As founder of Nan McKay Connects and President of Nan McKay and Associates, I am on a mission for women empowerment – and have been for most of my life. I have employed and promoted women in my businesses, joined women’s organizations, and started organizations like Women in Housing. But we all know that is a drop in the bucket compared to what we still have to do. I began thinking, “What can I do next?” After focusing on the TrailBlazers Impact Interviews podcast and YouTube channel and reworking my website to empower women, I’ve created my next venture, TrailBlazers Academy, a compilation of career and business resources for women.
We have all learned about the negative impact the pandemic has had on women. Women—especially mothers, senior-level women, and black women—have faced distinct challenges, primarily due to family caregiving responsibilities. Women—especially women of color—are more likely to have been laid off or furloughed during the Covid-19 crisis, stalling their careers and jeopardizing their financial security. One in four women is considering downshifting their jobs or leaving the workforce due to Covid-19.
The gender gap in wages persists, and mothers face bias in the workplace. There’s a false perception that mothers can’t be genuinely invested in family and work and are therefore less committed than fathers and women without children.
Women are having a worse experience than men. Women of color are having a worse experience than white women. And black women, in particular, are having the worst experience of all. 49% of black women feel that their race or ethnicity will make it harder for them to get a raise, promotion, or chance to get ahead, compared to just 3% of white women and 11% of women overall.
The combination of sexism and ageism also continues to hit women hard. In the corporate world, people often assume that because a person is over 50, she or he lacks the stamina, commitment, and mental capacity to remain productive. And women are the hardest hit in that category. Some women try to fight the aging factors with wrinkle cream, facelifts, eyelifts, and other lifts to avoid bias. However, a recent poll found that 75 percent of women over 45 reported that their age puts them at a disadvantage.
But these statistics do not have to define the future for any woman.
I believe some women have a tiny seed germinating inside them that wants to grow and pivot to something new. And, because it’s been my passion for most of my life, entrepreneurship quickly comes to mind as an opportunity to help women who want to start a business. It may mean getting out of the grind, starting a meaningful career, or unlocking the business that’s inside of you. Having been an entrepreneur for over 40 years and still President of the Board of a large company, I know what starting a business is all about. But it isn’t just “a” business. It’s finding the business that’s right for you and that will bring you the joy and rewards you desire.
I know many women need resources to get started. In creating Trailblazers Academy, we have looked for skills-building courses to get you to the next level – and start a business, if that’s your desire. We have found the best approaches to help you get started and will continue to grow TrailBlazers Academy to provide one-stop shopping access to these resources to turn your dream into reality. I will be constantly adding new programs, but starting today, click here to look at our first offerings.
One of these programs is MasterClass which provides experts in each field as presenters and has various topics available for a reasonable price ($180 unlimited access to over 100 classes for a year!) We have direct links to access the business classes, but all the courses are available for the same overall price.
If you are not interested in business, you can still use MasterClass to learn tennis from Serena Williams or gardening from Ron Finley, or even making the best-scrambled eggs from Gordon Ramsay.
I am also passionate about equality for all. Businesses need to create a culture where differences are valued—also, an awareness of what organizations should do to develop that encompassing environment. In Trailblazers Academy, you will also find diversity-culture programs that we have vetted and are offering to you. For the Diversity (DEI) training programs, Dee Dee Strum, my TBI co-host and a Certified Diversity Professional® can help get you to the next level during and after the courses by providing consultant services to implement what you learn.
Click the link to register for the course that you want to start today and join us for a unique skill-building approach that works! Watch for Academy updates because I’m writing a book focused on women over 50 who want to pivot and start a business – and a course to go with it! I’m not done – are you?!?
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links with no additional cost to you.