On my way home, again.

I'm typing this on an airplane on my way home to Los Angeles, marveling over where my travels have taken me within the last week:

More than 8000 miles on three airlines (Northwest, American, Frontier), six different airports (Los Angeles 4x, Chicago Midway 2x, Las Vegas McCarren, Denver 2x, Chicago OHare, and Detroit 2x), and a total of eight separate planes (On Friday, I identified each animal emblazoned on the tails of my four Frontier flights; I've since forgotten their cute names, but the animals were a wolf, a rabbit, an elk, and a moose). Needless to say, I'm a little travel weary.

My job as an automotive journalist and blogger has provided many opportunities to travel; auto shows, vehicle product reveals, and educational conferences take me away from home about once a month. This week, I had two short trips bookended around Mother's Day: The first was the "Marketing 2 Women" conference in Chicago, and the second was an overnighter to Detroit to co-star in a short Prestone video in which I offer female friendly advice to help moms get their cars and families ready for summer road trips.

While the opportunities are exciting enough on their own, Monday's flight brought a whole new adventure to traveling.

Happy Mothers Day, a Proclamation by the President of the United States

We found this item on the Business Wire newswire last night, and thought it might be nice to share it with all the mothers we know. We at AskPatty would like to wish a happy Mothers Day to all our women readers, to the Moms, Daughters, Wives, Nieces, Grandmothers and Aunties, whether you are young, old, married, or single;  an experienced driver, a new driver, a race car driver,  a hot rod driver, a classic car driver, a minivan driver, a truck driver, a luxury car driver, an SUV driver, a disabled driver, a carpool driver, a stay-at-home Mom, or a female executive; no matter your shape, size, or color, we hope you will have an excellent day!

And now, a word from our President:

"On Mother's Day, we honor the grace, wisdom, and strength of our mothers, and we celebrate the special bonds shared between mothers and their children.

Mothers work tirelessly to help their children build healthy and successful lives. Through their positive examples and countless acts of kindness, mothers teach the values of generosity and compassion and the importance of family and community. As President Ronald Reagan said, "From our mothers, we first learn about values and caring and the difference between right and wrong." By providing a nurturing environment where their children can grow in confidence and character, mothers lay the foundation for the next generation of Americans to realize their full potential.

Happy Mother's Day from Ask Patty

Are you a mom? Do you remember your first Mother’s Day? What did you think of it? Did it live up to the hype? Do you go all out, or just relax at home?

Mother’s Day is celebrated on different days of the year in various countries. Here in the U.S., it is today, May 11. There are several possibilities of its origin, from mother worship in ancient Greece, the Roman holiday Matronalia (dedicated to Juno, but mothers were given gifts), or the Christian festival in Lent to celebrate Mary, mother of Jesus.

As I think about this day’s origins, I wonder if one day of celebration is enough. Not because I’m now “officially” a mom (I’ve been a mom to my stepdaughter for almost 10 years now, but just had my own son last fall), but because I now understand what mothers really do.

Mother’s Day wasn’t started in corporate America, designed to sell cards, flowers, or diamonds. It started around 150 years ago when Anna Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community. She felt the cause could best be carried by mothers. It was called “Mother’s Work Day.” In 1914, Congress designated the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. And it’s now the most popular day of the year for dining out (according to the National Restaurant Association). And phone lines buzz with high traffic as children call their mothers to say hello, and hopefully thank you.

Five Things This Mom Wants in a Car

We recently paid off my car. It was used when I got it, and it's getting close to ten years old. It still runs great and has decent mileage for its age. But we're outgrowing it. The car has always been on the small side for my husband, who's six-foot-two. And to be honest, it gets tiresome to bend over into the back seat and struggle with the car seat. I need something slightly taller, and definitely with a higher roof. Plus, my car does not have the LATCH system.

So even though we're finally without a car payment, I'm thinking about a newer vehicle. I haven't started test driving yet, as I want to figure out our budget, and our requirements. As a mom, what do I want in a car?

