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The annual event of the International Franchise Professionals Retreat is a must attend, for those looking to stay informed on the many business and franchise opportunities offered to people who are ready to take the leap to start their own business.
Naturals2Go Sales Director Makayla Seger sits down with FranFinders founder Rob Bennet at the event to discuss what sets the Naturlas2Go business model apart from others and who is taking advantage of the growing trend of healthy vending, with the added lifestyle benefits it can bring.
Though the interview takes place in a room where many professionals are looking to make connections it’s still very clear that the low investment level, flexible schedule, and state of the art equipment are keys to this stand out in the broad field of business opportunity.
Makayla shares with viewers what led to the 30-year industry veteran company Vend Tech International to take the leap just 7 years ago and break into the field of healthy vending when most consumers honestly had not heard of the trend yet. With that kind of head start it’s clear that they are winning the race in technology for vending machines. Their customers manage on sales, inventory, and profit reports on line including mobile devices. Also, their machines are equipped to take virtually any cashless payment, not just debit cards, but apple pay and google wallet as well. You can even download an app and put money on a smart pay system. Employers love this benefit and route operators do as well.
Take a minute to watch this video to get to know Naturals2Go. If you’re looking for something that generates passive income and allows you to be a part of the wellness revolution that is all the buzz…you’ll be glad you did!
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Food and Snacks for Managing Crohn’s and Colitis During the Holidays
The first full week of December is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week. It’s also when the holiday season cranks into high gear. If you have Crohn’s or colitis, this season brings unique challenges for you. If you have a loved one who was recently diagnosed, you might wonder what you can do to help. Let’s take a closer look at both diseases and some ways to make the holidays easier for people who struggle with them.
What Are Crohn’s and Colitis?
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two separate conditions, but they cause similar symptoms. Crohn’s disease involves chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth all the way through the bowels. People with Crohn’s don’t feel like eating and often lose weight. They feel tired and may experience night sweats.
Ulcerative colitis only affects the colon lining. Along with the same fatigue and weight loss associated with Crohn’s disease, colitis symptoms include problems with bowel movements that often involve cramping and pain. It affects as many as 907,000 Americans and can occur at any age.
Both conditions are forms of inflammatory bowel disease and have symptoms that come and go. People who struggle with them report flare-ups. During flare-ups, the gastrointestinal tract becomes extremely inflamed. Some people experience pain, bleeding, and fistulas. Sometimes they have fever or other conditions that require medical attention. A flare-up during the holidays can ruin seasonal cheer.
Why Are Holidays Harder for People With Crohn’s and Colitis?
If you have Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or other bowel disease, the holidays can be a difficult time. You’re surrounded by tempting, high-fat food. Everyone around you seems to be indulging in large amounts of everything that causes you problems.
Travel can be difficult at any time of the year. Long hours on the road or in the air make it hard to regulate what goes in your digestive system. Flare-ups might mean you spend hours in pain and have to stick close to the bathroom.
Often your family and friends don’t understand what you’re facing. You look normal and healthy, so they misunderstand your avoidance of certain foods and situations. Often, they pressure you to indulge in things you shouldn’t. What helps them celebrate the holidays might make you end up in the hospital.
How Can Diet Help With Crohn’s or Colitis?
Some foods can trigger a Crohn’s or colitis flare-up. Each person is different, so keep a food diary to identify your triggers. For example, some people with inflammatory bowel diseases are also lactose intolerant. Record whether your symptoms increase when you consume dairy products. If you also have celiac disease, you might need to avoid gluten. Here are some other foods that might cause a problem.
Fried or greasy foods – The fat in fried foods and heavy sauces can’t be fully absorbed in your small intestines.
High fiber foods – For most people, fiber is good. When you have Crohn’s or colitis, avoid them when your symptoms get bad. Eat bread made with refined flour and pasta instead.
Raw nuts and seeds – Nuts can be hard to digest. Instead, choose smooth nut butters like peanut or almond butter. Crackers with nut butter can be a great snack when you are away from home.
Popcorn – Because it’s high in fiber, it can cause a flare-up. When you want something salty and crunchy, try pretzels instead.
