Interviews

One of the things that I do is interview women business owners, frequently as a part of their certification process to become a WBE.  This week, I was privileged to talk with five women business owners, representing the manufacturing, construction, and service sectors.  I asked each woman what one thing would make her job easier as a business owner, and received a number of responses.  One response involved wanting more time, and another involved wanting more access to capital.  The one response that stuck with me is that she said that it would be easier if she were a man.

That reminded me of Jeffrey Toobin's books "The Oath" and "The Nine."  In each, he discusses the workings of the Supreme Court Justices and in particular, about Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  Justice O'Connor was the first woman Justice.  Anyone who goes "through the wall" is the bloodiest, and "The Nine" talks about what Justice O'Connor had to do to compete and earn her career.  "The Oath" talks about Justice Ginsburg and her being a swing vote on the court, and how she prevails.

For those of you who are pioneers in your field, investigate these books to remind yourself that you are not nuts and that you are paving the way for those women coming behind you.  The first one through the wall is the bloodiest.  Stay the course.

AND for those in West Michigan, be sure to enter your nomination for the Grand Rapids Business Journal's Top Women Owned Businesses awards to be held in March 2013.  www.grbj.com  The women entrepreneurs coming up the ranks need to see you as a role model. 

It's all good.

Women are Making it Happen

I’ve been a woman entrepreneur in West Michigan for some time, and this week attended two distinctive events celebrating women business owners.

In Novi on Tuesday, CEED hosted their annual two-day conference, bringing in hundreds of women business owners to celebrate and further our accomplishments.  CEED offers resources for second stage business owners, such as the opportunity to Meet the Buyer.  Women are encouraged not only to determine if a company is buying their goods or service and to arrange for furthering that conversation; women are also encouraged to become second-tier suppliers to the multi-billion dollar corporations represented.  The average certified woman owned business in the Great Lakes region (there are 900 of us) has average annual revenue of $12.3 million, employs 40 families, and is experiencing an annual growth rate of 8%.

On the other side of the spectrum, The Michigan Women’s Foundation and Walsh College hosted Entrepreneur YOU, a woman business owner business plan competition for cash awards, sponsored by Inforum and Huntington.  The caliber of this group of startup women entrepreneurs was phenomenal.  First prize went to Dr. Angelique Johnson of MEMStim LLC.  Dr. Johnson and her team have developed a smaller and cheaper nerve stimulator through innovation, and now is able to mass produce the wires.  Currently, each wire is handmade.  Dr. Johnson’s vision is to bring the manufacturing to a Michigan foundry who can adapt to the production requirements.  Her customers will be the current neurostimulator manufacturers who will enjoy the cost savings of her product.

Second prize went to Susan Sprentall and SurClean, an earth friendly, energy efficient, cost-effective, laser-based surface coating removal system, currently targeting large aircraft.  Susan has a commitment already from a large air force base who will use her product to clean and repair their planes faster, cheaper, and with less hazardous waste.

Third prize went to a true innovator who saw a need and produced a solution.  Angela McCommons from Kids Kruiser LLC is a premium transportation service (think taxi), serving youth ages 3 to 18 in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas.  A working mother can’t leave the office to get her child from school to soccer practice?  After interviewing and approving a Kids Kruiser driver, the mother can arrange a secure escort for her child from one safe environment to the next.  After arrival, the mother then receives a text that her child has been safely transported, and everyone wins.

When the Women’s Foundation opened up the registration process for companies wanting to compete, they hoped for 50 applicants.  They received 150.  As one of the judges of the final 10 contestants, I am left to wonder about the high caliber of business proposals that didn’t make the cut. 

Both events serve to underscore again how Michigan women business owners are a vital part of the economic fabric that will bring this state back to being a powerhouse (are you listening, Doug Rothwell?).  It provides evidence again that women today are busy dreaming and performing big things that will bring innovation and cost savings to consumers at every level.  It emphasizes again how women need to step forward and be recognized for these achievements, because our daughters, nieces, and granddaughters think that women have always been in outer space, that women have always been heads of universities, that women have always led big businesses, and that women have always been editors of business journals.  There is a wealth of experience to be garnered by tapping into the women business owners who are making it happen today (are you paying attention, West Michigan Corporate Boards?).

Encourage your woman business owner to be recognized for all her time and contribution by having her register for the GRBJ’s Top Women Owned Business awards (www.grbj.com) Women business owners are becoming an undeniable force in West Michigan.