Women Entrepreneurs Whose Smarts Are Rattling Industries Worldwide

The Female Founders 100 are the entrepreneurs Inc. has been most intrigued by in the past year, whose smarts are rattling industries far and wide.  They are scientists, creatives, MBAs, data-nerds, and visionaries. For some, it's the first time they've ever started a company. Others have been at this for decades.

Explore when time permits.  How about now?

Have a Meaningful Memorial Day

Pay Yourself What You are Worth

As more and more women take the leap from Corporate America to starting their own businesses, one of the key factors to ensure the leap goes well is to focus on having confidence.  Many women doubt themselves and their abilities.  Sometimes it just takes a couple of good pals around you to say "you can do it!" The next thing you know, you you can!

Another challenge for women who start businesses is determining what you should be paid.  Don't skimp.  If the money is there, take it, do good work, and be proud.  Here's what a SCORE volunteer mentor says:  

Simply put, women need to be paid what they are worth. A lot of times women feel like that they can’t charge enough. However, in order to be successful in business and remain profitable, a shift in thinking — and a boost in confidence — is necessary.

Read more about what is available to women-owned businesses and what is necessary to succeed in business ownership.

Photo courtesy:  Hust Wilson on Unsplash

Women Leaders Tend to Collaborate Better than Men

Thanks to a new study conducted by Richard Devine, Gonzalo Molina-Sieiro, Michael Holmes and Siri Terjesen, we now have data that shows women-led businesses, in certain scenarios, do indeed perform better than those run by men.

In the research, the authors started by comparing how female-led companies performed in terms of employee growth versus those helmed by men.

The point of the study is not to show that female-led companies – high growth or not – perform better than men.

Rather, our [the author's] research suggests that women do bring valuable and unique skills and experience to the table that can make a significant difference to business success. Yet, given so few companies are run by women, their skills and experiences are not fully utilized.

Learn more about how women leaders tend to collaborate better than men.

Read the study:  Female-Led High-Growth:  Examining the Role of Human and Financial Resource Management

Photo courtesy:  CoWomen on Unsplash

Surround Yourself With People Who Believe in You

Ever have a bad day?  Oh come on, who hasn't?  The important part of being faced with difficult, complicated and high-stake situations as a female entrepreneur is having the ability to face them, head on—and with strength and confidence.  Below, six brave leaders reveal the tumultuous points of their companies and how they were able to handle them and move forward.

One entrepreneur shared the following:

“Surround yourself with people who believe in you, because there will be so many times when you don’t believe in yourself.  Most of us have never started a company before, and most of us don’t come from a background where our parents can bankroll us until we figure it out,” she [co-founder  of Hu Kitchen, Jessica Karp] continued.

Read the article on how women dealt with the worst and came out stronger on the other side.

Photo courtesy Katrina on Unsplash.

Has the #MeToo Event Changed the Way You Run Your Business?

How have you changed the way you run your business since the #MeToo event?

It’s been more than a year and a half since the #MeToo hashtag took off on Twitter, and the movement that activist Tarana Burke started in 2006 became an unavoidable part of the national conversation. Since then, discussions around workplace sexual assault and harassment are being heard in a way they weren’t before. 

Many female entrepreneurs are taking the #MeToo seriously -- definitely not sweeping it under the rug.  Here's what 5 women entrepreneurs are doing and what you can do too to keep the #MeToo issue front and center as you run your business.

After You Work for a Genius, Can You Go Off On Your Own?

Marilyn Van Alstyne (pictured) left working for P. Diddy and started her own business, EMVE Management.  Here's how her thinking went.

“After realizing that I worked alongside Puff for 20 years, I started to think to myself, if I worked for a genius and he has built all of this, what can I build on my own?” After long days of self-reflection, Van Alstyne did what millions of people yearn to find the courage to do: She quit her job.

Keep in mind that Marilyn started working for P. Diddy as an intern and felt she had landed her dream internship.

While still in high school, Van Alstyne traveled 1.5 hours each way to the Combs Office in Manhattan. Back then Uber did not exist, and taxi cabs didn’t come to her neighborhood, so she did what needed to be done.  While only being compensated with two tokens and $5 a day, Van Alstyne dedicated her life to being one of the most reliable and respected women at Combs Enterprises.

