Girls In Tech

Just in time to help break the ice at this year’s holiday gatherings, the web’s premier relationship compatibility site Moonit is introducing the Moonit Social iPhone app. Now you can walk around with your very own “virtual wingman” in your back pocket that lets you see how compatible you are with everyone you meet for flirting or for friendship.

The Moonit Social iPhone app offers insights into your romantic and platonic relationships by performing an analysis of your birthdays through astrology. Users can view their percentage compatibility and a short, entertaining paragraph of tangible advice on what to appreciate, what to look out for, and what to work on for that particular pairing. The app ultimately helps users uncover all the characters in their lives by collecting Moonit relationship stickers like “Wedding Bells,” “Wingman” and “BFF.”

How Does It Work? Download the free app, set up your profile with your full birth date and picture, and send someone a Moonit request to connect for flirting or friendship—just make sure they’re an iPhone app user, too. Once they accept your request, you’ll both receive your compatibility results.

Over 1 million web users are accessing Moonit’s compatibility offerings on www.moonit.com, while over 500,000 email subscribers are opted in to Moonit’s relationship horoscope email alerts. The quantitative and qualitative components of Moonit’s relationship offerings are driven by a proprietary predictive algorithm, which seeks out the strongest weighted aspect between two individuals to reveal the overriding dynamic of that relationship. This unique algorithm that performs birth date analysis was co-developed with Astrolabe—the leading software provider for professional astrologers.

To download the app, click here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moonit/id469944437. And if you’re not an iPhone app user, you can go to: www.moonit.com to get insights to all your past, present and future relationships

Tags: Adriana Gacoigne, App, Flirting, girls in tech, iphone, Moonit, Social dating
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 Guest blog entry by Liza Deyrmenjian, CEO and Co-Founder of AFINGO and Shoptoko.com

Know Your Tech

If you’re starting a tech-based company, know something about technology. It sounds simple but it’s surprising how many businesspeople trustingly outsource their technology without thoroughly knowing the environment. Through the AFINGO Fashion Forum events, I’ve spoken with a tremendous number of high-profile entrepreneurs. Over and over technology is cited as the single greatest “wish I’d known then what I know now” factor. Get informed.

For instance, go to the 3 of the top, most well-respected local technology providers and pay them for a 2 hour consultation during which you discuss your idea and get their input. Learn all you can about technology, take a night class on UX and basic coding. This will empower your decision-making.

Scale Small to Start

Ask top tech shops for referrals to independent developers and have those free agents build a demo for you before investing in an entire build out. This should not cost you more then $5,000-$10,000, and if anyone says that it should cost you 10 times more they are plain wrong. A great UX person is of utmost importance, as well. Together you and the UX person can manage the demo build out.

Co-Pilot is Key

Find your self a great co-pilot, otherwise known as a Chief Operating Officer. A competent COO makes your life easier by managing the day-to-day of building and running a business. They are not the one that watches the money, though — that will always be you. Even when you are able to hire a Chief Financial Officer make sure you always know what your numbers are. At the end of the day, it’s your business.

Testing 1-2-3

Before you get funded, you should be able to build a demo site, push it live and test it to see if the revenue model works. One must clearly identify how the property will make money. See if you get traction, however you want to quantify it. Are you getting hits, users, readers, members, sign ups? Traffic is a key metric for potential investors.

Use Your Ears

Build yourself an advisory board.  I didn’t do this from the start and I wish I had!

The top best practice of a girl in tech is – seek out other great girls in tech and talk to them. Ask them how they did it and LISTEN. Let them mentor you.

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, AFINGO, girls in tech, Liza Deyrmenjian, Shoptoko, women in tech
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Over 2,139,373 Actions taken by YOU on ending the violence against women. It is one of top sought priority worldwide part of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women initiative.

Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence against Women is a social mobilization platform on ending violence against women and girls, contributing towards UN Secretary General’s system -wide campaign, UNiTE to End Violence against Women. Launched in November 2009 by UN Women, Say NO – UNiTE showcases advocacy efforts and engages people from all walks of life, online and on the ground. UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman is the Spokesperson of Say NO – UNiTE.

