Few people are aware that more than 11.6 million firms are owned by women, employing nearly 9 million people, and generating $1.7 trillion in sales as of 2017. In fact, women run businesses are helping to lead a resurgence in American manufacturing.
Many women-run businesses participated as exhibitors in the Made in America show, and as I mentioned in my last article, I participated as a panelist for the Women Leading America Made session that featured five women running their own American-made businesses. Moderator Rose Tennent asked each of us to briefly describe our businesses.
Barbara Creighton, CEO of Sarati International, Inc. started her company in 1992 in south Texas to make private label prescription drugs, proprietary drugs, and skin care products. She said, “We develop custom formulations and then private label them. We make products like you would purchase, and we private label them. We are woman owned and woman run.”
Beverlee Dacey, owner of Amodex Products, said that her parents started the company in the early 1970s, and now she runs it. “We make a soap-based product that is an ink and stain remover liquid solution and do our own manufacturing in Bridgeport, CT. Amodex is the only stain remover recommended by the manufacturer of Sharpie to remove Sharpie ink from anything.”
Connie Sylvester said, “I am an inventor and founder of two companies, Water Rescue Innovations and Mommy-Armor USA. I founded my first company six years ago in Duluth, MN to make the ARM-LOC water rescue device that slides onto the victim’s forearm and locks into place so that a rescuer can pull the victim to safety. I sell to a male-dominated industry of first responders, fire-fighters, police, and rescue squads. I’m often the only woman telling men how to rescue people.”
She shared how she started her second company, Mommy Armor USA. On February 14, 2018, after she dropped off her son at school, she got a text message saying there was a school shut down due to a shooter. She was thankful that it wasn’t at her son’s school, but her heart broke for the 17 parents that lost their children at Parkland in Broward County, Florida. She said, “There was a problem, and I came up with a solution. I had some bullet proof material and suggested to my son that I could make a bullet-proof backpack, but he said they had to leave their backpacks in their lockers. I asked what they got to take to class, and he said they get to take their 3-ring binders. My other son said they get to take their daily planners. So, I got the idea of making a bullet-proof cover for the 3-ring binder and the daily planner.”
She then demonstrated how the bullet proof daily planner could be attached to the 3-ring binder and how it could be used to shield your body like armor. She is just launching the product in time for Christmas. She has the Mommy Armor fabricated by a company in the hills of the Appalachian Mountains, Capewell Aerial Systems LLC.
Leigh Valentine, founder of Leigh Valentine’s Beauty said that she went through a terrible divorce, lost everything, slept on the floor, and was on welfare for a while. Then, the Lord gave her an incredible idea for a non-surgical face lift product made from plant extracts that dramatically firms skin and takes away wrinkles. She was on the QVC shopping network for 14 years and sold over 40,000,000 products. She said many people have told her she could save money by buying from China, but she said, “All of my products are made in America, and I try to buy as much as I can in America.”
I shared that when I started my sales agency 34 years ago, I chose to only represent American manufacturers. I was a woman in a man’s world because I started out selling castings, forgings, and extrusions. No buyer or engineer I saw had ever been called on by a woman. I visited all of the companies I represented and learned everything I could about their manufacturing so I would be informed. When I saw what was happening to manufacturing and how it was being decimated, I started writing blog articles and reports and then wrote my book. Can American Manufacturing be Saved” Why we should and how we can that came out in 2009. A second edition came out in 2012, and I have written over 300 articles in the past ten years. We have saved American manufacturing, and now we need to rebuild it. I showed everyone my latest book, Rebuild Manufacturing – the key to American Prosperity.
Rose asked us to what message we would give to a woman who has an idea for a product or who has already started her own business. Leigh said, “You really have to fight to bring your product to market. I partnered with some people that I wish I never had partnered with.” She would advise women that if they need a partner “be careful to pick a partner that has the same values and vision you do. They will steal from you and lie.” In the end, it cost her $6 million to end the partnership.
Beverlee said, “When you run a company, don’t think you are ever going to reach an equilibrium where you don’t have problems. Every single day there are stress and problems. Then you realize that the problems don’t go away, they just get bigger and worse. It is normal. It is part of what you do when you run a company. The other lesson I have learned is don’t grow too fast. There is only so much you can do and only so much you can do well. We are only a five-person company. When we got picked up by Lowes, we made the decision not to go with Home Depot because we wanted to be a good partner to Lowes.”
Barbara said, “Don’t believe all the lies that are being sold to young people. There is no a glass ceiling. Men created the glass ceiling to keep women down. I have never felt held back by a glass ceiling. I was the first women on the west coast to sell chemicals, and the first women in land development. The ceiling is only created by you.”
Connie said, “Don’t set the bar too low and never give up.” She did high jumping like her brothers and they never lowered the bar for her even though she is only 5 ft. 3 in. She actually coached track and field for five years.
I said that I would advise a woman to never stop learning. “I recently got my certificate in Lean Six Sigma to be of more service to my customers. Service is all I have to offer — service to the companies I represent and service to my customers. When I started my company, I chose a motto: you achieve your goals by serving others.”
Rose commented that there seems to be more comradery at this trade show and asked us to share what we thought about the show.
Leigh said, “It is such an honor to be here. I am thrilled and honored to be here. This is a movement, and we’ve got to stick together and support each other’s businesses.”
Connie said, “This is like a family. I was actually at another Expo here and saw an announcement on the TV in my hotel about this show, and I knew I had to be here. When I walked the aisles, I knew I had found my people. Everyone of these people know what it takes to make products in America. We could have hit the easy button and made things cheaper in other countries, but we chose to make our products in America.”
Barbara said, “In this incredibly divisive world, we need to help one another. I am extremely excited about being able to share joy. I just try to lift others up. We are Americans and are proud to be Americans, and we want to have joy in a country that has given us amazing opportunity.”
Beverlee said, “The Made in America movement has been around for awhile now, but what I have enjoyed the most is that for the first time we have a “hubable” wheel where there were a lot of silos. All of us here are together in this. It’s not a trade show, it’s a forum.”
I said, “This show is a dream come true for me. Most people don’t realize that manufacturing is the foundation of the middle class. We lose manufacturing and we lose the middle class. We’ve had wage stagnation for 20 years, and my children aren’t as well off as I was. We have to get the message across to our children and grandchildren of how important it is to make things in America again. I heard it said that there are only three ways to create tangible wealth: “Grow it, mine it, or make it.” We need to create wealth for our country by making things in America so we can have a safe and free country. After our panel session ended, we said that we would look forward to seeing each other again at the 2020 Made in America Show. We know it will be even bigger and better, so don’t miss it.