She did it all:  answered phones, reconciled accounts, everything to grow a business.  After 4 years, she became an employee. The rest is history.  Did she have doubts before she left?  You bet.

“For a while, I’d ask myself, what if I do not make it? Now that there is no Bad Boy or Puff to lean on, can I do this on my own?” pondered Van Alstyne. 

Read more to learn what happened with Marilyn and how she shares her top 3 money lessons.

Is Being Called a Female Entrepreneur a Label?

Being an entrepreneur is hard -- male or female.

Business owner Susan Guillory (pictured) says:

People like to create two categories for business owners: entrepreneurs and female entrepreneurs. I have never understood why the two have to be separated. 

What about you?  Do you think there is or should be a distinction between male and female entrepreneurs?  Do you find that being called a female entrepreneur is a label?

To brush up, read an old EFCA blog post (9/14/07), "Are Male and Female Entrepreneurs Really That Different?"

Read on to learn additional thoughts from Guillory on this topic, including, how to come up with your own unique style.

Becoming Billionaires

The infographic featured in the article below shows how far women can reach with hard work and perseverance. Highlighting their accomplishments is especially important so it can inspire young girls to go after anything they put their minds to.

Read more about women becoming billionaires.

The Truth About Women in International Trade

There are more than 163 million women entrepreneurs worldwide yet many of them are not global.  Why is that?  That is a question I asked myself many years ago and it troubled me so long that I decided to do something about it.

First, I started exporting products on my own and then, I launched wegg®.  That's when I discovered the real power and strength of taking a business global -- and  learned that women can do it just as easily as men.

Learn more about women in international trade and the birth of wegg®.

Photo courtesy:  CoWomen on Unsplash

The Journey for Women Entrepreneurs Is Challenging

The journey for women entrepreneurs is challenging and requires strength, grit and perseverance.  If it were easy, all women would be starting businesses.  The SBA knows this and wants to put the wind behind the sails of all women who aspire to take an idea and launch a business.  They work at leveling the playing field for women.

SBA says that knowing the right people can make a world of a difference.

We want to do everything we can to connect women entrepreneurs with the right people so they can spend less time trying to get a seat at the table and more time growing their business.

Learn more about the journey for women entrepreneurs.

Photo courtesy:  Andrew Nael on Unsplash

Smile and Have Fun on St. Patrick's Day

©2019 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

As an entrepreneur and business owner, don't take yourself too seriously.  Remember to smile and have fun, especially on St. Patrick's Day.

Women-Owned Businesses Are the Growth Engine for the U.S. Economy

Happy day-after International Women's Day!  I hope you celebrated the successes of women entrepreneurs all over the world.

Women-owned businesses continue to be a growth engine for the U.S. economy.  The number of women-owned businesses that applied for funding in 2018 increased by 13 percent, according to an annual study of women-owned companies by Biz2Credit, a leading online credit marketplace for small companies.

But it revealed that loans for women entrepreneurs where nearly one third less than for their male counterparts.

The study also revealed that the average loan amount for women-owned companies was $48,341 last year. The most common type of funding was working capital for business expansion.

Learn more how the lending gap narrows for women business owners, but it's still 31% less than for men.

Photo by Suhyeon Choi on Unsplash.

Experience and Wisdom Matters When Starting a Business

There is no deadline for success, period. As the the Fast Company article says:

For some entrepreneurs, figuring out their ideal industry and starting their own gig didn’t happen until they had already blown out 40 (or more) candles on their birthday cake.

Yes, entrepreneurship can happen at any time.  Tune in to these 3 dynamic women entrepreneurs who launched their businesses after 40 to hear their stories.  Don't wait.  Be inspired.

