Yes, Tenato is a woman-owned business. And I’ll speak in first-person — sometimes being a woman business owner is not the easiest gig.
A woman friend/client of mine and I were discussing the subject recently. It’s all good for the fellas to take clients for drinks after work, but if a woman does this with a male client, it’s got another dimension of risk. Either the guy thinks she’s trying to hit on him, or the relationship ends (wife having gotten uneasy). Things like golf or fishing trips, and the like – it’s just not the same. Best to not go there, unless you can arrange spouses to be there too!
I’ve also had some delicate scenarios correcting males as their boss (or client) too. It’s not always easy for a man to have the woman boss tell him he’s doing something wrong, i.e. “If you don’t like the way I’m doing it, hire someone else!” Extreme delicacy is required to avoid insulting egos. And then there are, of course, the leery guys who never succeed in keeping eye contact. They’ll have you wondering, “What was this lunch for? Am I being considered as a potential vendor, or are you just lonely?” I feel for these fellows, but let’s be clear before we set up a lunch.
And need I mention the many family commitments women business owners usually juggle with kids? I actually made my baby business cards when she was first born. Her title was “New Client Screening Agent” and I put these letters after her name: “BA.By.” I had to duck out of meetings regularly to breast feed!
So on this topic, I thought I’d let you know about a CD Release show I have coming up this week, on Saturday, January 17. The CD is called “THE BOSS IS A WOMAN” and it will be held at a venue here in Inglewood. If you want to learn more, visit my music site HERE. (The CD’s title track is hilarious – have a listen!).
That said, I firmly believe that entrepreneurship is the best possible career for a working mother. You can beat the flexibility and control over your life. Yes, you have to learn to stick up for yourself, get clients, and really work to find your balance, but you are at the helm, and that can’t be matched.
