The Women’s Business Development Council of Connecticut Rolls Out the Red Carpet

by | Oct 25, 2017 | Announcements, Empowerment

On October 20, I along with 19 other women were honored by the Women’s Business Development Council of Connecticut. Some of us were there to celebrate our staying power (over 20 years in business for me!)  — and others were there for being revolutionaries in the short time they’ve been in business.  

So how did I find myself being honored with all these powerful women?

A lot of hard work, that’s how! Before I opened my business, my personal finances were being held together by scotch tape and my marriage was held together with a shoestring. I needed to do something. I had closed my clothing store and I had no idea what to do other than be my own boss.

I fell into bookkeeping accidentally while I was temping at GE’s creative department. Someone in that department, whose husband was a painting contractor, asked me if I would be interested in doing the bookkeeping for his company. And that is how it all started.

I gained enough clients to make a living and support myself during the most difficult of times: my divorce. I will omit the details, but suffice it to say that the post-divorce money situation left a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, I kept chugging along as a conscientious bookkeeper when a new accounting program surged to the forefront of the industry called QuickBooks.

And then I found out about a new educational organization called the Women’s Business Development Council of Connecticut, a 501(3)(c) charity. The WBDC’s mission is to “educate, motivate and empower women to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency.” One of the ways the WBDC does this is by offering a diverse program of coaching, mentoring, and classes. I quickly found a class where I learned what QuickBooks does “behind the scenes,” how to save myself hours of time every month, and much, much more. I also completed a course on how to write a business plan, where I learned that no one could run a successful business by the seat of their pants — so why was I trying?

Is it possible that I would still be in business without the aid of the WBDC? Of course, but I have to wonder if I would be nearly as efficient. Would I have spent thousands of dollars to learn about QuickBooks instead of learning about it for free? Would I have such a broad and varied referral network of other professionals if I had not met them at the WBDC? Would I have been able to help other women in situations like mine?

If you’re interested in accessing the help that the WBDC offers, such as business coaches, grants, and help accessing capital, visit the Women’s Business Development Council of Connecticut by clicking here or on the image below.