Raw fruits and vegetables – These can be tough on your stomach. Try removing the skin from fruits and veggies to reduce the amount of fiber. Most people with Crohn’s and colitis tolerate dried fruits and vegetables well.
Alcohol – It’s everywhere during the holidays, but it can cause painful flare-ups.
When people see the extensive list of what to avoid, they often wonder what’s left. Here are foods to stay nourished without worrying about flare-ups.
- Almond milk
- Eggs
- Oatmeal
- Salmon and other fish
- Vegetable soup
- Papaya
- Hummus
- White meat
- Butter lettuce
- Avocado
How to Help People With Crohn’s and Colitis
If your friends or family members struggle with one of these inflammatory bowel diseases, you don’t want to make the holidays even harder. Here are some things you can do to help.
Offer alternatives at gatherings. Stock non-alcoholic beer or sparkling fruit juice as an alternative to alcoholic beverages. Make sure there are healthy food choices low in fat and fiber. It helps individuals to eat smaller, more frequent meals, so if you have a guest in your home help who suffers from these conditions you can find options.
If you notice them skipping meals, don’t push. They know what’s best for their bodies and may be choosing not to eat so they don’t suffer the painful consequences. If they’re tired, encourage them to rest so they’re refreshed for the next round of festivities.
Another way to help people with Crohn’s and colitis make it through the holidays, and everyday, is to provide healthy vending machine choices in your office, apartment building and any other space appropriate for vending machines. Most vending machines are full of high fat food that isn’t good for anyone, especially someone suffering from Crohn’s or Colitis.
Naturals2Go can help you bring choices to your area with vending machines you can fill with a wide variety of healthy foods. Contact us today to see how you can make money with Naturals2Go vending machines.
Franchise Vending Business vs. Your Own: 3 Good Reasons to Build Your Own
Have you considered walking away from your job and trying something where you’re the boss? If so, you’re not alone. Many people have considered doing just that, but not many act on it. A fear of failure, a lack of understanding of what working for yourself means, or not taking the time to consider options top the list of reasons why most folks won’t take that step into business ownership.
One of the first decisions to make is whether to buy a franchise or to start a business. Each presents a bevy of challenges, but, for individuals trying to get away from working for someone else, a franchise won’t create that desired career independence.
For those standing at the crossroads, trying to decide between a franchise or small-business ownership, consider the entrepreneurial experience offered by Naturals2Go. You get the freedom of owning your own business with much of the support you might find as part of a franchise organization. It’s like having the best of both worlds, but you’re calling the shots.
Lower Overhead
Generally, there is no need to worry about space rental, employee salaries, or other mandatory expenses associated with traditional franchises. As an operator for Naturals2Go in the healthy vending space, you determine where the money is spent, thus deciding how much you get paid in the end. Franchise owners do not get that kind of control because of franchisor regulations. The franchisor determines all the costs, leaving you with what they decide you should take home on top of often requiring materials and inventory purchases to only go through them versus more cost-efficient options like direct wholesale purchasing.
As a small-business owner, the amount you put back into your business is up to you. Do you want to go with the more simple or base functionality machines? Is your location one that will benefit from a more advanced machine with expansions like our coffee expansions? How about one with more variety in choices or flexibility to act on what consumers want versus what you are required to sell? Have your current machines become so easy to manage you want to do more? Have you reached an income level where you want to hire an employee or two? The choices to invest more, upgrade, expand your route or selection, hire employees, or do none of the above lies with you.
No Franchise Fees
Most franchisors charge owner fees for every kind of service available, regardless of whether the franchise owner uses those services. Everything from consultation, legal help, research costs, tax aid, and financing for building expansion or to hire more workers, and more contain fees that drain a franchise owner’s bottom line, reducing the profit for the owner while increasing the money earned by the franchisor. Additionally, start-up costs to purchase a franchise are considerably higher than a simple business license, ranging from thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the franchise.
No Advertising Fees
Instead of having someone else tell you how to do your marketing, including how much to spend and where as well as charging you for the help, you determine your business’s marketing strategy. If you need help, you do so on your terms, hiring a marketing consultant if you desire. If you want to create and run your company’s marketing campaign, you’re not tied to franchise rules and marketing teams as well as not affected by any potential backlash tied to advertising you had zero input about. Naturals2Go provides its small-business owners with this type of flexibility while still providing a solid organizational resource for you.
