Monday was the “Your Office, Your Terms” event hosted by Microsoft Office 365 and 85 Broads, featuring an accomplished panel of Los Angeles Businesswomen… Wait, who are those two at the end? Yikes!! Guess our secret is out.
Yes, as filmmakers we are businesswomen – we’re Writers, Directors and Producers but we are also CPA’s, contractors, cooks and therapists. And guess what, every entrepreneur and business owner is the same! When you run your own show you reap all the rewards, but you also shoulder all the risk and financial commitment, so when the plumbing goes out at 3 a.m. you learn pretty quick to get handy with a wrench.
It was an honor to be included alongside: Madelyn Alfano, President & Founder of Maria’s Italian Kitchen and President of The National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles (NAWBO-LA); Monica Dodi, Managing Director of the Women’s Venture Capital Fund; and Ana Perez, President of National Latina Women’s Business Association, Los Angeles (NLWBLA) [R-L from Elizabeth].
Elizabeth & I were awed by the women alongside us – each so extremely accomplished and equally committed to leadership and support of other businesswomen. We discussed business plans and accounting, and the importance of mastery and utilization of technology. We all could agree that owning and running your own business, be it a restaurant, film or tech start-up, is always a lot of work – ALWAYS a lot of work – but with focus and dedication, and the right team of advisors and supporters, there is nothing more rewarding.
Many, many thanks to Microsoft and 85 Broads, who exemplify the “advice and support” that gets us all through our day. To Independent Filmmakers who often feel like lone gunwomen in the Wild West of Hollywood, this was like a peek into a back room of powerful, dynamic woman who are changing and running the world all around us. Gosh was it cool!
- Emily D.
February 8th, 2012
