Lois Bradley has been involved with numerous businesses during her 20 years of leading companies - everything from academia to financial services.

"You name the industry, I probably was there," she said.

Having majored in management at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y., Bradley ran a start-up company called BillingZone, a joint venture between (former presidential candidate) Ross Perot and PNC Financial Services.

The company has since been sold, and Bradley decided three years ago to launch Bradley Partnerships, which helps entrepreneurs start their own businesses.

It was the fulfillment of a long-time dream, she said. "When I was 20, I knew I would have my own business."

Now the company is in "major growth mode," said Bradley, who was named to the state's list of Best 50 of Women in Business for 2004.

She said when she started out, her goal was to make sure her company was well-grounded.

"I can't speak highly enough of the fact that every business (needs) a sound foundation."

Now that she has been running Bradley Partnerships for three years, Bradley is glad to be where she is.

"It feels like 10 years, to be honest," she joked. "It's very consuming, but it's so rewarding."

Bradley also is involved with other women in the business community. She is a member of several women's groups and organizations, and plans to attend a day-long symposium in Washington County called Women of Wisdom.

In addition, she is involved with the American Society of Training and Development, and teaches a leadership course at Chatham College, a women's college in Pittsburgh.

Bradley said the future looks brighter for women in business today.

"I think the runway is more available and open to women these days than it was 10 or 15 years ago," she said.

Bradley mentioned the increased number of professional and community organizations women can join. She also described opportunities such as the Gateway Program at Chatham College, an undergraduate course that helps women get back into college after postponing their education or leaving college to start a family.

As for how women are treated in the workplace, Bradley said women and minorities still get closer scrutiny. They are expected to be more credible and ethical, and there is more expectation for them to prove themselves at every level.

"I think we have always been under a closer microscope," she said.

Bradley does not think the fact that she is a woman makes her operate a business much differently from how a man would.

However, she did say she is a "big relationship builder," and her focus on spending time with, and understanding, clients may be correlated with her being a woman.

She also said there may be something women bring to the table that is different from what men bring.

"At the end of the day, I think women have a sixth sense," she said - in life as well as in business.

Her advice to females who might follow in her footsteps is also generalized.

"I think that young women should get as much education as they can," she said, explaining education is the foundation for growth.

Women who have a dream for a business should also get a sound business education, she added.

Jessica Forsythe did not have much of a business background when she decided to leave Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates, a Butler architectural and engineering firm, to launch her own architecture practice in 1997.She knew, however, she had to strike out on her own to stay true to her architectural calling."(Burt Hill) had become a very large business," she explained. "I could see that the future wasn't going to continue to be hands-on, and that was really important to me."Along with her husband, Richard, who also is an architect and now a co-owner of their firm, Forsythe designed 4-Most Group Inc. Architects, in Butler, as the type of firm she wanted to see - a small business that is attentive to employees' needs and that would provide hands-on services."I wanted the independence of being able to make decisions," she said about why she started 4-Most Group. "Ownership was being able to make your own future."Forsythe graduated from Butler County Community College in 1966 with an associate's degree in applied science, making her qualified to be a draftsman. She went on to the University of Cincinnati, where she graduated in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in architecture.She worked for more than 22 years before starting 4-Most Group.Although the firm does not specialize in any particular practice, Forsythe is committed to dealing directly with business owners, not with corporations or engineers who are usually removed from the project.She also tries to identify contractors early, and allows the owner, contractor and architect to work as a team."We feel that we really have the ability to give them leadership and direction," she said about her clients, adding sometimes she actually will recommend not doing a project.Her goal is to end with an "owner who understands the value of what he purchased," she said.When Forsythe started out as a business owner, she was not extremely business-savvy. As she explained, "I had a perception of it. … I just didn't have what I would consider a background."She hired a consultant to do her bills, and now she has a bookkeeper and an accountant who occasionally comes in. She said her architecture school did not require business classes, which she thinks all colleges should do for students, regardless of their majors.Although Forsythe got some business know-how during her last few years at Burt Hill, she said the accounting side of the firm "totally eludes me," and the business aspects are not her top priority."I'm an architect first," she said.The fact she is a woman did not make much of a difference in her business. Forsythe, who was the only woman architect at Burt Hill for years, said she did not consider any challenges or problems with being a woman business-owner."I don't think I thought about it that intensely," she said.Her main concern was the challenge of owning a business that is not big, adding she just wanted to have hands-on work, no matter what."If (the business) didn't work, I'd go to digging ditches," she said.Forsythe thinks society has traditionally created a perception of women as "second-class citizens," and the public perceives women as being treated differently from men in the business world.That is not the reality, she said, explaining she does not think businessmen look at businesswomen differently.During her time as a business owner, Forsythe said, "I never felt that I was in any sense held back or restricted."She does think, however, that, in some ways, she runs her business differently from the way a man might run it.For example, Forsythe and her husband donate money to more organizations and charities than she believes larger businesses do.Also, she said she is committed to a "family comes first" philosophy for her workplace, both for herself and for employees. She said she is generous with giving them leaves of absence for family situations, such as ill children."As a woman with kids and stuff, you see more sides to the coin," Forsythe said.In general, there is a perception that women bring different views to the worlds of architecture and business than men do. Forsythe said this can be both an advantage and a detriment.For example, clients tend to prefer a woman to a man when requesting office renovations or making color selections.But Forsythe said this can backfire when people are wary of choosing women for more industrial or construction projects.The perception is "we're not big enough or qualified to do it," she said.In spite of this, Forsythe said she has not personally experience any gender-related hostility."I have never thought that being female was a detriment," she said.Her advice to younger women, as well as all young people, is to get a summer job or internship before entering college."The thing that I advise people the most on is actually getting some practical experience," she said. "Get to know what it is you want to do in life."That is ultimately the key to success in the work world, Forsythe said."Enjoying what you do is the most important part of business," she added.

Nancy Monday-Yates, who has owned The Unicorn Gift Store on Butler's Main Street for 12 years, said today's businesswomen face fewer challenges than she did when she started.Twenty years ago, she said customers who asked to speak with the manager expected to see a man. Also, she was not taken seriously when she looked for suppliers. Women were generally not considered credible, something that is less of a problem today."I think women have really taken their place as business leaders and business owners," she said.Monday-Yates took over the Unicorn Gift Store after helping her family manage it for 11 years, explaining she comes from "a long line of retailers." Her family also owns another store on Main Street, Monday's Boots and Shoes.In addition to helping out with the store, Monday-Yates also got some professional training. After earning an associate's degree in accounting from Butler County Community College, she went back in 1986 to complete her education at LaRoche College. In 1990, she received a bachelor's degree in business administration.She said she wanted the diploma because, in case her business closed, "I'd at least have a degree."Being a woman does influence her management style, Monday-Yates said. As the owner of a card and gift store, she said she pays more attention to detail. She also designed customer services, such as gift-wrapping and delivery to downtown businesses, to meet time demands."I understand how time-poor working women are," she said.When she started out in business, Monday-Yates said there weren't other women business owners who could support her. Now, the presence of women in business "has gotten stronger," and she encourages young people to network with other women in business.As the teacher of business classes at BC3, Monday-Yates also advises young people interested in business to concentrate on education."Take as many business courses as you possibly can," she said, adding practical experience is also valuable. "Work for someone who's already established."