Young Women Entrepreneurs Are Leading the Job Creation Charge

According to a new survey, EY Global Job Creation Survey 2016, released this week, women are creating more jobs and hiring more workers than their male peers.  The survey shows that job creation levels are even higher among younger women.

But what is even more exciting is that young women entrepreneurs, are leading the job creation charge.

Women younger than 35 expect to have an average 16 percent increase in their workforces this year, and 56 percent report they hired more new workers last year than expected. That's compared to 13 percent of young men who expect to grow their employee numbers this year, and 56 percent who hired more people than they anticipated last year.

Read more:  Women Entrepreneurs Are Creating More Jobs Than Men

How Women Entrepreneurs Fare on Business Ownership in Kansas City

How well are Kansas City women entrepreneurs actually doing in comparison to their male counterparts on business ownership? And how does Kansas City stack up against other cities and the national average?

Read more:  Women in Entrepreneurship:  How KC Stacks Up to Other Cities

Become a WEGG Warrior

For those of you who currently export or desire to, Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global (WEGG), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization offers monthly webinars that are no charge on how to take your business global.  Full disclosure:  I serve as the Executive Director of WEGG so I'll be on the webinars with you.

Learn more:  WEGG Webinars  Sign up for the next one on June 8th.  Become a WEGG warrior.

Repurposing Valuable Content to Grow Your Business

Dequiana Jackson (pictured), CEO of Inspired Marketing, Inc., shows you how to repurpose a simple one-hour teleseminar into twelve other grand marketing vehicles.

Read:  12 Ways to Repurpose Your Best Business Content

How Opening a Business Can Be Surreal

According to the Center for American Progress, black women comprise 13 percent of the female population in the United States.  Between 1997 to 2013, the number of companies created by black women nationwide grew by nearly 258 percent — and the trend is growing in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana.

The [Shreveport] Times recently sat down with four black women entrepreneurs driven by past experiences, hardship and unique circumstances.

Learn more about their stories:  Four Inspirational Women You Should Know

Screenshot courtesy:  Suite 9 1 Six (the business of one of the four women interviewed in the article)

Tips On Landing Government Contracts

Gloria Larkin (pictured) is president of marketing consulting company TargetGov and author of The Basic Guide to Government Contracting and The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business.  In addition, she is the past National Procurement Committee co-chairwoman for Women Impacting Public Policy.

Below Larkin shares two main points on how to land government contracts:

1. One piece of paper can accomplish more than an expensive, glossy brochure by precisely pinpointing what a company’s abilities and offerings are and how they can benefit a customer.
2. Capability statements (word-heavy documents) help create critical first impressions and define business strategy while appealing to three layers of decision-makers: Small-business representatives, contracting officers and program managers.

What not to do?  Larkin adds:

"Don’t use pretty pictures of people smiling, because they don’t say anything to your target."

Read the article:  Business owners soak up advice on landing government contracts

Project Entrepreneur: Increasing the Number of Female-led High-Growth Companies

UBS has launched a philanthropic program called Elevating Entrepreneurs. The initiative serves under-resourced, high-potential companies by connecting them with people to help grow their businesses.

One of their initiatives is:

“Project Entrepreneur, in partnership with the Rent the Runway Foundation, [which] aims to increase the number of female-led high-growth, economically impactful companies. Program elements include a venture competition, digital hub, multi-city events, and an accelerator program.” 

Learn more:  Elevating Entrepreneurs program helps under-served businesses achieve success

Oh, No Let's Go!

Our tribute to the late Prince.  Beginning lyrics to his song, "Let's Go Crazy:"

"Dearly beloved

We are gathered here today

To get through this thing called life ..."

May he rest in peace in purple heaven.

The Sunny Realities of What It Is Like at the Top

At the  recent Women’s Entrepreneur Festival, a couple hundred businesswomen came together to share their best-kept work secrets. The group discussed the sunny realities of what it’s like to be at the top, or at least somewhere vaguely near it.  Here are seven insider secrets they shared.

