Marigold Productions is giving business women the tools to mine their richest resources – themselves. The Traverse City based business was launched recently by Mary Rogers and has already attracted an avid following. Using the slogan, “because a woman’s work is never done,” Marigold offers career building seminars, hands-on workshops and networking lunches as well as opportunities to play, travel and informally meet others. It’s marketed as “a women’s business organization that you don’t join, you just join in.” “With women, all business is personal,” Rogers says. “We thrive on networking, flexibility and creativity… and value the quality of life both personally and professionally.” “Women have also become so busy that they must schedule everything into their lives, including personal and professional development... even leisure time. Marigold tackles both.” WHAT’S UP Recent Marigold at Work sessions are a good illustration. During January, the first Marigold Over Lunch featured TC’s Copper Ridge developer Connie Denewith who spoke on “Blue Suit Mom Syndrome... Balancing Career and Family.” The meeting room at Great Wolf Lodge was packed with an enthusiastic group of over 100 women of all ages, careers and backgrounds. The following week, Deb Callisan from Certain Success Inc. led a small group “Business Builder Workshop” on personal and professional goal setting. Coming up, Marigold at Play features an evening gathering of cooking and cameraderie at “Just Prepared” on February 23. Upcoming Marigold at Work sessions will focus on marketing to baby boomers on February 16, aging parents, on March 9, and organizational strategies in May. Future topics promise to be timely, industry diverse and solution oriented. A self described “business junkie,” Rogers brings a wealth of experience to her new venture, including over 20 years of hands-on experience in business ownership and business association management. Her past positions have included president of the Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce and president and CEO of the National Association of Women Business Owners-Greater Detroit. Most recently, she served as membership director for the TC Area Chamber of Commerce after relocating to Northern Michigan. She also developed the inaugural Grand Traverse Woman in Business lunch series in 2005.
POWER OF THE POCKETBOOK Why women? Consider the power of the pocketbook in this sampling of recent statistics: • Women handle 80-90% of household spending. (TrendSight Group) • Women make 51% of all auto purchases and 85% of all car buying is influenced by women in the household. (J. D. Power & Associates) • 66% of all women own their own homes (Milwaukee Sentinal) • 80% of all checks written in the United States are signed by women. (Dimensions) • Women-owned businesses have doubled in just ten years, accounting for 40% of all U.S. companies. (National Foundation of Women Business Owners) • In Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, more than 50% of firms are owned by women. (U.S. Census Bureau) • In Northern Michigan, females make up 51% of the population. (U.S. Census Bureau) • Women-owned businesses generate $1.15-trillion in sales and employ 9.2-million people. (Center for Women’s Business Research) • Since women account for a full 70% of all new business start-ups over the past decade, women are creating new accounts to handle their needs for banking services, telecommunications, office equipment and supplies, product and package delivery, travel, etc. (TrendSight Group)
DRIVING FORCE Giving women the skills to successfully create a business and to navigate their career development is a driving force behind Marigold. “This is something of a mission for me,” Rogers said. “Unless you have a solid basis of business skills, you have no business going into business. We can help develop the skills needed, and help women make good decisions and avoid making common mistakes.” Rogers is taking her own advice and growing Marigold carefully. During the upcoming year, she hopes to continue augmenting Marigold’s offerings, building up to two business builder sessions per month as well as a monthly networking lunch and several fun opportunities to gather and “play.” She welcomes feedback and recommendations for future speakers, topics and ideas.
For more information about Marigold Productions, visit the website at www.gomarigold.com for events, registration forms and resources. Phone 231-941-7700 or fax 231-941-7701.
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