Barbara Dell, Executive Director of Dress for Success SW Florida, is proud to announce that the Entrepreneurial Spirit Program (E$P) held on January 30, 2013 at the Inn at Pelican Bay was a rousing success that provided support and inspiration to a record number of participants.
The mission of the Entrepreneurial Spirit Program (E$P) is to provide women with information, resources and the tools needed to start a one-person business. E$P can take a woman on the road to success by teaching basic business skills, reviewing different business opportunities, developing a marketing plan and sharing sources of information. The local chapter of National Association of Women in Business Owners is a mentoring partner.
Helping to inspire and inform these entrepreneurial minded women, were a panel of speakers and round-table discussion that included, Brenda Tate, Board President of The Women’s Fund, Angeli Chin, Marketing Director for CONRIC PR & Marketing, and Erin Herzog, Owner of HB Associates. Topics include, “Start Up of U”, “How to Market Your Own Business”, “What Grants are Available” and “Knowledge Will Empower You”. After the workshop, a Mentoring Program, supported by the National Association of Women Business Owners was made available to attendees.
“This amazing program had a waiting list of women who wanted to start their own businesses,” states Barbara Dell. “It was fantastic to see women learn from other women of success who have truly walked in their shoes. What we enjoy about the E$P program and its presenters is that each of them in turn has started and owned their own business and can speak from real-world experiences,” adds Dell.
Dress for Success headquartered in New York City oversees 125 affiliates throughout the world. Dress for Success Worldwide received a $2 million grant from Walmart and re-granted to 60 affiliates including Southwest Florida. “We are honored to be one of 60 affiliates out of 125 to receive grant monies for the 2013 calendar year. The grant is being immediately put to work to increase opportunities for this growing demographic in Lee and Collier counties,” shares Dell
The Dress for Success mission is to help both unemployed and underemployed women learn skills to obtain employment. Once they are employed, the relationship continues by providing clients with monthly meetings to assist them with career advancement. The Career Center is available to all Dress for Success clients. The purpose is to promote confidence and professionalism by providing clients with employment guidance, technological skills and mentoring. For those who continue to seek employment, Dress for Success SW Florida continues to work with them through the Dress for Success Mentoring Program and the Entrepreneurial Spirit Program.
About Dress for Success
The mission of Dress For Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. There are 125 Dress For Success locations in seven countries focused on providing career wardrobes and employment counseling to disadvantaged women. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success Worldwide has helped more than 600,000 women work toward self-sufficiency. For information on Dress for Success SW Florida located at 12993 S. Cleveland Ave. Suite 153, Fort Myers, FL in the Pinebrook Plaza, email swflorida@dressforsuccess.org, call 239-689-4992 or visit www.DressForSuccess.org/swflorida.