“We provide our services in the home, where most of domestic violence happens, so when we decided 13 years ago that we wanted a cause to rally around, we decided this was a good fit,” says Kristi Mailloux, president of the $164.3 million home cleaning franchise company Molly Maid, who points out that one in four U.S. women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Click here for the rest of the article >>
The day Gigi Butler opened her first store, her account balance was $33. Unable to get a loan, she cleaned houses to pay contractors and had family members working the counter. Where many would have thrown in the towel, Butler’s fierce entrepreneurial spirit motivated her not to give up – it wasn’t the first time she’d had to work for what she wanted. Click here for the rest of the article >>
After creating a successful business, many wonder what options there are to grow in today’s business climate. Without access to significant capital, it’s challenging to contemplate growing from a few locations to hundreds or thousands. You’ve most likely invested plenty of dollars to build your business, secured trademarks, developed your brand, documented processes, implemented technology and hired staff, all resulting in a solid foundation. Click here for the rest of the article >>
Want to be a business owner without starting a business from the ground up? Then franchising probably sounds great. You get a proven business plan, a support system and a recognizable brand name. There are more than 760,000 franchise companies in approximately 75 industries – with startup investments ranging from $7,000 to $20 million. So how do you pick one that’s right for you? Click here for the rest of the article >>
In the late ‘60s, the average annual income for women was about $6,000. Black women were earning less than 80 percent of that. While women still face gender and race discrimination, it can’t be denied that we’ve come a long way. Click here for the rest of the article >>
‘Tis the season to scream for ice cream – and Juana Bautista wants your business. After a 13-year career as human resources manager at Sprint, Bautista opened a Maggie Moo’s franchise, a specialty ice cream and treats store, in 2001 with her husband at the time. But she’s been running the company by herself since her divorce in 2003 – once again making it a family affair with help from her parents and siblings. Click here for the rest of the article >>
Yep, we’re stuck in the middle of tough financial times, but that doesn’t mean you have to sideline your dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. Women who yearn for the freedom of managing their own businesses may want to consider franchising. Click here for the rest of the article >>
After struggling with depression following her layoff from an executive job, Adrienne Simpson, 51, saw an opportunity for a new type of moving service, one that would target seniors, when she helped her own mother relocate. As we celebrate Black History Month, Simpson talks about her own success and how she uses it to help others. Click here for the rest of the article >>
“It’s a challenging time, but we’ve been through this before,” says Karen Powell, founder and CEO of franchise company Décor and You. While she says the recession is definitely changing the industry – especially the retail side, as many home décor stores are closing their doors for good – it’s not all bad, she says. “People are starting to rethink how they invest in their homes. Click here for the rest of the article >>
Tis the season to be worried about going out of business. But the holidays are happy for at least one entrepreneur. Her company had a record year in 2008. Revenue is up 37 percent, October saw the highest sales in the company’s 12-year history, and they’ve added 22 locations this year alone. Her secret? Click here for the rest of the article >>
Many of us are dealing with change right now. But if you’re in an industry like banking, where mergers and acquisitions are happening everywhere, change is the new constant – and execs are getting a crash course in managing during uncertain times. Helping clients, colleagues and her team adjust to change is the biggest challenge Stephanie Smith, senior vice president of online sales and marketing for Wells Fargo, is facing at work right now. Click here for the rest of the article >>
Mary Jaensch and Rachel Braun Scherl, owners of the Spark Group, took a big risk. As the only bidders, they bought the assets of Zestra out of bankruptcy for $2.5 million. Zestra, a topical potion made from evening primrose, borage oils and extracts, initially billed as the female version of Viagra, has been repositioned under their leadership. Click here for the rest of the article >>
This August, Campbell Soup Company COO Denise Morrison becomes the iconic brand’s first female CEO. Heading up a multi-billion dollar company with 18,000 employees and products sold in more than 100 countries seems like it won’t leave much room for Life/Work balance – but Morrison isn’t worried. Click here for the rest of the article >>
The blow from job loss can be crushing – emotionally and financially. But for some women, it can be the jump-start you need to follow your dreams. That was the case for Tierra Destiny Reid: after maternity leave, Reid discovered she didn’t have a job to return to when her entire Macy’s division was laid off. Click here for the rest of the article >>
