Women-Owned Business Atmosphere in Utah and Women’s Leadership LIVE

Women-Owned Businesses need help in Utah.

I got a unique opportunity this week to help some amazing women.  These women help other women, like me to start and operate businesses by giving them direct access to the tools they need to succeed.  I am so amazed by their accomplishments, and I look forward to their conference.

I started thinking about what the atmosphere in Utah looks like for the Woman-Owned Business.  Progress has been made, but I found the statistics disturbing and really see the need for mentors like the amazing women of Women’s Leadership Live (womensleadershiplive.com)

Women’s Leadership LIVE (WLL), creates a place for learning, collaboration, guidance and understanding called THE Different CONFERENCE©.  WLL’s attendees are business leaders who get things done.  Inspired and empowered women who are catalysts for change.  WLL has three great

women leaders:

• CEO Linda McMahon is the Co-founder and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and a former Republican Party candidate
• Stacey Schieffelin, is a former FORD model and founder of ybf (your best friend) beauty, #1 selling color cosmetics line offered on TV shopping channels worldwide
• Debbie Saviano, transformed herself from a former school principal to a social media strategist.  

THE Different CONFERENCE© is coming to Salt Lake City, Utah on October 13-15 and is the premium event for Women Business owners to attend.  The keynote speaker for THE Different CONFERENCE© is none other than Kevin Harrington.  

Kevin Harrington has been a successful entrepreneur for the last 40 years. He is an Original Shark on the ABC hit, Emmy-winning TV show, “Shark Tank.” He is also the Inventor of the Infomercial, As Seen On TV Pioneer, Co- Founder of the Electronic Retailers Association (ERA) and Co- Founder of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).

The  Women’s Leadership LIVE business leaders are ready and able to help Women-Owned Businesses in Utah.

The “Wasatch Front” has some amazing women business owners.  I have lived in Utah my entire life, born in a small town on a farm, in Morgan, and raised by my mother, who was a single mom raising four children.  In Morgan, Utah it is difficult to find diversity, and even more difficult to be different.  Morgan is a small, predominately Mormon, town, in which there are certain expectations of the role of a woman.  Men are regarded very highly in the Mormon religion.  Women in Morgan are expected to be a homemaker, handling all of the responsibilities of taking care of a loving home.  

On average, along the “Wasatch Front”, women own 36% of the businesses and make 29% of the earnings their male counterparts do.

Navigating to American Fact Finder, and utilizing a small learning curve allowed the metrics to be downloaded and aggregated.  "Wasatch Front" was not a census distinction, so Davis County, Salt Lake County, Summit County, Utah County, and Weber County were chosen.  I realize that the last Census was done in 2010 and these are just estimates for 2014 but in my mind are fairly accurate for estimates.   (See note below for more information about data)

	Male		Female		Percentage of Women Business Owners relative to Men Business Owners	Percentage of Women Business Owner Earnings relative to Men Business Owner Earnings
	Male Business Owners	Median Earnings (dollar) Estimate	Female Business Owners	Median Earnings (dollar) Estimate
Davis County, Utah	6,898	$96,248	4,326	$29,810	39%	24%
Salt Lake County, Utah	28,491	$87,029	15,428	$36,482	35%	30%
Summit County, Utah	2,228	$118,432	1,083	$66,950	33%	36%
Utah County, Utah	13,048	$89,463	7,709	$26,598	37%	23%
Weber County, Utah	5,208	$76,861	3,048	$31,579	37%	29%
Total	55,873	$468,033	31,594	$191,419	36%	29%

A bar graph of this data shows the following for the number of businesses in these counties:

2014 Census Data - Business Owners by County in Utah

The Women’s Leadership LIVE (WLL), in particular, The Different CONFERENCE© allows Women-Owned businesses to have access to tools and mentors that have been very successful in their business endeavors.  Please register for the conference now at womensleadershiplive.com.

NOTE ABOUT DATA:  Women-owned businesses, as defined by the U.S. Census, are businesses in which women own 51 percent or more of the equity, interest, or stock of the business. Men-owned businesses are defined as men owning 51 percent or more of the equity, interest, or stock of the business. Equally men-/women-owned businesses those in which the equity, interest, or stock of the business is shared 50-50 among men and women owners. Publicly held, foreign-owned, and non-profit businesses are not included in this data.

