Ever wondered how being part of an entrepreneurial community can be the game-changer your business needs? Just ask Jen Earle, CEO of the National Association of Women Business Owners aka NAWBO, who believes that surrounding yourself with a good network can propel your business to the next level. To celebrate National Women’s Small Business Month, we’re taking a look back to see how the entrepreneur founders behind NAWBO transformed the landscape for women entrepreneurs and the impact that women-owned businesses have on today’s economy. Jen also breaks down the four C’s—Capital, Community, Confidence, and Congress—and explains why they’re crucial for any business to thrive and how you can leverage them for your own success.

Learn how to find your entrepreneurial community and how that can help you unlock funding opportunities, boost your confidence, and give you the support you need to build or grow a successful business.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

(00:58) How NAWBO was founded.

(02:06) The progress that’s been made to support women-owned businesses and their impact on the US economy.

(03:41) Jen’s entrepreneurial journey and how she became the CEO of NAWBO.

(5:49) A breakdown of the four essential pillars for business success which Jen calls the 4 C’s: Capital, Community, Confidence, and Congress and how you can tap into them.

(9:52) The importance of building a strong community for business success.

How do you transform an everyday problem into a product that people want to buy? Just ask Ray Philips, the CEO of SoapSox, who turned children’s bath-time struggles into a product that resonated with so many people. Ray shares how he validated his idea and navigated the bumps throughout his entrepreneurial journey. And if you're still in the brainstorming stage, Morgan DeBaun, the CEO of Blavity, has you covered with her DRIP method, a decision-making framework designed to help you turn your ideas into actionable steps. Whether you're stuck in the ideation phase or just need a motivational pick-me-up to ride the wild rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, this episode will give you the confidence and clarity to turn your next big idea into reality.

Learn how to leverage constructive criticism, stay balanced through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and push past the doubt to start or build your business.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

(3:00) How Ray Philips turned a bath-time challenge into a business, and what made him launch his entrepreneurial journey.

(5:12) Morgan DeBaun breaks down her powerful DRIP decision-making framework which can help you come up with ideas and turn them into real, validated business opportunities.

(8:32) How to refine your product using feedback that matters—and more importantly, how to filter out the noise that could throw you off track.

(10:48) Ray talks about funding his business and Morgan shares how to handle the inevitable highs and lows of entrepreneurship while keeping your vision alive.

(14:26) Setbacks are part of the journey. Here’s what to do when your first big obstacle hits—and how Ray and Morgan turned their first major setbacks into fuel for success.

(17:31) How Ray pushed through tough times and scored a coveted spot on Shark Tank, and what it took to get there.

(21:36) If you’re battling self-doubt, stick around—this advice might be the boost you need to keep chasing your entrepreneurial dreams.

Want to know how your culture can give your business an edge? Just ask Mayra Luz Colon, the founder of Healthy Rican, who fused her Puerto Rican roots with her passion for healthy living to create a successful line of mom-approved seasonings. Mayra shares how she overcame imposter-syndrome, connected with her community, and pivoted from coaching to creating a product that resonated with so many people. You’ll also hear from Ramiro Cavazos, CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), who’ll dive into how Hispanic-owned businesses are shaping the future of entrepreneurship despite the challenges they face and how the USHCC is helping entrepreneurs get access to more capital, contracts and connections, and the tools and resources they need to grow their businesses.

In this special Hispanic Heritage Month episode, you’ll discover the importance of staying connected to your roots, how to build a strong community around your brand, and why empowering Hispanic-owned businesses benefits everyone.

In this episode you’ll hear:

(02:06) How a health issue inspired Mayra to start her business

(04:27) Why Mayra pivoted to a product based business

(06:06) How to get customer feedback and build a supportive community

(8:52) The growth and impact of Hispanic businesses and what makes them stand out

(10:15) How the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) is helping Latino entrepreneurs overcome the challenges they face by focusing on the 3 C’s: access to capital, building connections, and capacity building

(14:50) Why supporting Hispanic-owned businesses benefits everyone

(16:13) How resilience and being open to pivoting can help you build a successful business