1. Cybrids are the future. 
2. If you want to start a business, start small.
3. But it’s important to remember that “it’s very hard to come back from a bad culture.” 
4. Accept that you don’t know everything. 
5. Be able to sell your vision — not just to investors, but to everyone. 
6. Rejection is simply information. 
7. Kim Kardashian and Sheryl Sandberg are two sides of the same coin.

Read the entire article:  7 Insider Secrets From Female Entrepreneurs

A Positive Attitude Can Drive You Almost Anywhere

Ever watch Shark Tank, a place where budding entrepreneurs bring their dreams to fruition?  Kristen Asleson has and in the article below she talks about the importance of attitude when pitching a product.

Having a fresh, positive outlook and attitude can drive you just about anywhere. Even if you financial brilliance and an idea that would make other inventors green with jealousy, without the right attitude, you won't get too far.

Read:  Women at Work:  A positive attitude can drive you almost anywhere

To Get Ahead, Advocate For Yourself

Interesting twist here:  The article below shares a few tips gleaned from a panel of five executive women -- yes, you read that right ... executive women, not entrepreneurs -- who have accomplished a great deal during their careers in corporate America but the conversation takes place during the Women Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship event last week at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center.

Take a look at what the women executives had to say about life in Corporate America:

• "The glass ceiling still exists in the corporate world for women and even though they have cracked the surface, it has not yet been shattered."
• "The glass ceiling is alive and well," said Christann M. Vasquez, president of Dell Seton Medical Center.
• “It’s hard to know even within your own corporation whether you are getting fair and equitable pay,” she said. But some online sites like Glassdoor can provide insight into industry salaries.

And here's to a great ending of the article:

“I learned to have a sense of confidence in myself and not to be pushed around,” she said. “That was to discourage me. That’s what I call dream thieves and I wasn’t going to let anyone steal my dreams.”

Definitely read the entire piece to get your day's dose of inspiration:  How to Empower Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders

The Future of Leadership is Women

Meet the world's greatest female leaders.  Forbes has put together its 2016 list of game-changing leaders, which includes 23 women.

Screenshot of Mina Guli, CEO of Thirst and one of the women featured on the list.

Achievement Brings Its Own Rewards

In the article below, learn about Grace.  Not just any Grace, but amazing Grace -- the untold story.

Grace is a Gen X. She comes from humble family roots with a strong work ethic. She may not have been the high school beauty queen or the class clown, but she learned early in life that achievement brings its own rewards. 

Read:  The story of amazing Grace and women in business

Road to Entrepreneurial Success Is Never Smooth

The road to entrepreneurial success is never smooth.  In fact, it's quite bumpy and filled with twists and turns.  Some liken it to a roller-coaster ride!  Yet, there are strategies for combating what might be considered self-defeating beliefs and achieving new heights in your career.

Here are three.

As an Entrepreneur, What Should You Watch on TV?

As USA Today contributor Rhonda Abrams says, "Small business is the second-most admired institution in America, yet it’s rare to see small business owners on television. Cops?  Sure. Dysfunctional families?  Plenty.  Even aliens.  Small business owners?  Not so many."

Below, she highlights the results of asking small business owners to share their favorite TV small business characters -- from The Shark Tank to The Good Wife to The Simpsons.  I know, I know, who has time for TV but you'd be surprised at how many successful entrepreneurs do.  See what you are missing.

Read the entire article:  Strategies:  Who has the best small business on TV?

Are Black Women Entrepreneurs Not Getting Investors?

Despite Black women being the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S. —owning 1.5 million businesses and generating $44 billion a year— the initial support to launch is not there.  Why is that?

“They weren’t getting the seed funding they needed,” Finney [research lead by Kathryn Finney with Dr. Marlo Rencher was published in “The Real Unicorns of Tech: Black Women Founders” and examined 60,000 startups 88 of which were Black women led ...] told Forbes. “We don’t have lead investors. We don’t have people willing to write that first big check.”

Black women entrepreneurs only received 0.2 percent of all venture funding in the past five years.  It's as if black women entrepreneurs are not seen as innovators or women who can run successful businesses.