Naturals2Go has provided hundreds of business owners with a satisfying and lucrative entrepreneurial experience. Our vending operators experience the support of a franchise with the freedom of an independent small business. If you’re ready to take charge of your career, income and future without all the usual risks and fears people associate with starting a business, consider Naturals2Go as your partner. Contact us today to learn more about how our opportunity is different than a franchise and why we still have won the Franchise Brokers Association award “Business Opportunity of the Year” for 5 years running.
Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk With Healthy Food Options
Does what you eat make you more likely to develop prostate cancer? If you have prostate cancer, are there foods that help fight it off and keep it from coming back? November is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, a good time to focus on preventing one of the most common types of cancer in men around the world. Experts estimate that in the next 10 years, prostate cancer will be even more common than lung cancer. Early prostate cancer usually has no symptoms, so regular screening is important. Here are some things you can do to assess and reduce your risk.
Are You at Risk?
Men with a family history of prostate cancer are more likely to develop the disease. African American men are 1.6 times more likely than Caucasians to be diagnosed. Asian-American men and men who are Hispanic or Latino are less likely to develop prostate cancer.
The World Cancer Research Fund International conducted extensive studies on risk factors. They studied how diet, weight, and activity level affected risk. Here’s what they found.
- Strong evidence exists that men who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop prostate cancer.
- There is strong evidence that developmental factors contribute to increased risk. For example, the taller a man is, the higher his risk of developing prostate cancer.
- Beta-carotene was thought to reduce risk, but studies show that consuming large amounts of it has no effect on risk.
- Age is a factor. Men under 40 rarely develop prostate cancer, but the risk rises gradually after men reach 50.
- Geography matters. Men in North America, Europe, Australia, and the Caribbean islands are more likely to develop prostate cancer than men in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America are. Lifestyle differences such as a diet low in processed foods likely account for the difference.
- Diet plays a role. Men who eat a lot of red meat and high-fat dairy have a higher risk. These men also typically eat fewer fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Foods That Might Cause Prostate Cancer
Foods that are packaged and processed are often high in fat and calories. If you get it from a drive-through, it probably isn’t going to help you maintain a healthy body weight. Those foods aren’t just bad for your waistline; they might make you more likely to develop prostate cancer.
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle studied men between the ages of 35 and 74. They found men who ate French fries, fried meats, or fried doughnuts once a week or more had a 30 to 37 percent higher risk of developing prostate cancer. Men with the lowest risk ate fried foods once a month or less. Saturated fats have been linked with heart disease, so avoiding them kills two birds with one stone.
Red meat contains heterocyclic amines (HCAs), carcinogens linked to several cancers. Stay away from processed beef, pork, lunch-meat, hot dogs, and sausage.
Prostate Protection Diet
Even if you only have one or two risk factors, healthy nutrition can help you prevent prostate cancer. Being overweight or obese is one of the biggest contributing factors to developing prostate cancer. Eating right and staying physically active helps keep your body mass index within a healthy range. Replace unhealthy foods with these options.
Nuts – Selenium is good for prostate health, and Brazil nuts contain 10 times your recommended daily allowance. Nuts also contain high levels of zinc, another mineral important to maintaining a healthy prostate. Nuts are high in protein, magnesium, and thiamin, all of which have health benefits.
Broccoli – Broccoli fights cancer. It is rich in sulforaphane, which helps the body detoxify itself and eliminates outside elements that may cause cancer. It also contains indole-3-carbinol, which suppresses cancer cell growth and lowers the production of protein specific antigen. One trial found men who eat broccoli more than once a week had a 45 percent less chance of developing advanced prostate cancer.
Cayenne – This bright red chili pepper contains capsaicin, which reduces pain and kills cancer cells. Capsaicin attacks cancer cells and causes them to self-destruct. It also fights atherosclerosis, prevents ulcers, and helps reduce your risk of diabetes.
Green tea – Men who drink at least three cups of green tea a day have a lowered risk of prostate cancer.
