Breaking Down Barriers to Access

  Despite major inroads over the years, access to capital remains one of the greatest barriers for women trying to launch, scale and grow their businesses, which means opportunities for all of us to continue to speak up, reach out, educate and innovate to make a...

To the Next Level and Beyond

An American fitness industry entrepreneur once said, “Get comfortable being uncomfortable, that’s how you break the plateau and reach the next level.” As women entrepreneurs, we are always thinking about our “next level.” For some, it might mean taking out a loan to...

Prepare to Take Flight

  “You can do anything you decide to do.” —Amelia Earhart A flight instructor once said the big difference between male and female students is that male students almost always need to get their skill level up to their confidence level, while female students inevitably...

Wear Your “Legal” Hat Well

  As women business owners, we often wear a lot of hats—from CEO to HR Manager to Vice President of Sales. And then of course, there’s that one hat we all have to reluctantly put on from time to time—head of legal. For a lot of small and growing organizations, it...

H.R. 5050 Was On the Money Then and Now

This year marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most game-changing pieces of legislation for women business owners: H.R. 5050, also known as the Women’s Business Ownership Act that was signed into law on October 25, 1988 by then-President Ronald Reagan. As I sat...

We’re Moving and Shaking

  There’s something about the start of a new year that makes you feel like a mover and shaker. You’ve looked back on the previous year, celebrated your successes, set goals to raise the bar even higher for yourself and your business and you’re ready to take on the...

Doing Good Creates a Ripple Effect

Has anyone ever secretly picked up your lunch bill or paid for your coffee in the drive-thru line? Think about how such a small, kind gesture makes you feel and the ripple effect it creates, as it often inspires you to pay it forward to others. That’s the amazing...

Innovate in Ways Large and Small

“Our job is to invent new options that nobody’s ever thought of before and see if customers like them.” —Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos   Earlier this year, a Fast Company article came out naming Amazon as “the world’s most innovative company.” Over its nearly 22 years, Amazon...

Government Contracting Is Tricky But Worth It For Many

Every year, the federal government spends roughly $400 to $500 billion on large and small contracts for goods and services, with a goal of allocating 23 percent of these contracts to small businesses. Even if your business isn’t in an industry that screams “government...