Photo by rawpixel for Unsplash

Tips, Tools and Resources from the Escape From Corporate America Blog

We feature a ton of resources, articles and opportunities here on our Escape From Corporate America blog to help women entrepreneurs grow but I want to make sure that on occasion, you check out the actual site on the right sidebar to see many of the amazing articles we feature.  Here's a sampling of six:

1. How to Market Your Business Lady Gaga Style
2. 5 Signs of Loosy-Goosy Management
3. From Cupcakes to Moneycakes:  3 Ways to Increase Sales and Profitability
4. Making the Most Out of Failure
5. Turning Limes to Limeade:  Entrepreneurship Can Surface in Many Places
6. 5 Actions for Double-Digit Business Growth

For more, visit Escape From Corporate America!

Women Run the World

I don't care what this article below says; women still and will continue to run the world.  We have our challenges but we know how to overcome them and excel.  Lindsay Tigar, at Fast Company, may not agree with my lead statement but she at least believes the following:

But gradually and strategically—women, if you pay attention to statistics. Over the past two decades, the number of women-owned businesses has grown 114%, compared to the 44% national growth rate for all new companies. As more women venture into entrepreneurship, they will tackle the laundry list of gaps women are continuing to change.

Heck, even the great management guru Tom Peters knows that women rule.

But back to Lindsay.  Read her article on 8 predictions for the state of women entrepreneurship this year.

Sometimes You Just Have to Chill

©2019 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

With Chicago's record-breaking low temperatures, it's a good time to hunker down and just think about what's next for a business.  New ideas.  New products.  New partnerships.  New markets.  New hires.

Then when the great thaw begins, execute on all the things you have been thinking about.  What about for you?  What are you working on?  What's next? 

Let's Put Power in the Hands of Female Entrepreneurs

According to Mr. Robert Sauer, a professor at University of London, Royal Holloway and Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, and written for the Jerusalem Post, when women are business owners, their firms are generally smaller and are less valuable than those owned by men.

Researchers have considered a number of factors that might help explain why a gender gap in entrepreneurship might emerge. The possible explanations include gender-specific approaches to balancing career and family, different choices of business sector in which to operate, a differential aversion to financing one’s business through debt, and greater obstacles for women to access business funding in general.

The article goes on to say that a number of initiatives by policymakers and practitioners have already been introduced to try and promote female entrepreneurship. They include training programs, counseling, mentoring, and access to finance on favorable terms.

I vote that we put power in the hands of female entrepreneurs. What's your vote?

Read more about a better way forward for female entrepreneurs.

Which Countries Are Leading the Way with Female Entrepreneurs?

To create a list of the countries with the most female business owners, the CEOWORLD magazine reviewed the data from Mastercard’s Index of Women Entrepreneurs to find out which countries are leading the way when it comes to women-owned businesses.

The findings show that while the U.S. has the right conditions for female-owned businesses to thrive, women in America’s motivation to start and run a business is low as compared to the countries with high index score.

Interestingly enough, Ghana is top on the list.  The United States placed 23 out of 57 countries studied.  About a quarter of America's entrepreneurs are women.

Visit here to view the entire list.

Sometimes You Just Have to Declare a Snow Day and Rest

Instead of working nonstop, sometimes you just need to declare a snow day.  That's what I did this morning in Chicago.  Here are some photos I took while hanging out downtown.  Wherever you are, enjoy your day!

All photos courtesy @2019 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Online Business Tools to Simplify and Innovate More Efficiently

Finding tools and resources specific to small business owners helps simplify and innovate more efficiently.  Here are a few, including this blog :-).

Read ... online business tools for women business owners.

Oh, and one more good list and don't forget about wegg®, which help women business owners go global.

Lessons From 4 Insanely Great and Successful Women Entrepreneurs

Below is an interview I conducted for Enterprising Women Magazine featuring [photo L-R] AJ Goehle, Kim Robinson, Sandy Marsico and Chaoran Jin -- four insanely great and successful women entrepreneurs.  I asked each entrepreneur about disruption, what they never worry about in business and what they know for sure that promises success in business.

Read the interview, "Windy City Disruptors:  Success Strategies From Women Entrepreneurs Who Are Changing the Game of Business" at Enterprising Women or here (PDF).

Note:  "This content first appeared in Vol. 19, No. 3 of Enterprising Women magazine (www.enterprisingwomen.com) and is being reprinted with permission from the publisher.  All rights reserved."

Happy New Year Escape From Corporate America Friends!