Read more:  Study Discovers Black Women Entrepreneurs Not Getting Investors

A Place Where Business Owners Turn to Get Inspired

Loren Feldman (pictured), formerly the small business editor of The New York Times, now oversees entrepreneurship coverage at Forbes. You don't want to miss his features.

In the article below he covers today's must-reads for entrepreneurs, including one that features women entrepreneurs.  Great stuff.  Here's a clip:

Six women entrepreneurs begin a conversation about imposter syndrome and breaking through $1 million in revenue: “Several of us had been called “that girl,” as if we hadn’t yet made it past puberty. 

Read more:  Today's Must-Reads For Entrepreneurs:  Can Gusto Supplant Zenefits?

Give Back. Reach Out to Help.

There are millions of executive coaches out there in the world but what about mentors to women entrepreneurs and business owners?  Founder, Encore Entrepreneur Institute, Janice Celeste (pictured) says:

With 10.6 million women-owned businesses in America, there should be plenty of women mentors, right? No, there is a drought of female mentors in the United States. A survey by LinkedIn shows that only one out of five women has a mentor.  

Yet, anyone who has solid business experience, particularly growing a successful business, can mentor a woman-owned start-up enterprise.

The key:  You must ask.  

If there is someone you have your eye on, reach out to her today to see whether she has time to mentor you.

What are you waiting for?  

Read more:  Why women-owned startups are desperate for female mentors.

Growing a Business Requires an Investment of Time

According to data from the most recent American Express OPEN Small Business Growth Pulse, 89% of small businesses indicate they invest a significant amount of their personal time in an effort to grow their business.

Also in line with these findings:

Six in ten (60%) small business owners say they spend a larger percentage of time working ON their business to drive growth rather than IN their business managing details.

Women Business Owner Highlights

Nearly eight-in-ten women businesses owners (78%) state growth is the top priority for their business, on par with men (80%) and small business owners overall (79%).  However, while growth is a priority for women business owners they are not following through with hiring (58%) and capital investment plans (64%) at the same rate as their male counterparts (61% and 77% respectively). 

Read more:  Small Business Owners Investing Significant Personal Time and Savings to Grow Their Business, According to American Express OPEN Research

Where in the World Are Women Most Likely to Found a Business?

According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Ranking 2015, the number of female entrepreneurs is now significantly higher than in previous years.

Even so, it is much lower than the number of men starting new businesses. In 2012, approximately 12 percent of global startups had a female founder and this increased to 18 percent in the 2015.

Which global city grabs the top spot for women starting a business?  I am proud to say it's my home town:  Chicago!

Read more:  The World's Top Cities For Female Entrepreneurs

Note:  For women business owners who want to finance their international business activities, you might want to register for a webinar on 2/3 at 10:00 a.m. Central.

In 2015, Women Entrepreneurs Own 30 Percent of all Enterprises in USA

According to the 2015 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, commissioned by American Express OPEN:

Women entrepreneurs now own 30% of all enterprises in the United States. As of 2015, there are slightly more than 9.4 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., yet, these account for only 4.23% of business revenues, which is roughly the same amount they contributed in 1997. In addition, 70% of women-owned firms have less than $25,000 in revenue and only 10% have paid employees.

These women need business-friendly loans and services and the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, a leading advocate for women on economic and leadership issues, is on a mission to find the right credit union to serve its more than 500,000 members’ needs.

Learn more:  Credit Union Partner Sough for Women's Chamber of Commerce

Canadian Women Entrepreneurs: Power Your Business

Cisco Canada has launched the Cisco Women Entrepreneurs’ Circle to empower women leading small and medium businesses in Canada by providing the resources, training, and IT solutions they need in order to build capacity and accelerate growth.

1. Cisco Canada Women Entrepreneuers' Academy.
2. Cisco Entrepreneur Xperience solution.
3. Cisco Circle of Innovation -- an internship program managed by Cisco to help women entrepreneurs build a digital strategy and expand their company's reach in the marketplace.

Go here to learn more.

Macy's Gives Women Entrepreneurs a Leg Up in the Retail Industry

Department store Macy's is offering The Workshop, a program that lasts for a period of four days in which candidates will learn and be tested on everything from retail math to the art of the pitch, while learning how to build and execute an effective business strategy.

