Celebrating Women’s History Month
Six Questions with Andréa Arnett
Since 1995, United States presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the U.S. and recognize the often-overlooked achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields – social, economic, cultural and political.
March is the perfect time to show your support for women-owned businesses. Or you might write thank you notes to a woman who has inspired you.
Our inspiration this month is our very own Andréa Arnett, co-owner of Arnett’s Water Systems. We asked her some questions regarding women in business and women as leaders. Here is what she had to say:
Q: Tell us about a woman who has inspired you.
A: When I was 16 years old, I did an internship, and at the time, I had a supervisor whose name was Tania Palermo. She instilled professional values that I carry with me to this day.
Q: Which qualities make a good leader in business or otherwise?
A: To me, great leaders should consistently possess these ten core leadership skills:
- Integrity
- Ability to delegate
- Communication
- Self-awareness
- Gratitude
- Learning agility
- Influence
- Empathy
Q: Are there any assumptions about women that you would like to change?
A: One of the most significant assumptions people make about women is motherhood, a women’s desire to be a mother. They prioritize that role and what that means about her time management and commitment to leadership tracks and general workload. Often, working mothers have to demonstrate a commitment to their jobs.
Q: If you could learn anything, what would it be?
A: I’ve started learning about the “internet world.” One of my goals is to learn more about marketing and be able to use it to benefit Arnett’s.
Q: What was the first thing you bought with your own money?
A: I’ve been working since I was 16 years old. I bought my car and condo with my own money.
Q: What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
A: I would tell young people to use their imagination more than knowledge because knowledge is limited and creativity involves the world, to paraphrase Albert Einstein.