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WITI WOMEN
The Power of Role Models
She graduated University of Michigan Phi Beta Kappa, in the 20's, built a retail shoe business with my father (whom she met at U of M) and chose to have 11 children. Maybe because mother's real dream was to be a writer and my father's dream to be a lawyer, they built their business so differently. My father, a paragon of virtue, refused to sell shoes that would harm people's feet - even refused to sell pointed toe shoes during the height of popularity. People in our town really appreciated that and bought a lot of shoes - which was fortunate, since they had 11 children to feed and educate! However, it was clear to us that he did not like business; he wanted to be a lawyer because he saw it as a much more noble profession. While my mother's dream was writing - and she did write continuously when the store was empty, my mother was a natural businesswoman. My mother's approach to life was 180 degrees opposite from my father and totally untraditional for a woman back then. While neither of them were materialistic, my mother operated 100% on a spiritual and intuitive level. She believed - and experienced - that the universe will always provide and was constantly giving away any money she had available. She did not stay home to mother her brood of 11, instead, she went immediately back to work after each pregnancy and spent her time with her children in the shoe store, where we all went to work from the time we were about 10 years old. She loved to talk politics, philosophy, write letters to the editor and talk to our customers - teachers, people from all walks of life - about how we could all make the world a better place. While I often craved a home like my friends where families sat down for dinner together every night, the skills I developed in this challenging, stimulating environment have become my source of strength as an adult. It wasn't until I left teaching and started my first business in 1979 that I realized the impact my mom and dad had as role models. Always making business choices with integrity, combined with building a business and helping people became my anchors as I developed my professional life, thanks to their influence. WITI has provided me the opportunity to share what I have learned and to learn from others. My greatest joy continues to be the moment someone shares how WITI has helped them personally and/or professionally. As professional women, we are - even when we don't choose to be - role models. Every day presents new opportunities to positively - or negatively - impact the lives of others. Please share with us your experience as a role model or how role models have affected your life. For the last 6 months, the WITI team has actively focused on upgrading every part of WITI and examined how we can provide more value to WITI individual members, Small Business members and corporate members. Please let us know what you or your organization needs and how WITI can help.
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As I grew up, I had the wonderful fortune to have a mother who lived, breathed and, most importantly, modeled, positive thinking. To her very core, my mother, Ida, truly believed that there is a silver lining to every cloud, every problem presents an opportunity, adversity is the strength of man, and sunshine will always follow the darkest storm. My mom was way ahead of her time and, definitely, did not fit anyone's stereotype.