<div style=”transition: opacity 1s ease-in-out 0s;” data-rss-type=”text”> n <div> n n It’s no secret that IAW members are an accomplished group of professional women, with many of them owning their own businesses.n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n So, since October is National Women’s Small Business Owners Month, we thought we’d ask a few of them to share their advice and insight about running a successful company. Some of these members have been in the same business for years, others are just starting out and others were inspired to make a major career change.n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n From career coach to travel agent to healthcare professional and more, the members we’re highlighting have forged successful careers in diverse industries using their own unique skills and talents. As you read their stories, you’ll learn how they’ve stared down obstacles and never let the naysayers deter them from their goals. Instead, they persevered and took chances. And through it all, they’ve relied on their networks, often turning to other IAW members for support and encouragement because here’s another secret: when women work together, there’s no stopping us!n n </div> n</div> n<h3 style=”transition: opacity 1s ease-in-out 0s;”> n <blockquote style=”margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; padding: 15px; background: rgb(246, 246, 246); border-left-width: 4px; border-color: rgb(254, 101, 183); font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; font-family: ‘Open Sans’, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);”> n <p style=”margin: 0px;”> n <span style=”font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;”> n n Ashanti Middleton, Host and Creator of Taste & Toast with Ashanti Middletonn n </span> n </p> n </blockquote> n</h3> n<h3 style=”transition: opacity 1s ease-in-out 0s;”> n <blockquote style=”margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; padding: 15px; background: rgb(246, 246, 246); border-left-width: 4px; border-color: rgb(254, 101, 183); font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; font-family: ‘Open Sans’, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);”> n <p style=”margin: 0px;”> n <span style=”font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px;”> n n Ashanti Middleton, Host and Creator of Taste & Toast with Ashanti Middletonn n </span> n </p> n </blockquote> n</h3> n<h3 style=””> n <blockquote style=”margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; padding: 15px; background: rgb(246, 246, 246); border-left-width: 4px; border-color: rgb(254, 101, 183); font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; font-family: ‘Open Sans’, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);”> n <p style=”margin: 0px;”> n <b> n n Jennifer Schuck, President of Caption Prosn n </b> n </p> n </blockquote> n</h3> n<h3 style=””> n <blockquote style=”margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; padding: 15px; background: rgb(246, 246, 246); border-left-width: 4px; border-color: rgb(254, 101, 183); font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; font-family: ‘Open Sans’, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);”> n <p style=”margin: 0px;”> n <b> n n Precious Williams, CEO of Perfect Pitches by Preciousn n </b> n </p> n </blockquote> n</h3> n<div style=”transition: opacity 1s ease-in-out 0s;” data-rss-type=”text”> n n Ever since she was a very young girl, Precious had the gift of gab. At the age of 16, she was already a professional speaker and by her 20s, speaking professionally became her career. After winning 13 national elevator pitch competitions, she founded Perfect Pitches by Precious. Known as the #KillerPitchMaster, Precious now helps women entrepreneurs and others find their voices.n n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n Precious has a few secrets she believes has helped her find success as a business owner. First and foremost, she said, don’t be afraid to be different. “This will help people remember you for standing out from the masses of average, random and ordinary,” she added. Passion also important. “Your passion equals your profit center,” Precious said. “With passion and dogged focus, there is nothing I cannot do once I make up my mind.” And, she said, be sure to take action daily. “If you have a dream or goal, break it down and take action towards the goal or dream every day. Little steps lead to massive action.”n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n The connections Precious has made with other IAW members have gone a long way to helping her find success. “My IAW membership has led other successful women entrepreneurs and corporations to seek out my pitching and presentation services, influenced others to see me as the expert in my industry and given me the credibility to stand on my accomplishments and achievements as the #KillerPitchMaster,” she said.n n </div> n</div> n<h3 style=””> n <blockquote style=”margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; padding: 15px; background: rgb(246, 246, 246); border-left-width: 4px; border-color: rgb(254, 101, 183); font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; font-family: ‘Open Sans’, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);”> n <p style=”margin: 0px;”> n <b> n n Joy Thomas, CEO of Daisy’s Loven n </b> n </p> n </blockquote> n</h3> n<div style=”transition: opacity 1s ease-in-out 0s;” data-rss-type=”text”> n n Joy had a successful career as a Senior Executive in the Information Technology sector of the Telecommunications industry. But in 2015, she walked away from that position to start her company, Daisy’s Love, a residential home care service agency. She was inspired to take this entrepreneurial leap because of the sudden death of her beloved mother, Daisy. Devastated by the loss, Joy nevertheless turned her grief into something positive and has built a company that honors her mother’s tireless work as a healthcare provider and provides quality care for the elderly.n n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n “This company is built upon five guiding principles, which all come from my mom: hope, faith, charity, excellence and joy,” explained Joy. “The secret to my success is having an inner passion that motivates me to want to love on the elderly community like no other. I am driven by the desire to keep my mother’s legacy alive by doing what she loved to do, which has ultimately been embedded in the core of who I am.”n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n Joy credits IAW with offering her the opportunity to meet with and connect with many other professional women who have contributed to the success of her business. “IAW has given me an amazing platform and a phenomenal network of amazing women from all genres who have helped me to grow and be better for my clients and their families,” she said. “It has been an organic evolution of unwavering love and support at all levels.”n n </div> n</div> n<h3 style=””> n <blockquote style=”margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; padding: 15px; background: rgb(246, 246, 246); border-left-width: 4px; border-color: rgb(254, 101, 183); font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 18px; line-height: 2; font-family: ‘Open Sans’, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);”> n <p style=”margin: 0px;”> n <b> n n Elena Ashley, Owner of Ashley Consulting & Trainingn n </b> n </p> n </blockquote> n</h3> n<div style=”transition: opacity 1s ease-in-out 0s;” data-rss-type=”text”> n n When Elena was laid off in 2015 from the large database company where she had worked for many years as a Consultant, she was “thrown for a loop.” But she persevered and soon after, started her company, Ashley Consulting and Training, a full-service business intelligence/data management services firm.n n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n Here are Elena’s secrets to success: “Stay disciplined. Make those sales/follow up calls. They always seem to make it to the bottom of the list – put them on the top and get them done every day,” she said. Tenacity, she said, is a “key ingredient for a successful business and career.” Always have a back-up plan and “always be ready to pick yourself up, rinse and repeat!” Working smart and hard is another of her secrets. “Put in the hours and learn something new every day,” Elena said. “Work smart, know your strengths and hire someone else to handle your weaker skills. Being successful at business means being a smart decision maker, putting in the work and knowing you can’t do everything yourself!”n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n Finding success as a woman in a male-dominated field is never easy so for Elena, having the support of other IAW members is important. “IAW has helped me be more connected and helped me develop relationships with women who I have never really had in my professional life,” said Elena, who is President of the Sacramento Chapter. “IAW now provides me a platform to reach out to women in both a personal and professional capacity and continue to grow.”n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n <b> n n Let’s Grow Together!n n </b> n </div> n <div> n n It’s hard enough to get ahead professionally, so why go it alone? IAW will connect you with the support, resources and guidance you need to get ahead.n n </div> n</div>
