The authors featured in this extraordinary book can hardly be called ordinary -- neither can their advice. New York Times best-selling author Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott, acclaimed songwriter Jana Stanfield, and 17 of America's top motivational speakers have created a book by women for women. Book jacket.

Q: How many female CEOs does it take to break the glassceiling? A: That's the wrong question! Numbers alone simply don't tell the real story of how women aredoing in today's corporate world. Success on Our Own Terms does.It's filled with real stories -- stories of ordinary women who aremaking an extraordinary difference in the way corporationswork. Success on Our Own Terms features women of different ages, ethnicbackgrounds, and educational levels. Their combined experiencesoffer a fascinating portrait of how the corporate landscape haschanged for women over the last few decades. This book is filledwith the wisdom of these experiences, from important lessons onnavigating corporate corridors and influencing the system tojuggling work and personal life, helping local communities, andmuch more. Exploring the multidimensional definition of success shared bythese women, this book reveals how they are working hard to reachtheir goals, balance their lives, and make a positive contributionto society. It shows how they --and others like them --aretransforming the organization from the inside out through their ownunique management style, values, vision, and determination. By designing, achieving, and owning their success, women areexploding conventional definitions of their progress in theworkplace. The female voices in Success on Our Own Terms inform,encourage, and inspire us all. "Wonderful, timely, and absolutely refreshing. Reading this bookexcited and inspired me, and reaffirmed my belief that the futurewill be a great place for women." --Sally Helgesen, author of TheFemale Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership and EverydayRevolutionaries: Working Women and the Transformation of AmericanLife "Virginia O'Brien tells the real story --that 'we are entering anew phase in which women are becoming full participants with men inconducting the nation's business.'. . . It's a heartening read, anda good antidote to media tales of doom and gloom." --Caryl Rivers,coauthor of She Works, He Works: How Two Income Families AreHappier, Healthier, and Better Off "A must read to understand the multidimensional new valuessuccessful women bring to the marketplace of ideas. . . . [Readers]will find themselves, a friend, or a loved one on every page."--Carol R. Goldberg, President of the Avcar Group, Ltd. and formerPresident and COO of Stop & Shop Companies, Inc. "Insightful and informative. This excellent work brings the storiesof successful women executives to the forefront." --Charles E.Rice, Chairman and CEO, Barnett Banks, Inc. "These are inspiring stories, which I highly recommend." --RichardMcCormick, Chairman and CEO, US West, Inc.

More than fifty successful women share their secrets of how they got where they are and describe their choices, mentors, opportunities, challenges, and other steps that they encountered on the road to fulfillment.

In this Wall Street Journal bestseller, Jessica Herrin, serial entrepreneur and founder and CEO of the Stella & Dot Family Brands, shows how the classic traits of successful entrepreneurs are ones each one of us can develop--and use not only to create a company, but also to create an extraordinary life. What if you could, with a little effort, live an extraordinary life? A life in which you felt deep passion for everything you did, and always had time for what matters most? A life in which you had the power, the daring, and the will to make your boldest dreams come true, all while you happily left feelings of inadequacy or guilt behind? It is possible to take your life from ordinary to extraordinary. The secret? Cultivating the entrepreneurial spirit inside you--the spirit that allows you to embrace your individuality, to look not just at what is but at what could be, to believe in yourself beyond reason and to step up to creating your own definition of happiness and success--a version of success in which work and family life happily co-exist--instead of chasing a cookie-cutter version. Whether we work a corporate job, run a family, or run our own business, Herrin offers realistic, attainable steps each one of us can take to achieve extraordinary success on our own terms. Through candid and inspiring lessons from her life as a successful CEO and working mother of two, as well as stories of many amazing individuals she’s met along the way, Herrin inspires and empowers us to dial up the sound of our own voices and make our authentic dreams a reality. This book isn’t about having it all; it’s about having what matters most to you. It is about how to find your extraordinary--your extraordinary career, your extraordinary happiness, your extraordinary life.

Erma Bombeck once said, "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I'd hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'" How each woman defines success might be a personal matter, but there are certain gems of wisdom we can all share. Editor Ellyn Spragins invited women from all walks of life to write letters to their younger selves, filled with the knowledge they wish they'd had before beginning their own journeys. Including tales from trailblazers like legendary news journalist Barbara Walters, finance expert Suze Orman, pro golfer Annika Sorenstam, fashion designer Kate Spade, newscaster Soledad O'Brien, and fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg, these letters highlight what helped each woman get ahead, what got in her way, and what really mattered.Whether they address launching a company, running for office, starting a family, or succeeding in less conventional ways, these voices will both move and inspire any woman who counts herself a success-in-the-making.

The 7 Key Principles to achieving YOUR business and life goals What could a graffiti artist, eminent neurologist, star athlete, celebrity chef, fashion designer, rocket scientist, and Grammy Award–winning musician possibly have in common? In this groundbreaking new book, Rana Florida shares their formula, giving you the tools to achieve unimaginable success in work and life. Upgrade gathers the best practices, not just from CEOs and business executives but from entrepreneurs, innovative thinkers, and creative leaders. Upgrade includes interviews with Sir Ken Robinson, Dan Pink, Mark Cuban, Andre Agassi, Kenny Scharf, Zaha Hadid, Governor Martin O’Malley, Tory Burch, Tim Brown, and many other leading figures. Despite this cast’s vastly different backgrounds and skills, Florida’s research concludes that there are seven key principles to achieving your business and life goals: Envision the future Find your passion Get creative Design your time Collaborate Take risks Embrace failure Unfortunately, this is exactly what the majority of us don’t do. Instead of developing a real strategy to upgrade and optimize our lives, too many of us just slog through life in a state of “managed dissatisfaction.” But it’s never too late to envision an entirely different future—or to actively upgrade your life. It’s not about finding more time, money, or resources. Anyone can do it. This smart and entertaining guide delves deep into each principle, giving you the insights, tools, and inspiration to take your life from ordinary to extraordinary. Praise for Upgrade “Why ride in coach, when you can upgrade? A must-read for a better journey through life.” Don Tapscott, bestselling author, Wikinomics and Grown Up Digital “Upgrade is an a-ha book that will change how you look at life’s challenges and give you tools to upgrade your life.” Touré, cohost of MSNBC’s The Cycle “Read Upgrade for its stories, examples, and strategies and get ready to live the life you always wanted.” Frank Toskan, founder, M.A.C. Cosmetics “Creative and innovative strategies to upgrade your work and life, with seven simple principles.” Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com, Inc., and New York Times bestselling author of Delivering Happiness “Rana’s perspective on business and life is a fresh new take, breaking the traditional corporate mold. Upgrade is a must-read for anyone not buying into the conventional wisdom.” Ali Velshi, CNN Chief Business Correspondent; anchor, CNN-I World Business Today; and host, CNN Your Money “Upgrade welcomes you to take a fresh approach to everything you do to get the most out of work and life.” Nelly Furtado, Grammy Award–winning musician “If I’m going to listen to anyone’s good advice about how to improve my approach to work and life, it’s Rana’s.” Kate Betts, contributing editor, TIME, and columnist, The Daily Beast "Rana's voice is refreshing--as real as a memoir and a great vessel for this self-help and business book wrapped up in one easily-digestible package." Paper Magazine "A very interesting book." Business Learning Solutions

A collection of biographical sketches providing an introduction to both the contrasts and continuities of American women's experience through nearly four centuries. Major subjects and themes emerge, including women's rights, suffrage, education, health, women's liberation, and marriage.