Decade of the Woman

The Decade of the Woman is about honoring women who make a difference. A significant difference in the lives of others. Women who dream “outlandish” dreams and bring them to pass. Over this past weekend, I discovered one of those “outlandish” women I’d never heard of before. Her name is Lynn Tilton & I discovered her because I happened to turn on Huckabee just as he was interviewing her. What I heard, saw and since read is absolutely amazing.  Lynn Tilton is definitely a woman after my own heart & perhaps worthy of a “Woman of Excellence” award when it comes time to hand them out. Please read on to learn more about this fabulous woman. . . . .

“It takes a “Team of people with passion & perseverance & vision & willing to stand shoulder to shoulder to create that force of nature that rises from the abyss.

We don’t work together as a people anymore. We’re always worried when we wake up, about ourselves. When people stand together, I say good people together make great things happen. It’s about taking a team of people who will believe in the journey.”

Lynn Tilton, CEO & Principle Partner, Patriarch Partners LLC – Fox News Huckabee, Sunday, July 18, 2010.

I’d never heard of Lynn Tilton before I turned on Fox News last evening at an hour I’m usually doing anything but watching TV on Sunday. I caught the last portion of an interview with a woman Huckabee described
as a “self-made billionaire”.

She is a somewhat wild looking blond with extremely long hair & somewhat outlandish dress; but when she opens her mouth – gems of wisdom roll out. A soft-spoken woman of about 50, Lynn Tilton is my kind of woman! As I’ve pursued more information about her today, I realize she’s a woman after my heart. A solid business woman with a heart for the nation, American companies and the American worker. A woman who understands that “making money and making the world a better place are not mutually exclusive concepts”

I was so impacted by this woman who rose from rather humble beginnings; was once a single mom working nearly 100 hours a week in the financial markets, who took her talent, expertise and American work ethic and put it to use on behalf of others. And in the process, made what we call in fund raising development – “boo coo bucks!”

Some might call her outlandish because of her appearance; but I call her that because of her outlandish dream to restore a solid economic base to our nation and workers – and made it work. How many of us have outlandish dreams that we simply allow to languish on the vine because we assume they’ll never come to fruition?

I want you to get to know Lynn Tilton! She has a view of womanhood that does us proud. She knows that “women shoulder to shoulder, can be the driving force that leads to the economic healing and requisite transformation of our great nation.” That America;s greatest asset is “human capital”.

I think you’ll be inspired by her. By her simple wisdom that obviously eludes the politico’s in D. C. who think they know what’s best for all of us and a very ailing economy. A wisdom that only savvy women know – and each of us gathered here is savvy enough to know it as well.

So my question today is, “Are we ready to stand shoulder to shoulder to help each other bring outlandish dreams to reality? Perhaps not as outlandish or grandiose as Lynn Tilton’s, but nonetheless important to women everywhere and perhaps to our nation as a whole. We each have our part to play. Will be be satisfied to get up each morning concerned only for ourselves & what we can get out of the day?

And are we willing to stick together and grow as a “team”? A team of women who have, can and will capture the vision – who will believe in the journey. We can’t possibly manage it alone, but “shoulder to shoulder” we can make an impact that the world won’t long be able to ignore.

It took Lynn Tilton just 10 years to grab the attention of folks looking for successful women who rose from the “dust to diamonds” (name of her blog). How long will it take us?

She’s right. Apart, we can accomplish little; but together with arms, shoulders & hearts interlocked; we can make the world a better place!

What say you? Agree. Disagree. Fearful to begin or ready to roll?

Linda, a fellow traveler on the journey

MORE ON LYNN TILTON:

http://www.patriarchpartners.com/lynntilton
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4285082/from-single-mom-to-self-made-bil…
http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/14/news/newsmakers/demos_tilton.fortun…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008861044…

Lynn Tilton quotes:

“Making money and making the world a better place are not mutually exclusive concepts.”

“Our country’s most valuable asset is human capital, and the most potent force of nature is people standing shoulder-to-shoulder, moving in one direction.”

“Healing the economy, assuaging anger and rebuilding America will begin with both truth and self-reflection.”

“We must all strive to be better people and to demonstrate those qualities that create light in a world gone dark.”

“We have become a culture of expectation rather than appreciation.”

“America’s greatest asset is human capital. Women, shoulder to shoulder, can be the driving force that leads to the economic healing and requisite transformation of our great nation.”

“Americans hunger for authentic leaders who will provide them with truth and a path paved with direction and promise. Truth is cold and hard but it is also the first step towards hope and salvation.”