Great will be the company of women
Since the early 1900s, this 24-hour period honors the legacy of females and their impact on industry, family, entrepreneurialism, humanity and the world. Anyone with even the smallest sense of hesitation or uncertainty about embarking on this journey would benefit from having the words of these women guide and inspire them.Each year on March 8, we team together to celebrate International Women’s Day. It’s a beautiful analysis of the mindset and spirit needed to persevere in the face of the challenges that are inherent with these risk laden, but undoubtedly rewarding undertakings. The book provides honest, invaluable insight into the conviction, strength, and integrity needed to be an entrepreneur. “ Earning It: Hard-Won Lessons from Trailblazing Women at the Top of the Business World” by Joann S.“ Own It: The Power of Women at Work” by Sallie Krawcheck.“ Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir” by Carrie Brownstein.If you’re craving more of a deep-dive into the lives of entrepreneurs, other resources of I recommend include: I encourage you to let this merely be your introduction to their work. As much as I appreciated the book, I can’t help but wonder what a more focused but detailed approach would have resulted in. It’s an exploration that only scratches the surface of who these women really are and what they have done. Profiling over 100 women in just 350 pages is a dizzying whirlwind. There are deeper stories to be told here, which the format of the book doesn’t allow for. There’s no further explanation, no other details to fill in the blank space that surrounds that statement. Writer and professor Roxane Gay’s answer to this question is one of the most striking: she bluntly admits that she has sacrificed motherhood. When asked about the biggest sacrifice they’ve had to make in order to make their business a reality, the vast majority lament the sense of stability, financial security, and the even more difficult loss of time with family and friends. Their honesty can be heartbreaking at times. Their answers are snapshots of their struggles and reveal the mindset and determination one needs in order to succeed as a business owner. They stress the importance of learning as much as you can from other entrepreneurs, of making strong connections and genuine relationships with your peers, of being able to say no, and taking care of yourself. Their answers to Bonney’s questions reveal common truths about the nature of entrepreneurship: mistakes should be seen as learning experiences, feelings of insecurity and imposter syndrome are typical, trusting your instinct is a necessity. Dozens of others featured are lesser known. Some of the women are more easily recognizable than others: Carrie Brownstein, Neko Case, Abbi Jacobsen, Carla Hall, Mary Lambert, Roxane Gay, and Genevieve Gorder. The experiences and challenges that marked the path to their success are also varied. The women featured here represent a wide range of artistic professions and backgrounds. The author, Grace Bonney, is herself an entrepreneur and she skillfully accomplishes her goal to “provide motivating and relatable examples of all kinds of women running their own businesses, so that any woman, anywhere, can open to a page and see herself reflected”–and much more. It’s as much an art book in its own right as it is a spiritual guide to anyone thinking of making the leap into the world of owning their own business. Their interviews are paired with intimate, striking portraits and vividly rich photographs of their workspaces and creations.
There’s no denying that “ In the Company of Women” is a stunning and ambitious project – over 100 female artists and entrepreneurs are profiled, candidly sharing the successes, mistakes, lessons, and attitudes that have accompanied their experiences as business owners.
By Diane Hahn, SCLSNJ adult services librarian