Arizona Business Magazine July/August 2012

HEAR THEM ROAR

Michael GossieThe economic downturn affected almost every business. But consider this: women-owned businesses saw sales increase 95.5 percent and employment grow 46.4 percent from 1997-2012, according to an American Express OPEN research report.

“It’s amazing the inroads women business owners have made … especially in male-dominated industries,” says Carolyn Lefebvre, president and CEO of AutohausAZ.com, who has grown her automotive parts business from annual sales of $1.2 million in 1999 to anticipated 2012 sales of $17 million. “The 1970s sales slogan, ‘You’ve come a long way, baby!’ couldn’t be more appropriate had it been scripted specifically for the meteoric rise of women in business.”

Women-run companies are flourishing in Arizona. There are 139,500 women-owned businesses that employ 148,700 people and generate $22.1 billion in sales.

So it’s an ideal time for an all-women’s issue. Regular departments all feature stories about women business leaders. And to top it off, we unveil our first list of the 50 Influential Women in Arizona Business and five that are sure to be the next generation of leaders.

Enjoy. I guess it’s time for me to put my apron on.

Michael Gossie Signature

Michael Gossie, Managing Editor

Read more articles from this issue on AZNow.Biz.

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