In today's newsletter:

• New Features at WBENC's 2026 National Conference
• Tips for Making the Most of Your Conference Experience
• 'Ghosted' By Prospects? Join Our Winning Strategies Seminar
• Nominate Women Veteran Entrepreneurs for NaVOBA Award
• Display Your Products at Demo Stations and Pop Up Shops

WBENC National Conference:

New Features for You for 2026!

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.

The 2026 event offers some exciting new ways to amplify your impact:

• An expanded focus on meaningful connection, creating intentional spaces for conversations, facilitated introductions, and curated networking moments.
• A program for prime suppliers of corporations to connect with potential suppliers through targeted Meet & Greets and engagement on the expo floor.
• An expanded expo experience that introduces more industry-based activities, offering targeted opportunities for sector‑specific innovations.
• Evolved educational sessions that address current and future business challenges and opportunities.
• A new Regional Partner Organization (RPO) Meet-Up experience designed to create powerful connections within your region. More information coming soon about what WBEC Florida will be doing!

Making Your Conference Impact Count

How to Turn Conference Attendance into Real Business Opportunities

By Nancy G. Allen | WBEC FL President and CEO

Attending major events like the WBENC National Conference can be an incredible opportunity — but only if you approach the experience with intention. Conferences require an investment of time, energy, and money, so the goal should be to maximize your impact before, during, and after the event.

The key is preparation.

Before you arrive: Update your capabilities statement and ensure you have business cards packed. Think strategically: Choose at least five companies you would like to connect with and think through how your products or services could help them. Register in their supplier portals.

At the event: Your focus should shift to visibility and relationship-building. Successful networking is about building trust and demonstrating how you can be a resource for others. Introduce yourself to people, invite others into conversations, and offer to make connections. Attend workshops, actively participate, and post on social media from the event.

After the conference: It’s time to follow up with the people you met. Send thoughtful thank-you notes to speakers, sponsors, and new contacts. Connect with them on LinkedIn, and create a follow-up plan for promising leads.

Finally: Take time to celebrate your progress. Conferences rarely result in immediate contracts — but they can open doors to new partnerships, clients, and opportunities.

If you approach conferences with purpose, generosity, and persistence, you’ll find that your impact extends far beyond the event itself.

Note: This is an excerpt from Nancy's book The Decision to Scale, available on Amazon. You can read the full list of tips in a longer article posted in the Resources section of our website.



Stop Getting 'Ghosted' By Prospects

Help Us Kick Off Our New WBEC FL Winning Strategies Series

Session Title: The Re-Engagement Blueprint

Date: Tuesday, March 24

Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Location: Online via Zoom

Cost: Complementary for members and nonmembers

Register Today!

You had a great call! They were engaged. Interested. Even excited ... then … nothing.

Corporate and government buyers aren’t ignoring you. They’re overwhelmed, distracted, and prioritizing differently. If you don’t know how to re-enter the conversation, you could miss out.

Join our guest speaker Kelly Lopez, founder and CEO of KLo Edge, to kick off our WBEC Florida Winning Strategies with a WBE series, which features our members bringing their expertise directly to you!

Apply to Display Your Products at Demo Stations

and Pop Up Shops at WBENC Annual Conference

If you’re WBENC Certified and you sell a product, you can apply to set up a display at the Women Owned Demo Stations and Pop Up Shops at the 2026 WBENC National Conference.

These two opportunities are ways to get your products in front of potential customers, corporate buyers, and future fans! Apply now to be part of these Women Owned activations.

Demo Stations:

At the Salt Palace Convention Center during the expo from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 17, and Thursday, June 18. During these one-hour demos, 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:

• Monday, June 15 – 6 to 8 p.m. – Trailblazers Market, an outdoor-inspired shopping experience where active-lifestyle brands and nature-loving makers set up camp.
• Tuesday, June 16 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. – The Bee State Bazaar, an eclectic marketplace packed with crowd pleasers, sweet surprises, and something for every shopper.
• Wednesday, June 17 – 6 to 8 p.m. – The Book Nook Marketplace, a library-themed experience filled with smart, stylish, and story-inspired finds.

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.