Russ: This is the BusinessMaker's Show heard here and seen online at TheBusinessMakers.com. it's guest time on the show and I'm very pleased to have with me the founder and president of one of the fastest growing chambers in the United States and the fastest growing Women's Chamber of Commerce in the United States, Suzan Deison. Suzan, welcome to the Business Maker's Show.

Suzan: Thank you so much Russ for asking me to be part of your show. I listen to you all the time and we're excited to have a man in our presence, too.

Russ: All right, fantastic. Well let's start by you telling us about the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce.

Suzan: Well we were founded in 2007 in December and started recruiting members in March of 2008 and were ecstatic when Barbara Bush agreed to be our first speaker. So can you imagine having that roll out the Chamber?

Russ: What a kick off.

Suzan: So that helped. Then in July we honored Joanne King Herring. She had just released her book. So we were able to tap into some of the philanthropy in Houston as well as the business women. So it's just been an amazing ride and I just attribute it to women. I think the timing too of what's happening to women throughout the world globally as well as here and I believe that we're finally showing that we are the voice for Houston women and feel like we're the premiere women's organization in Houston.

Russ: Fantastic. Well there's absolutely no question that the world seems more right than ever today as far as welcoming women into business and it certainly make a huge productivity impact and brings a lot more talent into the work force. Now we keep talking about in my introduction the fastest growing. How many members have you grown to at this time?

Suzan: We have over 500 member businesses which in my 30 years of being in the chamber arena I've never had that kind of a response.

Russ: Okay. Well I knew from doing my homework that you have spent a lot of time in the Chamber of Commerce arena. Describe your background for us.

Suzan: Yes. Well I started as a receptionist back in the '70s, early '80s in Conroe and developed a wonderful relationship there. I had a wonderful boss never ever thinking I would be a chamber president because back then it was all a very male dominated field. But I learned a lot from him. I've learned to forget the word, "I". It's always, "we" and you have to think of other people. Then went on to be Director of the Visitor and Convention Bureau. Then later in my career I owned a travel agency and a dress shop but I always used my connections that I had made, the relationships I had built through the Chamber. In fact today I have members from the Conroe Chamber members of this Chamber.

Russ: Real cool. But you actually started as a receptionist?

Suzan: A receptionist, yes.

Russ: That's real interesting. Of the women entrepreneurs that we've had on the show, two very famous one, Carly Fiorina as well as Colleen Barrett, the President of Southwest Airlines both started in similar positions in their business career. Okay, well that sounds like you're very well prepared for this. It almost sounds like you had smooth sailing the whole way, Suzan. Is that right?

Suzan: Oh well I really have an introvert personality. So it's really hard for me to be in the spotlight, be here today with you. So I wish that I had started earlier in life pushing myself a little bit more to get in front of an audience and be more comfortable with that. So I encourage people to really push the envelope and do that. You're such a natural at it so you don't understand people that have that. But it's really a detriment sometimes I think.

Russ: Well it certainly doesn't show at all. What inspired you? What triggered the idea, "I'm going to start a Chamber here in Houston, Texas for women"?

Suzan: Well I think there were several reasons. I think two or three of the top ones were where I was in my life and looking back and the legacy I want to leave and the things that I had learned to help other women and also I still wanted to learn. I wanted to meet women too and I just believe in Chambers and what they can do for business owners because it's a cheap investment that can really bring rewards in business to you. That and then I have six granddaughters Russ that -

Russ: Oh my goodness. No grandsons?

Suzan: I have one grandson, yes. He's the baby. Wonderful, wonderful time in my life to have them but to look at their role models. It really scared me. Of course I grew up with a Leave it to Beaver mom, not that we need to go back to that but I didn't hear a cuss word until I was probably 17 or 18 years old and I mean the kindergartners see it now. But I think that and then also knowing that we really needed to start taking risk and to have role models for women to see that - just like you were talking about Carly to bring them to the lime lights so other women can see, "Well gosh, she did it. I can do it, too."

Russ: Oh absolutely. Absolutely. Just imagine what the lives are going to be like for your granddaughters. I would think that they might not even know that there was such a thing as a glass ceiling at one time.

Suzan: Oh no.

Russ: Hopefully they don't.

Suzan: No.

Russ: But the world has changed. Okay, so let's imagine that right now a young female aspiring entrepreneur, aspiring business person is listening and watching you right now. What kind of general advice might you give her?

Suzan: Well I would encourage her to get involved whether it's with a Chamber or some non-profit, something in the community that's giving back because I'm a true testament. I know Lisa Holland Nelson will tell you too who's our -

Russ: Who's been on the show.

Suzan: - and is going to be Chair or is our Chair of the Board this year to show that relationships work and build those up because it's who you know in the world that really helps you. I know that there are a lot of women that would embrace the woman, help them and give them advice.

Russ: Great. I also know you have a real cool event triggered to launch I think in April, right?

Suzan: Yes. We're so excited. It's our third annual Conference for Women. We're expecting 1,000 women to attend and men who we have men and men speakers, too. In fact we are starting the day out with the male perspective of women in business in 2011 and we have John Hofmeister will be one of the speakers.

Russ: Oh John's been on the show.

Suzan: Yes, yes. We'll have Ryan Dublows from Yes Prep and also Kenneth Guidry which is a very good friend of yours.

Russ: Kenneth? Absolutely. A good supporter of the show big time, PKF Texas.

Suzan: Yes, and Bill Boyer with Boyer-Miller. So they're going to be talking too about sometimes how women can shoot themselves in the foot or really some insights to perhaps some things that we don't see or how we're looked at from the male point of view. Then we have Tory Burch who's a wonderful entrepreneur in her own right. I was reading in a magazine where her foundation supports women entrepreneurs. So what a perfect woman to come and speak and to show how she started working I think for Ralph Lauren and then launched her own line and has a wonderful story. Then Karen Katz we're hoping will join us too as well. We've invited her to be there. She started her career here in Houston at the Town and Country store as an assistant manager and now is CEO of a major retailer.

Russ: Right. That's Neiman-Marcus?

Suzan: Neiman-Marcus, yes.

Russ: Yes, absolutely. Well we had - well - I don't know if it was her predecessor but we've had Janet Gurwitch on the show too who we knew who was sort of in line to be perhaps the first woman CEO of Neiman-Marcus and then she dived out and started Laura Mercier Cosmetics instead.

Suzan: Yeah, we're going to invite her too to be on a panel because we're really wanting to encourage more women to serve on corporate boards. If you look at statistics now I think 11 percent of women serve on pay boards but on the non-profit boards it's 85 percent. So it's really a figure that we need to increase for the profit.

Russ: Now what's the exact date _______?

Suzan: April the 6th and we're at the Westin Galleria.

Russ: Okay. Can anybody come or do they have to be a member of the Chamber?

Suzan: No, no. We encourage anyone to come that has an interest in doing business with women or learning -

Russ: Men and women?

Suzan: Men and women.

Russ: What if they're interested in coming? Is there a Website?

Suzan: Yes, yes. It's GHWCC.org and we encourage them to get involved and start developing relationships. I'm a perfect testament to what can happen. I could never have started the Chamber without relationships that I had built over the last 30 years.

Russ: Great. Well I really appreciate you telling us about the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce and being our guest today.

Suzan: Well great. I hope to see more of you and in fact I understand you're going to be at Conference. People can come and see you.

Russ: I am flattered to have an invite. Absolutely. I will be there and I'm really looking forward to it, too.

Suzan: Okay, great.

Russ: All right, that Suzan Deison, the Founder and President of the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce. You're listening to the BusinessMaker's Show heard here and seen online at TheBusinessMakers.com.