All calculations are based on the SBO 2012 classification of "all firms classifiable by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status" rather than "all firms." Therefore, "publically held and other firms not classifiable by gender, ethnicity, race, and veteran status" are not taken into account in the current calculations.

The data came from the S2408: CLASS OF WORKER BY SEX AND MEDIAN EARNINGS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2014 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) FOR THE CIVILIAN EMPLOYED POPULATION 16 YEARS AND OVER.  2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

31 Daily Affirmations for Professionals

Do you believe that you are what you think?  Do you talk to yourself or write things to improve yourself and think more positively?  We cannot rely entirely on thoughts or words but to constantly review these in the form of affirmations can create possibilities.  You begin to believe the words and put them into action.  We manifest our dreams and ambitions to make our words become reality.  

Affirmations are like exercise for our brains.

According to the article Self-Affirmation Improves Problem-Solving under Stress, a study revealed that self-affirmation improved problem-solving performance in chronically stressed participants.  Affirmations raise the level of feel-good hormones to relieve stress and improve problem-solving abilities.

I am determined to break the pattern of negative thought.  The constant self-criticism associated with an overachiever where nothing is good enough.  I have come up with 31 self-affirmations for the professional to repeat as often as necessary until the negative speech becomes a positive speech and in turn, positive actions.  I want to turn the words “I can’t” into “I can” and use the positive energy to my benefit.

The following are daily affirmations for 31 days of a month.  You can read them all at once or read one every day.  The important thing is repetitiveness.  You want them embedded to change your thoughts.  I use Post-it notes on my mirror.

1. I have energy and am highly motivated.
2. My body is healthy, and my mind is brilliant.
3. I am superior to negative thoughts and low actions.
4. I have been given endless talents and will utilize today.
5. I forgive those who have harmed me in my past.
6. I have compassion and love for my fellow human being.
7. I am guided in my every step toward what I must do.
8. I possess the qualities needed to be extremely successful.
9. My business is growing, expanding, and thriving.
10. Creative energy surges through me and leads me to new and brilliant ideas.
11. Happiness is a choice. I am happy.
12. My ability to conquer my challenges is finite; my potential to succeed is infinite.
13. I deserve to be paid well for my time, efforts, and ideas. 
14. I am courageous, confident, and I stand up for myself.
15. I set standards for myself and utilize firm boundaries.
16. My thoughts are filled with positivity and my life is prosperous.
17. Today, I abandon my old habits and take up new, more positive ones.
18. Many people look up to me and recognize my worth; I am admired.
19. I am blessed with an incredible family and wonderful friends.
20. I acknowledge my own self-worth; my confidence is soaring.
21. Everything that is happening now is happening for my ultimate good.
22. I am a powerhouse; I am indestructible.
23. Though these times are difficult, they are only a short phase of life.
24. My future is an ideal projection of what I dream of.
25. My dreams manifest into reality before my eyes.
26. I radiate beauty, charm, and grace.
27. Obstacles will be moved out of my path to experience greatness.
28. I wake up today with strength in my heart and clarity in my mind.
29. My fears of tomorrow are simply melting away.
30. I am at peace with all that has happened, is happening, and will happen.
31. My life is just beginning.

Repeating affirmations can turn thoughts into action.  Changing your thought process is the easiest and most efficient way to self-improvement.

Six things for Letting Go and Realizing Your Potential

We have all heard the popular song Let it Go from the Disney movie Frozen performed by Idina Menzel.  The words are profound:

Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door!

I certainly have invisible shackles that hold me back from achieving the most I can be but I realize them, and I work on them.  I believe there are six steps in letting go and realizing your full potential:

1. Let go of the past
2. Walk away from Life Energy Suckers
3. Let go of Fears
4. Embrace Change
5. Be Grateful
6. Live in the Moment

Let Go of the Past

You can’t start a new chapter in your life if you keep re-reading the last one.  

