October is National Women’s Small Business Month. COSE is fortunate to have so many inspiring women entrepreneurs within our membership. Today we are highlighting Monika Moss-Gransberry, founder of MKM Management Consulting.
MYB: What are some ways you would suggest people celebrate National Women’s Small Business Month and recognize women who run their own businesses?
Monika: The best thing you can do to honor a woman business owner is to patronize her business and make referrals. It is so important to support women-owned businesses. Women still make about 79 cents to the dollar compared to white men—and it is about 56 cents for women of color.
Women’s Business Ownership Act of 1988 sought to address barriers for women and women of color to business ownership. For instance, until 1988 women could not get a business loan at a bank without a male family member cosigning on their behalf, even if that male was the woman’s son. Last year, the National Association of Women Business Owners celebrated its contribution to the formation of the Women’s Business Ownership Act of 1988 as part of the 30-year anniversary. I started my business in 1987 and bootstrapped all the start-up costs. As an unmarried woman at the time, I would not have been able to get a business loan without a male cosigner. At the time, I didn’t even consider applying as I assumed I couldn’t afford it. That was the limited thinking that I had, along with so many other women. Today, the playing field may not be level, but young women are bolder and more confident in going for their dreams. I am proud to be supporting several amazing young women entrepreneurs through my coaching practice.
MYB: What are some accomplishments you are proud of from your journey as a small business owner?
Monika: I have been in business for over 30 years. I have some client projects that I am really proud of. There was a period of time when we were doing a lot of community strategic planning that was very participatory. We’d have 100+ residents, grandmothers, young people, business owners, community organizations and more sitting in the same room at the same table, talking about the issues in the community, learning each other’s perspectives, and envisioning the future of their community. Those projects were very rewarding.
Most recently, it has been the community we have been building around our work with Life Mapping and my new book. The Technology of Doing Creating & Being: Engineering the Transformation of Your Life Using Self-Mastery as the Spiritual Blueprint launched in October as a #1 Best Seller on Amazon and makes me proud of the contribution I am making to the world.
MKM Management Consulting is about transformation of organizations and the individuals who run them. Helping them to manifest their vision. They help organizations make their vision real through strategic planning, meeting facilitation and leadership coaching. They work with amazing entrepreneurs, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations map out their vision and strategy. Through its Life Mapping Community, MKM Management Consulting is creating a supportive environment for like-minded people to progress on their self-mastery journey and transform their lives with the company’s books, courses, live events, and private online groups. www.monikakmoss.com; www.mossgransberry.com.