Independent women?
I’m in a bit of a dilemma. I have just returned from the latest Business Chicks breakfast at the Westin in Sydney. Business Chicks is an Australia-wide organisation for women in business and a very successful one at that. As one of few female editors of a business magazine, I have always had a fundamental issue with ‘women in business’. This is not a new or particularly unique viewpoint, but I’m going to share it anyway: I don’t think women should group themselves into a organisation on the basis of their sex. I think it’s even less appropriate in a business context because it’s an area where we have been debating the ‘glass ceiling’ and the fact that the best person should get the top job, regardless of whether they’re a he or a she, for years. In 2009, I’d like to think we’re getting past all that.
Successful and inspirational female entrepreneurs grace the pages of my magazine month in, month out, but it’s not because they’re women, it’s because they’re good at what they do. I recently spent a lot of time debating whether or not to run our forthcoming (March issue) feature on what women wear to work because I would be mortified if anyone thought this was a patronising article about why women should dress well to get ahead in their careers. Far from it, that particular feature is one I think our female readers will enjoy and one where businesswomen talk about no longer having to power dress to be taken seriously at the office.
Why I’m in a dilemma is this: there were almost 900 women at that superbly organised breakfast so there’s obviously a need, or a desire, for these kind of networking events. Everyone certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves—even me—but I had to a draw a line when the delightful Natarsha Belling, newsreader and MC, told everyone to get up from their seats and dance while some loud music (Beyonce maybe? I forget as I was so horrified!) was pumped out over the speakers. I stood there being very British perhaps, and not joining in.
This is not me being derogatory about Business Chicks or indeed its well respected founder (and ‘chief chick’) Emma Isaacs; more a discussion of why women want to be a part of these groups and what they get out of them. I’d love to hear your comments. Maybe I’ve got it all wrong and too quickly jumped to the conclusion that these organisations are sexist, unnecessary or old-fashioned. One thing they’re certainly not is unpopular.
What you can be sure of is that ‘women in business’ will never be a section of Dynamic Business magazine while I’m the editor. If you think I’m wrong, please let me know why!
Read more about Business Chicks, which has raised more than $260,000 for Kids Helpline (www.kidshelpline.com.au) at www.businesschicks.com.au.
Got something to say? Join the small business forum here at DynamicBusiness.com.au.
I couldn\’t agree more! \’business chicks\’ sounds a little condescending if you ask me, it sounds more like a girl band?
To me personally, an organisation like Business Chicks offers you an opportunity to get together with your girlfriends to talk business, just like we get together with them to talk boys, PMT, kids etc. While I agree women are successful in business regardless of their sex, it is just highly enjoyable, comfortable and nuturing to be supported by your gals as you embark on your business journey.
I am a founder and operate a medium sized company. With a team of 25 sales staff, i often encourage them participate in networking organisations to build relationships and meet new people, however i belive that if you are going to invest your time, make it worthwhile…….
Business Chick does not sound like a worthwhile investment of my or my staff’s time.
Jen, thanks so much for coming along on Friday morning and for sharing your passionate view on women in business.
Having never been an employee (save for a short stint at casual employment while in late high school) and owing my own businesses since the age of 18, I can tell you it can often be hard to find, and link up, with role models. Business Chicks provides a forum for women in business and provides a place for these women to be proud, get connected, and find role models that may not necessarily be found in the normal corporate arena.
Why do we need our own space as women in business? Well I can tell you from experience that the conversations between women are very different from those you often have with men in business. Like it or not, we’ve been conditioned to interact with men in a business sense in a different way and research will show that women will often change their style to communicate with them in an effort to ‘prove’ their worth and professionalism.
This is primal and a function of where we’ve come from – there’s no avoiding that we’re still trying to find our place in the corporate world and are ‘up against’ the fact that we’ve not been working for as long as men. Some statistics that may or may not surprise you: there are currently only 39 women ambassadors to the UN; in over 60 of the world’s countries, women’s income is 50% lower than men’s income; and here’s one that may appeal personally to you Jen – in the USA, women hold only 3% of top positions in mainstream media and comprise less than one-quarter of newspaper opinion writers.
I am the President of the Entrepreneurs Organisation Sydney and whilst I absolutely adore my work with them and love every single one of the male members, it’s a different level of connection and rapport as the type I enjoy with my fellow business chicks. As someone else commented – it’s a chance to really be who you are (without fear of judgment); to discuss topics and areas of interest that commonly appeal between women, and it’s also a chance to celebrate our achievement whilst retaining our femininity.
At my table on Friday morning I was fortunate enough to meet a woman who had written several books; a woman who had sold her business for a figure in the tens of millions of dollars; a woman who was the only female board member of a very well known publicly listed company; a woman who leads a huge charity and more…. Was I inspired? Absolutely. Did just being in their presence make me want to be a better person and do more? For sure! Do I now have a bunch of women who I can call upon for support, advice and inspiration? You bet.
