This afternoon I had the opportunity to listen to a panel of women business owners talk about growing their businesses in Oakland, CA. A city with one of the highest crime rates in the country. Oakland is also a wonderful city with a wealth of cultural events. These women were not just creating businesses. They were focused on creating a positive impact on the city – each in her own way.
Aside from the city in which their business exists these four women share core values that I see in most of the women I meet in my role as President of NAWBO SFBA. Quite simply women are changing the culture of business. We don’t care about big though big can be good. More important to us is to support each other, our staff and our community. We are collaborators.
American Express Reports
American Express just released the 2014 State of Women Owned Business report. There are an estimated 9.08 million women owned businesses in the US generating 1.4 trillion in annual revenue and employing nearly 7.9 million people. We have influence just by sheer numbers!
Old School Ways of Doing Business
The old school ways of doing business are of no interest to new women business owners. They are not interested in creating a business for their personal wealth. They talk about creating a business that supports their families, their staff and their community. They want to collaborate with other women business owners. They want to buy products and services locally. They want to shop locally because they want to create a sustainable community for their business to exist and a sense of responsibility for their employees.
Feminine Values
Bringing the feminine values we have in creating our family into our business, i.e. seeing our staff as family and caring about our role in the community. We want to support and invest in the neighborhoods and cities where we have our business.
Business Ecosystem
The women on the panel spoke about a sharing economy, a new concept that is taking hold across the country. Sharing unneeded or excess resources based on a set of values that often includes trust, transparency, economic empowerment, creative expression, authenticity, community resilience and human connection. These are values women naturally embrace. More women business owners are providing living wages. They know living wages supports the economy, which strengthens their business. They see the business ecosystem.
Sustainable and Profitable
These women do not care about outlandish profits to the owners and top executives. Get rich quick is not their goal. Women are creating sustainable businesses, which includes prosperity for all.
Be the Change You Desire
These are radical perspectives that put some business owners in fear when they are stuck in the old business model that is self-centered and profit above all. For women to change the culture of business we have to not fall into these old ways of doing business. That model does not fit who we are as women. As we awaken to our values and not be afraid to create our businesses in a new way then a new culture of business can emerge. A feminine way of doing business truly is about sustainability for all. It is also about being profitable but for the good of all in our business and to invest in our communities.
Women want a business that serves their life and their vision of themselves. They do not want a business that is their life. Women see their life as the whole measure of who they are professionally and personally.
A New Culture of Business
What would the world be like if women’s way of being changed the culture of business? It has begun and there is no turning back. We are 9 million strong and growing. If you are a women business owner reflect on how you are contributing to the new culture of business.
Please share your thoughts.
Best wishes on your success, Kay