The seeds for the content of “Down to Business: The First 10
Steps to Entrepreneurship for Women” sprouted out of an effort to hold the
attention a group of middle school students who outgrew the picture book story
hour, a weekly event I held at the bookstore to interest students in reading.
The older kids wanted to know how I started the Hue-Man Bookstore so I made it
into a game and gave them a scenario. I asked them to imagine wanting to open a bookstore. What
would you need? The hands shot up---get money, a location, customers, cash
registers, employees, a name, bookshelves and books. And for each suggestion, I
told them what I did to open the store. From their input, I expanded the list
and came up with “First Steps in Starting the Hue-Man Bookstore”. Over the
years, I fleshed out the story to a general workshop since its’ principles
related not just to bookselling, but to all businesses and the steps resonated
with prospective small business owners.
The workshops that followed were the result of an invitation
by a Harlem bank manager. I was
asked to give a presentation to customers who had inquired about bank loans for
their business ideas but were unprepared and could benefit from the
information. I was surprised that the attendedees were 80 percent women. They
took copious notes and at the end always asked for a takeaway or if I had a
book. Eureka! The book idea was born.
I wanted to reach out to potential and existing women owned businesses
who were passionate and eager to launch or expand their enterprise. “Down To Business” provides concise
information in an accessible format and is enlivened by inspirational stories
of women in an eclectic assortment of businesses. And since I lived in Harlem and personally knew many female
business owners in the area, I used them as examples in the book. Each chapter includes exercises and if
the reader completes them, that budding entrepreneur will have overcome a major
obstacle and will come away with a basic business plan.
This book about getting women “Down to Business”
