Women Rock Florida’s Business Scene
It was smooth sailing for Kay Stephenson, co-founder and CEO of Datamaxx Group, for her first 10 years in business. Her company provides secure communications services to law enforcement and security companies—and competition from bigger companies was minimal. But that changed dramatically after September 11, 2001. Rather than confronting the increasing number of large competitors head-on, she freely shared her experience and technology, deftly positioning Tallahasseebased Datamaxx, a certified womanowned business (WOB), as an invaluable partner. That partnership made those large companies eligible for set-aside contracts that otherwise would have been out of their reach. From the dozens of Lean In Circles throughout the state to an abundance of targeted resources, Florida is a great location for women entrepreneurs. Stephenson has benefited from many of them. “The business environment and the resources…