No longer are women only the largest group of consumers, but also the fastest-growing demographic of business owners in the United States. As of 2006, two in five businesses were independently-owned or 50 percent or more controlled by women, according to a study conducted by the Center for Women's Business Research.
Although there's no comparable local data available, Greer politicians and entrepreneurs said an influx of new women-owned and operated businesses, women in high-ranking positions in banking and industry and a Chamber of Commerce organization geared specifically toward women in enterprise all indicate Greer's mirroring the national trend.
"I think one of the reasons you see Greer growing is the entrepreneurial opportunities you see in our community," Mayor Rick Danner said. "Particularly in our downtown area there is a niche market with an increase in women- and minority-owned businesses. We are an extremely diverse community in Greer and our businesses are a reflection of our population."
Referring to fledgling chamber organization Greer Recognizing Outstanding Women, City Administrator Ed Driggers said the city is actively "reaching out to encourage women business owners."
"GROW is very indicative that there's a concentration of female-owned business and a high interest in developing new businesses in this area," Driggers said. "I see it locally and think we fall right into those national trends."
Sandra Johnston
Sandra Johnston, 47, was struggling to survive as a single mother of two making $16,000 in a dead-end job when she started as a Mary Kay independent beauty consultant more than 18 years ago.
Today a director in the worldwide skin care company, she's earned national recognition for personal sales 57 times. She balances the demands of wife, mother and owner of her own successful home-based business in Greer's Blue Ridge area.
"I think that I've overcome stereotypes being pregnant and married at 16 with no college education and have been able to build what I've built," Johnston said. "It gives women out there hope you can overcome some pretty good odds."
Johnston's personal sales have topped $36,000 annually at least six times. She's won a list of prizes including eight cars, gemstone rings and pendants, American Express cash cards and home furnishings. She's also earned commissions and bonuses based on sales by 130 women recruited into the company by her and her recruits.
"I don't know any other business with unlimited income potential and the ability to give other women more opportunities and choices," Johnston said. "I have the flexibility to travel where I want and take my business with me wherever I go."
When her daughter gave birth to twin boys three years ago, Johnston took a month off to spend time with them. She also has plenty of time to arrange her schedule to accommodate pursuits of the rest of a family that includes her now grown two children, four stepchildren with graphic designer husband Skip and their seven grandchildren.
An Ohio native, Johnston has clients from where she grew up outside Dayton to a majority in California where she lived 15 years before moving to a Blue Ridge home suitable for the family's three horses two and a half years ago.
She became a member of the Chamber and was invited to participate in GROW when the organization launched about a year ago.
"It's just so in line with what Mary Kay is about," she said of the organization. "We're such a company that's committed to women's growth, which is what really attracted me. I had no self esteem when I started. Now I have had limitless possibilities."
Lisa Nason
After Lisa Nason, 41, gave birth to son Cody in March 2005, she opted to modify her career to better suit her new role as a mom.
"I decided I wanted the flexibility with my little guy," she said. "If he has ball practice at 4 p.m. I can take off and go watch him and it won't matter to anyone."
A certified public accountant since 1991, Nason had worked as a corporate accountant for KPMG, Deloitte and Nuvox Communications headquartered in downtown Greenville. Eager to spend more time with Cody and work instead with small businesses, she and a partner opened their own small business on Wade Hampton Boulevard in 2006.
The partner left after a year, Nason reorganized and renamed her one-woman firm Nason Accounting, LLC. She now serves as accountant and financial adviser to more than 150 clients.
"I like working with small business. And the Greer community has welcomed me with open arms," Nason said. "Even other CPAs have stopped by and referred work, which has been super."
With the corporate deadline just past and April 15 deadline for individuals and partnerships looming, Nason now is mired in year-end tax returns.
"It's sometimes really stressful because you wonder 'Am I really going to get this all done,' but I always do," she said. "I was working before with major international companies and huge entities. The smaller businesses are so appreciative when you save them even $500. Some are just happy I return their phone calls."
Unlike women-owned home-based businesses like Johnston's Mary Kay directorship, Nason Accounting is in a 950-square foot office. Located in the heart of the Wade Hampton business district across from Greer Plaza, the conservatively decorated space boasts two offices, a break room and reception area.
Despite the additional overhead, Nason said she opts to maintain an office separate from her home with Langston Black Real Estate husband Miles for safety and added exposure.
"I just didn't want clients coming to the house when I was by myself or with my child," she said. "I also thought an office on Wade Hampton would generate visibility and hopefully more clients. There's overhead but the revenue potential outweighs the cost. It has so far."
Nason celebrates her son's third birthday this Thursday. She said juggling motherhood and managing her personal business venture so far has been a "wonderful thing."
"If you can arrange to plan for the initial financial sacrifice needed to start up a business, I highly encourage anyone to do it," she said. A North Carolina-born Clemson graduate who grew up in Simpsonville, she said she highly recommends Greer as a home for independently-owned businesses, especially those by women.
"This is a good climate for women in business," she said. "Greer in general is just growing and has gone out of its way to welcome and support entrepreneurial women to those working in area companies."
GROW
More than 200 women have attended seminars and functions presented by the Chamber of Commerce-sponsored organization devoted solely to the pursuits of the female business community since its inception February 2007, chairwoman Sharon Hyatt said.
GROW, Greer Recognizing Outstanding Women, was formed to assist women personally and professionally to reach their full potential, she said. "We learn what it means to be a mentor to someone else and provide our abilities to help other women accomplish what they want to accomplish."
Unlike in larger suburbs where competition between women in more fierce, women seem to rally to support one another in the Upstate, Hyatt said. She worked for five years in Atlanta banking before returning in 2005 to the Taylors/Greer area where she grew up and graduated from Eastside High in 1973.
"Atlanta is so fast-paced, you see more of that competitiveness or drive to go against each other and outdo. In Greer it's a different world. Women become friends and bounce ideas off each other," said Hyatt, who last month started as office manager for Greer Capital Bank on Wade Hampton Boulevard. "Women are still going to be competitive with women, but I don't see it here like in Atlanta."
The need for GROW arose as the community began to attract more women in business, Chamber Executive Director John Kimbrell said.
"We see a lot of growth in women-owned businesses not only in the Chamber but across the community," Kimbrell said. "And not only owners but women working in the community and in downtown Greer."
Hyatt pointed to the new women-owned specialty shops on Poinsett and Trade Street and downtown's newest restaurant, Cafe Rivera, owned by a husband and wife team.
"There also are a lot of home-based businesses," she said. In addition to her responsibilities at the bank, Hyatt and a partner have recently started a wedding planning and stationery business for "something fun on the side."
"You never know where that might go down the road," she laughed, adding the future of GROW is more certain. "I think you'll find over the next five to ten years the number of women-owned businesses will double. We seem to be following those national trends."