Program empowers young girls in the Madison community

GIRLS’BIZ empowers middle girl schools through running their own business. (Photo Courtesy of GIRLS’BIZ)

By looking into the world of business and philanthropy, the GIRLS’BIZ program encourages young middle school girls to develop their own future businesses.

GIRLS’BIZ is a non-profit program run through Wisconsin Women Entrepreneurs of Southcentral, Inc. and just celebrated its 20th anniversary this fall.

GIRLS’BIZ enrolls 15 girls, living in the greater Dane County area, in either sixth, seventh or eighth grade. Janelle Higgins, a spokesperson for GIRLS’BIZ, said when it was first created there were not a lot of opportunities for middle school girls.

Every year the participants create a business and go through all the steps of developing it. They create a business name, sell products, order inventory, look at the book and take orders. The first group of girls during the 1996-1997 school year created custom tee-shirts.

“There’s something empowering about helping and encouraging young women in our community to show them new opportunities,” Higgins said.

At the end of the program, which runs from September through February, Higgins said the girls have always made a profit. Half of the profits go to one or multiple charities and the other half stays with the girls as a way to fund an end of the year trip. This provides the participants a chance to learn about philanthropy, Higgins said.

They also try to purchase fair trade, locally-made or organic products at wholesale around Dane County to teach the girls about the terminology and what it means in a business.

This year, the girls decided to name the business the Believe Company with the tagline “Empowered girls will change the world.” Higgins said.

Higgins said the program shows the girls there are many opportunities for them and teaches them not only about business but also confidence.

“They could start their own business, they don’t have to go work for somebody else,” Higgins said. “Empowering them to give them new possibilities.”

Ideally, Higgins said they want the girls to participate for all three years of middle school.

Girls get to role play and practice speaking with adults and older businesswomen and Higgens said in the beginning some girls can’t even look people in the eyes but after one year she sees a difference in their confidence levels. After the other two years, she said the differences are even more stark.

For Higgins, the best part is seeing this growth in the middle schoolers.

“Their whole confidence level just flourishes, which is so exciting to see the development of while they’re going through the program and the practice,” Higgins said.