Where have all the women gone? That's the question that may be on your mind after browsing through company profiles on this year's Inc. 5,000 list. While the number of women-owned businesses has been growing at two times the rate of businesses owned by men for the past few decades, women CEOs make up little more than 10 percent of the Inc. 5,000. These findings are indicative of a larger trend -- namely, while women run a lot of businesses, few are growing them beyond the $1 million mark.

"In most cases, women have not yet caught up with men in terms of absolute levels of employment and revenues," says Sharon Hadary, executive director of the Center for Women's Business Research.

For the past two years, the Washington-based group has been conducting interviews with thousands of women entrepreneurs who run million- and billion-dollar companies. The goal: to identify a practical pathway for growth by seeking advice from women who have blazed their way to success.

Hadary's key finding: It pays to think big and set high growth goals. "Women who had a higher aspiration for growth had a higher likelihood of accessing capital to grow their companies," she says.

When first starting out, women should not rely on the accountant to keep the financials in step. Instead, they ought to put in place consistent financial reporting — and familiarize themselves with reading the reports. "Faster-growing businesses produce more financial reports more often, and embrace them as a management tool," Hadary says.

Two or three years later, when business owners typically begin looking for outside capital, these reports will demonstrate that the company is bankable — which is crucial to securing that much-needed business loan.

But don't go hat-in-hand to the banker, Hadary advises. "Women build relationships with our customers, employees, and vendors — but we don't build a relationship with bankers," she says. That's a mistake. Hadary tells women to interview prospective bankers and seek out those who have a record for supporting women's entrepreneurship.

Four in 10 women want to grow their businesses as large as possible. Hadary says she wants to empower the remaining 60 percent — those who may lack confidence in their ability to get the money they need to grow.

The Inc. 5,000 women join Hadary in wanting to set the numbers straight by inspiring a new generation of women of all ages to launch their own companies. So we asked them to talk candidly about what it takes to succeed in male-dominated fields, the importance of taking the next step despite fear, and what they wish they had known before starting out. Here's a look at their top tips for other women business owners:
Play hardball — but only when necessary

When Wendy Klinefelter Tragiai's policeman husband, Brian Klinefelter, was killed in the line of duty in 1996, she wanted to give back to his colleagues who had comforted her. So she began KEEPRS (No. 2,045), selling public safety uniforms and gear. Although her 2006 revenue topped $3.1 million, Tragiai says she still struggles with being taken seriously as a woman in a male-dominated industry. "Just the other day, I was meeting with a vendor along with our general manager, who is male," she says. "The presenter spoke almost exclusively to him, even though I'm the one who decides whether to carry the product." Sometimes, it's best to laugh at mistaken presumptions, although Tragiai has learned to make her voice heard by asking tough questions when it's important to her. "Luckily, it's not needed too often," she quips.

Find your own management style

There's never just one way of doing things, says Sandy Chilewich, founder of popular leg wear company HUE (which she sold in 1991 with sales in excess of $40 million) and Chilewich (No. 1,918), a textile company. "To be a good manager and leader, you have to dig deep to find your own voice and style," she says. "Imitating what business society presents as 'winning' does not work." Chilewich says she begins with a dream and then tests the water. "If it doesn't look like it's going to fly, I make changes, sometimes completely changing direction until I am sure of commercial viability." HUE started out with slippers and ended up in hosiery, while Chilewich began with Raybowls — concave bowls on display at the MOMA store that are fashioned from a washable stretch netting — and is now producing placemats and rugs. Chilewich prides herself with creating a company culture where a sense of humor and ability to ask for help prevails.

Set boundaries

Kim Kleeman is home by 5:30 p.m., travels only a handful of times each year, and doesn't work weekends. Yet she runs a $2.3 million company called Shakespeare Squared (No. 329), which writes and edits educational material for big-name publishers like Houghton Mifflin.

