The theme of this year’s NAWBO® Women’s Business Conference (WBC) in Louisville, Kentucky, was START SOMETHING and wow, did we deliver! The WBC was just the start for so many women entrepreneurs who are now back in their businesses innovating, advocating, accelerating and more. We’re thrilled we could provide them with inspiration, motivation and resources to fuel their success! Here at NAWBO, we are starting something new as well. For one, we are already thinking ahead to our 2013 WBC. We are also partnering again with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to host America’s Small Business Summit April 29-May 1, 2013. Mark your calendar now and plan to join hundreds of small businesses and chamber and association executives from across the country to network, learn from business experts and advocate for pro-business policies. In conjunction with this, NAWBO will also hold our 2013 Public Policy Day where we extend invitations to key public policy decision makers to meet with us. Stay tuned for details to come on these exciting events! Meanwhile, for those of you who were unable to join us for the WBC in Louisville, I thought I would share some of the great advice that was heard: “Sometimes we have to say no to good things to say yes to great things…Taking our eyes off ourselves and looking at others is so important…My breakthrough was learning to be a servant and a student…Criticism is a gift.” —Keynote speaker Kathy Ireland, Chair, CEO and Chief Designer of kathy ireland Worldwide “Your business is your integrity. You lose it, you lose everything.” —Breakout session moderator Rebecca Harris, Director of the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship, Chatham University “My life lesson is to not take no for an answer.” —General session speaker Gloria Hatcher, UPS Assistant Chief Pilot at Chicago-Rockford International Airport “Small businesses are really the backbone of the country and everyone knows it, but what they don’t know is it’s also women-owned businesses…We have to make sure we bring all our life lessons and all our power to our businesses.” —General session speaker Karen Mills, Administrator of the Small Business Administration “Once you get to a certain point in your business, it’s important to focus on the one thing you do best because you are brilliant at that. Everything else should be delegated, automated, systemized, etc…Most entrepreneurs are great beginners. To work more on your business, you must surround yourself by excellent finishers.” —Breakout session panelist Fabienne Fredrickson, Founder of ClientAttraction.com “Trust your gut. When you know something, you know it. Keep it alive and strong. Only you have it. So trust, trust, trust.” —Keynote speaker Katrina Markoff, Owner, Founder & Chocolatier of Vosges Haut-Chocolat “Global events/crisis lead to opportunities.” —Breakout session speaker Stacie Berdan, International Careers Expert and Award-Winning Author at StacieBerdan.com “It’s not enough to just be human…When you look to build your business, look for the odd people.” —Dr. Nat Irvin II, Author, Innovator, Futurist, Teacher and Commentator of the University of Louisville “The only way not to fail is not to quit…Asking for help is the greatest sign of strength.” —Breakout session speaker Marissa Levin, CEO of Information Experts and Successful Culture “Doing something that allows you to shine the spotlight on others is just as effective as shining the spotlight on yourself—sometimes more.” —Breakout session speaker Michelle Villalobos, Personality Marketing & Branding Speaker & CEO (Chief Education Officer) of Mivista Consulting, Inc. “Social good can be an integral part of your company.” —Breakout session panelist Terri McCullough, Executive Director of the Tory Burch Foundation “I think like most people, I learn more from my failures than my successes…My willingness to lean on other people, especially other women, was the key to my success.” —Breakout session speaker Tori Murden McClure, President of Spalding University “Acknowledge a need to prioritize what’s important in your personal and professional life…Don’t neglect yourself. When you take care of yourself, you’ll be a better wife, mom, daughter, friend and woman business owner.” —Breakout session speaker Nadine Thompson, CEO & Founder of Soul Purpose Beauty and Lifestyle Company “To quote Margaret Thatcher, there’s a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.” —NAWBO leadership training speaker Deborah Snyder, Director of Membership and Communications of NAWBO-Los Angeles Much of this advice was talked about in blogs in the days and weeks following the WBC. Here are some links you might also enjoy: http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/10/05/live-nawbowbc http://smartblogs.com/social-media/2012/10/08/live-nawbowbc-is-business-still-anti-social http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/10/08/live-nawbowbc-words-wisdom-kathy-ireland http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/10/10/live-from-nawbowbc-why-engaging-women-just-makes-sense http://smartblogs.com/social-media/2012/10/11/live-nawbowbc-build-exercise-power-personal-brand http://smartblogs.com/food-and-beverage/2012/10/12/live-nawbowbc-chocolate-queen-katrina-markoffs-creative-process http://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/official-sba-news-and-views/open-business/inclusive-vision-entrepreneurship http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stacie-nevadomski-berdan/female-business-owners_b_1953097.html#s1622165 http://blogs.courier-journal.com/betterlife/2012/10/07/from-the-beach-to-the-boardroom-a-visit-with-kathy-ireland http://www.mildredwalters.com/2012/10/time-out-to-work-on-my-business.html If you heard some great advice at the WBC that you have taken back to your business to START SOMETHING, I hope you will share it here! I also hope you will plan to join us in 2013 for more great events that impact the women’s business community and your business. —Diane Tomb, NAWBO National President & CEO