Pomegranates – Pomegranate extract slows prostate cancer cell reproduction and stops blood vessels from nourishing prostate tumors. Pomegranate juice is a great way to get it in.
Fish – Omega-3 fatty acids in fish both prevent prostate cancer and slow prostate tumor development. Eating fish can reduce your risk even if you’re genetically predisposed.
Fight Prostate Cancer and Make Money
It can be hard to eat healthy with today’s busy lifestyles. You can’t always find food that’s good for you. Vending machines offer convenient snacking, but they’re often full of the worst foods. Consider installing a Naturals2Go healthy vending machine at your office. Operators select inventory based on what their customers want and their own nutritional needs.
Offer nuts, bean chips, and all-natural fruit snacks in place of cookies and candy bars. Keep healthy options handy for yourself and those closest to you, and make money doing it. Contact us today to find out more about our machines.
Best Strategies and Locations for Placing Your Vending Machines
Often what attracts people most to the vending business is that it generates a mostly passive income. The fact that putting in as little as 1-4 days of work each month while generating a significant income, continues to build an allure to an industry that has been around since the 1800’s and still thrives in nearly every city in the US.
However, the magic of letting your machines do the work for you while you do what you want, whether that be working another full-time job or just enjoying life…only works if the machines are in a profitable location.
That’s it. That’s the X factor. To enjoy the passive benefits of vending it’s all about “location, location, location.” Sound familiar? While most of us probably associate the slogan “location, location, location” with the real-estate industry let’s be clear, a big backyard and granite counter-tops don’t really matter when scouting a location for a vending machine, people do.
Traffic
Foot traffic is essential. Are people passing by the machine area often? Or, if it’s in a break room how many employees have access to the machine? Vending is often an impulse purchase when machines are in high traffic areas, but it can also be a habit when placed in break room and stocked with employee favorites.
As a general rule with a full-sized snack and drink machine combo you need a minimum of 50 full-time employees or equivalent foot traffic. There are a few other elements that factor into that number, a significant one being…competition.
Significant areas that are popular vending machine locations that typically satisfy the “high foot traffic” essential requirement include:
- Office Break Rooms
- Youth recreational facilities (i.e., soccer complexes, dance studios, gymnastics centers, etc.)
- Schools
- Professional Plazas
- Hair and Beauty Salons
- Industrial Break Rooms
- Car Dealerships
- Doctor’s offices
- Auto Repair Shops
- Anywhere you see vending machines!
Competition
When scouting out a location it’s important not only to look at the other vending machines in the building / location, but also what other food services are on-site and nearby. Having another machine in the facility does not necessarily mean you should take the prospect off your list and, in fact it could mean better business in the long-run. Start by looking at what products they offer, and at what prices, also look at the number of people on-site or observe pedestrian traffic patterns. It could still work out to be a great location it’s just important to evaluate all the contributing factors using basic level research.
Permissions
Of course, you will need permission from the decision maker to place a machine in a facility. Establishing a relationship with that person and understanding the needs of their employees or customers is vital. Also, there may be contractual conditions to be aware of. Some locations make sure if you are just getting into the vending business that you have an experienced advisor to help navigate you through this aspect of placement.
Naturals2Go Is Here to Help
The possibilities of locations for vending machines are literally endless, but a few success factors always need to be in place. Above all keep your eyes open and your networking channels busy as you never know when that next great location will present itself. Also, Naturals2Go’s mentors will also provide you with additional skills and tools to find great locations in your area for your vending machines. Contact us today to learn more.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Fight Breast Cancer With Good Nutrition
Can what you eat prevent breast cancer? October is breast cancer awareness month. The National Breast Cancer Foundation created the annual campaign to raise awareness of this devastating disease. All month it encourages individuals to host or engage in fundraising events, share educational content, and focus on early detection, education, and support. One of the ways women can reduce their risk is through eating healthy throughout their lifetimes.
Diet and Breast Cancer Risk
Diet is partly responsible for between 30 and 40 percent of cancers, according to BreastCancer.org. The research isn’t more specific, because many women with breast cancer have more than one risk factor, so it can be hard to isolate one cause from the rest. However, there’s a clear link between a diet that is low fat and high in vegetables and fiber and reduced breast cancer risk.
