You - as a business woman...

[Ann M. Evanston, MA]

Please answer these questions so we can get to know you! More next week!

1) How long have you been in business?
2) What made you decide to launch your own company?
3) Are there any women in business who you admire? And why?
4) What have been the greatest challenges that you have faced?
5) What has been your greatest victory?
6) What advice would you give to other women who are thinking of starting their own companies.

[Angie Toussaint-Billingsly,CMP, BSN, MS]

I'm not sure if we are to answer these questions here and now, but here goes....

1) How long have you been in business? I have operating my current business for about 6 years, but I have been in the hospitality industry for approximately 20 years. Prior to this business I had two full retail travel stores in San Francisco, one on Market Street and the other near SFO (airport).

2) What made you decide to launch your own company? I'm a terrible employee. The last and probably only "real job" I had was years ago with P.G&E and they hired and fired me three times. I always insisted on making my own hours, coming and going as I pleased and that didn't go over too well with my employer.

3) Are there any women in business who you admire? And why? Not anyone in particular. I honestly admire all women who take this plunge. It's not easy, it's intimidating, it's risky and it takes courage.

4) What have been the greatest challenges that you have faced? Getting myself out there and gaining exposure without spending a lot of money on marketing. I've always believed there were alternative ways to market myself without depleting my bank account. I've used local newspapers, flyers, Craigslist, inserts in local papers, and word of mouth. My daughter has a non profit so I got a permit from BART to distribute material at BART stations (you must be non profit for this) but I put my information on the flip side of the page.

5) What has been your greatest victory? I've had and still have a ton of small victories. Each time I get a piece of business, that's a victory for me and I celebrate internally each time. I appreciate the small things, and for me business is business. All of it is victorious. If I had to choose something that I would consider a great victory it would be the ability to start my own business; completing all of the paperwork, getting incorporated -all without the services of an attorney. That saved me lots of money. My company is a limited liability company, LLC. My greatest victory in my personal life was obtaining my Ms. (Master of Science) Degree.

6) What advice would you give to other women who are thinking of starting their own companies? Don't wait for the "right time." There is no right time. I suggest you plan well, get your paperwork done, and filed. DO NOT quit your job abruptly, ease out of it. Reduce your hours to part time. If you do not have a savings account or American Express Open for Business Card to start your business, try utilizing the Small Business Association, or Womens Initiative for Self Employment. These provide funding to small businesses. GOOD LUCK

[Sasha Sabbeth]

Hi There... loved your answers! Sasha

[Angie Toussaint-Billingsly,CMP, BSN, MS]

Thanks, Sasha. I would love to talk to women about business start-ups. It's tricky because there is so much paperwork, which can be overwhelming. I even formed our daughter's non-profit business and those forms for the 501(c)(3) are no joke! I don't want to understate how much time this involves, which is why I believe most end up paying attorney's to do the work. Whatever works for you -- I'm just grateful that I had the time to complete them myself :-).

Thanks again,

~Angie

[Ann M. Evanston, MA]

1) How long have you been in business? 11 years, I started AME Seminars. I am now rebranding to Zena Enterprises.
2) What made you decide to launch your own company? I think it was always in me. I went to grad school to learn how to start my own speaking business!
3) Are there any women in business who you admire? And why? I admire the women who show up! Who are positive, and loving and giving even when it's tough! I admire women that do not complain about others or the situation, they make things happen!
4) What have been the greatest challenges that you have faced? September 11th as a small business owner was hard - nobody was hiring speakers and trainers after that! If I can survive it I can survive anything!
5) What has been your greatest victory? Proving to everyone that thought I couldn't that I can. I am not the statistic they thought I would be!!
6) What advice would you give to other women who are thinking of starting their own companies. FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY! Surround yourself with people who think you CAN too!

[Angie Toussaint-Billingsly,CMP, BSN, MS]

FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY! I love that. Go through that feeling of fear, not around it, not over it, not under it, but FEEL it, experience it and do it anyway.

That's HUGE, Ann.

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!

