Ladies Who Launch

On occasion I write posts about the process I have been going through with my business. As many of you know, I left the corporate world last year to do Nohea Interiors full-time. That transition from corporate cubicle to entrepreneur has been exciting, challenging, busy, rewarding, scary, but most of all…right.

I have learned a lot, more than I thought I ever would and as much as I have tried to do everything on my own, I found I needed the connection of other people doing similar things. This is really no big surprise; many business owners join groups and associations for networking or for guidance. However, finding the right group or association to join is HARD. I have been to a lot of different type of networking events and some I like, some make my skin crawl, and some I love.

Today, I want to talk about the one that I love…and no this isn’t a blatant ad for this organization. I am writing about it because I truly believe in what this organization does and hope that for those of you who are taking the plunge into entrepreneurship, that you consider them. The organization I am referring to is called Ladies Who Launch.

Ladies Who Launch is a female powered organization that provides female entrepreneurs resources, opportunities and connections to move their dreams and businesses forward. The whole process begins with a four week Incubator, which is a savvy forum that marries ingenuity with creativity and collaboration. Designed to connect members both on-line and in-person, the Incubator brings together entrepreneurs, writers, artists, independent contractors, film producers, founders of non-profits and anyone interested in launching or expanding a business to share knowledge and inspiration. If you need a push to get that business started or to take the next step in an existing business, the Incubator is the place for you.

Ok, so why did I do it? I needed to take my business to the next level and focus on advertising and marketing. But what I didn’t realize was that by doing this four week Incubator, I found out things about my business and myself that I didn’t think were possible. It’s amazing how our fears or lack of confidence paralyze our ability to move forward. Once, I lifted those fears with the help of the women in my incubator, I felt like I could finally see. That gift of sight has allowed for me to get really clear on who I am, who my business is…thus giving me power to communicate the voice of my brand.

Many wonderful things came from this experience, but here’s an example. I am still offering Interior Decorating for residential properties, but I am now offering Interior Décor and Interior Branding to small businesses and retail spaces (see my new flyer above). If you are a reader of my blog, you know that when I left graphic design and branding I felt a sense of loss. I was torn because I wanted to do both interior design and graphic design and didn’t know how that was going to work. So this new offering gives me the ability to enjoy both, plus it gives my business clients an all encompassing design experience.

Anyway, Ladies Who Launch is more than an Incubator; it’s also a worldwide supportive organization that has monthly events to take part in. Definitely check out their website and blog, it may be the best investment you make for your business this year.