Healthy foods help maintain a healthy weight. Overweight women have an increased risk of breast cancer. Fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods promote weight loss because they contain high amounts of fiber and nutrition and relatively low calorie counts. Women who gained weight after a diagnosis of breast cancer also had a higher risk of recurrence.
A low-fat diet reduces risk. One study found that when women only got 25 percent of their daily calories from fat, they were less likely to get breast cancer. A low-fat diet often means high consumption of nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, grains, and veggies.
Research supports eating a variety of healthy foods. Supplements help, but it’s best to get your nutrients from a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Researchers continue to study the link between breast cancer and healthy eating, but here’s what dieticians say helps reduce your risk.
- Keep your body mass index in a healthy range.
- Eat more than five cups of fruits and vegetables every day.
- Limit saturated fat to under 10 percent of your calories and total fat to under 30 grams each day.
- Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, beans, and nuts.
- Avoid packaged foods and trans fats.
Foods that Fight Cancer
The MD Anderson Center recommends making vegetables, beans, and whole grains a major part of every meal. Build your grocery list around foods that reduce your risk and make healthy eating a regular part of your lifestyle. Try some of these cancer-fighting superfoods.
Broccoli – This green veggie contains sulforaphane, a powerful compound that flushes cancer-causing chemicals from your body and raises its level of protective enzymes. Kale, cabbage, and cauliflower also contain sulforaphane, but broccoli has the most.
Berries – All berries contain phytochemicals called anthocyanins. They keep premalignant cancer cells from growing to fight off cancer. The Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology compared dried and frozen berries with fresh ones and found there was no significant difference in their cancer-fighting nutrients. When you’re on the go, eat dried fruit for a nutritional power punch.
Tomatoes – Lycopene makes tomatoes red. It also stops the growth of cancer cells. Cooked tomatoes offer the biggest benefit, since turning tomatoes into sauce concentrates the amount of lycopene per ounce. Sip tomato juice for a tasty way to reduce your cancer risk.
Walnuts – Two handfuls of walnuts a day might lower your risk of breast cancer. If you have breast cancer, walnuts can slow the growth of tumors. Phytosterols in nuts block estrogen receptors in cancer cells. Almonds and peanuts contain the same cancer fighting compounds.
Garlic – Several studies show a link between increased garlic consumption and reduced cancer risk. The phytochemical allicin that gives garlic its strong odor also strengthens the immune system and helps the body kill abnormal cancer cells. One study indicated women taking tamoxifen to fight breast cancer reduced their risk of liver injury by consuming more allicin.
Beans – Black beans and navy beans cause your body to produce the fatty acid butyrate. In high concentrations, butyrate fights cancer growth. Fight breast and colon cancer by eating beans at least three times a week.
Quick Cancer-Fighting Snacks
Munch on cancer-fighting foods throughout the day with these quick strategies.
- Once a week, stuff snack-sized zipper baggies with raw broccoli, berries, and cherry tomatoes. Put them where it’s easy to grab and go.
- Stock up on 100 percent vegetable juice and keep it chilled for a delicious treat.
- Keep reduced-fat cheese sticks on hand.
- All natural granola bars help you get in an extra serving of whole grains, nuts, and dried fruit.
- Bean chips are high in fiber and protein and low in sodium. Fight cancer with chips.
- Packaged nuts don’t have to be refrigerated, and they won’t get squashed sitting in your purse or car. Keep them on hand for emergency snacking.
Healthy Vending Machines?
Sometimes no matter how carefully you plan, it’s hard to find healthy food choices. Naturals2Go makes eating right easy by providing vending machines stocked with healthy options. If you want to make good choices easy and make money doing it, consider putting in a Naturals2Go vending machine.
Naturals2Go is ready to partner with you to offer healthy eating in your area. Contact us today to learn more about starting your own vending business or getting one of our healthy vending machines in your location.
National Childhood Obesity Month: How to Get Kids to Eat More Fruits and Veggies
It’s back to school time, and kids seem as though they’re hungrier than ever! They want lunches packed to the brim with tasty fare and food on tap from the minute they get home. You want to keep them filled up with good things, but some eaters can be picky. How can you get them to eat more fruits and veggies? Here’s why it matters and a few ways to do it.
