Events

Last night, New York Magazine's Wedding Event launched the start of the 2013 wedding season. Vendors from all over the city came to put their products on display, and overwhelmed (but excited!) brides-to-be learned about the hottest trends in bridal gowns, floral displays, catering, cake design, event planning, venues, and more. Cakes were sampled, bouquets were shared, and the event was a success! We caught up with some vendors, including Jaime Luongo of Elizabeth Johns Bridal Boutique, Amy Marcs of Radish, Kelly Maltman of B Floral, and Cody Raisig of Cody Raisig Photography.

Are you getting ready for your own wedding day? Let us know what trends you're most excited about this year in the comments below. 

–Video by Nicolena Basso

Last night we swung by New York Magazine's 2013 Wedding Event – an amazing showcase of over 100 of New York City's most talented and tasteful wedding service providers. We spent hours visiting vendors specializing in cakes, wedding gowns, bridal accessories, event planning, design, floral arrangements, catering, and more. We were also inspired by the wealth of female entrepreneurs we met along the way; you may even see some of them on our site in the future! Stay tuned for a special behind-the-scenes video featuring interviews with the best and brightest of the bridal world. 

A grand welcome to New York Magazine's Wedding Event

A rack of bridal gowns waiting to be oohed and ahhed over

Check out these sparkling accessories from Lotus Bridal

A stunning creation from Madison Lee's Cakes

–Lindsay Putnam

Spring is officially here. The weather is (slowly) warming up, the days are longer, and some early season crocuses are popping up in the parks. What better way is there to celebrate the upcoming season than with a flower show? On Sunday, March 24, Macy's 39th Annual Flower Show will come to life in Herald Square. This year, "The Painted Garden" will feature a kaleidoscope of color that evokes the ornate designs, vibrant customs, and majestic landscape of Asia. A multicolored 10 foot tall painted elephant serves as the centerpiece of the event, decorated with thousands of brilliantly colored flowers. Check out the video below for a preview of the event, and be sure to swing by between March 24th and April 7th to enjoy the sights and smells of the season. 

–Video by Nicolena Basso

Just came back from a morning at the 2013 Catalyst Awards Conference, where three companies were honored for their roles in advancing women and business. Representatives from the winning companies spoke about their initiatives.Congratulations to Coca-Cola, Unilever, and Alcoa.

I was impressed with Coca-Cola’s CEO, Muhtar Kent. I have known Kathy Waller (VP & Controller) and Steve Bucherati (Chief Diversity Officer) for awhile and they are terrific. Walking the walk, rather than just talking the talk.

Kathy said something that was so important during the panel. Yes, we all need to work on changing a company’s culture but that takes time.  We need women to take responsibility for being proactive, creating relationships with sponsors, and going for that next move, even if we don’t have all the skills in place.

Way to go folks! We can all follow your example. Check out some photos from this morning below. 

Representatives from the winning companies gather on stage.

Emily Zuckerman (left), Senior Director, Global Administration, Catalyst; Steve Bucherati, Chief Diversity Officer, The Coca-Cola Company; Gill McLaren, General Manager, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei, and Member, Women's Leadership Council, The Coca-Cola Company; and Charlotte Oades (not pictured), Global Director, Women's Economic Empowerment, and Member, Women's Leadership Council, The Coca-Cola Company, gather to discuss Coca-Cola's impact.

Had such fun last night. I was part of a “Dress for Success” fashion show at Macy’s Herald Square last night. We had a great turn out. Pamela Watson was the stylist extraordinaire. And I talked about strategies to move your career forward. 

They dressed me in an outfit, which is not my typical taste. My girlfriend Fran was in the crowd and she loved the way I looked, and remarked, “Helene would never pick this for herself.”  So I took my own advice and stepped out of my comfort zone.

We had a long book signing line for my recent book In Her Power.  I love personally meeting people in the line. Lindsay Putnam, our web editor was there, and snapped some photos. Enjoy!

On Thursday, March 14 at 6pm, Helene will be at Macy's Herald Square offering her advice on how to take risks and land that dream job you've always wanted. Between tips, Macy's will be presenting several spring work-ready looks to help you out along the way. After the show, Helene will be signing copies of her book, In Her Power. If you're in the New York area, be sure to stop by!

Tonight, 10x10 will present Girl Rising, an exciting documentary that has attracted Hollywood’s power women. Actors like Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway and others are participating in the narration of the film. The New York City premier is at The Paris Theatre tonight.

Intel, one of the sponsors of the project, has been working to educate girls worldwide in many different ways. Their role in the documentary has presented a new model for corporate funding, Shelly Esque, VP and Global Director of Corporate Affairs, shared with me, leveraging resources and relationships beyond money. For example, clips of the film were shown at the World Economic Forum and generated important discussions.

