We’d like to think we’re multi-dimensional and multi-talented multitaskers, but one of our many attributes usually stands out, way above the rest. It’s the one that often defines us, even if we’d prefer not to be pigeonholed. When others think about you, what image do you suppose they conjure up?
1. The Domestic Goddess
You get a rush from the scent of Pine Sol and a 425 degree oven.
This blog post is sponsored by MSD Consumer Care, Inc., the makers of Oxytrol® For Women.
One passionate woman 50 and over will be the lucky recipient of a $10,000 prize.
A whopping 97 percent of the 1,857 women 50 and over surveyed in a MORE magazine reader panel, revealed that in a perfect world, they’d like to reinvent themselves in the near future. Sharing their dreams, as well as the obstacles they’d face pursuing them, the panel cited finances, family obligations, time constraints, and health as some of their potential hurdles.
Health issues may also impede women from realizing their dreams. Conditions like overactive bladder may affect their work productivity, emotional and physical wellbeing, as well as relationships.
Recognizing the strong desire for reinvention among the dynamic and talented generation of women 50 and over, MORE and MSD Consumer Care, Inc. (the makers of Oxytrol ® For Women, the first and only over-the-counter treatment for overactive bladder) have launched the “Open A New Door” program. The campaign inspires women to pursue their passions and helps them to achieve their goals in the areas of professional development, volunteerism or travel, and also offers a personal coaching session to the winner to help spark her reinvention journey.
One passionate woman 50 and over will be the lucky recipient of a $10,000 contest to
reinvent herself.
Visit MoreOpenDoors.com to learn more and have a chance to win this life-changing opportunity.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN IN THE OPEN A NEW DOOR CONTEST. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE THE CHANCE OF WINNING. Ends 11:59:59 pm ET on 6/30/14. Open to women who are legal residents of 50 U.S. and District of Columbia and 50+ years. Void where prohibited. Collection, use, sharing and publication of personal information, including photographs, in connection with this Contest is governed by the Privacy Statement, available online at MoreOpenDoors.com. For Official Rules, inclusive of the entry judging criteria, and complete details, click here.
Select one or more of the options below.
Total Voters: 737
Loading ...Getting back to work after the age of 50 may seem daunting, even impossible, but it’s not. Women are usually faced with this challenge for two reasons: they left the workforce by choice and are now trying to re-enter it or they were laid-off and are scrambling to find a job.
“For those who left the workforce, the key ingredient to getting back in is computer skills.”
“You’re in trouble without them,” advises Elise Ambrose, President of Elite Personnel, a staffing agency in Bethesda, MD. It’s almost impossible for Elise’s staffing agency to place anyone without computer knowledge. Everyone relies on computers in the workplace, from the receptionist to those in the corner office who conduct business at the highest level. It’s not difficult or expensive to learn these skills, she stresses. Tutorials on YouTube and online can help everyone hone their computer and typing skills, she adds.
Before starting the job search, make sure to have a current resumé without a single mistake. “Ask a few friends to proofread it to ensure there are no typos or grammatical problems,” says Elise. Once your resumé is polished let everyone know that you’re looking for a job. Post your job search on Facebook, LinkedIn and Craigslist. Recruiters commonly use these resources.
Annelie Nordström, 57, has discovered the answer to Sweden’s gender wage gap—switch genders! Chairwoman of Kommunal, Sweden’s largest municipal workers’ union, Annelie released a powerful video, 
How to Get a Raise in 47 Seconds, on March 8th, International Women’s Day. Part of a ‘Be A Man’ campaign, it shows a team of makeup artists brilliantly transforming Annelie into a man before our eyes. While the video is a clever public service announcement created to expose the country’s wage disparity, Annelie means business and wants equal pay for women and men, now! Women in Sweden earn about $346,000 less than men over their working lives. Women in the United States earn about 77 percent as much as their male counterparts.
Annelie’s blog says she’s “a nanny by profession,” but started working in human resources and politics, ultimately landing her powerful position at Kommunal. Over 80 percent of its members are women. The ‘Be A Man’ campaign features an app inviting women to submit photos and transform themselves into men, dressed in a variety of outfits from business suits to construction gear. Try it yourself!
Annelie lives in Stockholm and has a son named Jens. For the movement she’s started in her country, and its potential impact around the world, Annelie Nordström is FOF Woman of the Week.
