Showing everyone the money Article courtesty of Southwest Florida Business Today - August 1, 2008
“The interest and focus on women in business is just exploding,” said Deborah Shane, a business consultant and trainer whose “Train with Shane” workshops focus on motivation
and sales strategies for professionals in marketing and advertising. Shane has branded another slate of seminars known as the Women’s Empowerment Series. The sessions
include presentations from some of the region’s leading ladies in business. “Women are starting businesses two to one over any other segment of the population,” Shane said. “Women of all ages are taking the leap into entrepreneurialism with eyes wide open, and leading with their passion and skills. The need to be doing something that is meaningful, serves others and fits their family lifestyle… women still want it all, and will figure
out a way to multitask, multi-role and fit it all in.”
The statistics bear her out. According to the Center for Women’s Business Research (www.nfwbo.org), in Florida there are an estimated 735,000 privately-held firms owned 50 percent or more by women, accounting for more than 48 percent of all privately held firms in the state. Women-owned firms in Florida currently generate more than $152 billion in sales and employ more than one million people. Between 1997 and 2006 (the
years of the study), the number of firms increased by 84.1 percent and employment grew by 33 percent. Florida ranked fourth in the nation for the most women-owned firms,
but in terms of the growth during the five-year span, Florida ranked first in the nation. “They are shaping and redefining the workplace, the nation’s business networks, financial institutions, and our culture,” Shane said. “Perhaps most of all, women entrepreneurs are deeply influencing how the business community, public officials and
the media perceive and respond to women.” Cynthia Mitchell, a mover and shaker in the women’s movement, would agree.
Role reversal
“There was a time when women saw success as something defined by men, but that’s not the case anymore,” said Mitchell, herself a former president of the Women’s Network of Collier County and founder of the home-based enterprise Time for What Matters, an endeavor that tasks her both as a business consultant and consumer health advocate. When it comes to women in business, Mitchell is recognized as more than an advocate or entrepreneur, at least according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Earlier this year, they recognized her with the 2008 Women in Business Champion
of the Year Award. Although the role of women is obviously changing, some critics claim men are slow to catch on. “Women are a lot stronger together than men realize in the workplace,” said Robin Schwartz, founder and president of Lee County Business
Women. “A lot of the men think women are secretaries, housewives – but they are smart, intelligent businesswise; they can streamline, multi-task. Women can do several things at one time and get them all done. “Women are really getting aggressive. I’m not saying men need to look over their shoulders – but women are right behind them.” So it stands to reason, with the increase of women redefining their roles in the workplace, and assuming positions of leadership and ownership in business, there has also been
an increase in the number of professional organizations to serve them.
Read the entire article here
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Cynthia Mitchell Wins
U.S. Small Business Administration’s South Florida District 2008
Women in Business Champion of the Year Award
Click photo to launch video
“She’s just one of those special people who, when
you meet her, makes you feel wonderful about yourself
and that there’s hope in the world, especially in the
small business world,” said Suzanne Specht
(below left), assistant
director for the Small Business Development Center at
Florida Gulf Coast University, who nominated Mitchell
for the award. “She is probably the most positive, encouraging
person that you could ever meet." Read full story
here
Photos below from
the Event - Courtesy of
EqualVoice.org
(from left: Suzanne Specht - Assistant Director, SBDC, Cynthia Mitchell, M.Ed. - Business Champion Award winner,
and Althea Harris, Public Affairs, Small Business Administration, Miami)
(from left: Cynthia Mitchell with
Equal Voice Co-chairs,
Laverne Gaynor,
Daphne Pfaff and Equal Voice
President, Dr. Betty Spence)
Cynthia can help you achieve your dreams!
Call her at : 239.269.2852 or click
here
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