Women's Business Development Council

The WBDC Annual Gala & Awards Celebration is tomorrow!! We can’t wait to celebrate the remarkable women entrepreneurs and supportive business leaders who are making a positive impact in Connecticut. Congratulations to our 2024 Women Rising, Impact, and Patricia Billie Miller Award recipients. Thank you to our inspiring keynote speaker and to our Gala sponsors. As always, we are grateful to our state leadership for their unwavering support of WBDC and the women entrepreneurs we serve – and a heartfelt thank you to those who sent thoughtful and inspiring video statements leading up to the big day! Keynote Speaker: Carla Harris Impact Award Recipients: Stacey Kennedy, Philip Morris International, and Jean Swift, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Patricia Billie Miller Award Recipient: Sara Sharp Hurwitz Sagarin Slossberg & Knuff LLC Women Rising: Vincencia “Vee” Adusei, VASE Construction LLC, Sofia Byrnes, Cottontails Childcare & Learning Center, Hope Lee, Lashes by Lee & Co.., Chris-Ann Miller, The Ital Juicery Company, Rachel Precious, Precious Oysters and Giovanna Quispe, Rise and shine Nursery & Pre-K Academy Jim Himes, Senator Bob Duff, Senate Majority Leader, Speaker Matt Ritter & Rosa DeLauro

It’s time to try your luck! Purchase 2024 Gala Raffle tickets today and you could win a weekend on CT’s shoreline, a Neiman Marcus shopping spree, airline tickets to the destination of your choice, spa treatments, Giants and/or Patriots football tickets, and much more! You can participate in the raffle even if you can’t make it to the Gala. Just purchase tickets online by noon on Friday, October 25. You can also buy tickets in person at the Gala if you’re planning on attending. Winners do not need to be present to collect items. To view all raffle items and purchase tickets go to https://lnkd.in/eHx9GHw4 #connecticut #ctwomeninbusiness #ctwbdc

Meet ChrisAnn Miller, Owner of The Ital Juicery Company. ChrisAnn started The Ital Juicery Company in 2019 when she needed a job and a way to support herself and her daughter. At the time, she sold her homemade juices from the trunk of her car. Soon, she had a loyal following and ChrisAnn realized she was ready to turn her juices into a business. When she looked for business support, she found WBDC. She has participated in WBDC’s one-on-one business advising, the GPS 9-week business plan course, and many of the offerings in the WBDC eLearning Library. With WBDC’s help, ChrisAnn has expanded her business. She now has a commercial kitchen and has increased her product line. “WBDC motivated me to do more, push harder, not accept no as an answer, and most importantly to keep going,” ChrisAnn said. Join us at WBDC’s 2024 Women Rising Gala on October 25 to celebrate ChrisAnn, our other Women Rising awardees, and all women entrepreneurs in CT! Visit www.ctwbdc.org/gala to purchase tickets.

Meet Hope Lee, Owner of Lashes by Lee. Hope's journey to opening a salon did not take the usual path. She had a successful career in merchandising and retail before deciding eight years ago to pivot to the cosmetology field after experiencing first-hand how lash extensions can provide a boost of confidence and enhance one's natural beauty. She knew she wanted to share that experience with other women, so she launched Lashes by Lee & Co., a full-service salon in downtown New London. Hope took GPS, WBDC's business planning course, which she credits to opening her eyes to all the things she needed to know to successfully run her business. It also helped her prepare to apply for a New London/ WBDC Small Business grant, which she received last year. Hope used the grant funds to outfit her space with the equipment needed to run an esthetician education program, providing Lashes by Lee & Co. with an additional revenue stream. According to Hope, "WBDCs tailored guidance has helped me with strategic decision making and support, operating more efficiently, encouraging me to network and make connections, improved my financial planning and, most of all, holding me accountable and motivating me. You just can't put a price tag on all that the WBDC has to offer." Join us at WBDC’s 2024 Women Rising Gala on October 25 to celebrate Hope, our other Women Rising awardees, and all women entrepreneurs in CT! Visit www.ctwbdc.org/gala to purchase tickets.

A weekend on CT’s shoreline, a Neiman Marcus shopping spree, exploring Litchfield County, airline tickets to the destination of your choice, spa treatments, Giants and/or Patriots football. These (and more) could be yours! Buy tickets for WBDC’s Annual Gala raffle for a chance to win, even if you can’t make it to the Gala! Participate in the raffle online until noon on Friday, October 25. You can also buy tickets in person at the Gala if you’re planning to join. Winners do not need to be present to collect items. To view all raffle items and purchase tickets go to https://lnkd.in/eHx9GHw4

Meet Giovanna Quispe, Owner of Rise & Shine Nursery & Pre-K Academy. Giovanna is one of WBDC’s 2024 Women Rising Award recipients and will be honored at our Annual Gala on October 25, along with five other entrepreneurs. Giovanna was born and raised in Lima, Peru by hard working parents that never had an opportunity to go to school. She immigrated to the U.S. in 2012 and decided to achieve what her parents could not. She learned to speak English, earned a BS in child studies, and gained experience working as a teacher in a childcare center. Through classes and business advising, WBDC helped Giovanna learn the business skills that eventually led to her opening Rise and shine Nursery & Pre-K Academy. She also benefitted from grants through WBDC's Child Care Business Opportunity Fund. "I have learned that being a businesswoman has different challenges," said Giovanna, "but I am glad I had WBDC's support to guide me through the process and gain confidence to run my program." Join us at WBDC’s 2024 Women Rising Gala on October 25 to celebrate Giovanna, our other Women Rising awardees, and all women entrepreneurs in CT! Go www.ctwbdc.org/gala to purchase tickets.

Recap of this week's events! Nicole and Doris Z. of WBDC's Impact Team enjoyed attending the Connecticut Data Collaborative Conference in Southbury.  Impact Manager, Nicole O'Brien, served on a panel of CT non-profit leaders sharing insights on how to build a data culture within an organization. WBDC Program Manager Erin Mercede joined WBDC client Simone E. Morris, MBA, PCC, PMP (she/her/hers) Facilitator/Trainer, Inclusive Leadership Expert at the Inclusive Leadership Impact Awards in Norwalk.

Last chance! New London-based women-owned businesses – your final chance to apply for a New London/WBDC Small Business Grant Program is Friday, November 15. To learn more, go to https://lnkd.in/eVMkNWJR

The WBDC Child Care team has been busy lately! Recent events the team has attended include the 2024 CTAEYC conference in Mystic, the LISC Connecticut 40th Anniversary Gala in Hartford, and the ALICE Connecticut event at the Capital. To top off all the exciting events, Linda Fecteau, WBDC’s Child Care Business Advisor, accepted a Community Collaborator Award on behalf of the WBDC at the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut Community Impact Event! It’s always great supporting our local community partners and we appreciate their continued support. The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, Dina Sears-Graves, Courtney McNally Parkerson & CT Early Childhood Alliance

WBDC Program Manager – West Region Erin Mercede has some exciting information regarding an opportunity to take university-level courses for free through Verizon Skill Forward program. To learn more go to https://lnkd.in/ekUyBdDQ