With interest rates at an all time low and individual and institutional investors cash heavy, 2016 marks the beginning of what’s being referred to as the Golden Age for women entrepreneurs. In short, women now own 38% of the U.S. businesses across most industries and these ventures are growing at five times the national average. Over the last few years, we’ve seen more and more women in The Channel exploring entrepreneurship. If predictions are right and the “Golden Age” has only begun – there are plenty of up-and-coming women business owners hungry for advice from inspiring entrepreneurial women in The Channel.
One such inspiration is Laura Bergerson, Founder and CEO of Channel Impact, a leading Channel specialty firm.
The Road to Entrepreneurship in the Channel
Laura’s path to business ownership was laid early. Growing up, her parents hoped she would follow in their self-employed footsteps, citing the freedom and control that come with paving your own way.
Laura’s foray into becoming one of the women in The Channel was less predictable. The first in her family to work in the tech space, she credits her break into the industry to a neighborhood woman who helped her land a channel marketing position at 3Com.
She then joined a small team at Cisco working to build their channel from the ground up and honed her expertise. Over time, a pattern emerged. Many of the suppliers she worked with had virtually no channel experience. She found herself educating them instead of the other way around. A light bulb went off; there was a real need for a dedicated resource – a winning team of channel experts to help clients accelerate their route-to-market.
A business was born. The folks at Cisco supported the endeavor by becoming her first client back when it was a one-gal shop. A decade later, her team of over 40 employees support an impressive roster of leading IT and Telecom Channel organizations.
Paying it Forward
One of the biggest lessons Laura learned at Cisco was the importance of technology. The Channel Impact team “eats, lives, breathes, and sleeps technology” and embeds tech in everything they do, including the way they work. This is true because Laura hasn’t forgotten who opened doors for her and set out to do the same for others, particularly her employees.
Aiming to build a business she would want to work at, focus was put on creating a company with benefits and culture that support a strong work-life balance. Laura wanted people to feel like they didn’t have to put their careers on hold as their professional needs and personal lives changed. The adoption of a tech-centric culture allowed for the flexibility she desired as Channel Impact grew.
Today, with over 40 employees, the vast majority work remotely. It has helped them advance their careers while maintaining work-life balance and this flexibility is beneficial for clients, as well. Channel Impact’s clients and employees are located all around the world and thanks to technology, Laura can easily match the best team members for the job, regardless of location.
Advice for Entrepreneurial Women in The Channel
The “pay it forward” approach doesn’t stop with her own employees. With memories of how difficult and scary it can be to make the entrepreneurial leap of faith, Laura works to make connections and offer insights to aspiring entrepreneurs.
Laura’s tips for women in the Channel thinking about or just beginning their journey to successful self-employment:
Follow your dream, but make sure that dream is rooted in something you have experience in.
Timing is important. Self-employment is risky. Success doesn’t come overnight. Having a financial plan in place is key.
Hearing from women entrepreneurs on how they handled the same challenges you’re experiencing is instrumental. You can learn a lot from others’ failures (and successes).
People do business with people they trust, those who have their best interests at heart. Whether you’re an employee or a business owner, take time every day to nurture relationships.
Want to learn more about entrepreneurship and women in the Channel? These links can help:
Happy Birthday Channel Maven! What I’ve Learned in 7 Years. A Note on Entrepreneurship
Why Creativity Still Matters in Channel Marketing
5 Things You Need to Understand About Your Partners’ Small Business