FOF Grace Hightower De Niro (yes, that De Niro), 58, told us there is more to our cups of coffee than cream and sugar. Not only is she a savvy businesswoman, but her company, Grace Hightower & Coffees of Rwanda™, helps to create a more sustainable future for the people of Rwanda. FOF chatted with Grace about her business, and recently spotted her coffee truck in the heart of Manhattan, a few days before National Coffee Day. See what she had to say, and enter to win a set of Grace’s coffee!
FOF Sonia Zaldivar grew up in the restaurant business. Victor’s Cafe, opened by Sonia’s parents, is celebrating its 50th year serving fabulous Cuban cuisine to New Yorkers, celebrities, and tourists from around the globe. After raising three children and managing Victor’s, Sonia now lives in Miami, but still travels back to New York to keep an eye on things.
How old are you?
I’m 62.
Where were you born?
Havana, Cuba.
Where is your restaurant?
It’s on 52nd Street in the heart of Manhattan.
What is it like being part of a family business?
I grew up as if the restaurant were my living room and my three children felt the same way.
What positions have you had at Victor’s?
I started working part-time in 1972 in the restaurant’s office, because I was raising my first child. Slowly and surely, I took on more responsibilities. I’m still the owner, but my wonderful daughter, Monica, handles the day-to-day operations. I fly back and forth monthly.
Where does the inspiration for the dishes come from?
They’re all dishes that you’d find in any Cuban home. However, we have two versions of our menu– one features ‘healthy’ variations of classical dishes. Cuban food really hasn’t evolved as much as other cuisines during the last 50 years. The second version offers our own inventions and interpretations of Cuban food, had it evolved like other cuisines. Ropa Vieja (shredded skirt steak), Lechon Asado (roast suckling pig), and Camarones Enchiladas (shrimp in spicy Creole sauce) have been staples on the menu for many years. Dishes range from $19 to $42.
Who has been at the restaurant recently?
Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Kate Upton and Cameron Diaz. Pitbull comes in frequently and Jennifer Lopez gets take out!
With so many restaurants in New York City, how has Victor’s achieved 50 years of success?
Every seven years, we redecorate the whole restaurant so that it’s fresh, it’s clean, and there’s always something new to try. We’re always revamping the menu. When you walk into our restaurant, you can feel the gratitude that you chose us over other restaurants in New York. You feel the love, the enthusiasm and the Latin hospitality.
What’s the most challenging thing about owning a restaurant?
Keeping relevant with the times while maintaining the authenticity of a restaurant that’s been in operation for half a century.
Dana Josephson is giving away this exquisite Officina Bernardi sterling silver and platinum bracelet (retail value: $695) from her Florida-based jewelry store, Raymond Lee Jewelers. Enter to win by answering this question in the comments below: What outfit would you wear this bracelet with?
FOF Dana Josephson owned several retail stores with her ex-husband in Scotland during the 1970s. “We found that people were always drawn to the jewelry cases,” Dana says. When Dana and her former husband decided to move to sunny South Florida for better weather in 1983, the two agreed to use their retail experience and love of jewelry to start a new business.
The couple opened Raymond Lee Jewelers (named after Dana’s son) that same year. The store started out as a small operation, with Dana, her former husband, their daughter and son all working together. “We learned our customers’ personal styles,” says Dana. “When we’d get something in that we thought they would really like, we’d give them a call, and they’d come in to see it.”
After noticing her competitors starting to sell jewelry online, Dana opened up shop online too, in the early 2000s, with the website, RaymondLeeJewelers.net. The e-commerce site features a unique diamond search section, where customers can search Dana’s inventory by price, carat weight, color, and clarity. They ship all over the world, and have loyal customers everywhere from Asia to Australia.
In addition to carrying newer designer pieces, Raymond Lee Jewelers is also a jewelry estate buyer–they purchase unique, one-of-kind, pre-owned precious pieces from around the world and carry them in the store and online. “We carry secondhand, upscale pieces that you don’t see everywhere, and aren’t mass produced. You can buy a lot of pieces and spend a lot less money. We have five times more inventory than most other jewelry stores.”
Enter to win this Officina Bernardi sterling silver and platinum bracelet by answering this question in the comments below: what outfit would you wear this bracelet with?
One FOF will win. (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes February 21st, 2013 at midnight E.S.T. Contest limited to residents of the continental U.S.
