Page 4 • Wednesday , October 4 , 2017 • The Hammonton Gazette
Women in business discuss their keys to success
BUSINESS , from Page 1 ing the demands of raising a family , which can be a full-time job on its own . The Gazette spoke with a few of the women who own businesses in Hammonton .
Sharon Bertino , owner of health foods store The Health Tree , has been in business for 42 years and said balancing a career and a family is an art form that she mastered over time .
“ There is nothing harder than a working mother . Balancing a career and family is all-consuming . I have found working and raising children , the busier I was , the more I actually accomplished . How , you may ask ? Well , it was mastering the art of multitasking ,” Bertino said .
Sandy Tzaferos is a clinical pharmacist and founder of MediLink Homecare and MediLink RxCare . Tzaferos has spent about 30 years in the industry and said an important part of having a successful career as a woman begins with the field that is chosen .
“ It is important for women to choose a career path that fits their priorities and what they hope to achieve from their career . Pharmacy is a great field for women because the profession offers many career paths that can fit their needs . From research , to clinical , to retail , we have the flexibility to train for and pursue the career that most closely meshes with your area of interest , work preferences and schedule . I was raising two kids when I established my pharmacies , and even though it was not easy , it was gratifying because I was doing what I loved and fit the needs of my family ,” Tzaferos said .
Unlike Bertino and Tzaferos , Meadows Bridal Shop owner Toni Capaccio has not yet started a family but said there are many significant obstacles women must contend with in the workforce besides balancing work with motherhood , especially when it comes to the gender pay gap that is believed to exist between men and women . Capaccio said one of the reasons this barrier between men and women in the workforce does exist is due to the perceptual disparity between men and women in the work force .
“ Whether it ’ s your boss or an unruly customer , just keep your cool and remain professional .
Tweed Ride October 14
HAMMONTON — The Kickstand Crew will host a Hammonton Tweed Ride , from Kitchen 19 ’ s garden to Vinyl Brewing on Saturday , October 14 .
The ride will start at Kitchen 19 ( behind the building ) at 3 p . m . and will finish at Vinyl Brewing ( for merriment ) at 5 p . m .
Funds raised will buy bicycles for teens and kids in need .
For more information , contact Alicia at kickstandcrewhammonton @ gmail . com .
Tickets can be purchased at www . eventbrite . com / e / tweedride-2017-tickets-36644659162 ? aff = ehomecard .
Follow the Kickstand Crew on Instagram @ kickstandcrewhammonton .
People are constantly waiting to label women ‘ bossy ,’ ‘ rude ,’ ‘ moody ,’ etcetera , so I just recommend staying nice and professional … I think not being taken seriously is a huge problem , and I think being labeled bossy instead of a leader is a problem as well . Women can get a bad reputation in the bridal industry when in reality they are just trying to not get taken advantage of ,” Capaccio said .
SaDee ’ s Clothing Boutique owner Leeann Garvey said despite whatever obstacles women may believe they face in the workforce , ultimately , the only thing holding them back is themselves .
“ I have struggled with having to prove myself worthy of running my own business , but I would say that is my own insecurities , not that of my male counterparts . I was raised in a family of strong , working women , one of whom broke glass ceilings before that was even a catchphrase ,” Garvey said . Among those strong , working women in Garvey ’ s family was her grandmother , Leah Maressa Wilhelm , who was elected as the first female mayor of Waterford
Twp . and the first female tax collector of Waterford Twp .
Infererra ’ s Market owner Dorothy Orlandini has been involved in her family ’ s business since it opened in 1959 . Having been in business for nearly 60 years , Orlandini said she believes society has come a long way in terms of breaking down some of the gender barriers that previously existed in the workforce .
“ More and more today , I see so many women in businesses that are much more male businesses like running construction companies and things of that nature that I just think we ’ ve made a lot of strides ,” Orlandini said .
Orlandini also had to balance the demands of running a business with raising children — a role Garvey described as being a “ mompreneur ”— and said a strong support system is essential in finding the balance between the business and raising children .
“ When my son was born , both of my parents were still alive . My mom actually wasn ’ t working , but my dad was here running [ Infererra ’ s ]. I took off a period of time , and I was very fortunate because my mom wasn ’ t working . She had a lady that helped her every day , and they just adored [ my son ] and I was very fortunate in that respect . You definitely need to have that support system . If my mother wasn ’ t able to take care of him , I probably would not have gone to work until after my husband got home from work ,” Orlandini said .
Marla Haines has owned The Hair Lounge hair salon since 2012 and is the mother of two young girls . Haines said she feels as though women often face passive judgment when asked how they plan to balance their career with becoming a mother , judgment that a first-time father likely would not experience .
“ I think we ’ re judged more as far as balancing our life as far as working and being there at home ... I ’ ve had a lot of people ask , ‘ Oh , are you working less now that you had a baby ?’ No , I ’ m still working the same ; I ’ m just working my schedule around it — that kind of thing . Whereas , I think a man would never be asked that ... That , I think is different ,” Haines said . Kelly Raso , of Alloy Silverstein , has been a certified public accountant for 33 years . Raso said accounting is a very good career for a woman to get into due to the level of flexibility it offers employees . Raso said a woman entering the workforce should ensure the career she ’ s getting into will offer this kind of flexibility if she does not have a strong support system who can help watch children or help out in other ways while she is at work .
“ That flexibility is priceless . Now , there are some people that have a lot of support and don ’ t necessarily need to be the ones to be home with the sick children or whatever . I guess everyone has a different situation , but flexibility I would say is the key ,” Raso said .
Lori ’ s Wellness Loft owner Lori Flickinger said women and men attempting to enter the work force should set their mind on something they ’ re passionate about and don ’ t let the opinions of others , or one ’ s own negative thoughts , get in the way .
“ Men and women are basically limited by their own beliefs and their own negativity regarding what is possible in whatever field that they ’ re in , and I just say having an attitude of being able to achieve whatever you want and really making the decision that failure is not an option ,” Flickinger said .
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