Teen Drivers and Safety - Reseach Shows Car Crash Deaths Increase at Age 12

Recent research shows that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for older children and teens in the United States. Resulting in more deaths for this age group than the next three causes combined, motor vehicle crashes are considered the most serious health threat for older children and teens. (According to a study released this month in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.)

Researchers examined 45,560 crashes involving 8- to 17-year-old passengers. Between 2000 and 2005, 9,807 passengers in this age group died in crashes.

"We saw a clear tipping point between ages 12 and 14, where child passengers became much more likely to die in a crash than their younger counterparts," says Flaura Koplin-Winston, M.D., Ph.D., founder and co-scientific director of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at CHOP. "Long before these children ever receive a learner's permit, they begin to exhibit a pattern that looks more like the high fatality rates we see for teen drivers."

With passengers between ages 12 - 16 dying at a higher rate than younger children, it is necessary for adults to intervene long before a teenager receives their learner's permit. In the United States, one in four crash fatalities involve someone aged 16 to 24 years old. With the risk increasing with each teenage year, now is the time for someone to step in. Helping to bring these staggering findings to the public are The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm Insurance.

Focus on the Music for a Chance to Win Free Gas and iTunes

Two Girls Hit the Road in their Sync-Equipped Ford in Search of Fun and Music

In today's high-tech internet-enabled society, creativity is revealed and rewarded in numerous ways. Take, for instance, Kim and Seana, two girls who have undertaken a nationwide adventure to find fame and fortune.

Kim is a singer/songwriter who dreams of hitting it big. Her friend Seana also dabbles in the singing/playing part. And according to the bio at Myspace.com/kimandseana, they both love music. "LOVE music. Listening to. Watching. Making. It really sums up our lives. So we are going out in search of the music. The new. The loud. The whatever."

Ford supplied them with a Sync-equipped Focus to connect them to their adventures, and the sporty little car features heavily in several of their online webisodes. Almost a co-star in its own right, the flashy blue Focus assists their communications with family and friends along the journey, and helps to provide the soundtrack to their roadtrip - one voice command at a time.

Join AskPatty in Celebrating International Women's Day!

During March, we celebrate Women's History Month, an annual declared month in the United States that highlights contributions of women to events in history. Its origins are found in 1978 when the school district of Sonoma, California, participated in Women's History Week, an event designed around the week of March 8  and International Women's Day. In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration when March was declared Women's History Month.

International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

It all began in 1908, a time of great unrest and active campaigning by women demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.  In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on February 28, 1909. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

At a Socialist International meeting in Copenhagen in 1910, an International Women's Day of no fixed date was proposed to honour the women's rights movement and to assist in achieving universal suffrage for women. Over 100 women from 17 countries unanimously agreed the proposal. Three of these women were later elected the first women to the Finnish parliament.

Remembering the DeLorean Motor Car

I had been shopping at the local Fry's Computer store recently, buying a new flat screen computer monitor and various other supplies to assist running some of the day-to-day tasks at AskPatty.com. I was walking through the parking lot on my way back to my car when I saw something very rare parked among the vehicles there.

It was a gorgeous DeLorean sportscar, in perfect condition. Its stainless steel body was smooth and shiny, the louvers across the back window still retained their black matte finish, and the wheels appeared to be ding free; inside, its two leather seats seemed practically brand new. Sold in America in 1981, 82, and 83, The DMC-12 featured gull-wing doors with a fiberglass "underbody," onto which non-structural brushed stainless steel panels are affixed. Many people are familiar with the vehicle thanks to its starring role as the time machine in the "Back to the Future" films, as well as for the high-profile 1982 arrest of company founder John DeLorean, for drug trafficking. (It was told that DeLorean was attempting to raise funds for his struggling company, which declared bankruptcy that same year.) He was able to defeat these charges, proving that his alleged involvement was a result of entrapment by federal agents. John DeLorean died in March 2005 from a stroke at the age 80.

