Network with Everyone

Nicole Wipp, guest writer for Entrepreneur magazine (online) says, "Women are escaping from their corporate jobs to go out on their own, stay-at-home moms are looking for ways to make money and in general, women seem to be very attracted to the entrepreneur path. Indeed, there are 114 percent more women-owned businesses in the U.S. than there were 20 years ago."

We know a thing or two about escaping from corporate America because due to the massive female entrepreneurial movement we launched this blog in 2004.

When it comes to the topic at hand, networking, I've always worked a room no matter who it is filled with -- men or women.

The question asked in the article below is:

But should we, as women, solely focus on these [women] gender-specific groups to take our career and entrepreneurial journey to the next level?

Find out here.

Julie Smolyansky: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Worldwide on 9/12 in Chicago

Listen and learn from Julie Smolyansky, President and CEO, Lifeway Foods, as she talks about why it is important to empower women entrepreneurs worldwide.  She will be speaking at Bank of America's facility in Chicago, 135 S. LaSalle Street at 9:00 a.m. Central time on Wednesday, September 12.

Tickets available here ($40; students $20) and include a goodie-bag and continental breakfast.  The value price is due to the wonderful sponsors of nonprofit wegg®:  UPS, Bank of America, IBM and GlobalCare Clinical Trials.

See you there!  Full disclosure:  I serve as the President of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global (wegg).

Women Entrepreneurs Tend to Earn Less Than Male Entrepreneurs in the Same Field

The result of new research by the online accounting company FreshBooks, which surveyed more than 2,700 working people in the United States, both those who worked for employers and those who were self-employed, found that female business owners or solopreneurs are earning less than male entrepreneurs in your same field.

Why is that?

In large part because the same gender discrimination that leads employers to pay women less and give them fewer promotions also affects women entrepreneurs' dealings with customers. 

Read more about why women entrepreneurs pay themselves less than men.

Meanwhile, go give yourself a raise.  You're worth it.

A Word From Wikipedia About Female Entrepreneurs

The word entrepreneur, especially female entrepreneur, has been around for a very long time.  According to Wikipedia:

Before the 20th century, females operated small businesses as a way of supplementing their income. In many cases, they were trying to avoid poverty or were replacing the income from the loss of a spouse.

They go on to say, "The term entrepreneur is used to describe individuals who have ideas for products and/or services that they turn into a working business. In earlier times, this term was reserved for men."

Well what do you know about that?

And then they talk about example from Finnish entrepreneur Armi Ratia (1912–1979), founder of the Marimekko textile and home decorating company and, of course, our very own American entrepreneur, television host and media executive Oprah Winfrey, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Barack Obama in 2013.

We've come a long way baby!

Follow Your Gut

Whether you start a business, form a joint-venture or take a business global, there are two ways to make your decision.  You can conduct research and think a long time about something or you can simply follow your gut.  

Join us on September 12 (downtown Chicago!) to hear Julie Smolyansky, President and CEO, Lifeway Foods, when she talks about how she has learned to follow her gut for the right way to go on the following:

• How global factors influence company values and mission
• Why we should empower women entrepreneurs around the world
• How to channel inspiration from travel experiences into marketing initiatives 

I'll be there.  Hope you will too! To learn more and to register, visit:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/weggtm-workshop-follow-your-gut-presented-by-julie-smolyansky-tickets-48655708534

2018 Top Franchises for Women Report

Franchising is a great way to start a business without all the risks.  Typically a franchisee pays an initial fee and ongoing royalties to a franchisor. In return, the franchisee has use of ongoing support, a trademark, a designated geographic territory, and the right to use the franchisor's processes and systems.

The Midwest-based coffee franchise Scooter’s Coffee, for example, has experienced incredible growth this past year and was recently named a top franchise by Franchise Business Review in its 2018 Top Franchises for Women Report.

Might be worth a look.

How to Look Bigger at an Affordable Price: Virtual Office Space

A virtual office or co-working space offers small business owners an official address, communication options and flexible working space.  It can also help women have a professional edge.

Even if you run a home-based business:

... business owners can use a virtual office space for conferences, mail delivery, customer service and as part-time dedicated work space.

Read more about how virtual office spaces can be a good option for female entrepreneurs.