Working as a distributor of USANA nutritional products, Collette built a successful home based business empire which today is worth millions of dollars and has earned her the title of Distributor of the Year, and top earning USANA distributorship, for thirteen years.

Needless to say, Collette’s proven track record as a successful home based entrepreneur, has made her a much sought after public speaker and an inspiration to millions of people around the world.

I caught up with Collette Larsen during her recent trip to Australia, where she was the key note speaker at the USANA ‘Women in Business’ series of lectures held in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Starting a business is risky at the best of times and the timing for starting a business could not have been worse for Collette Larsen. Her youngest daughter Lexie was very ill and if the business had failed, the consequences would have been financially and emotionally devastating. But Collette says that most opportunities come at inopportune times, often being misinterpreted as distractions.

“I certainly didn’t feel like I had the time, the energy or the money to start a home based business,” Collette told Australian Women Online.

“But I was looking for nutritional products for my daughter Sharlie and my brother had told me about Dr Myron Wentz and the science behind the products. I did some research and I wanted to start my daughter on those products and at the time I didn’t realise there was a business connected to it.”

“So I started my daughter on the products and quite frankly, I didn’t have enough money to pay for them. Then it was explained to me that it was a business in network marketing and if I shared the passion that I was gaining – because I had seen what the products were doing for my family – that if I shared that with a few people I could start earning a commission on whatever they ordered..”

“My original goal was to make a hundred dollars a month in my own home based business and of course that happened – it happened within a month. Then the next week I got another hundred and then two hundred and it just kept growing. I think women are natural networkers and when we find something that we love, that works for us, we tell people about it.”

Collette’s recent visit to Australia was a homecoming of sorts, as she remembers fondly the nine months she spent travelling with her children in Australia and New Zealand, as part of USANA’s move into the Australian and New Zealand markets in 1998.

Unfortunately, her youngest daughter Lexie, did not accompany the family to Australia in 1998, having lost her battle with Cystic Fibrosis three years earlier at the age of 14. At the time, Collette worried that her older daughter, would lose her own battle with the disease.

“My other daughter Sharlie was 15 years old at the time that Lexie had her double lung transplant and she was spiraling down hill dramatically. I think a lot of that was due to watching what her sister was going through and knowing she had the same disease. They actually gave her less than a year to live at that point.”

“She is now 31 years old, she’s been married for five years and three years ago, she gave birth to a little boy. That is unheard of. It’s so rare in the CF community for someone to live that long and to have a child. And I think that Lexie, my youngest daughter, probably had something to do with it. We all feel like we have a guardian angel on the other side.”

It was during the family’s trip to Australia in 1998 that Collette and her son Zachary Ross, became business partners, forming Larsen Global, an independent distributor of USANA. Today, Larsen Global has distributors in 15 countries, including 50,000 distributors in Australia.

Australia was also the place where Collette spent her honeymoon when she remarried in 2005. “I have a lot of friends in Australia. So when USANA told me about the ‘Women in Business’ seminars, I raised my hand to go.”

Despite earning her place as one of the most successful network marketers on the planet, you won’t find Collette Larsen in a corporate office suite or drinking champagne on a corporate jet.

“I still work my business from home. Usually I’m in my bathrobe and slippers, with hot chocolate on my desk. The computer has changed everything and I can train people all over the world and conduct web conferences from home – it’s just amazing.”

* * *

Collette Larson’s Top Secrets for Success

Determine Your “Ultimate Why”
Declaring your intentions and attaching a value to what you are doing helps you stay focused. Also involving friends and loved ones will assist you to stay on track and remind you of why you have chosen to do what you set out to do.

Build Your Belief
It is imperative to have a strong belief in what you are doing. Having confidence and belief in the industry, company you are working with and most importantly in yourself will greatly assist you on your path to success.

Set Goals
From the realistic to outrageous, setting both short and long term goals will help you identify your success and need for improvement. Goals ensure you are continually striving for success.

Expand Your Warm Market
Networking is imperative in the making of a successful business. By initiating conversations, building new relationships and nurturing old ones you will find that exciting business opportunities will arise.

Invest
Investing in yourself, your business and your future will ensure you continue to grow as a business owner and person. It will also make sure your business is evolving and not being left behind in a world that is constantly changing.