I spent some time admiring this iconic vehicle there in the lot, circling around it as if it were a show car on display, in hope that the owner would come out soon so I could find out more about the car. It certainly appeared to be well cared for, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't read the odometer through the windows to find out how much it had been driven. Unfortunately, though I waited quite some time, the owner never appeared and so I left, but kept thinking about that emblematic vehicle.

My Son Learns to Drive ...Again!

My son is taking driver's training lessons right now. This would not be anything exciting for most mother's however, my son is thirty-five, got his driver's license when he was 16, had a car accident in 2005 which resulted in paraplegia and is learning to drive again with hand controls! I am so excited, worried and proud of his desire to get right back into life and have his freedom back and participate in life more fully.

This no easy feat believe me . I was asked to park a car for a friend who drives with hand controls and got in and much to my chagrin had no idea how to operate a car with hand controls, the joke was really on me that day; car girl cannot drive car due to hand controls installed! LOL

He is also shopping for a new vehicle and is looking over all the manufactures mobilility programs that help hand or other special need control drivers off-set the high costs of driving customized vehicles  that enable the freedom of driving. Talk about primp my ride and aftermarket accessories that are expensive , whoa! Check some of them out here.

My son made a New Year's Resolution is to do the "3 S's" this year: Surf, Scuba and Ski in 2008. He went skiing last week and had a blast, although I was nervous at the prospect, he had help from a program designed for this type of ski experience and as a former avid snowboarder he took to it in no time! Woo Hoo!  This photo really made me smile!

The work I do with UnitedSpinal.org and Motorability Island in Second Life is all about providing a better quality of life and life enriching experiences for persons with spinal cord injuries or diseases. My reward is watching my own son begin to enjoy a more fun, interesting and exciting life.  Maybe too exciting for mom here  but he was always an A-Type into bungee jumping ( yikees) , white water boating and all those edgy sports and activities and that will never change. 

Growing The 85% Niche: Women and Women of Color

"What," you may ask, "is the 85% Niche?"  And, "What does it have to do with the automotive market?"  Well, the answer to that is twofold:  The 85% Niche stands for the power that women represent as consumers in the automotive industry.  Yes, women influence the purchase decision of up to 85% of all new car and truck sales in this country and buy over 44% of all new vehicles!  That's over 6.3 million new cars and trucks.  And at an average price of $30,000 per new vehicle, we are talking about roughly $200 Billion dollars in automotive sales led by women.  Among women of color--Black, Latina, and Asian--we are looking at an audience that purchases over 1.4 million new cars and trucks (22% of all women purchases)--generating $42 Billion dollars in sales.  There is no disputing that we are a force to be reckoned with--no matter what our ethnicity or culture!

The 85% Niche also represents the name of the company I founded three years ago after having spent 25 years as an executive in Fortune 100 automotive and consumer packaged goods companies.  As the head of marketing and/or diversity, I sat at the decision-making table, marshaled the troops to create advertising and brand messages that connect with women, launched new products that were aligned with our needs as consumers, developed sales training to help retail teams learn how to build effective relationships with women, and executed these programs in a way that generated incremental sales and profits.  Now, as CEO of The 85% Niche, I can focus this experience to help companies tap into the power of all women--White, Black, Latina, Asian, Native American, Middle Eastern, and more--and across many industries (from automotive to financial services, to home improvement, travel, consumer electronics and more) through women/diversity savvy marketing and sales strategies.  My goal is to dispel the notion that women are a "niche segment"; we are a powerful group of consumers capable of generating significant business results! 

Cars and Curses

My BFF recently purchased a beautiful new 2008 Honda Pilot. She made her purchase with a lot of thought, carefully researching more than a dozen cars in her price range and segment. This was the car she ultimately fell in love with, and brought home to show off to her friends amid much Ooohing and Aaahing, as we all admired its fancy new features and that wonderful new-car smell - and wonderfully absent of any stains or old-kid odors.

