SPRING TIME VALUABLE NEWS FOR LOWCOUNTRY WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
The best predictions are that the largest impact of the recessionary period for 2009 is beginning to fade. Recovery prospects appear most promising. Some new blogs and postings are out there to enable the woman owner to take a fresh look at potential opportunities for business growth and success for 2010 and beyond.
There are three important sources of information to check:
FIRST STOP IN GAINING KNOWLEDGE TO CULTIVATE NEW CUSTOMERS:
The new list of Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) Awards, announced in late March (http://www.wbenc.org/). WBNEC is the leading advocate for, and authority on, Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs) as suppliers and vendors to the nation's corporations as well as the nation's leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women. The Council offers the “only national award honoring corporations for world-class programs that create level playing fields for women's business enterprises (WBEs) to compete for corporate contracts." The 21 award winners include: Accenture, Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T Inc., Avis Budget Group, Inc., Chevron, Dell, Energy Future Holdings, Ernst & Young LLP, Exxon Mobil Corporation, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Manpower, Marriott International, Inc., Microsoft, Office Depot, PepsiCo, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Shell Oil Company, The Home Depot, UPS, and Verizon. Also look for the upcoming posting of current suppliers and procurement executives from hundreds of major U.S. Corporations at WBENC Blog Site.
SECOND STOP ON SPRING FRESHEN UP TOUR:
Go to http://www.we-inc.org/, a network to keep women entrepreneurs informed. Two important announcements were recently signed into law as part of health care legislation and job growth. Follow the link to Health Care and Hiring Tax Credits: Does your firm qualify? Further, you may wish to check out the opportunities from The Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization upcoming conference, 11th Annual DOE Small Business Conference & EXPO, May 10-11, 2010 at the Georgia World Congress Center, in Atlanta.
FINALLY, GO TO SCORE WOMEN'S SUCCESS BLOG
An especially helpful Blog “Customer Service: How Effective Are You?” has thirteen tips on how to better serve your internal and external customers more effectively. Posted by Vernita Naylor, Ft. Worth SCORE
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
THE CENTER FOR WOMEN ACKNOWLEDGES AND APPLAUDS THE IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS IN THE LOWCOUNTRY
National Entrepreneurship Week 2010 - Feb 20 - 27
Under the United States House of Representatives Resolution Number 699, this special event, now in its third year, encourages the celebration of the contributions made by entrepreneurs at the local, state, and national levels. The Governors of Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, North Dakota, Virginia, and Wisconsin have signed special proclamations in honor of entrepreneurs. In addition to celebrating the importance of American entrepreneurs, the House Resolution also highlights the “lifelong learning educational opportunities that prepare the NEW business leaders of the future.”
I have forwarded a request to our Governor to also write a proclamation to honor entrepreneurs in South Carolina.
During the week of February 20-27th, teachers, students, parents, entrepreneurs and officials are challenged to discuss the “20 Questions for All Americans” that highlight entrepreneurial literacy. Because situations vary and change over time, there is no one right answer to each question. After answering the questions, you may wish to download and present to anyone you choose the “Genius Certificate.” Go to http://www.nationaleweek.org/20-questions/activities; and http://www.nationaleweek.org/
Another important reason to celebrate the week is the recently announced plan by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke “to create a new Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Department of Commerce and launch a National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” to leverage and promote entrepreneurship innovation.
Cathy Ashmore, Executive Director of the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, has sent information on the events of this special week in a special email to Consortium and Entrepreneurial Educators. For more information see cashmore@entre-ed.org and the National Entrepreneurship Week, House of Representatives and Commerce Department websites.
Under the United States House of Representatives Resolution Number 699, this special event, now in its third year, encourages the celebration of the contributions made by entrepreneurs at the local, state, and national levels. The Governors of Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, North Dakota, Virginia, and Wisconsin have signed special proclamations in honor of entrepreneurs. In addition to celebrating the importance of American entrepreneurs, the House Resolution also highlights the “lifelong learning educational opportunities that prepare the NEW business leaders of the future.”
I have forwarded a request to our Governor to also write a proclamation to honor entrepreneurs in South Carolina.
During the week of February 20-27th, teachers, students, parents, entrepreneurs and officials are challenged to discuss the “20 Questions for All Americans” that highlight entrepreneurial literacy. Because situations vary and change over time, there is no one right answer to each question. After answering the questions, you may wish to download and present to anyone you choose the “Genius Certificate.” Go to http://www.nationaleweek.org/20-questions/activities; and http://www.nationaleweek.org/
Another important reason to celebrate the week is the recently announced plan by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke “to create a new Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Department of Commerce and launch a National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” to leverage and promote entrepreneurship innovation.