A former teacher and mother of three (her youngest is two-and-a-half), Kleeman manages a staff of 20 and 400 freelancers from an office across the street from her home. "My commute is two minutes," she says. It's easy for work to take over your life, Kleeman contends. "You really have to set boundaries early on." Kleeman says she works hard, but sticks to 40- to 50-hour weeks. "Delegate things out," she advises. "Women tend to be control freaks. You really have to let that go." She also invests in hiring only people she trusts. "I don't hire to fire," she says. And a supportive husband helps, too. "If your salary suddenly becomes higher than his, make sure he won't have a problem with that," she says. "Lucky for me, I have that."

Go where business is headed

Becky Lunceford Anderson started For Every Body (No. 3,420), selling soy-based bath and body products out of her kitchen and, later, her garage. A mother of nine, Anderson wanted to teach her four daughters the value of a dollar and the importance of hard work. One daughter would work the register, while the others pumped lotion, pasted labels, and wrapped gift baskets. "We look back and laugh…. For years, we had Thanksgiving in the garage on paper plates," Anderson says. "The day after Thanksgiving is the best time to open a new store. The holiday season is when we earn a large percentage of our yearly revenues." When Bath and Body Works opened stores in malls around Utah, Anderson was quick to diversify into the candle market. The company's air fresheners are sold in Home Depot and Lowe's. Anderson is also planning to launch a home-party division. Her secret weapon? Her family. "Though they're all grown up and out of the house, we have dinner together every Monday night. It's a tradition we started 20 years ago. We brainstorm and I run ideas by them."

Believe in yourself

Faryl Robin Morse's first job was selling shoes at Kenneth Cole. Shoes were her passion, but she wished that fashionable footwear could be more affordable. One day I'll do better -- and become my own boss, she told herself. And she did. In 2001, Morse launched Farylrobin Footwear (No. 1,609), a $3.8 million company. Her personal motto: "Go big or stay home," she says. "If I had listened to the naysayers, I would never have gotten off the ground. Five years later, I'm running a multimillion-dollar company. It all starts with the feet."

Embrace the financials

Maureen Kelly dreamed of developing makeup products that would not only enhance women's natural beauty, but also improve their skin. So she founded tarte (No. 994), a $5.7 million cosmetics company, from her one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. In the beginning, male suppliers would address her as "sweetheart" or "honey." "Needless to say, we don't work with those suppliers anymore," she says. It took time for Kelly, who enjoyed creative tasks like developing products, to understand the financial side of the business. But she forced herself to read business books on her multiple flights to China. "Even the most creative idea won't be executed successfully without fine tuning the financials," she says.

Make good use of feminine charm

Remember, being a woman business owner has its plusses, too. That's a belief shared by mother-daughter owners of Carilyn Vaile (No. 2,907), makers of trendy, multifunctional clothing for women. "We can use our charm," Carilyn Vaile says. "There were times during negotiations that I felt a man would have been heard faster or not been given the run around, but I feel I've far outweighed these negatives with the benefits of being a woman -- the biggest being our ability to multitask."

Source: http://www.inc.com/inc5000/articles/20071101/entrepreneurial-girl-power.html

For the Deseret Morning News

Obviously, receiving one of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards means a person is doing something right.

But what that "something" is can be debatable and often different for each entrepreneur. "It's the whole ball of wax," said Becky Lunceford, founder and chairman of Lindon-based For Every Body, a 2006 EOY award recipient for the Utah region and a judge of this year's competition. "It's hard to separate one thing from another," Lunceford said. "You just have a feeling about the ones that really stand out." Several of those standouts will be selected from among 25 finalist companies and honored with EOY awards during the annual gala at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Grand Ballroom of the Salt Palace convention center. (To read profiles of each of the finalists, look inside today's Money section.)

The people who judged those finalists said what's crystal clear, at the end of the day, are the myriad ways in which companies can fall short of the degree of excellence expected of Utah's best entrepreneurs. So for all the nascent entrepreneurs in this enterprise-rich state, here is a cautionary primer of what NOT to do if you strive to follow companies like Backcountry.com, Stampin' Up!, Overstock.com and LoveSac to EOY glory.

• Do what everybody else is doing.