©2018 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Be strong, fierce and independent in 2019!  Hugs and Happy New Year from your Escape From Corporate America team.

Happy Holidays from the Escape From Corporate America Team!

©2018 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Two Holiday Tips For Women

Two holidays tips -- one an article and another a site that features only women-owned or women-led businesses.

15 (Mostly) Local Holiday Gift Ideas For Feminists

Feminist, mom, sister, entrepreneur, woman business owner -- there's something for everyone here and from mostly local women-made products, women-led businesses, or women-centered experiences.

Purse Power

Can you imagine a world where women and girls are safe and equal?  Let's use our purchasing power to create one -- and that's what this site has done.

Focus on Female Founders

Beer maker Constellation Brands plans to invest $100 million over the next ten years in businesses led or founded by women. Why?  Because they are betting that female entrepreneurs will help it grow.

The strategy is designed to help Constellation Brands make and market products that resonate with women, partner with sector disruptors and enhance its talent pipeline.

The project is called Focus on Female Founders.  So far, Constellation has invested in two women-led startups through the new initiative: Austin Cocktails and Vivify Beverages.

Learn more about how CB is investing in female entrepreneurs to help sell its alcohol.

Interesting related article:  Female founders deserve to be funded for their talent, not their gender.

Women Entrepreneurs Are Stepping Up to the Plate With Personal Investments in Startups

While raising money is still hard for almost every entrepreneur, there's a growing sense that it's getting easier for women at long last.

Notably, women entrepreneurs are stepping up to the plate: In a survey of 279 U.S. women entrepreneurs conducted jointly by Inc. and Fast Company, a surprising 42 percent say that in addition to running their own companies, they make personal investments in startups. On the flip side, of those who have raised outside capital, 38 percent said they specifically sought out female investors. 

As of November 2017, according to the Angel Capital Association, 22 percent of angels are female.

Read more about how more female founders are going from raising cash to backing other startups as angel investors.

Photo screenshot of ThirdLove's founders.

Joy to Your World from Escape From Corporate America

©2018 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays!” -- D.M. Dellinger

Why You Should Start a Business in 2019 No Matter What

Starting a business isn't easy and it isn't a decision you should jump into blindly. You'll need savings and a solid plan to make your dream a sound reality. But if you're prepared financially and logistically, there's a good chance you'll wind up more than satisfied with your choice.

The article below provides you with 6 reasons to move forward.

1. You get to call the shots
2. You can control your income
3. You can pursue your passion
4. You can set your own schedule
5. You can make a difference
6. You can shape your destiny (mine)

Read the entire on why you should start a business in 2019.

State of Women: The Bad, the Ugly, and the Good

Below is a snapshot of a big and complex story on women’s rights and the women’s movement.

It doesn’t come close to capturing the full breadth of women’s experiences, challenges, or achievements this year—no summary could. But no matter how closely you follow the news or how much you already know about women’s progress, there’s research in here that will surprise you.

The presentation (snapshot) is fashioned into three categories, the:

1. Bad
2. Ugly
3. Good

Here's to facing harsh truths and ending with hope in our hearts.

How SHE Got it Right

According to the latest State of Women-owned Businesses report from American Express, four in 10 businesses in the U.S. are now majority-owned, operated and controlled by women.

Last year alone, 1,821 new women-owned businesses opened in the U.S. each day.

How can women entrepreneurs make sure their company goes the extra mile to become successful?

Below is advice from a handful of women business owners.

1. Take a step-by-step approach
2. Don't sell yourself short
3. Learn to embrace rejection
4. Give back to get back
5. Learn from your team
6. Create a culture of solution seekers
7. Keep the end goal in mind
8. Find a role where you own a P&L

Read the entire article about how these women business owners got it right.

A National Conversation on Board Diversity in Chicago 11/15

Where can you find all of the following individuals -- 4 CEOs and 40 corporate board directors -- in one place at one time?  At the 2020 Women on Boards Chicago 7th Annual National Conversation on Board Diversity, November 15, 2018, 4:30 PM-8:30PM (Central time), The Mid-America Club, Aon Building, Chicago, Illinois.

