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The most powerful woman in the room is you by Lydia Fenet

November 3, 2019 Melanie Hawken
Lydia Fenet

Lydia Fenet

In The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You, Lydia Fenet takes you on her twenty-year journey from intern to managing director and global head of strategic partnerships at Christie’s Auction House. Lydia shares the revolutionary sales approach she has crafted over the years that has not only shaped her career, but helped her raise more than half a billion dollars for nonprofits around the world.


As any woman entrepreneur knows, when you are building and growing a business successfully, having a great sales pipeline is critical. Yet for many women, selling does not come naturally, and many find it tough. In her new book, The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You, Lydia Fenet shares the unique sales approach that she has made her own over many successful years. This is an approach that will empower you to sell your way to success in business and in life. For example, you’ll learn how to create your own “Strike Method” or signature move to help you feel confident entering any situation. Combining case studies and personal stories, Lydia also shares tips from some of the most powerful and successful women in business, fashion, journalism, sports, and the arts.

This book will show you how to take your confidence and your business to the next level, by finding your voice, learning the art of successful selling, and closing that deal. Lydia has been there and come back more powerful than ever. Inspiring and encouraging, Lydia’s hard-won advice will help you walk into any room with the confidence of a leader and motivate others to find their voice as well. Get ready to embrace your natural strengths, find your sales voice, and take ownership of your life and business with a renewed confidence. 

Author quotes

Your “Strike Method” needs to be something that feels authentic to you—something that you can use every time you walk into a room so that you feel confident and comfortable from the minute you engage with the people in front of you. 

Your Strike Method should give you a moment to gather your thoughts and provide those few seconds of clarity you need in order to launch into your pitch.

The next time you are in a situation when you are in charge of selling, pitching, or speaking, make sure you have thought through your Strike and opening line so you come into the moment like a woman who knows what she wants and is going to tell you how she is going to get it. 

About the Author

Lydia Fenet is Managing Director, Global Head of Strategic Partnerships at Christie’s, where she’s raised more than half a billion dollars for nonprofits globally. In her capacity as lead benefit auctioneer for the firm, she has led auctions for more than six hundred organizations and trains Christie’s charity auctioneers. Lydia travels around the country lecturing on “The Art of Selling” and speaking to groups about empowering women in the workplace. She was named one of New York’s most influential women by Gotham magazine and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Crain’s, Elle, and has appeared in Vanity Fair, Women’s Wear Daily, Vogue, and Town & Country. She lives in New York City with her husband, Chris, and their three children, Beatrice, Henry, and Eloise.

www.lydiafenet.com 


Why LoA loves it….

Sales are the life-force of any successful business, it is what turns an idea into a viable product or service. But for so many women entrepreneurs, selling is an ordeal, a real uphill struggle, and not a natural gift. Therefore, getting great advice and information on how to change the mindset and boost confidence in selling is a real must for women entrepreneurs. Lydia Fenet knows first-hand that being an effective salesperson is what distinguishes top achievers in all fields from the rest of the pack. The Most Powerful Woman In The Room Is You equips you with the essential tools of a trade—how to sell as yourself (instead of copying the person who taught you how to sell), the most effective ways to network (or die), the negotiate-not-apologize mentality, the tricks of a perfect poker face, and the importance of always, always telling the truth. Lydia reveals the ways to find your own “strike method”—a signature that summons strength and confidence from the minute you embark on any pitch. Most of all, Lydia offers hundreds of pages of encouragement laced with humorous anecdotes to help you take ownership of your position while finding opportunities to innovate. The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You is an essential resource that that will have you winning over the audiences in all aspects of your life. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa

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Tech FoundHER AFRICA CHALLENGE

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CELEBRATING 10 YEARS


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IMAGE OF THE DAY. CELEBRATING WOMAN MADE IN AFRICA.

