Over a Decade of Celebrating Women
Twelve years ago, we published our first Women in Business special section. The pages included profiles of 40 women leading the charge locally in various industries from catering and photography to landscaping and dentistry. The cover featured an artist rendering of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, which was the result of a contest orchestrated by the Art League of Hilton Head and Hilton Head Preparatory School. The issue included an interview with Haley, written by our He Said, She Said alum and current director of Bluffton Self Help, Courtney Hampson.
Fast forward to today as I put the finishing touches on our most recent Women in Biz issue. Haley is now running for president, and these pages feature almost 140 women leading the charge in every industry imaginable. A lot can change in a decade.
According to the latest statistics I could find on the interwebs, 42 percent of all businesses in the U.S. are owned by women. These businesses employ 9.4 million workers and generate 1.9 trillion dollars in revenue annually. Thirty-one percent of these women have school-aged children at home. Noodle that for a minute. They are not only running a business, but a household with children. Impressive.
We photographed 108 women for this issue over the span of the last four weeks. Although I’ve met a lot of these women before because they are longtime clients, it was an honor to capture them in their element and discuss a variety of topics. The women on these pages are go-getters—forces of nature with the same amount of time we all have. They just seem to accomplish more.
Our August issue kicks off with a nod to the stars who help this island run when 100 million (made-up number) tourists come to town intent on enjoying our golf courses, restaurants, shops, and beaches. Cheryl Ricer interviews a few students driving the local workforce during the sweltering months of summer on page 28.
Lilli Serral, a new contributor (and one we hope to keep!), highlights local Women in Conservation on page 88. Some of the faces are most likely familiar to you, like the one you see on our CH2 cover, but perhaps the article will give you a bit more insight into what these ladies are trying to accomplish in terms of protecting the Lowcountry and educating our visitors on what makes it a unique place.
Liz Mayhew interviews Lissy Rawl of Little Fish Boateak and weaves the story of a hobby turned successful jewelry company, starting with $500 in the bank and a will to succeed. Read her story on page 76.
I hope you enjoy our seventh issue dedicated to supporting and highlighting local women in business. However, we don’t want you to think we’ve left the men out completely. Be sure to read Mayor Alan Perry’s column about Hilton Head Island’s fortieth birthday party in August, with a community picnic kick-off and a big concert in Lowcountry Celebration Park on September 16. I’ll definitely see you there!
Until Next Month,
Maggie Washo
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
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