Arizona State University (ASU), in collaboration with the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)-Phoenix chapter, is hosting a May 12 ceremony to celebrate women entrepreneurs who have successfully completed ASU’s SparXX 20 or NAWBO’s Business Mentoring programs. The jointly held event will also celebrate supporters of women entrepreneurship programs in Phoenix and provide attendees an opportunity to expand their business contacts.
“The SparXX 20 program exemplifies ASU’s commitment to advancing diversity in entrepreneurial ideas and individuals, bringing together public and private partners to develop a supportive ecosystem,” said Ji Mi Choi, associate vice president of strategic partnerships and programs at ASU.
Supported by JPMorgan Chase, SparXX 20 is a program tailored for women entrepreneurs who own businesses with revenues of less than $1 million annually. SparXX 20 participants engage in faculty-led, in-depth workshops and have access to networking opportunities with women business owners from various sectors and across the Phoenix metropolitan area.
“Chase values the opportunity to support the ASU SparXX 20 program that helps women entrepreneurs grow their businesses, and we celebrate the program participants for the impact they are having on their communities,” said Noreen Bishop, region executive for Chase Business Banking.
The NAWBO Business Mentoring Program, directed for the past two years by NAWBO Member Paula Wittekind of CDQ Learning for Results, includes nine sessions by local business experts on skills that are critical to their success. In addition, mentees and mentors meet individually during the month to work on tasks specific to the mentees’ business needs.
“All of the participants made great strides in their businesses and were successful in meeting the goals they had set,” said Nancy Sanders, president of NAWBO – Phoenix chapter. “When we tallied all the figures from the past two years, the economic impact was quite substantial – participating companies reported the creation of 33 new jobs and receiving more than $250,000 in external investment.”