Build Leaders
Identify those around you who have leadership qualities. Mentor them and assist in their growth, let them fly! They will develop into a confident leader and integral part of your business.

Get Involved Locally
Being involved in your community will keep you connected and in touch with the evolving trends and needs of your local consumers who are often the most important people to your business.

Live Gratefully; Give Generously
Humility and generosity are important aspects of business. Nurturing your relationships and taking the time to show you care are small but essential components to not only a happy workplace, but a balanced life.

LOVE What You Do
Having passion for your work will show in everything you do. It provides you with the drive and confidence to succeed and makes going to work every day an exciting prospect.

Our interview with Collette Larsen was conducted via Skype. Make cheap calls to landlines and mobiles – Buy SkypeOut credit here

Leading women speakers will be discussing equal opportunity in the workplace and strategies to achieve higher levels of women in leadership roles throughout Australia. It will encourage and inspire women to succeed in the workforce.

“The conference has been running for 22 years, yet 22 years later we are still looking for solutions to these intractable issues. Although many Australians do not want to hear it, gender continues to act as an insidious barrier,” Conference co-chair Melanie O’Connor said.

“Research by Associate Professor McGraw published in The 2008 Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency Census highlights some alarming statistics which show that women do not form the majority in any category of senior job position in any industry in Australia. Not surprisingly, not a single industry in Australia pays women more than they do men and most pay them less.”

“In 2008, there were four female CEOs in the top ASX200 companies in Australia or two percent, down from three per cent in 2006. 106 companies in the top ASX200 do not have a single woman on their boards. A new update of the Macquarie/EOWA research featuring 2010 data will be released by the time of the conference,.”

The Women, Management and Work Conference will include presentations, round table discussions and workshops encouraging audience participation run by influential Australian leaders.

Topics discussed over the two days include: how to get on a board, how to get on an executive team, coaching and mentoring, promotion and development in your job, balancing the risks and rewards as well as inspiring leadership success stories. This year also includes topics on starting your own business.

There will be over 20 inspiring and leading speakers including:

• The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for Housing; Minister for the Status of Women
• Brigadier Simone Wilkie AM, Director General Training, Headquarters Forces Command
• Heather Ridout, Chief Executive, Australian Industry Group
• Andrea Grant, Group Managing Director Human Resources, Telstra
• Mia Freedman, Journalist, columnist, author and media consultant

The Women, Management and Work Conference is scheduled for 29 and 30 July 2010 (9am – 5:30pm) at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, 61-101 Phillip St, Sydney.

For more information and program details visit: http://www.lmsf.mq.edu.au/wmwc

To register visit: http://www.lmsf.mq.edu.au/wmwc/register_now

SOURCE: Macquarie University – Women, Management and Work Conference

The proposed changes by the ASX recommends that entities listed on the ASX disclose in their annual report their achievement against gender objectives set by their board; and the proportion of women on the board, in senior management and employed throughout the entire organisation.

Changes are also proposed to the guidance commentary, proposing that entities highlight the responsibility of nomination committees for recommending strategies to address board diversity, considering diversity in succession planning, and having a charter that regularly reviews the proportion of women at all levels in the company. Boards will also be required to consider diversity objectives in their performance review and disclose the mix of skills and diversity they are looking for in their membership.

According to the 2008 EOWA Australian Census of Women in Leadership, the proportion of women to men on corporate boards and in executive leadership roles is in decline. Australia now trails the USA, UK, South Africa and New Zealand, where it was once ranked second behind the USA.

In 2008 the number of women executive managers in the ASX200 declined to 10.7% from 12% in 2006 and 11.4% in 2004. The number of companies with no women executive managers rose sharply to 45.5% from 39.5% in 2006.

The 2010 EOWA Census of Women in Leadership, being released later this year, will include the publication of Key Management Personnel by gender. These are people defined as having responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the organisation. In 2008 only 7% of these positions in the ASX200 were held by women.

The Acting Director of EOWA said today that the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency will be preparing a submission supporting the proposed changes by the ASX.

Public submissions on the proposed changes close on 31 May 2010. Final changes to the Principles and Recommendations are expected to be released on 30 June 2010, with a start date for the first financial year of listed entities beginning on or after 1 January 2011.