These are the sorts of money can’t buy experiences and connections that will enhance your career, and we’re proud to create the space at Business Chicks for this to happen.
As for the dancing, well that\’s just us having a good time and not taking ourselves too seriously. It\’s also a way for us to raise energy at our events and practically it was to have people upstanding so they could see if they had won a prize under their seats. We are consistently told people love Business Chicks because it\’s fresh, it\’s uplifting, different, inspiring, moving, it has a social conscience and it attracts likeminded people – people who want to live life to the full and people who want to have fun.
And our name? Well that\’s another way we demonstrate we don\’t take ourselves seriously and that it\’s possible to have a soul and personality in the corporate world.
I’m absolutely no feminist and will never be the pin-up girl for espousing the frustrations of the supposed glass ceiling, but I’ve seen the affect of Business Chicks around the country and I’ve seen the way it enriches the lives of the women who are involved.
I’ll finish by sharing a completely unsolicited email I received after our event. After reading it, you be the judge on whether there’s a space for groups like Business Chicks: “Business Chicks has the most incredible impact on me – every time it is the same….i walk out of that breakfast and notice the following things: 1) I feel a calling to create something powerful, 2) I feel like I have been tipped on the shoulder by the miracle fairy and that anything I choose to create at that moment could change the world, 3) I feel like hugging every single person that I come close to all day long – more than normal, 4) I feel so grateful that there are so many beautiful women around me – like a collective conscience that is tangible. So thank you Emma and your team for bringing that to my world! ” Couldn’t have said it any better myself.
I love Business Chicks events. From the first one I went to many years ago I thought ‘these are women who are up to something’ The shear energy in the room is exciting. Having attended many of them now (even in other states) they are all produced to the same professional level.
I have found that it is a fantastic excuse to get out and meet other women. Men have had their Rugby lunches for decades… let them have them. I like going to these events because not only is it short sweet and to the point…I usually learn something i did not know before. I did my little bit to support KIDS HELPLINE.
Don’t be a party pooper Jen. It’s ok to have fun in business… lighten up.
Joining an organisation for women is perfectly acceptable if the purpose is to share experiences with other women. But if women think that that’s all they need to do to ‘network’ at a business level, they are missing the bigger picture, which is the experience of networking with everyone.
As Emma rightly points out, men hold most of the top positions in various organisations and this is why women should understand the process of ‘getting to the top’ from as many different people as possible, not just women.
I find it strange that Emma says her organisation is about “not taking ourselves too seriously” when what’s needed is a group that demonstrates that women do take themselves seriously and are ready for those top positions.
If there is no need for these events then why are they still getting numbers like 900 when other events companies are struggling to cover costs? Business Chicks is an event that is fun, professional, and a chance to connect with other women (and men)! The atmosphere in the room is always so energizing and I always leave feeling inspired. And Jen, a little dance at breakfast time never did the soul any harm at all…….
Hi Yvette
Far from saying there is NO need for these events, I am merely asking WHAT the need is and what you get out of it? I clearly acknowledged the obvious popularity of the event by mentioning the attendance numbers.
Personally, I find being called a ‘chick’ lazy and insulting, whether in business or any other sphere of my life. I am a woman, not a girl or a lady or (shudder) a sheila. I’m not aware of any male-oriented networking organisations out there called ‘Business Blokes’ or ‘Entrepreneurial Dudes’. I love to have a laugh as much as the next person but, in the interest of shattering that glass ceiling and getting to where we deserve to be in the business world, why do we feel we need to dumb it down?
I have to say I find the use of the word “chicks” to be rather offensive. If someone referred to me as a chick in any professional environment (or indeed in the pub!) I would be very annoyed. I think it is important that if we are to collectivise we should be careful to avoid creating rods for our own backs.
If we call ourselves and each other something that is actually rather derogatory then we can have no recourse when someone else uses it too.
I own a business in the advertising industry and I too fought the “women in business” stigma for a while – thinking I was purely a business owner – an equal with my male peers. But like it or not, men and women are wired differently and we are emotional beings – some of us more than others, of course, but we all need the extra support that these organisations provide. Through Business Chicks, I have become very good friends with 9 women – some of whom have been very benficial to me in business. And I find that every time I step outside my comfort zone (eg. get up and dance while wearing a suit!) I feel great afterwards and it inspires me to do something else (like make an uncomfortable phone call) that scares me. You get out of every situation what you put in – the more you contribute to an atmosphere, the more rewards you will reap!
