When you think of empowerment what do you think of? Women? Rosie the Rivetter?
Well, there’s a new magazine in town that’s a communications and empowerment network for women. That is all things modern – visionary, independent, nurturing, etc…Stiletto Magazine took the time to answer a few questions I had about their new movement/magazine – which is an amazing read that you should all be sure to check out – including their inspiring list of the Top 50 most amazing women on the web, check it out to see if your favorite bloggers made the cut (Legally Heidi 2010?? Just Kidding!!)
1. How did you go about picking the women who classify as the top 50 women?
We started with over 100 women. Each was diverse and inspiring in her own way. We couldn’t believe the range of talent and level of commitment the women had. We knew it would be a tough task to narrow it down. Therefore, we didn’t review the candidates based on a single idea or site alone. We evaluated them on the following criteria:
1) Idea Innovation. We looked at originality, how imaginative they were, how creative they were in executing their ideas, and communicating the brand.
2) Professional Leadership. We assessed their background, their ability to lead, the ethics they upheld, and sense of character.
3) Supportive Community. We wanted to see their desire to help others. We looked at their social impact, and sense of community.
4) Site Design. Being that we’re looking at women who have a presence online, the web site or blog site had to exhibit professionalism. It needed to be effective in delivery, with good layout and design.
Our panel of eight professional women then used a scoring system to select the top 50! It was important for the magazine to exhibit diversity—not solely in the range of women featured, but also in the types of businesses, web sites, and blog sites showcased. You won’t find many large corporations or illustrious personalities mentioned. We deliberately profiled authentic women you might not hear about every day.
2. What exactly is “stilletology” and how does one be considered for that?
We enjoy seeing women take risks, challenge the status-quo, and live life on their terms. Being courageous personally or in business is not always easy, and so Stilettology (pronounced sti-le-ta-logy) is our weekly segment to applaud those women who simply inspire us. It’s our way of saying “kudos” for defining your own style, your own mark, and own classification of who you are! 
If you know someone who the world needs to know about, don’t hesitate to submit for an upcoming segment. We want to talk to all women — single and married ladies, entrepreneurs, single and married mommies, career women, writers, bloggers, consultants, artists, educators, speakers, etc.
To apply, log on to stilettowoman.com and go to the Stilettology link. There you can complete the online form and submit your request confidentially.
3. The #1 woman is Jennifer from Hostess with the Mostess – what made her stand out from others? (I love her blog btw so I was excited to see her listed!)
Jennifer Sbranti of HostessWithTheMostess.com is ranked the #1 Most Amazing Woman on the Web! Hostess with the Mostess (HWTM) is not just any event and party theme site. They have a hip and modern twist that speaks to most contemporary women today. When you visit the site it’s like a visual treat in every sense of the word. But not just in the ways you would expect. Of course, the vibrant colors and spectacular features make your visit better, but the wealth of information, the attention to detail, the superb photography, the personal, yet upscale ambiance entices you to come back again and again. You feel like these people know what they’re talking about, and they’re passionate about it! If you’re not into events, parties, and entertaining, HWTM makes you want to be!
Jenn is well-regarded as an expert in her field. She’s been featured on many sites. She’s written for Real Simple’s Celebrations blog, and has contributed ideas to Parents.com and Better Homes and Gardens. She’s even partnered with Chambord to host the “Hip Hostess Series.” And her entrepreneurial talents don’t end there. In 2002, she founded her own design firm, Sbranti Designs, which has constructed many nationally renowned sites such as Childish Clothing, The Peanut Shell, and Nature Made.
She’s innovative, shows leadership, has a sense of community, and her website is stiletto-fabulous!
4. Finally, what features does Stiletto offer women? Are they geared toward a specific “type” of woman?
There are four sides to women that we focus on . . . what we call “3P&E”: personal, parenting, professional, and entrepreneurial. We approach each of these from a holistic perspective. We believe a woman can’t be defined by just one thing, because more than ever before, she’s become multi-faceted.
In addition to the magazine, we have a regular blogging community, we offer coaching, home business certification, community seminars, and finally, we have another project that we’re currently refining. We can’t give it away just yet, but it’s fresh, and original. It involves helping prepubescent girls gain the empowerment they need to make good decisions as teens and young women. Next year, Stiletto Woman Magazine will be published tri-annually, where two issues will be dedicated to real life circumstances of every day women.
Ultimately, we represent the female who is in tune with the trends, but creates her own style. She’s a woman who wants to be in sync with her career, her business, her family, her money, the way she looks, and the way she feels. Most importantly, she’s empowered!
Well, I don’t know about you all, but I certainly feel inspired. Be sure to check out their magazine here! Check out the rest of the kick off blog tour here!
