Tell Inc. 500/5000 to Headline & Support More Women

by Jen Nedeau · 2009-07-27 18:00:00 UTC
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At some point in all our lives, we've all felt left out. It's like being the last person picked for the team or the person that everyone forgot to tell about a party.

And yet, every time I see a conference line up that "forgets" to put women on the agenda - I feel this way. Not about myself, but the fact that these alleged industry-wide events are leaving out the opinion, insight and fair representation of the female species.

Such is the case (again) with the Inc. 500/500 Conference and Awards Ceremony which is meant to recognize the 5000 fastest-growing, privately held companies in America and just published a main stage conference line up of 10 men and ZERO women.

In other words, the conference organizers could not find a SINGLE female entrepreneur to headline this event?

In addition, the breakout sessions have a total of 19 speakers, only three of whom are women. Oh, and there is no child care options nor scholarship information.

Inc. 500/5000 says it is "the only major business conference that recognizes the tremendous achievements of entrepreneurs in America."

Somehow, I don't think this is true, considering it's not representing a lot of it's constituents.,

For instance, in 2007, US News and World Report wrote about how "Businesses owned by women are the fastest-growing sector of new ventures in the United States. Nearly half of all privately held firms in 2004 were at least 50 percent owned by women, according to the National Foundation for Women Business Owners. Between 1997 and 2004, the number of businesses owned by women grew by almost 20 percent, compared with only a 9 percent increase overall."

The pool of female entrepreneurs may be small, but it still exists. And it's growing.

Just when I had started to calm down about the lack of women it at the Web 2.0 summit AND the Gov 2.0 Summit (where I was invited to cover it and told the organizer I wouldn't if they didn't expand their speaker list and make it more newsworthy) - then this comes along and bam! I'm back on the bench as the kid who didn't get picked for the softball team. There Is. No. More. Excuses. For. All. Male. Panels.

If anything,  these situations are making me more motivated than ever to study hard for the GMAT exams in October and get into the best MBA School program possible. It's time to be the change I wish to see.

***

Want to do something? Tweet this actly petition or send a message to the conference organizers through Change.org.

Jen Nedeau Jen Nedeau is a media relations professional and a writer based in New York City.
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