Tracy Higginbotham: 20 Years Putting Women First in Business
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
For the past 20 years, Tracy Higginbotham has promoted women in business through her Women TIES organization.
She also founded Five Star Events, which she operated from 1995 to 2005.
She has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from SUNY Oswego and postgraduate studies in business management.
We recently spoke with Higginbotham about how her organization Women TIES continues to influence women in business.
Q: How have your goals shifted since founding Women TIES 20 years ago?
A: I think my goals have gotten stronger in the sense of really becoming a feminist when it comes to my business mission. In general, more of a feminist because there has been change in the last 20 years but not nearly as fast or as much as there should be. The Equal Rights Amendment hasn’t passed. I’m working with the ERA Champions still trying to get the ERA officially into the constitution so women have equal rights in all areas. Since Women’s TIES’ mission is to have women buy from other women first and foremost because we don’t have pay equality, that has been frustrating. I’m still pushing as hard as I can in business and other areas to share that mission. I’m doing something on a larger basis with a louder voice. When I meet ERA Champions and I tell them about Women TIES, they absolutely love the concept and it’s still one they don’t hear that much: “Oh yeah; women should try to buy from women.”
Q: What has been the biggest surprise since founding Women TIES?
A: Technology from the time I started to now has changed so much. There are so many ways we can promote women and events. I remember having to mail invitations to events in the postal mail. That seems so foreign now. Also, we did a printed newsletter every two months. Now I do my Wednesday Wisdom online. The ability to communicate more frequently with customers
and members has changed.
Q: What has impressed you the most about the women with whom you’re involved through Women TIES?
A: They’re tenacious. They’re positive. During the financial downturn in 2008 and during COVID, they showed how they’re really resilient. Women who were part of Women TIES are mostly under $1 million and were able to adjust to those times and still coming out interested and able to do business. They were financially structured to do business and didn’t lose their enthusiasm in selling during those financial dips. They got smarter and figured other ways to stay in business. They love sharing information with other women, so it’s not competitive. Because of that, women can learn from each other and keep going through hard periods.
Q: Why is Women TIES’ mission still important after 20 years?
A: Women still do not make the same amount as men and our rights keep getting taken away. It’s so important for women to support women. The world is not going to change for women unless women are going to change the world for women. Men don’t walk in our footsteps; they don’t have our history. They don’t look at our future the way we do. We’re not considered equal in so many ways.
Q: What do you wish you knew in 2005 that you know now?
A: In 2005, I could have been more financially conservative. But banks weren’t giving out loans that easily. I’m still dedicated to women first and foremost and will take time to help them. It’s still my passion, just not so formally business-focused. When you have an idea for a company, you can see but you need to have people buy into it and tell others about it. What I appreciated for 20 years is how many women who came through the door. I grew and co-existed because women entrepreneurs believed in what we offered. I would never have made it 20 years without other women supporting buying from women across the region.
Q: What are your ideals for women in the business world?
A: So many times we measure success by revenue or percent we’ve grown or staff we’ve added. We don’t need to strive for that if that’s not our goal. I had a woman who was doing really well and we did a program about women stepping up to become million-dollar business. A woman said she wanted to create a company making the best product and service to the customers I want. It doesn’t have to be huge but impactful. I said it’s awesome. I could’ve grown Women TIES and Five Star Events but I chose I didn’t want to grow my businesses until my kids were out of college. Every woman has her reasons for being in business. Individualizing her plan is essential. If you’re unsure, get some advice. I think it’s a very individual choice. Women entrepreneurs have the flexibility today to make their companies what they want. They have to know how much they want to earn. I was going to retire at the end of 2023. I was going to say that’s it. Because I have paying members, I needed to tell everyone I was going to shut it down but give them free memberships until we were even. That came and went and since 2024, I have been renewing my members for free as I want women on the site. I’m still promoting feminist and athletics on the site. We still rank up there in Google searches for people looking for women in business. It’s in a different stage now. It’s there for promoting women and events but we’re not actively doing membership drives. When you love what you’ve done for so long, it’s hard to shut the door on it. When I think about what it costs me, it isn’t that much. I think it will be until the end of this year and if there are any women who read this and want a free membership, they should contact me. I still refer people out and people know me.