It was gorgeous from every angle, from its spotless interior to its shiny new paint -- but it had one tiny flaw. After admiring its new-car beauty, I asked her carefully whether she had noticed the tiny little dent on the quarter panel behind the rear wheel.

"Yeah, the dealership is going to smooth that out for me. It's going back next week," my friend responded. I joked with her about how fortunate she was that her first dent came factory installed.

It reminded me of something I used to say about my second Honda. My husband and I bought it just before we were married in 1988. It had square boxy bumpers, and -- like almost every other 1988 Accord -- it had a tiny little scratch on the outmost front passenger bumper corner. (Some of them also had them on the outmost rear passenger bumper corner.) I guess it was something about their boxy design that required their owners to learn their measurements by braile, but I used to tell my friends that so many Honda Accords had those familiar scratches, that they must have come factory installed.

Discussing Ford's Blueprint for Sustainability

Ford used the Detroit Auto Show to debut its plan for energy security by releasing information about its new EcoBoost engine technology, which begins with a direct-gasoline-injected, turbocharged V-6 engine to reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency.

I was extremely fortunate to be invited to represent AskPatty at a dinner with Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford and other select journalists to discuss Ford's "Blueprint for Sustainability." The dinner, hosted by Sue Cischke, Senior Vice President of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, and John Viera, Ford's Director of Sustainable Business Strategy, presented us an informal opportunity to converse with Bill Ford and learn more about the company's high-volume practical, affordable approach to meeting the coming transportation challenges.

Other journalists in attendance represented such renowned publications as the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, The Washington Post, Forbes Business Magazine, and others. It was an unbelievable honor to be present among such respected journalists. In fact, I felt a bit like a goldfish in a pond full of very impressive Koi.

Fiesta Reborn in the Verve, Ford's Got Some Nerve

At the moment I was given a sneak peek at Ford's sporty Verve concept, I knew it was love at first sight.

Here before my eyes was a sleek sedan. It was sexy, shapely, sporty. It looked fast and it had four doors. It answered my motherly personal need for the function of a four-door with the price-point, performance, and efficiency of a coupe.

It was presented to us at the Detroit Auto Show as simply a concept showcasing "the style, technology, premium materials, and substantial content that will set it apart when Ford's new small cars go on sale in North America in 2010." That statement, combined with the announcement at the Frankfurt Motor show that a three-door version of this vehicle would be available for sale in Europe, gave me hope that I might someday actually be able to own this vehicle.

Ford explained that the Verve was developed through their new global product development system, a program that builds on the manufacturer's European small-car expertise to stake a bigger claim in this critically important segment. For American's who don't know any better, Ford's small-car lineup in Europe includes such popular top-sellers as the Ford Focus, Fiesta, and Ka. The Verve was meant to be Ford's first "world car" entry, the first vehicle manufactured to meet universal safety, quality, efficiency, and design standards, regardless of where it would be sold around the world.

Discussions with fellow journalists made it clear that some changes would be required, most notably the replacement of its beautiful all-glass roof with a lighter, more conventional construction. Its pillarless side doors would probably also require a more traditional design. I could live with that. Some journalists were optimistically predicting that this car would replace the Focus line in the United States, finally answering the question that so many had asked: "When will Ford bring the European Focus to the U.S.?"

Celebrating Black History Month by Honoring A Few Good Women

Americans have been celebrating Black History Month, since 1976. The month-long celebration is a remembrance of the important people, events, and the contributions that have been made by African Americans.

Throughout history, African American women, all women for that matter, have fought for equitable laws, equal education, fair job opportunities, and the right to vote. In the 20th century, social, economic, and political changes opened up significant opportunities for women.

Today, with over 2.4 million firms owned 50% or more by women of color in the U.S., women are experiencing greater opportunities than just a couple of decades ago. We see more women attending and graduating from college and more women moving from the home to the office to pursue management careers.

