2015 ends and 2016 begins

And it is a new year.  Always a good time to think of what was and what will be.

We can look to companies that have been over-valued and will sell at a major discount in 2015.  We have seen some major fumbles from large companies like Chipolte.  E coli does not just disappear.  We have seen how Mast Bros. built an incredible brand when what they were selling was just great packaging.  Falsehoods are always found out.  The justice system needs a serious overhaul when it comes to training our police officers.  Perhaps we will learn from all of this or perhaps not.

2015 has been a great year for parenthood and the workplace.  Would be great if 2015 will be known as the year where companies, large and small, started families on a different path by recognizing that being a supportive workplace is a win for everyone.  We have also seen a numerous amount of women start businesses and many raise substantial amounts of cash.  Many women now run public companies as well.  I hope we will see more of this in 2016 and beyond.

Now every company considers itself a technology company and that includes huge organizations such as Deloitte and KPMG.  That says something about how far have come since 1995.  Technology is mainstream.  We have turned a corner where the next generation of businesses will operate and engage with consumers differently.  From the workplace to the consumer everything has changed and is still changing.

The next few years will prove to be very interesting.  More mergers, more acquisitions, more companies showing profitability early on, more mid-sized companies being built and more new products being built from food to fashion to technology.  The medical world will change dramatically in the next decade as we are just starting to see numerous tools being built and that is a change much needed.   The world is getting flatter and that will be a good thing in the long run.

For me, we are entering our second year as empty-nesters.  It too is a learning experience.  We are continuing to tweak our lives based on that.  It feels good.  I am excited about 2016.  I am focused on the companies that I am invested in.  I am sure there will be some new ones in 2016 but perhaps not as many as in the past.  We will see.  I am excited to help more women invest their capital.  I am really looking forward to WeFestival.  This year will be the best one ever.  Taking the festival and bringing it to other locations with the goal of empowering more women to build businesses, creating more female communities around business and having an event where women an connect and be heard feels good.  There are also a few real estate projects in the back end that will continue to take up more space which I am looking forward to.

Thinking this is going to be a good year.