March 8th was International Women’s Day. This movement was started in 1909 when the Socialist party organized an annual women’s conference to acknowledge the fight for women’s rights. In 1975, it was adopted by the United Nations, and it is still being celebrated today. Each year, the UN picks one theme to focus on and sets up a movement around it.
The point of the day is to reflect on progress made with women’s rights and equality, advocate for change, and celebrate the actions of those who are courageous and created success for themselves and other women in their lives. We have made a lot of progress and yes, we have a long way to go. This day marks a good time to pause and reflect on your journey and contemplate how you can take action to support other women who could benefit from your gifts. But, helping supporting other women and celebrating accomplishments doesn’t have to stop there.
There are SO many ways to honor women all year long! Here are just a few:
Consider being a mentor to help another woman.
I was fortunate to have a mentor in my first job as a management trainee at Fidelity Investments. It was a great experience to help me transition into the working world. Throughout my career, I have formally and informally mentored young women. Both formal programs were through the alumni association at Boston College and the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. Being a mentor is such a rewarding experience! Consider reaching out to your alma mater or local high school or Boys & Girls Club to help other women who are finding their way.
Join an organization designed to help women.
Girl’s Inc. is one example. Girl’s Inc. is an organization designed to pair professional women with young girls (usually from inner cities) to do things they may not ordinarily get the opportunity to do like play 9 holes of golf. Another example is Girls on the Run, an organization that helps you girls incorporate physical fitness into their lives and fosters confidence and camaraderie among the girls and families that are a part of it. A quick Google search on the topic brings up tons of options. You can also look for something in your local church, chamber of commerce, or community centers. You can even host your own Women’s Day movement and choose what you’d like to accomplish with it.
Celebrate and foster your own success.
How often do you stop and think about who you are and what you have achieved as a woman in your career, family, or community? Take a minute to reflect on your journey. It may be a good time to
Recognize a successful woman that you know and respect.
For Marketing Matters works with so many great women whom we respect and admire. I am a big believer in saying what you are thinking so why not use today! Today is a great day to take a moment to recognize women in your life.
Sue Muckle President of M&A Architectural Preservation is a great example. M&A Architectural Preservation restores and preserves historical buildings in the government, cultural, academic and commercial sectors. Sue leads this growing business adeptly navigating a male dominated industry. The work done by her company is a gift to all of us as they restore history and preserve the beauty of architectural elements that otherwise would be destroyed and lost. Our recent marketing efforts have focused on documenting their contributions to the Massachusetts State House Senate Chamber. I am grateful to know Sue and thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her as the outsourced marketing department fueling growth of her amazing business.
The Numbers Don’t Lie – We Are Making An Impact
Below are a few key statistics on women-owned businesses from 2018 adapted from WBENC’s article Behind the Numbers: The State of Women-Owned Businesses in 2018.
- As of 2018, there are 12.3 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. Compare that to 1972, when there were only 402,000 women-owned businesses, representing 4.6 percent of all firms.
- Women own 4 out of every 10 businesses in the U.S.
- Since 2007, the number of women-owned businesses has increased by 58 percent.
Let’s celebrate who we are, how far we have come and how we can support each other. However you decide to honor other women (and yourself if you are a woman reading this), I hope you choose a way (however small) that lights you up inside. As women, let’s be the change we want to see in the world!