WeSeed was the winner of a Stevie Award for Best Financial Website in the 2009 American Business Awards, and just this month Jennifer Openshaw received a Lifetime Achievement Stevie Award in the 2009 Stevie Award for Women in Business.

What book are you currently reading?
Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities by Elizabeth Edwards. What’s compelling about her story is how eloquently she makes the case that so much of the hoopla in people’s lives (in her case, public office) is really so ephemeral. It gives you a great perspective on your own life and how to deal effectively with the challenges that come your way.

What was the last movie you saw, and would you recommend it?
Cherry Blossoms on DVD.  It’s a quirky but marvelously crafted German film that portrays an older married couple who have missed opportunities in their lives to fulfill commitments to themselves and their family. Highly recommended.

What is your favorite sport or hobby?
Traveling, especially to Italy. I love the food, the people, and the history. Not only because my great-grandparents are from Italy, but it’s also where I met my American husband (in a pastry shop in Florence!)  I also love to cook and entertain friends at home.

Who is your favorite historical figure?
John F. Kennedy. He instilled a passion in all Americans to never be content with the status quo, to always strive to give back, and to not just sit back, but to engage.

Who is your favorite living person?
My husband.  He constantly reminds me that being truly successful means living a balanced life. He’s also terrific at understanding human behavior, which makes him incredibly skilled at guiding and leading people in a way that I admire. As an example, a number of our friends have lost jobs during this downturn. He’ll tell them what looks like misfortune is actually a good thing because it will open up a much better opportunity – and he’s usually right! He also reminds me that most of the things we worry about every day ultimately don’t really matter. What matters most is having your health, having friends and family to support you, and – in my case – being able to follow my passion to help and inspire others.

If you could choose another profession, what would it be?
I’d run for public office. I have a deep-seated drive to help women and families and to speak out on issues I care about. For example, it drives me crazy that corporate America is getting bailed out while everyday Americans and small businesses are barely hanging on. Thanks to my media appearances I have been able to articulate my concerns on a national level. But if you asked me what’s the best job I ever had, it would be—many years ago, when I was just out of college—press secretary to the California State Treasurer. I miss those days.

What do you think is the worst bad habit to have at work?
Failing to deliver on a commitment.

What quality or qualities do you most value in your business associates?
People who have a “can-do” attitude. I love it when someone says “Yes,” even when getting the job done might be a challenge. You should treat those you work with as if they were customers. If you practice that work ethic, you are guaranteed to stand out. Those are the people I want to help succeed.

Is there anything you'd like to improve about your own work practices?
I always need to work on staying focused, not trying to do everything that comes across my plate. The toughest word in my vocabulary is “No.” But being successful means sometimes having to say: “I’m sorry. I can’t take on that project.”

As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?
A good workout at the gym! Seriously, it really gets me up and going. Then I like to nail a small success early in the day. Emotionally that helps carry me through challenges I’m bound to face later. I’m also crazy about checklists. I love to tick stuff off. That gives me a sense that I’m making progress no matter how daunting my “to do” list is for the day.

What do you consider has been your greatest achievement in business?
Inspiring and enabling everyday people to reach their full potential.

What advice or useful tip would you give to someone who is just starting out in business?
You can’t do it by yourself. That’s the theme of my book, The Millionaire Zone. People look at Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey and think, “How did they do it?” The truth is, while they are certainly extraordinarily gifted individuals, they got started by tapping into the resources they had around them. For the rest of us, that means leveraging our personal networks. You’d be amazed at how people you know can lead you to people you don’t know who turn out to be critical in building your business. So often, we’re busy looking “out there” for help, when in fact the answers are right in front of us.

About Jennifer Openshaw
Jennifer Openshaw is a 15-year financial services entrepreneur, author, and national commentator whose mission is to use technology to help everyday Americans achieve financial success. Most recently, as President & Co-Founder, she launched WeSeed[http://www.weseed.com], an investment education site now used in over 100 elementary schools. Prior to that, she founded Women’s Financial Network, now a division of Siebert Financial. Through SuperFutures.org she runs a leadership program at the United Nations to better prepare teens for the working world and teach them how to turn their energy into becoming productive citizens. A passionate advocate for families and working Americans, Jennifer’s financial and economic insights have been seen and heard on a host of TV and radio shows, from CNN and CNBC to Oprah, Dr. Phil, and the Today Show. She is the author of the book The Millionaire Zone, a columnist for Dow Jones’ MarketWatch, and a frequent guest on Fox-TV.

About WeSeed
WeSeed's mission is to educate the 100 million people who have never invested in the stock market about the stock market—starting with what they know. It is a "Wall Street-meets-Facebook" platform that features a search tool delivering personalized stock ideas and a virtual trading platform, now in 100+ schools. For more information go to www.weseed.com.

