The month of September has been NAWBO month. I had the opportunity to attend the National conference and interact and learn from women business owners across the country. Following the conference, NAWBO-CA had its strategic planning Board retreat.  NAWBO members in CA, I want you to know for certain, you have invested in the greatest organization for women business leaders that your money and time can leverage. Your NAWBO National Board and staff did an absolutely amazing job with the conference and introduced new tools to make us better in our chapters and to equip us in business to achieve the mission of increasing profits and influence. Please make sure you check out the NAWBO Institute, a training platform to educate women business owners at all stages of growth.

During the conference, we had a "history" lesson on how NAWBO was started, the strategies women business leaders of that day had to employ to get the legislation we enjoy today approved; and the number of women organizations established today that have NAWBO to thank for their start. As I reflect on the fact that it was not until my junior year of college that women business owners could actually obtain loans and credit cards independent of a male in their family, even a son, without credit who was 18, it makes me shutter.  President Reagan would not have signed HR 5050, if your NAWBO leaders would not have donned the halls of Congress, refusing to wear navy blue or grey, but rather choosing a "different" shade of blue - how about teal?

Perhaps these ladies had some fears, perhaps they had some tensions among themselves, perhaps they were concerned about apathy; however, the greater good drove them. The greater good drove them to spend countless hours and resources to make sure that the next generation of women business owners, the next generation of women business organizations could not only have a seat at the table, but they could build the table if they needed to and invite other women to join them. I was inspired by the fact that these women of the 1970's and the 1980's knew that they could not increase their bottom line without being at the forefront of political movements.  In fact, their mantra, "Get Into Politics or Get Out of Business (GIPOGOOB)."

NAWBO-CA Women Business Owners, I want you to know that GIPAGOOB is as relevant today as it was in the 1970's and 1980's.  In the 1979 Washington, DC briefings, NAWBO leaders asked the question, "Who is helping to create a better climate for your business? Who is offering support to the business owner who is a woman?" I can say, with a great deal of conference, your NAWBO-CA Board is absolutely committed to the GIP part of GIPOGOOB. In our efforts to "get into politics," the Public Policy leaders are introducing some strategies to keep chapter Public Policy Directors informed and to make clear the issues that affect the climate for business and support for the business owner who is a woman in CA. In fact, one board member said, "I joined NAWBO for business; I stayed in NAWBO because of Public Policy." 

Your NAWBO-CA Board re-affirmed our commitment to create a seat at the table for our NEXTGEN, the next generation of women business owners, by looking for millennials and organizations of young women who will someday be business owners. We are encouraging chapters to look for ways to engage and celebrate your millennials and Gen X's. We encourage your chapters to seek out your more seasoned members who may be considering retiring in the next five years and urge them to purchase a membership for their daughter coming into the business or another woman executive who could be part of their succession plan. I wish you could have been there for the spirited discussion on making NEXTGEN an integral part of the Propel Conference. Have you marked your calendar for May 7-9, 2017 at the Sheraton Grande in Sacramento?

 

We hope you received your Bank of America contribution thanks to the leadership and relentless efforts of our Corporate Partner leaders. With this contribution, please continue to recognize Bank of America for their sponsorship and look for ways to include them in your programs. This year, your Corporate Partner leaders are looking for many more opportunities to share resources with the chapters. We expect and look forward to chapter participation in Board calls and Propel. Your Board President, President-Elect, Public Policy Director and/or Corporate Partner Director are all welcome to join the call (or any other board member to ensure that each chapter is represented on the call.) 

NAWBO-CA, as I close this message, I want to urge each chapter President and your Board to remind and encourage your chapters to vote in this 2016 election.  Our NAWBO National Public Policy leader, Joy Lutes, said that many studies show that people are considering sitting on the sidelines for the Presidential election because they do not like either choice for the Presidency. NAWBO, for the sake of GIPAGOOB, you MUST vote .  

With deep confidence in the most influential women business owners in the state of California, 

Hilda Kennedy

President