Eighth annual WISE women entrepreneur conference sponsored by SU’s Whitman School was held at the OnCenter.

The WISE Symposium is much like a classic woman. It is attractive, dedicated, sensual, smart and nurturing. Women taking center stage for a full day of thinking about business is not exactly a norm; that’s why this conference is so successful. It’s a day to put work and family aside and focus on your thinking, while celebrating women’s success stories.

WISE stands for Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship, and that they did on April 8 during the annual symposium at the OnCenter in downtown Syracuse.

Perhaps one of the most constant themes of the day was that there are always going to be difficult times for a woman in business. Days when you think you can’t take any more or do anymore. The message was “These days will pass.”

All the presenters agreed that it doesn’t really get any easier as new challenges will always be presented.

After reporting a number of positive statistics on women owned businesses, Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor told the audience in her welcoming remarks, “So at that moment in the middle of the night when you wonder remember the statistics.”

Passionate work pays off

Another message from the WISE conference is that it is okay to turn your passion into business. It is okay to use your woman’s intuition in that business. As since 1992 the numbers are demonstrating that women owned businesses are growing at twice the rate of their male counterparts.

Cantor also spoke about Central New York women and their history of leadership in the world. Starting with the women of the Onondaga Tribe, then the women in Seneca Falls envisioning a Women’s Bill of Rights. She recounted that when the women’s rights bill came before congress there was one swing vote left. It was a congressman from Tennessee, whose mother called him and said, “Do the right thing.”

Cantor said this echoes mothers everywhere, “We’ve been telling our children to do the right thing (all along).”

Collective enterprise

One more important theme of WISE is that you are not in this alone. Women are known for their ability to build support and to network in their communities and on the home front. This same trait serves women well in business.

Cantor said The Falcone Center, an outreach arm of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises in the Whitman School of Management at SU, is spreading the dream of opportunity. One thousand women a year have been counseled about business at the Southside Innovation Center (a community based microenterprise incubator operated by the Whitman School).

“Go dream big. Make a difference, then network like crazy to keep it going,” Cantor said.

2010 WISE keynote speakers in order of appearance:

Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s Daughter

Taryn Rose, founder of Haute Footure

Debbie Fields Rose, founder of Mrs. Field’s Cookies

For more on these ladies go to wiseconference.com/sym_keynote.asp

WISE 2010 presenters and participants

Lisa Assenza, HuePhoria

Larry Bennett, Syracuse University

Julie Briggs, Syracuse Gift Basket Company

Chancellor Nancy Cantor, Syracuse University

Donna Woolfolk Cross, author of Pope Joan

Donna Curtin, Grace Auto Body

Linda Cushman, Syracuse University

Carey Earle, Green Apple Marketing

Sorche Fairbank, Fairbank Literary

Jen Falso, HuePhoria

Maryann Fiedler, Syracuse University

Lynne Foster, COMTEK Test Kitchen

Doreen Garrett, Otis Technologies

Marion Hancock Fish, Hancock & Estabrook, LLP

Ana Harvey, U.S. Small Business Administration

Mike Haynie, Syracuse University

Andrew Kane, KeyBank

Robert Kiltz, CNY Healing Arts Center

Kathleen Komar, Curly Locks Gourmet Food, LLC

Kathy Kotz, Kathy Kotz Home Builder

Sue Malone, Strategies for Small Business

Alex McKelvie, Syracuse University

Yolanda Mitchell, FYM Logic, Inc.

Joan Powers, Small Business Development Center

James Quackenbush, U.S. Small Business Administration

Donna Reeves-Collins, Rich Products

Holly Rosenthal, Syracuse University

Kathy Rowe, Y94FM

Julie Shimer, Welch Allyn

Virginia Smith, Small Business Administration

Ann Marie Stonecypher, AMS Models & Talent, AMS Interior D (c)cor

Ramona Waldecker, Ramona’s Dressings

Craig Watters, Syracuse University

Maureen Werther, pie a la moe!

Jennifer Wilkov, Radio Talk Show Host/Author