How Important Is It?
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends children between the ages of 2 and 6 eat three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit. For older children and teens, they recommend four or five servings of veggies and three servings of fruit daily.
That seems like a lot, but there are several benefits to getting the full amount. Here are the most compelling.
- Better nutrition – Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients not found in other foods. Vitamin C boosts immunity, vitamin A improves eye health, and spinach provides iron.
- Lower risk of obesity – As the obesity epidemic is on the rise, nutrition in the early years becomes even more important. Fruits and vegetables are full of fiber, which makes kids feel full longer. They also contain fewer calories for their bulk.
- Better digestive health – High-fiber foods relieve constipation and help the digestive system work efficiently.
- Better academic performance – The Journal of School Health found kids with healthy diets did better on tests than other children did. Good nutrition helps kids learn.
Pack Healthy School Lunches
If you’re going to get in all those servings of fruits and vegetables, some of them will have to be in their school lunches Packing lunch is a tricky thing. What kids eat doesn’t just depend on their tastes and your budget. What their peers think often impacts what they choose to eat.
Just because they eat celery sticks at home doesn’t mean they’ll do it when the cool kids see it and shake their heads. The good news is that eating healthy is experiencing a surge of popularity, even at the elementary level.
Kids love packaged chips and sugary snacks, but they also recognize healthy food takes time to prepare, and time is a luxury many family don’t have. Students admit to being impressed when classmates bring healthy food that is creatively prepared. Here’s how to pack fruits and vegetables your kids will actually eat.
- Start with a cool container. A bento box or other container with sections keeps food separate. Pineapple chunks don’t make bread or pretzels soggy and fruit juice doesn’t get on things it shouldn’t. Boxes with sections let you pack them full of colorful choices, so when your child pops the lid it seems to overflow with goodness.
- Fill each section with variety. Put a handful of blueberries in one section and cherry tomatoes in another. Cut their sandwich into shapes with cookie cutters for a touch of playfulness.
- Encourage playing with their food. Most the things you pack will be finger foods. Encourage interaction when you prepare them. Put grapes in a snack sized zipper bag and use a wooden clothespin to pinch the bag into two sections. Decorate the clothespin so the whole thing looks like a butterfly. Cut an apple into eighths and use a stick pretzel mast to turn them into boats.
- Turn up the crunch. Kids love noise. You emphasize table manners at home, but in the cafeteria, they’re going to be silly. Use that to your advantage by challenging them to see which veggie crunches the loudest. Then send carrots, celery with light ranch, or apple wedges. Before long, their friends will want in on the crunch contest too.
- Create colorful skewers. Don’t limit yourself to a sandwich for the main entrée. Use toothpicks to create colorful kebabs with sliced meat, cheese, cherry tomatoes, grapes, and bell peppers. Pack them on top of a lettuce leaf so the colors really pop.
- Put it in a thermos. Send 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices in an insulated bottle. When the weather cools, use your slow cooker to turn protein and veggies into a savory stew that feels like a hug from home.
Healthy Snacks for All
You prioritize healthy eating, but not all kids have that option. Most schools have vending machines kids can access for extra food. Talk to your school about packing them full of healthy choices. Here are some options that work in vending machines.
- Black bean or lentil chips
- Packaged apple wedges with peanut butter
- All-natural fruit strips
- Almonds
- Dried bananas
- All-natural granola bars
Naturals2Go provides vending machines packed full of healthy options. If your school doesn’t offer good snack choices, consider putting one in. Naturals2Go gives kids some healthy food and puts money in your pocket.
Our best-in-class vending machine equipment and high-quality support make it easy to make a difference and earn supplemental income. Contact us today to learn more about starting your own business.
Women Entrepreneurs: History of Women in Business
The modern workplace would not be the same without its powerful female entrepreneurs. Throughout history, women have made their mark on the working world with ingenious innovations, out-of-the-box business ventures, and unprecedented success. At Naturals2Go, we’ve compiled this brief history of female entrepreneurs to inspire you to join their ranks – with a little help from our healthy workplace vending machines, of course!
