Savvy Women Entrepreneurs Don't Work Alone

Our friend and awesome reporter Geri Stengel at Forbes says:

The most successful entrepreneurs don’t do it alone. That holds true for men and for women but particularly for women. 

She goes on to say:

Only other women see, hear and feel what women do. Women face different challenges than men: their access to capital and markets is restricted. What do you get when you problem solve with a group of women entrepreneurs? 

Take a look at what members of  the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), a peer advisory group, and organization I am extensively involved since 2003 as the Chicago Chapter Chapter chair, found.

The #1 Secret to Success Women Entrepreneurs Need to Share

Meet Up With Us in Chicago at the First Urban Craft Distilleries in the U.S.

Through a nonprofit I manage, Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global, we have a really cool on-the-ground program coming up on Tuesday, September 19 from 9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Central time in Chicago. For all my Chicago fans, I would LOVE an opportunity to meet you in person!

Here are the details on the program.

But let me add this:  Even though the program focuses on taking a business global (my passion), we will also have fun touring the world famous KOVAL Distillery.  Not hear of it?  Well then you've been living in a cave :-).  Read the phenomenal press about them here.

Anyway, hope you can join us.  If you are going and want to let me know in advance, email me at: ldelaney(at)womenentrepreneursGROWglobal.org.

Look forward to seeing you there.  To learn more and to register, visit:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wegg-icnc-export-workshop-tickets-36226102247

Google Developers' Launchpad Build (GDLB)

Google Developers’ Launchpad Build (GDLB) comes under the Launchpad Accelerator Program.  They have selected 11 startups led by women entrepreneurs in order to train them.

Through the programme, the selected women entrepreneurs will get a chance to help promising startups achieve rapid progress in a short time. This will be done through focused 1:1 mentorship from Google and Industry Experts.

Read more and learn about the shortlist of women entrepreneurs here.

$50 Million Donated by USA to Female Entrepreneurs!

The Trump administration will give $50 million to a female entrepreneurship project championed by Trump's daughter, Ivanka.

To help unlock the potential of women entrepreneurs, the new Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), led by the World Bank, will enable more than $1 billion in financing to improve access to capital, provide technical assistance, and invest in projects and programs that support women and women-led SMEs.

Read more ...

Sexual Harassment Is 'Never' Business As Usual

Oh I am not going to go into detail here with my lead to this post.  You have to read the article to believe it.  The title gives it away:

Sex for Funding? Silicon Valley Reeling After 24 Female Entrepreneurs Speak Out

Photo:  Chris Sacca (apology letter)

Be Daring and Disruptive

Small Business Trends talks about a new book to help you push through that barrier between prospective to actual entrepreneur. It's titled, "Daring & Disruptive: Unleashing the Entrepreneur," and according to SBT, it is probably your best bet. The book helps you understand how you can leverage your non-traditional path as an asset instead of an obstacle to entrepreneurship.

Go girl.

Read more ...

The Great Outdoor Entrepreneur

Becoming a member of Amazon Exclusives program was a game-changer for founder Kelly Fedio's business One Savvy Life, a lifestyle accessory company.  She was able to generate annual sales for her products in the seven figures within two years.

“We seek to fulfill women’s ambition of living a fun and active lifestyle, and bring women distinctive products and experiences and a means of self-expression through our products.”

Visit her company here.  Read more ...

Women Entrepreneurs Are Taking the World by Storm

Several local, national, and international enterprises are owned and headed by strong businesswomen. Gone are the days when women hesitated to start their own company for fear of not being able to dedicate enough time to their families or due to lack of resources.

From contributing to global wealth to supporting their own communities, female entrepreneurs are destroying all physical and mental barriers that are holding them back from ruling the world.

Read more ...

How to Pedal Through Every Stage of Entrepreneurial Growth

Founder and owner of South Carolina-based Pedal Chic (photo credit:  Pedal Chic), Robin Bylenga, opened her women’s cycling and athletic boutique in 2010.  She worked for a bike shop to get experience first and understand customers. She invested $500 for a small amount of inventory of women’s biking apparel and generated $1,500 in sales at an area bike race.

“I’ve had to push [pedal] through at every stage, and there have been setbacks, but the demand is there and growing,” says Bylenga, whose shop is profitable today.

But there is more to starting a business and becoming successful. Oftentimes it takes finding mentors and advisers who can share their experiences with you to grow a business more efficiently and faster.

Read more ...

Is There a Secret to Becoming an Entrepreneur?

Two women entrepreneurs share their stories and secrets to becoming successful business owners. One believes customer service is the key and the other recommends that they have good advisers, a good attorney, good insurance, and  a “trusted network.”

One also highlighted this (and I so agree):

Being an entrepreneur, you have a spirit of you’re never really quite settled,” she said. “When everything is too easy, you’re not quite happy. You’re always kind of looking around like something is missing what should I be doing, is this really what I should be doing, at least that’s how I felt.”

Read more ...

Bias Impacts Whether Women Entrepreneurs Get Funding

Swedish researchers observing government venture capitalists over a year found that they described female and male investors quite differently, and not in a good way.

