Weak Ties/Strong Bonds

It's true, Christmas came early this year. Not in the fun, happy sense, but in the we're-all-depressed-maybe-twinkle-lights-will-help sense, according to reporting from Vox, Axios, The Wall Street Journal, and others. The arrival of the holiday spirit may feel like permission to lay low for the rest of the year, but there's still a lot you can do to finish the year strong and set yourself up for success in 2025. To wit, our holiday dos and don'ts: ? Don't:?Do what everyone else is doing. You'll spend more competing for attention, and run the risk of getting lost in the noise. ??Do:?Find creative ways to get in front of customers, like partnering with other businesses for cross-promotions, offering exclusive experiences, or hosting small virtual events that bring your community and customers together. ??Don't:?Spend money on ads if you don't have to. It's? the most expensive ?time of year to invest in advertising. As a small business, avoid it if you can. ??Do:?Focus on organic strategies—leverage your email list, engage with your social media community, and get personal. A thoughtful, authentic message can stand out more than a pricey ad. ??Don't:?Over-invest in a crowded landscape (read: #BFCM) and expect huge returns. ??Do:?Take advantage of customer expectations (read: deals and discounts) by offering something that adds real value to your ideal customer while still benefiting your bottom line. Think beyond discounts—consider offering bundles, gifts with purchase, free upgrades, or exclusive perks. ??Don't:?Miss your business's opportunity to take advantage of deals and discounts. ??Do:?Take advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for your business just like you do for your closet or kitchen. You can get great deals on office technology, furniture, services and memberships while reducing your taxable income/profits for the year. ?? ?Speaking of! We're offering early bird pricing for the Weak Ties/Strong Bonds?membership through Cyber Monday. You'll save at least 10% on your entire first year of membership when you put down a deposit before 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 2. Don't miss this opportunity to kick off the new year with a trusted community of womxn entrepreneurs ready to grow and thrive together by locking in your discount for all?of?2025: https://lnkd.in/e-XFdYtm

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50 years ago today, women gained the right to have a bank account or credit card in their name without the co-signature of a male relative. ?? Think about that for a second. 50 years. Actually, allow me to rephrase that: 50 years. ?? The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) passed on October 28th, 1974 and gave every American woman - married or not - the right to open her own bank or credit account. (TECHNICALLY, women in the U.S. gained legal access to banking products in the 1960s, but many banks still wouldn’t let women open a checking account, get a credit card, or apply for a loan or mortgage without a male co-signer.) The ECOA was a turning point in allowing women to begin to foster financial autonomy. And as Greta Krippner, a professor of sociology at the University of Michigan put it, “You can’t understate the significance of that. Economic independence for women is a bedrock for every other form of human flourishing.” Supporting womxn business owners to create financial independence is one of the main reasons we started Weak Ties/Strong Bonds. And it would have been impossible until this day 50 years ago. We cannot think of a more important time to build strong bonds among women - both because, when women come together for a common good, we do amazing things. And because womxn's rights in this country are under attack in a way that they have not been in 50 years. Bodily autonomy, financial autonomy, and political autonomy are intrinsically linked. And when women have autonomy, we tend to build community, not competition. We tend to lift each other up, not tear each other down. And we tend to build better outcomes not just for ourselves, but for everyone around us. That's why today, we're celebrating ?? the 50th anniversary of the ECOA and the economic, political and communal power it's given us and the womxn in our lives, especially the womxn entrepreneurs. So, as a reminder of how NOT long ago 50 years was, here are 10 people and things that also turn 50 this year. (Warning: may cause rage.) Laura Maurer & Lauren Karasek P.S. VOTE ???

