Welcome to the monthly newsletter for the National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO®) San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. This is the newsletter for October 2012.>

Follow us on Twitter.

Member News

Welcome New and Renewing Members!

Message from the President

Members in the News & Member Spotlight

Member Benefits & Opportunities

Ideas, Inspiration and Opportunities

Procurement Programs

NAWBO SFBA Events

NAWBO®-SFBA Networking Breakfast - Oakland: October 4 (first Thursday of each month)

NAWBO®-SFBA Monthly Dinner Event- San Francisco: October 11 (second Thursday of each month

NAWBO®-SFBA Networking Breakfast - Walnut Creek: October 16 (third Tuesday of each month) - Begins again in October

NAWBO®-SFBA Networking Breakfast - San Francisco: October 17 (third Wednesday of each month)

NAWBO®-SFBA Networking Breakfast - Marin: October 23 (fourth Tuesday of each month)

Calendar View

Make Note

Public Policy: Local, State & National

Key Dates: Mark Your Calendar

Welcome to New and Renewing Members of NAWBO®-SFBA!

New Member Reception is now quarterly.

Watch for date of next reception.

It will be 5:30 PM - 7 PM Press Club, 20 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco

*Sponsored by Manzar Azari, Azari Property Management

Have you recently decided to join our NAWBO community and are a new member? Don't miss this very unique opportunity to learn how to get the most out of your membership and meet board members,. This is a members only event, focused on getting new members off to the right track!

Pre-register for this Free Event. Members only.

New Members

Blake Landeau, consultant with Artemis in Oakland, has joined our chapter as an Established Business Owner.

Karly Kaplan, owner of Noe Valley Therapy in San Francisco, has joined our chapter as an Emerging Business Owner.

Julie Craft, Regional Development Director for Infusionsoft in Belmont, has joined our chapter as an Emerging Business Owner. Formerly a member of NAWBO Chicago.

Lynn Paringer, Certified Financial Planner with Prime Wealth Management in Berkeley, has renewed her membership as an Emerging Business Owner. Lynn has been a NAWBO SFBA member since 2011.

Lori Bambacigno, President and Owner of Bambacigno Steel Company in Modesto, has joined our chapter as an Established Business Owner.

Darby Furth Bonomi, Ph.D, Owner of Darby Furth Bonomi, Ph.D Consulting in Larkspur, has joined our chapter as and Established Business Owner.

Barbara W. Moser, Senior Partner with Kaye, Moser, Hierbaum LLP in San Francisco, joined our chapter as an Established Business Owner.

Caterina Rando, owner of Power Dyanmics in San Francisco, has joined our chapter as an Established Business Owner.

Maryann Wetzork, President of Consulting Controller Inc. in Alameda, has joined our chapter as an Established Business Owner.

Rejoined

Christina McPherson, Attorney with McPherson Law Group in Dublin, has joined our chapter as an Established Business Owner.

Renewing Members

Keiko Hsu, owner of Wings for Women in San Francisco, has renewed her membership as an Established Business Owner. Keiko has been a NAWBO SFBA member since 2010.

Dawn Sanchez, with Ameriprise Financial in San Francisco, has renewed her membership as an Established Business Owner. Dawn has been a NAWBO SFBA member since 2011.

Deidrie Towery, CEO and President of ProActive Business Solutions in Oakland, has renewed her membership as an Established Business Owner. Deidrie has been a NAWBO SFBA member since 2010.

Mia Victoriazza, owner of Femina Financial in San Francisco, has renewed her membership as an Emerging Member Year 2. Mia has been a NAWBO SFBA member since 2011.

Time to Join, Re-Join or Renew your membership? Simply register online www.nawbo.org

Thank you for your membership. We look forward to seeing you at upcoming events, and to the opportunity to grow, thrive, and lead together!

Message from the President

According to an article posted by the League of Women Voters, 300 hundred men and women gathered in Seneca Falls, NY to discuss the role of women in American society.  One of the most hotly debated issues of the Convention was if women should have the right to vote. At the end of the two-day convention, a final version of the Declaration of Sentiments (modeled after the Declaration of Independence) was approved and signed by 100 of the attendees. While the release of the Declaration of Sentiments was met with resistance, it became a cornerstone of the Women’s Movement, which worked tirelessly over the next 70 plus years to secure women the right to vote.  The right to vote finally passed in 1920; 72 years after the movement began.  It is once again a reminder of the courage and perseverance required to create a paradigm shift and sustainable change.

