Photo: Sage Sohier
You
want to start a jewelry line? Open a stationery store? Become a
florist? These women left behind corporate offices and dead-end jobs to
follow their dreams—and they're giving you the benefit of their wisdom.
Be Open to Anything
"A friend asked if I wanted to do a food trade show with her. I brought a few products with me, not expecting to sell or anything—and suddenly we got all these orders! I had no idea how we were going to package or prepare so much so quickly, but I never say no unless I completely understand why it can't be done. I think how you approach obstacles is a big part of being successful—you can't give up."
—Alisa Barry, Chef and Owner, Bella Cucina Artful Food
Make an Announcement
"I sent out an email to everybody I knew, announcing what we were doing. For me, the act of saying 'I'm starting a literary magazine' was as brave as actually doing it. When I said it with confidence, people believed me—and I believed me."
—Maribeth Batcha, Publisher, One Story, a literary magazine
Build Your Own Board
"I had to learn so much. I took classes at the local center for nonprofit management and read everything I could get my hands on. I realized the smartest thing I could do would be to surround myself with an advisory board of people who knew more than I did."
—Meredith Blake, Founder Break the Cycle, a domestic violence prevention program
Take Ownership
"There's no store without the concept, so from the very beginning, we trademarked every single thing involved in the look of the store."
—Ninel Pompushko, Founder, T-Shirt Deli, a custom t-shirt store in Chicago.
Read her story
Hone Your Business Skills
"There's a perception out there that you can't be an artist and a businessperson at the same time. Artists are told 'Don't bother with math.' But you have to balance passion and analytical skills. Knowing the business side of my job gives me the ability to take risks in every aspect—from dealing with banks to new designs—and I love that."
Photo: Sage Sohier
You
You want to start a jewelry line? Open a stationery store? Become a
florist? These women left behind corporate offices and dead-end jobs to
follow their dreams—and they're giving you the benefit of their wisdom.
Be Open to Anything
"A friend asked if I wanted to do a food trade show with her. I brought a few products with me, not expecting to sell or anything—and suddenly we got all these orders! I had no idea how we were going to package or prepare so much so quickly, but I never say no unless I completely understand why it can't be done. I think how you approach obstacles is a big part of being successful—you can't give up."
—Alisa Barry, Chef and Owner, Bella Cucina Artful Food
Make an Announcement
"I sent out an email to everybody I knew, announcing what we were doing. For me, the act of saying 'I'm starting a literary magazine' was as brave as actually doing it. When I said it with confidence, people believed me—and I believed me."
—Maribeth Batcha, Publisher, One Story, a literary magazine
Build Your Own Board
"I had to learn so much. I took classes at the local center for nonprofit management and read everything I could get my hands on. I realized the smartest thing I could do would be to surround myself with an advisory board of people who knew more than I did."
—Meredith Blake, Founder Break the Cycle, a domestic violence prevention program
Take Ownership
"There's no store without the concept, so from the very beginning, we trademarked every single thing involved in the look of the store."
—Ninel Pompushko, Founder, T-Shirt Deli, a custom t-shirt store in Chicago.
Read her story
Hone Your Business Skills
"There's a perception out there that you can't be an artist and a businessperson at the same time. Artists are told 'Don't bother with math.' But you have to balance passion and analytical skills. Knowing the business side of my job gives me the ability to take risks in every aspect—from dealing with banks to new designs—and I love that."
Take Charge
When the 735-room, filthy, decrepit Times Square Hotel (a.k.a. Homeless Hell) went bankrupt in the late 1980s, I wanted someone to turn it into quality supportive housing—with employment services, a clinic, and caseworkers right in the building. Not a shelter but permanent, dignified housing. Because I'd been development coordinator for Catholic Charities of Brooklyn, I knew what questions financiers, tenants, and the city would need answered, and I wrote up a plan. Everyone I talked to was too overcommitted to take it on. They all agreed, though, that someone really ought to do it. Finally, I thought, 'Oh, someone is me.'"
—Rosanne Haggerty, Founder, Common Ground, a nonprofit that aims to end homelessness
Read her story
Don't Be Afraid to Be Different
"I didn't have a showroom. I was totally freaked out about that: I live above a restaurant, and buyers had to walk through a side door near the dining room to get to my tiny apartment. But people loved coming over. I'd serve cookies and have a fire going. They said it was a relief from the other showings they'd been to. Sometimes when you're forced into doing things in an unexpected way, you make a big impression. And with so many people out there, being yourself is the only way to stand out."
—Lana Bilzerian, Knitwear Designer
Ask for Help
"I couldn't make all the cookies in my own kitchen, and I didn't want to pay for an expensive industrial mixer, so I called a local restaurant that served only lunch and dinner and asked if I could use their mixer in the mornings. They said, 'yes.'"
—Debbie Godowsky, Owner, Cookies Direct, which sells care packages to send to kids in college
Split Your Time
"I couldn't quit my job, but I did take a lower-paying position that had more flexible hours. Then I signed up for night courses in flower arranging at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and at Parsons School of Design. I started taking orders out of my house."
—Katrina Parris, Founder, Katrina Parris Flowers
Take Rejection in Stride
"I knew how to make up a business plan. Much more daunting was the idea of getting a bank to lend me $1.5 million. I was turned down 32 times by male bankers. My 33rd presentation was to a female banker in New York. She didn't even let me finish my pitch before agreeing to give me the money."
—Catherine Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Radio One
"We wanted to see if our cakes would sell, so for months we held tasting parties for friends and family. We asked guests to write comments anonymously on cards. Mostly, people said nice things, but they also said 'too moist,' 'too sweet,' and 'needs to be more pineapple-y'—which sort of got my mom's back up. My mom worked on the recipes until people thought the cakes had just the right amount of moistness, sweetness, and flavor."
—Norrinda Brown, Co-Owner, Brown Betty Dessert Boutique
Build a Network "I've participated in a number of stationery shows, and along the way I've struck up informal relationships with other entrepreneurs. We compare notes across the aisle; it's good to talk to others who are going through the same thing, and together you can brainstorm ways to partner on future projects."
—Kim See, Founder, Kemse & Company, which specializes in multicultural stationery design
Follow Your Customers
My taste wasn't completely resonating with my suburban customers. My sales weren't as good as they could be, and the people who were buying had come up from the city. Obviously, I needed to move downtown, but rents aren't cheap. Still, in 2005, I did it. My sales went right up."
—Chandra Greer, Owner, Greer, a Chicago stationery store
Mentor Others
"I didn't have a lot of money to pay assistants, so I called the youth employment service at my son's high school and advertised for art students. They sent me two great girls."
—Pam Older, Founder of the jewelry firm Pam Older Designs"
Toot Your Own Horn
"Women, especially Southern women, are taught to be demure. When I first opened, I didn't want to be a show-off and name my company after myself. Instead I called it WSG (Wilson Services Group) Consulting. Huge mistake. No one could remember it. Plus, my expertise and talent are what clients are buying. We rebranded this year as Robin Wilson Home. Business is booming."
—Robin Wilson, Renovation and Design Manager, Robin Wilson Home
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