Contact Kimberly for a conversation for possibilities: consulting@wiefling.com +1 650 867 0847
May 1, 2010 . . . Late one night when there was nothing good on TV I got this idea to collect the stories of some of the scrappiest businesswomen I know and admire into a book. “How hard could that be?” I thought. Well, buddy, let me tell you, there’s nothing easy about getting 12 vibrant, strong-willed women to agree on anything! But, thanks to the commitment of these authors to sharing their wisdom and experience, this book—which began as a dream—has come to life. I’m deeply grateful for their generous contributions to this book, which took many hours out of their already overly busy lives. And I’m especially thankful for their willingness to openly discuss many personal details of their amazing journeys. As I read each chapter I felt genuinely honored to be able to glimpse some of what made them into the amazing women that I admire today. Their stories are the heart and soul of this book, and I merely stitched them together, as if I were assembling a beautiful quilt from the most extraordinary patches.
About halfway through the process of writing this book I got the idea to share a small part of each story here on this website in order to spread their inspiration globally, and gather stories of other scrappy women. Now that you’re here on our website, Welcome to the Scrappy Women in BusinessTM Sisterhood! (Our scrappy bros are certainly welcome, too, and if you’re the kind of men we enjoy hanging with, you’ll be relieved to know that you don’t have to smoke a big fat cigar to join, or swill more than your body weight in beer. But you might have to bare you soul and show your scars. That’s right—no one gets into the Scrappy Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame unscathed. Not that we’d trade the experience for anything in the world!)
Scrappy Women in Business – Living Proof that Bending the Rules Isn’t Breaking the Law is an entertaining and inspiring collection of true stories of women who overcame the negative voices around them – and sometimes within them – to create extraordinary lives. Gracious but determined, these resilient professionals ignored the easy path, didn’t take “no” for an answer, and frequently swam against the tide to achieve success. “Hanging in there” succinctly sums up their collective secret to success. But that’s easier said than done. We all need a little help sometimes. If you’ve ever had “one of those days” when your co-workers seemed to grow horns, or you were tempted to sink into the icy couch of despair, reading these stories will help buoy your spirits and realize that you’re not alone. Just one of their stories will inspire and energize you for the next sprint. If you’re a seasoned professional, you’ll see some of your own journey reflected in these stories. And if you’re just starting out, the wisdom in this guide will save you a whole lot of time and aggravation. If you enjoy reading short version of their stories here, we hope you’ll buy the book and continue indulging in their scrappiness.
While these women’s stories are remarkable, I’m sure that each of you has your own unique story to share. You’re invited to share your own story here. This collaborative website will grow this collection of stories from a trickle of wisdom into a fountain of inspiration from which we sincerely hope millions of women will drink. Our collective voices will ultimately build a supportive platform from which women everywhere will gain the courage to leap boldly into their own remarkable futures. Visit and add your stories to ours so that, drop by drop, we can grow this tiny stream into an ocean of wisdom.
– Scrappy Kimberly
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