Welcome to the May 2008 issue of the monthly newsletter for the National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO®) San Francisco Bay Area Chapter.

May 2008 News Summary

Member News

–– Welcome New Members!

–– President's Letter from Barbara Mark, Ph.D., NAWBO®-SF President 2007-2008

–– NAWBO®-SF Members in the News

–– NAWBO-SF Announces Board Officer Candidates for 2008-2009


Ideas, Inspiration and Opportunities

–– Reminder to Apply for a Mastermind Group!


NAWBO®-SF Events

–– June Dinner Event: Networking and Knowledge: Thursday, June 5 (note special date) in San Francisco

–– Walnut Creek Relationships and Referrals Breakfast Meeting: Tuesday, May 20

–– San Francisco Relationships and Referrals Breakfast Meeting: Wednesday, May 21

–– Marin Relationships and Referrals Breakfast Meeting: Tuesday, May 27 in Corte Madera

Events with Other Organizations

–– Small Business Week in San Francisco: May 12 - May 17

–– San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy with Reynaldo E. Arellano, CPA: Tuesday, May 13 in San Francisco

-- NAWBO 2008 Women's Business Conference: June 12 - June 14 in Phoenix, AZ

Welcome to New Members of NAWBO®-SF!

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the following new members:

-- Dr. Karen Horton, Women's Plastic Surgery, San Francisco
-- Mary Shank Rockman, MSR Communications, San Francisco
-- Heather Martinez Zona, Square Z Consulting, LLC, San Francisco

Thank you to all of you - we look forward to seeing you at upcoming events, and to the opportunity to grow, thrive, and lead together!

Barbara Mark, Ph.D., NAWBO®-SF President

President's Letter from Barbara Mark, Ph.D.

Dear Friends,

Happy May – tell me it isn’t May already!

I hope that you all enjoyed the wonderful celebration of Leaders and Legends last week. NAWBO® UniversityTM was informative and real. I love when women tell their stories in a way that inspires and informs. And speaking of inspiring! Our recipients this year were such amazing women. I look forward to having them as speakers at our monthly events.

In 1988, NAWBO® helped pass the Women's Business Ownership Act (or H.R. 5050), which had an enormous positive effect on women's entrepreneurship in the United States. We honor the hardworking women who helped instigate the sweeping changes that were made thanks to this landmark legislation and look toward the future when women business owners will have an even greater impact. What better way to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of this moment in history than to attend NAWBO®’s 2008 Women’s Business Conference. The conference, together: rising, will be held June 12-14 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix. I’ll see you there!

Please join us in June for another great networking dinner. This time we will have the opportunity to move from table to table and meet with experts in various areas that will support the growth of our businesses. I have no idea why being on FaceBook or MySpace would help my business – but an expert in social networking will tell us. We will also learn the ins and outs of getting certified from WBENC and from the City of San Francisco.

And - also in June - we will thank the members of our current Board for their service and welcome our new Board. New faces are joining us and expanding the committees of NAWBO®-SF to grow and strengthen our organization as the premier organization for women business owners in San Francisco. Consider joining the team!

See you soon!

Warm regards,
Barbara Mark, Ph.D.
President NAWBO®-SF

... NAWBO®-SF Member Mary Ann Pate is featured in the Member Spotlight on National NAWBO website. See the Member Spotlight here.

The NAWBO®-SF Bay Area chapter nominating committee is pleased to announce the following officer candidates to serve in 2008-2009 fiscal year:

Donna Aldrich, President-Elect
Jennifer Baum, Vice President
Linda Quinn, Treasurer
Feliciai Favroth, Secretary

Ballots will be mailed out in early May. Current active chapter members, please submit your vote of support.

NAWBO®-SF Bay Area chapter President, Barbara Mark, Ph.D. will continue to lead us for the 2008-2009 year.

Please join us for the Installation of the 2008-2009 officers and board to be held at our annual meeting on June 5, 2008, at the Omni Hotel.

NAWBO®-SF Mastermind Groups
Leverage the brilliance, strengths, insights and support of others to propel your success!

The basic philosophy is that more can be accomplished
in less time by working together in a small group of supportive colleagues. It's a recognized fact that when you have several people brainstorming and working on
a project you get more breakthroughs and unique perspectives than you would if just one person were working on it. The collective wisdom of the group - often called "the third mind" or "synergy" moves you beyond your individual perspectives to create ideas and "Aha!" moments that will leapfrog your business to new heights of success.

