Every once in a while in life (and in business), things seem to naturally flow together, one opportunity seamlessly leading into the next. Some call it fate. Lynda Bishop might call it business. Throughout her impressive career, one opportunity truly has fed into the next, empowering her to maximize her leadership abilities as a business owner, coach, therapist, author and program director.
But it all started with saying “yes” to the unknown. With a background in the corporate world, Lynda was leading a successful career as an Executive Vice President in a software firm and found herself longing for something different. With a lifelong interest in psychology and relationships, she decided to go back to school while she continued her career, to earn a Master’s in Professional Counseling and became a Certified Empowerment & Emotional Intelligence Coach. From there, she launched her own counseling firm, later named Relationship Insurance, to support healthy relationships among individuals and families. As her success with her clients grew, so did new opportunities in the corporate world. To combine her expertise in relationship building and professional training, Lynda soon launched a second business—Summit Alliance Solutions—designed specifically for businesses and corporations.
As Lynda was growing her businesses and professional network, another major door opened when NAWBO’s Phoenix chapter contacted her. She was presented with an opportunity to serve on the chapter’s board and quickly jumped at the chance to be involved with other successful women business owners. Seven years later, Lynda has remained an active trailblazer within NAWBO, serving as a Past President of the Phoenix chapter, National Board member and current Co-Chair of the President’s Assembly Steering Committee of the National Board.
Through her involvement in NAWBO, Lynda has used her networking and communication expertise to drive positive change for chapters and members. For example, she was highly involved in expanding the steering committee to provide chapters with more direct support. A larger committee of experts has also allowed for a long-awaited shift to a monthly dues structure for members.
“Having that extra communication with the chapters and having people they can talk to on a regular basis has improved our ability to serve the chapters to the point that we have a better understanding of their challenges in real time,” says Lynda. “We can offer support as challenges are happening, and that is huge.”
But Lynda’s passion for empowering emerging leaders doesn’t end with NAWBO. As Program Director for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) in Arizona championed by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, she works with high school students from disadvantaged areas of Phoenix to support entrepreneurial growth. What’s more, she recently co-authored her first book, The Young Female Leader, in August 2015.
As if that weren’t impressive enough, Lynda’s scope of work in entrepreneurial leadership is about to get even larger. As a result of the women’s leadership work she has been involved with in China for the past five years, a previous colleague has invited her to contribute her expertise to Halston Enterprise, a new non-profit organization that will empower female refugees in Africa. Working in refurbished medical clinics, Lynda will soon spearhead leadership programs to help women develop brighter futures.
“Working with students and women’s leadership are what I love most, and I feel so fortunate to make this the focus of much of my time and expand my business further to do global work,” she says.
Taking on new opportunities like these has been a learning curve that Lynda credits NAWBO with helping her to navigate. “I can tell you that if I had not said ‘yes’ and gotten involved both locally and as a National Board member, all of these opportunities would not be here. NAWBO grew me to the point of seeing myself as capable of doing these things in my community and then on a national level,” she says. “It’s given me the personal credibility to say to myself, ‘I can do that.’ We need more women who are able to get past that self-doubt—to say, ‘I can do that and I won’t sit back and wait for someone else to step up.’”
As she looks ahead to another year of exciting growth, Lynda is always reminded of the power of saying ‘yes’ to new opportunities—especially those that are most unexpected. “One opportunity leads to the next,” she says. “NAWBO has helped me to stay open to that.”
For more information about Lynda Bishop and her work, please visit lyndabishop.com.