GB businesswomen's group
Group co-ordinators Lynne Udell (left) and Vicki Carlisle aim to attract a wide mix of women in all types of businesses. Photo: Jane Bellerby.
A wide cross-section of businesswomen attended the recent inaugural meeting of The Golden Bay Businesswomen’s Group.
Women own, operate, manage or are in partnership in over two thirds of the businesses operating in Commercial Street. Further out in the community there are women in business on farms, running hospitality and tourism ventures, social services, working as writers, gardeners, farriers, artists, craft workers, designers, architects and health practitioners.
Co-ordinators Vicki Carlisle and Lynne Udell put out a general invitation to self-employed women or those working in partnership. “We ran off 50 leaflets and passed them around, printed out more and they all went, and by the time we had talked to other women and made a few phone calls, we had a large group of women,” says Vicki. We didn’t get further out into the community to many of the rural and farming-based women, so we want it known that all women involved in business in Golden Bay are welcome at our meetings.”
The aim of the Golden Bay Businesswomen’s Group is manifold and while there is a social aspect, after the meetings, the focus of the monthly meetings will initially be on networking, sharing information and knowledge and getting to know women in the business community. Vicki says it is also about learning new business information, and she feels the women of Golden Bay have some points of difference that need to be addressed.
“Many working women are quite isolated from their peers, either because they work alone at home or because of their distance away from Takaka. Businesses may be small, with few, if any, employees, and we hope to be able to offer support and networking by working together,” says Vicki.
She and Lynne see themselves as facilitators and hope the group becomes self-directed. Vicki thinks the group will take on a life of its own and look for balance in its topics.
“The aim is to be inclusive, to attract a general mix of women in different types of business. Golden Bay is not necessarily conventional in its business operation and I think we can learn from looking at why this is successful for so many people here.”
Tracey Brignole of clothing emporium Mariposa says the meeting was fantastic. She was very supportive, believing that such a group will be valuable in both acclaiming the successes and working through some of the difficulties of women running businesses in Golden Bay.
Health practitioner Carolyn Simon of Onekaka is hugely in favour of a women’s business group.
“I think the timing is good because there are plenty of women like myself working as sole traders, and the opportunity for networking, support and fun in sharing ideas is going to be great as the group evolves. I think it’s a much-needed resource for Golden Bay businesswomen.”
The proposed format is to meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month, hear a guest speaker talk for about 15 minutes on a chosen subject, listen to a member of the group talk for 10 minutes and then hear briefly from three or four other people. Subject matter will cover the severely practical such as marketing, accounting, tax and GST to the more esoteric aspects of creating business ambience, ethics and networking.
There is a six-monthly subscription of $30, though established business owners may take on the sponsorship and mentoring of the initial membership of some new operators.
Kathy Page, the owner and operator of Finishing Touch Hair Salon, came to the meeting with an open mind and said that for women establishing themselves in business, and especially those working on their own or from home, it could be a wonderfully supportive and informative group.
Dairy farm co-owner Kathy Reilly says the idea of a networking and support group for businesswomen is great. “Good on Vicki and Lynn for initiating it and it’s up to the women involved to participate fully and make it happen.”
What about the men, you may ask? Vicki replied that the intention wasn’t to totally exclude men. “Some of them will be our guest speakers, but it is about recognising that many women do work differently to men. It’s about a desire to work with women as we run our businesses, and to support and network with each other.”
For information about the next meeting phone Vicki at 525 6220 or Lynne at 525 8844.
Jane Bellerby
