Dear Followers, Today's amazing woman is 26 year old Lindsey Vonn, who yesterday became the first American woman to ever win Oylmpic Gold in downhill skiing. Like so many high achievers, Vonn has a variety of the 17 traits of Self-Empowered Women. The story began when she was two years old and began skiing (2: An Early Sense of Direction). Her father, Alan Kildow, had been a national junior sky champion before a knee injury put an end to his … [Read more...]

Dear Followers, Today's amazing woman is the recording artist Sade, born Helen Folasade Adu in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Her father (Bisi Adu, a Nigerian lecturer in Economics) and her mother (Anne Hayes, an English nurse) met in London, moved to Nigeria, and separated when Sade was four years old (1: No Paternal Safety Net). Sade and her older brother moved to England, and lived with their maternal grandparents and their mother. While in … [Read more...]

Dear Followers, Today I'd like to share the story of a most unlikely Self-Empowered Woman. Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820 (in Florence, Italy), and died in her sleep on August 13, 1910 in London. During her lifetime she initiated the role of women as nurses, and profoundly improved conditions for soldiers in the UK and abroad. Unlike most Self-Empowered Women, Florence Nightingale's father played both a supportive and a … [Read more...]

Dear Followers, Today I'd like to introduce you to an amazing 84 year old woman who has had a profound effect on the political landscape in Chile. In today's New York Times Alexei Barrionuevo introduced readers to Ana Gonzalez, a plump gray-haired grandmother who has batteld tirelessly on behalf of families touched by "the dissapeared." Back in the 1970's, Chile's president, socialist Salvador Allende was overthrown in a bloody coup by … [Read more...]

Dear Followers, Can't believe it's the last day of 2009! We've all been through so much, but everyone seems to agree that 2010 is bound to be easier for all of us. Not surprisingly, my New Year's Resolutions involve better health, book sales, and more amazing women for the blog. Today's amazing woman is Dame Agatha Christie, who has been called - by the "Guinness Book of World Records" as the best-selling book author of all times as well as … [Read more...]

Dear Followers, I'm willing to bet that many of your favorite movies - like mine - over the last 20 years have been made due to the genius of writer/director/producer Nancy Meyers. From "Private Benjamin" to both versions of "Father of The Bride" to "The Holiday" and "It's Complicated," Meyers has changed the way that Hollywood power brokers think about movie audiences. Not surprisingly, Meyers has her share of Self-Empowered characteristics. … [Read more...]

Dear Followers, After a two-week holiday hiatus I'm ready to continue sharing stories about amazing women. On the book front, sales continue to grow gradually and 309 people have watch The Self-Empowered Woman YouTube video. In January I'll have three speaking engagements, and hope that word of mouth will compensate for (way too expensive) advertising. And, I'd like to thank each of you for your enthusiasm! Today, I'd like to tell you about an … [Read more...]

Dear Followers,Just thought I'd share the review of The Self-Empowered Woman that will run on the syndicated Bizjournals next week: Book review: The Self-Empowered WomanConnie GlaserThe New York Times ran an article recently about the love affair that Hollywood was having with "Famous Dead Women." Only one movie last year about a living woman made it into the Top 10 films, and that was the vampire teenage romance Twilight. What Hollywood has … [Read more...]

Dear Followers, It's been a hectic and unusual week, brightened by good book sales and growing numbers of YouTube viewers. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Today I'd like to introduce you to Marie NDiaye, the 42 year old woman who just won the award for the best new work in French literature In true Self-Empowered Woman style, NDiaye didn't meet her father until she was 15 years old (Chapter One: No Paternal Safety Net). Currently the … [Read more...]

Dear Followers,Today's blog is about 53 year old Dr. Regina Benjamin, who was unanimously approved by the Senate and is the third African American as well as the third woman to hold the position of Surgeon General of the United States. For over two decades, Dr. Benjamin has been one of the few doctors working in the shrimping village of Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Her rural health clinic there serves 4,400 patients.When her clinic was destroyed - … [Read more...]