On June 5th, I sat in a room full of powerful women in Washington, D.C., and we discussed the findings of the 2023 Small Business Owner Report from the Bank of America. As the president of the Phoenix Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, I couldn’t help but reflect on the optimism gap that exists between women business owners and their male … [More]
Where did all the optimism go?
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Phoenix, Arizona: Closing the Optimism Gap
Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women and Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) cannot be overstated. While all businesses can benefit from embracing DEI principles, it holds particular significance for women-led small businesses. As we strive for success and empowerment, understanding and actively incorporating DEI practices become vital for growth and … [More]
The True Measure of a Woman’s Success
Many years ago, I was awarded my very first job in sales management. After only three years with the company, I was promoted to sales manager of their top billing property. News spread quickly throughout the industry and soon the phone was ringing off the hook with congratulations and well-wishers. It was fourth quarter, people were in a celebratory mood, and I was looking … [More]
Women in Graphic Recording: A Growing Force in the Industry
Whenever I tell people that I do graphic recording, I’ll often get a blank stare and maybe a head nod. The more curious person might ask, “Oh, what is graphic recording?” Graphic recording is a visual communication method that uses a combination of drawing, writing and sketching to capture the essence of a keynote speech, a business presentation, brainstorm session or a … [More]
Less is More: Your Leadership Focus Will Help You Grow Exponentially
Whether you are an entrepreneur, a small business owner or a corporate leader, you have likely felt overwhelmed and anxious when you have too much to do. As a one-person show or a leader of a small business, it may be easy to feel like we have to do “all the things” because we wear all or most of the hats in our business. It may seem counterintuitive, but research has … [More]
Investing in Teenage Mentoring: A Valuable Parental Decision
As parents, we often grapple with how best to guide our children through the tumultuous teenage years. The quest for identity, heightened emotions and peer pressure can make it a challenging phase for teens and their parents. During this critical stage, parents should consider investing in a mentor for their teenager. In addition, a mentor can provide benefits ranging from … [More]
The Question Isn’t Who Inspired You, But Who Will You Inspire?
Do women need to see other successful female entrepreneurs to believe they can become one? Or are we, as a society, past this “proof of concept” stage? I would like to think that we have made headways to remove barriers to entry, but the numbers aren’t quite there yet to support it. In Arizona, we have may traditions that celebrate and highlight successful women. We have … [More]
Money Sense: Am I Saving Enough for the Retirement I Want?
Ask three retirement experts how much you need to save for retirement, and you’ll likely get three different answers. One might respond with a specific number, say $3 million; another might suggest you save enough to let you draw down 80% to 90% of your annual pre-retirement income every year; and a third may say you should strive for 12 times your pre-retirement salary. So … [More]
What if Sales Were Systematic?
What if it were not such a massive issue for you to have your cash register ring regularly or for sales to come in while you sleep? What if that was your reality? I have four P’s to help you get there. The Four P’s The first P is for patience. Stop treating yourself as a transaction. Developing new business relationships will take some time. You’ll need to be a little more … [More]
Knoodling on the Pivot
For those who have been in business long, you have no doubt learned that the many challenges which have hit business — especially small business — are adding up. We had the Great Recession, The Pandemic, inflation and interest rates that have doubled in the past few months. So, how do we not only stay in business but sustain our employees and grow our revenue? We pivot. The … [More]
How Being a Stay-at-Home Mom Prepared Me for Being a Business Owner
When my husband and I got married, I was making twice as much money as he was, but when it came time to start a family, we both agreed my time was best spent taking care of our children. In our opinion, there was nothing more important than raising confident, self-reliant, self-sufficient, productive, financially independent and contributing members of our society. As such, I … [More]
How to Hire Your Dream Team
Like most business owners, you probably want more profit. More profit means you can start living the life you love. You’ll have more time for family, vacations, self-care and investing in other things! One way to make more profit is by hiring and expanding your team. (This is true even if you think you can’t afford it.) Expanding your team beyond yourself is essential to … [More]
From the President’s Perch
And another year is in the books … just like that. It has been a privilege to act as NAWBO Phoenix president, bring us back into in-person gatherings after the throes of COVID, and work with an inspiring board of superstars. We continued the local rebranding of the organization; added Happy Hours to the mix; and greeted a whole new group of younger, more diverse members this … [More]
Why Collaboration Is the ‘New’ Competition
Business is getting back to normal. Or is it? I feel bombarded daily with evidence of our nation’s inability to solve escalating problems like access to healthcare, proper ways to address mental health or even education or affordable housing. But I also see hope and potential solutions arising from the collective impact that we are having as we rebuild and create a “new … [More]
What Is the Definition of a Micro Business and Why Is It Important to Woman-Owned Businesses?
One of the four agenda items for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) public policy efforts for 2022 is for Congress to further define a micro-business vs. a small business. The current definition of small business does not recognize the fact that most woman-owned businesses have fewer than 10 employees — and are competing with the current definition of … [More]
Business Coach
Question: I’ve been reading about the Great Resignation for a while now and I just lost a key employee. I’m really worried that I’m going to lose more people. I already increased wages and can’t afford to keep upping compensation. What can I do to keep people?! —Feeling Worried Dear Feeling Worried, There are two key things that you can do to regain your confidence and … [More]
Five Ways to Enhance Your Business Communication through Public Speaking
In today’s ever-changing landscape of communication, the potential for success and growth within business comes from a variety of skill sets. Yet many businesses find they’re confused by the elements of language due to technology replacing words with symbols and emojis. Trying to get their point across while being understood on the various platforms of communication tends to … [More]
Five Sales Recruiting Strategies for Finding Top Sales Talent
Ask the sales expert… How well does your business find, recruit and hire high-performing sales reps and key sales talent? Do your methods lead to reliable hires and replicable success? Or do your sales recruitment efforts too often send you back to “square one” after you’ve invested considerable time, effort and money on an underperforming sales rep with no “upside?” If your … [More]