This year, Say NO – UNiTE  will present 16 actions that organizations and activists can take, to mark the 16 Days of Activism. Actions can be taken online or offline, by participating in the highlighted events or by organizing your own. Activists can pick as many actions as they like, or take the action of the day. The 16 Days page is live on November 21, 2011

Posting your #16Days action on www.saynotoviolence.org is easy – create an account, and once it is activated, post an action page for each event/activity. Please select “16 Days” as the Action Type.

Follow me @MsSonicFlare

Tags: #16days, 24notion, activism, gender equality, Ivo Lukas, say no unite, UN, united nations, UNwomen
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As published on their website, Computing in the Core Coalition announces CSEdWeek 2011 from December 4 to 10, 2011. CSEdWeek is a highly distributed celebration of the impact of computing and the need for computer science education.

Last year, with leadership from Congressman Vernon Ehlers and Congressman Jared Polis, the US House of Representatives endorsed December 5 to 11, 2010 – the week of Grace Hopper’s birthday (December 9, 1906) – as Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) to recognize the critical role of computing in today’s society and the imperative to bolster computer science education at all levels.  Going forward, CSEdWeek will always be held the week containing December 9th.

Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) education has fallen woefully behind in preparing students with the fundamental computer science knowledge and skills they need for 21st century careers. Click here to learn more about how your state is doing.

Computer Science is:

• Computing
• Computer Engineering
• Informatics
• Information Technology
• Software Engineering
• Information Systems

CSEdWeek recognizes that computer science is ubiquitous:

• It touches everyone’s daily lives and plays a critical role in society
• It drives innovation and economic growth
• It provides rewarding job opportunities

Computer science education is essential for:

• Exposing students to critical thinking and problem solving
• Instilling understanding of computational thinking for success in the digital age
• Preparing students to attack the world’s most challenging problems from a computation perspective

As the role and significance of computing has grown, the teaching of computer science has dramatically declined:

• There is insufficient innovative computing curricula for students at all levels
• Few students have the opportunity to study computer science in an engaging and rigorous way
• The lack of ethnic and gender diversity among those who take computer science courses is unacceptable
• Teachers have few opportunities for professional development in computing
• Certification for computer science teachers is virtually nonexistent nationwide

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, Computing in the Core Coalition, CS, CSEdWeek, development, girls in tech, NCWIT, women in tech
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Musical Health Technologies announces the debut of SingFit, a technology designed to help increase wellness through singing. Developed by a board certified music therapist, SingFit’s patented Lyric Coach system allows users to enjoy a successful singing experience regardless of their ability to read or see the lyrics to a song.  This handicapped accessible technology enables those with Alzheimer’s, autism, brain injuries, Down Syndrome, Parkinson’s Disease, impaired vision, and other special needs to engage in the health enhancing, mood elevating, joyful activity of singing.

The SingFit app and a collection of public domain songs will be free to download from Apple iTunes for use on the iPad, iTouch, and iPhone hardware beginning December 1, 2011.  A monthly subscription of $12.99 allows all-you-can-sing access to SingFit’s growing catalog of songs featuring a wide range of beloved compositions from multiple musical genres and eras.  From Frank Sinatra and Al Green to Bob Marley, Selena, Bonnie Raitt, The Kings of Leon and everybody in between.

Scientific studies have shown that singing in general positively impacts the levels of hormones responsible for regulating mood, blood pressure and social bonding, including serotonin, cortisol and oxytocin.  Furthermore, singing has been proven to help increase immune system strength and respiratory function while decreasing stress, pain and agitation.  Imaging studies also reveal that singing can promote cross hemisphere brain activity, which can increase mental neuroplasticity and improve cognitive functioning.

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, App, girls in tech, iphone, iTunes, SingFit, Singing, Wellness, women in tech
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Infographic provided by Checkpoints

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, girls in tech, mobile, online shopping, women in tech
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If there is anything businesswomen need to understand, it’s the ability to change and be changed! With a tight economy, now more than ever, women need to take control of their careers if they want to get ahead.

