One of the things that was obvious when I first started attending Internet Marketing events was that I was in the minority. In a room of 400 attendees, maybe 10 of us were women!
For me, it was nothing new. I had been a percussionist in high school and college bands – and in those days there were few female drummers.
I had been an accounting major in college. The year I was hired by Arthur Andersen in Houston, there were two women and 298 men starting.
And I had enjoyed math throughout school and ended up in technology in the 80s – all very male-dominated.
So frankly, it seemed “normal” to be in the minority at an Internet Marketing conference. It certainly made it easy to stand out!
But it also made it hard to blend in. So when “the guys” gathered at the bar each night – or went out on the town to let off some steam, they generally did not include a married mother of three.
For years there was a lot of talk about how women were left out when it came to the “big marketers.” Rarely did you see a woman on the stage, so it was a BIG deal when I was asked to join the panel of experts at the Superconference in 2003. It was less than an hour among 20 men, but I was THERE.
There were calls for “equality” for women speakers on the Internet Marketing stages. There was even a group of women speakers who tried to form an organization to push for women speaking more. But it never gathered much steam.
With all of the talk of equality, it was no surprise when Alex Mandossian and I announced our first Womens Power Summit in 2005. All female speakers. Only women were allowed to attend (except for Alex, who was the MC).
It was a big hit! We held it the day before the Big Seminar in Los Angeles. Since the Big Seminar drew hundreds of people it was the perfect time to gather the women the day before.
And it gave me insight to an important point about events. The nicest thing to do for someone attending an event for the first time is to introduce them to a small group of people the day before. That way they go into the bigger event already knowing people – having friends in the room to sit with and wave to. It makes a huge difference in their comfort level and enjoyment of the conference.
We ran the Womens Power Summit only two years. But it served its purpose. It was a gathering point for women in marketing. It was part of a group of women-only conferences that took place around that period.
I was invited to speak for many of the conferences – because I was a woman speaker in marketing and we were still few and far between. Others during that time included Ali Brown, Lorie Morgan Ferraro, Donna Fox, Lynn Pierce, Jenny Armato, and a bunch of others I’m leaving out!
I have always felt that being in the minority has made it easier for me to stand out in the Internet Marketing arena. Not always to be included – But definitely to leave a mark.
Great post Jeanette! When I first started my business I was shocked at how few highly visible women there were in both the ecommerce and Internet Marketing fields.
Coming from corporate America, as a retail buyer, things were fairly balanced. When I was a Unix systems administrator in the IT department for a large software company, it skewed heavily male. (Although more women have been entering the tech fields, which is awesome!)
But I remember attending my first Ecommerce and IM conferences as an entrepreneur and asking myself, where are all the women speakers?
Not that male speakers are a bad thing! LOL! But I do think we need more women in business leadership role models.
I think there was a turning point in about 2006, when you and many of the other women mentioned above started putting on their own events.
Even now when I speak at major events, there is room for more of a balance male/female speakers.
We all (both male and female) entrepreneurs can learn a lot from both the male and female perspective – both the similarities and the differences of entrepreneurship!!
-Lisa
So true, Lisa. While a lot more women attend, not many speak – still! Some of that is because most of the promoters are male. Some because traditionally you invite people who you have heard speak – and because not a lot of women speak, then they aren’t heard…and it’s a downward spiral.
With the increase in social marketing we ARE seeing more women on the platform. So I think that trend will help all fields.
We must remember too that many women (and men) are quietly successful online, working from home, building their business around their family life. They don’t WANT to travel or speak. They are very happy doing what they are doing. It’s only those of us who are called to teach and help others through seminars who are even competing for speaker slots.
See you on the next stage!
Hi Jeanette,
I can really identify with standing out because your a women in a mans world! I’m in the tax lien investing field as you know and although there are a few women real estate experts today doing seminars and on the web. I’m the only woman tax lien investing expert with any kind of a presence online.
The field is definitely still dominated by men. But I have learned to thrive in that environment. My hobby is weightlifting – not power lifting or bodybuilding, but Olympic style weightlifting. Until this century Women’s weightlifting wasn’t even in the Olympics, but I am not only a athlete but a coach, one of the few women coaches in the sport. I coached one of my sons to win a few national championships. And in 2009 I made history as the first woman coach of a men’s weightlifting team, when I became head coach of the US men’s team for the first World Youth Games. It was a thrill that I’ll never forget!
Hey Jeanette,
And I just noticed that I’m in the picture of the Women’s Power Summit for 2006! It was such a thrill to meet you in person and Alex Mandosian of course. I can’t wait to be able to hook up with you again at one of these seminars. I’ll be going to Rhea Perry’s business conference this year. So sorry that I didn’t make it when you where there presenting!
Joanne – one of the joys of having been online for 15 years is the opportunity to meet and hang out with people like you! It was a thrill to finally meet you in Atlanta all those years ago. And you continue to amaze me with all of your activities – both in the business and the athletic world.
You are truly an inspiration to me and to a lot of other women who want to be “brave” enough to follow their passion – for things like weight lifting or tax liens – or anything else they want to do. Keep leading the way!