A Rosier Financial Future for Women Entrepreneurs
As I walked the “Freedom Trail” in Boston, I ended up in a museum at the site of the breathtaking USS Constitution stationed in the Charlestown Navy Yard. As my husband and sons admired the war stories and ship lore, I was drawn to the Rosie the Riveter display. Rosie became a cultural icon of the United States representing American women who worked in factories during World War II.
Rosie the Riveter has become a symbol of feminism and women’s economic power. According to the Encyclopedia of American Economic History, Rosie inspired a social movement that increased the number of working American women from 12 million to 20 million from 1940 to 1944. Although her image reflected industrial workers, she in fact represented millions of women who proved to themselves, and to the country, they could do a “man’s job” and do it well.
One of my favorite images of Rosie the Riveter was an adaptation of the image turned into a political cartoon when Joanie Mahoney became the first female Onondaga County Executive. Joanie’s face replaced Rosie’s face in the drawing and appeared in the Post Standard the day after her victory. I had never thrown my support behind a political candidate but felt strongly Onondaga County needed a female leader. The image of Rosie saying “We Can Do It” has always had a special meaning since that day.
In today’s economy it is important for women to keep Rosie the Riveter’s image and sentiment in our minds. I hope she reminds you that as hard working women entrepreneurs, we can do it too! Back in Rosie’s day, the average man working in a wartime plant was paid $54.65 per week while women earned $31.50. Not much has changed today in my mind, since women still do not earn equal pay. That’s why Women TIES exists to help more New York State women promote their companies and connect online and in person to increase their economic ties and opportunities to earn revenue by doing more business with other women.
Today’s blog post is to remind you we still have a way to go to earn what men earn in our salaries and entrepreneurial revenue. It is up to all women to keep the cultural icon of Rosie the Riveter in mind when they need to buy a new product or service. Remember to strengthen the economic future for other women by choosing to do as much business as you can from other women locally, regionally and state-wide.
I hope Rosie’s image will be ingrained in your mind and spirit in all your buying decisions. Let’s work together to help as many women as we can in our generation become more economically successful and lead the way for a brighter and rosier financial future for all women.
Moving with New Technologies
As I walked on the beach with my younger sister, she took over 100 photos in minutes and told me she would use Instagram to share them with our other 6 siblings. She admitted being addicted to sharing beautiful photos with family and friends through this new medium. 
As we continued to stroll down the beach I was reminded how 2 years prior my sister and her husband collected wedding reservations through Facebook . Then one year after their wedding, I witnessed the growth of their new baby through sonogram photos shared on Facebook. My one year old niece now has her very own Facebook page (“Ramona Chamberlain Kennedy”).
What I learned about our 15 year age difference and through these ‘Social moments’ with my younger sister is that she and her generation believe in sharing important events in their lives through new technologies and social media. Their preference is now the norm.
While I prefer to stare at my niece’s jubilant smile in a framed photo on my desk, I appreciate the Instagram photos posted regularly to showcase her first
tooth and first steps. Technology has changed the way we communicate, the way we share what we are experiencing, and the way we see the world.
While new technology is developing every day, busy women entrepreneurs can barely keep up with learning the newest apps or buying the latest phone before a new one emerges. Most of us are too consumed keeping clients happy, securing new business, or billing past due notices, to learn about the latest technologies to utilize in our companies.
Today’s blog post is to inspire you to become better educated in some of the new technical ways to market and promote your business or communicate with consumers. Dedicate time each month to learn about one new technology. Pick up the phone and ask someone you know that uses Pinterst or Instagram on how to get started. Attend a seminar to learn more detailed information. In fact, the Women TIES Retreat will have a 40 minute presentation on some of the latest technologies to educate and inspire you so join us there.
Remember, we must embrace new ways to do business if we are to remain relevant. We must find the time to learn about new technologies or hire someone to help. The world is moving fast and we must too if we want to stay competitive.
