Women in Business Series: Phyllis Burlage of Burlage Associates

Date: September 08, 2016 Last Edit: September 29, 2016

To celebrate National Women's Small Business Month, we’re honoring some of NFIB’s fantastic female members with a Women in Business series.

Q: Tell us a bit about your business. How did you get into the finance
industry?

A: “It’s a small accounting and tax practice. In
the mid-80s, I bought a practice with a partner who later left for academia.
Since then I’ve run solo. Many of my clients have been with me since the
beginning and have stayed with me even after they have moved out of state. I do
my best to provide personalized service that fits the client’s needs.

“I actually started out as a pre-med major, but
I wanted to be independent and the thought of years of school and the debt load
made me look for a career that was easier to break into, with opportunities for
women, and (one) that would pay off financially.” 

Q: What’s one thing you do every morning to start your day on a positive
note?

A: “I garden. I like to putter and water and
weed and prune, even now with the plants that were moved indoor for the winter
and my spring seedlings. I can breathe and I don’t have to think. It’s a form
of moving meditation. And I try to focus on long-term, happy, personal goals so
my subconscious knows where I’m headed.” 

Q: How do you stay inspired and creative at work?

A: “It’s a game – a competition between me and
the ‘bad guys’ who are trying to take my clients’ money and freedom to follow
their dream.”

Q: What was your first job?

A: “I was a ‘pinky’ at Maryland General
Hospital.”

Q: Please share one piece of advice for other female leaders in
business.

A: “You can’t have it all! Life is about choice
and compromise. Don’t beat yourself if you can’t do everything. Decide what’s
most important. Prioritize. And whenever possible, give back.”

Q: What do you value most about being an NFIB member?

A: “I feel like I am no longer a voice in the
wilderness. It’s an organization that asks me what I think instead of telling
me what to think. And it supports me in making my voice heard in the most
effective way possible.” 

Check out more National Women’s Small Business Month profiles on NFIB members Robin Kocina, Melissa Remis and Sandra Turner

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