The four-day workshop begins by teaching candidates the basics—the fundamental building blocks of growing and maintaining a successful business and developing relationships and partnerships with large retailers such as Macy's.

Could you be the next female retail rock star?  Apply and find out.  Note:  The program is completely free; you need only apply. Applications are due by 11:58 p.m. EST on January 31, 2016.

Learn more:   Macy's Exclusive Workshop Gives Entrepreneurs the Secrets to Success 

• About The Workshop.
• Apply to The Workshop.

Take Your Business Global in 2016

For those eager to start out the new year with a global footprint, join me [Laurel] on a webinar I am giving Wednesday, January 6th at 11:00 a.m. Central (FREE) on Getting Started in Exporting -- Ready Your Business For Growth:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6551786751409319169

Here's a sampling of what you will learn:

• What you need to do to get your business export ready
• How to craft a back-of-the napkin export business plan
• How to create a social media and networking presence
• How to market your business worldwide

See you there on Wednesday, January 6th at 11:00 a.m. Central! Let's get ready to take our businesses to the next level through exports.

Are You a Wantrepreneur?

Are you thinking about starting your own business in 2016?  Then you are considered a wantrepreneur.  Here are some thoughts by Prosper Women Entrepreneurs from turning your entrepreneurial thoughts into action.  Get going!

Dear Prosper Women Entrepreneurs:  "Help!  I'm a wantrepreneur!"

Happy 2016!  Make it yours.  Make it great!

Create Your Own Success in 2016

You don't have to be an introvert to appreciate these tips because even entrepreneurs need a little solitude and a chance to be themselves:  Introvert holiday party survival guide.  And when you take time out to re-energize, you might read five new year's resolutions for entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, I wish you a new year filled with success, happiness, and high impact initiatives.  Can't wait to reconnect with you in 2016!

Prosperity and Success To You in 2016!

Helping Women Break Barriers

To increase the amount of funding for women entrepreneurs we need to get more money targeted toward women entrepreneurs and increase the number women VC's in charge of that money.  But there's more and Anne Ravanona, Founder & CEO of Global Invest Her, reveals what else is needed to boost business for women entrepreneurs and mentions a competition for women entrepreneurs -- The Babson Breakaway Challenge -- that offers a $250,000 grand prize to one winner business as well as the creation of a customized brand identity platform..

Read more:  Breaking Barriers for Women Entrepreneurs and Women VC's: Babson Breakaway Challenge With $250K prize

Note:  You must apply by January 5, 2016 for a chance at $250,000 in funding.  Good luck!

Buying Versus Starting Your Own Business: Pros and Cons

As you contemplate running your own business, should you start it from scratch or buy one?  Here are some pros and cons to both.

Read more:  Buy a business or start your own?

How to Put Yourself in a Good Mood Every Day

So I'm reading the article 20 Career Tips From Entrepreneurs and what stands out?

I don’t mean real stress like bad health or how you are going to pay the predicted 300K tuition for your kid’s future college, I mean that nagging stuff that makes you in a slightly less good mood every single day.

Beyond putting yourself in a good mood everyday -- who wouldn't want to accomplish that? -- what else matters on the career front for women entrepreneurs?

Have a look, it's worth it:  20 Career Tips From Entrepreneurs

Build a Better Business

How do women entrepreneurs build better businesses? Governments must ease up regulations and help create stronger work-family policies. Are there certain policies that can promote women’s engagement in high-growth forms of entrepreneurship, not just business creation in general?

In the article below, that's the question posed by author Sarah Thebaud, Assistant Professor, Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara. She says:

In a recent analysis, I show some surprising new evidence that work-family policies may be of critical importance. I found that when women have access to policies like paid leave or subsidized childcare, their odds of starting a venture oriented toward economic growth and job creation are higher. When they don’t, their odds are lower.

Read more:  Stronger work-family policies help women entrepreneurs build better businesses

Women Entrepreneurs Are Making Progress

According to Margot Dorfman (pictured), CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, women entrepreneurs face daunting challenges but they are making progress.