Intentional Networking
I walked into the crowded room of familiar faces from 1982. I wanted to enjoy myself at my 30th Reunion while making it a meaningful business experience 
too. As I heard classmates speaking with each other about the colleges they attended after high school, their families and where they lived, I decided to ask everyone I met what they did professionally. Part of it was pure curiosity wondering if the “most likely to succeed” actually did and if the “class clown” had ever landed a serious job.
Serious Change
Although it’s been on the market for awhile, I finally picked up “Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us” by Seth Godin. A local leadership expert strongly suggested I read it a year ago Within the first couple chapters the following words struck me, “We live in a world where we have the leverage to make things happen, the desire to do work we believe in and a marketplace that is begging us to be remarkable. Yet we continue to get stuck.”
Godin went on to say, “Stuck following archaic rules. Stuck in industries that not only avoid change but actively fight it… Stuck because we are afraid to get in trouble. Most of all stuck like managers or employees instead of like the leaders we could become.” The truth is leading a cause or partaking in serious change is extremely challenging; but often it is absolutely necessary.
After watching this week’s debate on gun law after the horrific Colorado shootings, you realize the magnitude of difficulty facing citizens screaming for stricter gun laws. Although women entrepreneurs for the most part aren’t trying to challenge constitutional laws, they are challenged to be stronger leaders every day and when it seems extremely necessary.
Sometimes we can find ourselves in the position to dispute laws or to reach out to elected officials to change current laws that affect our business or our “tribe” of customers. Whether it’s fighting for equal pay, fewer taxes on small businesses or changes in doing business over the internet, we have to remember Godin’s words, “we have the leverage to make things happen.”
Today’s blog post is to remind you there are times in life when change is absolutely necessary, when we need to stand up and fight for our constituents and ourselves. If we have successfully created a tribe of loyal customers who have similar beliefs, don’t forget to share your platform with them, seeking feedback and action if necessary.
Remember Godin’s words today, “the marketplace is begging us to be remarkable.” What can you do today or in the near future to get unstuck, create movement and gather your tribe of loyal followers with you to make positive change happen for everyone’s mutual interest.
Moderating the Temperature in Your Business
As the temperature rose to 101 degrees yesterday in Syracuse everyone tried to stay cool in air conditioning and pools and partaking in iced tea and ice cream. There wasn’t much you could do but swelter in the warmth. The record breaking heat actually made me take the temperature in my business, Women TIES. I was interested in observing whether my business was as hot as the weather outside or as cool as the Freon in the air conditioner.
As entrepreneurs we ride the wave of hot and cold in our ventures. Sometimes our business is on fire – the phone doesn’t stop ringing, the opportunities pile up, our companies are talked about in the community and we’re making good amounts of money. The next moment the atmosphere is chilly – we lose contracts and clients, the phone stops ringing and revenue dries up like our back yard this July.
This week is the perfect time to ponder whether your business has been heating up or cooling down. If it’s heating up, do you know why? Are you prepared to keep doing what you have been doing right to keep the success flowing? Do you have the structure and staff in place to keep up with the pace? Are you celebrating your success and sharing the news with the media?
If it’s cooling down, do you know why? Should you analyze what’s not working and create a plan with improvements? Should you be conducting more sales or publicity to get things heating up again? What needs your attention the most right now to improve your current condition and future?
Today’s blog post is meant to have you stop and take the temperature in your company. What is warming it up and what is cooling it down. Is it your mindset, your structure or the economic climate? What should you do more of or what should you do less of to adjust the temperature to feel more comfortable within your business.
Remember, you can’t control Mother Nature’s thermostat but you can control your entrepreneurial thermostat. If you do it right, you can moderate the atmosphere making it extremely enjoyable and comfortable.
A Recognizable Brand
It’s a recognizable brand in Syracuse… the red neon lights of the Brooklyn Bridge sign seen on the side of the building and the biggest, freshest sandwiches made from the softest sliced bread filled with extremely thin sliced, freshest roasted meats and cheeses. As soon as you hear their name, enter one of their two locations and feast on one of their sandwiches you know where you are.
