Celebrating 29 years of serving the women business owners of Phoenix
Winter 2014 • nawbophx.org
Women Flexing Their Economic Muscle By Dorothy Wolden, President 2014-2015
About NAWBO
NAWBO® prides itself on being a global beacon for influence, ingenuity and action and is uniquely positioned to provide incisive commentary on issues of importance to women business owners. NAWBO Phoenix propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social and political spheres of power. Visit one of our FREE welcome meetings, held the second Wednesday of each month – for all new and prospective members. This casual, informational opportunity highlights both local and national benefits of NAWBO membership. This is a great place to determine if NAWBO is a fit for you and your business. Take advantage of this great networking opportunity by bringing business cards and making connections.
For more information, please visit NAWBOphx.org. Phoenix Metropolitan Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners 7949 E Acoma Dr., #207 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 480-289-5768 info@NAWBOphx.org
A recent report by American Express OPEN shows that there are now 9.1 million women-owned businesses in the United States. These firms generate more than $1.4 trillion in revenue and employ more than 7.8 million people, according to the report. In terms of growth in combined economic clout, Arizona is ranked fourth. The statistics of the success of women-owned and -led businesses are undeniable, but there is still plenty of work to be done. The number of women-owned firms continues to grow at a rate exceeding the national average, yet women-owned firms only employ 6 percent of the nation’s workforce and contribute just under 4 percent of business revenues — roughly the same share they contributed in 1997. The real issue at hand is not getting more women to start business, but rather providing support to women who are already in business to enable them to grow their enterprises to the next level. Imagine the economic impact if more of these ventures were transformed into thriving businesses. This is why NAWBO remains so passionately dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs become successful business owners. Here are some great reasons you should support womenowned businesses: 1. Women have the right stuff - Women make better leaders than men, according to research conducted by Zenger Folkman. “They build better teams; they’re more liked and respected as managers; they tend to be able to combine intuitive and logical thinking more seamlessly; they’re more aware of the implications of their own and others’ actions; and they think more accurately about the resources needed to accomplish a given outcome,” said Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman in Forbes. 2. The proof is in the pudding: A report by Dow Jones VentureSource finds that women deliver better company performance. Venture-backed companies where females are the senior executives are more likely to succeed than companies with only men in charge, according to Women at the Wheel: Do Female Executives Drive Start-Up Success?. VC firms that invest in women-led businesses performed better than all men-led businesses, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy. 3. Diversity improves performance and increases innovation: Organizations that are the most inclusive of women in top
Dorothy Wolden President, NAWBO Phoenix
Dorothy Wolden President NAWBO-Phoenix 2014-2015 Gravity Webworks 130 N. Central Ave., Suite 301 Phoenix, AZ 85004 602-258-1300 dwolden@gravityphx.com Years in Business: 12 Years in NAWBO: 6
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