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Silk Sensation…Nothing is quite as luxurious as silk, that’s why we love the ‘Africa on Silk’ collections from Eki, founded by Hazel Eki Osunde. Eki is known for its signature soft silks and ethereal c
Image of the Day / Nokware Skincare

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Statement lighting… from Dounia Home, the home of innovative, handcrafted and ethically made Moroccan lighting and home decor founded by Dounia Tamri-Loeper. Her company designs, produces and brings to market hi
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Chocolate gifting goodies…Who doesn’t love a chocolate gift at this time of the year? So where better to sample some of the finest chocolate on the African continent than in Cote d’Ivoire, from Mon Cho
Image of the Day / Spez Catering

Celebratory cake…If you are anything like the sweet treat-loving team at Lionesses of Africa, you will love a slice of the great cakes on offer from Spez Catering in Kenya, founded by Esmeralda De Souza-Obwaka
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African luxury couture…For those who want to stand out from the crowd, Dibo Ndumbe Eyoh, co-founder and co-creative Director of Eloli, an award-winning luxury African fashion brand in Cameroon, has just what you need.
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Sustainable Tote Bags…We have always been big fans of The Joinery, the sustainable and ethical product design brand based in South Africa founded by Natalie and Kim Ellis, and their exciting Future Tex™ fa
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Classic meets contemporary…If you are in the market for classic-inspired yet modern clothing which is both stylish and ultra-feminine and trans-seasonal to wear throughout the year, then Kendi Sapepa, found
Image of the Day / Eki

Silk Sensation…Nothing is quite as luxurious as silk, that’s why we love the ‘Africa on Silk’ collections from Eki, founded by Hazel Eki Osunde. Eki is known for its signature soft silks and ethereal c Image of the Day / Nokware Skincare

Sustainable skincare…We love to see natural cosmetics companies with a sustainable approach to business succeeding in Africa, and Nokware Skincare, founded by Tutuwa Ahwoi in Ghana is a great example. She f Image of the Day / Dounia Home

Statement lighting… from Dounia Home, the home of innovative, handcrafted and ethically made Moroccan lighting and home decor founded by Dounia Tamri-Loeper. Her company designs, produces and brings to market hi Image of the Day / Afrobotanics

Nature inspired haircare… Banish dry hair with the Afrobotanics Hemp Seed Oil moisturising conditioner created by Ntombenhle Khathwane, a South African entrepreneur and advocate for natural hair and body produc Image of the Day / Happy Coffee

Happy Coffee Experiences…If you are a fan of great coffee you will love Happy Coffee, founded by Princess Adeyinka Tekenah in Nigeria. She is a Coffee Entrepreneur and a Mom, and the founder of this growing ind Image of the Day / Mon Choco

Chocolate gifting goodies…Who doesn’t love a chocolate gift at this time of the year? So where better to sample some of the finest chocolate on the African continent than in Cote d’Ivoire, from Mon Cho Image of the Day / Spez Catering

Celebratory cake…If you are anything like the sweet treat-loving team at Lionesses of Africa, you will love a slice of the great cakes on offer from Spez Catering in Kenya, founded by Esmeralda De Souza-Obwaka Image of the Day / Eloli

African luxury couture…For those who want to stand out from the crowd, Dibo Ndumbe Eyoh, co-founder and co-creative Director of Eloli, an award-winning luxury African fashion brand in Cameroon, has just what you need. Image of the Day / The Joinery

Sustainable Tote Bags…We have always been big fans of The Joinery, the sustainable and ethical product design brand based in South Africa founded by Natalie and Kim Ellis, and their exciting Future Tex™ fa Image of the Day / Barbara McKenzie

Classic meets contemporary…If you are in the market for classic-inspired yet modern clothing which is both stylish and ultra-feminine and trans-seasonal to wear throughout the year, then Kendi Sapepa, found

STARTUP STORIES. MEET THE WOMEN WHO’VE LAUNCHED.

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Yanara Tavares Viana, a Mozambican entrepreneur developing a smart urban housing solution in the country

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