She's Got It

But it's clear that women have become a force in local business, and not on a token level. They are rapidly breaking ground and ascending to key positions. More often these days, women are at the helms of corporations, or developing major projects, or holding significant leadership roles.

The state of women-owned businesses is growing stronger than ever in our region and across the country. The not-for-profit Center for Women's Business Research, in Washington D.C., reports that women-owned businesses continue to grow at twice the rate of the growth of all U.S. firms, and that these female-focused companies are increasing in economic strength. A U.S. Census Bureau survey shows that the number of women-owned firms grew almost three times as fast as all firms between 1992 and 1997. And in 1997 5.4 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. employed 7.1 million people and generated $818.7 billion in revenues.

When asked if gender is typically an issue, many businesswomen in Southwest Florida indicate that it is not. Rachelle Dover, business development director for Professional Building Systems in Naples, says, "If you don't

make it an issue, then it's not." Dover, who also is president of the Neapolitan Women's Chapter for the American Business Women's Association (ABWA), asserts that it is important to set an example for women. Here are three.

Women Welcome Here

Physician Betsy Brothers, one of two partners in Southwest Florida Women's Group in Naples, will tell you that women today need to be "fearless." Brothers started her all-woman practice with her partner, Dr.Wendy Humphrey, two years ago.

Brothers adds that a strong support system-especially for those with children-is paramount to a successful business. "Women must be given the tools they need to strike out on their own with a certain level of confidence," she says.

Although it hasn't been by design, Brothers and Humphrey have employed all women in their practice and currently have eight employees. Plans for the future include adding one or maybe two more partners. "We are committed to our staff and do not wish to grow much more beyond that," Brothers says.

Brothers advises women that they should not be afraid to ask for funding. Associations such as ABWA can assist in encouraging women to become more aggressive in seeking funding and developing a credit history. "This seems to be one of the most difficult topics for women to broach," she says.

Women's World

Stephanie Miller, founder of Select Real Estate in Fort Myers, shares a telling anecdote that illustrates the challenges faced by women in her business. While attending the International Shopping Center Convention in Las Vegas a few years ago, she looked around and spotted only a handful of women in a room of more than 1,000 people. She turned to one of the men in the crowd and asked why this was. He answered, "This is not a woman's field." The comment took Miller by surprise because she had succeeded in commercial real estate. Still, conference attendees kept approaching her and asking for drinks, mistaking her for a waitress. "I simply smiled and walked away," she says.

Select Real Estate, founded in 1990, has prospered under Miller's direction. Today the company is trustee for 18 different partnership groups representing more than 150 investors in excess of $30 million in investment capital. Miller began her business career in sales and management, moving from the computer industry to telecommunications. In 1980, she moved into commercial real estate. By 1984, annual sales had grown to over $1 million.

Miller says she enjoys educating women on various topics and teaching them how to become less financially cautious. "Women tend to be less prone to taking risk in their personal investing," she says." However, she tends not to recommend unrealistic risks to clients, and she most often invests in what she sells.

Miller's director of marketing, Tiffany Luongo, offers another story about women in her field. She had sold her Nextel franchise and pursued a commercial real estate career. Many of her former clients were real estate companies, and their representatives, the men in particular, would encourage her to enter the field-so she did. "What they didn't know was that that I would choose commercial real estate. They simply assumed that I would be selling houses," she says.

Luongo feels that she has the best of both worlds in her current position. "The office, comprised of eight women, promotes a sense of camaraderie. After being in the field and negotiating deals and contracts all day, it is nice to 'come home,'" she says.

She adds that she feels she has an advantage in the industry. "Early on, women are taught to recognize emotions. This is an important trait to have when dealing with sales transactions. You have to be able to read people and be prepared to deal with their reactions," she says.

Woman in the Mix

In addition to taking on more financial risk, women also are diversifying into nontraditional industries. Gaye Thompson, CEO of Cement Industries (which is 52 percent women owned) is one of five owners. She attributes the success of the company to providing customers with excellent service and lasting quality. She says she has not encountered any difficulties as a woman in this nontraditional field. "People in business today need to be well rounded and know how to communicate effectively," she says. "The world is changing, and how business was conducted 50 years ago is completely different from how it is conducted today. Deals are no longer made with a handshake. If you don't have the proper skills-male or female-you will not survive."

Cement Industries has certainly not suffered with a woman at the helm. Thompson recalls that when founded in 1953, the company generated $45,000 in revenue. In 2002, the corporation reported a healthy $22 million-and Thompson anticipates continued fiscal growth. Her best advice to business women who want to achieve success is to be straightforward and logical. "Whether you are an all-women-run business or one which is more diversified, the basic factors of communication and professionalism remain the same," she says.