Sisterhood Spotlight

What was your very first job?

During high school, I worked in retail and food services during summers and on weekends at an amusement park called Six Flags Magic Mountain. It was a lot of fun because many high school and college kids worked there and customers were generally happy. 

How has being the first woman in your family to receive a college degree impacted you?

It was a slightly daunting dream to put myself through college because I wondered where I would earn the funds to pay rent, tuition, books, and generally support myself while studying hard. I learned so much through the process. Well before there were programs for first generation college students, the guidance counselors at UCLA were empathetic and when they learned I was supporting myself, they suggested getting a job on campus and it made all the difference. On the day I graduated, my whole family was there and it was a joyful day for all of us. I gained so much by working hard to achieve this goal. It was my first really big, audacious goal as an adult, and it taught me that I am happiest when I have big audacious goals, so you could say this generated a whole new way of looking at challenges as rewarding opportunities.

What advice do you have for women and girls who are pursuing a male-dominated field?

Find mentors who are women and men and don't be shy about asking for advice and ideas. Most people want to help young people succeed. In my career, the men have been just as important as the women in helping me to grow and giving me feedback, new opportunities and challenges.

What is the most important thing that government can do to help small businesses?

I come from a family of small business owners; all four of my parents' children are entrepreneurs. It takes so much courage, hard work, ingenuity, sacrifice and perseverance to start and grow a business. Small businesses are the true heartbeat of Virginia and America; they employ more people in aggregate than larger companies, and are hubs of innovation. I admire and salute small business owners and entrepreneurs and wholeheartedly support and work every day to achieve Governor Youngkin's goals of 10,000 start-ups. The most important thing a government can do is create an environment that rewards and does not hinder the formation and growth of small businesses. That means reducing regulations – especially those taxes that are levied on a business before they have paying customers!

What business sector(s) offer(s) unique opportunities for Virginia women and girls and why?

I wholeheartedly believe that nearly every sector offers wonderful opportunities for women. We need women across sectors, from technology to skilled trades, science, education and so much more. 

What is something you enjoy (ex. a hobby) that most people don't know about?

I love to sail, hike and take long walks in big cities with my husband of 28 years. One of my favorite things to do on the fly, and that I can do nearly anywhere, is play Words With Friends 2 with our adult sons – we are all competitive and it is one of many ways to stay connected. It is one of my favorite ways to relax.

What is one thing (food, sweets) you can't resist?

One of our ace executive assistants always keeps Fannie Mae S'Mores chocolates on her desk and it is irresistible! I find a lot of reasons to go and visit her – ha.  If I were to keep this in my house I would be in trouble. I also love chips, salsa and guacamole and have been known to make a whole dinner out of those three things!

About Secretary Merrick

The Secretary of Commerce and Trade is dedicated to developing and growing an economy that works for all Virginians. Our 12 agencies work collaboratively, creating an environment where people and businesses thrive and grow. We strive to utilize the great assets of Virginia to ensure Virginia is the best place to live, work, raise a family, start and grow a business.

Caren Merrick is an entrepreneur, board director, advisor and executive with over 25 years of experience launching new companies, reinventing companies, leading business improvement transformation, and overseeing change management. She and one of the companies she co-founded were highlighted among the 10 Start-Ups that Changed Washington by the Washington Business Journal.  Caren co-founded and was instrumental in growing Fairfax, Virginia based webMethods, Inc. from a basement start-up to a global company of 1,100 people and $200m+ in revenue.

Caren has built boards of directors for webMethods, Inc. and the webMethods Foundation. She has served as a board director of public and private growth companies with combined assets of $12B and revenue of $3B across a variety of sectors. Her board leadership includes Chairman of Finance, Technology, Valuations, Nominations, and Ethics Committees and member of the Audit Committee.

Most recently, Merrick was founding CEO of The Virginia Ready Initiative (or VA Ready.)  VA Ready is a dynamic, business led partnership formed in response to the economic hardships created by COVID-19 and now helping over 3,500 Virginians rapidly reskill for in-demand jobs. The partnership includes 24 of the Commonwealth’s leading businesses like EY, Bank of America, SAIC, Genworth Financial, PwC, Northrop Grumman, Carilion Clinics and the Virginia Community College System’s 23 community colleges, to retrain and equip Virginians who want to gain skills for in-demand jobs in high-growth sectors. VA Ready offers an innovative model to solve the labor shortage in a variety of industries while helping individuals, families and whole communities to flourish.