Wednesday Wisdom: 20 Years of Supporting Women in Business, Sports & Equality

Women Entrepreneurs, Inspiration, Feminism

When I look back on the year 2005, I remember some key events: YouTube, an American online video-sharing and social media platform, was founded; Angela Merkel assumed office as the first female Chancellor of Germany; Rose Marks died of natural causes; 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education; and Women TIES launched on March 3rd.

When I researched 2005 events, I chose the ones that were somehow related to Women TIES, LLC—a first-time female leader of Germany, the death of an iconic activist, the launch of video as a new marketing platform, and the significance of sports, which later became a division of Women TIES.

Of course, I remember filling out the paperwork for Women TIES around 10 a.m. on March 3rd before I headed to Auburn for the annual event “A Room Full of Sisters,” which celebrated women of all colors and races supporting each other. I announced the Women TIES formation in front of 400 women who applauded the concept. It gave me goosebumps.

I purposely chose March, Women’s History Month, for its launch in a sister city to Syracuse, knowing I would travel our state to connect women from other regions online and in person to network, connect, and make strong economic ties to grow women’s revenue. Without a pay equality law, I wanted to even the playing field and help women exchange money with each other first and foremost.

Whether I was in Ithaca, Utica, Skaneateles, Saratoga, Binghamton, Watertown, Oswego, Canandaigua, Rochester, Auburn, Rome, or Albany, I met amazing women who enthusiastically embraced Women TIES’ feminist economic buying mission. They took my idea and made it a successful reality, for which I am incredibly grateful twenty years later.

Through economic ups and downs, inequality, and COVID-19, we survived together in business. We embraced the diversity of our business services and products, shared good and bad lessons learned, united to support women running for political office, participated in sporting events, uplifted female athletes, and gave as much business as possible to other women. Thank you!

This Wednesday, Wisdom, I want to remind you that you have the power daily to make a difference in women’s and entrepreneurs’ lives. When you need to hire someone, hire a woman. When you need to refer someone, could you refer a woman? When you see inequality, speak up for women. When you see young girls trying to succeed, please help them. When you are asked to support a girl’s sporting event, please do it.

It is up to women to change the world for women – no one else. It is something we can do every day of our lives. In sisterhood, we will rise. We will succeed. We will eventually get equality. Until then, please “Think Pink. Live Pink. Buy Pink.”