October 2016 President's Message
Posted by sarahglova on Oct. 6, 2016 / President's Message / Subscribe 0
Hello October! This month, the Triangle is finally starting to feel like fall. It is the month that we buckle back down, take a deep breath and forge ahead with an eye on crossing the finish line strong.
Did you know that October is also National Women’s Small Business Month? During this month we celebrate women owners by recognizing our tenacity, vision, contribution to the recovering economy and leadership in politics and advocacy.
According to the State of Women-Owned Business Report-2016, there are over 11 million WBOs in the US, generating over $1.6 trillion in revenue. Since the recession, the number of women-owned firms has grown at a rate of 5X faster than the national average. Since 2007, on average, there have been 1,072 (net) new women-owned firms started each day. North Carolina is leading the way as one of the top 10 states for the number of women-owned firms.
The other very important stat this report looks at is what is called economic clout. Economic clout combines growth in number, growth in employment and growth in revenue, which speaks to the health of our businesses. For most all of us, starting our business was the easy part. Closing the gap between where we are, to owning a business that fully serves us, is where the light flickers. Here in NC, the health of our businesses regarding employment growth and business revenues (as a % to total) has not changed over the past 20 years. In our home state, the bottom line is we are starting businesses at an impressive rate, but our challenges continue with building healthy, sustainable businesses. A fact that is somewhat baffling to me considering the rich resources we have here in the Triangle. A top priority of the chapter board is to strengthen strategic relationships and partnerships with our resources: universities, business training centers, technology, sources of capital, and other organizations that support small business growth.
NAWBO was founded 41 years ago by a group of women who faced a fundamentally similar scenario. They were not where they wanted to be, and they were not willing to settle. The women who founded NAWBO identified their road blocks, and as a unified force with laser focus, they began to chip away at the barriers. Having just returned from our Women’s Business Conference (WBC), the NAWBO-National conference, I had an opportunity to hear these stories of vision, determination, frustration and success, first hand. NAWBO was founded as a movement and at her best, remains a movement of women business owners with a shared vision who create change together- locally, nationally, and globally.
Join me this month in celebrating women-owned businesses and the women who are the force behind this sector of the economy. May I encourage you to jump in and add your voice to the conversation, and your hands to the work before us. Prepare to vote: review the ballot for your voting district now, research the candidates for yourself. Vote for the candidates that best represent your needs and values. If you are not already an active member of NAWBO-GR, make a commitment of your time and talents, jump in grab an oar and help row. The members who get real value from the organization are actively involved.
I will close with an invitation to non-member WBO’s to take part. The NAWBO Greater Raleigh chapter is committed to providing our members with the resources for closing the gap between start-up and sustainability. We are a source for authentic relationships with women who are serious about growing their business. We are focused on education and mentorship delivered through thoughtful programming, mastermind peer advising, and resource sharing. Stay tuned for news about the NAWBO Institute, a new virtual learning platform. This on-line resource will help all members of NAWBO to grow their business to the next level. Join us!
In my opinion, the biggest mistake we make as women owners is attempting to do it alone. As a member of NAWBO-Raleigh, you have support. The Fall Membership Drive ends on October 31st. See Erin Cohen, Linda Boylan, or any member, with your questions about joining NAWBO-GR. See you on October 13th at the Email Efficiency workshop and on October 25th on The Terrace at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course where we will be working towards closing the gap and celebrating you.
Shine on!
Pam
President NAWBO-GR
PROMOQUEST, Inc
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