Brooklyn Pickle is a Syracuse’s staple known for their New York City-style deli serving award-winning soups, authentic giant deli sandwiches, huge sub
s and signature pickles. As my son and I enjoyed lunch together last week at this establishment we reveled in this delicious brand. Of course, he was too busy devouring his meal to see me taking notes on what I loved about this home-grown company.
I realized Brooklyn Pickle’s popularity was built simply on taking an ordinary menu item and making it extraordinary. Their decision to produce overstuffed, mouth watering deli sandwiches has helped them succeed for 35 years. While their well developed brand produced loyal customers and increased their revenues; their organized operation management system helped them duplicate production perfectly to expand to multiple locations. Both pieces of the growth puzzle needed to be in place for them to succeed for three decades.
Today’s blog post is to challenge you to think about your own corporate niche and growth potential. Do you know what your brand is? If you asked your customers what you are known for, could they answer the question immediately? Also, if you are succeeding and starting to grow do you have the operation management systems you need in place to handle the growth? The structure needs to be in place at any expansion stage.
Remember, the Brooklyn Bridge wasn’t constructed without a strong framework and the Brooklyn Pickle wasn’t built without a brand focus and strong operations system. Make sure you are not only building an extraordinary brand but also an exceptional management system so you can succeed for decades
We’ve Come A Long Way Baby
This past Saturday, Title IX, the legislative reform that prohibited discrimination in athletics based on gender, celebrated its 40th anniversary. Gracin
g the front page of the Syracuse Post Standard was a large action photo of Breanna Stewart, the high school basketball superstar from Cicero North Syracuse High School, who shattered high school records and traveled around the world playing in elite basketball tournaments. The photo and article grabbed my attention for a couple reasons.
Fifteen years ago I attended a Women’s Fund of Central New York event that awarded Girls, Inc. for approaching the Post Standard for not having equal photos of girls playing sports in the paper. Four young women from Girls, Inc. created a collage of photos of male and female athletes taken from the paper the past year. The male photos put side-by-side wrapped the perimeter of the large room we were in four times; the female photos only covered one wall. The apparent discrepancy produced a startling visual impact and a social one too. The Post Standard promised to be fairer in the future by equaling showcasing male and female athletes.
Seeing Breanna Stewart’s photo covering a majority of the front page reminded me how important it is for women (and girls) to continue to pay attention to equality issues today; and to have a voice about it. A few weeks ago my weekly e-newsletter “Wednesday Wisdom” editorial was about the inequality in pay still facing women today. Only through vigilance can we keep others aware and alert of vital equality issues.
As a daughter of coaches and the mother of sons, I am proud I can pick up a lacrosse stick and play competitively with my sons or enter a 5K race running besides men. My sons might beat me in the game and a more athletic male might beat me in the race but at least I’m in the game. Many more women are in the game of sports today because of Title IX.
Today’s post is to remind you as the Fourth of July approaches and our freedom is celebrated to remember women must continue to fight for our freedom in the courtroom and on the court. We sure have “Come a long way baby” but there is more road to run! The women of today must carry the torch for the generation of women to follow.
I look forward to the day when I can look back on my career and say “Hey women entrepreneurs – we’ve come a long way baby” because we are earning the same as men in our corporate paychecks and entreprneurial endeavors. The day is approaching faster than we think if we remember to buy from other women and create a stronger financial buying circle locally, regionally, state-wide and across the globe.
Graduation
“Holding on is believing there’s only a past; letting go is knowing there is a future,” a quote by Daphne Rose Kingma graced my morning computer screen. What an interesting quote for this week when so many youth are moving up a grade or graduating from high school. You probably remember your own moving up days and graduation moments when you stood in a moment of time looking back and looking forward at the same exact time.
In business we celebrate those moments too when we are standing in the threshold of change. Sometimes its simple adjustments that need to be made and ones we have been avoiding for awhile; other times it is dramatic transformation calling us. We sense it. We feel it. We know it. Like the morning thunder, it’s been roaring off in a distance trying to get our attention. I have always believed the hardest part of making any change is actually thinking about making the change, not the change itself. Once a decision has been made, relief sets in.
