华盛顿——根据世界银行(World Bank)的报告，女性越是充分参与国家经济，就越有可能促使国家的整体经济生产率和发展成效得到提高，并促使国家管理机构更具代表性。

目前，全世界仅有1.87亿名女性企业家。但通过因特网和移动技术，女性所有的企业能够通过建立联系网络以及进入全球消费市场来获得更大的成功。

3月21日，在国务院的一次在线访谈中，“我们联系世界”(WEConnect)组织的首席执行长兼创始人伊丽莎白·伍兹奎兹(Elizabeth Vazquez)说，女性企业家所面临的最大挑战是难以进入市场以争取客户。但她说，现在，她们能够最大限度地发挥潜能，让所在社区和全世界都知道她们企业的存在，并了解她们所提供的产品或服务的价值。

创办企业并非易事，因此，伍兹奎兹建议想要成为企业家的女性“认清自己热衷于什么”，并了解客户想要购买什么。

她说：“钱就在那里。但问题是，你能提供什么。无论你有哪些产品，无论你想开发哪些服务并将其投入市场，都要问自己，这是市场真正需要的吗?”

伍兹奎兹说，“极度重视需求”并借助高科技让客户向公司说明他们的需求，即使有关产品尚未面世，这些都有助益。她指出，为了保持竞争力，就要预估市场的需求并投入资金进行研发以保持领先优势。

她说：“一定要认清你所处的行业领域，了解在你的行业内有哪些大公司，他们正在购买什么类型的产品，在哪些方面投入资金，以及正在获取哪些资源。”

她还建议想要成为企业家的女性不要凡事都亲力亲为。她的组织“我们联系世界”是一家由企业主导的非营利组织，旨在增强女企业家的权能以便在全球市场获得成功，并为她们提供各种途径，与想要从女性拥有或控制的企业购买产品的买家建立联系。通过在线注册，企业所有者能够发现潜在的客户，客户也能容易地找到这些企业所有者。

伍兹奎兹举例说，一名制作珠宝的秘鲁女企业家通过“我们联系世界”与沃尔玛网站(Walmart.com)取得联系后签订了合同，将产品销往世界各地。

企业家们还可以充分利用美国国际开发署(US Agency for International Development, USAID)和企业发展网络(Enterprise Development Network)建立的区域贸易中心，以及阿斯彭研究所(Aspen Institute)与美国国务院(State Department)联合建立的手工业者网络等其他资源。

她说，她们还可以加入当地的女企业主协会和商会等组织，拓展人脉、分享最佳做法，并利用政府计划和项目，其中包括那些鼓励出口的计划和项目。

伍兹奎兹说，“确立最终目标”也很有助益。她说：“许多成功的企业家或许都对公司的发展方向有明确的认识。她们不是只为了拥有公司才创办公司。”

她建议女性即使不打算在当地社区以外推销产品和服务，也要“在创业之初就具备全球眼光”。她说，全球观念将影响她们如何为公司命名，确定公司的组织架构、在社区发挥的作用以及对社会和环境的影响。

许多女企业家仅仅依靠个人或家庭存款来创业，但伍兹奎兹说，她们应该在更广泛的范围内寻找资金来源，“女性需要抛头露面，向潜在投资者宣传自己的企业并介绍自己的好创意”。

她说：“当你有了独到的产品或服务构想并深知它们很有潜力，但也清楚如果没有外界资助将无法起步时，就要找一个合作伙伴。找一个投资人。找一个信任你的人。他们也许并不完全赞赏你的产品或服务，但他们对你有信心并能让你获得资助或贷款。”

通过做到透明和问责，女性能够创办“更好、更强的公司”，吸引业务并获得消费者的青睐。

归根结底，商贸的关键在于诚信。伍兹奎兹说：“我能相信你会付款给我吗? 你能相信我会提供我所承诺的产品和服务吗?”

Women Entrepreneurs Encouraged to Network and Sell Globally

Washington — According to the World Bank, the more fully women can participate in their country’s economy, the more likely overall economic productivity will rise, development outcomes will improve, and governing institutions will be more representative.

Currently, there are only 187 million women entrepreneurs around the world, but through Internet and mobile technology, women-owned businesses can achieve greater success through networking and reaching out to the global consumer marketplace.

Speaking in a March 21 State Department webchat, WEConnect chief executive and founder Elizabeth Vazquez said the biggest challenge to women entrepreneurs has been a lack of market access to compete for customers. But she said now they can maximize their potential to get the message out to their communities and the world of their businesses’ existence and why they are offering something valuable.

Starting a business is difficult, so Vazquez advises would-be entrepreneurs to “know what you’re passionate about” and to understand what customers are looking to buy.

“The money is out there. The question is, what you’re offering, whatever your product, whatever your service is that you want to develop and put into the market, is it what the market actually wants?” she said.

Vazquez said it helps to have “an obsessive focus on demand” and to utilize technology to allow customers to communicate to the company what they want, even if it doesn’t exist yet. To stay competitive, anticipate the needs of the market and invest in research and development to help stay on the cutting edge, she said.

“It’s really figuring out what’s your industry sector, and within your industry sector who are the big players and what types of things are they buying and what types of things are they investing in, what types of things are they acquiring,” she said.

She also advised would-be women entrepreneurs not to do it all on their own. Her organization, WEConnect, a corporate-led nonprofit organization that helps to empower women business owners to succeed in global markets, offers ways for them to connect with buyers looking to purchase from women-owned or women-controlled businesses. By registering online, business owners can see potential customers and people can more easily find them.

For example, Vazquez said, a Peruvian women entrepreneur who makes jewelry was able to connect through her organization with Walmart.com and sign a contract that has made her products available all over the world, as well as locally.

Entrepreneurs can also take advantage of regional trade hubs set up by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Enterprise Development Network, as well as other resources, such as the artisan network created by the Aspen Institute in cooperation with the State Department.

More locally, they can join organizations such as women business owners' associations and chambers of commerce to network and share best practices and to take advantage of government programs and initiatives, such as those promoting exports, she said.

It also helps to have “an end game in mind,” Vazquez said. “Probably a lot of the successful [businesses] had an idea of where they were going with their company. They didn’t just create it just to have a company.”

She advised women to “think globally from the beginning,” even if they don’t anticipate selling their products or services beyond their local community. That mindset will affect how they choose to name their company, the organization of the company, its role in the community and its effect on society and the environment, she said.

Many women entrepreneurs have relied solely on personal or family savings to get started, but Vazquez said they should reach more broadly to find funding sources. “Women have to show up and tell potential investors that they exist and tell them about their great ideas,” she said.

“When you have a brilliant idea about a product or service that you know has a real potential and there’s absolutely no way you’re going to get it off the ground without funding, find a partner. Find an investor. Find someone that believes in you. Maybe they don’t totally believe in your product or service, but they believe in you and can give you that access to that funding or credit,” she said.

By being transparent and accountable, women can create “better, stronger companies” that will attract businesses and consumers.

In the end, trade is about trust. “Do I trust that you’re going to pay me, and do you trust that I’m going to give you the product or service that I say I’m going to deliver?” Vazquez said.