This year's finalists don't just offer good products or services. Many have literally built a better blender or home security service or retail store. Or they've found new ways to sell insurance, software and doors. Innovation and creativity play a part in deliberations, said judge Mark Burton, founder and chief executive officer of Ogden's International Armoring and a 2006 EOY winner. Companies that lack those qualities won't be rewarded.

"It might be because their approach to how they did business was not very inventive or necessarily original," Burton said. "Maybe the background of the company was not quite as strong as some of the others."

A number of this year's finalists excel at what Burton called "staying ahead of the curve." "Some of them have reinvented their companies," he said. "They were going down one path, and they discovered another path with so much more potential. To change your approach, especially if it's working, is a real risk. You have to have some vision to do that.

"It's like this: If you're going along making $10, maybe you're happy with that, but then you see an opportunity to make $100. That's huge, and if you're really going to be an entrepreneur, you take the step." Other companies, he said, created markets where none existed before or found a business model no one else had seen. "They found a new way, and they did it very well," Burton said. "There's some very profitable companies out there."

•Don't worry about profits.

Ah, profits. Money's not everything, of course. But it does make the business world go 'round. "They need to show profitability; that's the reason you're in business," said Lunceford. "Also sustainability: Is this a business that's only going to be here for a short time because they have a product that's going to be outdated or out of style soon?"

Burton said strong financials are always impressive, though some companies' growth is so explosive that it most likely won't last.

"We discussed one company, and we just looked around at each other and said, 'How do they do that? How do they produce that type of margin?"' he said. "And you do ask, will they be able to sustain that, and probably they won't. But it's impressive to see it." Palace convention center.

In addition to strong sales, Burton said, businesses should reflect sound financial practices across the board. And, he added, most if not all of the 2007 finalists do that: "This is picking between one A+ and another A+."

• Don't worry about people.

However, even the best sales figures won't help a company that doesn't excel at public and employee relations, judges said.

"The company culture definitely plays a part in it," Lunceford said. "You want to know it's a culture that is as rewarding to employees as it is to customers."

Company culture is one of the criteria specifically mentioned in judges' guidelines, Burton said. "It's how their employees view the entrepreneur, the respect level the entrepreneur has among employees," he said. "I think that all goes hand in hand. You do find companies out there where that is not the case, but I don't think we found that in any of the organizations we dealt with (as EOY judges).

"But there were some that had done some unique things that were interesting in the approaches they have, not only to retaining employees, but to getting better production or performance." In fact, Burton said, learning about the best practices of some of this year's entrants led to some soul-searching for him.

"We pretty much had a corporate culture (at International Armoring) that I enjoy, that I like and feel comfortable with," he said. "But I will tell you that as I went through the judging process and saw what these companies are doing, I did evaluate myself and think, 'You know, I might be able to improve in this area or that.' From that standpoint, I learned."

• Try too soon.

Sometimes there's just not enough time for an entrant to learn what it takes to be a winning entrepreneur, Burton said. "There were a couple of (companies) we looked at that probably were too early to be at this stage," he said. "They're a great company, and probably a couple more years, or maybe even just a year of proving their business model, is all they need."

Early success doesn't always merit EOY recognition, Burton said. "Maybe they've had success so far, had success funding their companies, they've been able to develop a business plan," he said. "(But) following their business model and having success doesn't necessarily qualify them for this."

It's possible, too, that a company was simply competing in a crowded and generally excellent category, he said. "There were something like 60 companies we got files on. To bring them down to the 25 finalists was extremely difficult," Burton said. "When we got down to it, maybe their category was so strong this year that there was another company that maybe was around a little bit longer or did something more unique."

• Don't try at all.

But that's no reason to give up, Burton said. True entrepreneurs keep the faith, forging ahead with their dreams despite monumental obstacles. "Some of the companies were obvious finalists because of their performance, because of the story of these individuals and what they have accomplished — many with very little resources but just sheer determination," he said.

