Deep deep deep roots

Our primary goal for the 3 months is BIG national media coverage.

For those of you who are by my side building this tribe to a million members, I request that you do at least one (if not all three) of the following things:

1. Connect me with any journalists you know who would love this story. It's edgy, fun, passionate... and we have a lot to talk about.

2. Give me feedback on the first version of the press release I've pasted below. Just like we did with the philosophy, you helped me write it. I want to know what parts resonate with you, and what needs to be deleted/added.

3. Write about us. Post the parts of the release you like on your blogs, websites, Facebook, etc. We need to build deep deep deep roots for the organization, so when journalists search for Badass Business Women they see YOU talking about it...not just me.



Although far from it's final form, I'm now showing you my first stab at a press release. I'm no expert...many of you know much more about PR & publicity than I do. HELP!

BADASS BUSINESS WOMEN PRESS RELEASE (Take One)

As the United States struggles to emerge from economic heart failure, we need to identify and nurture the talent that will have this country firing on all cylinders. The low-hanging fruit might be in boosting the productivity of the under-developed female workforce.

In the 1950’s, women came out of the woodwork and entered the workforce at a pivotal time when the country needed them most. Now, women represent over 51% of the labor force. Despite great progress, still only 2% of the world’s billionaires are women. (Fact check needed)

There is one particular breed of business women gearing up to fuel the economic engine of the United States. This breed of woman is ambitious, vocal, and clear about her goals.

This breed has a name: Badass Business Women.

“When someone tells me I’m a Badass, it’s the biggest compliment they could give me,” says Jessica Kizorek, founder of BadassBusinessWomen.org. “It means I’m on fire, I’m edgy, I’m making big stuff happen. When a woman is being a badass, her energy is contagious.”

Not all business women are Badass Business Women, according to founding member Marci Alt. “We’re not talking about the timid and mousy type who is standing around waiting for orders. We’re talking about the big-thinkers, the women who are charting out where they want to be in 3 years. Badass Business Women aren’t afraid to ask for what they want, then surround themselves with people who will help them get it.”

Kizorek, 29, is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for teaching and inspiring. As an adjunct professor and author of four books on the Internet and video marketing, Kizorek’s newest goal is to inspire 1 million business women to live up to their inner badass.

The questions Kizorek is raising are especially relevant as unemployment soars and small businesses are failing at an alarming rate. Her goal isn’t just to inspire – she challenges her members to increase their number of clients, hire other badass business women, and increase their overall wealth.

With tremendous conviction, Kizorek believes that the business women in this country are our unsung heroes. “But we don’t relate to them like that or celebrate their uniquely feminine contribution. That’s a big problem,” she says.

“When Madonna walks out on stage, the crowd goes wild. When you walk into your office, are you greeted with fan mail?”

Following Kizorek’s lead, hundreds of powerful women across the country are now cheering each other on, challenging and mentoring one another in today’s male oriented business world.

Though at first glance the movement may be reminiscent of the rebellious anti-male feminist movement, this group’s members are determined to include the men that love and support them in their business endeavors.

Jessica’s 18-year-old cousin, Christopher Kizorek, has been a member since the group’s inception in February 2010. “I think what they are doing is really cool, and I want to spread the word so the women in my life can be a part of this,” says young Chris.

The organization’s philosophy, drafted in April 2010 by the members, states, “Being a Badass Business Woman is not about running stiletto-clad circles around men. It’s about gracefully striding forward in the business world with a radiant strength and confident dexterity that is uniquely female.”

Michelle Villalobos, another founding member, runs seminars teaching women how to communicate more powerfully. Villalobos articulates, “Society teaches women to be polite, sophisticated, and smart. Not vocal, edgy and strong-willed. Our fear of being called a “bitch” plagues us and inhibits our natural self-expression. That’s why learning to be a Badass Business Woman can produce real results in achievement and income level.”

Kizorek’s goal is lofty: She plans to reach one million members and inspire people the way Martin Luther King Jr. did. But what makes such a big goal worthwhile is that slight possibility of success.

Imagine a country where one million business women are unabashedly pouring their heart and soul and vision for the future into the business environment. One million business women in the United States who aren’t standing by to take orders, but creating the future instead. A worthwhile goal indeed.