Top Priority for Entrepreneurs? Maintain Current Sources of Revenue.

According to the American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor, entrepreneurs remain confident about business prospects, but their top priority continues to be maintaining current sources of revenue.

Cash flow concerns have fallen to pre-recession levels (49%, matching fall 2007 and down from a high of 66% in spring 2011).  In addition, fewer business owners say they are “stressed-out” by the economy (56%, down from a high of 70% in spring 2011) and more feel confident in their ability to access the capital needed to grow their businesses (72%, the highest figure since the question was first asked in 2002).

Regardless of the economic climate, entrepreneurs' growth plans are still in the cards.

Read more:  More Entrepreneurs Are on Track to Save for the Retirement They Want

Read the press release (4/24/14):  Small Business Cash Flow Concerns Drop to Pre-recession Levels, According to the Spring American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor

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You Always Deserve to Be in the Room

Lisa Johnson made her mark in biotech and business, often as the only woman in the room.  In a recent Business Journal Interview, here's what Lisa had to say in response to one of her interview questions:

Have you ever had situations where you’re the only woman in the room, and how do you deal with that?

"When I was with Novagen (Biosciences Inc.), and then especially with Merck, which was a German corporation, I was in with — oh my god, it was 20, 25 men — and I walked out and a guy came up to me and said, ‘Oh my god. Was that really hard on you to be in that room?’

Due to your position and your experience, you always deserve to be in a room.  If you were invited, there was a reason.  You have something important to say.  Say it.

Read the entire article:  Wisconsin Economic Development Corp's Lisa Johnson on Female Entrepreneurship

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Envision Becoming An Entrepreneur in High School

June Gathoni

I think you can become an entrepreneur in grade school (lemonade stand experience get the entrepreneurial 'juices' flowing) but in this case, June Gathoni, knew right from the time she was in high school she envisioned becoming an entrepreneur.  She started her own company, Next Generation Technology, an ICT firm.

She had practically no money when she started out and relied on getting goods on credit then using the money from her clients to pay her creditors.

Later, she closed her ICT business and started the Small and Medium Entrepreneurial Resource Centre, which is involved in entrepreneurship development and promotion.  The centre offers advice to entrepreneurs about business opportunities. It also offer services such as business plan writing, systems management, marketing campaigns, brand management, public relations and consultancy, all at a fee.

Read more:  Next Generation Technology is an institute that nurture entrepreneurs

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If You Start a Business, Lead it

A new study, "Who’s the Boss? Explaining Gender Inequality in Entrepreneurial Teams," published in the journal American Sociological Review, is one of the first to explore the emergence of gender roles in new businesses.  The author's findings indicate women who start new businesses with men are less likely to lead it. And when they co-found a business with their husbands, they have even fewer chances to be in charge, a study finds.

"This study raises awareness of the conditions that limit women's access and also makes us aware of what might be done to increase the likelihood that women will attain positions of authority," explained [co-author] Tiantian Yang, a graduate student in department of sociology at University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill.

Read the entire article:  Why women entrepreneurs fail in husband-run firms

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