Staying relevant in an evolving workplace, career advancement, and maintaining a balanced family life, are all issues facing female career professionals right now. Whether a woman is transitioning back into the workplace and needs to reassert herself in her position, wants to negotiate a raise or promotion, or has set her sights on a high level position, a few career saving insights can do wonders for your professional life.

Get Ahead Strategies to help women “Power Up”:

1. Create an individual communication plan: If you don’t track  progress, you won’t know how far you are going. Similar to a diary, be sure to date and review your entries to see how far you’ve come.

2. Presentation journal: Similar to a running log or food journal, the presentation journal helps you collect data about your communication habits. Track dates and times along with the type of presentation/meeting/interview, an analysis about how it went, what you would do differently, etc.

3. Self rating system: Never stop evaluating yourself. This doesn’t mean focusing on your flaws, but rather seeing where there’s room for improvement and then making the necessary adjustments. Focus on one area at a time.  You can even implement a numbered rating system so you can see how you’re progressing.

4. Mentorships and sponsorship programs: Having a mentor or sponsor is always beneficial and is recommended in any field.  It’s best to work with at least one career and one life mentor. They can guide your forward momentum. They may also be the greatest networking tool for your career.

When we communicate, we don’t always send the messages we want to convey.  Women have a tendency to fall into the below communication pitfalls.  Avoid:

1. Apologizing for perceived short-falls: Women apologize to be polite. Stop apologizing because it makes you sound weak. Instead, come up with a suggestion.

2. Bad posture: This includes rolled shoulders and shifty feet. If you stand up straight, you will appear more confident and people will take you more seriously.

3. Lack of voice projection and weak vocal behavior. Having a weak voice, including nasal or ultra-feminine tones, gives others the impression you are not credible. If you create a stronger voice, you will have a better chance of not being second guessed.

4. Lack of pride in accomplishments: Take pride in what you’ve done, and others will see how you can be beneficial to the team as well.

5. Less is more: Be very intentional about what you say and how you say it. Don’t be too wordy.

6. Ill-fitting clothing can be distracting and conveys an unprofessional and unpolished image.  Get your clothes tailored to fit.

7. Too much head movement: Don’t be the bobble-head joke in the office! Most people don’t notice they do it.

Most importantly, be authentic, be confident, and work hard. These ingredients will help you “Power Up” to the next level in your career. Work on your communication style and avoid distracting blunders that can become obstacles to reaching your goals.  You  start to notice how intention with the little details plus focus in key areas make a difference  for your professional success.. Here’s to your WOW!

Roshini Rajkumar, communication and image expert, licensed attorney, and author of “Communicate That!

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, Career Tips for Women, Communicate That, girls in tech, Roshini Rajkumar, women in tech
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Open source: Google Code-in contest kicks in last week. For those students in the ages of 13-17 years old could participate and win fabulous prizes and recognition.  It’s a simple process: Pick a task, complete the task and your task is approved. The contest runs from November 21, 2011 to January 16, 2012. Worldwide participation is encouraged. The goal is to produce a variety of open source code, documentation, training materials and user experience research for the organizations participating this year. These tasks include:

• Code: Tasks related to writing or refactoring code
• Documentation: Tasks related to creating/editing documents
• Outreach: Tasks related to community management and outreach/marketing
• Quality Assurance: Tasks related to testing and ensuring code is of high quality
• Research: Tasks related to studying a problem and recommending solutions
• Training: Tasks related to helping others learn more
• Translation: Tasks related to localization
• User Interface: Tasks related to user experience research or user interface design and interaction

Check out the site to participate and learn more. 54 days left to the challenge, so spread the word!