~ Author Unknown

Our memories exist, and good or bad memories can be triggered by many causes.  I journal and have for over 20 years.  I can read about my past and put it into perspective.  I am only human, and I have made mistakes.  I keep learning and growing from my mistakes and also my successes.  This year marked a death of a past boyfriend that was truly a turning point in my life.  His sudden death made me realize again how short life is but how I had taken his friendship for granted.  I truly miss being able to call him whenever at any time of day and be able to have that support system.

But I am not going to let my past control my present.  I can constantly relive the moments with him, or I can tuck them safely away and try to create new moments.  He was partly responsible for me starting my business and for getting me out of my comfort zone.  He taught me about wanting more.  Working hard to play harder and the joy of traveling.  He taught me great life lessons, but as much as I want him to be in my present and future, he is my past.   I have to let go of his memory and take the lessons into the present and future.  By dwelling and reliving moments I am letting the past control my present.

Walk Away from Life Energy Suckers

We all know that person who hangs around just to suck the living “life energy” out of you.  You feel exhausted, bored, anxious, irritated, stressed, threatened, overwhelmed or depressed about 30 seconds after they speak.  These unhealthy attachments bring about delays in our progression of our goals. 

Another energy sucker is a person who constantly asks for your advice, yet always does the opposite of what you told them, an askhole.  I love to help people.  I love entrepreneurs and have either donated to their projects or even housed them temporarily until they got their project off the ground.  But if a person in my life does not respect or take my advice then I am ready to help someone who will utilize my help.  My mother used to say, and I am unsure who the original author is but “you can't help someone who won't help themselves.”

Free up the time that the “life energy” suckers are taking by establishing strong personal boundaries and enforce them by saying “No.”  I strive to spend time with people who are happy, motivated, curious, wanting to learn, positive, and full of integrity.  A “life energy” sucker does not fit in with my goals and aspirations.  I will decide whom I spend my time with.

Let Go of Fears

Do you have one of those fears that plague you?  I have several that debilitate me somewhat.   The fear of falling, Acrophobia (fear of heights), and Atychiphobia (the fear of failure).  So what do I do about it?  I force myself out of my comfort zone.  I went skydiving this year for the second time.  Now mind you my eyes were closed this time, but I still got myself out of the airplane at 14,000 feet.  It was tough, the airplane was really small, my foot got stuck, and the instructor was mean and ornery. 

Then on one of my hiking adventures I got stuck on a slick rock about 15 or 20 feet up and my fear of falling kicked in and a friend had to come up and hold my hand to get down.  That one was the worst as I had a small panic attack.  I hug a wall every time there is a drop-off, but I continue to push myself.  Huyana Picchu and the Inca Trail in Peru were both challenging, but I made it.  Your fears are a roadblock so get out of your own way by facing your fears and working through them.

Embrace Change

The hardest change in life is the changes we need but don’t want.  I realize I am the only one that can initiate, incorporate and execute change in my life.  I am in control.  This month has had me housing several members of the Jamaican Bobsled Team.  I provide housing and in return, I get to experience true joy and happiness from the Islanders who completely apply the mantra “don’t worry, be happy.”  The team members are truly optimistic and happy go lucky and embrace change. 

We go through a lot in life.  We go through change, difficult times, loss and sorrow, extreme happiness and joy and that forces change again. It is a never-ending stream of changes in our lives as well as accepting those changes.

I find the easiest way to embrace change is to be open and listen to new ideas.  Seasoned entrepreneurs have a lot of advice that if you simply ask questions and really listen to their answers, you will get profound ideas for your own business.

I am constantly finding ways to motivate myself and increase my personal productivity.  I have to change my daily activities and add structure.  I have to make time for personal physical and emotional growth to ensure my highest capabilities.  I want to defeat my fear of failure and succeed by facing it head on with positive change.

Be Grateful

I try to simplify my life, love people, be compassionate and caring, communicate honestly and truthfully with integrity, and remember there is always another person or many other people who have it so much worse.

Life is not perfect, but my life doesn’t suck.  I put my life in perspective and see the good as well as the bad.  I really have nothing to complain about.  I am very talented and have a great family and many close friends as well as business acquaintances.  I have a home, car and a career that I love.  I realize what I have, and I am so grateful.

