Melissa Seymour

I would SO be sending samples to Katie's PR people, a la what Sarah Jane Clarke & Heidi Middleton from Sass & Bide did with Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex In The City when they were a relatively new label (they approached SJP on the street in NYC while she was filming and gave her their clothes which, as legend goes, she loved and wore in an episode - landed them a huge amount of PR here which really helped to put them on the map). 

The mags are honing in on Suri's wardrobe and Katie's shopping habits for her - the PR leverage would be enormous.

P Diddy (or Puff Daddy or Diddy - whatever) was recently quoted as saying "Sean John is fashion viagra. I've had 40 year old men tell me that once they started wearing Sean John.... everything changed for them. Their sex life....... everything."

I have three words for you - pure marketing genius.

I am so confused about the paid maternity leave prospect. On the one hand I am thrilled at the prospect of 12 months paid maternity leave as I know what a fantastic financial impact this will have on women everywhere. I also think women will be more inspired by the financial support to have more children. This can only benefit the future of our Country.

But as a small business owner, yikes! It kind of freaks me out. I just don't think there are many small businesses who could possibly afford to support this scheme. We're talking businesses who, after expenses, possibly only make a modest profit. The impact of having to pay a staff member for 12 months who wasn't productive plus pay someone else to do their job for that time - it could mean many small businesses would fold or suffer severe financial hardship. 

Unfortunately, I think it's going to mean that many women in their child bearing years will be discriminated against when applying for a job. It's going to be a fact of life - a small business owner (and many mid sized businesses too) will weigh up the future cost of hiring a woman who they think could potentially need maternity leave in the future and will make their decision based on their inability to financially support the paid maternity leave scheme. It doesn't seem fair but I just can't see that a business owner would jeopardise the future of their business. 

I think the only reasonable solution is that it must be Government funded. What I don't know is why it is taking so long to implement. Come on Kevin... I don't want to have to remove you as my facebook friend. 

 

The Creator of 'The Secret', Rhonda Byrne is being sued for $150 million by a former employee of her Company Prime Time, Drew Heriot. He claims that he co-wrote the screenplay on which the book is based and that when Rhonda first had her idea and pulled him into the project, she promised him a percentage of the profits. 

Mmmm. I can totally believe that. I have seen this happen before, and I myself have a tendency towards generosity in these situations, when I should pull back and stake my full claim around an idea. Why do we do this? Probably because we don't stand in our own power enough and think that the only way we'll get traction on a project is to make people invested. As women, we're also quite maternal and think that if we're going to benefit greatly from an idea's outcome, then everyone involved should benefit like us too. 

So let's assume (sorry Rhonda) that she did in fact promise a share of the profits. What did she do wrong that has brought about this legal issue? She didn't put the necessary agreement together that would have clearly outlined what each parties entitlements would be before moving forward with the project. Now she is faced with being sued for half of the estimated earnings of 'The Secret' book when she may have only ever intended to give this guy 2%. She should have backed herself, from the beginning and acted like this was going to be as big as it has become. If she had the benefit of hindsight (wouldn't it be nice!) then there would have been no way known that she would have left a detail like this hanging out there.

Now let's assume that she didn't in fact promise this guy any profits. What could she have done to prevent this lawsuit? I would think that an Employment Agreement that stated that her Company would own the Copyright but made a provision for a writers royalty would have done the trick! 

Lets face it - when you become this hugely successful, there is a tendency to be seen by people from your past (or I guess, even your present) to delude themselves into thinking that they were an integral part of the wheel that rode you to riches. And if there is even a modicum of possibility that they have a claim, they'll go for it because you are quite likely to settle, rather than spend a fortune in legal fees defending the action. The only deterrent is a signed Agreement stating each parties rights and obligations - so the lesson here? Think with the end in mind and make sure you take care of this aspect of your business!

This is one of the best ideas I've seen in a while - 1. open an account 2. you put your rubbish into this vending machine for recycling 3. you get points that you can convert into booty or better still, donate to charity.

How fabulous. The clever woman behind it is the recycling queen Narelle Anderson.

Let me explain... my website that sells my book is linked to this blog. The website is actually quite crap, was put together in haste because there was supposed to be a big interview going to air (that's another story). So by linking it here, I am hoping people will buy the book off the back of seeing/hearing/reading about this publicity. There.

The 2GB radio interview I did a couple of weeks ago....

 

cut and past the following link into your browser to view....

<http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2441732/7518732>

I was in mid sentence about working from home and the interviewer had said how hard that is, especially when you have calls to make and want to present a professional image. 'Yes' I said, but it would be nice wouldn't it, if people were more accepting of this, and really, we should be more accepting of this situation ourselves - like we should be out and proud of it. Anyway, I fear that I sounded like I was talking from my pedestal and I have all this under control. I don't. There was a time recently that I had to take a call from the States at 6pm - like dinnertime! Brad (my husband) was away so I was managing the whole process myself, trying to speak and make out like I WASN'T AT HOME, with a one year old on my hip and a hungry 5 year old tugging at my shirt. I had to take the call and try explaining that to the kids - not. So I am talking away (negotiating a performance by a very well known band), rocking Saskia on my hip (ploy to keep her quiet) when I feel....... wetness. No, not that kind. Poo. All that rocking had loosened her nappy and, well, enough - you get the drift. So I say to the other person on the phone - 'listen, that all sounds great, how about you email me as I have to run into an urgent meeting'. Didn't work, they wanted to continue the discussion so I ran into the bathroom and put Saskia into the bath (no water, just sat her there) while my blood pressure went through the roof and poo ran down my leg.