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Kelly’s Top 10 Tips to be a Successful Businesswoman

Kelly Rossman-McKinney with the 2013 ATHENA Award
Kelly Rossman-McKinney with the 2013 ATHENA Award

Today, our firm’s CEO Kelly Rossman-McKinney was honored by the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce with its 2013 ATHENA Award, which celebrates the potential of all women as leaders of the community and recognizes those who support them. We’re proud of Kelly and wanted to share her “top 10 tips to be a successful businesswoman” as presented at today’s ATHENA Award luncheon. Congratulations, Kelly!

  1. When your own state senator compares you to a hooker, don’t take it lying down, (so to speak).
  2. Accept the fact that men will be called – and commended for being – aggressive, assertive, direct, decisive and powerful. You will be called a bitch.
  3. Remember that BITCH is an acronym for Boys I’m Taking Charge Here.
  4. Have a great group of chicks-in-charge friends. They will keep you humble but hold you up when you are at your lowest. They will ALWAYS have your back.  Here’s to the Chicks in Charge.
  5. If you are going to marry often, make sure to marry wonderful men who actually like each other and will hang together at your kids’ wrestling matches and football, basketball, volleyball games. Remember that they have a common goal: tolerating you.
  6. Marry a man who not only has a tremendous sense of humor BUT also wears Kevlar and carries a gun. This will keep you humble … and cautious.  Thanks to the Love Cop, Officer Dave!
  7. If you can’t be at every one of your kids’ games, make up for it by being the loudest mom in the bleachers. They will be mortified and won’t mind the next time you miss a game.
  8. Have a high bar and don’t lower it – for anyone. The people you work with will hate you for it at the time but also know it’s what makes your team the absolute best in the business.
  9. Be prepared to laugh at yourself, early and often. Remember – everybody else already is.
  10. Don’t be a member of ANYTHING in name only. Step up, speak up, act up, give of yourself – your time, your money, your name, your support.
  11. And last but not least – don’t just have a job, have a passion – it makes it so much easier to get up in the morning.