I am bringing up our history and our right to vote because we have a major election on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.  It is critical that we not only cast our vote but that we encourage our colleagues, families, and staff to also cast their vote. Do this to not only to honor our hard fought right to vote but to exercise our personal choice and guarantee that having a choice and our freedoms remain a part of what many of us currently take for granted.  I wanted to provide a few statistics to show that although we have made progress as women, there is still much to be accomplished:

More women are running for office than ever before so we need to show up at the poles, vote and encourage others to do the same.  I invite you to visit our corporate partner at the Women in Public Policy website www.wipp.org to get the latest information on what is going on nationally for women in politics and business.

I look forward to seeing you at our next networking dinner on October 11, 5:30 pm at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, SF.  You will hear from Helen Russell, CEO of Equator Coffee and Alexia Marcous, President of Dharma Merchant Services.  Both women founded their mission driven companies and will talk about social responsibility in business.

Please let me know how NAWBO-SFBA is doing and if you have suggestions for how we can more effectively address your membership and business needs.

Warm regards,
Kathleen Thurmond, President, NAWBO SF Bay Area

Members in the News & Member Spotlights

Member Spotlight DeeDee Towery, ProActive Solutions

DeeDee Towery of ProActive Business Solutions, Inc. and a current member of NAWBO SF Bay Area Leaders' Circle. DeeDee has been named Woman Entrepreneur of the Year by Women's Initiative, a non-profit that helps low-income, high potential women start their own businesses. Every year Women's Initiative recognizes successful women entrepreneurs throughout the Bay Area, and this year they've chosen DeeDee for her business success, commitment to her employees, and support for her local community. She will receive her award at a luncheon on October 12th.

Though her company specializes in IT support services, DeeDee started out her career in the hotel industry. She worked her way up from cashier to front office manager, teaching herself about technology systems along the way. Computers fascinated her, and she was determined to learn as much as she could, even if it meant disassembling and reassembling the entire machine. “I did anything [tech-related] that no one else wanted to do.”

DeeDee’s interest in computers took her to Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia for a later job with a software company. Eventually she decided to go back and earn her Bachelor’s Degree, something she had forgone in favor of valuable work experience.

“People were talking a lot about the ‘glass ceiling’ then [in the late ‘80s],” she remembers. “I realized I needed to get a degree if I wanted to move past a certain level.” The decision came after being told to train a male replacement for her job, and finding out he would get a higher salary. “I never wanted to be treated that way again,” she remembers. She started with classes at a community college, and was recruited to attend the University of California, Berkeley.

Later in her career during a specialized technology systems move for another company, she realized she could do the work better: with better communication, a more cohesive team, and a much higher level of efficiency. Since starting her business in 1998, DeeDee has earned a slew of awards for her work. Proactive Business Solutions was named one of the 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times, one of the 100 Largest Women-Owned Businesses in the Bay Area, and one of the 25 Largest Women-Owned Businesses in the East Bay. DeeDee also received an award from the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce as Woman-Owned Business of the Year, and a Woman of Distinction (technology field) award by the San Francisco Business Times.

Thanks for taking some time to talk with us, DeeDee. We’re thrilled to have you as a member of NAWBO-SF Bay Area, and we look forward to watching your success continue to grow!

Members in the News

If you are a member and have news about your company please let us know at info@nawbo-sfba.org.

Are you a member who has news about your business? Please send your news to NAWBO SF Bay Area info@nawbo-sfba.org. "News" refers to recognition your company has received in the press, awards you or your company have won, or events that have happened. This space is not used for promotions of products or upcoming events. Thanks!

Let us know about your business NAWBO SFBA members may bring a promotion item to display on our Member Information Table at each Monthly Mixer. info@nawbo-sfba.org

Member Benefits & Opportunities

NAWBO National's Affinity Partners

NAWBO Affinity Partners provide exclusive member-only discounts and benefits that help our members increase their bottom line. Through these alliances, affinity partners reach out and influence decision makers, elevating their status as the "brand of choice" in delivering workplace and at-home solutions for women business owners. List of Partners

Promote Your Business

• NAWBO SFBA members may bring promotional brochures or flyers to display on our members' information table.
• Attendees have the opportunity to showcase their products/services with a marketing table. Cost for members is $50, non-members is $250. Contact Wendi info@nawbo-sfba.org to arrange.
• Submit your event to our online calendar. Click here to suggest an event.

