PEOPLE ask if I have a problem with the "traditional" concept of women as full-time domestic engineers. Who me? No way. But it is scary, with the high divorce rate, when one gender depends on the other to bring home all the bacon. At state Capitol,
don’t be shy—testifyIf these housewives want out of marriage (or vice versa), and are forced to fend for themselves with no other marketable skills, they'll end up like overcooked pork strips. Burned, baby, burned.
Which is why it's safer -- and in high-priced Hawaii, saner -- for wahine to work at least part-time.
Yet some females take it one step beyond. Instead of toiling for someone else, they start and run their own businesses. They are responsible, not only for their own livelihoods, but for the paychecks of others. That's guts.
Last Thursday, about two dozen of these brave self-starters gathered at the first meeting of the Hawaii Coalition of Women Entrepreneurs. Its goal is to "unite women in support of each other in starting and growing their own businesses, and in creating a business climate supportive of small businesses." In other words, the act of lobbying.
Co-organizer Laura Crites, director of the Women's Financial Resource Center, pointed out that Hawaii is one of the last states to organize such a coalition. How curious, since female entrepreneurs represent the fastest growing group in commerce.
The women heard from a number of speakers, including Bette Tatum, president of the National Federation of Independent Businesses; Pat Loui, one of only two women on the Economic Revitalization Task Force; and Rose Churma, the first female president of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce.
They also listened to advice from two experienced lobbyists, Jan Berman of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii and Gail Breakey of the Hawaii Family Support Center.
These two feisty spokeswomen relayed a message that every person in Hawaii needs to hear during this jam-packed legislative session: Testify. It's easy, relatively painless and can make a difference.
Berman, who admitted she could get in trouble for saying this, observed 1998 is the first year she feels like legislators "are actually listening to us in small business."
Don't be intimidated by the experience of testifying, she said, but think of the time before a committee as "being in front of eight people who don't know the answers and are interested in your point of view."
Berman added that a letter, fax or phone call is better than not voicing an opinion at all, but the impact is far greater when legislators see the person imparting the message.
BREAKEY agreed that "this is the year" legislators are especially responsive -- not only because of re-election concerns but also since major laws could be passed affecting tax structures, privatization, workers compensation, government efficiency and education. These affect everyone but especially business owners still singing the recessionary blues.
But Breakey cautioned novices, when lobbying lawmakers, NOT to 1) be argumentative, 2) be a pest, 3) overstate one's case, 4) make promises that can't be delivered, 5) get put off by smoke screens or long-winded answers, 6) shy away from meetings with those known to hold views opposite of your own and 7) be easily offended.
Actually, that sounds like good advice for all of us in our everyday lives.
P.S. Here's another pointer to remember: 8) Regarding that "traditional" crap about women being the weaker sex: Who us? No way.