Entrepreneurial Spirit is Alive and Well Among North Shore Women

NOVEMBER 7, 2013, Salem, MA  –  The buzz coming from the ballroom of the Hawthorne Hotel Wednesday morning, November 6th, was both literal and figurative. First, there were the voices of more than 200 people eagerly discussing opportunities and raising questions for an illustrious panel. Then there was the buzz of excitement and optimism that filled the room as they listened to four “Million Dollar” women entrepreneurs and keynoter Margaret McKenna, former director of the Walmart Foundation and President Emeritus of Lesley University.

“To be an entrepreneur takes courage. It involves taking risks,” said McKenna. In her own high-powered career, McKenna often found that being a woman presented special challenges. Her advice? “Be honest, be ready to deal with ambiguity, and be true to yourself. Be authentic.” Her advice for sustaining a successful small business: “Do what you do better than anyone else…or don’t do it at all.” She ended by focusing on the power entrepreneurial women have not only to create successful lives for themselves, but also to provide jobs and opportunities for so many others.

In 2005, The Enterprise Center at Salem State University came up with an idea for a symposium in which aspiring women could hear from and talk to other women who had founded or ran organizations with one million dollars or more in revenues. Sponsored since its inception by Beverly Cooperative Bank, the annual breakfast is both informal and informative. Its popularity owes much to the willingness of successful and industrious women to speak openly about the challenges they’ve faced and the lessons they’ve learned. 

This year’s panel was no exception, and included Joan Brooks, COO of Garbrook Knowledge Resources; Fuchsia McInerney, CEO of Pearse Street Inc.; Gayle Piraino, President of GAP Promotions; and Sue B. Zimmerman, Founder of SueB.Do and Sue B. Zimmerman Enterprises. Each of these honorees shared stories of how they got started, the well-meaning but ultimately bad advice they received along the way, and the perennial issue of balancing work and personal lives. In addition, they spoke about the need for persistence, the ability to adapt to a constantly changing environment, and the need to disconnect from work and social media in order to recharge one’s batteries. Additional information on the participants is available at www.enterprisectr.org.

The tone of the event was positive and encouraging. As Sue Zimmerman said, “If we make it, we have a responsibility to help other women learn from our mistakes, so that they can make it on their own.  It is so important—and personally rewarding—to be a mentor and help them succeed.”

Audience questions could easily have sustained a much longer program. Of special note were questions from and about young women who were just beginning their careers, of special interest to students from several local colleges. The success of the symposium was marked by an active twitter feed and by the sentiment expressed by Enterprise Center CEO, Christine Sullivan: “This is such a powerful and inspirational event. I would love to know how many women owe at least some of their success to the people they have met, the advice they have received and the inspiration they have found at the Million Dollar Women Symposium.

The Enterprise Center at Salem State University arms business owners and leaders at every stage of development with the knowledge and skills to start their business, grow and succeed.  The Enterprise Center is located at 121 Loring Avenue, Salem, MA  01970.  Phone 978-542-7528

www.enterprisectr.org.