In the male-dominated automotive industry, women have traditionally held positions in the office, with a few exceptions in the showroom or the service lane. We have made tremendous strides, as more women are holding positions in sales, finance and management, but still we have a ways to go.

Comparing Social Networking and Auto Shopping

Do you participate in such social networking sites as Facebook, MySpace, BlackPlanet, Friendster, Mashable, or TeamSugar? In an interesting blog over at blog.compete.com, Brenda Aulinskis explains how she employed Behavior Matching software to evaluate how those who use social networking sites such as Facebook.com and Myspace.com utilize the internet when shopping for cars.

She says: "As the strike among the Writer's Guild of America may be driving viewers away from prime-time TV favorites, automotive marketers are suggesting they are seeking alternative channels to reach prospective customers. Personal social networking sites on the internet are one channel marketers are anxious to better use to their advantage.

Since consumers are already spending time on these sites it is natural for marketers to try to place their product based on target audience for the networking site."

Perspective: A woman in a car guy's world

AskPatty President Jody sent me a link to this column recently and asked me to comment on it. I had no idea what I would say.  My first thought was "Well, I don't really know much about advertising. I have no idea what it's like to be a woman in the advertising industry."

Background: In her column " 'Mad Men' and Irate Women" Nina DiSesa said "While watching Mad Men last year, I was struck by how precisely this brilliantly produced series captured the world of New York advertising as it must have been in 1962, and I was thankful that I didn't work in advertising back then.

I started as a copywriter in 1973, and shortly after that I was working successfully on an automotive additive business for a full year. I was asked off the business when the client discovered I was a woman.

Fast-forward to 1983 when I started at Y&R in New York -- eerily similar to the Mad world of 1962--where the going gag was that a woman would never be group creative director, the second most powerful position there, unless she could pee standing up."

Hate the Thought of Dealing with an Auto Repair Center?

Love or hate your auto repair center? I came across a great article in the  Automotive Management Institute Instructor Blog and thought I would share some this and get your thoughts on what level of customer service you are looking for at an auto repair center? Share your good, bad and mediocre experiences at automotive service facilities and suggestions to make your experiences better by commenting below.

It's common to hear or read about the growing influence of women in today's society. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that three in 10 households were maintained by women in 1996. According to the National Foundation for Women Business Owners, women-owned enterprises are growing faster than the economy in general. The National Automobile Dealers Association's latest quarterly survey shows evidence that women are a growing part of the dealership sales force. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence reports that women are not only becoming more influential in deciding what car to buy, they are also taking over the traditionally male-dominated responsibility of maintenance and repair. With this increased buying power of women comes an increasing need for automotive service employees to understand women's likes and dislikes, as well as their buying habits.

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day - and Considering "Driving While Black"

A recent trip to Memphis left me with some free time in the afternoon before heading to the airport to return home. My friend and I were wondering how to pass a few hours, when he suggested we visit The Lorraine Motel,   the assassination site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which now houses the National Civil Rights Museum. It was an eye-opening afternoon for me: I was raised in Hawthorne, California, in the 1970s, and grew up with the understanding that all us kids were the same -- even though I was a white girl and I was the minority among my own diverse peer group. 

Forty years ago, on April 4, 1968, The Lorraine Motel was a small minority-owned business in the south end of downtown Memphis. The motel's owner, Walter Lane Bailey kept two rooms as a shrine to Dr. King as well as to his wife, Lorraine, who died of a brain hemorrhage several hours after King was shot. Ultimately, the hotel closed down, and group of prominent Memphians, concerned that the historic site would be destroyed through neglect and indifference, formed the Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation to save the Lorraine.