• Anne Pramaggiore, CEO, Exelon Utilities; Board Director: Motorola Solutions, Inc., Babcock and Wilcox Enterprises—both NYSE-listed companies; Chair, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
• John W. Rogers, Jr., Founder, Chair, & CEO of Ariel Investments; Board Director: Exelon, McDonald’s, NY Times—all NYSE-listed public companies
• Ilene Gordon, retired CEO, Ingredion; Board Director: International Paper, Lockheed Martin—both NYSE-listed public companies
• Jennifer Sherman, CEO & Board Director, Federal Signal—NYSE-listed public company & Board Director, Franklin Electric—NASDAQ-listed public company
• Donna Zarcone, CEO, The Economic Club; Board Director: CDW—NASDAQ-listed public company, CIGNA—NYSE-listed public company, & The Duchossois Group—private company
• Kapila Anand, retired KPMG Partner; Board Director: ESH Hospitality—NASDAQ-listed public company & Extended Stay America, Omega Healthcare Investors, & Elanco Animal Health—all 3 NYSE-listed public companies
• Sally Blount, former Northwestern University Kellogg dean; Board Director: Abbott & Ulta Beauty—2 NYSE-listed public companies
• Adela Cepeda, Managing Director, PFM Financial Advisors; Board Director, BMO Financial Corp, a Bank of Montreal—TSX/NYSE-listed public company—& The Mercer Funds, The UBS Funds—2 private mutual funds
• Carol Ward, Corporate Secretary to the Board, Mondelēz International—SWX/NASDAQ-listed public company
• Rodrigo Garcia, Chief Investment Officer & CFO, Illinois State Treasury; Board Director: The Thirty Percent Coalition
• Diane Aigotti, CFO, Ryan Specialty Group; Board Director: GATX—NYSE-listed public company
• Holly Bailey, President, Howell Paving; Board Director, First Mid Illinois Bancshares—NASDAQ-listed public company
• Dan Bayston, Managing Director, Cognient Advisors; Board Director: Prime Line Products, Besser Company, KLJ Solutions—all 3 private ESOP companies
• Carrie Bienkowski, CMO, Peapod; Board Director: ConforMIS—NASDAQ-listed public company
• Barbara Bowles, retired Chair, Kenwood Group; Board Director: WEC Energy Group—NYSE-listed public company
• Donald Carley, SVP, GC, Chief Compliance Officer, & Corporate Secretary to the Board, Horace Mann—NYSE-listed public company
• Lynn Clarke, former CEO for 3 companies; Board Director & Chair: Nielsen-Massey Flavorings & Talalay Global Mattresses & Board Director: Abarta Coca-Cola & Top Notch Distributors—all 4 private companies
• Candace Duncan, retired Partner, KPMG; Board Director: Discover Financial Services—NYSE-listed public company, FTD Companies—NASDAQ-listed public company, & Teleflex—NYSE-listed public company
• Vicki Dudley, CFO & Treasurer, TTX—largest NA railcars owner; Board Director: Seacube Container Leasing (owned by Ontario Teachers Pension Plan); Raffles Insurance & EPIC—2 captive insurance firms—all 3 private companies
• Venita Fields, Partner, Pelham S2K Managers; Board Director: Derry Enterprises, LifeSpace Communities, VSA Partners—all 3 private companies
• Jill Goodman, Managing Director, Foros; Board Director: CBOE Global Markets—NASDAQ-listed public company
• Judy Greffin, former EVP & CIO, Board Director:  Allstate; Board Director: Associated Bank—NYSE-listed public company
• Gail Durham Hasbrouck, retired SVP, GC, & Corporate Secretary, Advocate Health Care; Board Director: Advocate Health Care—largest IL health system
• Linda Jojo, Chief Digital Officer & EVP, Technology, United Airlines; Board Director: Exelon—NYSE-listed public company
• Barbara Klein, Board Director: Cabot Microelectronics—NASDAQ-listed public company & Ingredion—NYSE-listed public company
• Delores Kunda, former CEO, Leo Burnett Puerto Rico; Board Director, Finish Line—NASDAQ-listed public company recently sold!
• Alice Peterson, COO, Curadux; Board Director: SP Plus—NASDAQ-listed public company & Williams Partners—NYSE-listed public company
• Cynthia Plouche, Mutual Fund Director: Northern Institutional Funds/Northern Funds & Barings Funds—all private mutual fund companies
• Donna Smith/Wanda Baum/Linda Lin/Anna Maria Viti-Welch; Board Directors: First Bank of Highland Park—one of 5 largest privately held Chicago banks, Crain’s named 2018 Top 100 Best Places to Work in Chicago
• Dany St-Pierre, one of World’s Top 100 Most Influential Women in Wind Energy; Board Director: Boralex—TSX-listed public company
• Jane Warner, retired EVP, Illinois Tool Works (ITW); Board Director: Brunswick, Regal Beloit, & Tenneco—all 3 NYSE-listed public companies
• Michelle Warner, GC and Corporate Secretary to the Board, USG Corporation—NYSE-listed public company
• Mary Westerhold, CFO, Madison Communications; Board Director: First Mid Illinois Bancshares—NYSE-listed public company
• James Wooten, Jr, Board Director:  Hyatt Hotels—NYSE-listed public company & Morae Global Corporation—a private company.

