This post is an expression of gratitude for the women I’ve encountered at the Women’s Business Center of Cleveland over the past few years, and to the WBC team for honoring me as the Volunteer of the Year at their annual fundraiser, In the Company of Women on 5/17/18.

Friendships

Lessons

Treasures

Unexpected gifts

These are a few of the things I’ve gathered since my introduction to the WBC almost three years ago.

A friend who sat on the board of ECDI invited me to a WBC networking event at Battery Park. I ate heavy hors-d’oeuvres, drank wine, networked, and finally met Carrie and Jan. That’s when I decided to plug into the WBC connection.

At my first Think Tank Thursday, this lovely woman shared secrets about how she built her online business to help older women date again. I can’t remember all of what she talked about, but I remember meeting Nic Abraham there and we quickly became friends, sharing blogging insight with each other regularly.

On another Thursday, I sat in the old training room and listened to Borbala Banto share the not so sexy stuff about building a business. Nervous and curious at the same time, I carefully placed these new lessons into my toolbox.

There were other Thursdays too. Each time I went, I realized more and more the importance of entrepreneurial training, especially for the woman with an idea she wanted to see blossom into a business. As useful as my formal education has been throughout my career, it’s the lessons I’m learning about being an entrepreneur that are having the greatest effect in my life now. (Check out my post Building a Business on a Serendipitous Path.)

At some point, I knew I needed to share the treasure I’d been hiding – my training and development talent coupled with my newfound love, blogging. And that’s where the blogging workshop came from.

Had I not shared mine, I wouldn’t have encountered other treasures at the WBC like

Shana and Black Girl in the CLE

Teresa and Sugarbowl Creative

Destiny and Cleveland Urban Winery

Tonya and U Gotta Eat

Annie and her Signature Sweets

And many more!

From that first networking event, Think Tank Thursdays, the blogging workshop and meetup, my new writing group, and the three lovely ladies (Danielle, Shayne, and Jo) who have joined me on a new journey, I’ve received quite a few unexpected gifts, including this honor and I’m so thankful.