There are countless studies of equality in the workplace that demonstrate how unequally men and women are treated, in everything from opportunity to income. In entrepreneurship, we create our own playing field. In small women-owned businesses, women are the boss and they make a point of treating of other women how they would like to be treated.

Monique Scott Spaulding is owner of Jani King of Baton Rouge, the local franchise of the world’s largest commercial cleaning company. Monique started the Baton Rouge Jani King franchise in 1998. In the years since, she has grown the company to one of the top Jani King franchises in the region, with dozens of clients, hundreds of employees and multiple sales and franchise of the year awards.  The story of how Monique got started and the way she has parlayed her success into a platform for giving back to the community are extraordinary.

Paula Shreve is co-founder of the Red Magnolia Theater Company, the first all-female theater group in Baton Rouge. Paula and co-founder Michelle Johnson founded the theater company in August of 2017 after they had grown tired of the lack leading roles for local actresses. Red Magnolia Theater Company doesn’t just encourage women to star as actresses, it provides an outlet for women in all aspects of theater production, while serving the community with enriching and entertaining performances. 

Photos over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard.