Women are occupying more senior positions in the new world of work than ever before, but they still have a way to go. In many respects, the workplace is still a man’s world, run according to men’s rules. Donna Rachelson gets to grips with these rules and shows women how to work with them to advance their careers, while still retaining their femininity and bringing all of the strengths women possess to the workplace. Drawing on Rachelson’s own experience, as well as the experience of some of South Africa’s top businesswomen, this quick, practical read is a must for any woman who wants to make her mark in the business world.
The book starts by busting some of the big myths regarding women in business and then, in 9 quick lessons, takes the reader through some practical tools that will not only help them to up their business game, but also get noticed in the marketplace, get better at networking, and importantly get the results. The book also asks some of South Africa's leading women entrepreneurs and thought leaders to share their experiences of getting to the top in business.
“As I began to think about what it is that men and women do differently in business, women’s unique strengths began to emerge. You need to use those strengths. We look at how men operate in business simply to understand it - so that we can work with it, not against it, and use it to our best advantage…… But the fact is that the business world is still very much a man’s world. It has its own rules, and most of those rules have been made by men. Of course, we all know rules are made to be broken, but it helps to understand them first. And, if you really want to use them to your best advantage, it’s vital that you know what they are.”
About Donna Rachelson
Donna Rachelson is an entrepreneur, branding and marketing specialist, author and well-known speaker. As a successful businesswoman and investor in businesses, Donna is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs and women, uplifting them with her unique brand of inspiringly practical, results-driven guidance. Having held a number of marketing director positions in organisations including Nando’s and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants as well as marketing management positions at Standard Bank and AECI, she is driven to empower people to incorporate branding, marketing and business development into all aspects of their work. Donna has a solid business education, including an MBA and has been a guest lecturer at GIBS and Yale. Her role as CEO and shareholder of Seed Engine which includes Seed Academy, is to enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem to positively impact entrepreneurs in South Africa. She assists entrepreneurs with marketing – helping them get traction and build their markets.
She has a fascination for personal and team branding and its impact on business growth and is the founder of Branding & Marketing YOU that helps people and teams in organisations better brand and market themselves. She is a shareholder in Ninja TM, which offers integrated marketing and technology services to medium sized businesses. She is also a shareholder in Stockshop (helps people to learn, trade and invest on the JSE), Eventit (South Africa’s premium event planning directory) and SoyLites (innovative soy-based candles and body balms). The value she delivers lies in her ability to combine solid corporate marketing experience with an approach to marketing for entrepreneurs that is pragmatic and impactful. Her approach to all she does is strategically results driven and inspiringly practical. Donna is author of the bestselling book Branding & Marketing YOU, the first South African based personal branding and marketing book. Her second book, Branding & Marketing YOU through Teams focuses on team branding and she has just released her third book: Play to Win: What women can learn from men in business.
Donna has also spoken to and trained many people across more than 20 blue chip clients, including Microsoft, McKinsey, Discovery, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Deloitte, SAB and Novartis. In her spare time, Donna assists charity and NGOs. She has a keen interest in hiking, running, skiing and chocolate.
Website: www.DonnaRachelson.com
Why LoA loves it….
The world of business is highly competitive, and being an entrepreneur is tough at the best of times. As women entrepreneurs, we need to understand all the rules of the game and play them to our advantage. Learning to positively position our companies, brands and ourselves in that marketplace is key, and Donna Rachelson in her book provides some practical insights and advice to help us maximise our efforts in this regard. Well worth a read, for entrepreneurs and women in the workplace alike. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa