Networking was the business of the day, when Westchester”™s women entrepreneurs convened at the Women”™s Enterprise Development Center”™s 9th Annual Networking Roundtable.
The event, which was held Nov. 9 at Berkeley College in White Plains, featured workshops to help develop a variety of business skills, from improving marketing to taking risks. In addition, author Jane Pollak discussed how to build a small business and the lessons she learned along the way.
Dana Reed, founder and president of Spectrum Computer Corp. in Hartsdale was also honored with the Lillian Vernon Award for her business prowess and work within the community.
“I do a lot of volunteer work in the community and have for many, many years. I”™m on the WEDC boards and I have been on many other professional boards in the community such as the United Way of Scarsdale, Edgemont, and the Scarsdale-Edgemont Family Counseling Service. I believe in giving back to the community.”
The Scarsdale resident began her entrepreneurship back in May 1989, when the company she was working for was sold to another company in San Antonio, Texas. Not wanting to commute back and forth across the country, Reed”™s husband made her an offer she couldn”™t refuse.
“My husband is a CPA and has his own business,” said Reed. “He had a suite of offices and said, ”˜I have an office, want to try it on your own?”™ And I certainly did and I never looked back.”
Since then Spectrum has made its mark in the printing systems industry, consulting major Fortune 50 companies as well as small and medium businesses, throughout the United States on their printing requirements. In addition to being an IBM business partner for printing systems, Reed”™s corporation is also a Certified Woman Owned Business.
As for advice to young women entrepreneurs, Reed believes,
“Anybody and everybody can do it. Go with your passion. Go after your dreams.”
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