Women interested in being their own boss without starting from scratch are increasingly opting to open a franchise. A new franchise business opens every eight minutes, Monday through Friday.After being laid off from her employer of 33 years, AdvantaClean franchise owner Erin Dillon was done with corporate America and ready for something different. Click here for the rest of the article >>
Does your company name cause eyes to glaze over – or does it garner a double take? Kristin Hoffner’s business falls under the latter. That’s because she’s a franchise owner of moving company College Hunks Hauling Junk. Why the humorous moniker? “I think that the name is well known, catchy and a good angle for female business owners,” says Hoffner. “It causes people to stop and pay attention. It’s not something you would expect.” Click here for the rest of the article >>
Buying a business almost always requires a leap of faith – and a dose of fearlessness. With that in mind, here are a few steps to help minimize the risk: Before signing on the dotted line, “Be brutally honest with [yourself] regarding your economic situation, the time and energy you can invest in the business and what emotional rewards you expect to reap,” says Polly White of Whitestone Partners, a management consulting firm. Click here for the rest of the article >>
The day Gigi Butler opened her first store, her account balance was $33. Unable to get a loan, she cleaned houses to pay contractors and had family members working the counter. Where many would have thrown in the towel, Butler’s fierce entrepreneurial spirit motivated her not to give up – it wasn’t the first time she’d had to work for what she wanted. Click here for the rest of the article >>
Glass ceilings are universal. Women are discriminated against globally, in terms of jobs, salaries and opportunities. In some countries, it’s the local customs that may block the opportunity to expand women-owned businesses. Click here for the rest of the article >>
“I left my corporate job to start my own company, which was a lifelong dream,” says Alison Newton, a product development consultant. “I quickly realized our economy just wasn’t making the turn around as quickly as everyone had thought.” Click here for the rest of the article >>
You try to make a difference in the community while putting the word out about your business. Well, you don’t need a huge advertising budget. Doing good deeds for others can be good for company. Click here for the rest of the article >>
Los Angeles Thelma Gutierrez, Correspondent, CNN; Karen Trilevsky, Founder & CEO, FullBloom Baking Company; Sarah Shaw, CEO, Entreprenette.com; Susan Nethero, Owner, Intimacy Atlanta Tory Johnson, CEO, Women For Hire & Founder, Spark & Hustle; Felicia Joy, Founder, Ms. CEO Inc.; Marcia Miller, CEO, Mud Pie; Mary Moore, Founder and CEO, The Cook’s Warehouse; Kathy Adams, co-founder, Accord Services. Click here for the rest of the article >>
After getting a B.S. in marketing apparel and a master’s degree in management, Jill Caliri, 29, didn’t go to work for department stores like most of her peers. Instead, she went into the Army as an officer in the First Cavalry Division and spent her final year of active duty in Baghdad. That’s where she earned a Bronze Star for her service in combat, and it’s where she made the decision 18 months ago to open her own interior design franchise. Click here for the rest of the article >>
This year marked the end of many amazing women’s lives — from a World War II hero to a woman jailed for the crime of loving her husband. While they are no longer part of our world, these eight remarkable women — among untold others — helped shape it by championing justice and empowering other women. Click here for the rest of the article >>
This isn’t your business-as-usual kind of list. For starters, the powerful American women you’ve come to know as household names won’t be on the pages that follow (with a few exceptions). Instead, when you read the success stories of the leaders selected for this second-annual roster, you’ll see they’re a lot like us. They love what they do for a living. They gain conï¬dence from their professional lives. Click here for the rest of the article >>
PINK features our 2009 Top Women in Business list, introducing the “Glass-Breakers,” women who, when they made it to the C-suite, left the door wide open for other women to follow – and continue to reach back to help promising female superstars. To tell these decidedly personal tales of women empowering women, we looked beyond their stellar résumé and individual achievements and asked 15 other women. Click here for the rest of the article >>
As an entrepreneur, are you giving reporters what they want? “I get a million PR calls a week and can’t possibly respond to or process them all,” Taylor Mallory, PINK’s lifestyle, franchise and Web editor, told me. “Most of the people who contact me do not have a unique story idea pertinent to our readers, and they waste my time and theirs.” Click here for the rest of the article >>
Take a stand for yourself. If you are dissatisfied with your current circumstances no one will fix them – except for you. It doesn’t do any good to blame the economy, your boss, spouse or family. Change can only occur when you make a conscious decision to make it happen. Click here for the rest of the article >>
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