Devoted to women of color in business

Somewhere along the way I seem to remember learning that "If you want something done, ask a busy person," meaning that busy people take control of their time and are able to accomplish more.

This particularly holds for women who are also parents. Moms are the ultimate multi-taskers, and the explosion of women-owned businesses reflects this behavior. Carol Williams of Carol H. Williams Advertising said that "having a business is like having a baby" (she started her business back in the 80's in her living room). She said that your business is always there with you (even when you're with your partner and you lie down to sleep, "it's in the middle of the bed with you").

Her point is that if you feed your "baby" right and put the right things into it, your baby will grow up strong and eventually your baby (your business) will be big enough to "bring you a plate."

Our friend Jessalyn Reynolds passes along this research from Intuit, who you know as the developer for QuickBooks:

• Almost half of all privately-held U.S. firms are owned by women (10.6 million firms)
  
• Women-owned businesses have grown 20 percent, twice the national average for all businesses
  
• 2.1 million women business owners have children

Several studies have suggested that women business owners take a "team-based" and collaborative approach instead of a top-down "command and control" approach to their business endeavors.

"Intuit has found that one of the primary reasons that women start businesses is to have more flexibility to balance family and work."

"Intuit has also discovered that one of the key issues for mompreneurs is how to hold back their business growth so they can still find time to focus on family."

Reynolds invites us all to go online this week with business trend-watcher Anita Campbell, who'll answer your questions at the Ask the Expert event on the QuickBooks Women's Small Business Center:

http://www.quickbooksgroup.com/resources/womens