About 10 million women-led businesses in the United States generate $1.6 trillion in annual revenue. Almost every major industry sector — including technology, services and construction — has seen increases in women-led companies, Dorfman said.

Dorfman also says that if you look at the number of women running businesses, it's good but if you look strictly at the numbers in terms of revenues, it becomes problematic.

Read more:  State of Women Entrepreneurship

Don't Take a Back Seat to Anyone

Representatives from Microsoft, PayPal, Google and the SBDC Pennsylvania recently hosted a seminar "Tips from the Pros: Using Technology and Online Tools to Boost Your Small Business."  They talked about the latest products and services offered by those companies and gave tips for businesses to effectively use various forms of technology.

Marino [U.S. Rep. Tom Marino] said because his wife owns a small business, he sees and understands the challenges small business owners, especially women, face on a regular basis, and he respects them for the hurdles they have to overcome.
“The women I’ve dealt with in small business, they don’t take a back seat to anybody,” he said.

Read more:  Representatives from Microsoft, PayPal, Google and local organizations offer tips for small business owners 

Is Now the Best Time to Have a Baby in Corporate America or When You Work at a Small Business?

Whether you work in Corporate America or a small business, is now the best time to have a baby?

“Employees want work to be more flexible, and companies are realizing we have to be better. It’s not just an economic issue; it is a moral imperative. As I’ve [Stewart Friedman, Wharton practice professor of management and founding director of the Wharton Work/Life Integration Project] been saying for decades, we need a new national policy.”

Read more:  Is Now the Best Time to Have a Baby in Corporate America?

Note:  According to the article, when it comes to parental leave, sadly, the U.S. is at the bottom of the list of developed countries.

Accelerate Your Business With Social Media

Women in the United States make 78 cents for every man's dollar made according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. What's the solution to overcoming gender inequality in the workplace?  Start a business and get a grip on your social media skills.

A new program Power, Prestige & Profits (PP&P), offers a step-by-step how-to online course to help women take control of their lives and build their social media empire.

PP&P focuses on delivering high value online courses to serve the growing small business, entrepreneur and solopreneur communities in need of social media help at a price point they could afford.

Learn more:  Kyra Reed and Gretchen Fox Help Female Business Owners Overcome Gender Pay Gap and Accelerate Their Business With Social Media

Photo courtesy:  Kyra Reed and Gretchen Fox, PP&P

Gender Equality is a Long Way Off at Most U.S. Companies

If, according to a recent WSJ article, gender equality is a long way off at most U.S. companies, what is a woman to do?  That's the purpose of this blog is to escape from corporate America and start your own business.  That way, you are in control of your own destiny.

Read:  What's Holding Women Back in the Workplace?

What the World Needs Now is ... More Entrepreneurs

According to Dell, the world needs 600 million new jobs by 2025 to handle the growing working-age population. Those jobs, Michael Dell points out, aren't likely to come from big corporations like Dell, but instead from entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Rhonda Abrams says, "if you think that small companies and start-ups can change the world, you're not alone."

"Nothing will build a country out of poverty more quickly than jobs," said [Elizabeth] Gore [former Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) for the United Nations Foundation and now EIR for Dell]. "And entrepreneurs create 70 to 90 percent of jobs worldwide. In turn, that supports building a health infrastructure, leads to better governance, and focuses on what people need to succeed."

Read more:  Why the world needs entrepreneurs

Screenshot:  Elizabeth Gore

Female Funders

Katherine Hague, founder of Toronto-based ShopLocket, an online sales platform for hardware startups, says a $10,000 commitment from angel investor Heather Payne, founder of HackerYou, helped launch her company in 2011.  Now, Hague is bringing that experience to her latest project, Female Funders, a site dedicated to providing women with “approachable” resources to help them jump into angel investing.

Read more:  How female entrepreneurs hope to spark a new wave of women-led ventures

Screenshot courtesy:  Female Funders

Let's Applaud Women Business Owners

Veteran politician State Rep. Betty Boukus (pictured) is a woman on a mission -- to applaud women business owners who have made a name for themselves in Plainville, Connecticut.

