Maria Shriver

Julie Steelman

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Blog Posts

• November 15, 2011

  Tips for Transformation

  

  We Weren’t Born To Follow

  Follow @JulieSteelman

  Confession: I’m a die-hard rocker. I grew up on rock and roll, and feel lucky that the music of my youth still fills me with as much hope and adventure as it did when it was created.

  Bon Jovi is one of my all time favorite bands, and that’s because Jon Bon Jovi expresses such authenticity when he sings. Last year, they released the video “We Weren’t Born To Follow.” I recommend buying it on iTunes and watching it daily; it will wake you up like it did me.

• October 26, 2011

  I've Been Thinking

  

  The Audacity of Declaring Who You Are

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  What does the word “feminine” mean to you? Dictionaries (and your grandfather) will tell you it means delicate. Soft. Sensitive.

  I’d like to pull us into the 21st century, redefine feminine, and create a description we can all step into.

  Feminine is feeling powerful and worthy about who you are and what you do.

• September 12, 2011

  Tips for Transformation

  

  Six Ways to Overcome Selling Shyness

  Adapted from her new book, "The Effortless Yes"

  It's long been thought that extroverts outperform introverts in the business arena. But a new study from the Wharton School found that introverted business people outpace their extroverted peers when they're able to lead others who are highly proactive. As a salesperson, if you can turn your customers into proactive buyers working to achieve your objective -- which is to help them solve a problem -- then being shy, quiet, or introverted may have a number of advantages. For example, introverts are typically good listeners, they're humble, and they don't oversell -- all great qualities in a salesperson.

  So how can a shy salesperson engage a customer? Here are six techniques that work.

• July 29, 2011

  

  5 Business Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs

  Adapted from her new book, "The Effortless Yes: Get the Sales You Want and Make All You'll Ever Need."
  
  The number of women-owned businesses has grown twice as fast as men-owned firms in the last 14 years. And yet, revenue growth of women-owned enterprises between 1997 and 2011 lagged behind at just 54%, compared with the national average of 71%. Why? I believe it's because many women entrepreneurs have a strong distaste for selling and self-promotion.
  
  Without robust and growing revenues, female businesses can't compete. But there's a new way to sell oneself and one's business that's well-suited to women's natural desire to be of service while remaining true to themselves. Here are five strategies that can help.