The Exposure Draft of proposed changes can be found here: http://www.asx.com.au/about/whats_new.htm#principles

Source: Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA)

Numerous people, whether authors, writers or people involved in business are submitting their articles today to various online directories. A major reason why article directories are widely used in marketing is the fact that many are absolutely free to web users. Most offer free services due to the great demand in article marketing on the internet. Unlike an advertising campaign that can be quite costly, free article submission sites are a great way to spread the word on a budget.

There are also directories catering to specific target readers that charge a minimal subscription fee. These types of directories normally guarantee the publication of articles within 24 hours after submission unlike the free directories that require several days or even weeks before publishing articles due to the large volume they receive every day. It depends on you which route you’d like to take - free or paid.

Article directories are also commonly used by those looking for content for their website or blog.  They may not have the time or resources to research and write their own articles, so they look for great content online that has already been created by others.

What counts most when using article directories is you know how to follow their editorial guidelines. Learning the correct way of submitting your write-ups will ensure the publication of your articles quickly. Many directories usually require registration with an option to include a photo of the author while there are also some directories that have very rigid application rules.

Providing an interesting author bio is a basic requirement. This should be given due consideration because readers want to get to know the authors of the articles they read. And don’t forget to post an engaging photo of yourself as well to help drive more traffic.

Using the right keywords is also essential. This means including words in your article that your readers will most likely use in searching for your business and other relevant information. Keywords should appear in the title and body of your article to be easily searched by your target audience.

Provide useful and engaging information that you know people will be interested to read. Other than giving details of your products and services, share information that will help them save time or enhance their business success. Share tips, strategies and solutions to common problems related to your field of business and area of expertise.

Some of the free article directories you can utilize are ezinearticles.com and articlesbase.com.

Finally, don’t forget to put at least one link back to your website in your biography so that  readers can easily access your website and learn more about you and your expertise. If they find your article interesting, chances are they will click through to your website to find out more about you and what you do in your business.

About the author:
Wendy Moore is a sought-after speaker, author and educator who is passionate about showing business owners and entrepreneurs how to better understand the internet to build a highly responsive, targeted list of clients specific to their business niche.

To receive your FREE. Special Report, “How to Build a Customer List and Get Clients” plus subscribe to receive our weekly how-to articles to expand your online internet toolkit, visit www.savvywebwomen.com.

Advertisement
Marketing with no money the book will give you the strategies to market on the cheap
“Marketing with no money” the book will share the strategies and resources available to market your business on the cheap. Strategies that anyone can implement!

Anyone in business can offer a newsletter as a way of getting the word out about what they do, the products they sell as well as other important updates regarding their products and services.

Getting started in publishing a newsletter is not difficult.  If you don’t have the time or the skills needed to get your newsletter published each week, there are many resources that you can use, such as a virtual assistant, who will be able to help you.

Setting up the system
To get your newsletter started, you need people to send it to.  The best way to capture their details is to set up a registration form or opt-in box on your site.  Interested visitors can sign up to receive your newsletter on a regular basis.  It’s up to you how much information you ask subscribers to give you.  You can start with asking for their name and email address.

A great way to send out your newsletter and to keep track of website statistics is to use the automated mailing list software provided by your web host.   You will save on cost and time as well.

By using automated software, you can go hands free with sending your newsletters every time a person signs up. This means that when somebody types in her name and email address and hits the submit button, that person automatically gets your newsletter without you having to manually send it.

Additionally, you can set up a system that will automatically send your newsletter to all your subscribers in just one click instead of sending it out one by one. AWeber has this feature plus allows you to track and record your newsletter statistics.

Make sure you check out our Web Secrets Success Club for step by step templates on how to set up and publish your newsletter.

What to include in your newsletter or e-zine
For your newsletter you have different styles to choose from. It can be a letter type with just one or two sections or a mini-magazine style with several sections. A newsletter that is engaging for readers takes some key points into consideration such as relevance to the business, writing style, images and information for readers and potential clients.

A newsletter need not be very long.  Keep it short and the information concise and interesting to maintain the interest of your reader. Topics of interest to share in your newsletter include upcoming product launches, special offers, programs, events and other information of value to your target audience, such as tips and strategies that can help your subscribers in business.