• Attend events (monthly mixers, networking breakfasts and special events)
• Give feedback & share your thoughts
• Join the board
• Chair or join a working group (working groups information)
  • Marketing, Social Media, Public Policy, Affiliates, Programs & Membership
• Become a program facilitator (breakfasts or brown bag lunches)
  • You can select your own location!
• Offer your time and your talent in anyway you can imagine
  • Social Media maven, E-publications editor, Breakfast Co-Coordinator Walnut Creek

NAWBO ® SF Bay Area Monthly Networking Event

Second Thursday

Location: Sir Francis Drake Hotel

October 11 Networking Dinner 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN BUSINESS

How to Make a Difference While Improving Profits

Learn how women busines owenrs have aligned their business with their values and increased their profits.

Click for more details

Pre-register for the networking dinner by October 9 and save.

Let’s grow NAWBO-SFBA and we’ll grow our own businesses in the process.

NAWBO®-SFBA Networking Breakfast - Walnut Creek

Third Tuesday 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM
Il Fornaio, 1430 Mount Diablo Boulevard, Walnut Creek
Free parking at rear of building

Next Networking Breakfast: October 16

21st Century Networking - Strategies for Effortless,Effective and Lucrative Connections

Gone are the days of "working the room" and looking for clients at networking events.

• Learn how to talk about your business without being pushy or salesy.
• Discover: The biggest mistake most entrepreneurs make and what to do instead
• Three things you should never say at an event
• A simple formula for introducing your self that works every time

When you are done you will understand why what you've been doing isn't getting you the results you want and you will have an action plan to help you maximize your next networking event.

Karen Frank is “the Linguistic Alchemist” because of her ability to create marketing messages that turn into results. She has a burning desire to stay on top of the latest trends in marketing and is your “secret weapon” when you need to communicate your message to others.

Our morning breakfast meetings provide a comfortable forum for businesswomen and entrepreneurs to meet monthly, exchange ideas and discuss business challenges. The Networking Breakfasts are a dynamic, informative and productive way to start your day!

Cost:
Members registered by Friday before: $12
Non-Members registered by Friday before: $15
Members & Non-Members at the door: $20

Pre-Register by 11:59 PM October 12.

Please share the word with your friends and colleagues!

NAWBO®-SFBA Networking Breakfast - San Francisco

Third Wednesday 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM

Boudin Bakery, 619 Market Street, SF (right off Montgomery Bart Station)

!!NEW LOCATION!!

October 17 - Etiquette: What is it? Why Have it? and Who needs it?

This is one breakfast not to be missed as etiquette expert Syndi Seid uncovers the hidden meanings of a word most people say they know, yet is often disregarded. Leave the Forum with a solid understanding of the true meaning of etiquette.

Syndi Seid is a recognized world’s leading authority on business protocol and etiquette and has appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” CBS’ “Eye on America,” Fox’s and NBC’s “Trading Spouses” and “Wife Swap.” Major companies like Hewlett-Packard Worldwide, Sprint International, and the Miss Universe Pageant trust her to train their employees to avoid social faux pas that could lead to major business and political blunders. As founder of Advanced Etiquette worldwide, Syndi helps senior executives, business professionals, and main-line employees overcome their fears and insecurities to find poise, confidence, and authority in any social situation, anywhere in the world.

Cost:
Members registered by Monday before: $12
Non-Members registered by Monday before: $15
Members & Non-Members at the door: $20

Please share the word with your friends and colleagues!

Learn more and register online by 11:59 PM Monday, October 15

NAWBO®-SFBA Networking Breakfast - Marin

Fourth Tuesday 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM
Il Fornaio Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera

October 23 - Increase your energy and productivity by eating the foods that work best for YOUR body.

Being an effective, successful business owner means being at the top of your game both mentally and physically. When we eat the right foods, we have boundless energy and clear thoughts. When we eat the wrong foods, we are lethargic and suffer from brain fog. Laurie will talk about the most highly-consumed food in the American diet that is also responsible for many chronic health problems: wheat. Learn why many doctors are now prescribing gluten-free diets and how going gluten free can help you increase energy, lose weight and be more productive in your business and personal life.

Laurie Gauguin helps her clients transition to a gluten-free diet through customized consulting and in-home personal chef services. She helps clients celebrate their path to health by introducing them to delicious foods that work best for their bodies.

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

Cost:
Members registered by Friday before: $12
Non-Members registered by Friday before: $15
Members & Non-Members at the door: $20

Please share the word with your friends and colleagues!

Learn more and register online by 11:59 PM Friday, October 19.

