Female Founders
do not have the financial background or
experience necessary to meet bank loan
requirements. I think this is a societal problem. I also would like to see more young
women encouraged in math and science.
From a woman’s perspective, what
notable changes have you seen for
women in franchising since starting
your brand? I see more women rising
through the ranks in franchise companies,
and many are branching off and starting their own brands. I see more women
leading brands, and I see many more
women attending the IFA Convention.
In 2006 when I first attended, women
were a very clear and definite minority. I
also see funding options education more
front and center. I think more women are
realizing their potential today.
Which female leaders do you admire?
Why? Margaret Thatcher. She was the
first female prime minister of Britain.
She was tough, strong, smart, driven, fair,
and led a country that really didn’t place
women in positions of leadership. She
was the “Iron Lady” and proved that a
little backbone can take you a long way!
Has mentorship made a difference in
your professional and personal life?
How? I mentioned my dad and my grandfather earlier and how their work ethic and
mentorship shaped me personally. Professionally, I have had several mentors who
generously gave their time and knowledge
to help me along the way. One of these was
Mary Ann O’Connell of FranWise. She
took me under her wing and brought me
into the Women’s Franchise Committee.
She taught me the art of mentorship and I
have gladly passed it on. I take many calls
from young women entrepreneurs who
are leading or starting brands, and I find
giving back incredibly rewarding.
Are you involved in any female entrepreneur organizations? I have been
involved with the Women’s Franchise
Committee for the past 6 years, and this
is my final year as chair. We had a “Dress
for Success” charity initiative this year that
was very successful and rewarding. For the
past 2 years I led a panel on “Women in
Franchising” at the West Coast Franchise
44
Expo and enjoyed watching the women
in attendance learn and benefit from the
experience of the panel. I do some work
locally with Leadership Las Vegas, and I
speak with and am available to local Las
Vegas entrepreneurs.
PERSONAL
What does your typical day look like?
I get up about 6:30 every morning and
have a cup of coffee with my husband.
Then to the computer to check emails
and respond to any emergencies. I have
my list for the day ready (made the day
before) and get started crossing things off.
At about 9 a.m. I go to the gym to clear
my head (part of that life balance thing).
When I return I generally work until
about 4 p.m. We live on a golf course, so
my husband and I will head out and play
a few holes or hit balls. Then we cook
dinner and relax.
How do you maintain a work/life balance? I follow the “do it now” philosophy
and am pretty good at compartmentalizing and prioritizing. Good communication allows me to do what needs to be
done, balanced with the demands of the
other side of my life. I am a list person
and love getting things down on paper
and then crossing them off! I do still ask
myself, “What will happen if you don’t
get to this right now?” And as long as I
am not letting down a franchisee, I am
willing to let some things go in order to
get to the personal side of my life.
What are your top 5 favorite things
to do? Golf, read, cook, work out, and
mentor my bakery manager.
What are 3 key words to describe
yourself? Loyal, driven, kind.
LESSONS/ADVICE
What’s the most important lesson
you’ve learned so far? Know when it
is time to bring in people who are smarter
than you—and then get out of their way
so they can make the difference you seek.
If you could do one thing differently,
what would it be? I would have gotten
a business degree with a psychology minor. Not having a business background
meant I had to work harder and longer
to grasp some concepts and sometimes
to understand the big picture. It’s been a
little bit of growth and learning by fire.
The psychology degree always comes in
handy in a people business, and franchising is definitely in that category.
What’s the best piece of advice you
have ever been given? Be teachable.
Egos are our greatest downfall and create unbelievably difficult situations that
could have been remedied if someone were
able to listen, learn, and at least consider
the possibility of change or of embracing
someone else’s idea.
What advice would you give to other
women considering starting their
own franchise brand? Read, investigate, network, study, and be willing to
put in the time and money to make it
happen. Also, I would recommend they
really spend some time understanding
the tug of war they are about to enter as
they balance their family and their new
“baby”: their business.
WHAT’S NEXT
What would you like to achieve in
the next 5 years? I’d like