When Lauren Karasek and I hosted the first Weak Ties/Strong Bonds dinner last November, we didn’t know what to expect. Of course we hoped that people would enjoy it. Maybe we’d even throw one dinner a quarter! But it quickly became clear that people were craving more: ?? More meals together. ?? More support and inspiration. ?? More community they could engage with frequently. ??♀? More networking that felt fulfilling instead of depleting. ?? More connections that had a huge impact on their businesses. So we're thrilled to share the next phase of Weak Ties/Strong Bonds: A thoughtfully designed membership to support you to?create high quality connections, generate more revenue, and craft your ultimate business lifestyle. If you're a women or gender diverse entrepreneur, freelancer, or solopreneur, we invite you to join us on October 29th at Maison Sisley in NYC for an evening of pampering, wine tasting, and (actually enjoyable) networking as we give you a first look at the Weak Ties/Strong Bonds membership, and the opportunity to become a Founding Member. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/eBbG8gm5 Huge thanks to all the incredible people who have supported us this past year here in NYC and from afar: Molly Godfrey Kit Huffman Rebecca Pino, MBA Bri Leever Helen Coupe Kate Webb Amani Zaveri Melissa Lohrer Amelia Randolph Campbell Anna Konstantinova Eli Polanco Elyse Henrici (Iemola) Fanni Gabor Faridat Arogundade Jasmin Plouffe, Creative Director Lingzi Huang Marley Tito Michelle W. Neha Tiwari Sisi Recht Stephanie Tucker Taylor Zansberg Amanda Hofman Lauren Bercuson Katie Tabb and so many more! And thanks to our friends and partners at Sisley Paris and Sun Moon Rising wine for supporting this event.

Sure, LinkedIn is great... But our NYC dinners are where real connections happen ?? We bring together a handpicked group of women and gender diverse entrepreneurs to share challenges, find support, and grow their networks in a big way. With less than 15 guests, it’s all about meaningful conversations and building relationships that last. Ready to pull up a chair? Our next dinner is October 8, 6:30-9ish pm at Gottino Enoteca. Learn more and buy your ticket at wt-sb.com/dinners.

In a recent newsletter, Lauren Karasek, a former Dezenhall Resources, Ltd colleague, wrote about how "weak ties" play a critical role in unlocking new business and economic opportunities. Lauren's women-focused, connection-centered initiative,?Weak Ties/Strong Bonds, is rooted in the work of Stanford sociologist Mark Granovetter. In his 1973 research?“The Strength of Weak Ties,”?Granovetter demonstrated that casual connections are often more beneficial than close relationships when it comes to job opportunities. A 2022 global study of 20 million people confirmed that the greatest job mobility comes from moderately weak ties. This has certainly been my experience; I just hadn't seen it articulated. When I left the safety and salary of a firm to venture out on my own, I wrongly assumed who would be pivotal in driving new business. Nearly nine years later, just about every opportunity has come through acquaintances—people I knew casually through others. These "weak ties" have turned out to be invaluable. Thanks, Lauren Karasek, for doing what you do.?Ladies, you should subscribe. ?? ?? ?? Make more weak ties.

Are you a woman or gender diverse business owner ? In the NYC area ? Who needs new headshots ? And would love connecting with other entrepreneurs? ? Weak Ties/Strong Bonds has the event for you ?? Join us for Headshot & Happy Hour at Bedford Studio next week: https://lnkd.in/gmxMhziR Lauren Karasek Stephanie Tucker

What supports you to show up confidently to promote yourself and your brand? ???? In a recent Weak Ties/Strong Bonds newsletter, we discussed the importance of clear, cohesive branding. Not only does it help you to promote your business effectively, it ensures that the people who come into your world are truly *your people* because they know exactly who you are, what you offer, and - in an increasingly conscientious consumer landscape - what you stand for. So how do you create that brand? From my experience, one of the things that has been most impactful is having great photography that supports me to show up confidently and authentically, and helps to create cohesion across channels. So Lauren Karasek and I are very excited to partner with Stephanie Tucker of Marilee.co Portrait Photography and Bedford Studio to host a?"Happy Hour & Headshots"?event for the Weak Ties/Strong Bonds?community in September. Join us to add some beautiful photos of you - your company’s leader and an integral part of your brand - to your toolkit at a lower price point than booking an individual session. PLUS you’ll have the opportunity to connect with like-minded women and gender diverse entrepreneurs while you’re at it. We can’t think of a better way to spend an evening. Learn more and save your spot: https://lnkd.in/gmxMhziR

