How one Nashville entrepreneur successfully on-ramped her career

Women looking to re-enter the workforce after leaving their career can fill employment gaps in the Nashville region.

Since 2000, women in the workforce has dropped from 61% to 57%, with the most common reasons being caring for children, elderly family members or relatives facing chronic illness. This so-called “care chasm” is the focus of a recent New York Times story about why talented women are leaving the U.S. workforce.

While some women do not intend to rejoin the labor market, research finds that 93% of women that have left their careers want to return to the work force. These women can have difficulty returning to their careers, even though they are often highly talented and skilled. At the same time, Nashville is experiencing the tight labor market that comes from low unemployment rates and high levels of economic growth.

Data from our Research Center shows that there are many industries in Nashville that are experiencing a gap between the job growth and supply. In the Healthcare Practitioners field alone, 868 jobs are not being filled each year. Notable gaps are also found in Management (631 annually) and Business and Financial Operations (364 annually).

One woman who has successfully rejoined the labor force is Anne Deeter Gallaher, owner and CEO of Deeter Gallaher Group (DGG). DGG is a marketing and public relations firm with offices in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and here in Nashville.

“I started my career right out of college at a publishing house. After five years, I quit in order to raise our three sons. After fifteen years at home and no experience as an entrepreneur, I wanted to start my own firm rather than work for someone else,” Deeter Gallaher says of starting her own business.

Now, Deeter Gallaher Group is a successful marketing agency with clients across the country. “We develop and execute projects based on a strategy-driven budget, not a budget-driven strategy. We’re nimble enough to meet the demands of a changing demographic with new tools, skills and analytics,” says Deeter Gallaher.

After weathering the storms of the economic downturn by pivoting to digital marketing strategies, Deeter Gallaher decided to share her story of success with other women looking to on-ramp into entrepreneurship.

“Because I couldn’t find a playbook on how to start my business, I co-wrote one titled “Women in High Gear: A Guide for Entrepreneur’s, On-Rampers, and Aspiring Executives” with Amy D. Howell from Memphis,” says Deeter Gallaher. “Our experiences are helping other women shorten their learning curves and find their way to financial independence and business success.”

The Nashville Chamber has also played a part in DGG’s expansion. “When we expanded into Nashville, the first thing I did after choosing office space was to walk into the Chamber, introduce myself and become a member. Our team instantly became part of a wonderful community of friends and business leaders,” Deeter Gallaher said.

To learn more about Deeter Gallaher Group, visit their website. If your business has an interesting story to share, contact us to see if we can help you tell it.

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