By Kelly Faircloth 4/15 12:32pm

Modest Proposals

Screen shot 2013-04-15 at 1.17.54 PM

How Else Should ‘Lean In’ Branch Out? Sex Moves! Digital Currency!

Since hitting bookstores, Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In has inspired a national conversation about gender and work. There’s some evidence it’s already having an impact, offering women a great excuse to play hardball in salary talks.

Now comes the inevitable commercial spin-off. The New York Times reports that the technology used to organize and maintain those controversial “Lean In” circles is now available for brands, corporations and their ilk. Starting this summer, users will be able to pony up for features like data analytics.

The software was created by Mightybell, a new startup from Lean In Foundation cofounder and former Ning CEO Gina Bianchini. She explained the tech to the Times: ”What if an influencer, or a brand, or an organization, could go from having passive followers to an active army? It’s like nothing that’s been offered before.” Did she mention they power Lean In circles?

It’s a little disconcerting to see all that activist energy harnessed to hawk software. Read More

By Kelly Faircloth 3/12 6:00pm

Sheryl Says

(Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

Somebody Tried to Bug Sheryl Sandberg About the End of Men

“I want to be clear–I’m not trying to tell anyone what do to. And I’m not trying to prescribe goals for anyone,” said Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg last night at Time Warner. She was patiently explaining yet again the purpose of Lean In: ”I’m trying to help women answer the question, ‘If I do want leadership, how do I get there?’”

“My book is not meant to be comprehensive. I don’t have parenting advice, it doesn’t go deeply into the public policy issues. It’s one piece of the puzzle.” Read More

By Patrick Clark 2/25 8:04am

Linkages

bloomberg

Booting Up: Bloomberg, Tech Investors to March (Virtually) for Immigration Reform

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is teaming up with a group of high-profile investors, including Fred Wilson, Ron Conway and Paul Graham, to “push for smart immigration reform to attract and keep the best, the brightest and the hardest-working to fuel innovation and American jobs.” [March for Innovation]

It wasn’t so long ago that the Nook was the key to Barnes & Noble’s future. Now the bookseller is planning to back off of its efforts to sell its own e-reader, and is working on strengthening partnerships with tablet suppliers. [NYT]

It’s not that Julian Assange isn’t giving interviews—it’s just that he’s leading a busy life inside the Ecuadorian government’s London embassy, and it’s a question of fitting reporters in. [Ars Technica]

Kara Swisher leans into the backlash against Facebook COO’s Sheryl Sandberg’s new book. [AllThingsD]

In case you can’t wait for the competing biopics currently in production, here’s what it’s like to go on a double-date with John McAfee. [PandoDaily]

By Patrick Clark 2/22 7:54am

Linkages

(Photo: NJ Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

Booting Up: Nevada Legalizes Online Gambling, Is New Jersey Next?

Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest were hacked this week, after a security breach at customer-service provider Zendesk allowed a hacker to access user email addresses at the three social media companies. [Wired]

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s book marketing plans include “Lean in Circles,” in which women study Ms. Sandberg’s curriculum for career success. [NYT]

Twitter cofounder Ev Williams talks about when—and when not—to sell your company. [Medium]

Nevada became the first state to legalize online gambling. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie may sign a law legalizing Internet gambling in his state as early as next week. [The Washington Post]

If you’re a “startup junky,” what are you really addicted to? [PandoDaily]

By Kelly Faircloth 8/30/12 4:00pm

It's Zuck's World We're Just Living In It

Boss. (Photo: flickr.com/jurvetson)

All-Powerful Boss Lady Sheryl Sandberg Set to Publish a Book on Women and Leadership

Want some career advice from Sheryl Sandberg? Good news for those of you without an in–the Facebook COO has written a book about women and leadership. AllThingsD reports that Ms. Sandberg has signed a deal with the publisher Knopf, for something titled Lean In. It’s due to hit shelves sometime in 2013–presumably in the spring, so every single woman graduating from anything anywhere in America can receive a gift copy.

Perhaps we now have yet another reason she insists on leaving work at 5:30 on the dot every day? Read More