SAN DIEGO, Dec. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ —The Discreet Guide™, a professional development training company, announced today the launch of The Pergola, a bi-monthly publication, dedicated to topics related to career, gender, interpersonal relationships, language, finance, and especially humor. "It's an alternative to traditional publishing," said Jennifer K. Crittenden of The Discreet Guide™. "Think of it as a gateway to relevant news, original articles, book and movie reviews, funny stuff, or anything that strikes us as interesting. It's a digital outlet where a busy professional can quickly check out a roundup of information and then click through to read, watch, or listen when something strikes their fancy." Subscriptions are free and can be obtained by signing up online at www.discreetguide.com. Past issues are also available at the site.
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The Pergola was initially launched in early 2015 as a newsletter, and five issues were issued over the course of the year to test the concept. "It's been really well received," said Crittenden, "It's easy to scan and see if there's something you want to delve into deeper. People appreciate the quick hits, useful takeaways, original writing, articles they might not otherwise have found, and the jokes and videos. It's fun to take a break from being so serious all the time about work-related issues."
Each issue is centered around a theme, chosen because of its importance, timeliness, or difficulty. "One of our issues was about negotiation because it's an important part of working, whether it's negotiating for a salary, time off, or who's going to clean the coffee pot. Negotiation is part of life, really, but a lot of people have anxiety about it," said Crittenden. "That issue had a couple of serious articles, one about how to negotiate a raise and one about Reddit's proposed policy not to negotiate starting salaries. We also took a look at how actresses' salaries are negotiated (or not) in Hollywood. We included some book recommendations, a negotiation expert to follow on Twitter, a song about negotiations in love, and a funny video of a toddler negotiating for a cupcake."
Future issues will follow the tested format but may evolve based on reader feedback. Crittenden said she hopes to keep the magazine pithy, relevant, surprising, and ad-free. Topics scheduled to be covered in 2016 include work-life balance, men and money, bullying, and why so many highly educated female professionals drop out of the workforce. "I want to raise a thoughtful resting spot," she said, "where subscribers can pause for a moment and find a tidbit that appeals to them. For me, personally, the initiative grew out of a desire to provide a service to the readers and honor our community."
The Pergola is funded and published by Whistling Rabbit Press, a boutique publishing house in San Diego that specializes in career and gender-related writing. For more information, write to info@whistlingrabbitpress.com.
About The Discreet Guide™:
This professional development training company offers programs on Creating Exceptional Presence, Your American Voice, Success Strategies for a Male-Dominated Environment, and Speaking Up for Girls,among others. Training techniques include those used by actors and athletes, tactical exercises, and video analysis. See: http://www.discreetguide.com.
About Jennifer K. Crittenden:
She is the Amazon best-selling author of The Discreet Guide for Executive Women, winner of an NIEA award in the Business-Motivational category, and You, Not I: Exceptional Presence through the Eyes of Others. She has an MBA from the Kelley School at Indiana University and nearly twenty-five years of experience in corporate America, rising from financial analyst to CFO.
Contact:
Jennifer K. Crittenden
858-205-9530
Email
@DiscreetGuide