They suggested that bias, and the way those biases were phrased, may have impacted whether women got funding.

According to the Harvard Business Review article, "We Recorded VCs' Conversations and Analyzed How Differently They Talk About Female Entrepreneurs," male entrepreneurs received positive language (.e.g, bold!) about their "potential."  The women, on the other hand, tended to get a different set of comments (e.g., cautious and nervous) with emphasis on their looks.

Read more ...

Deals in Heels

Tennis star and entrepreneur Venus Williams is set to star in her own TV/entertainment series called Deals in Heels.  She will sit alongside a panel of other female magnates, as a mentor to five talented, up-and-coming female entrepreneurs who will pitch their business/investment ideas.

At a time where gender and pay equality are still major issues in both developing and developed countries, with the gender gap even larger for women of colour and black women, we are really looking forward to a TV show produced by women, starring women and supporting women-run businesses.

Read more ...

When Small Business Owners Dream, Everyone Wins

Recently, the United States Small Business Administration honored Monica Starks, president and C. Denise Griffith, CEO, of Detroit-based GS Group, LLC with the SBA Michigan Women Owned Small Business of the Year award as part of the SBA’s National Small Business Week.

Here's what the Small Business Administration said:

“When small business owners follow their dreams, everyone benefits. They create jobs and drive our economy, and as the world transforms, small business owners are our problem solvers. Faced with social, technological and economic changes, they see opportunities to build."

Learn more ...

How to Complete Self-Certification In Less Than an Hour

Business owner Kiki Ramsey wanted to become certified as a Woman-Owned Small Business because she felt it would help her chances of getting even more federal business. However, she thought she had to pay a third-party company to provide the certification.

She was in for a pleasant surprise when she found out otherwise.  She could go two different routes:

1. Self-Certification
2. Third-party Certification 

The self-certification process is the path Kiki took with the benefit for her and many other female business owners interested in the federal marketplace is that it is free and relatively simple.

You can start the process by viewing this webinar.

Read more here.

Extraordinary Visionaries: Young Female Entrepreneurs

The Challenges and Rewards to Being a Female Entrepreneur

At a recent panel discussion, three female entrepreneurs shared their stories of how they started their businesses, the challenges they faced and the rewards it provided them.  The article below highlights some of their advice.  For example:

“You need a good business plan,” she said. “Any of you who are looking to put a business together, I strongly suggest to you to put that business plan together and research it.”

The entrepreneurs featured are:

1. Robin Phipps of Kearney, Green Thumb Design and Scholarship Coaching for Youth
2. Lisa Johnson of McCool Junction, Kerry’s Restaurant and Catering
3. Ashlee Schneider of Grand Island, Snap Fitness

Read more.

Sharing Best Lessons Learned in Entrepreneurship

Women entrepreneurs share their best lessons learned from their experiences being entrepreneurs.  Here's one tip.

She [Bernadette Reid, from Halifax who runs Sankofa Marketing and Sales] says her best advice for women starting out is to ask for help. Why reinvent the wheel when you can learn from other’s mistakes? She also says women in business shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes: if something isn’t working, try something else.

Read more here.

Natalie Kaddas Shows Us How to Take a Business Global

Photo courtesy: Kaddas Enterprises; Natalie Kaddas, CEO, Kaddas Enterprises with President Obama

For those of you who run businesses where you aspire to take it global, you might want to look at an upcoming WEGGinar™ that takes place tomorrow, 4/5.  The presenter, business owner Natalie Kaddas (pictured), talks about what she has done to bring global success to her company.

The webinar is no charge thanks to Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global (WEGG) sponsors (UPS, BAL and IBM) and if you don't have the time to listen to the recording tomorrow, you can always listen to it later.  I'll be on the call handling the Q&A.  Hope you can join us and feel free to ask questions!  We'll deliver answers.

Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5344517495639686658

On a different yet inspiring note, check out 10 Pioneering Women Artists History Forgot

Meet the Tea Lady

Jennifer Gerdes began selling tea and handcrafted candles and other artisan goods when she started her own business, J. Cottage Industries, four years ago.  Now she has a knack for it and has become known as 'the tea lady'.  She recently opened a formal tea party at the State Farmers Market in The Market Tea Room and Country Store which opened there March 25.

"It's a space that is really all about honoring what's made right here in South Carolina," [Dupre] Percival [owner and operator of Dupre Catering and Events] said. "It's really about hospitality and Jennifer's tea room is the icing on the cake. It's a place for people to sit, talk and just enjoy being together."

Read more here.

You are Never Too Young to Start a Business

Eight-year old Oklahoma entrepreneur Londyn Bond took a trip to a jewelry store, which sparked an idea, and spurred her to start her own business making bracelets.

Londyn's Moments, as it is called, are a range of bracelets that sell from 10 to 15 dollars a piece. Half of the profits goes toward supplies for new products and the other half goes into savings

She makes each bracelet within a few minutes and then sells them to people all over and at different trade shows.

It goes to show you that you are never too young to start a business.  Read more here.