Roz Hudnell, Intel’s Chief Diversity Office, has been spearheading innovative programs for youth around the globe. She is a woman with passion and a mission to make a difference. And Roz does!

10x10 is a social action campaign to educate girls and create change worldwide. Visit their site to find a screening of Girl Rising in your area.

We stopped by the bustling Grand Central Holiday Fair and caught up with several of the vendors, including the owner of Christina’s World, home of handcrafted glass ornaments, and Lisa Shaub, a New York City-based handmade hat designer. Below, Lisa shares how she entered the millinery industry and offers advice to any entrepreneurs just starting out. 

If you love Lisa’s hats, enter our drawing where one lucky woman will receive a $150 gift certificate to her online boutique. Enter by “liking” our Facebook page before Wednesday, December 12. Happy holidays!

–Video by Nina Giordano

Tonight, the Bob Woodruff Foundation will once again bring together veterans, their families and others who support their efforts at their annual Stand Up For Heroes event in New York City.

Since September 11, 2001, more than 2.5 million service members have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. A growing number of these soldiers are women.

Amber Fifer, 21, is an example. Following her high school graduation, she opted not to go to college and chose to serve in the Marine Corps, the branch of the military with the lowest percentage of female members at just 6.8 percent. Women in the military have grown from 8.9 percent of all active duty service members in 1980 to 14.6 percent in 2011.

Unfortunately, Amber was injured in the line of duty earlier this year while serving in Musa Oalah, Afghanistan, and is currently receiving therapy in California. She plans to become a drill instructor, training future soldiers.

Fifer and other women soldiers come up against gender inequities and it will take time to level the playing field. But their commitment to serving our country is strong, causing them not to back down.

—Lindsay Putnam

UNFORTUNATELY, THIS AFTERNOON THE MARATHON WAS CANCELED.

On Sunday, November 4—less than a week after Hurricane Sandy struck the East coast—people from all over the world will come to compete in the 42nd annual ING New York City Marathon. Many women are scheduled to run in the event that was once open only to men. 

Great Britain native Violet Percy was the first woman to be officially timed, finishing a British marathon in 1926 in 3:40:22. In 1966, American Roberta Gibb snuck into the Boston Marathon by hiding behind a bush at the start of the race, clocking an unofficial time of 3:21:25. “I thought about how many preconceived prejudices would crumble when I trotted right along for 26 miles,” Gibb said following the race. 

On August 5, 1984 women ran the event for the first time at the Los Angeles Olympics—American Joan Benoit won the event in 2:24:52. That time still stands today as the fastest Olympic marathon time by an American woman.

This year’s New York City Marathon will likely see many familiar faces from the London Olympic games this past summer. Expected to attend include 2012 Olympic gold medalist Tiki Gelana from Ethiopia, who set a new Olympic record with her time of 2:23:07.   

Also in attendance will be Tatyana Petrova Arkhipova, the Russian runner who placed third at the 2012 Olympic games. Her time in London was a personal best of 2:23:12, though she previously won the Los Angeles Marathon in 2009.

The strength that these women possess is undeniable. They are proof that with dedication and the urge to win, we are capable of anything. 

—Lindsay Putnam

Autumn is a beautiful season no matter where in the world you are, and New York City is certainly no exception. Enjoy a few scenes from the bustling Greenmarket in Union Square, which plays host to several savvy female farmers and businesswomen.

If you're located in or around NYC, the Greenmarket is open in various locations on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Take advantage of this season's bounty of delicious produce (see a few of our favorite recipes here). Happy fall!

—Video by Nina Giordano

Last night, I attended an event hosted by Christiane Amanpour at the Paley Center for Media in NYC. 10x10, a global action campaign for girls' education worldwide, has been working with the United Nations to declare today the first International Day of the Girl. 10x10 is a grassroots campaign that centers around a feature film, which tells the stories of courageous girls around the globe.

Christiane Amanpour and Intel's Roz Hudnell.

Among the speakers were Shabana Basij-Rasikh, Managing Director of SOLA (School of Leadership, Afghanistan). Her father was a strong influence who encouraged her to find a way to educate herself, and my eyes teared up several times as she recalled dressing up as a boy in order to do so. Roz Hudnell, a powerful and inspiring leader, also discussed why Intel chose to become a sponsor of this campaign. I can only hope that Roz's passionate words will encourage other companies to get on board.

Shabana Basij-Rasikh.

The call to action: Spread the word about this effort through social media. Let others know that by educating girls, we have the power to change the world.

