Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs in Richmond, VA

Women Entrepreneur Focused Organizations

National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)

Mission: To empower and advocate for women entrepreneurs across the U.S.

Core Purpose: NAWBO serves as the unified voice of over 12 million women-owned businesses. They provide resources, networking opportunities, and legislative advocacy to advance women in business.

Key Offerings:

• 🧭 Advocacy: Promotes bipartisan legislation that supports women business owners nationwide.

• 🤝 Networking: Hosts local and national events to foster collaboration, mentorship, and growth.

• 📚 Education: Provides workshops, summits, and leadership development opportunities.

• 💼 Membership Benefits: Includes access to certification programs, business resources, and visibility platforms.

  
  

Local Chapters: NAWBO Richmond offers monthly events like Coffee & Connect, Wisdom Wednesdays, and Lunch & Learn sessions to build community and share expertise.

Key Event: Women Empowerment Summit and Expo, October 2-4. Women Empowerment Summit and Expo - a 2-Day Experience Tickets, Thu, Oct 2, 2025 at 4:00 PM | Eventbrite

Metropolitan Business League (MBL)

Mission: To empower small, women-, and minority-owned businesses through education, access, and advocacy.

Core Purpose: MBL is a nonprofit business association based in Richmond, VA. They are dedicated to fostering economic prosperity by connecting entrepreneurs with resources, networks, and opportunities for growth.

Key Offerings:

• 🔗 Networking & Partnerships: Builds bridges between businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions to drive collaboration and procurement success.

• 📈 Business Development: Offers workshops, member-only events, and marketing support to elevate visibility and capacity.

• 💡 Youth & Community Programs: Runs initiatives like the Youth Entrepreneurship Program to cultivate future leaders and connect classrooms to boardrooms.

• 🏛️ Advocacy & Access: Hosts summits like Women Who Mean Business and maintains a Capital Access Hub to support funding and strategic growth.

  
  

Key Event: Women Who Mean Business Summit, October 10th. Women Who Mean Business -

The Women’s Business Center of Central Virginia

Mission: To empower women small business owners by providing the tools, guidance, and support needed to start, grow, and scale their ventures.

Core Purpose: WBC Central VA serves as a technical assistance hub for entrepreneurs across Central Virginia. They offer personalized support in a rapidly shifting economic landscape.

Key Offerings:

• 🧭 One-on-One Counseling: Tailored guidance for business planning, marketing, operations, and financial strategy.

• 📚 Training & Workshops: Includes Business Start Bootcamps, webinars, and an annual WBC Conference focused on growth and sustainability.

• 💡 Technical Assistance: Support with branding, intellectual property, capital access, and loan readiness.

• 🤝 Networking & Events: Facilitates connection through community-building sessions and strategic partnerships.

  
  

Key Event: Wealth and Wellness Conference, October 30th. Home - 2025 Wealth & Wellness Conference

The Importance of Networking

Every entrepreneur needs a team of organizations and people to support their growth. Networking is crucial for success. It opens doors to new opportunities and collaborations. By attending events, you can meet like-minded individuals who share your passion for business.

Connecting with others can provide fresh perspectives and insights. You might discover new strategies to overcome challenges. Additionally, networking can lead to potential partnerships that enhance your business.

If you're looking to network and connect with other business owners, consider checking out these organizations. Attend an event and determine if membership can help you achieve your business objectives.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Women’s Business Month is a perfect time to celebrate and support women entrepreneurs. Richmond, VA, offers a vibrant community of organizations dedicated to empowering women in business. By engaging with these groups, you can unlock your full potential. Embrace the opportunities available to you and take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey.

Remember, I am here to support you on your path to success. Together, we can navigate challenges, build confidence, and achieve significant career and business growth through tailored coaching and consulting.

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I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Feel free to email executive coach Dorian Cunion at dcunion@yourpathexecutivesolutions.com. If you are interested in seeing additional content related to leadership and business, follow me on

• Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/your_executivecoach 

• LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/doriancunion/. 

