Ladiescodea reference guide to careers and running your own business

An independent reference guide to careers and running your own business. It is not the website of the Ladies Code community or conference and has no connection with the former website on this domain; we do not run events. This is not legal or tax advice.

Practical articles

Practical articles

The first article in this section explains how to choose a professional community, conference or mentor. The result: you know why you want to take part, who the organiser is and what the programme includes, you can see the full cost and the refund terms, you can tell verifiable promises from marketing ones, and you do not decide under pressure. All the examples in the article are hypothetical and made up purely for illustration.

The best community is not the loudest one but the one that leaves you with concrete knowledge, contacts or tasks.

— Editor's note

Before you start

  • One or two goals: what you want to learn, whom you want to meet, what problem you want to solve
  • A budget that covers not only the fee but also travel, time and lost working hours
  • A link to the community or event page and to the terms of participation
  • Being ready to conclude "I don't need this right now": that is a result too

  1. Define your goal

    A community, a conference and a mentor solve different problems. A conference gives you an overview of a topic and new contacts in a short time, a community offers a regular exchange of experience, and a mentor gives individual feedback. Write down exactly what you want to get and how you will know you have got it.

    Hypothetical example: "I want to learn to negotiate with large clients" is a goal better served by a mentor or a practical workshop than by a big conference with general talks.

  2. Find out who the organiser is

    A reputable organiser identifies itself: a registered company or sole trader, contact details, an address for complaints. If you cannot find out who the organiser is, treat the offer with caution, especially when you are asked to pay in advance.

    Hypothetical example: the page has bright photos and big promises but no organisation name or company details. That is a reason to write and ask before you pay.

  3. Study the programme and format

    Look at what taking part involves: talks, hands-on sessions, case reviews, small-group meetings. The format should match your goal, and the topics should be described concretely rather than in vague terms.

    Hypothetical example: "powerful energy and a breakthrough" tells you nothing about the content. "Working through three typical client objections, with practice in pairs" does.

  4. Work out the full cost

    Add up the fee, travel, accommodation, your time and any extra payments within the programme. Find out whether there is a free or trial part.

    Hypothetical example: the ticket is cheap, but on site you are offered a "closed session" for an extra fee. It is better to know this in advance.

  5. Read the refund terms and the contract

    Find the public offer or contract: what the price includes, whether you can get your money back and by when, and what happens if the event is postponed or cancelled. Keep your correspondence and receipts.

    Hypothetical example: the offer says refunds are not possible under any circumstances. Decide whether you are prepared to take that risk before you pay.

  6. Tell verifiable promises from marketing ones

    Promises of guaranteed income, "guaranteed" connections or a quick life change cannot be verified. Participants' success stories show those who succeeded and leave out everyone else: that is survivorship bias.

    Hypothetical example: "our members double their income in a month" is a claim without data. Ask how many participants there were in total and how the result was measured.

  7. Try it before a big decision

    Go to an open meeting, read the community's materials, ask a question in its chat. With a mentor, agree on a first meeting with a clear goal and judge whether the feedback is useful to you in particular.

    Hypothetical example: after a trial meeting you have two concrete tasks for the week. That is a good sign, unlike inspiration alone.

Common mistakes

  • Choosing by how well known the organiser is rather than by your own goal
  • Paying without finding the organiser's details and refund terms
  • Forgetting about travel, time and extra payments
  • Taking success stories as proof of results
  • Agreeing under "only two places left" pressure
  • Expecting taking part to solve the problem without your own work afterwards

Alternatives

  • If there is no suitable community, gather a small group of colleagues for a regular exchange of experience
  • If a conference is expensive, look for recordings of the talks, open meetings and specialist publications
  • If no mentor is available, agree on mutual mentoring with a colleague from a related field

Result checklist

  • Your goal for taking part is defined
  • The organiser and its details are known
  • The programme is described concretely and matches your goal
  • The full cost has been worked out
  • The refund terms and the contract have been read
  • The promises have been checked, and success stories have not been taken as a guarantee
  • The decision was made without deadline pressure

Article catalogue for English-language readers

This section will feature standalone articles written for readers of the English-language version of the site. They are written for an international audience, take into account that tax rules, employment law and the practice of professional communities vary from country to country, and are not translations of materials from other language versions of the site.

Topics the editors are planning

  • How to test a business idea before you spend money on it
  • Preparing for a pay rise conversation: a step-by-step plan
  • Public speaking: from an outline to questions from the audience
  • Building a professional network when you work on your own

Editorial rules

  • Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
  • Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
  • We do not publish unverifiable rankings of communities, courses or companies, success stories or reviews.

Sources

  • Labour Code of the Russian Federation (Arts. 3, 255, 256)
  • Encyclopaedic sources

Information is current as of the date of preparation. Tax rules, rates and labour law change, so check the latest details in the primary sources: the website of the Federal Tax Service of Russia and the current wording of the laws.