Business is all about building relationships.

In the four decades I have spent in the magazine publishing industry and the nearly 20 years since our team published the first issue of Enterprising Women, nothing has been more critical to our success than the close relationships we have formed with women entrepreneurs, corporate and nonprofit business leaders.

So when our corporate partner, Carnival Corporation, and our good friends at Cruise.com (lead by CEO Gloria Bohan – a long time member of the Enterprising Women Advisory Board) suggested we host an Enterprising Women cruise, we jumped at the chance.
Several long-time and a few brand-new Advisory Board members joined me for five days onboard the Carnival Sunshine, and the best part of the experience was forming stronger bonds with one another over dinners and shore excursions.

A highlight of the trip was also a stop in the Dominican Republic to a women’s cocoa cooperative—Chocal—where we met members of the cooperative and helped with everything from planting seeds, sorting beans, pouring chocolate into molds, and even packaging chocolate bars. Our Advisory Board members bought several hundred dollars of products in the tiny gift shop at the end of the day—helping the co-op meet its monthly expenses.

Now our team is working full speed ahead as we prepare for the 17th Annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration & Conference. Join us March 24-26 at the Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale. We are packing in two-and-a-half days of dynamic workshops, world class networking with some of the top women entrepreneurs in the world, and the opportunity to build relationships with old and new friends. Mark your calendar to join us! 

Enjoy this issue!