Yep, it's us on TV and radio!

Jen and Julie featured in OPEN from American Express ad campaign

Perhaps recently while you were driving to work, watching TV, or flipping through a magazine, you saw or heard...us! While we haven't had people recognize us in the street yet, this ad campaign has been a great chance for us to introduce our games and guides to a larger audience... How did this happen?

The short answer is: we got incredibly lucky. The long answer is, we've worked really hard and have had some huge helping hands to get us to this point. A few years ago we applied for a small loan from Count Me In a great nonprofit dedicated to helping women-owned businesses grow. The application was simple and quick (when have your ever heard THAT about a loan?), and we got it. Then about a year later, the friendly, smart and helpful women at Count Me In got in touch with us and suggested we apply for a Make Mine a $Million (aka 3M) award (yes, that $ sign is supposed to be there), sponsored by Count Me In and OPEN from American Express.

We applied and got to the next level - a few minutes in front of a board of judges and an audience in Long Beach, California. Julie flew down and did a great job, and the judges were so impressed with everyone that they awarded not just three (the original number of winners), but all six. We all got access to financial and marketing support as well as mentorship and coaching, and access to an incredible network of smart and energetic women with great ideas.

American Express found out about us through this award, and with luck on our side, they selected us to be in the national TV and radio and print campaign. It was totally fun filming and recording -- everyone in the crew was amazing. Now we know why the Academy Award thank you's are so long - we only did a commercial and had a huge list. The commercial was directed by Jesse Dylan, a brilliant, creative, and all around nice guy.

Now what's next? A NEW group of smart, entrepreneurial women recently won 3M wards at a big event in San Francisco. So check out Make Mine a $Million and apply for the next round of awards in October in New York City. A million women business owners at or above a million dollars could create a lot of change in the worlds of policy, employment, and more...