--Consistent system of accountability
--Fresh perspectives; brainstorming new products and services
--A sounding board of advisors; truly being heard
--Networking; sharing resources
--Group wisdom and experience
--A safe environment for sharing ideas
--Other minds focused for a period of time on your specific innovative ideas or challenges

NAWBO®’s Mastermind Groups meet once a month for 6 months. Each meeting is 2 hours long and is professionally facilitated. The cost is $300 for the entire program.

The NAWBO® Mastermind Groups are for all levels of business and all industries. Once you complete your application, the facilitators will review the applications and place people in groups that will support the best outcomes for each individual in the group.

Click HERE to download the application and fax it in today!

If you are interested please let us know and we will send you information for the next session.

Networking and Knowledge
Thursday, June 5 (please note special date)
6:00pm to 9:00pm
Omni Hotel, 500 California Street
(Valet Parking Available)
$45 members; $65 guests
Register Now!

Come join us at our festive and spectacular June event!

First, we will recognize the current Board of Directors
for all they have done for NAWBO®-SF over the past year, and install the new Board of Directors. Then, we will engage in an active night of networking and knowledge
gathering.

We will learn from a group of professionals with expertise in various areas pertinent to your growing business, such as:

--Social Networking: Why it is important to your business
--Technology: How to use it to grow and sustain your business
--Certification: How different types of certification can benefit your business

You will enjoy a buffet dinner and the opportunity to visit with as many tables of members and experts as you like. This dinner provides the ultimate networking experience with the added advantage of gaining valuable information for your business.

NAWBO®-SF monthly dinner events provide exciting opportunities to grow, thrive and lead:

--Socialize and network with other women business owners and professionals
--Learn about opportunities to get involved at the local, state and national level
--Be inspired and educated by our featured speaker(s)
--Engage in stimulating conversations with our monthly "Table Topics"
--And much more to come!

Register now!

Walnut Creek Relationships and Referrals Breakfast
Meeting: Tuesday, May 20

NAWBO®-SF - Walnut Creek Relationships
and Referrals Breakfast Meeting
Tuesday, May 20
7:30am to 9:00am
Il Fornaio, 1430 Mount Diablo Boulevard,
Walnut Creek
Free parking at rear of building

Our morning breakfast meetings provide a comfortable forum for business women and entrepreneurs to meet monthly, exchange ideas and discuss business challenges. The Relationships and Referrals Breakfasts are a dynamic, informative and productive way to spend your breakfast!

Pre-registration is required as space as limited and our group has been larger these days than ever! We want to ensure that there is enough wonderful food and beverage to satisfy all. The cost, if you register by the Friday before each meeting, is $16 for members and $20 for non-members. After the Friday before each meeting, the price is $20.

Please share the word with your friends and colleagues!

Learn more and register online here.

San Francisco Relationships and Referrals Breakfast
Meeting: Wednesday, May 21

NAWBO®-SF - San Francisco Relationships and Referrals Breakfast Meeting
Wednesday, May 21
7:30am to 9:00am
55 2nd Street at Market - Harvest & Rowe
Introductions begin at 7:45 sharp.

Directions from San Francisco:
1: Start out going NORTHWEST on 11TH ST toward MARKET ST.
2: Turn RIGHT onto MARKET ST.
3: Turn RIGHT onto 2ND ST.
4: End at 55 2nd St

There is parking in the building

The San Francisco Relationships and Referrals Networking Breakfast is NAWBO®-SF's newest venue for building business connections between local women business owners. Meetings are held at 7:30am on the third Wednesday of each month at Harvest & Rowe , 55 2nd Street in San Francisco. Bring business cards and come prepared to meet other women business owners, make friends, exchange ideas, share leads, lend support and recommend resources.

Pre-registration is required as space as limited and our group has been larger these days than ever! We want to ensure that there is enough wonderful food and beverage to satisfy all. The cost, if you register by the Friday before each meeting, is $12 for members and $15 for non-members. After the Friday before each meeting, the price is $15 for members and $18 for non-members.

Please share the word with your friends and colleagues!

Learn more and register online here.

Marin Relationships and Referrals Breakfast Meeting: Tuesday, May 27 in Corte Madera

NAWBO®-SF - Marin Relationships and Referrals Breakfast Meeting
Tuesday, May 27
7:30am to 9:00am
Il Fornaio
Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera

Get your morning off to a great start with our monthly NAWBO®-SF Marin Breakfast Meeting. Our group continues to grow and evolve - become a part of this unique networking opportunity now! Our monthly forum for business women to exchange ideas and discuss business challenges is a dynamic, informative and productive way to spend your breakfast.

This month, Judith Stark, Judith Stark Consulting will join us for a discussion of all things technical for your small business, including green technologies, staying connected when away from the office, and how and when to install upgrades safely and automatically.