NAWBO®-SFBA Networking Breakfast - Oakland

First Thursday 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM
Oliveto Restaurant & Cafe 5655 College Avenue, Oakland


October 4, 2012 Year-End Financial Preparation and Financial Controls for Your Business

Jodie will provide an overview of annual year-end tasks to help your CPA prepare the business tax return, saving you time and cost. She'll also discuss financial reports and controls to help you understand where your business is and how you can get to where you want it to go.

Jodie Israel has experience in both the accounting and financial arenas, working with businesses of all sizes, from Fortune 500 corporations to emerging companies. Her experience and strength help clients focus on these areas: Accounting and Financial Reporting Cash Flow Profitability Bank Relationship.

Jodie has an MBA degree and, as a QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor, she has experience with all levels of accounting and bookkeeping. With her "can do" attitude and vast experience, Jodie can handle all accounting and financial needs, leaving her clients free t o do what they do best -- grow their business.

Our morning breakfast meetings provide a comfortable forum for businesswomen and entrepreneurs to meet monthly, exchange ideas and discuss business challenges. The Networking Breakfasts are a dynamic, informative and productive way to start your day!

Cost:
Members registered by Tuesday before: $12
Non-Members registered by Tuesday before: $15
Please share the word with your friends and colleagues!
Learn more and register online by 11:59 PM Tuesday, October 2

NAWBO National & NAWBO CA

NAWBO National

Q&A with New NAWBO® National Chair Laura Yamanaka

Entrepreneurship runs in Laura Yamanaka's family. Her great grandmother became a business owner by chance when she immigrated from Japan to the United States with her husband and five young children and her husband passed away. At the time, she was a housewife with no formal training, but she knew how to cook well. Laura's great grandmother parlayed that skill into a business, first a food cart and then a storefront and later a store that still exists. "She stressed that even if you are female, you need to be able to support yourself in the lifestyle you want to live because you never know what is going to happen," says Laura. "My mother ground that into my head and I ground it into my daughters' heads. With independence, you have choices and anything is possible." Read more.

NAWBO Women's Business Conference October 4-5, 2012 Louisville Marriott Downtown * Louisville, Kentucky

This year's theme celebrates the entrepreneurial, innovative and adventurous spirit of women business owners. They are starting businesses at record rates and running these businesses on their own terms. They refuse to sit idle, waiting and watching. They have confidence and power to shake things up, take smart risks and do things differently to move forward. They are impacting positive change at every turn, speaking out on issues of public policy, lightening their environmental footprint and creating jobs that fuel the economy. They are part of something much greater than themselves-a grassroots movement of women business owners and their community of supporters all dedicated to helping one another grow, thrive, give back and leave a legacy. They are starting something on their own, together and as part of NAWBO®. More Information and register.

NAWBO CA About NAWBO California - NAWBO California represents the issues and interests of more than 1.3 million women business owners in the state. California ranks no. 1 nationally in the number of woman-owned firms, number of employees (1.9 million) and revenues generated ($318.2 billion annually). NAWBO California provides support to the nine California chapters and multiple satellite groups of the National Association of Women Business Owners, which are located in Sacramento Valley, Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Barbara, Ventura County, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, Orange County and San Diego. For more information, visit http://www.nawbo-ca.org.

Low-income Business Women Get a Hand Up, Thanks to US Bank

150 low-income women business owners from the Bay Area will attend business educational programs provided by NAWBO SF Bay Area, thanks to valuable scholarships from US Bank.

The business educational programs will be in effect through June, 2013.

150 women from vital, non-profit, community programs will be selected through partners of NAWBO SF Bay Area, including the Renaissance Center, Women’s Initiative and Working Solutions.

US Bank recognizes that an investment in women is an investment in the communities around them. US Bank’s scholarships help ensure that women have the tools they need to be entrepreneurial leaders who will develop financial stability and stimulate the economy in their communities.

Procurement Programs

Silicon Valley Small Business Expo and Matchmaking Fair on Thursday,October 18

The California Public Utilities Commission in partnership with California Water Association is hosting Silicon Valley Small Business Expo and Matchmaking Fair on Thursday,October 18, 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Computer History Museum 1401 N.Shoreline Bld. Mountain View,CA.

