WOW! What a Week
Recapping Our Inaugural Week of WBEC
From May 11 – 15, Week of WBEC (WOW) brought the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV network together for a first-of-its-kind event centered on highlighting Certified women-business owners and showcasing what WBENC Certification unlocks: access to partnership opportunities, business development, and a deeply supportive group of women CEOs who push each other to succeed.
Across Metro NY and Greater DMV, women business enterprises (WBEs) gathered in person, virtually, and digitally to meet one another, deepen relationships, and discover new ways to engage with the network.
With nine FORUM-led in person Meet & Greets and two Meet the Team gatherings, three virtual sessions, three in-depth digital interviews of women leaders in the network, three giveaway winners, and 32 Certified woman CEOs and their organizations spotlighted across our social media platforms, our first-ever Week of WBEC was one to remember. Read more to look back at how the week unfolded.
Monday, May 11: WOW Begins with Connection
WOW kicked off by bringing people together face-to-face. Our Meet the WBEC NY DMV Team In-Person Mixers in New York City and Washington, DC, gave WBEs the chance to put faces to names, reconnect with familiar peers, and meet new women business owners from across our regions. At the same time, FORUM-led gatherings held in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Connecticut, helped create local touchpoints throughout the network, reminding us that one of the strengths of WBEC NY DMV is how community shows up both regionally and close to home.
From the very first day, the tone of WOW was clear: this was a week to bring people into deeper connection with the network and with one another.
Tuesday, May 12: Opening the Door to Certification
On Tuesday, WOW turned its focus to access and possibility with our Special Edition: Why and How to Get Certified. This virtual session welcomed prospective women-owned businesses and anyone interested in learning more about the Certification process. The conversation helped demystify what Certification is, why it matters, and how it can serve as a powerful tool for growth.
Hearing directly from Certified business leaders like Kym Ali, Founder and CEO of Kym Ali Consulting, Rochelle Cooper, CEO/Founder of Cooper Management, and Stephanie Ranno, Director of Growth at FlexProfessionals, offered attendees a clearer picture of why becoming WBENC-Certified matters and what they wished they had known earlier. Tuesday reinforced an important part of WOW’s purpose: creating an open invitation into the network for women-owned businesses who are ready to take the next step.
Additionally, WBEC NY DMV debuted a digital feature interview on our social channels of Stacy Fritz, CEO of FIT2order, centered on why Certification is most valuable when you plug in, get connected, and build relationships for growth.
Wednesday, May 13: Making Space for the Woman Behind the Business
Midweek, WOW made room for a different kind of leadership conversation with WeTalks: You Can’t Scale Depleted: The Flexible Strength Blueprint for Women Who Lead, featuring Stacy Fritz, CEO of FIT2order. This session reminded attendees that business growth and regular personal care are deeply connected.
In a week centered on momentum, Wednesday offered an important pause and reset. It highlighted that showing up fully in business also means caring for the person leading it. That message added an energizing and grounding dimension to the week, expanding WOW beyond networking alone.
Thursday, May 14: Putting Certification to Work
On Thursday, the conversation shifted from getting Certified to making the most of Certification with our Special Edition: I’m Certified, Now What? This session was designed for current WBEs looking to better understand how to leverage their Certification, use available education and resources, and connect more fully to the business opportunities available through WBEC NY DMV.
In a discussion led by Certified moderator Liz Whitehead, CEO of 12PointFive, speakers Elin Barton, Founder and CEO of Riveo Creative, Dr. Drena Valentine, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Integrative Management Solutions, LLC, shared practical advice and perspective, helping attendees think more intentionally about how to turn Certification into tangible business growth. Thursday captured one of the core ideas behind WOW: Certification opens the door, but real value takes shape through engagement.
We also released a digital feature interview on WBEC NY DMV social channels of Maryann Pagano, CEO of Blackhawk Data LLC, and Katy Voight, Vice President of Sales at API Source, focused on Certification and how intentional preparation for the annual WBENC National Conference can help attendees maximize opportunities and relationships the conference can provide.
Friday, May 15: A Week of Visibility, Energy, and Momentum
By Friday, WOW had become more than a series of events. It had become a visible, active celebration of the WBEC NY DMV community. Throughout the week, social spotlights, interviews, and digital engagement helped amplify women-owned businesses from across the network, while the #WeekofWBEC campaign invited Certified WBEs to join the excitement and be part of the week’s giveaways and visibility opportunities.
Across WBEC NY DMV social channels we also released a digital feature interview of our new President & CEO, Diana Domenech, who provided a vision of the organization’s path as we move forward and continue to serve the WBEs in our network.
In an exciting cap off to the week, WBEC NY DMV released the winners of our WOW Giveaways – women who engaged on social media using our #WeekofWBEC hashtag, and beyond. Congratulations again to Janette Gallardo, Darcy Ann Flanders, and Rochelle Cooper! These Certified WBEs each won valuable future brand visibility across WBEC Metro NY’s communications channels, with prizes spanning newsletter coverage, a dedicated website feature, or a curated social media spotlight.
As the week wrapped up, the strongest takeaway was clear: WOW showed what happens when women-owned businesses are given intentional space to gather, learn, share, and be seen. New introductions were made. Familiar faces became future collaborators. And the network came to life in a way that felt energizing, supportive, and full of possibility.
Looking Back
The first-ever Week of WBEC showed that WBEC NY DMV is more than a Certification organization. It is a thriving business community where women-owned businesses can find connection, practical guidance, and new momentum.
WOW was only the beginning, and it set the tone for what is possible when visibility, access, and opportunity come together in one place.
