#WomenWednesdays | December Recap
Erin Trybulec • Jan 01, 2020
During December, we had the opportunity to collaborate with some of our own team members, as well as business owners and a future reporter. Below you will find our full length Q&A collaborations.
Be Sure to Support Our #WomenWednesdays Collaborators with their social media links ā¬ļø
Dayanna | Artist, Etsy Shop Owner, Esthetician, Makeup Artist, and Wife | Chicago, IL
Her Etsy shop is Cosas DB Art where she sells her art and other handmade items like jewelry and crocheted pieces.
Instagram:
@cosasdb.etsy
Facebook:
@CosaDBetsy
Etsy Shop: Cosas DB Art
USWHPRO:
Is there a woman who inspires you? Why?
Dayanna:
Women in general that have survived illness, divorce, deaths, lay-offs, but pressed on with a tenacity — that inspires me. They are world mother's, sister's, travelers, executives, communication professionals, caregivers, and healers who have made the world a better place.
USWHPRO:
What inspired you to start Cosas DB?
Dayanna:
As a woman who had PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), I used Painting as a therapeutic coping mechanism for many years. Art allows the mind to focus on the images at hand and on nothing else. This focus toward one central topic relieves stress on the mind, and in turn relaxes the body. My husband encouraged me to share my art to the public, participate in galleries and soon after open my online Etsy Shop!
USWHPRO:
Do you feel you have faced adversity as a woman in the business world? How were you able to overcome it?
Dayanna:
CHALLENGE: HARD TO BUILD A SUPPORT NETWORK IN A “Men Only Club” World.OPPORTUNITY: Despite this challenge I've now been involved with networking groups, professional associations, and other organizations that feature and promote successful women leaders. By networking and participating with other groups and or organizations can give you the opportunity to not only learn from others, but also enables you to make and build connections with potential mentors.
USWHPRO:
What advice do you have for other women who are interested in starting their own business or sharing their art?
Dayanna:
Each setback is an ideal opportunity for women entrepreneurs to learn. Starting and thriving in a small business is a lot of work and often. However, the challenges are just hurdles, not permanent barriers. Every successful entrepreneur has had to ask for help, advice, or another’s perspective, but particularly in the early start of business. I encourage women to work through the moments of self-doubt that every business owner faces and not wait for perfection before starting their business and/or sharing their art!
Marcy | Lawyer | Harwood Heights, IL
Marcy is a bilingual lawyer practicing in the following areas: criminal and traffic defense, immigration, evictions, family law.
USWHPRO: Is there a woman who inspires you? Why?
Marcy: My grandmother (my mom’s mom) | She survived the war and never said: “Oh I can’t do that” and supplying an excuse. She never complained about anything, maintained gratitude, and always found a way to smile. • Mother Teresa | She is an inspiration to me because worked with everyone and tried to help everyone — she didn’t aim for people with wealth and power. She sought to help those who needed her talents the most, so that everyone, including the sick and poor could be understood in the system with respect. I feel that God has given me talent — I don’t care what other people think of me. I still respect others, but sometimes I have to be outspoken and disliked to be the voice and aid on their behalf. There is a song that I often heard in church that talks about how God stood at the bank of a river and said he was looking for people to follow him and he points people out and tells them and suggests that you should use your talents to the fullest — whether its leadership or speaking up on behalf of others who may not always be able to do so as a result of monetary issues, need for a translator, etc. • My former co-worker Mary | She taught me procedures that I never change, regardless of the person.
USWHPRO: What inspired you to become a lawyer and start your own law office?
Marcy: What inspired me to become a lawyer was being raised in the Polish-American community where I witnessed so many people struggle with legal issues due to lack of translation ability & I witness several people being taken advantage of because they didn’t know the laws.
USWHPRO: Do you feel you have faced adversity as a woman in business? How did you overcome it?
Marcy:
Yes | When I started working in traffic court as a prosecutor, I had a lot of issues with male attorneys asking me if I was the Polish translator. I would educate the person and say I am not the interpreter, but I am bilingual and able to translate for $100/hour, but that it would be a conflict of interest as I am currently the acting prosecutor. There have also been times where others would refer to me as m’am rather than council, which essentially places me as a lower level.
USWHPRO:
What advice do you have for other women who are interested in starting their own business or law firm?
Marcy:
First, I would say to take a course on finances/accounting. You need to understand your income and how you are going to pay your bills. You also need to know how you are going to charge clients, handle expenses, etc. Second, I would say to try to gain experience prior to opening your own office. I would recommend working in different facets of the government law so that you have experience handling various cases. If you are not able to get a job in government, you should work in a law office and/or volunteer at a legal clinic. By seeing another law office’s functioning system, you can then adapt and develop your own system, based on your experiences. It was a huge help that I worked for the City of Chicago as a prosecutor. It helped me gain experience, make connections, and build up my basic knowledge of small things that play a role in the big things. I also currently volunteer at the Polonia Legal Clinic in an effort to help provide legal guidance and representation for those who may not be able to afford legal consultation. Third, do not limit yourself. Go for it.
Mary | Former Cleaning Business Owner | Chicago, IL
Mary is a former small business owner who ran Mary’s Cleaning Business in the Chicagoland Area
USWHPRO: Is there a woman who inspires you?
Mary: My mother. She had a very hard life. She worked in a hotel kitchen at the age of four, standing on a chair scrubbing pots/washing dishes (before child labor laws). She was the third of eight children. She continued to work hard all her life, raising four of her own children; she worked full time and went to school to get her business degree. Throughout her life, she also helped a lot of other people and never asked for anything in return. She remained a kind hearted and giving person until she succumbed to cancer at the age of 86.
USWHPRO:
What inspired you to start your own business?
Mary: I worked a job that I spent 20 hours a day at. I felt if I could work that hard for someone else, why not try going out on my own? I was sort of a “Jack of All Trades, Master of Nothing.” I also wanted to spend more time with my daughter because I barely saw her while working at my previous job.
USWHPRO:
Have you faced adversity as a woman in business? How did you overcome it?
Mary: The cleaning business in Chicago is very competitive as there are a lot of big agencies. In order for a “little guy” to survive, I had to come up with a gimmick. I began doing other things that many agencies would not do: Small painting jobs, washing windows, seasonal yard cleaning, cleaning gutters, cleaning up after clients’ pets, pressure washing and staining fences, and even shoveling the snow. • It kind of became a “beat the other businesses at their own game” by offering the most flexibility in service offerings.
USWHPRO:
Do you have any advice for women interested in starting their own business?
Mary:
If you want to start your own business, think it through. Make a list of all the pros and cons, especially the financial aspects of it. Plan everything out and be prepared. Having a back up plan in the long run is worth all of the hard work. My pay off was being able to spend time with my daughter.
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