Be sure to let us know that you are participating so, you might get a chance to be profiled on our Girls in Tech Mentorship Program article. Drop us an email ivo@girlsintech.net

Follow me @MsSonicFlare

Tags: girlsintech mentorship, GITmentorship, google code in, Ivo Lukas, k-12, mentorship, open source, technology
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With Cyber Monday just around the corner, comparison search engine and social commerce provider SortPrice.com today released its’ annual list of helpful hints and tips for safe, secure and productive online shopping this holiday season. The 11 for ’11 List, it’s designed as a blueprint for every online shopper—from the novice to the seasoned veteran—to get the most out of their holiday shopping experience this year.  With an emphasis on safe holiday shopping, the list is also reflective of the myriad of options available to shoppers on the ever-growing e-commerce landscape.

Developed from years of experience in guiding online shoppers and providing merchants with a solid platform from which to sell their items online, the 11 for ’11 List is as follows:

1. Be thorough in your research by utilizing all the resources the internet provides, particularly social media networks, to compare prices and search for online-only bargains that guarantee you’ll save money.
2. Update your home computer’s anti-virus software and security tools before you start shopping, and if using a wireless connection, make sure it’s encrypted with a password.
3. Don’t Procrastinate! Prices and inventories change quickly online this time of year so to ensure you get what you’re looking for, shop and order early.
4. Carefully review every online retailer’s terms and conditions as well as their return policies, as they vary industry-wide.
5. Beware of certain promotional emails requesting personal information or promising a special deal.  Usually, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
6. Create or update new online passwords that are unique and difficult to steal—avoid pet names, birthdays, etc. and incorporate numbers and characters.
7. Use credit cards instead of debit cards, as you’ll be better protected from fraud and face less liability in the event of your card number being stolen.
8. Shop only on certifiably secure websites: look for ‘https://’ URLs that indicate secure connections when placing orders and entering personal information.
9. Be smart about where you disclose personal information—including phone numbers, addresses and financial information—and avoid unverifiable entities.
10. Look for delivery guarantees from online retailers and always keep hard copies of email confirmations of orders and delivery status.
11. Seek out the ‘Freebies’ that some retailers include on orders of a particular size or volume; keep them for yourself or use them as stocking stuffers!

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, Christmas, eCommerce, girls in tech, holiday shopping, Online safety tips, SortPrice.com, women in tech
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Just in time for this week’s Black Friday madness, Novelo.com, a Startup Chile participant, and a TechStars 2011 public vote finalist, has launched an international Facebook virtual mall – the first in Latin America.

The mall includes clothing, shoes, perfumes and gifts, furniture and décor, rare books and CDs, jewelry and electronics, as well as handicraft from all over the world and band merchandise. In addition to purchasing products, you can also contract services at the mall through Facebook, such as gym classes, language courses and even fishing lessons or automobile services.

The site also includes U.S. based shops. Michelle Cullum, blogger military wife and mother of three grown sons, for example, is able to sell her Renaissance Chick series – books that focus on lifestyle topics specifically tailored for women.

Bands also now have a new outlet to sell their band merch and albums.

“For the first time, consumers have an  complete 24/7 online shopping mall without the traditional real world inconveniences and with a series of benefits that were, up until now, limited to social networks, ” told us Michelle Veronese, CEO of Brazil-based Novelo. “Visitors to the mall are able to browse a list of various categories, all linked to differing stores within the mall.”

When clicking on a product, the visitor sees its details and is able to make an immediate purchase, according to each store’s selling and shipping rules. Visitors can also access the store itself and view other products on sale.

Because it works within Facebook, Novelo Social Shopping relies on all of the social features offered by the social network. One such feature is the option of sharing the consumption experience with friends.  Users can “Like” products in the mall, bookmark items, tweet about what they are purchasing or recommend stores to friends. Each action, when shared, triggers a word of mouth effect that helps advertise products and generates organic publicity for the stores.

Payment functions within Facebook through systems integrated with the mall, and can be used with PayPal, bank deposits, PagSeguro, MoIP and DineroMail.

Novelo has 9,000 monthly active users and 32,000 active products on sale, including in Latin American countries such as Chile, Spain, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. U.S. and UK based stores are also rapidly growing on the site.

Visit Novelo on Facebook now and try out their mall!

Tags: brazil, e-commerce, facebook shopping, social shopping, Techstars
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