Or check out the Coaching Gold podcast on

• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/13bVHSpTVGfoBXZYpFFyNR?si=2Wp-jP3DR0CXK5f7RrBjfA or

• Youtube https://youtu.be/5a39XfS4O0I?si=DHSSsNreisqUfQYU

An Inspiring Morning with the Better Business Bureau: A Must-Attend for Small Business Owners

I recently had the pleasure of attending a small business workshop hosted by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and it was truly one of the most impactful events I've experienced this year. The day was packed with four dynamic presentations, each offering valuable insights for small business owners and nonprofit leaders. If you're looking for opportunities to learn and grow your business, keep an eye on the BBB's future programming.

The day started with an engaging presentation by Evanthia Karageorge, the director at the BBB. Evanthia shared her journey, from graduating from VCU to her current leadership role. Her message resonated deeply, emphasizing the critical role of mentorship for new employees. She astutely pointed out the significance of executive presence coaching and confidence-building in nurturing the growth of young professionals. Hearing her passion for removing barriers and improving communication and trust within the workplace was inspiring. 

Next up was Kate Scott from the Virginia Council on Economic Education. Kate spoke passionately about the vital importance of small business owners supporting financial education in our schools. She shared a moving personal story about how education opened doors for her, highlighting her organization's mission to provide inspiration and knowledge to underserved communities. Her dedication to breaking the cycle of poverty through education was truly compelling.

We then had the honor of hearing from Karl Leonard, the Sheriff of Chesterfield. Sheriff Leonard shifted gears to discuss the importance of trust and proper resourcing within leadership. He illustrated this with a fascinating anecdote from his time at the Pentagon, where critical, even life-or-death, decisions were made using something as simple as index cards. His point was clear: such high-level management and decisive action are only possible when a team is exceptionally well-trained and built upon a bedrock of trust.

The final speaker, Jeff Katz, brought a crucial element to the forefront: the power of active listening. Jeff provided practical examples of how listening without the immediate intention of responding can profoundly strengthen relationships. His key takeaway was that by truly listening, we can better understand and serve others, ultimately leading to greater earning potential and a more significant impact.

Throughout the event, small business owners and nonprofit leaders had valuable opportunities to connect and share their perspectives on communication, relationships, and financial management. I personally walked away with 14 pages of notes scribbled on my trusty 3x5 notepad!

My biggest takeaways from this enriching workshop were:

1. Be intentional about how you present yourself to others. Your presence and demeanor matter.

2. Focus on listening to other people's needs. Truly understanding others is the key to effective interaction.

3. Understand that having a small number of great relationships is better than thousands of meaningless ones. Quality over quantity in connections.

4. Great things happen when you partner with others. Collaboration can unlock incredible opportunities.

5. You need a support network to achieve your goals. No one succeeds in a vacuum.

It's worth noting that the BBB offers these valuable workshops monthly for its members. This is just one of the many benefits of being a BBB-certified business. In addition to these learning opportunities, certification also includes marketing support through its podcast, radio spots, and website.

If you're a small business owner or nonprofit leader looking to invest in your growth and connect with a supportive community, I wholeheartedly encourage you to explore the Better Business Bureau and their upcoming events. It's an investment that can truly pay dividends.

Who should have a personal board of directors?

You need a personal board of directors if you are an entrepreneur, a leader, or a professional who wants to grow and succeed in your career. A personal board of directors is a group of people who can offer you guidance, support, and advice on various aspects of your work and life. Talking with friends and family members about your work can be helpful, but depending on their background and experience, they might be unable to give you the perspective and guidance needed to achieve your goals. This is especially true if you come from a blue-collar background where the rules for getting ahead differ from most white-collar jobs. In addition to your current network, it is helpful to identify peers, mentors, coaches, experts, and role models to help you better understand how to succeed in a business environment where business acumen, strategic planning, and networking are necessary for advancing your career.

