Quick guide for women entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur, Jan, 1999 by Debra Phillips, Cynthia E. Griffin, Heather Page, Melissa Campanelli

Woman's World

With women launching businesses at nearly twice the national average, it's clear there's plenty of reason to be impressed with the entrepreneurial drive of what was once dismissed as the weaker sex. Yet now that the novelty has worn off - what, we wonder, could be more natural than a woman at the helm of her own enterprise? - it's almost easy to gloss over the significance of some 8.5 million woman-owned companies in the United States.

We said almost. We're not prepared to shrug in the face of accomplishment, however. Women entrepreneurs are a force to be reckoned with, now more than ever. Don't let the apparent quiet on the affirmative-action front fool you: News flourishes in the community that is women's small business. This particular brand of news, though, is of the personal, day-to-day variety. You know - the kind of story that's your own.

"That first year [in business], I'd have nights where I'd [think], 'What have I done? I'm going to lose my house; I'm going to lose everything,' "says Laurie Kahn, 44, reflecting on her initial fears about the launch of Chicago-based Media Staffing Network in 1993. "But it's been a wonderful experience."

"I never thought I'd have anything to do with business," echoes Heather Howitt, 30, who founded Oregon Chai Inc., a Portland-based chai tea company, five years ago. "But I'm so glad I'm doing this now because I can make a difference."

A MATTER OF STYLE

Making a difference is what women entrepreneurs are indeed doing in today's workplace. As chronicled by the National Foundation for Women Business Owners, flexible scheduling, employee autonomy and treating workers as part of the family are all innovations championed by women.

"We share the same vision," says Michelle Lemmons Poscente, 36, explaining the rationale behind her titles-free, open-book management style at Dallas-based International Speakers Bureau Inc. Just how effective is this more democratic approach? Poscente's company, which books celebrities as stellar as former president Jimmy Carter and comedian Jay Leno, recorded sales of $6 million last year.

Others make a difference by committing to socially responsible business practices (as is the case with Howitt's multimillion-dollar Oregon Chai) and simply forming strong connections with fellow women entrepreneurs. Connecting, in fact, seems especially important for women entrepreneurs. "I think we have a kindred spirit," says Kahn, who belongs to various support and networking groups.

Agrees Lemmons, "There is a need for women to share with their peers."

DOING IT ALL

So does all this sisterhood suggest women entrepreneurs still feel there are barriers left to overcome? As we examine women entrepreneurs in this special section of Entrepreneur, are we celebrating - or commiserating?

Well, perhaps both. "I think it's more difficult for a woman to start a business and run it successfully than it is for a man," says Lemmons. "But I also believe it's [an individual] mind-set. If you're going to allow it to deter you, it will."

If there's one issue of paramount importance to women entrepreneurs in 1999, however, it could very. well be this: the unquestionable quandary. of balancing business demands with personal ones. "It gets frustrating," acknowledges Kahn. "You're trying to keep up your friendships, you're traveling, and you're trying to make sure you have clean clothes. Sometimes it's really crazy."

"I dream about chai," laughs Howitt. "I never leave it at the office - but I don't want to, either. I love it. [My business] is on my mind 24 hours a day." As passion goes, we'd say that's pretty- amazing.

Dream Builder

"I like to say I got into this line of work by default," laughs Phyllis A. Adams, founder of Phylway Construction Inc. in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Adams got her fateful start in construction at the age of 17, when she went to work at her father's general contracting business as a temporary receptionist. Three months later, she applied for a full-time job. "[My father] gave me a hard time," she remembers, "but he finally gave me the job."

A diligent employee who worked hard to gain the respect of others, Adams moved up through the company ranks during the 16 years she worked for her father. In 1992, with a keen understanding of the technical and operational aspects of the business under her belt, she started her own highway and heavy construction company.

It's perhaps an unlikely beginning for the company we've named the No. 1 woman-owned business of the year. But for a woman who started with just $10,000 in savings and an old dump truck, Adams has succeeded in building the business of her dreams. "We improve the living conditions of a community by connecting roads and highways or improving drainage," enthuses Adams, 39. It's so wonderful to see the positive impact of our work."

It was an unexpected turn of events that brought work Adams' way when she was just getting started in 1992: Hurricane Andrew. Called in to aid in the storm cleanup, she increased the size of her crew, brought in extra equipment and worked around the clock to get the job done.