This area is where checklist-type judging won't do, Burton said. "You can't go dollar for dollar, necessarily," he said. "There are some great stories in there, and that had a little bit of an impact on us. The stories weren't the primary (criteria), necessarily, but when you weigh all the components together the stories can become more meaningful." Staring down possible failure teaches an entrepreneur what she's made of, Lunceford said. "You have to be able to handle constant, never-ending change," she said. "You have to go where the market is and not let it make you sick and lose sleep. Taking chances and being dynamic is part of what it takes to make it."

In the end, the real lesson might be an old chestnut: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. "Just because somebody doesn't win the award doesn't mean they're not a great business; they're all successful businesses," Lunceford said. "Just to be nominated shows they're doing something right." Burton's company was a three-time finalist before winning last year, and he said he learned something each time.

"It wasn't based on one criteria," he said. "Some companies had very strong revenues but did not make it as finalists. My recommendation for them is to try again. Keep doing what you're doing, look at what you can do better and try again next year."

Source: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660225913,00.html

PAUL FOY - The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY -- It isn't every day that a small Utah company needs the services of Rudy Giuliani's law firm. But a Lindon candlemaker, For Every Body, turned to Giuliani's law firm for help last November when it had to deal with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The company wanted to show its products were safe after a customer trying to make the most of a nearly burned-out candle jar watched it break, spill wax and mar a table, said Ken Austin, director of technical services at For Every Body. He said For Every Body voluntarily reported the woman's complaint last November and, with the help of Giuliani's Houston-based law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani, convinced safety-commission staffers that the candle jars were safe when used properly. "A month ago, we filed our final report with the Safety Commission, which found our candles are safe," Austin said.

The company, which also makes bath-and-beauty products, had never dealt with the commission and hired a law firm known to have that experience. "We used Giuliani's firm because one of our management group had worked with them at a previous company that also had consumer product safety issues," Austin said. "We know we need to report incidences, or risk being fined for not reporting soon enough. But the agency had no clear guidelines as to when you contact them and how to report," he said. Austin said he worked with the firm's Washington, D.C., office, and not with the former New York City mayor and Republican presidential candidate. The company didn't require high-powered influence for a brief encounter with the agency. "If we could afford Giuliani as a lobbyist, we'd be bigger than 150 employees," he said. "We didn't spend any money on his lobbying campaign. Our name was mentioned in the lobbying document because we've had dealings with his law firm." The 400-lawyer firm billed his company a nominal, one-time amount, he said, declining to specify a figure.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission was debating last year whether to adopt fire-safety standards for candles but decided to leave it to the industry. Giuliani's law firm apparently listed the Utah company as a lobbying client with a stake in the matter, but Austin said the company wasn't involved, leaving deliberations to the National Candle Association.

Giuliani's dealings are coming under scrutiny as his campaign relies on partners and employees of his many business interests for political donations. Giuliani will disclose the broad ranges of his personal net worth in a financial disclosure due Tuesday.

Business editor Grace Leong contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/221556/

By Diane Aikele - 7 Feb 2007

Photo courtesy of the Schmanski family Tori Schmanski, left, was seriously injured in a car accident in 2005. She and her mother Maria will return from China on Feb. 12, where Tori recieved stem cell treatments.

On Father’s Day, 2005, Tori Schmanski sat in the backseat of a car talking and laughing with her two cousins and younger sister. In a life-changing instant, the car flipped and rolled 2 1/2 times, landing upside-down in a canal in Delta, Utah. Tori pushed her sister and cousin out of the submerged car, but she was drawn underwater for 15 minutes until rescuers arrived.

Tori’s brain went without oxygen for an estimated 25 minutes, causing severe brain damage.

Tori survived, but the damage has taken its toll, preventing her from eating, speaking or moving on her own. Tori’s limited form of communication involves pointing and gesturing with her eyes, or changes in breathing. But life is not the same as it once was.

On Jan. 10, 2007, Tori and her parents traveled more than 6,000 miles from Orem to Hangzhou, China, to receive stem cell treatment.

Doctors in China planned to inject Tori with 50 million stem cells, designed to become new brain cells for Tori, over the span of 32 days. The treatment will conclude Sunday and the Schmanskis will return home the next day.