With support from the City of Memphis, Shelby County, the State of Tennessee, as well as many local banks, businesses, and community members, the National Civil Rights Museum opened its doors to visitors on September 29, 1991, and now houses a 12,800-square-foot exhibit titled "Exploring the Legacy." It also connects to the Main Street Rooming House across the street where James Earl Ray allegedly fired the fatal shot resulting in the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Last Living Driver of a Regular-Sized Car in the 'Burbs

My car is developing an auto-inferiority complex from being constantly squeezed between hulking behemoths in the parking lots of our little corner of suburbia. Which leads me to ask: am I the only one still driving a regular-sized (e.g. not a SUV, mini-van, or maxi-sized four-wheel-drive) vehicle these days?

Okay. You have three or more kids, and each of those kids has friends and sporting equipment and band instruments. I get that, especially in the carpool-intense younger years. Or you live in a snowy region with lots of hills. But what's with all the rest of the drivers out here in picket fence-land? Do they really need to drive that humongous Hummer to pick up a measly old carton of milk from the supermarket? And just how much off-roading does one do on the way to the mall, anyway?

While it's true that my regular-sized vehicle may be overshadowed on the roads and in the parking lots, there is one place it does stand head-and-shoulders above the transportation-on-steroids crowd. And that would be? The gas pump.

Happy New Year 2008 From AskPatty.com

Ask Patty wishes you a 2008 full of

Prosperity, Good Health, and Peace!

 

 

Jody DeVere - President

AskPatty.com, Inc.

AskPatty.com Top 10 Highlights of 2007

AskPatty as certainly gotten the wind under her wings in 2007 and will continue to fly high in 2008 providing automotive advice from her 50+  expert women with tips and tools to empower women on automotive related topics and ongoing training for automotive retailers.

We just launched our new Web Solution 3.0 for automotive retailers and upgraded our Certified Female Friendly Training  program at www.certifiedfemalefriendly.com , featuring Patty Streeter, Peter Martin and I in video and Second Life  Machinima segments to provide continuing online education to automotive retailers on how to communicate effectively with women  and improve how they attract, sell, retain and increase loyalty with women car buyers.

As I look back and review all the many exciting happenings, events , new partnerships and announcements on the very Happy New Years Eve during 2007 , I am filled with so much gratitude to our  readers, supporters, partners and our certified female friendly dealer network. I am filled with joy and amazement about the positive impact  AskPatty.com is having on the automotive industry at large in regards to paying closer attention to the voice of women car buyers and how thousands and thousands of women we have helped to educate and empower on automotive related topics. 

I thought I would put together Patty’s Top 10 Highlights of 2007 to share:

10. Entrance into Second Life on Pontiac's Motorati Island with our female friendly car culture builds and the tremendous support  of this virtual community, Campfire Media, Pontiac and the Motorati Island Sim owners and residents of Second Life. We were  featured by American Express and Metaversed's Metanomics, for the work we are doing to empower women on automotive related topics and for  providing a platform to reach out to the disabled community in Second Life with our charity UnitedSpinal.org.

Metaversed's Metanomics series is a flagship business event. Run in partnership with Cornell University Johnson School Professor Robert Bloomfield, Metanomics is the premiere virtual economics event series. You can find out more more on the Metanomics website.

9. Launch of our Auto Loan Finance Center and partnerships with MyAutoLoan, Dealer Centric and with AWARE, (Americans  Well-informed on Automobile Retailing Economics) to educate women’s about the auto financing process and offer tips and  resources to help women make financing choices that match their needs and circumstances.

8. Advertising and marketing partnership with SheKnows.com, one of the top 10 women's networks with over 24 million pages  views per month and over 4 million unique visitors. Starting with exclusive articles and content on pregnancy, parenting, health,  hobbies, home décor, money management, dating, weddings, beauty and celebrities -- and right through to serving as the hub for a  family of other female-centric web properties -- SheKnows knows what women are looking for. Updated throughout each day,  SheKnows is always looking for ways to help women improve and enjoy their lives by providing information, enlightenment,  inspiration, community and entertainment.

