The Mary Tyler Moore Generation

Growing up in the 70's, I heard Helen Reddy's singing- "I am woman hear me roar" . I watched The Mary Tyler Moore Show, featuring Mary Tyler Moore producing a TV show, living alone in a big city and throwing her beanie in the air; and well, that part just looked cool. Looking back to my childhood, it never struck me as odd to have women in leadership or creating their own path; they were individuals doing what they wanted to do.

I recently stumbled across some interesting statistics about women that are worth throwing a beanie and definitely a roar!

Did you know?

• In a 2016 study comprised of the Raleigh-Cary Metropolitan Statistical Area, including all of Wake County, part of Johnson and Franklin counties found there were 25,000 businesses in the area and 5,000 of those businesses were owned by women! 
• American women now comprise 40% of new entrepreneurs!  This number has increased 3,000 percent since 1972; Mary would be proud! 
• Today, 4 out of every 10 businesses in the US are women-owned! 
• Why? Forbes reported flexibility, defining one's own value, passion, advancement opportunities and control of one's destiny top the list of reasons why women start their own company.

If you needed reinforcement that women are roaring you wouldn't need to look very hard to find local organizations where women gather or chamber of commerce focusing attention on women's programing. The focusing on women in leadership and women owned business is a hot topic. While encouraging women to pursue leadership and entrepreneurship is filling seats for programs on these topics, there is more to the story. Starting a business requires much more than hanging a sign on a shingle or developing a website, it takes planning and hard work. Yep, the old fashioned kind of work that has to be earned. Running a successful business also takes networking, which means jumping feet first into the fabric of your community.

When we started our business in 2007, Keith suggested I lead our company, define our vision and  suggested we incorporate as an NC HUB status business.  In 2017, Governor Cooper held an NC HUB Day at the mansion. I found it amazing to be surrounded by so many historically underutilized business owners - aka HUB businesses. While we needed to generate business to survive and grow, I asked my husband to trust me that part of owning a business also meant being connected to the community that you are asking to support your business. As a business owner, you've invested your own money, but you are asking others to invest their money with you. Trust goes both ways! 

We jumped in feet first! If you read through our community engagement you will find that we having been rolling up our sleeves, as well as donating back our hard earned dollars since opening our doors in 2007. In fact last year, we put almost $10,000 back into our local community in 2018, helping many valuable programs. Our press tab chronicles those investments.

Recently I was asked to speak to the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals (YP) Group. The YP's invited this OP to share some lessons learned as an entrepreneur. Tomorrow's blog will feature a summary of my lessons learned. What's the title? If you know me, you know I have a bit of TNT in my personality; making Secrets of a Career Ruler Breaker the perfect title! 

I hope you'll check out the post tomorrow.

Sources: March 28, News and Observer article by Anna Johnson 
Wake Living Magazine Spring 2019 edition- Girl Power- Kristy Stevenson