Conflicted

Idon’t want to do a women’s issue anymore.

After ruminating for a while about what I was going to write for this, my ninth women’s issue for Biz New Orleans, it just hit me. I’m over it. Don’t get me wrong — it’s not that I don’t want to write about amazing women doing amazing things — that’s actually one of my favorite things to do. I just can’t believe we’re still at a point where a women’s issue is needed to try and balance things out. It’s the same as special awards for women, though. We have those, right? Women in business honors. We have special business groups for women, special conferences.

I’m conflicted because I really enjoy all these things, but yet it’s weird, isn’t it? Business is business. I would hope we’re all at the point in the year 2023 that we recognize that women are just as capable as men, but sadly, we’re just not there yet. There are still many industries where women are vastly underrepresented — typically the most lucrative and powerful ones.

Our cover woman, the indomitable Sevetri Wilson, is evidence of this. Sure, she’s a huge success story now, but it took her rising above a lot of prejudice and bias to get investors to take a chance on her great business idea because it was coming from someone that didn’t look like, or come from a place where, they’re used to doing business.

It makes you think: What incredible ideas, what amazing talent are we missing out on when we do business only with those in our social circle? The people we golf with, are related to, that look like us, that come from our neighborhood? How much stronger would our region be if we were at the point where the idea of having a special magazine issue, or awards, or business groups for half our population was ridiculous?

I’d like to find out. How about you?

Publisher Todd Matherne

EDITORIAL

Editor Kimberley Singletary

Art Director Sarah George

Digital Media Editor Kelly Massicot

Associate News Editor Rich Collins

Perspective Writer Drew Hawkins

Contributors David “Beau” D. Haynes, Ashley McLellan, Chris Price, Jennifer Gibson Schecter, Rebecca Shaw, Perry Sholes, Melanie Warner Spencer, Poppy Tooker, Keith Twitchell

ADVERTISING / MARKETING

Senior Account Executive Jessica Jaycox Mahl (504) 830-7255 JessicaJ@BizNewOrleans.com

Senior Account Executive Meghan Schmitt (504) 830-7246 Meghan@BizNewOrleans.com

RENAISSANCE PUBLISHING

PRODUCTION

Manager Rosa Balaguer Arostegui

Senior Designer Meghan Rooney

CIRCULATION

Subscriptions Jessica Armand

Distribution John Holzer

ADMINISTRATION

Office Manager Mallary Wolfe

VP of Sales and Marketing Kate Henry

Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne

For subscriptions, call (504) 830-7231

Kimberley@BizNewOrleans.com