The Early Days of Women in the Workforce
In the beginning of the 20th century, feminism finally began to make real changes in the female working climate. Prior to this time, women owned businesses only if they were in dire straits – those without husbands who did not want to become social burdens. These businesses mostly included brothels, taverns, and alehouses. At the turn of the century, progressive ideals gave rise to a social sphere that was much more conducive for female business owners.
In the early 1900s, female entrepreneurs such as Madam C.J. Walker, Coco Chanel, Olive Ann Beech, and Ma Perkins got their start. These powerful women established their own brands and fought tooth and nail for success in the face of discrimination, unfair wages, and stigmas plaguing female business owners. To this day, these brands survive to tell the legacy of some of America’s earliest femmepreneurs.
Working Women During World War II
World War II wasn’t the very beginning of female entrepreneurship – women have been inventing things and creating their own businesses for centuries. However, it does mark a time when women entered the American workforce in unprecedented numbers. From 1940 to 1945, the percentage of working women rose by almost 10% due to male military enlistment leaving gaps in the workforce. Women took up a variety of positions, from sewing clothes to repairing planes.
Female entrepreneurs boomed during this period, generating income from a wide range of home-based businesses. After the war ended, many continued their trades, earning independent incomes. One of the most noteworthy from the early days of femmepreneurship is Elizabeth Arden, the woman who singlehandedly established the American beauty industry in 1910. Her empire boomed after the war, with Red Door salons opening in fashion capitals around the world. Today, the Elizabeth Arden franchise is still a mainstay in terms of quality and craftsmanship.
Female Empowerment in the U.S.
In the 1960s and ’70s, women saw great changes in their political and social landscapes. Divorce rates escalated, leading to an increase in working single mothers. Many women saw entrepreneurship as the ideal solution. The American feminist movement finally broke down barriers for women in the workplace, leaving behind the idea that women had to be homemakers for society to accept them. Women earned legal rights and began branching out from typical jobs such as secretaries, teachers, and nurses to explore the larger business sphere.
As women began seeking professional fulfillment outside the home, they started some of the most successful companies to date. Mary Kay Ash is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of this age. She went door to door selling books during World War II. She and her husband divorced when he returned from the war in 1945. In 1963, Mary Kay Ash retired from Stanley Home Products and wrote her own business plan. That summer, she founded Beauty by Mary Kay (now known as Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.) with help from her sons – a business that took the beauty industry by storm.
Businesswomen Finally Take Center Stage
From 1980 to 2000, hundreds of women earned recognition as some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs. From Madonna gracing the cover of Forbes magazine as “America’s Smartest Business Woman” to Martha Stewart and Oprah establishing their empires, businesswomen were finally in the spotlight. The world was beginning to recognize the incomparable power of women who were determined to do big things.
In 1988, Congress passed the Women’s Business Ownership Act. This eliminated outdated laws that required a husband’s signature on business documents and bank lending discrimination. It also enabled female entrepreneurs to apply for government contracts. The act assisted in the success of female entrepreneurs, providing policies and programs to support their business endeavors. It marked the start of workplace equality among American men and women.
The Modern Female Entrepreneur
The 21st century has seen an upsurge in women entrepreneurs, but it isn’t always a bed of roses. Female business owners still face wage and gender discrimination and fewer opportunities than their male counterparts do. Still, women are making major impacts in media, business, politics, and more. From Beth Comstock – CEO of GE Business Innovations – to media mavens Taylor Swift and Jennifer Lawrence, women are redefining their roles in the modern marketplace.
Some of the most powerful female entrepreneurs of today include Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé, Lucy Peng, Sofia Vergara, and Sheryl Sandberg. Women have founded top brands Cisco, Bark & Co., SlideShare, Flickr, Build-a-Bear, and Proactiv. Naturals2Go wants to fuel the brave and bold businesswomen of the modern age. Learn the benefits of joining the healthy vending trend by launching your own vending business with our help. We want to help you make history.
