Women entrepreneurs learn and network at GNWBC Sip & Learn events
Women entrepreneurs learn and network at GNWBC Sip & Learn events
As an organization, GROW Nebraska strives to be a useful business resource to the entrepreneurs in our state, and the Nebraska Women’s Business Center’s Sip & Learn events have been a fun, accessible addition to these efforts.
The GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center (GNWBC) was founded in early 2021, when the U.S. Small Business Administration provided grant funding for the launch of 20 new Women’s Business Centers across the nation. The program was designed to serve rural, urban, and underserved communities.
The GNWBC has partnered with the Metro Omaha Women’s Business Center (MOWBC) to come up with fresh, helpful events and resources for women entrepreneurs in the Omaha area. According to the organization’s website, the “Metro Omaha Women’s Business Center endeavors to accelerate the success of women in all aspects and at all business and professional levels.” Together, the groups are presenting Sip & Learn events for people in this demographic.
BC Clark, founder of the MOWBC and Program Director of the GNWBC, has been involved with this effort from the start. When asked where the idea came from, she said, “We were looking for signature events for the partnership. You hear about things like ‘Paint & Sip,’ so we thought, ‘Sip & Learn.’ It’s an opportunity to network and get education.”
With businesses and operations opening up earlier this summer, the partners thought that some in-person networking opportunities would be good for the community. “We’ve been shut in for so long, it’s all about getting the work out for your business. You have to carve your own space out.”
Their last event brought in about 40 attendees. Clark said that while education is an important part of the Sip & Learn events, it’s really about the networking.
“Having some food and beverage while getting and sharing information with other business owners, that’s priceless networking.”
The Sip & Learn events are held monthly, and feature different speakers for each meeting. These meetings cover topics like financials for women, networking, and investment. The partnership between the two organizations combines the resources, networks, and expertise of a large pool of experts, and will provide a valuable service to the woman entrepreneurs in the Omaha area and beyond.
On the topic of the partnership, Clark said that, “Collaboration with these two organizations is really going to be able to bring the resources to women business owners, those who want to start a business, or just need a resource as ladies trying to find their way. We are bringing a greater service to a greater number of women. Working with GROW Nebraska is really allowing us to reach more people.”
GROW NEBRASKA is excited to watch this partnership grow, and to share more about the good work these two organizations are doing for Nebraska’s women-led entrepreneurship community! For more information about the Sip & Learn events, please contact Candice Price at candice@grownebraskawbc.org.
Story by Lauren Bonk, owner of the Curtain and Pen Copywriting Services, a GROW Nebraska member. Lauren hails from Kearney, NE, where she works as a freelance copywriter for small businesses, startups, and even larger corporate entities in need of professionally-written marketing content for their businesses and organizations.
