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A Virtual Female Entrepreneur In A Brick And Mortar World

Written by: Teresa Bohannon

Article Overview: How I started out in the early days of the Internet as one of the first female entrepreneurs in what was essentially a man's world...and what I learned along the way.

A Virtual Female Entrepreneur In A Brick And Mortar World

Lions and tigers and bears...oh my.
Spiders and webs and silks...oh my.

It has been well over twelve years since I first wrote those words as a way of introducing Spun Silk Web Design, my fledgling online company to the world. Even then I was already a computer user of ten years standing, who had already outgrown a Radio Shack Tandy 1000 and had long since moved from basic DOS to a more sophisticated Windows based System. I also happened to be a lover of words with an explorer's heart and a researcher's mind. For me the internet was an exciting dream come true; a mythical new land full of wonders to be experienced...and full of--according to my dear mother--dangers to be avoided.

As a female computer user and small business owner, I was in the unusual position of being on the forefront of a brave new world. I remember standing up and introducing my new company to my local Chamber of Commerce and trying to explain this amazing new frontier to people who either thought of computers as fancy typewriters exclusively for their secretaries' use, or new-fangled devil machines that could not be trusted. I tried to tell them that the Internet was the level playing field that small business had always dreamed of, but except for a few visionaries most did not really believe me. I think the men thought I was too cute to know what I was talking about and the women thought I was a witch skilled in arcane knowledge.

Anyway, I managed to make a go of it for two years thanks to a few locals who grasped all the wonderful possibilities for cheap advertising offered by the Internet. As part of my vision I started LadyWeb to help introduce other women to this wonderful new world, but quickly found that most of them could care less, except for the ones who were as broke as I was. Finally, as a single mom in need of insurance and security for my children, I gave up the day-to-day online struggle and found a job in the real world. I did, however, keep my little online business alive and consistently earned a small second income from it. I figured that sooner or later my little corner of the world would catch up with me and my online business would have a better chance to grow and thrive. I was right about that, but by the time the world caught up with me, I had moved onto what I believed were more noble pursuits and did not have the time or energy to take advantage of all the opportunities presented in the virtual world.

It is now more than twelve years later and my opinion of the internet has not really changed much. The wonders have certainly grown more fabulously wondrous and the triple threat of identity theft, perverts and anonymity has made the dangers somewhat more inherently dangerous than even my dear mother had imagined. I still believe that the virtual world's potential for easy, inexpensive advertising levels the playing field; but also have to admit that in the virtual world, just as in the real, those who have the money to pay...can far more easily smooth their path to the top of the heap. However, I say even that with one major caveat. In the virtual world those who are truly talented, or willing to learn the ropes, work hard and expend time and effort, can compete with the big boys far more easily than they ever could by exclusively setting up shop on Main Street in their home town. In fact, one of the main differences between the virtual and the real world is the pure and simple fact that on the Internet it is much, much easier to build a business from scratch without going broke in the process.

Why? Overhead. In the real world start up and overhead costs can wipe you out before you ever open your doors. Of course there are many businesses that require a brick and mortar storefront and a physical hometown presence, but even so, there are very few businesses that cannot reduce their overhead and or advertising costs somewhat by utilizing a web address on letterheads and business cards. Beyond absolute physical need, in the virtual world you can literally get started for nothing using a computer at the library if need be. In the virtual world it is entirely possible to make money on the tiniest of investments, if you are willing to put in the time and--pardon my unladylike expression--sweat equity.

I have dedicated the past two years of my life (or at least every minute of my spare time) to proving that thesis. After wasting some of the hottest years in Internet Marketing helping to build something that someone else is currently reaping the rewards from, I returned to the virtual world and my own little business that no one can ever take away from me. I came back older but wiser, and with every intention of paving a path for others to follow, just as I had originally dreamed of doing with LadyWeb all those years ago.

I was lucky in that I already knew the basic rules, and could more or less hit the ground running. True, the technology had advanced amazingly, and the rules themselves had become far more complex, but the basic facts were still the same...and I have always been a faster learner. Even so, I must admit it has been something of a wild ride, with mistakes and disappointments and often times more lows than highs, and more than enough so called guru con-artists with high priced miracles to make you die cringing. But overall it has been fun and I have learned what to avoid, met some wonderful people from around the world and discovered that with a little creativity and a lot of hard work you really can make money online.

Will I share my secrets? Happily. It is after all, what I came here to do.

Will you take what I give you and make money online? Only if you are willing to work at it. Ninety percent of the high priced miracles out there will, in the end, give you pretty much the same information I will teach you for free.

Will it cost you money to get started? Honestly, you can get started for free, but realistically you are going to need to put a little money into it for a hometown business license, domain name and hosting. An average startup of less than $100.00 and a budget of $10.00 to $20.00 a month will easily get you started if you are willing to put in the time promoting your online business. The same is true if you want to use the power of the virtual world to advertise and enhance your real world business.

Honestly. The virtual and real worlds are literally yours for the taking if you are willing to spend the time and do the work.

And that is the real miracle of the Internet--just as I said so many years ago--an honest to goodness level playing field.

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Article Tags: arcane knowledge, basic dos, brave new world, cheap advertising, computer user, dear mother, female computer, fledgling, lions and tigers, local chamber, new frontier, radio shack, silk web design, single mom, small business owner, sophisticated windows, spun silk web design, tandy 1000, typewriters, visionaries



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