2020 Women on Boards is a national campaign to increase the percentage of women on U.S. company boards to 20 percent or greater by the year of 2020.  Check out their progress and register your support at www.2020wob.com.

To learn more and to register for the November 15th program, visit here.  Better get on it fast for tickets are selling like hotcakes.

5 Ways to Handle Bias as a Female Entrepreneur

How do you blow bias right out the window?  It's easier said than done but below are some pointers.  Remember, you never know when bias is going to creep up on you so power up and use any or all of these when you need to.

1. Don’t show your anger.
2. Consider it a blessing.
3. Marshal your facts.
4. Be and act confident.
5. Get some support and training.

Read the full article on how to handle bias here.

36 Chicago Resources for Women Entrepreneurs

As a sweet home Chicago kind of gal (born and raised in Chicago), I found the list below of Chicago resources for female entrepreneurs pretty darn good, with the exception of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global, a nonprofit I founded and manage, being left out.

The population of women-owned startups in Chicago is growing.

Women business owners have opportunities to thrive in Chicago, especially if they happen to be in tech.

Check out the list here.

Women Entrepreneurs Can Thrive

Dr. Nashawna Joseph (pictured), for the Shreveport Times, says, "It’s no secret that women have been making power moves and shaking things up in the business world for years." She calls these women 'boss women.'  She's all in for taking control of your mind and positioning yourself for success.

Below she offers up five surefire ways that you can thrive in any area of your life by committing to having a Plan Be.

1. Be intentional
2. Be uncomfortable
3. Be committed
4. Be proactive
5. Be victorious

Learn more about each way you can thrive here.

Starting a Business As a Route Into a Career in Music

Taking place at Nottingham’s brand new venue Metronome on Wednesday, October 10, leading female entrepreneurs will share valuable insights into starting a business as a route into a career in music.

There will be an impressive all-female line up of speakers running successful businesses across the music industry who will be looking to inspire the next generation at Women In Music’s next event.

“Music is about creating something new and celebrating that creation. Having more women in music would breathe new life into the industry, so encouraging females to choose our path is something I personally get passionate about and that is why I am part of setting up our Women In Music activities such as this," [says Katie Muckle, DHP Family’s Head of HR].

Read more here.

Being Wrong in Business Is Not Only Inevitable, It's Vital

To illustrate his point during a lecture he was giving that failure breeds success, Henry Petroski, Aleksandar S. Vesic Professor at Duke University and the author of dozens of books, including, To Forgive Design: Understanding Failure, pointed to a classic century-old engineering disaster: the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912.

“Imagine that the Titanic had not struck that iceberg,” Petroski said to a standing-room-only crowd in McCormick’s Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center. “That would have just reinforced the misconception that it was unsinkable. And every time it went across the Atlantic, it would further confirm that hypothesis.”

Well I won't leave you just with that.  Read more here and meanwhile:  "It’s the failure that leads to success,” Petroski said, “while prolonged success leads to failure.”

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.