Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After I retired from a corporate business career as the CEO of a Canadian division of a US corporation, I wanted to give back to the business community. I started a consulting business and started to find many women wanted to start a business but didn’t know how. I mentored many women in business and found that if they had coaching they were very successful. That’s how I came to write a complete business startup guide aimed at women. I wanted to make a difference and encourage women to break through the glass ceiling. This is my first book
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called “Fabulous Fempreneurship” I was inspired to write this book for two reasons. First, according to the Center for American Progress, women earn almost 60 percent of undergraduate degrees, 60 percent of all master’s degrees, 47 percent of law degrees and 48 percent of medical degrees. They earn more than 44 percent of master’s degrees in business and management, including 37 percent of MBAs.
They are 47 percent of the U.S. labour force. But women are only 14.6 percent of executive officers, 8.1 percent of top earners and 4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs. Scary statistics!
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The second inspiration comes from Sheryl Sandberg’s 2010 Ted Talk on YouTube, entitled: “Why we have too few women leaders.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18uDutylDa4. Sheryl is Chief Operating Officer of Facebook and mother of two young children, juggling a high-powered career, motherhood and sadly widowhood. When Sheryl said, “…in my generation, there will not be 50 percent of [women] at the top of any industry,” I thought: Well, if it’s going to take generations to have 50 percent of women at the top of industry, despite such great strides in post-secondary education, then there has to be another way.
Women have to be courageous and start their own businesses in order to absolutely direct their own destiny, regardless of what is going on in the corporate world, the state of the economy, or politics. You don’t need an MBA to start your own business, just some basic personal skills, a solid business idea, organization and the will to start your own company. In other words, you need an MBA mindset, not an MBA degree!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I always write first thing in the morning as that’s when I feel most creative. This meant getting up an hour earlier than usual and just getting started and writing without stopping for at least an hour per day. I didn’t worry about the grammar etc. I just wrote.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Sheryl Sandberg and Sophia Amoruso.
What are you working on now?
Online workshops based on topics from the book “Fabulous Fempreneurship.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write, don’t worry about the words or your ‘voice’. Write every day, even if it’s only a few hundred words.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just write!
What are you reading now?
Any mystery books, Tami Hoag, David Baldacci, Ken Follett. Non-fiction = “Hot or Not” by Prof. Sean Wise.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Another book in the Fabulous Fempreneurship series
Author Websites and Profiles
Elaine Slatter Website
Elaine Slatter Amazon Profile
Elaine Slatter’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
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