And another year is in the books … just like that. It has been a privilege to act as NAWBO Phoenix president, bring us back into in-person gatherings after the throes of COVID, and work with an inspiring board of superstars. We continued the local rebranding of the organization; added Happy Hours to the mix; and greeted a whole new group of younger, more diverse members this … [More]
Why Collaboration Is the ‘New’ Competition
Business is getting back to normal. Or is it? I feel bombarded daily with evidence of our nation’s inability to solve escalating problems like access to healthcare, proper ways to address mental health or even education or affordable housing. But I also see hope and potential solutions arising from the collective impact that we are having as we rebuild and create a “new … [More]
What Is the Definition of a Micro Business and Why Is It Important to Woman-Owned Businesses?
One of the four agenda items for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) public policy efforts for 2022 is for Congress to further define a micro-business vs. a small business. The current definition of small business does not recognize the fact that most woman-owned businesses have fewer than 10 employees — and are competing with the current definition of … [More]
Business Coach
Question: I’ve been reading about the Great Resignation for a while now and I just lost a key employee. I’m really worried that I’m going to lose more people. I already increased wages and can’t afford to keep upping compensation. What can I do to keep people?! —Feeling Worried Dear Feeling Worried, There are two key things that you can do to regain your confidence and … [More]
Five Ways to Enhance Your Business Communication through Public Speaking
In today’s ever-changing landscape of communication, the potential for success and growth within business comes from a variety of skill sets. Yet many businesses find they’re confused by the elements of language due to technology replacing words with symbols and emojis. Trying to get their point across while being understood on the various platforms of communication tends to … [More]
Five Sales Recruiting Strategies for Finding Top Sales Talent
Ask the sales expert… How well does your business find, recruit and hire high-performing sales reps and key sales talent? Do your methods lead to reliable hires and replicable success? Or do your sales recruitment efforts too often send you back to “square one” after you’ve invested considerable time, effort and money on an underperforming sales rep with no “upside?” If your … [More]
From the President’s Perch …
For those of you who have indulged in branding, you know how tough this process is. We just finished a photo shoot that was highly stylized. You will see it on these pages. We all are wearing black with white button-down shirts and red shoes. It represents a shot of unity. And yet, each of us has our own spin on how we put this look together. We used knoodle. Full … [More]
Ask the Sales Trainer …
Dear Tish, I don’t want to make sales calls because I don’t want to come off salesy. From Squeamish salesperson Dear Squeamish, I believe “salesy” is a mindset. What I mean is that your fear, your experience, or your expectation may cause you to believe that others will perceive you as insincere and/or aggressive when you are presenting your products or … [More]
Looking to run a better business?
National Association has launched its mentoring program for current and aspiring business owners looking to increase general business knowledge. The program, run by seasoned entrepreneurs Ronit Urman and Suzi Glover, will take the select group of businesswomen in a program that teaches the fundamentals and pairs education with a support system. The program runs from November … [More]
Unexpected Gifts in the Ugliest Giftwrap
Over the past 20 months, small business owners and entrepreneurs have been on an ever-changing roller coaster ride of emotions, obstacles, victories and defeats. Some business owners’ tracks have run in parallel while others have sharply turned in a completely contrasting direction, but one factor remains true: As we continue to deal with all of the aspects of the Coronavirus, … [More]
Your Voice in D.C.
It is important that women business owners have their voices heard in Washington, D.C., and here in Arizona. According to the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, “Women-led small businesses help boost economic growth and create jobs. There are more than 11.3 million women-owned businesses in America — representing 38 percent of all firms and … [More]
5 Easy Ways to Protect Yourself in a Commercial Lease
The pandemic has created an influx of people looking into residential and commercial real estate investment. Here are some useful tidbits as you look for a commercial lease: Know your clauses. In most instances, a force majeure clause in a commercial lease allows for either a temporary delay or a complete excuse of certain landlord obligations and/or tenant obligations … [More]
A Message from Jean Briese, President
I just returned from my first business trip since our world was shattered by the pandemic. It was, in many ways, just another business trip. But in other ways, it was so much more. I was meeting with a small group of international leaders. The goal: to inspire these leaders to break barriers. The pandemic has created so many new barriers. We began our time together with a … [More]
Why I Should Have Known the Name of My Banker
It was a great idea. But then … the Great Recession. Houses and neighborhoods popped up everywhere. Freeways lengthened; highways expanded. Pharmacies, grocery stores and hospitals burst into existence. Demands arose for more schools, fire departments and roads. In the early 2000s, a record influx of families swelled the East Valley. The economy boomed as business owners … [More]
4 Marketing Pillars to Grow Your Online Sales in 2021
Nearly 150 million people shopped online for the first time in the pandemic, according to an eMarketer report last year from “Insider Intelligence” (emarketer.com/content/global-ecommerce-2020), and it is predicted that the number of ecommerce buyers will only continue to rise. So much so that some industry insiders are dubbing 2021 as “The Year of Add To Cart.” With all … [More]
7 Things to Do in the Post-Pandemic World to Grow Your Business
We are still in the midst of challenging and fast-evolving times. Over the past months, we’ve all learned how to survive and thrive amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty. As a woman business owner and former corporate executive, I’ve lived through several volatile eras and a massive influx in technology-based changes. Although the pandemic is radically … [More]
3 Dangerous Mistakes Women Make that Lead to Burnout
Women from all over the world contact me sharing the struggles of their daily lives. Inevitably, they use these three words to describe how they feel about their life: stress, overwhelm and burnout. After years of working with female professionals and talking to tens of thousands of women about what specifically stresses them out, I’ve identified the three dangerous mistakes … [More]
From the President
It is such an exciting and interesting time to be the President of NAWBO Phoenix. As we navigate uncharted waters, the sea of change has felt rough and wild as a storm, with brief moments of calm, only to stir up again in our constantly changing environment. One thing that will not change: NAWBO’s commitment to propelling women business owners — through advocacy, through … [More]
Technology in the Age of COVID-19 and George Floyd
Americans are dazed and confused. It is as if they got hit over the head from behind. They are hazily regaining consciousness, trying to figure out who clobbered them, wondering when their heads would stop hurting and they could return to work, and worried if the lack of taste is recurring or permanent. The pandemic, also, suddenly thrust technology to the forefront of their … [More]
Don’t Forget to Follow-Up
If you attended any large conference recently (virtual or in-person), you probably met many amazing people. You are, more than likely, in your office with a stack of business cards or a list of contacts sitting on your desk, with great intentions of calling, emailing and maybe even handwriting each of them. You probably have a thousand other priorities that could easily take … [More]
