Business Support Empowers Women

by Tonya McKenzie

Women Supporting Women in Business

All things are possible when women support women in business, personally, and emotionally. It’s exactly what is needed for a real Covid recovery. It’s also what will need to happen for a national recovery of our emotional depletion from the stressors of the pandemic. Women business owners were trying to maintain and grow their businesses while taking care of homeschooled kids, maintaining their homes, and contributing to their communities. Even if you were not directly affected by Covid, you cannot remain unchanged once you have lived through this kind of traumatic episode in society. Many are still struggling to come out of it, reacclimate, and come to terms with this new reality. Piling on professional and financial struggles with the emotional toll can equate to a tremendous load for one to carry. For this and a few other reasons, women-owned businesses have suffered lower sales and been closing at higher rates than businesses owned by men. According to the upcoming Global State of Small Business report, 25% of women-led businesses closed.

Sand & Shores along with The Mahogany Box took the initiative to put together an event that could contribute to the immense issue plaguing women in business. The Lady Boss Brunch with Brands was launched to bring together business owners and women in business to talk about what they do to other women who can support them, understand them, and patronize them. Women-owned brands could also send samples to the event for others to experience, review, and talk about on social media. Long gone are the days when a simple social media post is enough. Touch, feel, smell, and recommend products to show real support. This was also an opportunity for these ladies to speak in specifics about what they need to feel supported. If a person is not your consumer, they needed to talk about other ways that we could help them in business.  It took a bit more effort than the standard networking elevator pitch, but it was exactly what attendees needed to hear. With the right support, women-owned SMBs can be incredibly resilient.

QS Simple Treasures provided samples of their gourmet teas. The Mahogany Box gave each attendee an exclusive, handmade bracelet or set of earrings. Other attendees spoke about their business with details on how they could best be supported. As the host, I shared copies of my memoir, A Child’s Memories of Cartoons & Murder. Author and public health professional Nichole Vick announced her pop-up shop that she puts on annually to help women-owned businesses. Nobody left the event empty-handed or unsupported. And that was the purpose of this event. Women supporting women is everything that our economy needs right now.

You often hear women use the phrase “women empowerment” and “women supporting women” but, what does that really mean? How does that actually look in reality? The Lady Boss Brunch with Brands is simply an opportunity to showcase women-owned brands and allow for them to be experienced in a way that social media alone cannot do. Immediate feedback from possible customers and clients allows for these women to communicate their mission, their stories, and their personal brand to a high-quality group of professionals. There were open, honest conversations that took place. These ladies shared their wins, struggles, and challenges. It just felt good. It was exactly what was needed to consider this a real Sunday Funday in Manhattan Beach, California. The staff at The Shade Hotel was amazingly accommodating. Anyone that missed it, know that there will be another opportunity to experience Lady Boss Brunch with Brands.

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Tonya McKenzie
Founder of Sand & Shores
Communications & Leadership Consultant
Author of A Child’s Memories of Cartoons & Murder
Twitter & Instagram: @TonyaMcKenziePR

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