Choose a simple layout that is easy on the eyes. Avoid using too many colours and fonts as well as including too many sections. Your goal should to get your readers to focus on a single piece of content at a time.  Be consistent with the layout of your newsletter so that your readers come to expect certain sections and content and can easily scroll through to find and read their favourite part first.

Including images and photos adds interest and variety. Make sure photos are clear and relevant to the information in your newsletter.  Also include a photo of yourself – people are naturally interested in knowing the person behind the information they read on the internet.

Finally, don’t forget to provide a page on your website with links to your old newsletters. This provides not only great content for your website, anyone who missed a previous newsletter can still view the back issues and browse through the information they missed.

About the author:
Wendy Moore is a sought-after speaker, author and educator who is passionate about showing business owners and entrepreneurs how to better understand the internet to build a highly responsive, targeted list of clients specific to their business niche.

To receive your FREE. Special Report, “How to Build a Customer List and Get Clients” plus subscribe to receive our weekly how-to articles to expand your online internet toolkit, visit www.savvywebwomen.com.

Advertisement
100 Free Emails from VerticalResponse
Whether you’re an email marketing pro or just starting out, VerticalResponse lets you create, send and track professional-looking emails quickly and affordably.

Advertisement
Infusionsoft combines CRM + email marketing + ecommerce into a powerful, all-in-one system. Get it now.
Get a Free Trial of the software that doubles the sales of small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The leadership group, established at a meeting with the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, in Sydney last week, will use their collective influence to develop and drive strategies to progress gender equality in the Australian corporate sector.

The formation of the group was prompted by the ASX Corporate Governance Council recommendations on diversity, which will require each listed entity on the ASX to adopt and disclose a diversity policy that includes measurable objectives relating to gender.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick said, “The commitment and enthusiasm of these men will be one of the most significant factors in achieving success and building momentum toward the adoption of the ASX Council reforms, which are due to be implemented in January 2011.”

The group is comprised of:

• Glen Boreham, Managing Director, IBM Australia and New Zealand
• Gordon Cairns, Non-Executive Director, Westpac and Origin Energy Ltd
• Robert Elstone, Managing Director and CEO, Australian Securities Exchange
• Stephen Fitzgerald, Co-CEO and Managing Director, Goldman Sachs JBWere
• Michael Luscombe, Managing Director and CEO, Woolworths Ltd
• Kevin McCann, Chair non-Executive Director of various Boards including Origin Energy Ltd, Macquarie Bank Ltd and Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Stephen Roberts, CEO of the Citi Institutional Clients Group, Australia and New Zealand
• Giam Swiegers, CEO, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Australia
• David Thodey, Managing Director and CEO, Telstra Ltd.

In a statement released to the media, the group said:

“Strong leadership is crucial to progressing gender equality and increasing the number of women at the decision-making level. We have come together as a group of senior businessmen to provide national leadership; to use our personal influence to drive change; to act as an advisory group and to support the work of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner.”

“Any business that wants to fully understand the marketplace needs to ensure it has the right mix of people, skills and experience in decision-making positions. If you don’t have a diverse workplace, you run the risk of being less competitive. In other words, gender diversity is good for business.”

“There are a range of important initiatives already underway by key stakeholders, including the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Business Council of Australia. By acting together, we hope to embed a culture of diversity and change the face of the business environment.”

“It is hoped that foreign multinationals and professional services firms operating in Australia will also adopt disclosure policies in their own stakeholder communications.”

Commissioner Broderick said that the importance of gender equality in senior business decision-making should not be undervalued: “Everyday, boards and corporate decision makers are influencing our lives – from the decisions that are made about the products we consume, how we live, what we eat, how we are entertained and what services we can access – so it is imperative that this sort of decision-making has equal representation from both genders.”

Source: Australian Human Rights Commission

Dr Doyle has had a distinguished career in the materials and water industries in Australia, including five years in senior operational roles with CSR Limited including CEO of CSR’s Panels Division.

Prior to that Dr Doyle spent 13 years with BHP Limited in various senior operational, marketing and planning roles and four years with Hunter Water with responsibilities for planning and policy development.

Dr Doyle is a Board member of the CSIRO and a non-executive Director of OneSteel, GPT Group and Ross Human Directions Limited. She is also on the Board of two non-profit organisations, Hunter Valley Research Foundation (Chairman) and Hunter Founders Forum (Director).

