July 6, 2005

Women Express their Courage to Succeed

Wilma Blokhuis, Oakville Living Editor

A plant growing in the palm of a hand symbolizing new life is the cover design for The Courage to Succeed: Inspiring Stories from Enterprising Women.

Produced by the Company of Women founded by Anne Day, the book tells the inspiring stories of 36 women who embarked on new lives - everything from stepping into their own business after years of employment to overcoming divorce and other personal traumas. Each story is unique, or describes a distinguishing quality.

Restaurateur Julia Hanna of Julia's Ristorante, who hosted the recent launch for The Courage to Succeed, wrote about her hospitality, a quality that not only draws people in for the first time but keeps patrons coming back to her restaurant.

Day wrote about her career, having been involved with launching the Oakville Parent Child Centre and her work with The Women's Centre and the Ontario Women's Directorate before establishing the Company of Women out of a desire to provide a vehicle where women can meet socially to hear an interesting array of speakers and network informally.

Terri Smith, a Jamaican-Canadian, wrote about what led her to help establish the ATT School for children who don't fit into the traditional educational system, and Debbie Gracie-Smith worked her way up from being a receptionist at a local real estate company to being ranked 49th in Profit Magazine's Top 100 list of women entrepreneurs.

The contributors wrote about taking a leap of faith to establish themselves in business.

When Catherine Desforges found herself separated with a five-year-old daughter to raise 10 years ago she asked her two clients at the time to give her more work for her then fledgling desktop publishing business. By being able to turn work around literally overnight, business blossomed - and she was able to be home for her daughter.

Desforges, who has worked with Day on various projects, designed the book.

"We're quite an eclectic group of women," said Day, who admits when book publisher Sheryl Lubbock approached her about publishing the book she leapt at the opportunity.

"I doubt if she expected me to jump so quickly."

The Courage to Succeed was completed in six months.

Day approached the women who chose to either write their own stories or consented to be interviewed.

"The goal of this book is to inspire other women," said Day.

"There are a lot of how-to books but few about how women overcame their self doubt and lack of confidence when starting their own businesses. All of the women in the book come from different backgrounds - none of whom woke up at age 18. Most of them started taking control of their lives in their 40s. This book is an inspiration for those who are thinking about it."

Fifteen of the 36 women in the book are from Oakville. They've overcome everything from divorce to the loss of loved ones. Some have given up secure careers to launch their own business, turning an idea into success.

One of them is Cathy Boytos of Trading Places. Newly divorced and having to scour second-hand furniture and appliance shops and classified ads to furnish her home, she discovered a market for used upscale furniture and home décor and opened her consignment showroom two years ago. With a young daughter at home, decided to give up her commuting and a 20-year banking career.

"Starting your own business is not for the faint of heart," said Day. "We women do our homework, we're not such big risk takers as men."

The women featured in The Courage to Succeed were chosen by Day.

"I picked women who started their businesses at different ages and at different stages in their lives. And, not all of them wanted to work full time - this is reflective of how women run businesses."

Day has also written about launching the Company of Women.

"At first I wanted to do conferences, and discovered being a women in business can be isolating," she explained," because there are no co-workers saying 'great job.' Women are really social and we need to connect with other women. It's not about passing out business cards, it's about meeting people and doing business with people you like and trust. It's also about giving back."

The Company of Women, launched in Sept. 2003, has more than 300 members and attracted some 150 women to monthly meetings to hear high profile speakers.

Close to half, about 450 copies, of the book's press run of 1,000 copies has already been sold, mostly by the women featured in the book and on the Company of Women's Web site at www.companyofwomen.ca or 905-338-1771. The book sells for $20 plus tax and shipping.

"We sold 57 books in Chicago," said Day, noting these sales were made at the spring ATHENA International conference.

It was published by TRIMATRIX Management Consulting Inc., under its BEL (Business, Education and Life) Learning Publications initiative.

For more information, see www.trimatrixculting.com.