Happy Holidays From WPO Chicago II Chapter (12/12/24)

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Happy Holidays from WPO Chicago I Chapter (12/5/24)

©2024 Laurel J, Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Outlook for Women Business Owners Is Optimistic in 2025

As 2025 approaches, entrepreneurs remain optimistic about growth despite economic uncertainties. According to EY’s Entrepreneur Ecosystem Barometer, many entrepreneurs who experienced strong revenue growth in 2024 anticipate a stronger market next year.

Business owners are pursuing growth even in uncertain times.

One Million People Joined in a Day: Bluesky Rises

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

In early November, 1 million people joined Bluesky in a single day. Now, a live counter shows over 20 million users as of earlier this week. With 10-11 people joining per second, the social media startup seems to have no limit. Here’s what to know about the social media platform scaling faster than anyone expected.

Many point to multiple factors, rather than a random rise in popularity, for the success of Bluesky. X has been dealing with mass exoduses, the largest of which involved 115,000 people who left after the election.

The surge has coincided with not only the election month, but also a change in the X user agreement that went into effect Nov. 15, which includes legal ramifications.

I [Laurel Delaney] am on Twitter but I have also setup an account at Bluesky.

What would you do if your business took off?  Are you ready? 

How Do You Know When You've Made It As a Business Owner?

While more and more women have been opening their own businesses, women entrepreneurs still face challenges when branching out on their own and moving up in professional settings.

Fast Company spoke with six women entrepreneurs who have created thriving small businesses. Some of these businesses add a dash of beauty to the world through flowers or jewelry, some offer joy with artisanal treats, and still others make life easier for new moms through the cutest kids PJs or functional breast pumps.

But they all have commonalities that began when the women first turned their passion projects into viable incomes. 

Here, they share the stories of founding their businesses—and the moments they knew they’d made it.  It boils down to:  What does success as an entrepreneur look like? 

Passion. Collaboration. Community.

Passion, collaboration and community are key to running a successful business. That’s according to a recent survey of women business leaders as part of PNC’s bi-annual Economic Outlook Survey.

“Women entrepreneurs are leading with passion for their business, confidence, and optimism for the future,” Peterson-Sheptak, head of Business Banking at PNC, said. “We need to make sure we have the resources and people to support their success.”

APCO's Margery Kraus Offers Top Strategies for Women Founders

Margery Kraus (pictured), a globally recognized master storyteller and communications innovator, is the founder and executive chairman of APCO, a global advisory and advocacy consultancy headquartered in Washington, D.C.  She is also the former WPO Board Chair.

She has deep expertise in providing strategic counsel on issue-based communication, crisis management, market entry and corporate reputation across diverse industry groups.

Margery founded APCO in 1984 and transformed it from a company with one small Washington office to a multinational consulting firm in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Read the interview with Margery conducted by Vanessa Ogle at Medium.  Rich in detailing and incredible insights are shared.