Happy Holiday season to you and yours!

This time of year always seems to be incredibly hectic!  We’re shopping for gifts, decorating our homes and attending many holiday parties.  Oh, and never mind that as women business owners we are also still running our businesses, trying to finalize year end projects, and sending out client gifts and cards.

Our NAWBO board has been working very hard this year to deliver amazing programs and networking events.  I hope that one of your resolutions will be to join us for more of them.  Might I suggest that you right now mark your new 2017 calendars with a recurring appointment for the 3rd Tuesday of the month, from 6:00 – 8:30pm, and call it “NAWBO Meeting placeholder”!   In January we’ll be talking about your health and wellness to kick off the year. In February, we’ll be celebrating in gala fashion our Crystal Chair awards – which symbolizes and celebrates NAWBO women bringing their chairs to the business table so many years ago, and still today. And in March, we’ll recognize international Women’s Business Day.

A major premise of our organization is public policy and being better together – both for our individual businesses and in the larger scheme of our communities and our country.  In that spirit, we are also preparing again for the annual NAWBO California – Propel Your Business Conference in early May 2017. I hope you’ll consider attending that as well.  It’s an amazing gathering of NAWBO members from all ten California chapters and includes great speakers and the opportunity to connect with your state legislators. Join us in Sacramento.  Part of the fun is in the carpooling!

If you’re like me, you’ll probably do a little reflecting at this time of the year before the calendar turns to January.  Many good things happened for me in 2016.  And hopefully to you as well.  So, I encourage you to look back on 2016 and ask yourself – how did I do? And not be too hard on yourself.  Celebrate the victories, and ask yourself how you can learn from the setbacks.  Maybe ask yourself, “If I could change one thing for 2017, what would it be?”  And then, raise a glass (of whatever you’re drinking this time of year), and give yourself a toast.  From one business owner to another, here’s looking at you girl!!

From myself and the entire NAWBO-Silicon Valley Board of Directors, we wish you a very happy holiday season.  See you all in 2017!

With fondest regards,

Santa Monika

PS – Remember, click to your calendar now….and mark those 3rd Tuesdays!!