~Angie

[Linda Jay Geldens]

Great questions, Ann!
1) How long have you been in business? Since the 1970s, when I started free-lancing as a copyeditor/copywriter in Silicon Valley. Before that, on the East Coast, I had mostly worked full-time.
2) What made you decide to launch your own company? I wasn't good at playing "office politics," or "marching in lockstep" with corporate expectations, or pleasing a boss. I'm somewhat unconventional, a "creative."
3) Are there any women in business who you admire? And why? Yes -- the New York Times political columnist Maureen Dowd, because she's smart, funny, opinionated, and unafraid to speak her mind. And the late founder of The Body Shop, Anita Roddick, because she was a businesswoman and also supported nonprofits that meant something to her.
4) What have been the greatest challenges you have faced? Believing that I can be successful. Learning to market myself effectively. "Coming back into my power" after three years of not being able to concentrate well after my first husband died in 1994. Deciding what I truly wanted to do in a career.
5) What has been your greatest victory? Working with authors from all over the country, and in different countries, as a book manuscript copyeditor, and seeing their books published. I've been doing this since 2006.
6) What advice would you give to other women who are thinking of starting their own companies? Decide what it is you most want to do, as far as a career goes, step boldly out into the world, and do it!

[Ann M. Evanston, MA]

Linda Jay I am so glad you shared! Your story is a great one! Ann

[June Sockol]

1) How long have you been in business? Since April 2008

2) What made you decide to launch your own company? I wanted to go back to work but also have flexibility to spend time with my family.

3) Are there any women in business who you admire? And why? Women who are not afraid to put themselves out there, who encourage other women to succeed.

4) What have been the greatest challenges that you have faced? Getting my name out there. People don't want to do home shows right now with the economy so I need to find more creative ways to grow my business.

5) What has been your greatest victory? Learning to step outside of my shell and feel more comfortable in the big scary world. Realizing that I am a strong person with something to offer.

6) What advice would you give to other women who are thinking of starting their own companies. Research the business you want to start. Don't be afraid to try something different. You may succeed, you may fail, but you will never know what you can do if you don't put it out there.

[Mary MacNab]

I have been in business for .... 25, no, 30, years.
What made me decide to launch several of my own companies was the fact that I can be most creative 'under my own steam' and with 'my own team'.
There are many women in business who I admire. Mary Kay is one, Martha Graham (dancer) is one, and YOU are one!
My greatest challenges have been, as for most of us, believing in myself when no one else was up for that adventure.
My greatest victories have always been when I can hold onto my core, the core of who I AM 'no matter what'.
If you are thinking of starting your own company - DO IT! The only thing you have to lose is your regrets later on, for having not done!

[Ann M. Evanston, MA]

but Mary you are only 33! Thank you - big hug across the miles!

[Angie Toussaint-Billingsly,CMP, BSN, MS]

Great answers Mary! Are you a dancer? Not many people know Martha Graham but my daughter is a classical ballerina and I also studied dance. I love Grahams modern methodology.

Keep believing in yourself; there are millions of women who believe in you and all wome.

Take care,

~Angie

[Jodie Peruski]

1) How long have you been in business? I started my business less than one year ago.

2) What made you decide to launch your own company? I worked in the medical field for a long time because I wanted to make a difference and do something that I care about, helping people. Along the way, I found out the hard way, that in a field that should be made up of people who felt the same way I did, it was not. I have always changed jobs because I like learning new things and taking on new challenges, but in a rural community, there are only so many places one can work. My fiance talked me into starting a website and it took on a new form and before I knew it, I had started a new business and found products that I love.

3) Are there any women in business who you admire? And why? My mom owned a flower ship in our small town and I grew up with the business. She participated in the community and worked very hard and she knew the true meaning of great customer service. My parents sold the business 14 years ago and she still has faithful customers still coming to her for custom work!

4) What have been the greatest challenges that you have faced? My lack of business/finance/marketing education. I am a very smart person and I have a health professional college degree, but this is so much different. I still plug away and research and network, learning as I go, taking it slow.

5) What has been your greatest victory? Knowing what I want and the simple fact that I have not given up!

6) What advice would you give to other women who are thinking of starting their own companies.

Believe in yourself that you can accomplish your dreams; Surround yourself with positive supporters; Educate yourself and never stop; Network, Network, Network!