I see Business Chicks and other women network organisations as an opportunity to share business ideas and learn about being successful in business, as a woman or as an individual. It’s great to be in a like-minded community that is supportive of each others dreams. I go to many different networking events, and my decision to go is based on the speaker as well as the fellow attendees. The beauty of Business Chicks is that is not exclusive and you will find many men attending also. Maybe they have figured there is something for them to learn about the way women do business. It’s not better or worse, just different.
I would love to see an article on ‘what to wear’ in business- it pertains to both men and women as image and branding are important.
I too agree with Kate Petersen (whom I do not know) I think you only have to look at the numbers of women, and MEN, that frequent the Business Chicks events in nearly all states of this country to know that they are filling a need. Regardless of how many breakfasts or gatherings you may have attended, one thing is consistent, you simply cannot deny the energy and sense of anticipation that is there as people mill to register for a 7am breakfast. This is no ordinary group of men and women. These are generally people that have diaries filled with back to back meetings – middle to upper management, many with families that to be organised within an inch of their lives…. all eagerly awaiting the next offering from the amazing and energetic Business Chicks team. That to me speaks volumes. Jen, you were there when Head Business Chick Emma Isaacs announced the acclaimed dancer and author, Li Cunxin, as the next guest speaker… and heard for your self the levels of excitement that generated – hope to see you at the next Breakfast – with or without your dancing shoes on!!
You’re right, Susie. To have close to 1,000 people in a room at 7am (and on time!) on a Friday morning is a massive achievement in anyone’s book!
I have to say I cannot stop laughing at the image in my head of them pumping Beyonce (I’m picturing her latest song- all the single ladies) and everyone breaking out Jazz moves. I’m honestly surprised at how many women are members of this group today. Aside from the great work they do for charity, I’m not sure what kind of support could be found from a network called ‘Business Chicks’. I’d like to think these women would not accept being called a ‘chick’ at work, so why is the network name ok?? Also if I have to hear a ‘she is a women and look how far she has come’ story one more time I will seriously hurl. What has she overcome-…being a women? In 2009 these kinds of stories should not exist, she is where she is because of being great at what she does, it’s as simple as that, no gender definition needed. Personally, I think these groups are outdated.
• Having attended one, it seems to attract mostly young women taken along by their bosses for the purpose of team building. It does that – and adds some lightness to the start of the day.
• Next time you try and get 700 people into a room, you’ll appreciate the effort it takes to make that sort of event happen.
• If you’re serious about building business, you’re not going to depend on any one breakfast to build your network.
Now for the SERIOUS stuff… I am not a fan of tokenistic inclusion of women in magazines but here is what I ask from publications: We should see ourselves reflected back at us. So, don’t stick a women in the magazine to show that you want to appeal to women, just be relevant and reflective of reality. When govt is made up of 50% women, when boards better reflect the workforce, when women no longer need/want to gather together then they, and organisations like mine, will fade away into non-existence.
Respect to Emma Isaacs for building a hugely successful networking group that has obviously filled a niche in the events/networking market. However, i am not a fan of “woman only” networking events as i think it highlights the fact that woman need special treatment in business. Let’s stop looking at ourselves as being different from men, because we are not. I have never thought of myself as a woman in business. I consider myself a business person. For this reason i favour networking events that allow me to mix with all decision makers – men and woman.
Wow, this is fascinating stuff. The comments here reveal more about each writer (of course) than anything to do with the events. This is congruent with the Business Chicks as a brand too: what you get out of it is a direct magnification of what you put in:
> Arrive with a professional agenda expecting to do some career networking with like-minded ‘women in business’ and you are liable to seek them out easily (or they you);
> come to experience a uniquely collective, collaborative and creative (and dare I say it, more female than you might expect in the CBD) energy to remind you why it’s great to be alive, and you’ll find it everywhere you look;
> rock up for a laugh with the girls (and boys if you choose to bring them: the whole point is that it’s a self-selecting group), to hear some truly inspirational speakers, ‘do your bit’ for frightened, suicidal or abused children through buying raffle tickets whose proceeds go directly to Kids Help Line (a representative of which is always a co-speaker) and you’ll be in your element!
In other words, I’m a woman. I have my own business. So what? That’s not why I love attending Business Chicks events. I go because of the variety in the room. I love their brand and their philosophy and their deliverables because when you meet a fellow Business Chick you know two things:
1. that you are likely to share a very immediate, very genuine heart-mind-soul connection (core values such as generosity of spirit, curiosity, learning, growing and being present); and
2. that because your bond as Bus Chicks is on that beautiful deep, heart-soul level where you’re similar…it only makes it all the more fabulous that you’re different in every other way!
In other words, because the recognition of core values is pretty much instant, you\’re free to enjoy (rather than feel threatened by or judgmental of) all your points of difference from everybody else in the room. How great is that??
I have attended Bus Chicks events since their pre-Emma Isaacs, wholly Kids Help Line days and seen the joie de vivre swell from a few hundred in two states to nearly 20 thousand nationwide – and growing.