Live in the moment

When you truly live in the moment, you increase your awareness of the little things.  I am mindful of other people’s talents, their small acts of kindness, their willingness to share their life experiences and how I can incorporate unique and meaningful experiences into my own life.  Each day is a blank page that can be filled with new unique and meaningful experiences.  Doing something new or meeting someone new adds to my already full life and I love those moments.  They bring a breath of fresh air.

In conclusion, it is a great reminder to let go of everything holding you back and live in the present while progressing toward a bigger and brighter future with hope, anticipation, and excitement for the positive things that are going to come.  Maintaining a positive attitude and letting go of the things that bind you will bring positive results when the timing is right.

What is my story? (Today’s version)

I was glancing through my LinkedIn feed this morning and noticed Leadership Coach, Ken Sharrar, asking “What is your story?”

Hmmm…my story is always evolving.  I am a serial entrepreneur and of course ideas flow constantly.  Determining which of those ideas can be profitable is the question I always have.  But my entrepreneur story starts about ten years ago in a building at Hill AFB, UT where I was writing database software for the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron (RADES).  I got hired as an Oracle DBA but was also a talented.Net programmer, so a few information systems became born or enhanced during my time there.  I love writing software and data has always been my thing.  I love getting information out of a relational database and formatting to fit what the user wants.  I was perfectly happy being a cube rat.

When I started at the RADES, I was just going through a divorce.  My husband had moved out the weekend before I started.  It was not expected although we had issues for a while.  So the first week I was in shock but also relieved.  So while my personal life was in strife, I had to turn my life around and take care of my three teenage kids so that their life was somewhat normal.  I poured myself into my work and managed to run the kids around to all their activities. 

I never thought about being an entrepreneur although as I look back I can see I had tendencies.  I sold things door to door as a child.  I had ADHD so my mom was constantly shoving me out the door, so I didn’t drive her crazy.  I wasn’t good in school until I was a teenager, and I always got good grades while being involved in FBLA, sports, and band.  I grew up in a penniless single mom household.  From meager beginnings came the experience in how to work hard to achieve results.

I was working in the RADES for about two years when I got the call that would change my career forever.  The call that came was from Vincent Kinsey.  He was working for IHS and was trying to integrate an RFID tag into a Hazardous Material system called HMMS at Edwards AFB in California.  As a single mom, I had to consider my family first.  Then I thought, I have skills, what would be the worst thing that would happen?  My kids might have to sleep on somebody’s couch for a month or two.  It doesn’t hurt children to experience hard times. 

I jumped in and became a sub to MECX, and Sensory Technology Consultants became born.  That was in June of 2006.  It is so hard to believe that I have worked for myself all of that time.  Sensory Technology Consultants has since become Dynagrace Enterprises and is a 100 percent women-owned small business and we are 8(a) certified.  My kids never slept on anybody’s couch, and I managed to give them an excellent lifestyle.

No matter what your story is, you can be successful.  Don’t let anything stop you and don’t be afraid to take risks.  Believe in yourself and your abilities and you will go far.

Perspective, Heart and Transition

Step back in perspective, open your heart and welcome transition into a new phase of life. ~Linda Rawson

Stepping back in perspective

My perspective in life has focused on finding somebody to share my life with, a life companion, if you will.  The reality is I have lots of life companions.  I have loved, been loved and am never truly alone.  In the last month, I have had contact with many pages of my past that I thought were long gone including a very painful passing of a past love.  Some I find delightful and others I wish never to contact me again.  It seems the bottom feeders are out in full force while I am coming to the top for air and food.

Opening my heart

I am opening my heart to positive, like-minded, people.  I refuse to let toxic people into my life and have set boundaries.  By closing the pages of my past that don't benefit me, I can find peace and open my heart to meaningful relationships.

Welcoming transition

My approach to work and my environment is shifting with a new approach. I used to be a strong workhorse that never stopped until the job was done at any sacrifice.  I am switching to a smooth operator and working smart.  Realizing personal relationships don't always last a lifetime and making the most of family and friends.  Change is good and offers the ability to bring new in.