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FOF Harriet Zbikowski is giving away 4 pairs of bestselling “Elle Grip” garden gloves from her company, Foxgloves. Choose from 7 spring colors: Crow black, fuchsia, iris, periwinkle, sahara, spring green or tulip. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Which color gloves would you choose?
Most FOFs have worn many hats in their lives. FOF Harriet Zbikowski, a gardener and professional landscape architect in Hudson Valley, NY, has worn many garden gloves. Yet, in her 20 years in business, she couldn’t find a pair that were just right–the ones sturdy enough for gardening were bulky and unstylish. Harriet preferred the slim, chic fit of vintage fashion gloves, but they weren’t water resistant nor durable. So, fifteen years ago, she set out to create her own line of gloves that would be both elegant and practical.
“I started at the Dupont Fabric Library in New York City,” says Harriet. “There, I got fabric samples and did stress tests, selecting a particular blend that performed the best.” This special blend includes Invista SUPPLEX® nylon for durability and Invista LYCRA® spandex for four-way stretch. The design was based off of a fashion glove from the 50s that Harriet found at a thrift store. “I found the last glove maker left in New York City to make my gloves,” she says. Harriet went into production in 1999. Thirteen years later, 1200 stores nationwide carry Harriet’s gloves which go by the name “Foxgloves,” (also a common flower species). They’ve been featured in dozens of garden and shelter publications including House & Garden, Real Simple and Town and Country.
People also use Harriet’s bestselling “Elle Grip” for driving, bird watching, dog walking, or for a better grip if they have arthritis or other joint problems. Others simply wear them as a fashion accessory. “A few years ago, these shop owners came up to me and said ‘We have to tell you, we’re from Tennessee and girls have been coming in and buying your gloves to go with their prom gowns!’ Another time, a woman came up to me and said, ‘I needed gloves for Easter Sunday, so I wore your gardening gloves to church and they went so perfectly with my Vivienne Westwood!”
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Enter to win bestselling “Elle Grip” garden gloves from Foxgloves. Choose from 7 spring colors: Crow black, fuchsia, iris, periwinkle, sahara, spring green or tulip. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Which color would you choose?
Four FOFs will win. See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes April 11, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.
Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.
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FOF Nancy Morgan is giving away the bestselling “Sophie Wrap,” from her clothing line, Yala. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Do you wear clothing that shows your upper arms?
Can’t wait to find out if you won? Now, you can buy the Sophie Wrap in the FOF shop.
In 1997, FOF Nancy Morgan and her husband, Larry, were teaching English and traveling in Asia, all while raising their six-year-old daughter Chelsea. The trio would sleep on beds without sheets or even the ground as they trekked. One night, they thought to stitch together two sheets, creating a sort of sack to sleep in. Their first product, the “Dreamsack” was born. They built an entire brand around the beloved “Dreamsack” and over the years have expanded to sheets, pajamas, wraps and more. Here, we chat with Nancy about her line of super-soft, easy-wearing, clothing and linens.
Where is your business based?
Ashland, Oregon. But we go to China, where our manufacturers are, at least twice a year. We believe in not only fair trade, but exceptional trade. We work with smaller co-op factories–we’ve visited them all and know the people there.
You started with the “Dreamsack”–how did you transition to clothing?
Our customers loved it and asked ‘What else do you make like this?’ They requested pajamas and bathrobes, so in 1999 we started to expand the line.
What does “Yala” mean?
We wanted a name that has a global feel. We found that the word can be found on almost every continent–its a river in Africa, a region in Thailand, and in Hebrew and Arabic it means ‘Let’s go.’
What materials do you use?
We started with silk and added bamboo fabric. The bamboo fabric feels really cool against your skin. We are also adding organic cotton to our line.
Who is the designer?
In the beginning, I was the designer, but in the last couple of years my daughter has joined the business and really likes the designing part.
Working with a family business–best thing ever or biggest challenge ever?
It’s wonderful, and it’s a challenge. Ashland is a really small town, so my daughter moved to Portland. It works well, because she can be in the community she chooses and we are still in close contact electronically.
Why will FOFs love your line?
As women over fifty, we want to be comfortable and to feel good too. We also like caring about our environment.
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Enter to win a bestselling “Sophie Wrap,” from Yala by answering in the comments below: Do you wear clothing that show your upper arms?
Can’t wait to find out if you won? Now, you can buy the Sophie Wrap in the FOF shop.
One FOF will win. See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes March 22, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.
Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.
