I’ve never considered myself a feminist or a man hater by any means….and I’m still not. The reason why I’m sharing this is because of recent trends I’ve been seeing having a business that is clearly run by women and providing a service for women. I have two other businesses, but one is where I work with predominately females and the other is owned with my husband who is the face of the company. No one messes with him.
I’ve noticed since the launch of Womentorz that there have been many situations where men providing a service have tried to charge me more than they would a male owned business because they think they can get away with it. I know this because when I’ve called them out on price with comparisons. They have either become defensive or reduced their price and say they are willing to “negotiate”. Why didn’t they give me the fair price from the start? It’s the same reason why most women know not to go to a car dealership by themselves. Just try to visit a car lot by yourself and you will see a flock of salesmen head your way with high pressure tactics.
As women owned businesses it is very important to do our homework and obtain several quotes. Don’t be afraid to question price and ask for references. The reason why this trend is taking place is because these men are use to women trusting that what they are saying is fact and they think they can get away with it. I’m not saying that all men in business are out to take advantage of women. I’m just saying that women in business need to be diligent and somewhat untrusting until the trust is deserved. I’m very lucky that the situations where I was taken advantage of didn’t ruin Womentorz because they really could have if I had not questioned their charges and left the relationship feeling cheated and powerless. My bark is sweet, but when necessary the bite can be vicious. Lesson learned the hard way!
8 comments:
You said it sista! I too feel I am very open minded in equality between men and women, but unfortunately, I've run into the same scenarios that have only made me stronger. I try to turn the situation around and think that the money I lost was instead an "investment" in my strength as an entrepreneur! Thanks for sharing your honesty. Womentorz is all about "real life" inspiration!
"My bark is sweet, but when necessary the bite can be vicious." - love this. Nobody messes with Melinda Knight (with a powerful name like this, those men should know better). =)
Unfortunately, situations like this happen. Obviously, these men are unaware that women today are more tech & online savvy, having the skills to obtain real-time information thus empowering us to make smarter home & business decisions.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
I have found it is good practice to negotiate everything! If you do your homework and negotiate based on that-generally they will come down in price and you will get a better price all around. I sell erasers and paddles and am partners in pennies in my business http://www.kleenslate.com- one million pennies can pay for a sweet vacation! You have got me thinking though about the inequalities that still exist today. I was incensed when I discovered that women also are given a higher interest rate on credit cards- even with good credit...go figure! Keep your eyes and heart open and guard your wallet!
Where's Jen? I am missing 'Whittle Your Waistline Wednesday'--her posts are the best!!
Hello Eileen-
I know her posts were the best. She unfortunately is no longer with Womentorz. This isn't an easy time for the spirit. I'm really sorry that this important area of the blog will be missing.
Melinda
Good job Melinda! I've found the same thing for Esse Reusable Bags. But I have also found that when you stand firm and ask for what you want (whether it be price, quality, minimums) you can usually get it and all without resorting to temper tantrums. My best advice for woman entrepreneurs is to stay calm, cool, collected and above all polite. If all else fails... put your favorite boots/heels on and walk away. They almost always come running back but if they don't, there is always someone right around the corner that WILL give you what you want and won't make you feel like they are doing you a "favor".
I've had to recruit my younger brother to call businesses that weren't cooperating with me. :0
Thank you Heidi for sharing. I've had to have my husband handle some situations in order to get results. It's sad, but at least we have someone to protect us. : )
Post a Comment