It's just a few short hours before the New Year as a group of female founders slip into the side entrance at L.A.'s luxe Viceroy hotel on the city's ocean side. As we're greeted with flutes of Veuve and the private booth reserved for the evening, the room is filling up with revelers in dress pants and party dresses. I take a seat and can hardly wait for the countdown to 12am. Hours later, everybody's on the dance floor as a new year and a new decade rings in.
Two days later, however, it was back to business as a trio of fellow founders and I talk shop over tea at West Hollywood's Pali House, a local spot for meetings and co-working among the city's young professionals and entrepreneurs. It's myself and NPG co-creator and media brand, Meghan Cleary, and JC Report's Jason Campbell. We chat on things we're facing as business owners in similar and overlapping markets, swap ideas and talk about the future.
Across the country, dozens of women entrepreneurs I've met and know are doing the same. If there has been one theme I've seen among all its optimism. Power Girls are positive about what's ahead.
"Courage will overtake fear in 2010," said entrepreneur, Count Me In and Make Mine A Million founder Nell Merlino, who with partner American Express OPEN has helped drive thousands of female founders to drive revenue for their companies.
It was a sentiment shared by Collective-e.com co-founder Beth Schoenfeldt as well. "Small businesses that survived are well positioned for growth as they have become leaner and smarter," she added.
As 2009 passed, I admit couldn't help but to feel stronger, better and more ready than ever before, as well. My startup, launched just two months before the "economic meltdown" of 2008, was okay. I was okay. And somehow, business feels as if it'll be okay. In fact, in some ways, even better than ever.
"From a global company perspective, businesses will work to achieve healthy companies through long term goals and planning," said Deborah Krause, COO of Pure Management Group.
As the New Year kicks off and a brand new calendar year of opportunity for entrepreneurs, today's modern women entrepreneurs and executives are looking up - and, looking to take advantage.