Business
Business AdVise: State issues may play role in business
Fultondale — I had the pleasure of attending Gov. Bob Riley’s State of the State Address this week in Montgomery.
As State Sen. Scott Beason has reminded us, Alabama is a legislative-driven state, and to that end, we should remain fiercely open to debate and discussion as we work to move some of these initiatives, and ultimately Alabama, forward.
One undercurrent of change is the growing presence of women in the workplace and a trend toward more women working in general. According to The Economist (Jan. 2 edition) it is truly a woman’s world, and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
It seems that three of the four people who lost jobs during the recession were men; female unemployment runs at 8.6 percent which is measurably less than the 11.6 percent for men. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up more than two-thirds of the employment in 10 of the 15 job categories likely to grow fastest in the next few years.
Consider this fact: by 2011, there will be 2.6 million more women than men studying in American Universities. It seems that much of this opportunity is born in accepting the challenge of finding ways to blend work and parenthood.
Countries in other parts of the world manage this trend by placing a focus on preschool education. For example, Norway places an emphasis on women returning to work and children getting started into kindergarten. Other countries such as Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the Netherlands support mothers working part-time.
It has been suggested that women who work will be the beneficiaries of the growing “war for talent.” An aging workforce in a skill-dependent economy will need to make better use of their female populations, especially since they seem to be the greater number pursuing higher education.
Here is another fact of interest for you: the number of privately held companies started by women has increased twice as fast as the number started by men. Female-owned companies employ more people than the largest 500 companies combined. If these women are like many that we know, a proper education opportunity for their children is a high priority and they will be watching the charter school debate in Alabama.
Women in the workplace are also working more and becoming increasingly more active politically active. Consider what this means for schools, and the debate that we will see this legislative session with regard to charter schools.
Millions of families in Alabama struggle with insufficient child care facilities and a school day that bears no resemblance of their working lives. Riley suggested that there is merit in an open discussion about the charter school option for Alabama. He reminded the audience during his State of the State this week that charter schools ARE public schools and that charter schools would not resegregate schools because discrimination is prohibited. In addition, approving charter school legislation would help to secure up to $200 million in federal grant money for education as well.
Some of the most popular American charter schools offer longer days and shorter summer holidays, which does match up more neatly with the lifestyle of working parents.
As we move into our work week, take some time to catch the headlines, or read a quick update of what Montgomery is doing for you.
I am confident that if you are informed about the debates taking place on workforce development, ethics reform and school initiatives, not to mention gambling, you will be better prepared to place a vote for leadership that will make pro-business decisions.
And remember, take care of your customers, or someone else will. You can find additional readings on my blog at http://businessadvise4u.blogspot.com
Teresa Vise is the marketing, growth, events and special projects co-director for the Fultondale Chamber of Commerce. She received her MBA from Samford University and is a speciality sales professional with Sanofi Aventis. She can be reached at teresa.vise@sanofi-aventis.com.
- Business
-
-
Body language includes the eyes of your clients
When we additionally consider the eyelids, and the flexibility of the eyes to widen and close, and for the pupils to enlarge or contract, it becomes easier to understand how the eyes have developed such potency in human communications.
-
Business AdVise: Looking Forward to the Business of Business
The Holy Grail of voter this year is the highly coveted disenchanted independent voter. Is that you? Even more key, are you the coveted disenchanted independent who is pro-business?
-
Business Advise: Together we can do so much more
This has been a very busy week for our town with the installation of our first intern, Jennifer Wilburn. Jennifer is a junior with the University of Alabama at Birmingham studying marketing and accounting, and she has already been an invaluable extension to our chamber of commerce.
-
Business Advise: A lesson for women in leadership - working with the Good Ol’ Boys
This is not to say that networking and swimming the channel of the Good Ol’ Boy Club isn’t very important, but that your qualifications will get you in the door. According to Cobb, don’t approach the club by trying to bust through it. You have to navigate it.
-
Business Spotlight: C4 Creative LLC
Catherine Davis is the owner of C4 Creative in Gardendale, which has been in business for one year, eight months.
-
Business AdVise: Change is still the only certainty in business
“May you live in interesting times,” reads the quote. How true it is to know that we are living in both interesting and changing times that have us emerging from another tumultuous year with the future for many still uncertain.
-
Business Spotlight: Family Security Credit Union
Family Security Credit Union has been in business 57 years. There are 17 locations and 160 employees statewide. The Gardendale location, at 1001 Odum Rd., employs five people. Rita Boyd is branch manager of the Gardendale site.
-
Movie store closings affect area
If you live in Gardendale or Fultondale, you may have seen the Movie Gallery stores liquidating their inventories for the past month.
-
Business AdVise: All things Fultondale: Is it really that simple?
Sorry, I can’t sell you anything since you aren’t from Fultondale. Sorry, I can’t sell you anything since you aren’t from Gardendale. Sorry, I can’t sell you anything since you aren’t from “you name the city.”
-
Business Spotlight: Doggie's Choice Grooming Salon
“That’s why our prices are so low, why we do things as a package. Our basic grooms start at $25. We’ve got people who will bring us things like eggs or food out of the garden if they can’t pay.”
- More Business Headlines
-
Body language includes the eyes of your clients
