C4W Member Profile: Erica Bennett

What is your profession? I own Docent~Prodigy Creative Services with my husband. I produce, shoot, edit, and market videos for local businesses. Our company also provides numerous creative solutions that include print design, video and animation.

What do you enjoy doing outside of your career? People often ask what my hobbies are. My job is my hobby, so it’s difficult to really pinpoint other things that I spend my time doing. In my spare time, when I’m not doing videos/photos for clients, I’m doing it for family.

How long have you been a member of the Center for Women? I have been a member for less than a year.

What inspired you to become a member? I met with Jennet to discuss video solutions for the Center for Women. Becoming involved as a service provider inspired me to want to participate in more events as an attendee. We produced the videos that are on the Center’s website and hearing all of the wonderful things people were saying about the organization was very inspiring.

What kind of impact has the Center for Women had on you? The Center for Women has opened doors that would have otherwise not been opened. I’ve been able to make connections that can help me grow personally as well as help grow my business.

How has living day-to-day as a woman affected you? Every woman has their own set of goals whether they’re long term or day-to-day. I feel the pressure everyday to run my business as well as my household. I wear many hats and juggle a variety of tasks on a daily basis. I’ve learned that the to-do list notepad can be my best friend.

What kind of message would you like to send out to women who are trying to succeed in today’s economy? One word: Network. There’s a reason that word has the word “work” in it. It’s part of the job…and it works. Some of the best business leads can be found through networking.

C4W Member Profile: Meredith Siemens

What is your profession? Owner of Code Red Consulting — handling public relations, events, marketing & everything else that occurs during the execution of those 3 processes for clients in the lowcountry and beyond.

What do you enjoy doing outside of your career? I’m always up for an adventure- whether it’s sky diving in New Zealand or blueberry picking on Wadmalaw – novelty is my lifeblood. Fortunately, my career lets me indulge in some of my favorite hobbies; meeting new characters, writing and keeping a good finger on Charleston’s pulse.

How long have you been a member of the Center for Women? 2/3 years?

What inspired you to become a member? When I first moved to Charleston I met a lot of great women and found a common thread that they all seemed to be involved with the Center for Women. I figured you are the company you keep and have not been disappointed since!

What kind of impact has the Center for Women had on you? I am consistently impressed with the scope and reach of the programming. C4W does a great job of keeping relevant on all aspects of being a woman; the professional, personal and simply pleasurable.

How has living day-to-day as a woman affected you? Well, in the summer it has certainly given me an appreciation for skirts?

What kind of message would you like to send out to women who are trying to succeed in today’s economy? I think a variation of my dad’s favorite quote is particularly relevant in this economy– “without work there is no success”. No big secret, just be willing to work hard, reinvent as needed and refuse to settle for anything less than your dreams.

C4W Member Profile: Lyn Mettler

What is your profession? Co-owner Step Ahead, Inc.

What do you enjoy doing outside of your career? I enjoy keeping in shape (or trying to!) through personal training, running, reading, and being a mom to my children.

How long have you been a member of the Center for Women? 1-2 years?

What inspired you to become a member? I enjoy many of the programs the Center offers and have enjoyed the people I’ve met through the many networking functions, conferences and events.

What kind of impact has the Center for Women had on you? I have met a lot of women, particularly small business owners, that I never would have met otherwise, who I have learned from or been able to offer a PR or social media tip. I’ve also learned a lot at events ranging from financial planning and organization to networking and social media.

How has living day-to-day as a woman affected you? I was never raised to believe or ever felt that I couldn’t do anything a man could do. In fact, that rarely even enters my mind as a consideration. I truly felt as if I could be president someday if I so chose. I do find as a day to day struggle the balance between being a mother and having a professional career. It always feels a bit as if I’m not doing either to my full potential and inevitably produces some guilt on both sides. Finding other mothers struggling with the same issue has helped considerably, as I find that some of the challenges of motherhood are often kept quiet. I encourage mothers to talk about their problems openly, as many others share the same worries and it is nothing to be ashamed about. I am delighted to be a woman, could not imagine being otherwise! and am so excited I live in a time where women truly can do anything that men can do.

What kind of message would you like to send out to women who are trying to succeed in today’s economy? Use education to empower yourself to make the best choices for your career, your money and your family. It’s through knowledge, and particularly meeting others and learning from them, that we will be able to help one another through the struggles that we face financially or otherwise every day. Get out there and learn everything you can from everyone you can and your next opportunity will present itself.

C4W Member Profile: Ami Murphy

Pictured from l to r: Ami Murphy and Liz Macpherson

What is your profession? Owner of mac & murphy – a Charleston paper company. Liz Macpherson is my business partner and we are both living our dreams through the store.

What do you enjoy doing outside of your career? Spending time around Charleston with my family and friends. So far, the best day of 2010 was spent at the Lowcountry Local First Chef’s Potluck at Middleton Place. We spent the entire afternoon eating amazing food, listening to music and just hanging out on the farm – it was perfect.

How long have you been a member of the Center for Women? I just joined and can’t wait to become more involved.

What inspired you to become a member? A number of other small business owners that I know are members and it just became more and more apparent that this was something I wanted and needed to be a part of. Liz and I were invited to speak during a brown bag lunch series a few months back and spending just 1 hour in a room full of creative entrepreneurs was so energizing. We just could not believe that we were the ones being asked for insight and inspiration. It felt like we had finally made it.

What kind of impact has the Center for Women had on you? see above ; )

How has living day-to-day as a woman affected you? I love being a woman. I love everything about it. Professionally, I’ve always done what I wanted to do, where and how I wanted to do it. There was only one work environment that wasn’t working out because I was a woman and I made it clear why I was leaving. They asked me to stay, but I didn’t. I am also a mother to a 1 year old so this year I’ve had the opportunity to learn about that mystical “work/life balance” that all mothers and fathers get to experience.

What kind of message would you like to send out to women who are trying to succeed in today’s economy? Be realistic and become intimately familiar with the difference between “want” and “need”.