Are women and business two incompatible concepts? Maybe at the beginning of the 20th century many would have answered yes. But now, at the beginning of the 21st century and especially in the United States, the answer is certainly no. The statistical data from the Business Research Center speaks to this point.

According to the data, 10.6 million firms in the United States are at least 50 percent owned or managed by women. These 10.6 million firms comprise 48 percent (almost half) of all private enterprises in America.

Between 1997 and 2004, the number of firms managed by women increased two times faster than the number of all private firms in general.

During the same period, the firms at least 50 percent owned or managed by women grew in all industries, including building, communications, transportation and agriculture.

The fastest rates of growth of "female" firms were observed in three states: Utah, Arizona and Nevada.

So, how are female businesses doing in the "capital of the world” – that is New York? The data also shows that 330,107 private firms in the Big Apple were at least 50 percent owned or managed by women. There are 401,000 people who work for these firms, and combined, their total budgets equal almost $64.8 billion.

As we can see the times when women in large companies only played the role of secretaries and typists have disappeared. The image of an organized, athletic, business-minded and energetic businesswoman has pushed aside the stereotype of the fast typing, obedient, faceless secretary, who diligently carries out all the instructions from her boss.

Businesswomen are respected in the United States. They bring to the business world the best female traits such as tolerance, patience, diplomacy, compassion, and the ability to multitask. It is precisely these qualities that contribute to the success of their firms.

But how is participation in big business reflected on the women themselves? Some people believe that women, after entering the harsh business world by their own choosing or by circumstances, become too rigid and abrasive, too manlike. These women acquire such negative qualities as staleness, cynicism, aggressiveness, and the skill of personal manipulation. Business pushes family and friends to second place and changes the woman’s attitude and priorities.

Nevertheless, does this mean that business has a distinctly non-female face? Is it true that women lose their femininity after joining the cruel business world? Who better to answer these questions than the successful women themselves who are running these businesses?

For this very reason, we have decided to ask the following questions of Russian immigrant women who opened their own firms in the United States:

Why you did you choose to open your own business? Did participating in the business world change you? Did your personality, your relationships with loved ones, family, or feelings toward people in general change? Did your values, priorities, or your attitude change?

Nina Kantorovich, owner of Collage, a jewelry firm

Why I did I open a business? The fact is that people who arrived in the United States, middle-aged with children do not have many choices. If they want their children, to get a good education, to become real Americans, it is necessary to either get hired for work or to open your own business. My husband and I chose the second path. Fortunately, it proved to be a success.

Certainly, business changed some things in me. I gained a lot of experience and developed qualities in myself, which I did not know had existed. For example, the skill to lead, make important decisions independently, to go forward in spite of being tired and disappointed. In my jobs in the Soviet Union, I never had to deal with a lot of people. But here, that is the basis of my business, which is not easy but feels great. I did not become gruff or callous. On the contrary, I became more patient and have more tolerance for others. Moreover, I am now convinced that I love people and this is very important to me.

Nina Elgart, owner of N. Elgart Co., a job placement agency

By nature, I am a person who loves working for myself. And I know how to lead. So for me business was a natural step. You could say it is my calling. However, as far as dealing with people is concerned, my Zodiac sign is Cancer, which is characterized by a warm and friendly nature. I realized early that my calling was to help people. I get pleasure out of helping others. I probably opened a job placement agency for this very reason. It makes me happy to know that because of me there are fewer people without work. I know people well and frequently help them choose the most suitable path for them. I want our Russian immigrants not to suffer unnecessarily, to find the right direction from the very beginning, to get something out of life and to feel as fulfilled as Americans and not strangers. Furthermore, I believe in God and that the more you help people, the greater the rewards in your life.

Raisa Oborotistova, owner of Rising Stars, a ballroom dance school

I can’t say that here in the United States I chose a totally new and unknown path for myself. My entire life I’ve taught ballroom dancing. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, I opened a private ballroom dance school in Kharkov, Ukraine. So, here in the United States I simply continued to work in the same field. I love my work very much and can never see myself without it. As far as my personal qualities are concerned, participating in business did not change me. I don’t believe at all in the myth that people who were “good” in the Soviet Union became “bad” in America, or vice versa. I believe that mature people hardly change when they move from one country to another.

Galina Shub, owner of World Wide Travel

I’ve been in business already 16 years. For a while, I worked in a travel agency, but then I decided that starting my own business would be more fruitful for my family. I opened the agency in 1989, and now it is considered one of the largest and most successful in the "Russian" market. At first, of course, it was scary, but soon you become more confident and decisive.

My business opened up many new possibilities such as travel, learning about the United States and foreign countries, and meeting interesting people. With respect to family and to my loved ones, I’m always the same – caring, loving and understanding. Certainly, I’ve changed in some ways, but not just because of business. Other factors like time, age, and change of circumstances have had a big impact. My work is difficult, but very interesting, and I love it.

Asya Komski, owner of ATG Travel

In Kiev, I worked as a commodities expert with representatives from various Soviet organizations such as the courts, wholesale buyers, and the police. That is why the skills to lead, make decisions and take responsibility were familiar to me before arriving in the United States.

Here, I took computer courses, finished college, and, for a while, I worked at a legal firm. Then, I decided to open my own business, one that I could develop myself. However, this was the beginning of the 1990s, when no one particularly wanted to hire immigrants and even the New York Association for New Americans (NYANA) could not help us very much. So we had to rely on ourselves, on our own strength. I’ve been in business for 13 years already and I don’t regret it.

I don’t think that I changed much, but stayed as I always was. Generally, businesspeople who work with people must be friendly, otherwise they will not be successful.

Sofia Lelchuk, owner of SBS Management Corporation

I worked with people in the Soviet Union and I continue to do the same here in the United States. There, I was a director of a kindergarten of 420 children and had 120 people working under me. Here, I’ve worked for 14 years helping people get jobs in the city as maintenance engineers, working in buildings and on large New York City and State projects. This is good work with great benefits so many people of all ages – from high school graduates to those approaching 60 – come to seminars, from people taking the first steps out onto the labor market to those who were lost or simply didn’t believe in themselves. Because of our seminars, they have now succeeded in finding their place in life. Many of my former students end up bringing their sons and daughters to the seminars. I love my business, my work. It is very interesting because you feel yourself participating in people’s futures.

I would not say that I became harsher in the United States, after starting this business. It is more the other way around. I was gruffer and harder in the Soviet Union. Here is where I learned tolerance and respect for people. I cannot say that I became very warm and affectionate, but I do know how to listen to people and how to win their trust.