It’s a happy organic expansion of something easy, natural and generous. That’s how I view the brekkys…and I’ve been at various times a volunteer, an employee and a guest over the years.
In my experience there are as easily as many ‘women *not* in business’ or women (like myself) who run businesses but do not view that incidental fact as a defining characteristic of who they are who love supporting an organisation which offers something different.
Different that is, from anything else on offer in most cities – whether the events in question be run by or for men, women, or both.
As with most clubs, organisations, movements, parties and so on the Business Chicks’ membership base is self-selecting. You either ‘get it’ or you don’t. Those that do come back and find their lives enriched for the decision. Those who don’t, don’t and that’s perfect too.
…Just for the record, every guy I’ve ever brought to the brekky (and that’s numbered a fair few over the years) has loved the genuinely open, friendly energy and collaborative, creative female energy in the room.
Why is it so bad to recognize the different qualities that predominantly male and female energies have and let people (guys or girls) gravitate naturally to whichever space they thrive in best and can contribute to the most?
After all, I would rather be around 1000 beautiful, funny, bright, engaging women who are proud of who they are than nearly every other women’s network I can think of (none of which I’m a member of) which tend to just pretend to be men. What’s that about??
Some women choose to play the game by the rules already established. Others choose to create a whole new game. That’s the Business Chicks, and hats off to them because they are winning all the way
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It\’s my opinion that if you can\’t manage to make your point in one comment box then you shouldnt be making it here! Get your own blog if you need to rant for more than 200words.
A fair point @How Not To Comment On Blogs.
Interesting that the pro comments are focusing on defending the content of the events (and their single sex nature) while most of the criticism is being levelled at the use of the word ‘Chicks’.
I don’t mind these women gathering together, and if they get something out of it then more power to them. I do mind the fact that their name reflects on me even as a non-member. It teaches men and women that I work with and around that it might be acceptable to call me a chick because I too am a woman in business. It is not acceptable. Ever.
It’s an interesting point about both women, breakfast and dancing to Beyonce which at least makes me laugh and that’s invaluable.
A few years ago I would be drumming your beat, the whole aspect of ‘Womens’ groups was daunting and unacceptable until I transformed my own limited understanding of the value of women as individuals, women as a collective and the value of the interconnection which we have lost.
What I observed was beauty, women being pampered, women celebrating life, which happens far to rarely and which in ancient tradition would have been done in the ‘Red Tent’ on a full moon or some other Women’s ceremony depending on the ritual of the culture.
‘Straight’ people celebrate mardi gra, white people celebrate indigenous culture and men attend Business Chicks.
At a time of economic crisis, bush fires and kids in distress I feel its time to go beyond the attachment to ‘labels’ or ‘non labels’ and just celebrate each other and life in what ever form…. We will always culminate as a collective under ‘banners’ its only our attachment to them that limits us.
What did Business Chicks give me? Opportunity – to be indulged, to laugh, to engage, to be inspired, to be more expansive, to support kids, to connect, to be in my heart and to dance and all before 9am!!
Where were all the men at Friday’s breakfast?! I didn’t see one! I’d be interested to know how many of the attendees were male?
Who would have guessed that ‘women in business’ would be such a divisive issue…among women!?
We all want to be able to express our opinions and release our pent up passion, however, doing so in essay form can be somewhat boring for the rest. The point is often lost and thus defeats the purpose of writing in the first place. Clear and decisive arguments are crucial when discussing such an important topic.
I’ll also point out that all this chick-on-chick bickering further strengthens the views of those who continue to strive for pre-1960 values and the oft-discussed ‘glass ceiling’. Don’t let emotions get in the way of the big picture; we are all on the same side and must work together to ensure that equality is shared by all.
My team and I have been members of Business Chicks since their inception and we have loved every breakfast. Every breakfast is boldly underlined in the office diary. I have taken many Corporate Clients who have walked away raving about the morning and really glad they braved the early start..Two of the clients have won some of the top prizes which has caused a great buzz of excitement on the table.The speakers are excellent , they are inspiring, moving and passionate about what they do. I often leave with an extra spring in my step and ready to conquer the Business world after a Business Chicks breakfast. I know all my team find it motivating and rewarding and a chance to sit back and enjoy the Business Chicks ride. I am an absolute fan as are my team and clients. A wondeful acheivement Emma Isaacs!!!
When I first came across Business Chicks, I wondered what they were – a social network or a serious business networking community for women?
After reading about them, I came to the conclusion that these women are succesful, empowered and are happy to help the next generation of women to achieve their goals. That’s admirable.
As for the use of the word “chick”, I’ve gotten past it – it’s just a fun way to celebrate being a woman.
My point is, let’s have fun with the word, let’s own it. It’s ours.