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amber grewer R E A L E S TAT E " T o c r e a T e s o m e T h i n g e x c e p T i o n a l , y o u r m i n d s e T m u s T b e r e l e n T l e s s l y f o c u s e d o n T h e s m a l l e s T d e T a i l . " —Georgio Armani (831) 566-0021 | AmberGrewerRealEstate.com | DRE# 01346361 Santa Cruz Sentinel Supports Women in Business Susan Pylant Ronzano Multi-Media Advertising Sheri Ducharme Multi-Media Advertising Irma Vance Multi-Media Sales Assistant Diana Jacobson Multi-Media Advertising Meet your Santa Cruz Sentinel Advertising Team Women In Business A Santa Cruz Sentinel Special Advertising Section October 16 2021 What is the Santa Cruz County Business Council? It's a question I often get from those who are first encoun- tering our organization. Our members, partners, and friends would say that the SCCBC is a vital part of our com- munity. Since 1996, it has provided a voice for local business and part- nered with community leaders to remediate the major issues facing our community: housing, homelessness, work- force development, cli- mate change, transpor- tation, and many more in between. I'm Emily Ham, the one-woman show be- hind the SCCBC (well, my 60-plus members play pretty big roles too). I operate at the nexus of business and policy – two spaces that were once pretty intimidating for me as a woman but now feel like home. As someone with a background in the social sciences and community develop- ment, I never set out to be the executive direc- tor of a local business association. But what strengthens community also strengthens local economies, and smart policy is what gets us to both. My first few months in this role were a whirlwind. I met many incredible business and community leaders, many of whom I looked up to as a graduate student and while working on Monterey Bay Economic Partnership's Housing Initiative. I still spend quite a bit of time chasing away my imposter syn- drome, but this communi- ty has been very welcom- ing and supportive of my goals, and for that I am grateful. Many of the leaders I've come to know and work with are women. From an independent business consultant to a program manager at Google to the president of a leading internet service provider, their careers are nothing short of inspiring. What's even more impressive is their understanding and appreciation of the people of Santa Cruz County. They are driven by far more than profit and deeply dedicated to their communities. The SCCBC is dedicat- ed to the advancement of policies, projects, and practices that promote the health and vitality of our local economy. Embed- ded in that is creating fertile ground for even more women to become leaders in business and community. I look forward to growing my existing relationships with these women and getting to know many more. Thank you all for your innova- tion, leadership, and com- mitment to the betterment of Santa Cruz County. Business owners and ex- ecutives interested in join- ing our Council of change makers can email me at emily@sccbusinesscoun- cil.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! Provided photo The one woman show behind the SCCBC National Business Women's We e k The third full week in October ushers in National Business Women's Week each year. The observance focuses on the accomplish- ments of women in business. It also takes a look at the past and how far women in business have come and how far they have yet to go. Every year, women in the workforce take on stronger, more empowering roles. They run their own busi- nesses, take charge of the boardroom, and build upon last year's successes. At one time, very few women even had a voice. Today, women-owned busi- nesses generate nearly $1.8 trillion in sales. Of private- ly-owned companies, wom- en own 40 percent of them and employ almost 9 million people. Their contributions to the economy cannot go unnoticed. What's important to note are their roles continue to change. When once their place in the boardroom would have been considered questionable, today, it's now becoming commonplace. They're also successful at what they do. HOW TO OBSERVE #BusinessWomen'sWeek Recognize the women in business who you admire. Give them a shout out on social media. Are they entrepreneurs, innovators, creators? How have they impacted your career? Learn more about women in business by visiting thebalancecareers.com. For women who have chosen a business career path, share your experiences with oth- ers. While today is much different from 1938, wom- en must continue to inspire young women by attending job fairs and speaking at high schools. Demonstrate your successes to them and show them the way. Share your experiences as a businesswoman using #BusinessWomensWeek or #NBWW on social media. NATIONAL BUSINESS WOMEN'S WEEK HIS- TORY Lean Madesin Phillips, president of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs (NFBPWC), launched the first National Business Wom- en's Week in 1928. It wasn't until 1938 that the week was officially recognized and celebrated every year since. There are over 1,500 national days. Don't miss a single one. Celebrate Every Day® with National Day Calendar®!

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