Dr Doyle has a PhD in Applied Statistics from the University of Newcastle. She is a Fulbright Scholar and has an Executive MBA from Columbia University Business School.

When announcing Dr Doyle’s appointment yesterday, Chairman of Boral, Dr Ken Moss said, “Eileen Doyle’s broad operational and executive experience in the industries in which Boral operates, together with her non-executive director experience, will be highly valuable to the Boral Board.”

Dr Moss will step down as Chairman of Boral Limited (and retire from the Board) in May 2010, at which time Dr Bob Every, who is currently Deputy Chairman, will become Chairman of the Board.

Source: Boral Limited

Lisa Rowntree (pictured) was born and raised in the city. As a young woman she fell in love with a dairy farmer and married him before moving to his property near Coonalpyn in South Australia.

After devoting several years of their married life exclusively to dairy farming, the couple decided to diversify into olive growing about 12 years ago.

Lisa explains, “We travelled to Israel to see what they were doing because we are 35 degrees south of the Equator and the Mediterranean basin is 35 degrees north. Israel has a very similar climate to South Australia and like us they have water issues and don’t like to waste any water. Israel also has sandy soils and they grow very similar things to us.”

“It’s one of those things you really need to see first hand and ask the farmer questions, rather than talking to people who just want to sell you something. It’s been a very valuable experience for us. When we started this orchard about 11 years ago there wasn’t that many people doing it on that sort of scale. So we had to go further afield to find the answers we wanted. I’ve also travelled through Italy and Spain and my husband has just come back from California to look at how they are doing the high density farming.”

When Lisa first became involved in olive growing, the olive industry in Australia was still in it’s infancy – a fact for which she credits much of her success.

“It’s a very unique situation for a woman to get into an industry that is new and get into a position where you can actually help steer how the industry develops,” said Lisa.

“When women get involved in traditional farming, a lot of the history is already there and it’s a little harder for women to get into positions where they can actually make a difference. I didn’t find that in this industry. I found that I could get in, I could make changes and I could implement ideas and generate enthusiasm.”

Lisa, with the Australian Olive Association, has been working to raise awareness of the Association’s recently introduced Code of Practice.

To ensure that consumers are getting the highest quality Australian extra virgin olive oil, the Australian Olive Association introduced an industry Code of Practice, which guarantees the authenticity and quality of certified extra virgin olive oils and distinguishes these products from others. To be certified, every drop of oil in a bottle labelled extra virgin olive oil must meet or exceed standards for quality through taste and laboratory testing. It must be free of smell and taste defects with a free fatty acid level of less than 0.8%.

Only those growers who sign up to the Code of Practice are allowed to display the Code’s symbol on the bottle (pictured below).

“It’s taken us a while to get to this point but we got there and I think we will achieve our goal of having all the serious players in this industry signed up. It’s not an onerous code but it is an effective code,” said Lisa.

Her vision is to see Australia recognised domestically and internationally as a producer of high quality extra virgin olive oil and olive products.

As previously mentioned, Lisa was awarded Rural Woman of the Year in 2005 for services to the Australian Olive industry.

When asked to comment on winning the award, Lisa said, “It was a real honour to win that award and I really enjoyed meeting the people I met and the places that I went. I did a lot of public speaking, getting out there and telling my story and motivating other people to get involved in their industries. There were a few things I wanted to achieve out of that year and I was happy about how it all went.”

But what I really wanted to know is how Lisa Rowntree accomplished so much in 12 years while raising four children (now aged 11 – 19) and running a successful business and a working farm.

“I have a very good husband and I think that helps,” said Lisa. “If you have a husband who believes in you and is prepared to support you and work as a team, I think you can pull anything off.”

Terrie, a proud Australian who currently lives in Europe, is one of a growing number of authors who are self-publishing their work. Her successful little tome – The Little Red Success Book – was first published in January 1994 and went into a second print run six months later. Now 15 years on, Terrie is re-releasing the book, and has also issued an electronic version, in keeping with modern publishing techniques.

