Just as with anything else in life, the benefits you reap from your NAWBO membership investment depend upon your participation. NAWBO D/FW offers a myriad of opportunities to get
involvedˇXto expand your network, improve your business acumen, increase your profitability, create alliances and develop new friendships. Here are just some of those opportunities:

Monthly Luncheons: Held on the second Monday of each month, these luncheons provide a forum to network with other members, guests and our Corporate Partners, and to hear from and interact with top-quality speakers who provide information and ideas that you can apply to your business immediately.

Monthly Breakfasts: Usually held on the last Wednesday or Thursday of each month, these breakfasts provide a more informal opportunity to network and generate new ideasˇXa great way to start your business day.

Quarterly Networking Events: These evening events are held in various interesting venues around the city (like the Dallas Museum of Art), and provide a relaxed yet stimulating environment for networking and developing alliances.

Committees: A great way to get to know other members one-on-one and to deepen your knowledge of one anotherˇ¦s businesses, while also helping to strengthen and grow our chapter.

Mastermind Groups: Your own board of directorsˇXan amazing wealth of professional expertise and creativity, all focused on helping you and other group members to resolve business issues and generate new ideas. Other groups charge thousands of dollars per year to Mastermind Group participantsˇXbut with your NAWBO membership, itˇ¦s free!

Corporate Partners: Our Corporate Partners are incredibly supportive, and we greatly appreciate them. They want to do business with us, and they want us to do business with them. They are also often available for questions, mentoring and business introductions--and even the occasional use of a conference room.

Golf Tournament: Held in October of each year, in partnership with the Womenˇ¦s Business Council Southwest, this event provides fun, prizes and informal business networking in a casual environment. This year, the Golf Tournament is Monday, October 25. Sign up now as a player or volunteer; we also need more donations (products, services, gift certificates or cash) for the popular Silent Auction.

Annual Event: This yearˇ¦s event will be entirely new and different for NAWBOˇXand we anticipate that it will become a well-regarded, not-to-be-missed annual Metroplex business event.

Membership Directory: Free with your membership, the chapter directory provides business and contact information for other members and our Corporate Partners.

National E-series Membership Database: A great way to expand your business regionally or nationally by contacting NAWBO members in other chapters for advice, introductions and potential business alliances.

As you can see, NAWBO truly does create incredible connections. And in October, you can create even more connections (and win prizes!) by participating in our membership drive. Share the benefits of NAWBO with other women business owners, invite them attend our October 11th luncheon and invite them to join our vibrant organization. (Donˇ¦t forget to renew your own membership if itˇ¦s due to expire soon.) For more information on the membership drive, please see the separate article in this issue of the Roundtable.

Susan Abrahamson
President, 2004-2005