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South Jersey Women In BusinessSouth Jersey Magazine, September 2007 For this, our Second Annual "South Jersey Women in Business" feature, we reached out to several women's organizations throughout the region, asking them to provide a list of female business leaders in south Jersey they believed best personified the virtues of diligence and success, diversity of talent, and a philanthropic spirit intent on giving back to the community…. After careful (and quite difficult) consideration, we narrowed the list to the ten most outstanding individuals. What follows is a glimpse into these women's lives - what drives them, what gives them strength. Name: Valerie Schlitt Age: 51 Name and location of business: VSA, Inc, Haddonfield Title: President About the business: VSA is a business-to-business marketing and prospecting firm. They do what most people don't want to do, or are not very good at doing. They get people appointments. Why this woman: It was 2001 and, after being laid off from her job, Schlitt decided to become an entrepreneur. Next month, VSA will celebrate six years in operation. In its first three years, VSA experienced slow, steady growth. Then, in 2005, it spiked and saw a 40 percent jump from the previous year. According to Schlitt, 2007 is shaping up to be an even more impressive year, surpassing that 2005 revenue boost. If your business and life were made it into a novel, what would you like the last sentence to read? And Wall Street was not shocked that her son decided to take over the business. In her own words: "Growing up, I admired my mother who was and continues to be successful in everything she does because she never stops putting her whole self into each new venture... Sometimes, we as women do the biggest disservice to other women. We judge women who are too ambitious, too domestic, or who we perceive to be incapable to handle what has traditionally been a 'man's' job. But I already see a positive change in how the younger generation regards their peers and am hopeful this narrow perception of what women can be is changing as we speak... As a child, when others wanted to play, I always wanted to make something with an end result. As a child, I remember making papier-mâché figures, writing the newspaper for our neighborhood club, organizing 'fairs' in the vacant lot next to our house. I thrived on planning, organizing and making things happen... When I first started looking ahead, I didn't give being a woman a second thought... I cannot pinpoint any way that being a woman has been more advantageous than being a man. For me, it always comes down to each individual's ability to overcome obstacles….The only thing I wish I could change is to duplicate myself... My family is the single most important part of may life and I get much fulfillment from being a wife and mother... Being an entrepreneur and small business owner is more all-consuming than I had ever thought it would be, both time-wise and emotionally."
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