Terrie has spent more than 20 years studying, speaking and coaching in the area of human empowerment. Raised in the Australian outback on a large sheep and cattle station, Terrie was educated by correspondence until she was 13. Now CEO of Easy Online Portals, an Australian based company, Terrie also coaches on leadership and solution selling, and is a board and analyst adviser in the IT security industry.

So what, then, lead her to write a book that touches on both the practicalities of personal success as well as metaphysical elements?

“I made a lot of mistakes in my life,” Terrie tells Australian Women Online, “And ended up always at the same spot and very frustrated. I was an angry young person because I carried scars of a violent, and sometimes sadistic  mother. When I turned 30, I decided to explore a new way, after reading an amazing book by Brother Philip called Secret of The Andes.

“I began to meet, and then work with, masters like Dr Wayne Dyer, John Kehoe, Stuart Wilde, Bob Proctor, Louise Hay, Deepak Chopra and many more. I loved what I learned, and for more than 20 years now I can honestly say that even with life’s adversities thrown in, I have had the most incredible and rewarding life.”

Although the market has been saturated with a plethora of ‘self-help’ books, Terrie’s inspiration to write The Little Red Success Book blossomed from a belief that she could find a way to learn the laws of attraction and abundance, in a simpler and – frankly – more affordable way.

“I had spent thousands on my quest. I wanted to reach people with a message of encouragement and also offer them an easy to follow programme to facilitate change. I saw so much need and so little material, I knew it would be simple to start my journey.”

At the time of writing The Little Red Success Book, Terrie was doing a lot of one-to-one mentoring and coaching, and had developed a programme that really worked for people.

“My students kept asking me to write my work down, and finally I did. I had submitted the manuscript to several publishers and I had one editor come back and tell me my writing style was ‘unacceptable’ as I write as though I am talking and not according to editorial guidelines. Funny thing is, that has become one of the success points of my book. People have told me ‘I felt you were sitting in the room and talking to me’”, smiles the author. 

Frustrated with some publishers’ reluctance to challenge existing paradigms, Terrie decided to take the self-publishing route, and discovered it was not so hard to do, and that a lot of help existed both within the community and online.

“What is hard is distribution and marketing, especially when you are not in the mainstream. Of course, you also have to bear all your own set up costs, and you better be a whizz on Adobe, Word and layout techniques! Over time, I found ways to distribute effectively through the global book lists so that any bookshop can order my book, and it helped that our company is an internet business, so we understand how to make that work for us.”

Terrie has been thrilled with the success of The Little Red Success Book – essentially a manual on how to harness personal power, focus and attract a life that is both abundant and rewarding. Divided into several chapters like Analyse, Reflect, Purge, Effort and Energy, the author takes readers through clear, direct and simple strategies, combining both pratical and metaphysical philisophies that both clarify and inspire. Terrie feels the book has extra value for women than men, as they are more open to more subtle ideas and suggestions, yet are often more burdened by society’s expectations.

“Whilst my book is suitable for anyone who wants to achieve a success/happiness lifestyle balance, I really wanted to aim it at the ‘real’ people – those who are stressed with everyday challenges and too tired to ‘study’ or read large books. I wanted to make it easy to read, easy to follow and ensure the reader could understand exactly what they need to do now/next,” explains the author.

“I had a dream that even people who were not traditionally ‘readers’ could enjoy this book. Imagine my sheer joy when a man wrote ‘Thank you, this is the only book I have ever read since leaving school’. I also wanted to reach young women in business who hear every day about the glass ceiling and lose hope, or accept too less. I wanted to inspire older women, too – those with a dream to achieve now the family has grown up, or their circumstances have changed.”

Having worked with a multitude of women over the decades, Terrie has witnessed a real change in the way women are living their lives.

“In evolutionary terms, women of today have gone through a massive shift in the past 50 years. Most evolution happens slowly, but women have advanced meteorically and we are still trying to get it right. Men are still struggling to come to terms with the new order of things.

“All of these paradigm challenges fall back on women; we are the ones that carry the guilt and try to do too much,” says the author, who believes there is a real conflict in ideas about career issues, like the Glass Ceiling.

“The collective mentality always tries to prevent change, and this in itself creates stress for those who want the change. A woman who wants to be a mother and leave the workforce faces different challenges from her colleagues and friends, and may find herself really struggling to cope with her new world.”

