Recently, I was chatting with someone who just graduated from high school. It was clear that she is frozen with the choices that face her. Should she go to college? A trade school? Get a job? And what if she doesn’t like what she chooses, isn’t she stuck with it forever?
A few months ago, a group of women came together to discuss plans for the 2023 Let Her Speak Women's Summit. Lots of new ideas were shared both from women who have attended the event in the past and those who were new to the Let Her Speak community. One idea that was shared was from our friend, Erika Biddix of Aught. She mentioned an activity she participated in at a conference earlier in the year that involved a collective story written by the attendees of the event.
I meet with entrepreneurs on a daily basis. From sales to product development, finance to information systems, entrepreneurs (especially in the early stages) are required to understand and perform every aspect of running a business. While the conversations and trainings I have with these burgeoning business owners typically cover their business models, funding sources, and marketing strategies - one thing I try to stress is the importance rest plays in growing a business.
We’ve all heard the proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” and other iterations of the phrase. But have you ever heard the phrase “It takes a village to build a business”? Within the business world you often hear terms like network, mentors, and advisors — but in all the years I’ve spent surrounding myself with entrepreneurs, studying entrepreneurship, and working across a spectrum of businesses, I never really heard the term “village” used. That is, not until recently.
Over the past four years, I have had the privilege of meeting hundreds of incredible women in Knoxville — entrepreneurs, leaders, activists, or all of the above. One question I started asking every woman I met is, “What legacy do you want to leave behind?” With every answer I received to that question, a common thread began to emerge.