“It’s important the people of Plainville know that every day in these difficult times women are doing what they have to do to make their businesses a success,” Boukus said. “These women and their employees are supporters of the town of Plainville.”

Read more:  Women-run businesses flourishing

Screenshot courtesy:  State Representative Betty Boukus

Women Entrepreneurs 40 Percent More Likely To Donate Than Men

Are women more generous than men?  According to CCTV America they are.

CCTV America's Shraysi Tandon filed a report that indicates when it comes to raising money for charities or looking for a big donor, women are more generous than men.

No surprises here.  Women like to not only run a business but make the human connection too.

Read more:  Female entrepreneurs leading in charitable giving

New Rule Levels Playing Field for Woman-Owned Small Businesses

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued on 9/11/15 a final rule authorizing federal agencies to award sole-source contracts to women-owned small businesses eligible for the Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program. Effective October 14, 2015, the rule levels the playing field for women-owned small businesses across the federal contracting marketplace.

SBA will use this new tool to continue to open doors for women entrepreneurs in the federal and commercial contract space. SBA's efforts include actively promoting women-owned businesses through programs such as ChallengeHER, the Women's Business Centers and InnovateHER, as well as implementing recent changes to its lending program that have made smaller dollar loans more accessible to women, and creating the online portal, LINC, to ease the process of finding capital to grow or start small businesses.

Read more: SBA:  New Authority Will Bolster Women-Owned Small Businesses

Creating Magic For Children

Delhi, India-based entrepreneur Romilla Tewari's children became her first customers.  After their birth, Romilla (pictured) started looking for options to do up their rooms in a way they would love and ended up starting her own business six years ago.

Romilla wrote an e-mail to a foreign company which specializes in doing up kids’ rooms, expressing her interest in bringing their products to India. They obliged with a positive response the very same day. 

Her company has grown to two brands:  ThinkCutieful and Mycutestickons.com (e-commerce) under parent company Eunoia Designs Pvt. Limited.

Read more:  Romilla Tewari creates magic for children, gives them space to dream

Showing Courage to Start a Business

What do a lot of small business owners want to do when they first launch a business?  Delegate.  Be a better boss.  Learn how to lead effectively.  These are just a few of the ways in which small business owners plan to grow their businesses.  And they have plenty of help.  10,000 Small Businesses, a program that Goldman Sachs has brought across the country, assists small businesses with all the functional aspects to growing a business.

One thing we already know:  These business owners show a lot of courage by starting a business.  It takes guts and initiative.

Learn more:  10,000 Small Businesses program thriving in Chicago

Screenshot courtesy:  Chicago Sun-Times

From Velvet Ropes to Vintage Chairs, Entrepreneur Realizes Her Dream of Owning a Business

Lisa Escobar (pictured) had a Vegas dream job managing high-end nightclubs Tryst and XS inside the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore. But as much as Escobar loved it, that job wasn't her calling.

So in 2012 — in the middle of Southern Nevada's recession — Escobar quit and launched a business as an interior decorator and stylist, using her Rolodex of VIPs as a starting point for a client list.

What was the transition like?

Learn more:  Entrepreneur realizes dream of launching her own business

Visit:  Lisa Escobar Design

Screenshot courtesy:  Lisa Escobar Design

Women Are Best As Entrepreneurs

Why are women best at being entrepreneurs?  Easy.  Female entrepreneurs are more likely to be risk averse and so avoid the pitfalls that can kill a young business, says Paul Bentley, Kleinwort Benson’s head of entrepreneurs.  He goes on to specifically say:

"Female entrepreneurs tend to be more risk averse and position themselves better to create long-term value. They often avoid the pitfalls that befall early stage firms, meaning their businesses will show a more consistent track record."

Read:  'Women are best entrepreneurs' as they are more likely to avoid pitfalls that can kill a young business 

Screenshot courtesy:  This is Money (photo of Julia Elliott Brown, Upper Street London co-founder)

Defeat Your Fears and Reach for the Sky

Cielo, the word for “sky” or “heaven” in Spanish, and an acronym for Community for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Opportunities. Cielo is on the campus of Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California, where classes in self-wellness and entrepreneurship are being held over the summer in something of a soft launch for the center.