BT Group has won multiple Stevie Awards in the International Business Awards over the past couple of years, including for its IT team and BT Conferencing. Here we focus on the company’s efforts to improve the lives of disadvantaged schoolchildren in South Africa through its CSR program.

BT, one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services, has a long tradition of supporting communities where the company operates around the world. Helping to improve the education and therefore the prospects of young people, especially those from poor socioeconomic backgrounds, has been a priority for BT's CSR program for some years.  BT has been rated the leader in the telecommunications sector of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for eight consecutive years, from 2001 to 2008.

Partnership with UNICEF
In 2007, following the success of an educational program in India, BT launched a three-year global development partnership with UNICEF, which aimed to bring education, technology, and communications skills to children from poor socioeconomic backgrounds in South Africa, China, and Brazil. 

South Africa has seen enormous change in recent years. Now well into its second decade of democracy, it has made good progress in addressing the challenges inherited from the last century. Much has been done to integrate society and improve the welfare and living conditions of the most disadvantaged people, but with the scale of challenges facing the educational system much work remains in this field.

While South Africa has around 380,000 teachers and 26,000 schools catering for the needs of over 12 million school children, the quality of the educational environment and available resources varies greatly. Approximately 11% of schools still have no running water, 16% have no electricity, 80% have no library, and 67% have no computers. Crime, drugs, and vandalism cause additional problems, and many children have long and hazardous journeys to school.

Investing in Schools
The aim of the BT and UNICEF partnership in South Africa was to reach nearly 19,000 children in the more under-served communities. The project focused on two of the most economically disadvantaged South African provinces within KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, where a total of 25 schools were selected to receive assistance from the initiative.

An in-depth survey of the schools determined the scope of support needed at each one, and this varied enormously. For some, the work extended to providing sanitation, running water, and electricity. 

Thirteen schools have now been refurbished with classrooms added and teaching resources enhanced.

In addition to installing 250 computers, BT's investment has helped to build state-of-the-art computer labs. The ultimate aim of creating these new facilities is to provide students with practical information and communication technology (ICT) skills that will assist in their future economic independence and ultimately help them become skilled members of the workforce.

Investing in Teachers
In order to ensure that children in the future continue to benefit, some 150 principals and teachers have been trained in school management, leadership, and ICT skills. The initiative also provided training for 70 senior government officials.

"Corporate partnerships, such as the one we enjoy with BT, are vital because they give us the support we need to work with the government to realize the right to quality education for all children,” said Nadi Albino, Chief of Education for UNICEF South Africa. “With BT's help we really are making a huge difference for children and young people in South Africa."

South Africa is now closer to achieving Millennium Development Goal 2­—agreed by all the world's countries—of ensuring that all girls and boys complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015.

Ongoing Projects
The work in South Africa has been followed by similar projects in Brazil and China. In Brazil the BT/UNICEF partnership is helping 10,000 adolescents develop technology and communication skills, across ten schools, in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, and Fortaleza. In China, BT is helping UNICEF to train teachers and install IT systems in remote rural schools, and bring computers and Internet access to thousands of children for the very first time.

Families of the Future
BT’s global partnership with UNICEF is focused on creating a secure and productive learning environment, especially for girls. They are being mentored, coached, and trained in communication, technology, and science so that as future mothers they will be able to ensure that their own children receive an education.

"Those of us who have grown up with technology often take it for granted,” said Beth Courtier, community investment program manager at BT. “For BT it is crucial that we make a positive and sustainable difference to the communities in which we operate.  This partnership enables us to help UNICEF develop the skills of both learners and educators at a very local level, and ultimately to improve the futures of children around the world."

About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries.  Its principal activities include networked IT services; local, national, and international telecommunications services; and higher-value broadband and internet products and services.  BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail, and BT Wholesale.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.  BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.  For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt.

About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, safe water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information on UNICEF's work in South Africa visit www.unicef.org/southafrica.

Blogs, or web logs, are all the rage these days. Each month in this space we'll point you to several blogs and web sites that we think might be of interest to you.

News On Women : Winner of the Stevie Award for Blog of the Year in the 2009 Stevie Awards for Women In Business, this site shares news on women achievers in business, science and technology, education, and the arts.
Bookdwarf: Get ahead on new literature at this site from Megan Sullivan, a buyer at the Harvard Book Store.
eHub: Catch up on the latest info on next generation web (web 2.0) and social software.
Free Rice: A non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Program in partnership with the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. The site aims to educate while providing free rice to hungry people with each correct answer.