A Quota of Quotes

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."
—Louisa May Alcott

"Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputation or social standards never can bring about reform. Those who are really in earnest are willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation, and publicly and privately, in season and out, avow their sympathies with despised ideas and their advocates, and bear the consequences."
—Susan B. Anthony

"The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race."
—Susan B. Anthony

"We ask justice, we ask equality, we ask that all the civil and political rights that belong to citizens of the United States, be guaranteed to us and our daughters forever."
—Susan B. Anthony, Declaration of Rights for Women, July 1876

"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got."
—Janis Joplin

"Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."
—Helen Keller

"I think the key is for women not to set any limits."
— Martina Navratilova

"People think at the end of the day that a man is the only answer [to fulfillment]. Actually a job is better for me."
—Princess Diana

"Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
—Eleanor Roosevelt

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."
— Marilyn Monroe

"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring."
— Marilyn Monroe (Marilyn: Her Life in Her Own Words)

Financing Fashion

Savvy businesswoman, author, philanthropist, producer, Supermodel, television personality, Tony winner and according to Forbes- Kimora Lee Simmons is one of the top-ten “hardest working mothers in Hollywood”. Born in St. Louis, by the age of ten she towered over her classmates at an alarming 5'10. She was beautiful with her mixed heritage of Asian and African-American, and by age thirteen she had a modeling contract. Next thing you know, she was walking the runways in Paris with the House of Chanel. Simmons has graced the covers and pages of International fashion magazines such as Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has also modeled for Armani, Fendi, and Yves St. Laurent and posed for iconic fashion photographers, like Steven Meisel and Patrick Demarchelier.

Simmons quickly intertwined herself into the Phat Farm designs ultimately creating the line of Baby Phat. Today, she has become President and Creative Director for Phat Fashions. In 2007 Kimora Lee Simmons starred in a television show, Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, on the Style Network. The show continues to run today. Kimora denotes much of her time to charity as well, including Amfar, The G&P Foundation, Keep a Child Alive, Hetrick-Martin Institute and Rush Philanthropic, where she is on the Board of Directors. Her enthusiasm and driven attitude will keep her in today's business world for years to come.

Women Break Into Politics

As most of the country should know, the current United States Speaker for the House of Representatives, or in other words the President of the House, is currently a woman. Nancy Pelosi has represented the Eighth District of California since 1987, and became the first woman to lead a major party in 2002 when her colleagues overwhelmingly elected her for position of Democratic Leader. On January 4, 2007, Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.

As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Pelosi has and continues to fight for American families. She strives to increase educational opportunity, protect workers, and promote healthcare. Pelosi is also a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, ensuring that military and policymakers have the required intelligence to successfully guide initiative, succeed in combat, and protect U.S. military forces.

Women CAN

To shed some personal light and reflection on the issue, I do know a lot when it comes to women in the business world. My place of work, RaeLynn's Boutique, is completely owned and run by two ambitious women. I take part in much that goes on, and know first hand just how hard women work and how successful they can be. Women have a different attitude toward the workplace, and are much more likely to be connected with customers because of their sentimental attitudes. Women can be stern when needed, but have a special place in their hearts for the feeling and excitement of the customers they sell to. It is important to have personal feeling in the workplace to more fully connect with customers. Women build trust with customers, many times connecting on more than just a professional level. While some may disagree with the success of this tactic, others praise it. By connecting and making a trusting relationship between provider and customer, business pours in. Customers will more likely praise and recommend a business in which they were treated with respect and have established a trusting relationship rather than a business in which they were reeled in, talked up, and shoved out. Women have the feeling and sentiment to establish such relationships, leading to great success.

Women STILL Struggle

Although women have come extremely far in the world of business, some say they are still running behind. In most areas, women are right on point, achieving the same feats as any man. Women have piloted around the world, created impacting inventions, governed countries, created and performed music, and so much more. But why are women still viewed under men, as a lower race even? Just like the color of one's skin should not affect the view of a person, neither should someone's gender. And just like the color of one's skin has taken numerous decades to subside trial and negative aspects, so does one's gender. According to Forbes Magazine's ranking of the twenty richest people in the world, women do not show up until an alarming #12 ranking. This is preposterous when one realizes that these women are doing the same things in the work world as men, yet they are still earning less money .

Diversity Among Victory

This is the Forbe's magazine edition of the 100 most powerful women in the world for 2006. Notice the diversity among the women's professions: Chancellor's of countries, executives, entrepreneurs, company chairmen, and the list only goes on. There is now as much diversity in the businesswomen of the world as the businessmen of the world.

O is for Oprah

Think of the most powerful women of today. What comes to mind? Probably Oprah Winfrey, for her face is everywhere. Her talk show has dominated the homes of over forty-two million viewers a week as well as being broadcast in 144 countries around the world. Not only did she host a talk show which proved to take the number one spot for twenty-tree consecutive seasons, but in 1988 she became the third woman in the American entertainment industry to to own her own production studio. The studio, named Harpo Productions Inc., produces her show along with many others. Oprah Winfrey has not only surpassed all expectations on television, but has founded and produced "O, the Oprah Magazine", and created a film devision for her company. Harpo filmes has been involved in films such as "The Great Debaters" and 2009's "Precious". Oprah herself has both acted in films such as "The Color Purple" and "Before Women Had Wings", as well as speaking for animated films like "Charlotte's Web", "Bee Movie", and "The Princess and the Frog".

Expanding her franchise even more, Oprah is an online leader in websites for her show as well as her book club. She is a philanthropist, television program creator (The Dr. Oz Show), satellite radio programmer, and Broadway producer for "The Color Purple" which began its run in 2005 and continues to run throughout the country today. From all of this, Oprah has received over forty Daytime Emmy Awards for different aspects of her show. Aside from that, she was named one of the "100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century" in 1998, has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, and among a large number of other awards, in 2009 she was named by Time Magazine to be one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Now that's something to talk about.