She Believed She Could (So She Did)
This recently released book, with stories and images by Deborah Cole, profiles the lives of 35 women who began their own businesses and became entrepreneurs. They are stories of diverse and independent women, and I am honored to be included among them.
As we begin National Women’s History Month, I want to focus on the elements of my life that allowed me to believe in myself. I want to acknowledge the primary advocates and lessons that shaped my decisions as I have travelled through my 70+ messy years.
First, oddly, since this month is about women finding success in life, I must credit my father for his unyielding belief in me. Every single time I expressed an aspiration, and there were many, including going to grad school, becoming a stockbroker, and writing a book, he would pause for a quick think and then say, “Yeah, that’s good, you could do that. You’d be good at that.”
Second, I’m thankful for my mother’s fearless creativity. She was an artist and would try any new medium from acrylic to oils, from stitchery to collage. I never heard her express fear of failure, and this saturated her artistic life, her intellectual life and, perhaps most important, her spiritual life. She raised me in a home where all of life was an adventure, not a risk.
Third, I’m grateful for my husband, and all the other male mentors that showed me the way. In the career paths I chose, there weren’t many female role models, but the men stepped up, particularly in grad school where I was coached and encouraged to publish articles and research, serve on boards, take on consulting roles. These men helped me walk through doors I did not know were open to me.
And that brings me to the most important lesson I’ve learned as a woman entrepreneur. If you get through a door, hold it open for the next woman to come through. For me, the focus of this month goes beyond profiling all the amazing women whose courage and ambition led them to do great things. It is about our responsibility as women to hold the door open, make space in the lane, mentor, and guide all of those who come after us. For starters, I’ll be buying She (Believed She Could So She Did) for each of my 3 granddaughters. They’re doing great things and I know they have more, much more, ahead.