Let's go.
What we do at Athena is harness the unique power of women business owners and turn what may seem to be weaknesses into your greatest competitive advantages.
Here's How:
People first
strategic planning
Too many strategic planning tools today start with the notion of "Take the people out of it. Now make a strategy." If you've ever run a business with humans, you will think this makes approximately 0% sense. Why would you take the people out of it when at the end of the day, every organization is just a big bag of people? When we strategize, we start with the people first and go from there.
Let's talk
about money
At Athena, some might say we are numbers obsessed. Of course, there is more to your story than your financial statement but it can act as a very important guide. Women often get a bad rap of not wanting to talk about money. In our experience, it just isn't true. We know money matters. And we're beyond excited to make you way more of it.
Let's freaking
get it done
We have yet to meet a client who doesn't have plenty of ideas. In fact, we aren't sure we've met one who doesn't have way too many of them. What most people lack is a true understanding of what needs to get done first, second, third...you get the idea. We break it down so you not only know what you need to do, but you know how to celebrate once you've done it.
If it's not personal, why does it feel so personal?
At some point or another, most business owners (especially those with two X chromosomes) have been told to stop being so emotional. In the working world, it turns into sayings like "it's not personal. It's just business." But if that's true, then why does it feel so personal? Well, in short: because it is. This is your business. When we strategize, you're allowed to take it personally.
About Debra
Debra Arbit is the founder and lead strategist at Athena. She spent the last decade buying a business, growing it and successfully selling it while getting married and having three kids in rapid succession. It all seems so simple in hindsight, doesn’t it? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
Throughout her time owning and running BridgeWorks, a generational consulting firm, she unexpectedly became incredibly passionate about helping fellow female business owners utilize their innate mindsets instead of censoring them. Through Debra's first-hand experience, she works to guide clients through their own unique ownership journey.
Debra earned her MBA from the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota but will always be loyal to her University of Wisconsin undergrad roots and is a Badger at heart. Her insatiable curiosity and journalism background make asking tough questions her favorite part of the job.
Debra is always thinking, strategizing, and leading, but in her personal time, she’s busy running after her three kiddos, going down internet worm holes, and snuggling with her ridiculously fluffy dog, Daisy.