A recent study over a 10-year period showed Arizona’s women business owners (WBOs) grew by 53.6 percent in number, but only 1.9 percent in employment. This means that they were starting businesses at an impressive rate but not growing them. To support their growth, three chapters of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) in Phoenix, Greater Tucson and Sedona-Verde Valley are hosting the Women With Vision conference, now in its second year.
Women with Vision conference details
“We wanted to create this fire in our state to support WBOs. The only way we could do that is by coming together,” says Angela Garmon, NAWBO Phoenix’s immediate past president. She co-chairs the event with current chapter president Jean Briese.
This year’s virtual event is on Wednesday, March 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. Safe, in-person hubs will also be offered in different parts of the valley. Attendees can choose to join together in small groups to experience the event together.
Goals include:
- Understand the voice of WBOs: Attendees will share what impacts their business and discuss solutions.
- Propel WBOs forward: General sessions, keynotes and breakouts will focus on professional development and business growth.
- Build critical connections: Attendees will discuss collaborative partnerships with other state thought leaders.
- Recognize women with vision: Three of Arizona’s phenomenal WBOs will be honored.
Featured guests and opportunities
Last year’s conference attracted state legislators, business owners, corporate entities and leaders. They came to figure out how to strengthen the voice of women business owners, as well as to facilitate connections for growth.
This year, they will build on the momentum with:
- Keynotes by Vanessa Shaw of The Business Growth Academy and Coral Evans, former Flagstaff mayor and now Northern Arizona director for U.S. Senator Mark Kelly.
- Representatives from Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) speaking on an SBDC panel and Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council, Salt River Project and Women’s Business Enterprise Council – West on a certification panel.
- A chance to win two roundtrip Southwest Airlines tickets.
Cristina Morales Heaney, chair of the NAWBO National Board of Directors, commends Arizona’s leaders for their commitment to the growth of WBOs. “We were the fastest growing sector of the U.S. economy heading into this pandemic. Efforts like this will ensure WBOs of all sizes and sectors only continue to grow.”
About NAWBO
Founded in 1975, NAWBO is the unified voice of America’s more than 11.6 million women-owned businesses representing the fastest growing segment of the economy. NAWBO is the only dues-based organization representing the interests of all women entrepreneurs across all industries. NAWBO develops programs that help navigate women entrepreneurs through the various stages of their business growth. To learn more, please visit www.nawbo.org.
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