But Terrie believes it doesn’t have to be a struggle. While she concedes it’s not easy, she feels it is very possible for women to have a happy, fulfilling and successful life.

“It is easier than any previous time in history for women. I would love to see more women shake off guilt, face the fear of criticism and failure, and just go do whatever it is they want to do in life.”

When asked if she feels it’s possible to attain ‘happiness’ in such a harried world, Terrie says, without a moment’s hesitation – “YES!”

“We can manage our lifestyle in a way that gives us a lot more time and freedom to enjoy what we want to do, and achieve what we want to achieve. The average person wastes hours every day just looking for things, sorting out bills, having to apologise for missed social appointments or being late. Accidents and arguments happen because they are stressed – more minutes lost. They are spending precious life moments apologising, searching and getting stressed.

“If we can take a different approach, we get all those minutes back. I helped a client track her missed minutes recently, and it amounted to an average of 80 minutes per day!  With a different approach, she gained nearly 500 hours a year back!”

Balance and success are often elusive terms for modern day women, and Terrie believes strongly that shifting our perception and learning to believe in ourselves and our ability to attract abundance will aide success.

“I can never emphasise enough to people that they must not stop doing the things they learn. So many people get motivated, things start going well, and then they get busy and stop doing the things that made it work! 

“Every day of my life, I follow my own advice. On a day things do not go so well, I think ‘what have I stopped doing?’ I find it, fix it and away I go again. I may have stopped saying my affirmations for a few days, allowed a negative thought pattern to sneak in, or started being judgemental. It’s like missing my vitamins and wondering why I feel tired.”

Terrie admits to re-reading her own book every six months just to keep herself on track. She has also written a 30 Days of Inspiration programme that reminds her to reconnect with her ‘success’ philosophies. And what is success to this passionate author?

“Success is when you achieve a goal, whatever that goal is. A successful life is one where the majority of the person’s goals are achieved. Recently, a gentleman attending one of my keynotes challenged me that success was about having a big house, nice car and lots of money. I didn’t argue, I just asked him if he considered Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King to be unsuccessful? He looked surprised and then agreed he had not thought of it that way.”

Although Terrie works hard in the ‘real world’ for her IT company, she does believe a balance between the physical and the metaphysical is absolutely essential in life.

“The whole mind and body have to be in sync, or else you lose personal integrity,” she says, “If you smile, you have to use the body but your mind must smile too otherwise that smile does not reach out, connect and attract the energy you need. This is just a tiny example of how we must interconnect our mind, body and spirit to universal energy. Our daily operational mode must stay in integrity with who we are, or we will create the opposite of what we want.”

Driven by the letters, cards and testimonials she has received from people who have read the Little Red Success Book is what drives Terrie to continue her work with personal development.

“Despite having a very successful corporate career, writing The Little Red Success Book and the 30 Days of Inspiration, has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done, “ says Terrie, “This work will live on beyond me, and I know it will continue to touch peoples lives. Life is so short, and so precious. Do not waste too many minutes being unhappy. Happiness is our divine right, and we can claim it. Success is a choice, but it is a mighty fine one.”

The Little Red Success Book is published by Terrie Anderson and is available Australia-wide (order through your local bookstore). For a limited time, Terrie is offering AWO readers the chance to purchase the book for just A$19.95 (normally $24.95) with free shipping within Australia. Just head to www.littleredsuccessbook.com/awo.php for your copy.

Terrie also wants to offer AWO readers the chance to sign up for her FREE 30 Days of Inspiration email program (normally $24.95), offering 30 days of newsletter-style inspiration. Check the link on her site.

Australian Women Online has spoken to several women who say they have been let down, ripped off and in some cases, verbally abused by Hollie Turner, who is reportedly in the United States at present and can’t be reached. When reports surfaced last week that the TV program A Current Affair, were interested in doing a story on the Online Diva, Hollie Turner silenced her critics by promising to pay what she owed. But more than a week later, creditors say they are still waiting and that all their most recent attempts to contact Turner have failed.

I have to admit I never really liked the ‘Online Divas’ concept. Firstly, I think the name “divas” sends the wrong message. How many times have we heard an over-demanding, tantrum-throwing celebrity described in the media as a Diva? As a business woman, this is certainly not the message I would want to send to the business community.