Cielo is expected to launch in the fall of 2015 as an incubator for lifestyle and skills-based microbusinesses, providing their owners access to capital, mentorship and classes – and possibly office space.

Among those using Cielo to launch her business is Leticia Benitez, 37, a wife and mother of an elementary school-age child.  She plans to nurture her small side business making cakes covered in ribbons of frosting and a layer of fondant, a creative outlet outside of her normal part-time work at the local Cheesecake Factory.

Read more:  Reaching for the sky: Cielo incubator in Huntington Beach will focus on lifestyle trades

Messiness and Being a Cheapskate Can Launch a Business

Mary Rascher had “three of the messiest kids ever” as her inspiration for making laundry soap, but the full-time electrical mechanic started investigating how to make soaps and later lotions that she now sells at the Downtown Rantoul Farmer’s Market and various Gordyville events under M&M Creations.

Rascher says she’s so “cheap,” she wanted to figure out a way to make her own laundry soap.

Read the entire article:  Tightwad Mary:  Desire to save money led Rascher to start making her own soap

Screenshot courtesy:  M&M Creations

Where Does Your Heart Belong?

Ever dream of owning your own business?  That's how this business owner got started.  She dreamed about owning a bakery and then made it a reality.  From the moment Emily Grable stepped inside the North Canton, Ohio-based Hazel Artisan Bakery Café, she knew it was where her heart belonged.

Nine years after visiting Hazel Artisan Bakery Café for the first time, Grable’s dream came true.

She purchased the bakery, located at 1176 S. Main St., saying it was something that was just “meant to be.” It was a transition she was comfortable with, having worked as a pastry chef for the previous owner for more than a year before taking over the business herself.

Grable is now one of nine million women-owned businesses operating in the U.S., according to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).

Read the entire article:  Cafe owner finds calling in pastry  Facebook Page here.

Screenshot courtesy:  Hazel and Rye

Definition of Entrepreneur? Good-Looking Men Who Don't Have Jobs

When Carla Walker-Miller (pictured) first encountered the word "entrepreneur" while she was growing up, she thought, "it meant good-looking men who didn’t have jobs. That’s what she saw in the magazines: men talking about their ideas and starting companies but never seeming to work."

Fast-forward to today when Walker-Miller is running Detroit-based Walker-Miller Energy Services, employing 43 people and on pace for generating annual revenues of $7 million this year (2015).

Walker-Miller talks about how she broke out of the corporate world, the challenges of being an African American woman in business, and how she keeps her work-life balance.

Read the entire article:  Entrepreneurs must buy, bargain, finesse their way to the table

Photo courtesy:  Carla Walker-Miller

Just Be Who You Are

Serena Williams (pictured) is a world class tennis player and has medals to prove it.  Do you describe yourself as the best entrepreneur in the world?  Better be careful here.  You don't want to come across as full of yourself.

Here are some words that are great when other people use them to describe you--but you should never use to describe yourself.  For example, drop “innovative,” since most people aren’t.

Just be who you are.

27 Words You Should Never Use to Describe Yourself

Screenshot courtesy:  EJI

Yes Country for All Women

What a great day to celebrate not only the birth of our nation but the fact that the best country for women entrepreneurs is ... drum roll ... United States, (Canada, Australia, Sweden and the United Kingdom) according to a global report commissioned by Dell.

Those women entrepreneurs aren’t just starting a business for themselves but also are adding jobs, expanding into new markets and even looking for export opportunities, said Aidis [Dr. Ruta Aidis, project director of Dell’s Global Women Entrepreneur Leaders Scorecard].

Read the entire article:  The best country for women entrepreneurs is ...

Note:  Coming up on July 7th is Escape From Corporate America's 11th birthday!  My how time flies when you love what you do and are passionate about it.  I hope you enjoy our posts.  To many more years of entrepreneurial empowerment!  Here's our first post back eleven years ago.