The number of female entrepreneurs is definitely on the rise, with women having more power both in the areas of earning and spending money. While this is something to be celebrated, we'd be remiss if we didn't also mention the struggles of women in other countries who don't have as many opportunities as we do here in the States. Several savvy American businesses are working to help out in that area, and impacting the lives of many both at home and abroad.

Recently, I sat down with Knoxville News Sentinel reporter Carly Harrington to chat about marketing to women and some of the exciting new developments here at FletcherPR. Click here to read the full article. This is definitely an interesting time in the marketing world, with the onset of social media allowing for constant contact via platforms like Twitter, direct interactions with customers and the demand for engagement rather than just one-way communication.

There are many musicians working in the music industry, but very few reach icon status. In fact, when Go-Go's guitarist Charlotte Caffey wrote "We Got the Beat" she probably didn't realize just how beloved her song would become. Today's post honors Charlotte because we think she's SO Empowered, but it also coincides with National Girl Scout Leader Day, which is fitting because of Charlotte’s contribution to the Girl Scouts Rock! Powered by Roland initiative we blogged about here.

It’s no secret here at FletcherPR we think girls rock! This is why we’re so excited to be working with Girl Scouts of America and the Roland Corporation U.S. on a fabulous new initiative, Girl Scouts Rock! Powered by Roland. The project, which recently kicked off in Los Angeles, involves a series of interactive workshops that puts musical instruments into the hands of Girl Scouts ages 8-14 and offer them new opportunities to learn about music, while making some of their own at the same time.

The star-studded premiere workshop included none other than girl rocker Charlotte Caffey, of the groundbreaking all-female rock band, the Go-Go’s. As a female singer/songwriter and mother of a 16-year-old daughter, Caffey was happy to get involved with the project to help provide young girls a greater access to music and music education. Girls and moms alike jammed out to the Rockin' Roland Girls Band rendition of We Got The Beat while Caffey cheered them on. Also in attendance was Disney darling Shelby Spalione, previous lead singer of the all-girl teen rock band KSM and former Girl Scout. Spalione, who says she was inspired by the Go-Go’s, performed for the workshop participants and met many of them as well.

The high-energy project goes on the road this month, crossing the country for workshops to be held in Chicago, New York and Miami. In a recent Billboard Magazine article, Roland U.S. president Chris Bristol states “I want to give young girls a positive, hands-on experience playing musical instruments and making their own music.” The goal of the initiative is to empower young girls through music, while offering them the chance to learn something too.

With the budget cuts schools are facing these days, music programs get pushed further and further to the bottom of the priority list. Having majored in music and worked in the area of performing arts, I know the extent to which music can have a positive impact on peoples’ lives. Seeing the smiles on the Girl Scouts’ faces as they were jumping up and down, getting excited about music brought tears to my eyes. We believe this initiative will have life-long benefits for the Girl Scouts involved and we are so thrilled to be part of it!

Here at FletcherPR, we’re all about celebrating women and their achievements and today’s blog post honors a woman currently fighting to reach the top of her field. Keisher McLeod-Wells is a female boxer causing folks to reconsider their perceptions of this profession. Nicknamed Fire, 33 year-old McLeod-Wells is training to be a super-flyweight champion at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, NY.

Many of the celebrities and personalities marketed to young girls are also young, ranging from pre-teen to early 20s. Some find it difficult to make the transition from teen idol to adult while maintaining popularity. However there is a certain 52-year old who is as beloved today as when she was 16…Barbie.