The corporate “glass ceiling” prevents many women from advancing above a certain level in Corporate America. For example, men hold the top position in 98% of Fortune 500 companies. So increasing numbers of ambitious female entrepreneurs have opted to increase their influence and impact by running their own company. And in so doing, they bring unique strengths that deliver new vitality to their companies and to the world. One of those strengths is deep emotional commitment to their communities.
A recent report entitled Forget the Glass Ceiling: Build Your Business Without One, commissioned by Dell, identified four specific ways that women bring new value (and values) to the marketplace:
1. Social Responsibility is Built Into Their DNA
2. Giving and Volunteering Benefits Both Nonprofits and Your Business
3. Women Help Other Women Achieve
4. Business is More Than Just Making Profits to Women.
My observation has been that women entrepreneurs bring longer-term sustainability to their companies, and in time I believe there will be data to support that observation.
Good luck!
- Copyright © 2014 Rolfe Larson Associates
- Social Impact App, find social enterprises nearby and online
- Venture Forth! endorsed by Paul Newman of Newman’s Own
Rolfe Larson provides consulting and training in areas such as strategic planning, market research, feasibility analysis, business planning, marketing, and implementation strategies.