as "Paying It Forward"
  A lot of people - especially women - have problems talking themselves up. It feels like bragging or boasting, and some people just are not comfortable with that. And that's fine. So instead of thinking about networking as a way to promote yourself, think of it in terms of being able to do favors for others. How can you help someone? Can you connect your friend who wants to do more advertising for her business with a friend that does graphic design? Or connect a show producer with someone you know would be an interesting guest? Then there you are.

  I say think of it as "paying it forward" because regarding networking as a series of favors does not lend itself to a tit for tat trade-off. Think of it as banking favors from the universe. If you have a request of someone you've done a favor for, by all means, ask them, but don't have any expectations that they will do so. Instead, focus on connecting people in need - I find that is a great way to keep people thinking of you, and trying to figure out how to repay the favor.

• Accept Invitations
  Just go. Go out. When someone says let's go somewhere, force yourself to go. A lot of times, our personal networks are limited because we just don't know that many people. So the solution to this? Meet more people. Don't worry if the first few times, you're just showing up. Get your three openers in and keep showing up. Eventually, you'll start to meet people who are moving in the same circles. I dragged my friend Tina to a writer's meet up, where she didn't know anyone and I met quite a few cool people, while reconnecting with some other folks I knew. At that meet up, I banged into Nisha Chittal, who runs Politicoholic and recently moved to the area to continue her total domination of all things tech and politics. Though I didn't know her, I remembered her photo from her site and talked to her for a few.

  The next week, Tina dragged me to a tech meet up where I thought I didn't know anyone. Then, Nisha came in through the door and introduced me to Shireen Mitchell a.k.a Digital Sista. And, as I was walking around in search of a chair, I ran into Kety Esquivel of Cross Left and NCLR, who I had last seen at South by Southwest.

  After a while, you become an accidental regular.

• If You Admire Someone, Let Them Know
  I was in the middle of working on a paper on race, video games, and digital space when suddenly my blackberry started going off. In the same day, I got five separate emails from friends and readers all asking me the same question: Did I know Celestine Arnold? One friend was even launched a playful jab - "You better get on your grind, LP, someone's about to take your spot!"

  At that point in time, I wasn't aware of any other black women talking about video games in the public sphere. So, I looked her up. She had rocked her speech at PSFK and had been making huge moves in marketing and branding. I felt a quick stab of professional envy and quashed it just as fast. That competitiveness between women and people of color is encouraged, many times in the hopes that we will focus on taking each other out. So I shook it off, googled her a bit, found her email address and shot off an introduction and congratulations. And what do you know? She wrote back, and is every bit as awesome in person as she appears online.

Any tips from your own experiences? Something I forgot to address? Leave them in the comments.

Official Site [New Demographic]
Game On! Working in the Video Game Industry [Tina Tyndal's Blog]
Official Site [LinkedIn]
Never Eat Alone [Amazon]
Official Site [Politicoholic]
Official Site [Shireen Mitchell]
Official Site [Cross Left]
PSFK Conference New York Speaker: Celestine Arnold [PSFK]

Anecdotally speaking, even as the numbers of women in law and medical school have begun to match and even exceed the number of men, women continue to comprise less than a third of business school students. To a degree, this is because business school applicants are expected to have at least 5 years of work experience before taking on two years of additional (and expensive) schooling. What that means in a practical sense is that just as women graduates are finishing the "average" track, they're about to enter their thirties (and their prime years for marriage and child-bearing, if those are alternate goals) at the start of a new stage of their career or a new career entirely.

In addition, most business careers are extremely demanding and younger workers are expected to work 60-80 hour weeks, at least, making little time for much else. As Business Week explains, a recent study showed that 30 percent of female Harvard undergrads that went on to get MBAs were stay-at-home mothers fifteen years later, compared to 6 percent of doctors and 30 percent of lawyers. Part of the problem for women in business is the lack of flex-time or part-time options, which doctors are much more likely to take advantage of. In addition, evidence suggests that businessmen with stay-at-home wives earn an average of 30 percent more than their counterparts with working wives — and businesswoman are reportedly more likely to marry businessmen.

But, as many businesses are finding out, a diversity of perspectives and experiences is actually beneficial to the bottom line (not that you'll convince the MBA programs of that any time soon). Hopefully, as the upper ranks of the business world continue to bleed women and men who choose to try to find some semblance of a work-life balance, the people who run these companies like meat grinders will begin to recognize that a person looking to escape the grind is just as important an asset as those who stick around to be ground down.

The Mommy M.B.A.: Schools Try to Attract More Women [Wall Street Journal]
MBA Moms Most Likely to Opt Out [Business Week]

Carly Fiorina [Wikipedia]

They told her to demand a raise, and that "soft-spoken woman who dislikes confrontation" got the raise she deserved. And then they talked about "where to get the best cocktail dress, haircut and beach house that won't break my budget"! But seriously, folks. I can't decide if this is why women don't get taken seriously in business, or if this is a way of circumventing the golf-playing patriarchy by finding a women-only space in which to discuss workplace secrets.

I guess I think the former? Because while a lot of corporate climates are incredibly sexist (I know a hedge funder who was taken to a strip club after an interview), isn't it counter-productive to create these all-female gab fests? Wouldn't it be more useful to rail against a workplace culture where only the men can share insider info? Whatever, at least these bitches aren't peeing all over the seats or leaving cocaine residue on the counters. We think.

