Why the Truly Powerful Women Presidents Are Not Political Leaders

Many argue that women in political power hold the cards to achieving true equality of the sexes. I’d argue that women business owners — those with economic and job creation power — will be the ones to truly change things. At least thinking this way keeps me sane and jazzed.

In the U.S. those with the fat wallets and powerful lobbies get what they want. Small businesses — and specifically women-owned small to midmarket businesses — need to band together to demand our fair share of capital and a fair tax code.

While you might find this naïve wishful thinking, I can tell you women business owners and leaders are fired up. I just returned from the 2017 Women Presidents’ Organization’s 20^th Conference. My writing skills are not adequate to convey how TRULY EMPOWERING it was to sit in a ballroom of 800+ women leaders who are fueling billions in revenue and creating thousands of jobs worldwide.

I was even happy to wait in line in the women’s bathroom because, working in tech marketing, that’s not something I get to experience very often. Networking in the restroom turns out to be super effective and, I imagine, another advantage guys in tech have that women don’t. But I digress.

As humans we’re hardwired to believe numbers, so here are a few to noodle:

• More than 9.4 million firms are owned by women, employing nearly 7.9 million people and generating $1.5 trillion in sales as of 2015.
• Women-owned firms (51% or more) account for 31% of all privately held firms and contribute 14% of employment and 12% of revenues.
• There are 1.4 million Hispanic women-owned businesses representing nearly 35% of all Hispanic firms in the U.S.

For more statistics on women-owned businesses, visit the NAWBO website.