Siri, Jeannie, Andy and even Edwin all reply to their users in female voices, and the trend of "female" virtual assistant apps isn't going anywhere. The multitude of "female" personal assistant apps in the marketplace feels terrifyingly counter-productive to all the strides women have made in the work place over the last few decades.

Meghan has coined the term UnDiet -- you've seen her book, right? And yes, I believe that it is good business to coin a term -- it's not easy, but it is worth it. Want to know how Meghan is able to "own" her term, UnDiet, and make it stick? Here are 10 (of the many) reasons.

Finding a job in itself can be an overwhelmingly daunting task. Finding a job in another country with a different set of norms, values and culture can be desperately distressing. However, like many others, I was hoping to beat the unemployment trend and for me, taking a risk ultimately reaped huge rewards.

Many businesses face transitions, and sometimes it is hard to embody change. But as with everything else in life, change happens constantly, and when we embrace it we end up realizing that it is likely for the better. Sometimes a good spring cleaning to get rid of the old and make space for the new is just what a company needs.

As a marketing professional, there is nothing I hate more than receiving any form of communication (email, Web experience, social media, mobile, whatever) and not see an obvious place where I can either opt out of the communication or protect how much information is being captured. As a consumer, I probably hate it more.

Judging from the questions I'm asked by people from every walk of life, misconceptions about publicity -- what it can do and who can get it -- abound. So, what can publicity do for you and who can get it? Let's blow up a few myths.

Over the last year, for example, there has been an increase in the number of firms that are offering Private Investment Council or Private Investment Pools. Why? Because people are foolish enough to believe that these things are special. What a load of crap!

Having a video these days is key to expanding your brand and increasing client retention. Just think of what you prefer when you land on a site -- how many videos do you watch that have been shared by your friends. To boost your bottom line and drive growth, here are the 5 reasons video is essential.

Most people interested in media, marketing and technology think of smartphones as the device that is putting the PC world to rest. Yes, personal computers are still pervasive, but the growth of smartphones has been exponential and astounding all in one breath.

LinkedIn has become one of the most important professional network platforms on the planet. It has grown phenomenally in the last 5 years, with over 200 million members worldwide and 7 million in Canada alone.

It was while working in brand marketing for packaged goods companies that Sandler, a single mother of four young children, felt there was a lack of the kind of market intelligence she desired, so she opened her own company...

Everything is getting connected to the Internet. From your toaster and home thermometer to your fridge and your car. As these appliances do "come online," can you even begin to imagine the media opportunities that arise from such a wealth of human information?

On the heels of big data grabbing headlines the world over for its role in President Obama's re-election, could 2013 be the year big data makes the big leap into the mainstream, especially business? The task ahead of us is to take the promise of big data and realize it in every department and in every industry. Some surprising pioneers are already leading the way.

Cross-marketing itself is not a new phenomenon, but there are many more layers to it in the digital age. "The kid business has always been transmedia," said Ken Faier, president of Nerd Corps. Keeping their focus on the fans and delivering different content at the same time on different media platforms, where their fans would be, works very successfully with games, toys and other associated merchandise.

Consider the rise of Likelihood to Recommend (L2R) as a business metric with growing appeal. Many large businesses have collapsed complex success metrics to judge their own business by asking customers: "Would you recommend me to others?" -- the foundation of L2R or Net Promoter Scores (NPS).

In the world of PR there is a lot of borrowing. Best though to steal concepts that work. Here are two ideas that you don't want to sneak out of my blue bin.

Vulnerability is a business skill that every leader should consider in good times and bad. It's not weak. It takes greater strength to recognize and acknowledge criticism than to will it away. It's not submissive. It's about taking responsibility and being accountable. It's not being afraid to make tough decisions. It's about recognizing the impact of them.