The Schmanskis researched online for brain damage treatments after exploring other options. They found the clinic in China through the Web, and talked to other families who have treated family members with the same procedure and saw positive results.

According to the National Institutes of Health, stem cells are regenerative cells that can develop into other types of cells. The two types of stem cells are embryonic and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells come from eggs fertilized in an artificial environment and donated for research purposes, a use that has ignited controversy across the country. Adult stem cells are found in mature tissues, such as bone marrow or umbilical cord blood.

Tim and Maria Schmanski were more comfortable having Tori treated with adult stem cells, rather than embryonic. Embryonic stem cells carry greater health risks, according to the National Institutes of Health Web site, such as the formation of tumors.

But the controversy surrounding stem cell use in the United States has stymied its use as a treatment. The Schmanskis traveled halfway across the world so that Tori would have the opportunity.

Last year, President Bush vetoed a bill that would have allowed taxpayer money to speed up those studies.

"I think that in this country we need to federally fund both embryonic and adult stem cell research," Tim Schmanski said in a phone interview from China. "We don't have enough data on embryonic stem cells to really know what they can do."

But even in China, stem cell treatment isn’t cheap. Love and support continue to pour out from Utah residents in the form of donations and fundraisers.

A Lindon-based company, For Every Body Candles, began fundraising in September 2005 to defray to the costs of Tori’s medical bills. The company reintroduced the candle in November to help Tori travel to China to receive stem cell treatment. Members of the community, including Tori’s classmates, have also contributed to the Tori Schmanski Fund to help fund their trip.

“We want to do everything we can to help Tori,” said Becky Andersen, CEO of For Every Body. “As a mother I can’t imagine what the family is going through. We want to help in any way we can.”

And the Schmanskis continue to stay hopeful. Tori’s progress as a result of the stem cell treatments is unknown. Tim Schmanski said that while some patients see results within the first shot, others see continued progress for six months to a year afterward.

For the Schmanskis, progress comes in small increments and hoped-for miracles. “We would like to see a smile from Tori,” said Maria Schmanski, her mother. “I haven’t seen one since June 19, 2005 — I still remember it.”

Source: http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/62933

LAURA GILES - North County Staff

For Every Body, best known for its candles and bath and body items, now offers decorative pieces for the home at its Lindon location.

Recently, For Every Body At Home opened its doors, adjoining the candle and bath and body outlet shops on Geneva Road.

Started in 1995, out of Becky Anderson's kitchen, the company now sells products across the United States and internationally, in addition to its outlet stores in Utah. The company's products are produced for 88 retail chains and 6,457 independent chains.

Anderson, founder and co-owner, began mixing lotions and bath products in her home. Since that time, the company expanded to candles, which now constitute 90 percent of the company's business.

In 2005, a scrapbook store was added next to the Lindon location. Now, shoppers can also shop for home decor.

Baskets, clocks, mirrors, vases, silk plants, tableware, holiday collectibles, bookshelves, pillows and potpourri are some of the items that are available.

There are many different colors and styles of signs with words and sayings such as "Believe" and "Because I have been given much I too must give."

Some of the brand names that can be found are Willow Tree, Pacific Rim, HomeStyles and Infinity Instruments. Many items carry the "For Every Body At Home" name.

According to employee Karen Duncan, "We were excited to find out about the new home decor shop. A lot of people were excited," said Karen Duncan, who now works at the shop. "They wanted to know the who, the what, the when." New items arrive constantly. "We never know what we'll be getting in," said Duncan. "It's like Christmas on a daily basis."

Public Relations Director Shannon Young said, "We wanted to try the home decor business and test it out with this store. We've had a lot of success because it's next door to the candle outlet and by the scrapbook store."

Future plans for the company include selling home decor items online from their Web site.

Shoppers can move from the bath and body shop to the candle shop to the home decor shop without leaving the building.

"I like how this is set up with the three different shops together. I can get something from each one in one shopping trip," said customer Becki Cammack.

If You Go For Everybody at Home Location: 400 N. Geneva Road, Lindon Hours: Open Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sundays

Source: http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/209378/18/