We are constantly challenged to grow as entrepreneurs. Whether we are creating new systems, adding staff, expanding into new regions, being educated in new subjects or borrowing capital to expand, we have to nurture development within ourselves and our business walls. We have to be willing to graduate to new levels all the time.
Today’s blog post is meant to inspire you to look at change the way a graduate is looking at change this week – cognizant of where they have just been and enthusiastic for where they are going. Remember you can’t stand in the threshold of making small or major decisions too long. At some point you need to step backward or move forward or you risk stalling.
I hope you will be more like the graduates this week who are full of anticipation for what lies ahead if you are going through change. Remember at any moment, you can walk through the threshold you’ve been standing in to a new way of conducting business.
Who’s On The Shelf With You?
I just had my body kicked into shape by a popular brand…. Jillian Michaels. Known for her hard core, boot camp, don’t-be-a-baby workouts, I joyfully turned on We
ek 3 of the “Shred Your Body” DVD to get in shape for my upcoming high school reunion. Now that event brings motivation!
In the middle of the pain, I remembered back to when I bought the work-out DVD on a shelf lined with a multitude of choices. I knew Richard Simmons wasn’t going to do it for me since he’s a little too odd and giddy and either was fitness guru Jack LaLanne a well-known, “old” time body builder. Knowing women inspire me more, I headed for the most popular female brand on the market…Jillian Michaels. I knew what I was getting myself in for when I bought the tape because she has a very recognizable brand and that brand is exactly what I experienced today!
So when your customers are in the market ready to buy what you sell and they look at the shelf of offerings, what and who do they see? Do they look for you first? Who else is gracing the shelf with you? Do you know your competition and what their brand stands for? Do you really know your brand?
Today’s post is meant to have you look at the shelf where your product or service can be found and see who else is gracing the shelf with you? Do you know your competition’s brand and your similarities and differences? If it’s been awhile since you’ve stopped to look around, take time in the next week to do some research. You might even want to test out their products or services.
Remember what consumers think and say about your company is how you will be branded. Don’t leave it up to chance to be known as the Richard Simmons or Jack LaLanne in your field. Work out hard to create a well-known, results-orientated brand like Jillian Michaels.
Financial Equality
The headlines in the Portland Press Hearld read, “Obama, Senate Dems court women in fair pay bill.” The article explained how President Obama and Senate Democrats are courting female voters by pushing a bill that calls for equal pay in the workplace. The push comes as women still earn on average 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man. The bill would require companies to show that differences in wages are not based on gender. Republicans stated the legislation would place unnecessary burdens on businesses.
My younger sister, who is not an entrepreneur but supports equality for all said, “The fair pay bill would place “unnecessary burdens” on businesses? What about the unnecessary financial burdens women still face making less than men?” She has never been to one of my Women TIES events but obviously we are genetically linked by a common spirit.
The world looks equal sometimes. We look around and see more women advancing in areas such as business, education, sports and media which were once dominated by men. But when it comes to equal pay, we are still unequal to men. There isn’t any reason for it except the subject stays out of the limelight. It incenses me that elected officials, no matter what their political affiliation, haven’t righted the wrong of this issue.
If you have been to a Women TIES event or know me well, you know this startling statistic is the main reason I have worked for 18 years and especially the past 7 years with Women TIES trying to help women entrepreneurs make more money by promoting their businesses extensively online, bringing them together at events to create new economic ties and strongly suggesting they consider buying from other women owned businesses first and foremost. I am waiting for the time when women will earn the same as men, because we should – pure and simple! If that day comes, perhaps Women TIES won’t need to exist.
Today’s post is meant to inspire you today and the rest of this year to buy from as many women owned companies as you can to help create a stronger financial buying circle for women. It is also meant to remind you the conversation of pay equality needs to keep happening between us and other women, men and politicians. Do your part to keep the topic in the limelight.
By creating a stronger financial buying circle today, we are helping this generation of women and the generation of women who follow us
Women TIES 