Work that SKIRT!  By Kaye Cloutman

Empowerment of women has come a long way… From gaining the right to vote and serving in government to fighting for equality in family concerns and in the workplace, I, together with all my female colleagues and friends are the direct benefactors of the hard work of these historical heroines. Burning bras once symbolized liberation and freedom. In the present day however, three women who are considered leaders and award-winning authorities in California have recently taught me how to make use of another form of female garment… the skirt.

SKIRT™ which is an acronym that stands for Sharing Knowledge Information and Resources Together is a networking strategy that taps into women’s natural networking prowess to build powerful business networks which support their personal and professional goals… With the current state of the job market and economy, authors Michelle Alberda, Stacey Fleece and Michelle Balog join forces to help women successfully achieve their career goals with their recently released guide book SKIRTworking, How to Network Using SKIRT.

A couple of months ago, I was able to attend their launch party at the Hyatt in San Francisco and was overwhelmed with the number of attendees; men and women from different industries who all celebrated the power of networking. I immediately received warm feelings from all sorts of folks that I normally didn’t get at any similar event I’d attended in the past. Most events I attended prior to this were replete with unhealthy competition where most were only concerned about what their business could offer. The authors inculcate the value of building relationships in all chapters of the book and how to truly know your colleagues well to fully establish trust in giving and gaining referrals, because – let’s face it, women are natural networkers. Quality over quantity is also crucial in the world of business and making allies through SKIRTworking is without a doubt about as top caliber as you can get in learning to navigate the influential circles of the Bay Area’s movers and shakers.

Noteworthy chapters include topics on practicing effective strategies in the business, power lunching and nurturing your network. Step into a whole new world of profitable interaction, establishing valuable contacts and exchanging lucrative ideas with the useful tips in SKIRTworking and instantly feel the successful results of the combined knowledge of this empowerment trifecta.