• 7:30 a.m - 8 :30 a.m. on-site registration and complimentary continental breakfast will be available.
• 8:30 -9:30 a.m. the event will begin with Commissioner Catherine J.K. Sandoval giving an opening address, and then a workshop presented by the CPUC, and a panel of utility industry representatives on “How to Do Business with the State Agencies and the Utilities”.
• 9:3 0 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Matchmaking forum where small businesses will be able to learn about opportunities first hand. Small businesses will have the chance to meet one-on-one with procurement specialists from state and local agencies (e.g. CPUC, CalTrans,etc.) and California’s major utilities, including: AT&T, Comcast, Pacific Gas and Electric, Sempra Utilities (includes San Diego Gas and Electric and Southern Gas Company), Southern California Edison, Verizon, California Water Association, and Comcast.
• Supplier Clearinghouse who oversees the CPUC’s women & minority business certification process will be on hand to answer questions.
• Three other workshops: 1) Access To Capital: How Businesses Can Access Financing (10:00 -11:00 am 2) Small Business Go Green (11:00 a.m.- Noon) 3) Social Media Marketing:How to Use Emerging Web Tools to Grow Your Business (Noon-1;00 p.m.) .

During the matchmaking and in between workshops, attendees can visit the informational tables in the expo area where representatives from the CPUC, local /county government, state agencies, smal business resources and the utilities will be available.

This event is free to the public. Please e-mail smallbiz@cpuc.ca.gov to register. Provide your contact information (company name, attendee name, e-mail address,phone number) and I will register and you and send you further information on the event. We hope to see you October 18. ster email smallbiz@cpuc.ca.gov Stephanie Green Small Business Manager California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, California 94102 415-703- 5361 800-253-0500 smallbiz@cpuc.ca.gov

When and how to register your business as a Small Business

When you register your business in SAM, you can self-identify yourself as belonging to one ... actually need to certify your business as small? For most small businesses, the answer is no. ... for these “set-asides,” certification is a must. So how do you go about certifying your small business to qualify. Read more.

Supplier Diversity Programs in corporations are a way for women owned businesses to secure contracts.

The first step is to become a certified Women Business Enterprise. Contact Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) to begin the process of being certified. http://www.wbenc.org/

Public Policy

Americans With Disabilities Act Reform Benefits Businesses

A bill to protect California businesses is now California law. On September 19th Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 1186 which protects businesses from predatory legal action while improving access for members of the disabled community.

The bill was introduced in response to the increasing number of predatory lawsuits and coercive demand letters that have been filed against small business owners for technical noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Thousands of businesses- especially small businesses have been targeted for noncompliance ADA lawsuits. The lawsuits give no opportunity to make repairs and are intended to shake-down the business for a monetary payoff in exchange for not filing a lawsuit. These requests for settlements ranging from $5,000 to $90,000 can spell economic disaster to a small business. The Bill, along with other things, prohibits these demand letters.

http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/237350-brown-signs-ada-lawsuit-abuse-measure-into-law http://www.cala.com/issues/adareform http://www.clia.org/Innkeeping/Safety/Docs/CalChamberDisabilityAccessLawReform020609.pdf http://www.disabilityaccessinfo.ca.gov/lawsregs.htm

Join Deborah Lardie, NAWBO SFBA Public Policy Chair, in informing and advocating for our members.

At the Public Policy Summit in Sacramento last month, Gov. Brown's Appointments Secretary, Mona Pasquil, encouraged women business owners to apply for appointments to state commissions and boards stating that women are underrepresented in both arenas. If interested please apply at: www.gov.ca.gov then click on appointments.

NAWBO Advocacy Partners provide NAWBO with more opportunity to speak to decision makers on behalf of our members and all women business owners in general on issues that are most important to women entrepreneurs today. These issues include health care, procurement opportunities, access to capital, fair and equitable tax treatment for small businesses and more. For details on NAWBO’s public policy platform and legislative highlights—and to get involved to make sure your voice is heard—please visit our site’s Legislative Action Center. We invite you to get involved and make your voice heard.

Key Dates: Mark Your Calendar

Suggest an event to be added to our calendar.Suggest An Event

If you would like to submit stories, news, events, or happenings for the next issue of NAWBO®-SFBA's e-news, please send to info@nawbo-sfba.org.

We invite anyone who is not already a member to join NAWBO®SF Bay Area. Take advantage of a growing package of member benefits and activities. To learn more, visit our website: www.nawbo-sfba.org/membership.php.

To subscribe to (or unsubscribe from) this newsletter, contact Wendi Moradian at 415.333.2130, or email: info@nawbo-sfba.org.

© 2010 The National Association of Women Business Owners® - San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (NAWBO®-SFBA). All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of NAWBO®-SFBA is prohibited.