Local Profile’s 23rd annual Women in Business Summit, presented by Baylor Scott & White Health, is set for Sept. 13, 2024, at Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel.
This year, over 600 powerhouse women from various sectors including global enterprise, non-profit, small business and government will gather to celebrate, unite and empower each other to turn big ideas into reality.
Tickets are selling out quickly! Buy your ticket here.
One of Local Profile's esteemed speakers, Sharon Ramage, has dedicated her career to supporting families and children as both a social worker and attorney. With firsthand experience of the impacts of conflict on families, she has focused her law practice on family law and special education since 1992. From 1992-1997, Ramage served as an assistant criminal district attorney in Tarrant County, working in the crimes against children division from 1995-1997.
Since starting her private practice in 1997, Ramage has been committed to guiding clients through family transitions, prioritizing children's best interests. As an adoptive parent, she also assists with foreign and domestic adoptions. Ramage is passionate about advocating for families with disabled children, and helping them secure necessary services. She spent 12 years as a special education hearing officer and mediator for the Texas Education Agency, conducting hearings and mediations. Ramage leverages her extensive experience to represent families with special needs children and continues to push boundaries for women in law.
What idea has impacted you most in your field?
Great things happen when we think outside the box. This idea impacts me and drives me no matter what I do — not just in the legal field.
How do you deal with setbacks?
Fail stands for the “first attempt in learning!” There is no such thing as a setback — just a learning opportunity. Once I began to internalize this concept, my business turned around. Ask my team — they will tell you my mantra is “we won’t know what works until we know what doesn’t work.”
What do you do when an idea strikes?
I get immersed in it. Sometimes this is not a great thing because I am prone to chasing shiny objects. But I begin putting my vision to paper and have found that surrounding myself with people who can implement my vision is the key to success.
How do you respond when feeling held back?
No one or no one thing can hold me back. If I believe that, then I lose or give up my power to someone or something else. I look to what I can create out of the result that was different from what was anticipated.
What is one idea that motivates you?
Someone telling me it is not possible or I can’t — it just is laying down the gauntlet and I will step over!
What was the most difficult decision you’ve made in your career so far?
Learning to practice making decisions. At one time, I wanted to know and plan the outcome before acting. I no longer do that. It all starts with a decision! Decisions are neither good nor bad — they just are and every one of them brings learning opportunities.
What challenges do you face as a woman in your industry?
The America Ferrera monologue from Barbie sums up so much of what we face (or impose on ourselves) as women. And I really do think this is self-imposed. Imposter syndrome comes out of judging ourselves against an ideal that just does not exist in reality. The final quote — “But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful.”
Who is the first person you come to with an idea?
My husband.
What is a recent challenge you faced?
Trying to be all things to all people in my business. Lawyer to the clients; leader to the team, bookkeeper, manager and implementer extraordinaire (which I am not good at).
How did you overcome that challenge?
I took a look good at my strengths and weaknesses and removed myself from the areas where I am weak and replaced myself with the right people in the right seats. I reassigned team members to areas of strength. And I hired a second in command who can implement my crazy ideas but also keep me on track.
What is the biggest mistake you see women making when advancing their careers?
I think men and women do the same thing — they reach a goal and think they have arrived and there is nothing else to learn. Reaching a goal is just getting to a milepost on the road and enables you to see further on the horizon. And you have to come to the realization that strategies are always changing with growth — because growth breaks systems!
How do you define success?
Being comfortable in your own skin and with your own accomplishments without out comparing yourself to others, knowing that each accomplishment is a milepost and there is more ahead.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Just make a decision. It’s only a decision.
What projects are you currently working on?
Automating my processes with technology — I never considered myself a tech geek but I am really enjoying it and think doing things differently is my best challenge.
What is the best book you read this year?
The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan — it helped to reframe how I look at where I am. As entrepreneurs, we often are so critical of ourselves, especially as women. We tend to set high goals and beat ourselves up when we don’t quite reach the goal, or when we work really hard and the goalpost changes. Reframe that and look back — where did you start — how much have you gained? Be grateful for what you have gained — not sorrowful for where you think you should be. Just keep moving.
Buy your ticket to Women in Business here.
