Come Full Circle with NAWBO Phoenix

National Association of Women Business Owners  represents the voice of the 12 million women business owners (WBOs) across the nation. This year, NAWBO Phoenix will focus its efforts on understanding what is impacting WBOs in the Valley to begin addressing some of the challenges and removing barriers to success.

As we continue to see a rise in WBOs across the nation, there has to be a system in place to support their efforts, propelling them into greater economic, social and political spheres of power. NAWBO is that system. The national association provides the tools and resources needed to support every WBO in her business journey, whether she is in startup mode, excelling beyond a million dollars in revenue or anywhere in between.

As president for NAWBO Phoenix (2019-2020), I look forward to actively living out the mission of the association. With that being said, I invite you to “Come full circle” with NAWBO Phoenix. The NAWBO Phoenix board is on a mission to support the vitality of women business ownership throughout the Valley.

“Come full circle” with NAWBO Phoenix is a movement that exemplifies the journey of a member within the chapter. The NAWBO Circle (run by the chapter’s very own Lynda Bishop) is a national program that supports WBOs across the U.S. whose revenues exceed $1 million. The idea behind “Come full circle” is that every WBO wants to reach her financial potential. The chapter’s resources, coupled with the national programs, corporate partners and community alliances, will STRENGTHEN the Valley’s WBOs’ wealthcreating capacity, ultimately propelling them closer to the NAWBO Circle.

The chapter’s leaders are CREATING innovative ways to reposition the programs offered locally. We have also identified ways for WBOs who are established in their businesses to pay it forward, closing the circle, by mentoring and supporting new WBOs in the chapter. My goal is to ensure that every WBO in the Valley, whether a member or not, understands that she has the support she needs to thrive.

Last year, I strategically looked for ways to reposition my business in the marketplace. I was introduced to Dr. Pamela Williamson, the president and CEO of WBEC West (wbec-west.com). I am proud to share that my business, ARG Coaching & Consulting Group, is a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and a certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) through WBEC West. Becoming certified has increased my company’s visibility and expanded the opportunities for reaching my ideal clients.

Over the past few months, Pamela and I have discussed ways for the two organizations to partner in efforts of supporting more WBOs over the course of the year and beyond. I look forward to BUILDING a strategic alliance between NAWBO Phoenix and WBEC West that will exceed my tenure as president. Having access to the proper network is germane for the success of WBOs.

According to The 2018 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report commissioned by American Express, “Unlocking the potential of womenowned businesses represents a powerful opportunity for economic
growth.” It goes on to remind us, “What gets measured gets managed.”

As a state, we have to uncover ways to support WBOs and TRANSFORM public policies that impact WBOs’ business vitality. In 2017, Arizona ranked tenth in the states where woman-owned businesses
had most increased their economic clout, meaning growth in the number of firms and growth in employment and revenues. In 2018’s report, Arizona is listed in the bottom five states for employment vitality. What transpired in a year? Was it merely reporting issues or is there something truly impacting WBOs that we are unaware of? Either way, we have to identify ways to drive economic development for WBOs, returning Arizona to the top ten again.

The report identifies several barriers to growth:

• Owner’s inexperience
• Insufficient capital
• Inadequate networks

NAWBO Phoenix will continue to expand its network and leverage the support of Community Alliances like WBEC West and countless others. The chapter needs the ongoing support of our valued Corporate Partners like CopperPoint, SRP, In Business Magazine and many more to continue to close the gaps between barriers and the growth of WBOs. Any corporations that promote economic development should consider supporting NAWBO Phoenix in our efforts. I look forward to working with the chapter, the community and state leaders to make a difference in the Valley.

Angela Garmon is founder and business strategist at ARG Coaching & Consulting Group. She uses her 20 years of change management experience to help her clients build their businesses and increase profits by focusing on three key areas: enhancing leadership effectiveness, building team cohesion and improving processes.

Garmon has a master’s degree in human dynamics and holds several certifications, including Six Sigma Green Belt and Executive Coaching.

Among the many roles she has in the community, Garmon is proud to support other women business owners as they tackle the business ecosystem. She is president of the National Association of Women Business Owners – Phoenix Chapter. As a visionary, she looks forward to making a positive impact on the chapter that will promote future growth strategies for the association as well as
women business owners.