Like a company board of directors, a personal board of directors aims to provide the guidance and support you need to fulfill your career goals. The knowledge and skills you have developed to this point of your career have gotten you to where you are, but to move to the next level, you will need to develop new skills, habits, and behaviors. Your current mindset might be getting in the way of letting go of tasks others could do, investing in your business, and making time for self-care. Changing your mindset is crucial as you move into senior-level roles within an organization or work on scaling your business. Having a routine of discussing current business challenges with a trusted group of advisors can help you reduce the feeling of being alone. The group can help you to

• Gain new knowledge and skills you may not learn from your formal education or training.

• Get valuable feedback and constructive criticism from people who can challenge and push you out of your comfort zone.

• Be persistent when you face difficulties or failures.

• Identify partnership opportunities and expand your network with potential collaborators, clients, investors, or mentors.

• Receive opportunities for career development or business expansion.

Who's your support?

• Friends
• Family
• Employees
• Peers

See All Options

You can vote for more than one answer.

There are four steps that you should follow when forming your personal board of directors.

Clearly define your professional goals.

Depending on your goals, the people that should be on your board of directors will change. For example, if you want to become a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), having someone on your board who understands marketing at a high level would be beneficial. It would also be helpful to have someone that is a Senior Executive that understands what it takes to reach the highest levels of leadership within an organization.

Define the type of people you want on your board.

Diversity is paramount. Your intent should be to have a wide range of people from different backgrounds, races, genders, and specialties. Model your personal board after companies like Apple. Apple's board of directors includes:

• Tim Cook, CEO of Apple

• Arthur Levison, Founder, and CEO of Calico,

• James A. Bell, CFO and Corporate President at Boeing Company,

• Former Vice President Al Gore

• Alex Gorsky, Former Executive Chair of Johnson and Johnson

• Andrea Jung, President and CEO of Grameen America

• Monica Lazano, Former President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation

• Ronald Sugar, Former Chair and CEO of Northrop Grumman

• Susan L. Wagner. Co-founder and Director BlackRock

By having people from different industries, genders, and backgrounds, Apple benefits from the diverse knowledge, skills, and perspectives of the people on its board. You might not be able to attract such big names. Still, you can intentionally seek and build meaningful relationships with diverse groups of people that can advise you on growing your career or business.

Define how you will engage with your board.

Determining the frequency and manner of touching base can help you ensure that you are leveraging your board optimally. One of the benefits of having a board is that you are not dependent on one person for everything. By having multiple people whom you consult, you reduce the burden on any one person and limit the chances of burning out a relationship. Initially, meeting with board members one on one may make sense, but over time it can benefit you to introduce your board members to each other and participate in group discussions.

Show gratitude.

The sacrist resource that we have is time. When people take time out of their schedule to support you, show them some love. Communicating gratitude can manifest itself in many ways. One of the best ways is to provide people with updates on the progress that you have made based on their feedback. When you earn a win because of guidance or help from a board member, let them know. They will likely see your wins as their wins. They invest time in you because they believe in your potential and want to see you succeed. Pay them back by letting them know about their positive impact on your career or business.

Humans are a tribal species. We thrive in communities. As you look to progress your career or business, seek out a tribe that can help you grow into the person your potential. We are the summation of our experiences. The more time you can dedicate to learning from people that know things you do not know, the better prepared you will be for the new challenges. You do not have to figure things out alone. Expand your network, seek out mentors, and hire professionals that can help you achieve your goal.

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Thank you for reading this blog

Dorian Cunion is an Executive Business Coach with Your Path Coaching and Consulting. He is a former retail executive with over 20 years of experience in the retail industry. He is a Co-Active coach who focuses on helping professionals and small business owners overcome insecurities, knowledge gaps, and lack of direction. He does this by helping clients tap into their values, recognize their strengths, and develop actionable strategies for growth.

Have you been trying to improve your career or business on your own but are not seeing success as fast as you desire?

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