In today's newsletter:

• Adopt your 2026 theme at "Manifest Your Mantra" on Wednesday
• Meet VyStar Credit Union in our "Coffee with a Corporate" series
• Applications Open for 50 Fastest Growing Women Owned/Led
• WBENC VIrtual Open House is on January 28
• Save the date for the WBENC Annual Conference in June!

A Moment to Refocus:

Choosing Your Mantra for 2026

What Is Your Theme for the Year?

Event: "Manifest Your Mantra" webinar

Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Time: 11 a.m. to noon

Cost: Free for members and nonmembers

If January has already begun to move faster than you expected, you’re not alone! For many of us, the new year starts with good intentions — only to quickly fill with meetings, responsibilities, and competing priorities.

That’s why right now, as the year settles into motion, can be the most powerful time to pause and set your focus.

One simple, meaningful way to do that is to choose a mantra, a word or short phrase that can help you center your thoughts and bring your attention back to what matters most. The word comes from Sanskrit, meaning “tool of the mind” (manas for mind, tra for tool). The most effective mantras are often simple and personal: a single word like focus, courage, or alignment, or a short phrase like Progress over perfection or Lead with intention.

Our WBEC Florida President and CEO Nancy Allen understands that focus is one of the most valuable tools for a business owner or leader. In a world that constantly pulls us in multiple directions, she believes adopting a word or phrase for the year can help you “hyper-focus” — not in a rigid way, but in a grounding one. Your mantra becomes a touchstone you can return to when making decisions, setting priorities, or navigating challenges.

This session is an invitation to slow down just long enough to listen to yourself, your aspirations, and the direction you want this year to take. You’ll leave with clarity and a renewed sense of focus.

We hope you’ll join us — and give yourself this moment of intention.

Warmly,

Your WBEC Florida team

Coffee with a Corporate: Featuring VyStar Credit Union

Event: Monthly Coffee with a Corporate webinar

Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Time: 10 to 11 a.m.

Cost: Free for members and nonmembers

Guests:

• Willie Johnson, Vice President Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, and Economic Development
• Keith McDuffie, Procurement Manager

Each month starting in February, we’ll host featured guests who share insights about how their organizations work with suppliers, information on what they look for in new partners, and practical tips to help your business get noticed.

Join us for 30 minutes of conversation, 30 minutes of Q&A and networking ... and one powerful hour of connection!

Be sure to mark your calendar for these upcoming dates:

• March 11, 2026 — Guest TBA
• April 8, 2026 — Desiree Hanson, Moffitt Cancer Center
• May 13, 2026 — Guest TBA

Winning Strategies Coming Soon!

We're excited to share that we had an enthusiastic turnout in response to our call for WBEC Florida members to apply to be presenters for our upcoming "Winning Strategies" series. We can't wait to help our members share their expertise with our world starting in February! Watch for dates and topics on our Events page.

NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

WPO Opens the 2026

50-Fastest Nominations

Deadline: Friday, Feb. 13

The Women Presidents Organization and J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking have launched their search for the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies for 2026. Now in its 19th year, the listing features privately owned companies that have generated at least $500,000 in revenue for each of the past five years through 2025. You do not have to be a WPO member to qualify, and there is no cost to apply.

NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

WBENC and Amazon

are Taking Applications

for Construction Program

Deadline: Monday, Jan. 26

This cohort-style Supplier Readiness Accelerator is designed to equip business owners in construction with the tools, knowledge, and resources needed to meet the requirements of a robust corporate supply chain.

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.