As some of you may have heard, the National Women’s Business Center in Washington D.C. has closed its doors. For those of us who have benefited from the Center over the years, this is sad, sad news. I got my first “Boot in the Butt” as a member of their CEO Roundtable many years ago. Even though my revenues were over $1M at the time, our facilitator Lorraine Warshaw commented that I didn’t have a business, I had a contract. OUCH! That hurt, but she was right on. She didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear (you’re doing great, Julie!), she told me what I NEEDED to hear. Her comment gave me a Boot in the Butt to go out and expand my customer base and exceed even my own expectations for my businesses’ success. THAT is what a good advisor does for you.
So who will train them now? Many people I talk with ask why a place like the NWBC, which was focused on women, is needed. Prior to my ACTiVATE experience, I would have said that such a place is a nice-to-have, but not a necessity. After teaching a high-tech, all-women class in entrepreneurship for the past 2+ years, I’ve changed my mind. A place like this is absolutely needed. Women who are learning something new will often feel ‘safer’ in a single-gender environment. Going outside of your comfort zone requires, for many, a feeling of support and camaraderie. Look at the success of Curves. Women could get the same results in a mixed-gender gym, but yet many choose the all-female environment. While I personally have found supportive mixed-gender mentoring environments through my former TEC group, I was also raised with 3 brothers and have worked in male-dominated industries (manufacturing and IT) for my entire career. This is not the case with many women, so who now will provide them with the learning environment they need? I just added something new to my personal mission…
on 
This is very sad, it’s to bad that an organization so responsible for the training of young women is going to close.
Justin´s last blog ..Inexpensive Data Recovery
I really appreciate all the great insights from this article. Your site is very well designed too by the way. Lots of great articles and easy to use menus. My hat is off to you. I am learning a lot. I will put a mention to your site on my blog about Mammoth Lakes vacations and Mammoth condo rentals at http://www.fivestarlodging.com/Mammoth-Condo-Rentals.html
Dude.. I am not much into reading, but somehow I got to read lots of articles on your blog. Its amazing how interesting it is for me to visit you very often.
This is quite depressing, and it is good of you to be pushing this. Thanks and good luck with your mission.
This is really a great thing about the women and i think this is really good for those working women. I hope in the near upcoming future they will do some extra ordinary jobs so that they will be able to make a good impression in the business world. Anyways keep it up and keep continue with your valuable thoughts.
It is very sad news this is very important business center for the women’s .
This is really sad fact, i think there should be more places focused on women. I agree with you a place like this is important.
Sounds terrible!
Judy you are definitely doing the right thing in trying to push forward with this.
I can’t help but agree with with Andrea in that it is really shocking something like a Women’s Business Center can’t maintain itself given it was having such a high level of intake financially.
Great information. Thanks
Sounds like an awful thing to happen! I think Judy you are doing the right thing in trying to push forward with this.
I can’t help but agree with with Andrea in that it is really shocking something like a Women’s Business Center.
Great information. Thanks
Wow this is just terrible. I totally agree with Judy.
Justin@Alexandria Virginia Apartments´s last undefined ..Response cached until Tue 23 @ 5:56 GMT (Refreshes in 23.98 Hours)
Thanks for the Amazing wallpapers for my desktop PC
This makes me very sad that in the Nation’s capital we can’t sustain a vibrant Women’s Business Center. Julie – include me in the mission!!
Andrea
OFFICEPRO was among the vendors training women at the NWBC. We have been providing end-user desktop application training since 1984.
We wil honor the pricing extended to NWBC students at our open enrollment classes offered in Rockville and DC. Just mention NWBC when you call and you can register for one of these classes at the NWBC rate.
See class schedules at http://www.computertrain.com.