Triumph Charters is officially open for the Boston Summer 2014 Season! Now, if summer would just get here...
Which led to a micro-drama in the marina. A neighbor is using Fundables to purchase an antique motor yacht with the goal of becoming the "only woman owned chartering business in Boston Harbor" and providing a "unique chartering experience."
Being neighbors and acquaintances, I checked it out.
Their offerings are almost identical to ours. So much for unique.
And I became curious. What constitutes a woman owned business? And what is the difference in a CEO and a President? So I Googled them. Here's what I found:
Woman owned Business:
The most essential requirement for achieving certification as a women-owned enterprise is majority control. That means a woman must own 51 percent of the business to qualify for certification. However, ownership is just a small part of the equation. The term ownership goes beyond numbers in this case. A woman must also hold the highest position at the company and be active in daily management and the strategic direction of the company. "Ownership is a very easy thing to do on paper, but if the woman is not the visionary and holds the office manager position, for example, that's the kind of thing that will halt a certification," says Harris-Lange. So before moving forward, make sure that you have several ways of proving that you are leading the company, from doing the hiring and firing to any planning documents.
In addition to being a majority owner, a woman must also be a U.S. citizen, and it is recommended that she be in business for at least six months. If you meet these three main requirements as a business owner, you can begin the process of putting together your application.
Which led to a micro-drama in the marina. A neighbor is using Fundables to purchase an antique motor yacht with the goal of becoming the "only woman owned chartering business in Boston Harbor" and providing a "unique chartering experience."
Being neighbors and acquaintances, I checked it out.
Their offerings are almost identical to ours. So much for unique.
And I became curious. What constitutes a woman owned business? And what is the difference in a CEO and a President? So I Googled them. Here's what I found:
Woman owned Business:
The most essential requirement for achieving certification as a women-owned enterprise is majority control. That means a woman must own 51 percent of the business to qualify for certification. However, ownership is just a small part of the equation. The term ownership goes beyond numbers in this case. A woman must also hold the highest position at the company and be active in daily management and the strategic direction of the company. "Ownership is a very easy thing to do on paper, but if the woman is not the visionary and holds the office manager position, for example, that's the kind of thing that will halt a certification," says Harris-Lange. So before moving forward, make sure that you have several ways of proving that you are leading the company, from doing the hiring and firing to any planning documents.
In addition to being a majority owner, a woman must also be a U.S. citizen, and it is recommended that she be in business for at least six months. If you meet these three main requirements as a business owner, you can begin the process of putting together your application.
The CEO differs from the president in that the former is in charge of carrying out the long and medium-term goals of the company while the latter concerns himself with its day-to-day operations.
It is the CEO's job, then, to see to it that the company makes as much profit as possible by conceptualizing a workable (and profitable) long-term plan of action and applying cost-efficient policies and techniques, sound sales and marketing strategies, and performance-optimizing initiatives. As for the president, it is his job to ensure that the company machinery (people and equipment) runs efficiently like a well-oiled machine.
Whereupon, I requested that my neighbor change the verbiage from 'only' to "one of a select few". I also know for a fact that there are other charter businesses that are woman owned.
Her response was
I checked out your website when you first arrived and assumed your business wasn't active
Plus, I looked up your corporation on line and Doug[my husband] is the president and you are the vice president. There is no indication that you are an owner.
Huh.
Two results percolated out of this.
1. After decades in business and the corporate world, people (men and women alike) still judge me from the outside and completely disregard my accomplishments and abilities.
2. Once the people in (1) make up their mind, there is little chance of changing it. And it only leads to frustration on my part.
This reminds me of a quote from my uncle (I know he didn't create it, but in his Kentucky drawl, it's adorable) "Never try to put lipstick on a pig. It frustrates you and annoys the pig..."And regardless of how people perceive me, I'm not going to change my business attire.
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