Cathy Ashmore, Executive Director of the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, has sent information on the events of this special week in a special email to Consortium and Entrepreneurial Educators. For more information see cashmore@entre-ed.org and the National Entrepreneurship Week, House of Representatives and Commerce Department websites.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
NEW DATA ON WOMEN MAJORITY OWNED BUSINESSES
The recent (2009) Center for Women’s Business Research study of 417 women representative business owners shows that the products, services, jobs and income they create has a significant economic impact. According to the Center, the more than “$2.8 trillion dollars annually from majority-women-owned firms coupled with the more than 23 million people who are employed directly and indirectly by these firms again proves that women-owned firms are not a small, niche market but are a major contributor and player in the overall economy.” (p. 10)[1]
Women owners operate in all business sectors: 20.9% in professional, scientific and technical services; 13.4% in retail and wholesale trade; 11.0% in business services; 10.8% in administrative, support and waste remediation; 8.6% in healthcare and social assistance; 7.7% in communication media; 6.2% in financial, real estate and insurance; 7.0% in personal services; and 14.4% in a combination of other fields. (Women Owned Businesses by Industry, Table 2, (2009); Figure 4, (2008) p. 7). What is new is that the highest percentage by far is now in professional, scientific, and technical services.
This profile of businesses owned most likely reflects not only women who exited corporations to start businesses of their own due to the absence of opportunities to advance into the top positions, difficulty in balancing family and business demands, company layoffs, downsizing and changes in the overall economy but also more subtle changes, particularly the increasing number of women who are achieving higher educational levels than men in these fields.
What might all this mean? First, as women increase their percentages in businesses formerly owned by men, they bring a new style of leadership and an appreciation of the value diversity adds. Second, the data suggest a “need for new thinking and programming to support women who seek to grow their businesses.” As the Center points out, most of the small business programs in this country are geared to helping the neophyte or start-up owner. That means neither the existing college nor university educational offerings nor the federal government’s Small Business Development Centers and Small Business Administration services are addressing the special needs of women who want to grow their businesses, whether it is in terms of adding employees, expanding into overseas markets, or taking on additional customers and product lines.
Given the importance of these women-owned businesses, this niche needs to be filled. There is an opportunity here for an enterprising college or university to build a collaborative effort with a non-profit organization like the Center for Women or for the development and sponsorship of an economic development center in the Lowcountry to build and enable this process through a creative grant.
_____________
[1] Center for Women’s Business Research (October, 2009). The Economic Impact of Women Owned Businesses in the United States. http://www.womensbusinessresearch.org. (Direct citations and percentages of ownership quoted from this study as indicated by page numbers above.
Women owners operate in all business sectors: 20.9% in professional, scientific and technical services; 13.4% in retail and wholesale trade; 11.0% in business services; 10.8% in administrative, support and waste remediation; 8.6% in healthcare and social assistance; 7.7% in communication media; 6.2% in financial, real estate and insurance; 7.0% in personal services; and 14.4% in a combination of other fields. (Women Owned Businesses by Industry, Table 2, (2009); Figure 4, (2008) p. 7). What is new is that the highest percentage by far is now in professional, scientific, and technical services.
This profile of businesses owned most likely reflects not only women who exited corporations to start businesses of their own due to the absence of opportunities to advance into the top positions, difficulty in balancing family and business demands, company layoffs, downsizing and changes in the overall economy but also more subtle changes, particularly the increasing number of women who are achieving higher educational levels than men in these fields.
What might all this mean? First, as women increase their percentages in businesses formerly owned by men, they bring a new style of leadership and an appreciation of the value diversity adds. Second, the data suggest a “need for new thinking and programming to support women who seek to grow their businesses.” As the Center points out, most of the small business programs in this country are geared to helping the neophyte or start-up owner. That means neither the existing college nor university educational offerings nor the federal government’s Small Business Development Centers and Small Business Administration services are addressing the special needs of women who want to grow their businesses, whether it is in terms of adding employees, expanding into overseas markets, or taking on additional customers and product lines.
Given the importance of these women-owned businesses, this niche needs to be filled. There is an opportunity here for an enterprising college or university to build a collaborative effort with a non-profit organization like the Center for Women or for the development and sponsorship of an economic development center in the Lowcountry to build and enable this process through a creative grant.
_____________
[1] Center for Women’s Business Research (October, 2009). The Economic Impact of Women Owned Businesses in the United States. http://www.womensbusinessresearch.org. (Direct citations and percentages of ownership quoted from this study as indicated by page numbers above.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
