Walking through the crowd at our November meeting I was suddenly struck by how many times I heard someone say thank you… Thank you for asking, thank you for the call, thank you for the connection, thank you for the support. Thank you for listening. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my business.

It got me thinking, just how powerful gratitude is.  November, the month of Thanksgiving, is all about gratitude. I can hardly believe it will soon be 2023!  As business owners we have at least one eye already on the new year, what we want to create, what changes we want to make.  Along with of all that planning and preparing there is also wondering about what the future holds.

All year I have been focused on reaching a particular milestone in my business and I confess I am prone to focus on what I have not done, where I am behind, or what I did wrong. But there is also now, right now. Part of me says I don’t have time to stop and focus on gratitude, but in truth, gratitude is a big part of what got me to where I am.  Gratitude for the people patiently helping me overcome the challenges of launching a new business; gratitude for those who gave a word of encouragement just when I needed it; gratitude for the board members who have planned the special events, found speakers and corporate sponsors, managed advocacy and our social media, kept our Connects and Masterminds going, kept our records and finances and made sure that you, the members, are informed of it all.

Take a moment for gratitude and thank those who contribute to you; it is a kindness you can give to them and to yourself.  It’s a great way to Power your Dream. As we end this year and start the next one, I wish the Happiest of Holiday Seasons to each of you.

December Happenings:

·       Come Celebrate with us at our annual Holiday Party on December 6^th!  Register below!

·       Connect Connect Connect — Pick one of our many options and bring others

·       Join the National Empower Hour — and meet NAWBO members from across the country

·       Check out Verizon Small Business Digital at this link!

As always, I am here to make sure you are served. Find me at melinda@themclynngroup.com or 704-634-5523. I can’t wait to see you at these events!

In November, we welcomed Steve Gatter, for a discussion on How to Work On My Business, While Working In It. This discussion was geared toward solopreneurs, but Steve shared with us tips that business owners of any size can use.

In January, we are thrilled to welcome Tami Jaffe, for a talk on

You hear all the time that the money is in your list, but the truth is the real money is in other people’s lists. Your list has gotten you to where you are but in order to really grow and scale your business you need to multiply your reach. Leveraging the communities that other people have developed is the key to 10x your business.

During this presentation you will learn:

Success in the Queen City/NAWBO Talks went off without a hitch - even the rain couldn't keep nearly 75 of us from gathering at Whitehead Manor in Charlotte for this fabulous evening.

We networked, ate, drank, and danced before hearing 4 incredible NAWBO Members share some of the journey's they went through to Power Their Dream. In addition, every attendee was able to stand up and introduce themselves and their company - allowing everyone the chance to make some meaningful connections.

Thank you to Sherré DeMao, Caryn Lee, Lisa Stryker, and Sunny Grigorova for your fabulous discussions - it was wonderful to hear how different each of your journey's have been, and how you were all able to overcome your own obstacles and challenges to Power Your Dream.

This event is consistently one of the best events of the fall and such a great opportunity to meet many other business owners. If you were unable to attend, don't worry - there is always next year! Until then, please enjoy some of the photos from our wonderful night courtesy of NAWBO Charlotte Member Ada Stevens. You can find those photos here.

Thank you to our Event Chairs - Nikki Bradley & Amy Christieson! You ladies put together a great night!

And thank you to our Event Sponsors!

On October 24th, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles declared October Charlotte Women's Small Business Month. The women of NAWBO Charlotte have spearheaded this Proclamation for years, and a great group of them turned out for the announcement.

We are grateful to Mayor Lyles and to the City of Charlotte for always showing support for Women Business Owners in our area.

#weshowup

This is a friendly reminder that our annual dues will increase on January 1, 2023. This was announced in previous weeks and will be the first dues increase at NAWBO in 11 years. Here are some additional details:

Are you interested in serving NAWBO Charlotte? We have two opportunities coming soon as we enter Board election season!

We are looking for Members to serve on our Board Nominating Committee. This committee will work directly with Immediate Past President, Mindy Mills Hinson, in helping to slate our 2023-2024 Board of Directors. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please email Mindy no later than December 17th.

Additionally, if you've ever been interested in serving on the NAWBO Charlotte Board - or know someone who might be - then keep an eye out for emails to nominate yourself or others in the near future!

It's that time of year again! Very soon, we will be looking for nominees for our 2023 Woman Business Owner of the Year and our 2023 Rising Star of the Year.

If you, or someone you know, would be a great candidate...or if you just want to learn more about the process and your business...then keep your eyes out for the nomination form and training classes in the new year!

Are you a Premier Member of NAWBO Charlotte? If you are, and are not a part of one of our outstanding Mastermind Groups, you are missing out on one of the most valuable benefits of your membership.

·Increase your power & productivity

·Take your business further, faster

·Draw on the advice, counsel & support of like-minded women

We have eight (8) different groups with varying sizes and meeting locations around Charlotte - including a new group! If you are a Premier Member, and are looking for somewhere to collaborate, learn with others, set goals, and be accountable, then Mastermind may be the right place for you. If you are not a Premier Member, but think you want to be a part of Mastermind, you can upgrade your membership anytime through NAWBO National.

For more information, please reach out to our Mastermind Chairs - Cindy Leap & Kandy Schreiner at cindy@transitiontamers.com.

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is committed to helping small businesses grow. It’s why they set up their program to arm businesses with the tools and resources needed to thrive in today’s digital economy.

1.Register on Verizon Small Business Digital Ready

2.Complete any combination of two courses, coaching or community events

3.Apply by November 14th

4.Participate using the link in the QR Code and the Charlotte Chapter could earn rewards!

NAWBO National Weekly Events have kicked it into high gear for a busy fall! Here are some of the upcoming events::

NAWBO National DEI&B consultant, Sertrice Grice of Mattingly Solutions, and DEI&B committee members are excited to kick off 2023 by sharing national highlights from our 2nd annual diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B) survey.

We’ll talk progress from our last DEI&B survey as well as opportunities as we move forward toward our goal of being recognized as the most inclusive and diverse women’s business organization by NAWBO’s 50th anniversary in 2025.

We’ll also open it up for questions and dialogue, so please plan to join us for this important conversation!

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) work isn’t just the right thing to do for business owners; it’s smart business. That’s because businesses with diverse leadership generate 2.3 times more cash flow. Studies also show diverse teams make better decisions in half as many meetings.

Take these two Steps to Join:

1.Be sure to Like our NAWBO Charlotte page on FB

2.Search for the NAWBO Charlotte VIPs private group and request to Join

The NAWBO Advocacy Agenda embodies the ever-present need to represent all of our members while creating both the avenue and environment to build sustainable women-owned businesses. To read about our 2022 Advocacy Agenda, please click here and visit our Advocacy page on the National website.

Bank of America is excited to announce a new Special Purpose Credit Program aimed at driving women and minority business growth! This program offers down payment grants for SBA 504 and 7(a) commercial real estate loans for women and minority business owners in Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas and Los Angeles.