Secondly, women’s business networks such as Online Divas, encourage women to network amongst themselves, instead of getting out there and mixing with the wider business community. Although it’s nice to see women supporting each other, the reality is that men still hold the majority of senior positions in business and therefore, it makes absolutely no sense for women to network only with other women.

Thirdly, I don’t think it’s fair to charge people for advice they could just as easily find online for free. I also didn’t appreciate being screamed at by Hollie Turner after I told her that I wouldn’t be promoting the launch of her website on Australian Women Online.

But despite my personal feelings, it really doesn’t give me any pleasure to have to report on the problems that have arisen in the Online Divas network.

Web designer, Lisa Taliana (www.talianadesign.com.au), says she is still owed $1,200 by Hollie Turner for services she completed for the Online Divas website back in July this year.

Lisa told Australian Women Online, “I took over from her previous web designer and she paid me very quickly for the first job. But she never paid me for the second job – where I basically designed her email template for her and also got her Drupal content management system back up and running.”

Although Hollie Turner has denied owing her the money, Lisa says she can prove she is owed the $1,200.

“I have saved all the emails where she agreed to pay me and I’ve also saved all the transcripts of our chats on Skype,” said Lisa.

In addition to the money she is owed for work performed for the Online Divas website, Lisa Taliana has joined the long list of Australian women who are demanding a refund of the $75 membership fee they were charged by Online Divas.

“I actually went to one of the first events they had and I wasn’t impressed. It’s just really bad advice that they give to people. I was actually a panelist at one of the events and the other girls who were there were just basically encouraging women to go off and do it themselves. A shopping cart isn’t actually easy to do on your own and a blog isn’t going to make you an entrepreneur,” said Lisa.

“There’s nothing happening with the website at the moment and she’s offering nothing to people as an incentive. She offers discounts to events but they get cancelled and she doesn’t return the money.”

The winner of the ‘I wanna be an Online Diva’ competition in 2008, Penny Flanders from www.missmoneypenny.net.au, says although she received free web design, she hasn’t received much else from Online Divas.

“I was also promised a laptop computer, Peep Toe Shoes, an Online Divas membership, mentoring and a Blackberry. Although I did receive the web design and the Blackberry, I had to sign up to a plan for the Blackberry so I was never able to use it,” said Penny.

“I’m still not listed as an Online Diva on the website and I am yet to receive the laptop, the shoes and the business mentoring. These promises are why I launched my business and now I’m left without knowing what to do.”

After the producers of A Current Affair were contacted, Hollie Turner did promise Penny she would deliver the laptop computer. But then in a strange twist to this story, the person Turner had been staying with in San Francisco, reportedly said their laptop had been stolen.

Like Lisa Taliana, Penny says she is fed up with Hollie Turner’s empty promises and wants her experiences to serve as a warning to others.

Sam Winter from www.sassisam.com, says she too is waiting for a refund of her $75 membership fee.

“Hollie has agreed to give me back my money but I haven’t seen it yet, so it could be just another empty promise. I also want to know from her why she charged some girls and not others to join Online Divas.”

Although only Hollie Turner knows her reasons for charging some the membership fee and not others, I would say the most likely explanation is that she wants to encourage women who have a high public profile to join the community – a strategy that has worked well, with Samantha Brett from AskSam, Lauren Smelcher from Cosmopolitan, Kylie Little from Essential Baby, Melanie Silva from Google and many others who can lend credibility to the site, featured on the home page of Online Divas.

We have been told there are many more women who are dissatisfied with the treatment they’ve received, but for one reason or another, they are afraid to come forward and talk about their experiences publicly. All three of the women I spoke to said that whenever they complained to Hollie Turner, they would often receive an abusive email from her.

“I do know many girls are unhappy with Online Divas and Hollie Turner. The difficult thing is getting people to talk about it,” said Penny Flanders. “Hollie knows this and she relies on it.”

UPDATE:
12:30pm, 4 December 2009
Hollie Turner from Online Divas has contacted myself and the three women mentioned in this article. Hollie has refunded the membership fee owed to Sam and is currently making arrangements with Lisa to repay the money she owes for web design services. Hollie is also negotiating with Penny to deliver on her promise of a laptop computer.

Hollie has also asked that we remove the article from the website.