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The Value of NAWBO
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Apr 15, 2008 Posted by Layla Masri
I was talking to a client the other day, a woman who owns a boutique consulting firm, and she was telling me about a difficult situation with one of her employees. Despite counseling, the employee hasn't fixed some problem behaviors, and isn't generating the expected revenues for the company that he was hired to bring in. We chatted about possible ways to approach the situation, and at the end of our conversation, she said "you're so lucky that you have a business partner, you have someone to talk about this kind of stuff with. I just have me." While it's true, I do feel fortunate to have a business partner with whom I can talk about pretty much anything and we've resolved multiple employee/client/financial/other situations together, occasionally I want to get an objective unbiased opinion from someone who's not emotionally invested in my company or its situation.
Participation in NAWBO NOVA is a fantastic way to meet other women business owners who can serve as a sounding board and provide those unbiased opinions. Even in totally different industries, many of us deal with the same issues - customer service, employee management, finances, etc - and finding someone who's dealt with a similar situation and can provide feedback on what worked and what didn't work is invaluable. I've developed relationships with a group of women through NAWBO who are not just friends but who also serve as mentors and business advisors, and have helped me address issues and problems in ways that I never would've thought of myself.
Unfortunately, just being a member isn't enough. You have to actually come to our programs and events, network, and get to know the other attendees. The relationships you'll build will be worth your time and effort.
Molly Gimmel is the President of Design To Delivery.