Woman to Watch 2/28/18

by Julia Cohen

On Wednesday, February 28th, Women in Business held the annual Woman to Watch event. During this event, the Tennessee Speaker of the House, Beth Harwell, was featured.

Harwell shared the intricacies of what it means to hold the position of the Speaker of the House and how she implements her personal leadership skills in her job. She discussed various key skills that this job has taught her; including knowing when to speak out, when it is appropriate to raise her hand, and when to use the power of her gavel. Her number one priority within this position is to ensure that proper decorum is held on the house floor at all times, which is a skill that can translate over to be useful in a business setting.

Harwell offered her experienced advice to young women looking to enter the political game: Always be engaged and involved in the political game. She explained that, regardless of the profession one enters, all professions are regulated by the state government.

An important and inspiring note about Harwell is that she was the very first female to be elected to this position. She did not hesitate to add that she would not have been able to get to where she is now without her fellow male colleagues.

Following Beth Harwell’s excellent speech, there was a meet-and-greet opportunity for aspiring women in business to network and ask for advice from accomplished Nashville businesswomen. The meet and greet was also accompanied by a delicious reception of hors d’oeuvres and Jakes Bakes cookies!

Feel free to check out our Facebook page, Vanderbilt Women in Business, and our Instagram page, @vanderbiltwib, for more information regarding our upcoming events.