My name is Tricia Drake (she/her) and I’m the lead for the Entrepreneurs Affinity Group (AG). When I was dreaming of starting a business in 2019, reaching out to women in the Entrepreneurs AG was what turned my dream into a plan. Many women gave valuable hours to me, telling me their stories. What is so exciting about starting a business is that there is no right answer.Your business is uniquely yours, and you can build in a way that works for you. Those of us in the Entrepreneurs AG who own businesses have each started for different reasons and have different goals. Hearing their stories expanded my world and challenged what I thought was possible.
I was pushed out of the corporate world slowly, but persistently, mostly by my own unreasonable expectations. I just wasn’t fully satisfied by what was offered to me. It started when I was mid-career; I looked around and didn’t see any role models that looked like me. At one point, I worked for a small company that was very well run. Looking back, I realize I wanted to be my own boss when I grew up, but I truly did not believe that a female could succeed as a business owner in my industry. In 2019, when I started looking for female business owners, I realized that there were a lot more than I thought.
In 2018, I went to my boss to ask if I could work from home for an hour each morning so that I could put my kids on the bus before coming into work. My request was denied. Neither of us could have ever imagined that two years later everyone would be working from home. I was so discouraged. I signed my kids up for $500/month before-school care and started plotting a different life. It was tough. My company listed “family-friendly” as one of their core values, but this meant that a lot of my coworkers had stay-at-home wives and didn’t face these issues. At the time, my husband and I both worked. We split the responsibilities for pickup and drop-off, but it wasn’t enough.
I started my business for a lot of reasons, but I have to admit that working from home and having a lot of flexibility during 2020 inspired me to figure out how to keep that flexibility. This remains a key benefit to me today. I will never again have to ask my boss for permission to take off work for a sick kid, arrange a doctor’s appointment, or get off work early to attend a birthday party.
Until about 2018, I lived my life very quietly. My bosses didn’t encourage me to do any networking, and this was probably for the best because between work, commuting, and my family, I didn’t really have time. I went through a painful mid-career crisis and enjoyed a lot of inspiring books like “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg and “Bossypants” by Tina Fey. But I had this thought: it’s great that amazing women are achieving amazing success against all odds, but what about average women? What about me? I’m not exactly average, but I’m not seeing myself in these stories. As I gained a level of what I like to call “normal person success,” I realized that there was nobody to tell my story. Everyone like me was probably doing the same thing — living out their “normal person success” stories quietly (and extremely busily!) where very few young women would ever see us. Owning my business gives me the free time to share my story. I attend networking and even volunteer with organizations I care about like SWE. This is something I never had time for before.
That’s my inspiration for the Entrepreneurs AG. If you want to start a business, come join us. We will share our stories and expand what you think is possible. Maybe we can help you turn your dream into a plan. If you own a business, come share your story. You have no idea how inspiring “normal peoples’ successes” can be!
Ways To Get Involved
- Join the Entrepreneurs AG Facebook group and LinkedIn group
- Opt-in to the Entrepreneurs AG email list. This can be found in the membership portal under communication preferences.
- Sign up to volunteer with Entrepreneurs AG
- Join the SWE Mentor Network and choose Entrepreneurs Affinity Group
More Information
Connect with us on our various platforms!
Check out our AG Resources! This folder hosts the AG’s Business Directory, past entrepreneur/member highlights, notes/references from programming activities, and other information that may be helpful to support members’ entrepreneurial journeys.
If you would like more information about Entrepreneurs AG, please email Tricia Drake at entrepreneursag@swe.org.
Author
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Tricia Drake is the FY25 Entrepreneurs AG Lead and the Founder/Principal of HVAC Double Check LLC. Tricia has over a decade of experience in Washington State and has helped hundreds of architects and contractors design mechanical systems that enhance the built environment. Her industry experience spans large and small projects in healthcare, commercial tenant improvements, retail, and hospitality.
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