Special Sections

I am a full-time agent that provides my clients with many years of knowledge. I am hard-working and diligent to get the job done. In addition, I have many valuable local connections to help your transaction go smoothly. Please contact me when you are ready to sell or buy! 831.334.7286 JULIEHANSMANN@DAVIDLYNG.COM | JULIEHANSMANN.COM | DRE 00667831 JULIE HANSMANN E X P E R I E N C E D - K N O W L E D G E A B L E - C O N N E C T E D A Santa Cruz Sentinel Special Advertising Section Women In Business October 15, 2022 Razelle Janice Drescher, CEIP 707-326-5681 IntentionalLeaders.com razelle@intentionalleaders.com Razelle has extensive experience with business coaching, helping business owners solve the challenges they face by collaboratively building the missing pieces that transform business frustrations into solutions. Team Building with Horses offers the opportunity to establish workplace well-being and enjoy the health benefits associated with equine assisted learning in the context of self-leadership and leadership of others. A complimentary consultation is available. Team Building with Horses Call or sign up at IntentionalLeaders.com Second Harvest Santa Cruz County Every month, 85,000 Santa Cruz County residents count on Second Harvest to avoid missing meals, and help make impossible choices between food, housing, medicine, and other necessities. Only with adequate food and nutrition can children learn, adults work, and our community thrive. We turn $1 donated into 4 healthy meals. Erica@TheFoodBank.org (831) 662-0991 Erica Padilla-Chavez, CEO The financial dispari- ties between male and female entrepreneurs are far-reaching. Women-led businesses receive lower valuations, less capital and fewer conventional small business loans than those led by men. Women entrepreneurs also pay themselves less than men and often take the brunt of balancing their family's needs while growing their business. In spite of these challenges, women-led businesses of all types are thriving across the United States, thanks in part to initiatives offering tactical support and networking opportunities. Take it from Racquel Garcia, whose substance abuse recovery and life coaching business Hard- Beauty had substantial outside funding but needed guidance in becoming an efficient and sustainable operation. She applied to join the Milestone Circles program offered by the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center and funded by Wells Fargo Foundation. As part of Wells Fargo's Connect to More program, the Nasdaq Entrepreneur- ial Center places women entrepreneurs from across the country into "circles" that receive virtual and in-person peer and profes- sional coaching over 12 weeks, plus the support of a growing network of fellow business leaders. As of June 2022, the pro- gram has graduated more than 540 entrepreneurs in 47 states, with an aim of graduating another 1,000 women over the next 12 months. Built by entrepre- neurs for entrepreneurs, the goal is to create space for women to step away from business pressures, identify goals and support each other's growth. With the assistance of her program "sisters," Garcia built two revenue streams that were less grant-dependent, growing her income by $200,000 in 12 weeks. But the impact of this support went beyond the business. For Garcia, who is one of the only women of color in her small Colorado town, the program was a rare opportunity to share her dreams with other women she would not have crossed paths with otherwise. "Many women entre- preneurs suffer from imposter syndrome. This confidence gap and the systemic financial barriers and pressures faced by women entrepreneurs are just some of the reasons I saw a need for this pro- gram," says Jenny Flores, head of Small Business Growth Philanthropy at Wells Fargo. For Terriekka Cardenas, a sixth grade teacher, engineer and owner of Perceptive Engineering, having this support is what helped her embrace the title of CEO. "That was the first moment for me that I didn't box my- self in," she says. Others, such as Ruby Taylor, who graduated from the first Milestone Circle in 2021, haven't stopped meeting with their peers after the initial 12 weeks. In 2020, Taylor created a card game, LEGACY!, to teach peo- ple how to close the racial wealth gap and have fun doing it. Being able to craft a mission statement while enrolled inspired her to amplify her vision and found Financial Joy School, which coaches Black families on build- ing generational wealth. "My circle is a tight-knit group that continuously supports each other when we get stuck. We're just a telephone call away when we feel discouraged," she said. While founding and growing a business comes with risks, support from peers and mentors can make all the difference, say program organizers. "When you're able to show up authentically and say what you need help with -- the real things, the hard things -- and people can come around and provide support in an environment free of competition or judgment, that's really game-chang- ing," says Flores. iStock via Getty Images Plus Mentoring Can Help Women-Led Businesses Thrive By StatePoint

• Cover