Entrepreneur and Shark Tank personality Barbara Corcoran hosted a conference for business owners in NYC this past week. Draw inspiration from the enterprising spirit of the event—and, of course, the warm-blooded shark herself. See our video, below!

As always, thanks to Barbara for her keen wisdom and generous spirit. To wonderful women in power!

—Video by Nina Giordano

This morning I attended WOBI's seminar on entrepreneurship, hosted by Barbara Corcoran. Barbara is a dynamo and friend. At the event, men and women were actively networking, sharing smart ways of growing their companies as well as insights on gathering venture capital.

All eyes were on Barbara as she shared her "10 Secrets to Business Success" (stay tuned for our video, coming tomorrow afternoon). I also met a few winners from from ABC's hit series Shark Tank, one of whom you'll be meeting in our video (hint: she's feisty, and she sells phenomenal cakes)!.

A few highlights from Barbara's talk:

• Mistakes are inevitable, so learn from them. If you do, you can turn them around and make them work for you.
• Build a culture based on fun. Creative solutions come from creating a playful atmosphere with your team.
• Down economic times can actually give small business an edge. Everyone is struggling, which evens the playing field.

More to come in tomorrow's video...

We teased you yesterday with a few photos...now here's our video coverage of last night's SHARE event, A Second Helping of Life. Take a peek at a few of the celebrity attendees, not to mention enough tasty treats to satisfy any appetite.

We love a good cause, especially when it's edible. Thanks to SHARE for a fun and meaningful evening!

Video Editor: Nina Giordano

It's no secret that we love Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran (see here and here!). Barbara will host On Edge, an all-day entrepreneur event, next Thursday, 10/4 in NYC.

If you're in the tri-state area and would like to attend, tweet your dream job with the hashtag "#WWonedge" by 5pm on Wednesday, 9/26. We will select three responses at random. Each will receive a complimentary ticket to the event. Good luck!

SHARE: Self-help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer is a terrific group. I have worked with them for over a decade. Yesterday was their 10th annual event, A Second Helping of Life. Female chefs and restaurateurs attended in support, bringing along their tasty delights.

Delicious cupcakes at SHARE's A Second Helping of Life.

Among the sous chefs were Brenda Blackmon (WWOR My9 news anchor), Sade Baderinwa (of New York's WABC 7 news) and a number of other respected authors and media personalities.

News anchor and event sous chef Sade Baderinwa breaks for a photo with Helene.

Congratulations to SHARE on a wonderful event. Stay tuned for our exclusive video coverage!

The work-life "debate" has been a hot topic these past few months. Today, Ellen Galinsky and the Families and Work Institute will host an immersion learning experience to discuss the issue. Ellen is a true pioneer who I have known for close to a decade, and the research that her group conducts is cutting-edge.

Admiral Michael Mullen (former Chairman, Join Chiefs of Staff), Leslie Perlow (Harvard Business School professor), and Anne-Marie Slaughter (Princeton University professor and author, who you may recognize from this summer's controversial article in The Atlantic) will serve as catalysts for the discussion. I will be tweeting highlights, so follow @womenworking this afternoon to follow along.

Let's keep contemporary women's issues such as this one out on the table!

In the midst of a hectic workday, I took some time out to go to a taping of Katie, Katie Couric’s new show. Katie was authentic, excited, and open to her new adventure into the unknown territory of daytime talk. She is stepping out in a new way—even, as she proudly announced, at the age of 55!

You go, gal. Look for Katie this Fall.

Day two of the Multicultural Women's National Conference brought another round of valuable messages to and from women across all fields. I was especially impressed by Maritza Montiel, the Vice Chairman and Deputy CEO of Deloitte.

Maritza's advice to women in the room? Find your passion. As a young girl, Maritza had wanted to be a doctor, but when the holidays came around, her brother was given a doctor’s costume while she was given a nurse's. She didn’t become a doctor, but she does love where she ended up instead! She recommended that women exploit and celebrate who they are, knowing that they are special, and take risks to help them continue to grow. She also shared a belief that who you work for is more important than your role. Sound advice for women in any profession.

A Trailblazers Panel followed, moderated by Gwen Houston (the Global Diversity & Inclusion Manager of Microsoft). Maritza was accompanied by Susan Jin Davis (Comcast's VP of Strategic Services) and Edith Hunt (Goldman Sachs's Advisory Director). All three women were candid and to the point. I asked them how they see women sabotaging themselves at work. They replied that women frequently don’t ask their managers for what they want, and can often be too quick to apologize. Women also allow that self-critical “inside voice” to become the “outside voice,” when sometimes those doubts are better kept inside.

Soledad O’Brien issued a keynote to cap the awards luncheon. She encouraged women to take a stand and let their voices be heard (amen!). What a great day—thanks to all involved!