Not Just A Ladies' Room [WSJ]
Earlier: Even Oprah Employees Aren't Immune To Serial Seat Pissers
The Office Annoyance No One Really Talks About

• Yet another tale of a creepy pageant mom who spends $600 a month on beauty treatments on her 11-year-old daughter. • A new study shows that women who are already "subfertile" worsen their chances of infertility by drinking coffee. • More weird studies! Adults who were born at a low birth-weight tend to leave the nest later in life. • A father in Georgia killed his 25-year-old daughter after she said she wanted to divorce the husband with whom she had an arranged marriage. • A neighboring town to Gloucester, MA mocked the towns now infamous "pregnancy pact" teens in a July Fourth Horribles parade. • Ew! A woman spent half of her day with a baby bat hiding in her bra before she noticed it. • The family of the woman who died on the floor of the Kings County Hospital psychiatric ER plans to sue the city and call for criminal charges. • Could a gene variant make women more prone to alcoholism through endorphin release? Well, it happened in some lab mice. • Two tween-aged girls are missing from a foster home in California, as is their parent's Lexus. • Violence between romantic partners is common among college students with men most likely to perpetrate sexual violence and women more likely to perpetrate physical violence. • Doctors are planning to introduce a cheaper (and less effective) form of in vitro in Africa, where infertility and a stigma attached to it can be stronger than in the West. • Cute video of the day! My favorite Japanese doggy troublemaker gets more than he bargained for when he tries to play with a pack of 5000 dachshund pups!

Village Voice

There's also an obliviously upper-class, sanctimoniously yuppie-crunchy slant to the whole production. Still, Epstein and Lake have crafted an absorbing, thought-provoking inquiry into what modern birth has become and how to make it better.

Entertaining and at times chillingly informative.

The Business of Being Born" includes very little of the screaming, gnashing, clenching horror that is the hallmark of most TLC-style obstetri-drama or, for that matter, of the kind of hirsute birthing filmstrip some progressively educated middle schoolers are shown in sex ed. Instead, Lake and Epstein have made a movie about the pleasures and political importance of natural, midwife-assisted home birth.

Though at times Epstein relies on cheesy graphics and cartoons to convey her points, the filmed imagery is often surprisingly eye-opening, and viewers will be moved to tears at this rare chance to witness childbirth in a whole new light — the kind that isn't fluorescent.

Casting vanity to the wind, Epstein's subjects permit Paulo Netto's unimposing camera to witness the miracle of birth in a big-business-free environment, and the effect, like the production itself, is as poignant as it is potent.

The graphically documented home births are shown as supportive, quite painful yet infinitely rewarding. Any claim the docu may have to objectivity is limited not only by Lake being shown giving birth (the event which inspired her to help make the film), but also by Epstein herself becoming pregnant midway through the pic, unexpectedly providing the docu's most suspenseful moments.

Tracking Shots [Village Voice]
Ricki Lake's "Awesome" Vagina [Salon]
Ricki Lake Delivers Scary Birth Documentary [Reuters]
The Business of Being Born [Variety]

The "African-American community" has $850 billion to spend, and women control 62% of that. Which means black men only control 38%. The reporter, Rehema Ellis, admits that the reasons for such disparity are complex, but does note that some complain of schools that give up on young black males at the elementary level, and of a society that celebrates the "bad boy" image made popular by the likes of 50 Cent — making dropping out seem cool.

Meanwhile, the complaint about the NBC series is that there's a "constant burden of negatives with little or no solution or context for the reasons for the disparities."

The Monday segment compared black women to white women and comparing black women to black men — a pattern in news media that makes the black consumer cautious and hesitant about the motivations of the media. As Essence Editor Angela Burt-Murray said in an online comment, that segment may make a black woman want to shoot herself in the head.

NBC Stirs Controversy With 'Black Women' Series [Advertising Age]
African-American Women And Where They Stand [NBC Nightly News]

• Contrary to what will undoubtedly be tomorrow's breaking health news report, pregnant women should eat fish, despite the mercury risk. [CBSNews]
  
• Police in the UK have turned their attention away from the city pubs where sex slaves are sold on the down low and are now focusing their efforts on suburbia. And people say us city folk are lacking in values... [The Independent]
  
• Talk about a major fuck up. A woman who was told she had breast cancer after a biopsy and then had a double mastectomy found out after the fact that her slide got mixed up with someone else's and she never had cancer to begin with. [ABC News]
  
• While the HPV-strain that causes cervical cancer is only a minor annoyance for men, a leading specialist says that they should still get the HPV-vaccine to help stop the spread of the virus. C'mon guys, they'll give you a lollipop! [Daily Mail]

• The Hummer is headed Down Under and a significant portion of its prospected buyers are women. What the fuck ladies? Just because your country already has a hole in the ozone layer directly above does not mean you should turn your SPF-50'd back on Mother Nature! [News.com.au]
• A new study says that obese women who become pregnant could actually lose a little weight instead of gaining — doing so helps lessen the likelihood of pregnancy related high-blood pressure or having to have a Caesarean. [MSNBC]
• Women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men, but those businesses are also doing, um, quite poorly. Whatever, we sold two dozen of our rhinestoned tampon holders last Christmas, and our mom said that was just awesome. [NY Times]
• The work of female filmmakers in Tunisia may not get many props at home, where women are expected to be in the kitchen and not the editing room, but they're getting loads of acclaim in European and American art houses. Slumber Party Double Feature: Can't Buy Me Love and Bedouin Hacker! We'll bring the popcorn. [Christian Science Monitor]
• Ugh. A 2003 Veterans Administration health care system survey reported that 28 percent of female soldiers experienced at least one sexual assault during military service which, combined with combat trauma, makes them more likely to suffer from PTSD. [NPR]
• On a somewhat related note, more women are entering West Point than ever. Don't say we didn't warn you. [ABC News]
• Scientists have made their first significant genetic discovery for why certain women suffer from severe PMS, otherwise known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Whatever, just get us a fucking cure already, you lazy bastards. Jesus! Fuck!!! [Science Daily]