The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) has been providing women business owners a place to connect and share ideas since 1975. It is the only organization that represents the interests of women entrepreneurs. With chapters across the country, it wields a far-reaching impact as a one-stop resource to propel women business owners to greater economic, social and political power worldwide.
NAWBO Strives To:
STRENGTHEN: wealth-creation capacity of our members and promote economic development.
CREATE: innovative and effective changes in the business culture.
BUILD: strategic alliances, coalitions, and affiliations to grow influence.
TRANSFORM: public policy and influence opinion makers.
NAWBO is a respected voice for women business owners with elected officials in Washington, D.C and state capitals across the country. Media recognize NAWBO members as thought leaders for women’s business issues. The organization also joins with corporate partners and other non-profits, who share their mission and help expand their reach.
NAWBO is the country’s premier women’s business organization.
Jen Earle came to NAWBO in 2008 as part of a team hired to guide the organization through a transition from an outsourced management structure to an internal staffing operation. She was hired as NAWBO’s CEO and continues to be amazed by the women that make up the vibrant organization. She was a business owner herself and understood the challenges of women entrepreneurs.
“I know what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, be on your own, and have to figure things out by yourself.”
Asked about her proudest moment at NAWBO, Jen replied,
“I really believe that ‘Teamwork makes the dream work.’ We have accomplished so much as a team, and that is what I appreciate the most. I am proud of the work we do internationally, as well as of advocacy programs with elected officials that make positive change for women business owners.”
The NAWBO model is based on the interaction between members within the local chapters and the national organization. Still, when COVID put an abrupt end to in-person meetings, they adopted a virtual meeting strategy to stay relevant and positively impact the membership.
“The virtual meetings helped alleviate the isolation of running your business at home with only your computer as your friend. It also provided the opportunity to share frustrations and successes with other members during a very trying time. That connectivity was just so important to our membership and to everyone who was experiencing that overwhelming business interruption.”
Jen freely admits that adapting quickly and continuing serving the NAWBO membership would not have been possible without the members themselves.
“The amazing thing about NAWBO and the women business owners is the variety of skills they love to share with our members. We quickly used our best asset, our members, to maintain the conversations our members needed. We were able to flip on a dime. Our members are rock stars, all the time!”
Jen is continually learning from NAWBO members.
“Working primarily with women is such an inspiration. When there’s a problem, everybody comes together. Women are natural problem solvers and can quickly find a way to make things work in a beautiful, collaborative way.”
When asked about managing a team of mostly women, Jen said that when disagreements arise, she appreciates the willingness of her team and the membership to get the job done.
“Things become a bit trickier when disagreements come up, and everybody thinks they’re right. We have to put on our referee hat and say, ‘Okay, we can’t all be right here, we have to choose one option, and everyone has to move together.’”
As NAWBO heads into the future, Jen’s vision sees an even more diverse and inclusive group of women business owners, including more entrepreneurial women from rural markets.
“With the continuous improvements in internet access, we can now help women in rural communities access the support necessary to compete with their urban sisters.”
NAWBO is also continuously evolving and becoming more diverse.
“Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is crucial for us. We want every member to feel like she belongs and is appreciated. We want every woman business owner to feel that her voice is heard. We have set a goal to be the most inclusive and diverse group of women business owners by our 50th birthday in 2025.”
Jen never wants a woman to leave NAWBO because she didn’t feel comfortable or say NAWBO wasn’t the right fit for me.
“I would hate for that to happen to any of our members.”
When Jen was a business owner, she did not even know NAWBO existed. Being a mother, wife, and entrepreneur is a juggling act that requires a lot of balls in the air at one time. A little help and understanding can go a long way.
“I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was 24 years old. I had no idea that an organization like NAWBO existed. I was doing it alone. I would have appreciated the opportunity to ask like-minded women business owners, ‘How do I best balance my working time while tending to a brand-new baby?’ ‘What is the best procedure to add a new employee?’ ’How do I set up payroll?’ ‘How do I figure out what’s next?’ When you join a group like NAWBO, you’ll find a group of women who have either been there before or are right there alongside you. It’s just so impactful; it really makes a huge difference.”
NAWBO mentors can help new business owners with several basic business principles. They call it the “4 C’s.”
Capital: NAWBO helps educate members on avenues to access the necessary funds to make their businesses successful.
Confidence: When women business owners get involved in a local chapter and participate, it helps build confidence, their personal brand and visibility, which are all critical to a successful business.
Community: NAWBO excels at doing things together so that no one feels like they are on an island with just their business.
Congress: As a group of women business owners, NAWBO’s voice is stronger, with political leaders eliciting positive change. Their collective voice ensures that lawmakers address business owner concerns.
NAWBO also conducts leadership training events. The organization held its most recent leadership boot camp experience in Tempe, Arizona, at the end of January. They followed all COVID guidelines with on-site testing, mask requirement, and social distancing.
“We had several discussions about whether or not to hold a live training session, but in the end, felt it was very important for us to get back to a live meeting.”
The organization will meet in the nation’s capital in June for their Annual Advocacy Days, and a national conference has been planned for the Fall of 2022 in Louisville. Hopefully, it will also be able to be held live rather than virtual.
In her personal life, Jen just sent her child off to college and is dealing with an empty nest. She enjoys cooking, baking, and travel. As a California girl, she loves to go to local beaches and restaurants, although COVID has limited out-of-the-house activities. Board games at home have become the standard family fun.
Jen’s goal for NAWBO is to continue on the upward path they have enjoyed over the past 47 years. NAWBO has earned many awards, and she is determined to continue the rich history of success its thousands of members have enjoyed.
To learn more about NAWBO and how it can help your business succeed, visit: NAWBO.org. We enjoyed our interview with Jen, which you can listen to on iTunes or watch on YouTube.
When we asked Jen for Four Traits that Help Women Business Owners Soar to Success, she said:
-Have Empathy
“I feel it is important to be able to stand in someone else’s shoes. To be able to understand why they may be reacting a certain way and ultimately understanding their issues is valuable to work together.”
-Have Courage
“When I first started in business, I had very little knowledge, but I just took the leap and made it work. Have the courage to do something outside your comfort zone.”
–Be Resilient
“With resilience, when hard times come, you just keep pushing through. With resilience comes recognizing when it’s time to restore and reset so you can rebuild to keep going. That’s a crucial balance.”
-Exhibit Forgiveness
“Instead of holding on to angst for somebody else who’s maybe micromanaging you, or treating you in an unproductive manner, just forgive and move on. You have to give yourself permission to forgive and not let people take advantage and hold power over you. Forgiveness can free the mind and open the way to more success.”
