Women Entrepreneurs Are Incredibly Resilient

According to Audrey McLoghlin, founder of the clothing brand Frank & Eileen, female entrepreneurs are uniquely suited to handle these kinds [fighting for success] of crises. “Women are incredibly resilient and built to be able to handle chaos,” she says. “It’s how we’re created for motherhood—that’s constant chaos. We’re built that way.”

McLoghlin knows just how hard entrepreneurship can be. She launched her Los Angeles-based company in 2009 after declaring personal bankruptcy during the Great Recession and spent the next decade fighting to turn it into a success, which she did.

Now her goal is to make more successful women entrepreneurs.  Read about her story, Tory Burch's, Tiffany Dufu's, and Nancy Twine's here. 

I Wanted You to be the First To Know: I Am Launching an E-Commerce Site

Like you, I've been contemplating whether to start a new business, this one e-commerce.  I hosted an amazing Global Small Business Forum in Chicago in October and the theme was e-commerce.  I was so inspired by the stories business owners shared about running successful e-commerce businesses that I decided to start one myself.

So, again like you, I must take it one step at a time, minimize risks and only focus on upside potential.  First, I had to come up with a name that makes sense for what I am about to do, and second, I had to reserve a domain name.  I've done both today (11/18/17).

I figure if Tory Burch and Rebecca Minkoff can do it.  So can I!

I'll keep you posted on developments because I want you to be the first to see the site when it's all done.  Wish me luck!

Women Entrepreneurs See the World Through a Different Lens

Designer Tory Burch wants to see more women entrepreneurs than the current 126 million already running businesses worldwide.  She says:

“Based on our experiences, women entrepreneurs see the world through a different lens and, in turn, do things differently.”

Learn more about what Ms. Burch thinks will drive more women to entrepreneurship here.

Photo courtesy:  Lauren Indvik

Ms. Burch Supports Women Entrepreneurs

We wrote about Tory Burch September 28, 2009 and her great sense of entrepreneurial style here.  Now she's launched the Tory Burch Foundation with the goal of economically empowering women.

With Accion USA, our microlending partner, we provide women with the financial support they need to start and grow businesses through microfinance. The average loan is $8,000 and creates or saves 2.4 jobs.

Read all about it here.

Illustration credit here.

One Room, 40 Employees = Poised for Growth

After working public relations for Vera Wang and Ralph Lauren, 43-year-old Tory Burch launched her first store in New York in 2004 with her then-husband, venture capitalist Christopher Burch, who remains co-chairman.

"I worked out of my apartment for the first two years. Then we went to one room with about 40 employees." ~ Tory Burch, The Wall Street Journal (9/8/09)

Her small but growing firm -- sales topping $200 million a year! -- operates 20 boutiques and sells to 450 retail locations, such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Read more about what moves paid off for her this year and how the downturn has affected her business plans here. And don't miss the part on "Where do you see future opportunity?" (Hint: international expansion).