Anyone else been glued to the Olympics the past few weeks? In my (many) viewing sessions, I've had a few mini revelations that have gotten me thinking about how I approach my own businesses. Here a few of my biggest business takeaways from the Olympics: ???Age ain't nothing but a number In a youth obsessed culture, it can be easy to feel like you're way behind if you haven't hit certain benchmarks at a specific age. (Anyone else feel like a failure when they didn't make one of those arbitrary 30 Under 30 lists????♀?) This year's athletes are - thankfully! - changing those stereotypes. At 58, Laura Kraut became the oldest medalist in 72 years, Diana Taurasi is going for gold medal NUMBER 6 at age 42, and Katie and Simone have both shattered age records with their recent gold medal wins. These Olympics have been a reminder that as you get older, you gain clarity on your goals, have lots of valuable experience to learn from, and get more adept at handing the challenges that come your way. ?? Don't be scared to niche down It can sometimes feel scary to really focus on a specific niche in your business. "But what if I miss out on great opportunities because I'm just focused on this one thing?" you might be asking yourself. But we can all learn something from Stephen Nedoroscik, aka Pommel Horse Guy. When the American gymnast realized that he was only progressing on the pommel horse and not the other apparatus, he didn't put his energy into the other events to "catch up." And just as important, he didn't throw the towel in because he wasn't going to make it to the big leages as an all-arounder. He decided to niche down and become a specialist, bringing home two bronze medals (and winning the internet) in the process. The lesson? Choosing a niche that you love and that feels flowy and natural can pay off big time. ?? Resilience is key We all fall and go through challenging times in our businesses. Maybe you lost a big client, a product launch didn't go as planned, or you had to shut down a business you really loved. I've been there and it sucks. But it doesn’t have to determine your future success. As Adam Grant says, “resilience is not about how quickly you bounce back - it's about how fully you recover.” Just look at Simone Biles’s redemption tour, Suni Lee coming back from debilitating kidney disease, and Zeng Zhiying qualifying for the Olympics at 58. And of course, we can't forget Celine's career-defining performance from the Eiffel tower. I'm not crying, you’re crying. What have been your biggest Olympic takeaways? *** For a weekly dose of curated business content and thoughts like this, sign up for the Weak Ties/Strong Bonds newsletter, Ties That Bind: https://lnkd.in/guZBMPmU *** Also, how incredible is this photo of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina? ?? (Image credit: Jerome Brouillet / AFP / Getty Images)

Through Weak Ties/Strong Bonds, Laura Maurer and I are trying to create the most powerful network for women and gender diverse business owners, and we need your help! We've been hosting dinners and co-working days, but come Fall, we're planning to roll out a membership. ?? We have lots of plans and ideas, from new types of events ??♀? to discounts ?? to providing members with easily accessible professional counsel, ???? ya know, for those times when you want to make sure that changing that one line in the contract didn't just open you up to massive legal liability. But foremost, we want to create a membership that responds to what our community needs most. So! If you are a woman or gender diverse entrepreneur, business owner, side-hustler, future founder, solopreneur, freelancer, etc. etc. we would love if you'd take the time to fill out our membership questionnaire: https://lnkd.in/e_MM5hKr A couple things to know: ?? We're initially focused on NYC, but we welcome responses from women and gender diverse business owners (or future business owners) from anywhere ?? The questionnaire takes 15-20 minutes to complete, and we would be so very grateful for your time ??? So grateful, in fact, that one lucky, randomly selected respondent will receive a free ticket to a WT/SB dinner So please, help us out (and help us help you) by lending us your valuable insights here: https://lnkd.in/e_MM5hKr