Companies must look at all available avenues and options to grow. You have to stand out, be innovative and creative. Think forward. What does the next generation want? You want to be ahead of the game, so your product and ideas and your image don’t slowly die. The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the need for businesses to be prepared to innovate and think outside the box. Many companies had to transform their way of conducting business practically overnight. Companies required creative solutions. Some companies are doing better than ever; others are not doing so great. How do you best position your company to survive in any market climate and under any condition?

We need to look at our companies as a product. Is it a high-quality product rich with diversity, forward-thinking, and innovation? Or is our product stifled by the same patterns, the same predictable outcomes, and the same ideas?

As a women-owned small business owner and a mother of a bright 16-year-old daughter, I think about what companies are missing if they don’t consciously make an effort to empower women in the workplace to accelerate company growth. Women are a tremendous resource for creative thinking and innovative ideas and can move companies to the next big thing. My daughter’s generation is more independent than ever, aware of social and economic patterns, and believe in themselves and their female peers. If your company has predominately male leadership, if it’s not leaning more towards an even split, then the next generation of women will consider your company yesterday’s product. A product not worth their investment and time; a place where innovation and creativity will be stifled by the perspectives of the men that lead it. 

I want to take a moment to recognize the bright daughters of my outstanding employees and all that they are accomplishing. It’s exciting to think about a future where their contributions will not only be recognized but will be sought-after. Ultimately, empowering women in the workplace ensures your company will be ready for whatever challenges lie ahead.