Blog Posts by Work It, Mom!

Getty Imagesby Nataly Kogan for Work It, Mom!

Another title for this post could be: What the f* is wrong with us, women!

I read in an article over the weekend that according to the Workplace Bullying Institute (is there an institute for everything?) when women bully others at work they target other women 70% of the time, while men tend to target women and men equally. Workplace bully-like behavior is an ugly thing on its own, but the fact that women undermine each other and are nasty to each other more often just plain sucks. (I was going to write something more eloquent, but this topic doesn't deserve it.)

This isn't the first article written about how terrible women can be to each other in the workplace and it's not the first time I write about it here - my post about being tired of dealing with bitchy women at work is one of the most popular on my Work It, Mom! Blog. Every time I think about this topic I go through the list of reasons/theories for why women have such a hard time supporting each other in the workplace: (the author of the article I mentioned has a similar list):

By Nataly Kogan, from Work It, Mom!

Getty ImagesIt's gotten to the point where I hesitate before checking out any news sites in the morning because the endless barrage of bad economic news doesn't seem to stop. Stock market can't find any way but down, job losses are growing, and consumer confidence is at a gazillion year low. What I feel like doing is just hiding out from this crisis - pretending that I am not the main breadwinner who is running a start-up and raising money for it right now - but I know I can't. So I have this mantra I keep repeating to myself, something about how we're still (relatively) young, the economy always goes in cycles (I am still feeling the bruises from the internet bubble one), and our family and our country will come out fine.

I can't say that this works 100% but it does help me maintain some sanity and perspective for the longer term. But I feel like I need something for right this minute, some upside, however slim, of living through this economic crisis. So I

By Nataly Kogan from Work It, Mom!

Getty ImagesI had coffee recently with a work friend of mine whom I've not seen for a few years. It was fun to catch up but then he said something that gave me food for thought (beyond the blueberry muffin I was finishing up):

"So you don't want to conquer the world anymore, ha?"

We'd been talking about our careers and in particular, about mine. When we worked together way back when, in my pre-mommy era, I was fairly unabashed about announcing to people that what I wanted to do was run a large company some day. I'm not sure many took me seriously, but that's what I was aspiring to. Then, even before my daughter was born, I learned more about myself and what I was passionate about and decided that big company world isn't for me. Instead, I would build many smaller businesses, create new things, go out and talk to thousands of women and share with them some of my ideas about kicking some butt in your work and entrepreneurial life.

My ambition was different but still, it was HUGE.

AP via Yahoo! NewsBy Nataly Kogan from Work It, Mom!

I am sure by now you've all read about the $150k that the RNC apparently spent on Sarah Palin's campaign wardrobe. My reaction when I found out was something along the lines of "Doesn't anyone on her team know how to find great deals?" I have admired a few of her blazers (a weakness of mine) but c'mon, even Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus (where the majority of the money was apparently spent) have awesome sales.

If we can keep ourselves from jumping into another political discussion about Sarah Palin's candidacy I actually think this shopping spree raises an important point about image in the workplace.

By Nataly Kogan, from Work It, Mom!

I know I am a few weeks late but I can't shake the image of Sarah Palin blowing a kiss to the audience before the VP debate. Oh, and winking repeatedly during the debate itself.

As I watched her do it, I cringed. I am no career expert but I know enough to understand the importance of body language in the workplace. If you want the job, start with a firm handshake. If you want to be heard, state your ideas sitting confidently and upright on the edge of your chair instead of slumping down and making your statement a question.

And if you want to be taken seriously by your coworkers and clients - or say, by 70 million people watching you on TV - don't wink during a heated political discussion and don't blow kisses to people you don't know.

Now, I am no dummy. I know that this extremely casual body language, manners as well as peppering speeches with colloquial phrases like "You betcha!" is both part of Ms. Palin's personality and the image that she

By Karen Walrond, from Work It, Mom!

Reuters via Yahoo! NewsLet's face it: Here in the United States, the last few presidential elections have had their share of drama; however, this year, this campaign seems to have taken the cake. It appears everyone has an opinion on one party or another, one candidate or another, one candidate's running mate, or another. I don't think I've had one conversation in the past few months when the subject hasn't turned to the upcoming election within 5 minutes. Even my four-year-old daughter can identify John McCain or Barack Obama any time one of them appears on our television screen.

The seduction of politics-talk also holds true, of course, at the office: Everyone but everyone is talking about the latest news item related to either political candidate. But while I'm usually a lively participant in political banter, I stay positively mum at the office. Why? Because I work at a conservative company that services the oil industry. The majority of management are decidedly

Getty ImagesBy Nataly Kogan from Work It, Mom!


Do you buy too much stuff?

My answer to this question would have been "probably yes" before we took on our BIG life change and traded in an overpaid job for a new career as an entrepreneur.


I've always been pretty frugal. I grew up without money, lived on welfare when my family immigrated to the U.S., and those experiences influenced me to always try to spend less, not buy things we don't need, and to generally be conservative about money. But even with that foundation, once my husband and I had a solid income we bought things we didn't need. Nothing big or fancy, but a cute T-shirt here, a fun DVD there, an awesome new toy for our daughter -- all of these added up to a bunch of stuff we don't really need.

We've become much more disciplined about our spending while I pursue my entrepreneurial dreams, and you know what? It's not made us any less happy or more stressed. Sure, last week I saw this amazing pair of boots I REALLY wanted to buy but not

By Nataly Kogan from Work It, Mom!

Getty ImagesMy grandparents called me the other day to ask what they should do with the bit of money they have in the bank. At first I wasn't sure what they were asking, but then my grandma clarified that because I am a financial whiz (really? I guess all those years I spent in the mysterious-to-them world of venture capital somehow means that I know how to weather the current financial storm) she wants my opinion about whether they should pull their savings out and keep them home.

I calmly explained that their deposits are protected by the government, up to $100,000, and that they shouldn't worry. After I hung up the phone I was pretty proud of myself for not letting on about how FREAKED OUT I AM ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

There, I said it. The fake financial whiz that I am, the current slump/slowdown/recession/Wall Street implosion is causing me serious heartburn. We recently bought a new house, with a nicely sized mortgage, and our monthly budget is tight as is,