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In honor of National Women’s Small Business month, we talked to a few different women who own small businesses. We talked to them about challenges they’ve faced, what motivates them, and what they would say to other women trying to start their own businesses.

Our first interview is with Theresa Fehring, owner of Graphic Point web design and printing studio in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Theresa started Graphic Point in 2006 with the intent of getting clients’ points across quickly and effectively graphically with marketing media in order to assist them in increasing sales.

Upon starting her business, Theresa began with a business plan and small business loan, and then started to network in her community. Her biggest challenge was getting clients coming through the door, so she joined networking groups and went to chamber of commerce functions.

Fortunately, Theresa says she has not encountered any problems from being a woman-owned business. “If you pay your bills and get the job done efficiently with high quality and on time, I really do not think it matters what gender you are. Respect in the business world is dictated by those two very important factors,” said Theresa.

Theresa takes pride in the fact that most of her business is through word-of-mouth now. “I am also very proud to say that secondly, our business is found through our website and given the fact that we design websites I am proud we are getting found so well!”

To other women trying to start their own businesses, Theresa says: “Owning your own business is very fulfilling.  The level of success you have will be dictated by how committed you are to your business and if you love what you do like I do, it is not work – it is fun!”

Stay tuned for more profiles of successful woman business owners in our “Woman-Owned Businesses” series!