Stacey Miller – BISTECCA – An Italian Steakhouse
Growing up as a young girl in the 1960’s I remember watching “The Wonderful World of Disney” every Sunday night. Fast forward MANY years and I learned that (in spite of Mr. Disney’s wonderful fantasies) you don’t get what you wish for, you get what you work for. I truly believe that work ethic is the most important component of being successful!
This was never more evident than last year during the pandemic. All the years of hard work and being a part of this amazing Community paid off when the Community embraced us and supported us during what was the most difficult time in the history of the restaurant! You get what you work for!
Yvonne D. Stewart – Owner of The Woodhouse Day Spa, Highland Village
The hardest part when you are new to being a Small Business Owner, male or female is the unknown! It is always going to cost more than you thought, there are going to be hiccups in construction, licenses and recruiting a brand-new staff.
I focused on 3 Key parts to start my business. Brand, everything the guests sees, hears, and feels about your business. In the shop, from your team, your marketing & merchandising, store front everything. If you do not have an accountant, get one! Last but certainly not least Talent, the team you create starts with you! Be a Servant Leader by listening, having empathy and awareness. Create a culture of Trust and encourage diversity of thought and foster leadership in others! Never stop recruiting! Great people are hard to find, and you want to know what GREAT people look like!
Manu Shahi – Founder, Homework In a Café
The Covid-19 crisis has disrupted corporate America in ways we have never seen before. As we all head back to work, we WOMEN need to keep in mind to adjust performance expectations, establish new norms for remote work, educating employees on gender bias, and providing allyship and anti-racism training. As a LeanIn Network Leader and Business owner, I know the issues are real and together we should help make this community stronger with diversity and inclusion training on an ongoing basis.
Kris Wise – Keller Williams Realtor
Nobody prepares you for the 24/7 of owning a business. You put blood, sweat and tears into your business and if you don’t learn about work life balance, you can end up working yourself to death. I decided to make the second half of 2021 to not be about top sales agent awards and more about my health and fitness. I see other women on that same path. Hire out as much as you can to help your home run efficiently. I choose to not hire out those areas because in the end it doesn’t matter who cooked the meals…it matters who was at the table and the conversations you have while there. You can have it all when you are intentional with where you spend your time. Choose wisely.
Ginger Eads
When you own a small business, you hold every position. You are the CEO (Chief Executive Officer), the COO (Chief Operating Officer), the CFO (Chief Financial Officer), the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) and many times, the Executive Assistant too. It can be overwhelming and hard to balance these different functions. Make appointments on the calendar for your own desk time to intentionally focus on all of these areas each week. Many times, a small business owner will function as only the CEO, but if these other areas are dismissed, the business will have a hard time keeping the doors open. Try it – schedule time with yourself as COO, CFO, CMO, CTO and Executive Assistant. You will see a difference very soon in the sustainability of your business.
photos and info courtesy of each respective person
