YourOnRamp Speaks at Harvard Business School

Thank You Alma Mater…..

As I sit on my plane flight home and reflect on my weekend at Harvard Business School, I feel happy for so many reasons.  Maybe it is just what HBS does to you?  You leave feeling rejuvenated, intellectually stimulated and challenged.  But you know what, that wasn’t it this time.  I was asked to speak on one Entrepreneur panel and two OnRamp/OffRamp Panels at the Women's Student Association 2008 Dynamic Women in Business Annual Conference, which the WSA puts on for over1,000 women in the greater Boston/New York area.  The women on the panels were exceptional, the advice they gave was meaningful, and the students wanting to talk about family as it relates to their career was unusual.

On the OnRamp/OffRamp panels, these students wanted to hear the truth.   Can you have it all?  If you have taken time off, how do you get back in?  Is it okay to take time off?  If you were looking to take some time off, how can you best position yourself to get back in?  These are all fantastic questions and I applaud them for asking them.  When I was at HBS, this was never openly discussed.  I know for a fact that a lot of my classmates could have benefited from these conversations about having families and trying to understand if there ever was a right time to have kids and how best they should prepare for it.  So I am happy today as we are finally communicating about this important issue at one of the leading business schools in the country. 

It would be hard for me to sum up all of the advice I heard at the conference in one blog so bear with me, as it will unfold in subsequent blogs on our site.  From the OnRamp/OffRamp panel a smart woman said there are four things that are important to remember: 1) Choose the right partner/spouse 2) Choose the right boss 3) Know who is in your force field and 4) Know your values and know thyself.

In my opinion this is incredible advice whether one is beginning their career or OnRamping or OffRamping.  By choosing the right partner, you will have the support to do whatever you want to do and he/she will want the best for you and want you to succeed.  By choosing the right boss, you will set yourself up for success and that person too will want you to be a success.  Your force field is your surroundings and can impact you both positively or negatively.  Think carefully with whom you want to surround yourself.  Lastly and most importantly, know what your values are and know what you want and what is important to you!  Don’t compromise. 

To the graduating class, good luck in all of your endeavors.  Keep us posted and we wish you the best luck and success.  You have many happy years ahead of you and know corporate America is waking up and wants access to you!

Thank you for including YourOnRamp in your amazing conference!

Millie Froeb
CEO, Co-Founder
www.YourOnRamp.com