The role of beauty in business for women can get pretty sketchy – it’s like walking through a mine field of sexuality, social morays, and prejudice (or preference). Many times, a woman’s beauty gives her an advantage, opens doors, makes her someone even the most hardened “women should be raising children and managing the home” old schooler wants to be near in the workplace. For those of us who openly discuss the expansion of women’s contribution in our society, it can be both alarming and disheartening to see just how much nearly everyone appreciates a pretty face over any other factor.

Just look at the frequency that the pharmaceutical companies use gorgeous young women as their sales reps. Doctors are busy, they deal with lots of demands, and they see the ugliest of human situations in their office, day in and day out. Who can blame them for being persuaded by a vibrant, attractive woman? It sounds sexist, I realize, but it’s hard to deny that beauty works. Again, easy to debate whether or not it should, but there is some value in starting where we’re at and working from there.

The role of beauty in business also permeates our advertising culture. In magazine marketing, I am often confused and dismayed that teenagers are wearing expensive luxury items, items unlikely they could afford in real life. But the girls are young and beautiful and they appeal to the men who are likely to buy those yummy diamonds for the real life (probably some bit older than a teenager) women in their life. Lots of stereotypes to throw around here and I don’t want to get distracted by all that – like I said, it’s like a mine field sometimes.

I’d be remiss not to acknowledge the negative stereotypes of pretty women too (ditzy, shallow, manipulative) and fully recognize the role gender discrimination has played in the treatment of women. I am an advocate for the full engagement and respect of women worldwide. I see many of the atrocities and are often brought to my knees in sadness and shame when I research this topic. I don’t deny this is important and real. What I am asking is do we have to rid ourselves of beauty to rid ourselves of discrimination? I’m pretty sure the answer is no.

I confess that I am not ashamed of my sexuality. I love make up, I love my curves, I love fashion that flatters my figure, and I love looking as great as I can. To me, that is part of being a whole woman and I bring my entire self to the business environment. It’s part of my creativity, strength, and charm. Is that wrong? Some might think so, but it’s how I am choosing to live my life.

So, can beauty be empowerment in business?

Can we decide as women that we aren’t going to leave our genitals at the door (or our emotions or our desire to cooperate instead of compete, or our family values)?

Is there room for beauty in our vision of what business is and how it operates?

Do women have their own set of discriminatory attitudes against (or for) beauty in business?

I ask these questions sincerely, not rhetorically, and would love to hear about your experiences and thoughts on it.

What role does (should) beauty play in business for women?

I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

Vicki Flaugher, CEO
aka @Smartwoman

With all of our attention beginning to shift to 2011 business planning, I wanted to focus a bit on something I believe we can all do to have a better business next year. I talk a lot – and frankly. think a lot – about how to maximize my time and revenue in my business. I read what many other people say about the best things to do, some of which I agree with and some not so much. I download the strategy planning apps, I read the e-books, I attend the seminars. I do everything I can to discover that edge that will work for me to make my business sing. I am guessing we all do (or wish we had the time to).

Even with all my research and learning, and all the advice I see out there, if I were to pick just one thing to share with you, it would be this: stop settling.

Yep, that’s it in a nutshell. Quit doing the things you do not want to do. Quit doing the things that are half-hearted attempts at the “should do”.  Quit servicing the customers that piss you off. Quit offering the services that give you low return and high headaches. Quit doing anything except your dead level, full out, take no prisoners, kicking ass and taking names BEST.

It’s hard to stomach, I know. It’s even harder to admit. It’s hard for me too – painful, disturbing, and much easier to deny than look at head on. But, the truth is, most of us are settling. How, might you ask? Here are some examples that I see, day in day out, of settling:

• We enter the marketplace with discounted or artificially low prices because we think that builds our client base when all it actually does is squeeze our margins, reduce our net profit, and condition customers to expect that price level into the future. That is settling.
• We take on a client who is a prima dona pain in the tush because they have influence and power and we spend the next month servicing them, hopping to their every whim, and doing more than contracted for (because they demand it in their disrespectful way) and want to shoot ourselves and the client when it’s all over with. That is settling.
• We refuse to digitally punch out (I might “miss” an opportunity if I disconnect…) when we spend time with our family but we’re happy to go speak at a luncheon somewhere bragging how we became an entrepreneur to have freedom and do the quality of life things we always dreamed about. That is settling.
• We focus on a niche that is huge yet totally uninteresting to us because there’s money in it and we show up like zombies because it’s “time to make the donuts” instead of going after that crazy niche that turns us on. That is settling.
• We think small, act small, pretend our outward appearance doesn’t matter, we hang out at events to get clients when the people who attend would never be our client, we don’t make the calls, we don’t take the leap….how many different ways can I say it? It’s all settling.

Lest you feel I am criticizing, know this. I do it too. And, I’m sick of doing it. Call this a rant, call this advice, call this Vicki’s crazy talk because she has a blog and she’s using it – I don’t care. I feel like some of the best moments in my life happen when I dare to do, when I dare to be different, when I decide it’s OK to follow exactly (and only) what I completely and truly believe in.

It doesn’t have to make sense – the best new inventions, new ideas, and new lives were built from that crazy woman space inside our heads and hearts that tells us we can do whatever we frigging please. With all the amazing freedoms and advantages we have in our lives, if we don’t use them, we are wasting the very gifts we’ve been given.

I have health, I have skills, I have love, and I have moxie.

You do too.

I am no longer going to settle for anything less than the best.  Discounting the yearning of my spirit is no longer an acceptable mode of working, even when compromise seems like the way to get along and smooth things over.

What about you? Is it time to put you first?

I am willing to accept that I am the person I need to please, because if I am engaged and happy, I will have more energy and value to give to my clients. Period, end of story, no explanation needed. (And yes, a rush of fear does rise up as I write this, but screw it – no fear is going to get the best of me!)

Can I get a hell yeah from the power women in the house, please?

For 2011, I am taking this business tip for all it’s worth. No settling. If it’s not a perfect fit, I’m moving on. If I cannot put my motives and actions on a billboard on Time Square, it’s not going to be on the agenda. If I can’t find a way to plug into the joy, the satisfaction, and the reward of my tasks, I commit to pulling the plug – for my sake, for my family’s sake, and for my customer’s sake.

It’s scary, it might get hard to do, but I’m doing it.

Wanna join me?