5 Ways to Boost Your Employees’ Productivity in the Workplace
Productivity can be your greatest asset as a business owner … or your greatest expense. If you’re one of many employers struggling to light a fire under your employees, there are proven ways to boost staff yield and efficiency. With just a few simple changes, you can inspire your workers to work smarter and harder. Here are five ways to enhance productivity in the office from the pros at Naturals2Go:
- Balance Your Noise Levels
A noisy work environment is not one that promotes productivity. However, a completely silent workplace is also not ideal. You must strike a careful balance. In a recent survey, the number one factor employees cite as disrupting productivity is noise. Voices chattering, music playing, loud machines buzzing – a workplace that’s too loud can be distracting. Yet not enough noise can make employees feel anxious and uncomfortable. Light background noise can put your staff at ease. Accomplish noise reduction by installing sound-absorbing furniture, such as throw rugs on tiled floors.
- Make Your Employees Comfortable
Full-time workers spend an average of 40 to 70 hours in the workplace every week of their lives. As an employer, it’s your job to make sure your staff members spend this time as efficiently as possible. If your office has uncomfortable chairs, outdated desks, and other elements that make employees uncomfortable, they cannot focus 100 percent of their attention on their tasks. Uncomfortable furniture can lead to health problems, increasing sick days and missed time at work.
Invest in ergonomic office furniture that supports strong, healthy body mechanics. Certain chairs, for example, have designs that reduce muscle tension and strain. Workers can sit in these chairs longer than other types, reducing downtime and keeping employees happier. Ergonomic desks also optimize employee comfort and physical well-being with smart designs and special features. Ergonomic furniture can be a significant investment, but you’ll enjoy stellar returns in the comfort and happiness of your workers.
- Eliminate Bad Lighting
Lighting in the office can present a significant issue for employees. When working inside all day, the lack of natural light can lead to headaches, drowsiness, and lack of energy. Fluorescent lights and artificial lights create a harsh work environment that stresses your employees. It can lead to a cold, clinical feel in the office that is not conducive to teamwork and productivity. At the same time, not enough light can contribute to sleepy staff members, eyestrain, and trip and fall accidents.
Find your ideal office lighting by implementing just the right amount of natural light. Combine light from the great outdoors with artificial lighting in appropriate ways, such as desk lamps with soft, warm light. Open the blinds in your office and try to hold conferences in the room with the most windows. Employees who can bask in real light may be more alert, productive, and useful around the office. Filling your office with sunlight is an easy way to boost workplace efficiency without spending a significant amount of money.
- Improve Air Quality
The air your employees breathe can make a considerable difference in how well they work. Inside air can affect the ability to work by making it uncomfortable or unsafe to remain in the office. Air quality involves ventilation, temperature, humidity, lack of outside air, and exposure to mold or harmful chemicals. Good indoor air quality can keep employees sharp, alert, and healthy. Signs that you have poor air quality at work include:
- Unpleasant odors
- Visible mold anywhere in the office
- A hot and stuffy building
- Physical symptoms such as headaches or drowsiness
- Fever and illness
- Cough, sore throat, respiratory problems
- Shortness of breath or asthma
- Water damage and leaks
- Standing water
There are professionals you can hire to assess the indoor air quality in your office and recommend repairs – something as simple as opening a few windows in your office can improve indoor air quality and boost productivity. It can also help you avoid safety violations and liability for employee illnesses relating to poor work environment.
- Partner with an Independent Naturals2Go Healthy Vending Machine Operator
One of the simplest and most effective changes you can make to enhance worker productivity is to install an affordable, scalable Naturals2Go vending machine. You can’t control the quality of food your employees bring to work, but you can provide them with healthier snacks that fuel the body throughout the workday. By putting the right types of food within your employees’ reach, you can boost energy levels and reduce sick days.
If you currently have vending machines that offer only junk like potato chips, candy and soda, you’re serving foods that can ultimately impact productivity levels. Instead, you can contact Naturals2Go about getting a vending machine in your location and we can partner you up with one of our many independent operators. Your employees can snack on nutritious, protein-packed foods such as lentil chips, black bean chips, apple slices, fruit strips, Smartfood popcorn, and veggie crisps while at work. Brain food can contribute to your employees’ health, energy, and all-around success. Contact us today and we’ll connect you with a certified Naturals2Go Operator in your area!
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