· Join a supportive group of business women with similar experiences
· Give and receive professional support, input and advice
· Gain access to a wide array of business resources
· Discover possible collaborations and alliances
· Meet new friends who share common interests and values

Pre-registration is required as space as limited and our group has been larger these days than ever! We want to ensure that there is enough wonderful food and beverage to satisfy all. The cost, if you register by the Friday before each meeting, is $12 for members and $15 for non-members. After the Friday before each meeting, the price is $15 for members and $18 for non-members.

Please share the word with your friends and colleagues!

Learn more and Register online here.

Small Business Week in San Francisco! Monday, May 12 to Saturday, May 17

Enjoy Small Business Week 2008
with San Francisco Merchants!
Monday, May 12 to Saturday, May 17

Presented by Wells Fargo, the Small Business Administration, the Office of Small Business, the Small Business Commission, the Small Business Development Center, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and many others.

Join Mayor Gavin Newsom for Flavors of San Francisco, a kick-off gala event celebrating San Francisco small businesses. Hosted at City Hall on Monday, May 12th, the celebration includes an award ceremony and resource and networking event that highlights the City's restaurants and lounges.

Other events include the After Hours Grand Expo hosted by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, a Green Business Celebration hosted by PG&E and the Pacific Energy Center and many seminars, workshops and networking events hosted around the city by our sponsors and resource partners.

Please support your local merchants by coming out for the sidewalk sales on May 17th!

Stay tuned for news about I am small business, a campaign that highlights small business owners and their valuable contributions to our community and connects small businesses to the City's network of resources.

Learn more here.

360 Degrees of Financial Literacy
with Reynaldo E. Arellano, CPA
Tuesday, May 13
6:00pm to 8:30pm
The Cartwright Hotel
524 Sutter Street on Union Square
This event is FREE to the community.
Seating is limited to 50 people.
Registration will begin at 5:30 p.m.
No pre-registration is required

Want to know some of the fundamental steps that can help make your small business a successful enterprise? Then join us for a presentation by Reynaldo E. Arellano, CPA. You will get insights and tips that you can use to put your business on a sound financial footing. Join the San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFHCC), the California Society of Certified Public Accountants , and the Latino Business Professionals (LBP) at a special workshop that will cover the following points:

--Tips for Getting Started
--Tax Tips for Small Businesses
--How to Finance Your Business
--Insurance for Small Businesses
--Small Business Retirement Plans
--Things to Think About When Selling Your Business
--Succession Planning
--Effective Websites

This workshop will include a dynamic question and answer session so that participants can walk away with valuable information that meets their specific financial needs and helps them to build financial security.

Register online here.

Treat yourself to the experience of a lifetime. Join your NAWBO® community in a beautiful desert setting; spend a few days connecting, learning, and growing; and head back to the real world both inspired and rejuvenated. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to come together, combine our talents, and collaborate to create lasting change in the business culture.

You’ll discover proven strategies for all stages of business growth, from building a star team and leveraging new technology, to expanding internationally and selling your business when the time is right.

Learn more and register online.

Key Dates: Mark Your Calendar

–– May 2: 24th Annual NAWBO®-SF Leaders and Legends: Women Entrepreneurs of the Year Awards Luncheon in San Francisco

–– May 12 to May 17: Small Business Week in San Francisco

–– May 13: San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy in San Francisco

–– May 20: Walnut Creek Relationships and Referrals Breakfast Meeting

–– May 21: San Francisco Relationships and Referrals Breakfast Meeting

–– May 27: Marin Relationships and Referrals Breakfast Meeting in Corte Madera

–– June 5: June Dinner Event: Networking and Knowledge, Thursday, June 5 in San Francisco

–– June 12 to June 14: NAWBO® National Women's Business Conference in Phoenix, AZ

Thank you to our Corporate Partners:

If you would like to submit stories, news, events, or happenings for the next issue of NAWBO®-SF's e-news, please send to the newsletter editor,
Jennifer Donahue, at [email protected]. Copy submission deadline is the 20th of the current month for the next month's newsletter (e-mailed out the first week of the month).

We invite anyone who is not already a member to join NAWBO®-SF. Take advantage of a growing package of member benefits and activities. To find out more, visit our website: www.middleastwomen.org/membership.html.

To subscribe to (or unsubscribe from) this newsletter, contact Wendi Moradian at 415.333.2130, or email: [email protected].

The NAWBO®-SF Monthly Newsletter is designed and edited by NAWBO®-SF member
Jennifer Donahue Communications.

© 2008 The National Association of Women Business Owners® - San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (NAWBO®-SF). All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of NAWBO®-SF is prohibited.

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