5 Hot Business Fields For Women

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

Logans' advice for women who want to start technology businesses is to always be willing to change and reinvent yourself, your products and services at a moment's notice.

Legal Eagles: Dispute Resolution

High profile lawsuits and large out-of-court settlements have unnerved corporations enough to create a booming business for consultants who can help steer them away from trouble, resolve issues in a fair manner and help teach their employees to work cooperatively. According to the U.S. District Courts, the number of employment civil rights cases filed increased from 15,965 in 1994 to 23,735 in 1997.

If you're interested in consulting in the area of dispute resolution, experience and knowledge in a particular niche, such as labor law or family disputes, is helpful, says Janice Robertson, associate executive director of the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution.

Training in mediation and conflict resolution is available through various community organizations as well as many universities. Hands-on and volunteer experience go a long way in building skills in dispute resolution. The personality traits of someone interested in conflict resolution are critical, says Robertson. "Listening and negotiation skills are extremely important when you are trying to solve problems in a way that will salvage relationships."

Marina Grant worked for several years as a prosecuting attorney and as a volunteer helping women advance on the job in the face of discrimination. She noticed in the early 1980s that employers were also having a difficult time dealing with workplace conflict and problem resolution. In 1983, she started Grant Communications Inc., a corporate labor relations and conflict resolution consulting firm based in Del Mar, California.

Today her firm matches its five-year average earnings of $2.5 million annually doing investigations and helping personnel or labor relations executives or in-house attorneys unravel and understand constitutional and equal employment opportunity law.

"You will always have problems surrounding cultural differences. Add sexual harassment to the mix and you've got an industry need that's nearly out of control," says Grant, who works with a network of 150 contractors. One-third of these are attorneys, who do the training and consulting, and the rest are investigators with experience in employment law and the EEOC.

As for making a go of it as a lawyer running a consulting firm, Phil Shuey, past chair of the law practice management section of the American Bar Association and owner of his own consulting concern, suggests making sure you have a unique service to offer and deciding how you want to balance practicing law with running a consulting firm. Also, be aware that as a consultant you'll have a wider range of competitors. While being a lawyer helps you with credibility, your competitor could be a larger or more specialized organization with more resources.

Tender Loving Care: Home Healthcare Service

Nearly 25 million Americans over 70, whose baby boom children are increasingly desperate for an alternative to nursing home care for their parents, are helping to drive the home healthcare industry through the roof.