In today's newsletter:

• Coffee with a Corporate Features Moffitt Cancer Center April 8
• Learn Better Mingle-Ability at Next Winning Strategies Session
• 
• Register for the Conference and Get Your Hotel Room Today
• Display at WBENC's 2026 National Conference in Salt Lake City
• Nominate Women Veteran Entrepreneurs for NaVOBA Award
• WPO Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum Heads to South Florida

Meet the Moffitt Cancer Center

Supplier Development Leader

Join Us for Our Virtual Coffee with a Corporate

Corporation: Moffitt Cancer Center

Guest: Desirée Hanson, MCA, Associate Director, Supplier Engagement & Development

Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Time: 10 to 11 a.m. ET

Price: Free for members and nonmembers

Location: Zoom

Our guest speaker, Desirée Hanson, brings more than three decades of supply chain expertise across the public and private sectors in manufacturing, information technology, and healthcare.

During our virtual Coffee with a Corporate, she'll share that expertise as she gives us a peek inside Supplier Engagement & Development at Moffitt Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated facility in Florida. Headquartered in Tampa, Moffitt is expanding its offerings and its facilities — and that means contracting opportunities.

WBEC Florida President and CEO Nancy Allen will interview Desiree about her work. This is your chance to learn from a longtime leader in supplier development.

Register today! Be sure to bring your questions or ask them on the registration form.

30 minutes of conversation, 30 minutes of Q&A and networking, and one powerful hour of connection.

Insights from Our Winning Strategies with a WBE Series

When Prospects Go Silent ... Try Leading with Value

Are They 'Ghosting' You, or Are You the One Disappearing?

By Kelly G. Lopez | Founder | KLo Edge

In sales outreach, silence is often misread as rejection.

A prospect stops responding, follow-ups go unanswered, and momentum appears to disappear. Too often, business owners and sales leaders interpret this as a signal to move on. That assumption is flawed and expensive.

Ghosting is not a breakdown in the process. It is a natural part of it!

Silence Doesn’t Mean No. It Means "Not Yet."

Buyers operate in environments defined by competing priorities, constant changes, and interruptions.

One principle holds true:

Buyers don't ignore what matters. If they aren't responding ,it is because you don't matter enough yet.

Real success comes from staying relevant until decisions about your product/service become a priority.

This is an excerpt from an article by Kelly G. Lopez, our presenter for Winning Strategies with a WBE in March. Read the entire article here in the Resources section of the WBEC Florida website.

Meet the Next Speaker in Our Winning Strategies Series

Jacqueline Whitmore Will Share

5 Ways to Turn Contacts into Contracts

Title: Mastering Your Mingle-Ability

Guest: Jacqueline Whitmore, The Protocol School of Palm Beach

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Price: Free for members and nonmembers

Location: Zoom

Jacqueline Whitmore is an internationally recognized etiquette expert, keynote speaker, and founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach. Since 1998, she has helped professionals build confidence, strengthen relationships, and master the art of networking in today’s competitive business environment. 

In the second in our Winning Strategies with a WBE series, Jacqueline will share her secrets for building meaningful connections, both in-person and virtually. WBEC Florida President and CEO Nancy Allen will interview her first, and then Jacqueline's interactive presentation will include live networking and a question-and-answer session with her.

Register today! And bring your sales and marketing leaders, too!

Connect. Collaborate. Shift.

Position your business for greater visibility, opportunity, and impact.

Meet Us in Salt Lake City June 15-18

The WBENC National Conference is your moment to connect, learn, and grow within the vibrant WBENC Network. Each year offers different experiences and opportunities.

Apply to Display at WBENC Conference

Hurry! Early Bird Pricing for Exhibitors Ends April 1

If you’re WBENC Certified, there are several ways you can showcase your products and services at the WBENC Annual Conference, which takes place June 15-18 in Salt Lake City, Utah:

Exhibit Hall

Put your brand front and center with decision-makers actively seeking suppliers by purchasing a space in the Exhibit Hall at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Demo Stations

Sign up to be considered for a one-hour demo in a special section of the exhibit hall for Women Owned products. During one-hour slots, you can demonstrate, sample, and sell your items on the bustling expo floor.

Pop Up Shops

During the evening receptions, you’ll have a two-hour window to show off and sell your products in a fun, high-energy space. Each evening event has its own theme.

WPO Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum

Heads to South Florida May 7-9

There's still time to register for the Women Presidents Organization annual Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum. The organization is for owners of businesses that generate $2 million or more in revenue ($1 million for a service business), and you don't have to be a member to attend.

Event: WPO annual conference

Dates: May 7-9, 2026

Location: The Diplomat Beach Resort, 3555 South Ocean Drive, Hollywood, Florida 33019

Cost: See WPO site for pricing

We’re Here to Make Recertification Easy

Thank You to Our Sponsors

WBEC Florida and WBENC Anti-Discrimination Policy

As a community of entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and economic development thought leaders, WBENC and the WBEC Florida Regional Partner Organization are committed to the elimination of discrimination in all areas of business and the provision of equal opportunity when accessing capital, contracts, and contacts. In compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, we do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status in any of our policies, procedures, or practices. This anti-discrimination policy covers admission and access to, and treatment, in all programs and activities.