The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-18
OF WOMEN IN BUSINESS.
A Daughter OF Ex-senator Dawes
Writes Entsrtaingly About
Them.
She Disclosss Sons Practical Rea-
sons for Their Success
or Failure.
Usefui Hints on PerfsrmIng Co attracts
aud Dealing with Castomers-Lea-
soas 60 lie Learned.


partment Of business has resulted ia the
discovery that a woman can do business
along business lines aud by recognized
methods; also In another discovery that
unless Obliged 10 do 20 by her environment
she generally does conduct her business
H"airs I'm a somewhat slipshod manner.
No permanent success Is possible except
according TO strict business methods. In
large affairs this becomes evident 40 soon
that either the worker IL forced into con
/ formity or the business disappears Of its
own weight There is little need 10 give
I hints In such cases. Either they are super
/ huous or they are useless.
/ But the possibility OF self support along
new lines has suggested large number OF
new occupations 20 young women who are
establishing themselves everywhere In
small enterprises. The eventual success
of these enterprises depends very largely
upon the spirit and method with which
they are entered into. And TO these ener-
getic and enterprising Noung women few
hints may be valuable.
IL should never be forgotten that "busi-
ness and philanthropy" are two differ
ent things. Both buyer and seller fire.
I quently oonfound the two. It may be ques-
toned whether half the failures in bust
ness ventures by young women do not
arise from this simple fact
And in like manner the woman who
goes into business exchanges the privilege
of special courtesy TO her sex for independ-
ence and business reciprocity. Here again
a mistake Is too frequently made.
A business woman must not consider
the weather nor n headache
Her family can no longer take a para
mount place with her.
She cannot afford to be pleasant only
when she feels well and glum or unaocom-
modating when she has had bad news.
The public is merciless and cares nothing
for her. body or soul.
IL she needs n cashier or clerk, it Is not
enough for her that she has an idle broth
er or that her mother might take the place.
The first question for her consideration IL
the efficiency OF those relatives for the va
cant position
II seems impossible 20 pluck out of the
mind Of a woman the idea that her per
sOnal maintenAnces ought to be taken into
account in settling her business affairs.
And, curiously enough, this idea has cor
rupted the business mind Of the other sex.
IL is by no means unknown for a man 70
go paying interest 20 his female client
whose funds have disappeared in bad in
vestments, or, on the other hand, 20 expect
considerable financial charity from her as
10 the principal Of such investments.
Neither of these expectations would sur
vive a moment between two men.
Probably the very first lesson for the
would be business woman to learn Is that
she should expect no consideration what
ever on account Of her sex or her personal
circumstances and should give none. The
exact filling of contracts and the exact re-
quirement Of dues are the foundation Of all
good business.
Likewise it should be one Of her early
lessons that the exact filling Of contracts
refers both TO time and quality.
Perhaps the most common Of all faults
in women who engage in small enterprises
Is the feeling that II they cannot do the
work now or furnish the goods today next
week will do just as Well Aud If called
to account for these delays they consider
the customers most unreasonable.
Another curious peculiarly in the bust
ness relations OF women, resulting directly
from her too often inexact habit of mind
is her treatment Of errors. In the view Of
many new business women any mistake
made in the goods, in orders procured, in
work done, must come ont Of the customer
Now, if a customer gives definite, plain
order, and the dealer does not MI that or
der, il is the fault of the dealer and should
be borne by her. This fault is by no means
confined to women, it is true, but il is
specially prevalent among them. The or
der should be exact and definite--in writ
ing II need be-but once given 10 Is the
dealers place to MI IT,
In all the various lines Of small enter
prises upon which women are now enter
ing and some Of which they are inventing
much depends upon the way the young
business woman meets the would be Gus
toner
A cardinal principle should be TO do any
thing that any one desires Some way
must be found TO do even the impossible.
Let no possible customer disappear be
sAuse you could not find some way TO
meet his or her wishes Send for the goods
wanted, or even go TO the city after them,
II il be only dollars worth. Take the
strange job If II have even the most remote
connection with your enterprise and do 81,
though you must privately sublet IT, But
let the customer always find You ready
and always sure to do what Is wanted.
This insures his temperance. But il you
cannot meet his wishes the first time, he
viii find some other person or place where
they can be met, and that Is a fatal dis
covery.
BE ready in expedient. There is no bust.
ness, even the largest and most system
attic, that is not always running against
a wall Of some kind, and the ability 20
quickly and sometimes Immediately find
a new way out is the question of success
or failure
II you cannot do thing one way, do IL
another. II the conditions will not allow
of the end desired. change the conditions,
and that on the spot. She who hesitates
Is lost Ina these days. Yet look before you
leap. A womnn's natural impulses must
not be trusted too far Readiness IN eN-
pedient' is not only readiness. but readi-
ness in expedient To think quickly and
closely to determine that some difficult