5 Hot Business Fields For Women

Black Enterprise, Sept, 1999 by Roz Ayres-Williams, Phaedra Brotherton

Those who provide these and other services, such as database management and maintenance, are raking in profits. New technology creates increased demand for installation, customization and training--a self-fueling cycle that promises to keep the high-tech service industry alive and well far into the next decade.

A particularly hot area in the information technology field is providing businesses with qualified professionals on an as-needed basis. To gear up for Y2K and keep pace with rapidly changing technology, companies are hungry for skilled computer professionals who can help them meet increasingly complex and specialized needs on a project-by-project basis.

"It is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the country," says Don McLaurin, chief executive officer, National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses. "The growth rate of the IT staffing industry over the last five years has been in excess of 30% a year. It actually has been crucial in helping American industries across the board become more competitive in a global marketplace."

Renee Logans, president of Access Data Supply (ADS) Inc., a computer hardware and software consulting company in Houston, is not only in the middle of a hot industry, but in a prime location as well--one that places her at the heart of "a technology-centered city with a low unemployment rate." Companies like Compaq, headquartered in Houston, and the technology-oriented oil companies in the area, draw qualified candidates.

Logans, who has a pre-law degree, veered toward marketing instead, working for Xerox and Control Data before stepping out on her own. "The computer industry was booming," says Logans. "I asked myself, `Do you want to be in the game, or just stand on the sidelines?'"

She started ADS as a supplier, selling hardware, software and accessories, but quickly shifted to "providing solutions" when custom manufacturers like Dell and Gateway began eating into the hardware market. The nine-year-old company now averages between $3 million and $5 million a year in sales by providing corporate and government clients with network design, installation and cabling, and interim IT personnel such as database designers, programmers, software developers and trainers.

Logans says the IT industry is good for women because skills aren't gender-specific, and the demand and limited supply of these skills allow women to compete with men on a relatively level playing field.

McLaurin agrees that the field is a good one for women. Entrepreneurs usually come from a computer consulting, recruiting or staffing industry background, he says. As for start-up costs, the majority of costs will go toward payroll and other costs associated with hiring professionals. Logans' start-up costs were approximately $15,000 for rent, office equipment, staffing and insurance. Today, she works with a full-time staff of four and from five to 30 consultants, depending on the size of the contract.

To succeed in this business, you must get on clients' lists of preferred vendors. New companies with no track record may have to take less-than-desirable business in the beginning. And finding and keeping good consultants is the biggest challenge. Networking and having contacts are critical. While there are opportunities, it's a competitive business, says McLaurin, so you have to differentiate your company by the level of service.