Comma Celebrates Women In Business: Utah’s 40 Over 40

Comma is excited to announce our sponsorship of Utah’s 40 Women Over 40. We are honored to join 40 Over 40, W Collective Co., and our fellow sponsors in recognizing and celebrating 40 influential women for their impact on our community. 

Here at Comma, we believe in the 40 Over 40 mantra, “representation matters,” and that we can be inspired by women taking chances, changing lives, and making an impact later in life. As big believers in the power of stories, we know that we can inspire future women in business and their communities by learning about these women and sharing their impact.

The winners of this inaugural award were recently announced on LinkedIn.  These women are diverse in age, race, and industry. They include individuals that are not normally recognized but absolutely should be. Join us in congratulating these 40 incredible women! 

We Have a Lot to Learn From Women 40+

Did you know one in four Americans is a woman over 40? That’s 25% of the country—a total of 83 million people. In a Fast Company article, Katie Keating, founding partner of women’s ad agency Fancy, said she and many of her colleagues were shocked to learn that women over 40 years of age made up such a large portion of the population, especially when the aspirational age for marketing was once believed to be around 25. We’ve all seen the marketing messages crafted based on the assumption that older women want to go back in time to their carefree lives before careers and families replaced the fun of their twenties. But a recent survey by Fancy suggests this is changing. 

Fancy asked approximately 500 women over 40 to share what they thought about women 40+ when they were in their teens and twenties and to compare their personal perceptions to where they are now. Their answers revealed that “not only are women over 40 feeling like they are entering the best years of their lives, but younger women are looking forward to the confidence and self-awareness that can only come with having lived a little longer.”

While this is a step in the right direction, there is still a lot of work to be done to represent the 83 million women in the US who are using their hard-earned skills to make their workplaces and communities better. 

While many awards and lists have traditionally recognized the success of younger individuals, more than half of women business owners are actually between ages 40 and 59 years old. The average age of a female entrepreneur is 42, and the average age of a female CEO is 48. Women 40+ make up an incredible network of movers and shakers. They are experienced individuals with stories and wisdom to share.

Why We Need This Representation in Utah 

Representation of women diverse in age, race, and experience is especially crucial in Utah. The state has ranked 50th in the nation for women’s equality since 2017 and has one of the largest gender wage gaps in the nation, with women earning 30% less than men or $0.69 for every dollar a man earns. This gap has remained consistent since 2017, according to the Utah State University 2021 Gender Wage Gap Update: “closing the gender wage gap will strengthen economic stability and prosperity for families, communities, and the state.” 

As a woman-owned Utah business that employs many working mothers, this issue hits home for us at Comma, and we want to be a part of this meaningful change for Utah. Teaming up with Utah’s 40 Over 40 is an exciting way to make progress toward not only closing the gap but also improving women’s equality in Utah through better representation.

Comma’s Commitment to Representation

Here at Comma, we are always looking for ways to improve our world and local community. That’s why Comma started Comma Cares, committing a portion of profits every year to organizations that support literacy and education programs for children and adults. As part of this program, we have partnered with Kurandza, a non-profit on a mission to empower Mozambique through investing in the next generation of female leaders. 

In May 2021, Comma joined the Utah Black Chamber to help further their mission to build a network that helps the advancement of all minority-owned businesses, more specifically black-owned ventures. We are committed to being an inclusive company for our team, partners, and vendors. 

As we work to further representation for our community, especially for women, we must start with ourselves. That’s why Comma has curated a work environment where women can thrive, share their stories, and bring their whole selves to work. At Comma, unique talents and perspectives are utilized and valued. As a business, we encourage humility and curiosity to invite new perspectives and learn from each other's experiences. We enjoy association with an incredible team of men and women who support each other. 

We look forward to celebrating the group of inspiring women recognized by Utah’s 40 Over 40 with other companies celebrating women for their distinct accomplishments and success stories.

Join us at Utah’s 40 Women Over 40 inaugural gala on Friday, September 9, at The Grand America Hotel from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.