7. AskPatty.com was named a Finalist in 2007 for the Marketing Campaign of the Year category in The 4th annual Stevie Awards  for Women in Business, presented by Infiniti.

6. Our team of talented contributing writers  Breanne Boyle, Brandy Shaffels, Marn-Yee Lee, Becky Scott, Linda Przygodski , myself and many other expert automotive women who have written over 1400 articles to help educate and empower women car buyers! We have  been featured in well over 1000 media articles and reprints and AskPatty.com has received an enormous amount of coverage by the press, media and blogosphere including  featured stories in the New York Times twice this year.

5. Launch of CarBlabber, our social network for women car buyers including car reviews for women by women, car clubs and  ratings, powered by AskPatty.com.

4. Attendance and media coverage of the LA Auto Show, New York Auto Show, Detroit Auto Show, National Automobile Dealer's  Association Convention, The Car Care Council Women's Board Winter meeting, SEMA 2007, The Greater New York Dealer  Association Career Day and my personal favorite my trip and coverage of the Dubai Motor Show from a woman's point of view as the guest of General Motors, (thank you for this awesome opportunity GM and for your interest and support  reaching out to women car buyers!).

3. Our launch and content partnerships with Voxant, www.thenewsroom.com for automotive video news and MyCarPage, a place  to get automatic service appointment reminders, local gas prices, used car values powered by NADAGuides and so much more to help women get organized take really good care of their cars with all the great tools provided.

2. The launch of our FAQ section where women can search for car questions and answers from women answered by our automotive  expert women and the many expert women who contributed to our automotive education podcasts. I am so proud of the growth of our panel of automotive expert women to over 50 in 2007 and have so much of  gratitude for their ongoing commitment to volunteer their time and energy to help women get advice on car buying, selling, car  care, maintenance, repair and other automotive related topics. Special thanks to  Deborah Renshaw who heads up the panel, Amy Mattinat who is one of our best contributors both in articles and questions answered on used cars and Lori Johnson our awesome moderator!

1. The invitation to become a contributing editor and the launch of a car channel on BlogHer.com. BlogHer Inc. reaches more than  7.6 million unique women each month and more than 31 million page views. Blogher is now a top-ten women's online community!  AskPatty.com sponsored the first BlogHer 2007 Conference in Second Life and had such a great time in Chicago meeting so many 
awesome blogging women there and am looking forward with great anticipation to BlogHer 2008!

Gratitude, joy and excitement fills my heart as I review 2007 and look forward to the launch of all the new and exciting  features we have planned for AskPatty.com to enhance the automotive experience for women and provide automotive retailers education, training and support in 2008.

Happy New Year!

Jody Devere aka Patty Streeter in Second Life
President
www.askpatty.com
www.carblabber.com
www.certifiedfemalefriendly.com



The Ask Patty.com, Inc. website, blog and Second Life venue is a safe place for women to get advice on car purchases, maintenance  and other automotive related topics. Women can shop for vehicles at our network of certified female friendly dealerships across the 
U.S.

AskPatty.com is a member and 2007 corporate sponsor of the Women's Automotive Association International based in Detroit, MI,  Chair of the UnitedSpinal.org Motorsports program, Member of the California SkillsUSA.org board, on the Women's Board of the  Car Care Council, a SEMA member and a member of the SEMA Business Women's Networking Group.

AskPatty.com is partnered with AutoTrader.com, AutoExtra.com, Arkona, Chrome Systems, Inc., MyCarPage.com, MyAutoLoan,  Aware, DivineCaroline.com and SheKnows, LLC.

AskPatty.com is a 2007 sponsor of the No. 112 AskPatty.com Chevrolet driven by the highest ranked professional female race car  driver Deborah Renshaw, who heads up the panel of automotive expert women.

Ask Patty Certified Dealer Program:
Properly armed with the right tools and training your dealerships can increase its share of the largest and fastest growing demographic of new vehicle buyers in the US -- Women Consumers. Th