IN VENICE HEIGHTS.
HE TOLD INVESTIGATORS HE USED
THE WATER BOTTLE, BECAUSE HE
WAS TOO BUSY TO GO TO THE
BATHROOM.
WOMEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND WORLD ARE UNIFYING THEIR
VOICES TO DEMAND EQUALITY AND
RESPECT.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IS
TAKING ON A MORE POWERFUL
MEETING THIS YEAR IN THE WAKE
OF THE HASHTAG ME TOO
MOVEMENT.
PEOPLE IN EUROPE AND ASIA
FILLED THE STREETS CALLING FOR
PROTECTION OF WOMEN.
RALLIES HERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY
CELEBRATED ACCOMPLISHMENTS I
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND
LAWMAKERS.
IN ST. PAUL, THE CALL FOR AN
AMENDMENT TO STATE LAW THAT
WOULD ENSURE LEGAL GENDER
ISSUES ARE TREATED THE SAME WAY
RACE AND RELIGION ARE.
HERE IN MINNESOTA, AN
ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS WOMEN
START THEIR OWN BUSINESSES IS
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF SERVICE.
WE TAKE A LOOK AT WOMEN
VENTURE AND ONE OF ITS SUCCESS
STORIES.
ALL I DO IS WHEN.
Reporter: 3 YEARS AGO, SHE
STEPPED OUT OF HER COMFORT ZONE
IN A CORPORATE JOB TO BECOME
THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND HER
OWN BUSINESS.
SHE IS A PERSONAL TRAINER AND
THE OWNER OF PUSH FITNESS IN
ST. PAUL.
IT WAS TOO DIFFICULT TO HAVE
A FOOT INTO WORLDS, IT JUST
WASN'T WORKING.
SO I DECIDED TO PUT BOTH FEET
IN ONE WORLD.
Reporter: SHE LAUNCHED HER
BUSINESS WITH THE HELP OF WOMEN
VENTURE, MINNEAPOLIS AGENCY
THAT HELPS WOMEN START AND GROW
PROFITABLE BUSINESSES.
THEY OFFER TRAINING AND PROVIDE
LOANS. I WENT THROUGH THEIR
GUIDED BUSINESS PLAN, SO I
WANTED TO CREATE A BUSINESS
PLAN FOR MYSELF.
THAT IS THE MAIN SERVICE, BUT
SO MANY OTHER THINGS SINCE THEN.
ABOUT 35% OF SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS IN MINNESOTA ARE WOMEN.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE NOT
PRODUCING AS MUCH REVENUE OR
CREATING AS MANY JOBS AS MALE
OWNED BUSINESSES.
Reporter: ELAINE WHITE IS
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
WE ARE REALLY HELPING WOMEN
BEAT THE ODDS.
PRIMARILY, I THINK IT IS THE
DELIVERY OF CAPITAL AND BEING
ABLE TO GIVE THEM A LOAN TO
GROW.
THAT IS A KEY PIECE OF HELPING
THEM.
Reporter: 5 YEARS AGO, THEY
HAD ABOUT 350 CLIENTS.
TODAY, MORE THAN 1200 WOMEN ARE
ENROLLED.
THEY ARE LEARNING HOW TO BE THE
BOSS.
WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE
DOORS OF PUSH, YOU'RE NOT
ALLOWED TO SAY ANYTHING
NEGATIVE ABOUT YOUR BODY.
ALL I DO IS WIN, THAT'S ALL
I DO. Reporter: SHE IS LOVING
IT.
SHE IS SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO
OFFER A GOSPEL MUSIC SPIN CLASS
. WOMEN VENTURE IS HOLDING AN
EVENT TONIGHT IN HONOR OF
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY.
IT IS A RECEPTION STARTING AT
6:30 TONIGHT AT THE NORTH
GARDEN THEATER IN ST. PAUL.
THEY WILL SHOWCASE THE PRODUCTS
AND SERVICES OF 10 WOMEN OWNED
BUSINESSES.
FRANK AND I GET TO BE THERE TO
HELP HOST OR DO SOMETHING.
[ LAUGHTER ] WE ARE PROUD,
