Women-owned businesses are “having a moment.” From coast to coast, more U.S. companies than ever before are running with female executives at the helm. Between 2007 and 2016, the number of women-owned businesses rose 45 percent to roughly 11.3 million, according to a report commissioned last year by American Express Co. Such firms make up nearly 40 percent of all businesses in the nation, and generate an estimated $1.6 trillion in revenue. Here in the greater Valley region, it’s apparent that the ladies have been breaking the mold for some time as leaders in industries dominated by men. Take Picore International Security, for example, the No. 4 firm on the Business Journal’s Women-Owned Businesses list (see page 15). Chief Executive Dr. Dana Picore founded the Calabasas company almost 20 years ago after her experience as an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department during the L.A. riots led her to recognize a need for a psychology-based approach to personal protection. After obtaining a doctorate in psychology, she set to work building a business that could fill the gap. Today she leads a 350-strong workforce; her company brought in revenues of $14 million last year, up from $10 million in 2015. Of course, no matter the industry or your gender, starting a business is never easy. But does being a woman make it harder? That depends whom you ask. For Joann Roth-Orseay of No. 9 Someone’s in the Kitchen, based in Tarzana, the answer is a resounding “no.” “Not once. Never,” Roth-Orseay said. Ruth Drizen-Dohs, chief executive of Chatsworth firm Drizen-Dohs Corporate Communications (No. 29), agreed. “Once (relationships) are forged, it’s all about intelligence, enthusiasm, execution and sincerity, not about being a man or a woman,” Drizen-Dohs said. Still, some women do feel they have to put in more effort to justify their value compared to their male counterparts. As NorthStar Moving Corp. President Laura McHolm noted, reaching the top is only the first step. “You’re not just smashing the glass ceiling, you’re proving it can be done better than when the ceiling was there,” McHolm said. “An A isn’t good enough – it has to be A+.” The top company on the list is Center for Autism and Related Disorders, started in 1990 by Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh. The launch was based on the results of a study on which she was working that indicated early intervention could dramatically improve outcomes in young patients with autism, according to the firm’s website. Today, the company has more than 100 locations in the U.S. and international outposts in Thailand, South Africa and the Middle East. The profiles that follow highlight a few of the female entrepreneurs on the list. While their stories differ, they all agree that given the choice, they would definitely start their businesses again.
Top Female Entrepreneurs
