Enterprising Women

The business world, for many years, was thought to be a man's world. Women were expected to stay home and raise their many babies, keep the house clean, cook, that sort of thing.

Well, there were a number of women who decided that perhaps the business world wasn't the exclusive domain of men after all. And despite the odds stacked against them, history proves that they were absolutely correct in that assumption.

Today's FamilyFirst site celebrates women who shrugged off society's restrictions and became successful businesspersons in their own right. It's called Enterprising Women. It was a traveling exhibit that toured from 2002-2005. The website still tells their story. Their own words best sum up the website structure:

“Visit the STORIES section and explore the "quilt" interface to discover biographies and photographs of the women featured in the exhibition. In YOUR STORIES, the focus switches to helping today's aspiring entrepreneurs achieve success by sharing contemporary women's stories, including yours, if you choose to contribute one. The RESOURCES page has content especially for educators, enabling them to use the Enterprising Women Exhibition as a teaching tool. The GAMES section features games that challenge your knowledge of history and test your readiness for entrepreneurship. Check the BOOK page for details about the book written by historian Virginia Drachman that accompanies the exhibition. The EXHIBITION section lists the locations for the show. And CREDITS outlines the team who brought you this project.”

The women being credited here include Mary Katherine Goddard, who published the first printed copies of the Declaration of Independence; Rebecca Lukens, who took over her deceased husband's iron works and became the only female iron manufacturer of her Victorian era; and many more names from the past. Also, modern-day entrepreneurs like eBay CEO Meg Whitman are covered.

You can also read submitted success stories from many other women who have gone forth and conquered in the business world.

So here's to all who have succeeded in business, particularly women.

http://www.enterprisingwomenexhibit.org

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