Believe. Inspire. Dream.

Written by Bakersfield Magazine

Sure, there are “How-to” guides out there for women entering the workforce; guides for women opening their own business, or those changing careers. These books provide steps a gal can take when she’s looking to make a move in the business world. They offer up helpful advice for women who aren’t sure how to approach the particular market they’re heading into. But do those steps and helpful hints really offer the kind of support it takes to make it in such a tough economic climate? Do they give the kind of advice one would get from a fellow businesswoman? From a sister? A friend? The answer is usually “no.”

That’s why women in Bakersfield are a lucky bunch. They’re given the opportunity each year to attend a conference specifically designed for them; designed to provide a healthy dose of inspiration and encouragement when it comes to the business world and, more importantly, how women fit inside that world.

“The theme this year is ‘Believe. Inspire. Dream,’ ” said Diane White, the 2011 Chair for the Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference. “It’s about setting personal goals, believing in one’s self, in co-workers and colleagues.”

White, a tax manager with Brown Armstrong, is proud that the theme is one to which so many women can relate.

“We have to believe in something in order to inspire others to dream big,” she added. It’s a very cyclical theme.

“I want the Conference to inspire women to be the best, and I want it to inspire young women to get an education and to make a difference in their own lives,” White continued.

It’s one of the main reasons she got involved with the Conference. White has been with the Conference for five years now. She was originally asked to be a speaker and a volunteer, then found herself on the Board as Treasurer. She’s been on the Keynote Speaker Committee and last year was the Vice Chair.

“Being involved with the Conference has given me confidence in who I am as a woman and as a person in this community,” White explained. Those past experiences helped her formulate how she would lead this year’s committee.

“When you’re around that many powerful women, you can’t help but absorb that energy. You become a better individual, a better worker, a community leader, and a stronger person.”

Which is central to the theme the committee has created.

“As soon as we write down a dream, it becomes a goal. As soon as you vocalize a dream, it becomes something you believe in,” she said. “It’s very empowering.”

And those are two very easily accomplishable tasks at the Women’s Business Conference, now in its 22 year.

Thousands of women will convene in April to hear from other women in the Bakersfield business world, to see examples of women in our comm`unity who have succeeded in their goals. Of course, the high-caliber Conference speakers help pack the house.

This year, Keynote Speaker Gloria Allred, Opening Speaker Jill Connor Brown, and Closing Speaker Juliette Funt all bring their intelligence, wit, and moxie to the stage at Rabobank Arena.

The new speakers aren’t the only changes to this year’s Conference.

“We’ve expanded,” White said. “It’s the largest ever. We’ve made more space for exhibitors in the Arena, and added more networking areas. In the main concourse of the Arena, we’ve added twelve tables so that we can invite twelve local nonprofits to attend at no charge, to try and get them exposure in the community.”

Also new this year is the establishment of a scholarship fund for the R.O.S.E. Mentor Program, a mentor-based program started in 1994 by Dr. Bobbie George, Emeritus Faculty of CSUB. R.O.S.E. is an acronym for Realizing Options for Student Excellence and each young woman selected for the program demonstrates potential for success. They are paired up with mentors and attend seminars on a range of topics intended to support their goals in the future. Over the years, approximately 280 high school students have had the opportunity to shadow an adult mentor.

“Those who want to donate will help fund the scholarship, which will be awarded to R.O.S.E. mentees at the 2012 Conference,” White said.

So it would seem inspiration abounds at the Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference. It’s certainly been proven over the years as many women who’ve attended go back year after year. But perhaps the most shining testament to the power of the Conference is the fact that there are so many success stories from women who’ve gone, so many women who’ve been empowered to follow their dreams.

“It took almost a year of planning,” Colleen Bauer said of her journey to become a Day-Of Wedding Planner and start her own business, Fairy Godmother.

The successful Vice President/Deposit Relationship Manager for Rabobank was looking for a new venture, something that would challenge her outside of her day job, but not detract from her work or family.

“The process really evolved,” Bauer said, with a smile on her face. “When I was Chair of the Conference in 2009, I got a particular vendor involved to liven up the day. Shortly afterward, she asked me why I wasn’t doing event planning.” After all, Bauer had years of experience planning family weddings, baby showers, and even events for Rabobank.

Bauer thought about that query for a while. She had an amazing job; why start a business?

But the challenge was there. The desire to try something new, to succeed at something she set her mind to, had Bauer doing her homework.

“I spent a lot of time reaching out to other vendors and some of my competition. Because of the Conference, I felt confident going to these vendors, to other women, and talking to them—asking them what my next move should be,” Bauer explained. As the Chair that year, Bauer was surrounded by nearly 30 other powerful Bakersfield women. She made sure to take the energy and confidence she saw in those women and incorporate it into how she ran her business.

“There’s a lot to tackle early on when you start your own business and the Conference helped shape my approach. I pooled different mentors and friends that I had made through the Conference. I think women do a lot better job of reaching out for resources—we don’t see it as a sign of weakness. We see the strength other women have and want to emulate that.”

Bauer was encouraged by the women she met. She pushed herself to do something different.

“The Conference is there to push you,” she said. “Make good use of your time there. Give your business card to someone you wouldn’t normally give it to. Learn as much as you can.”

Bauer certainly did. Her day-of wedding planner business has taken off quickly; she’s already needed to bring on extra employees to keep up with the demand.

“But thanks to the lessons I learned at the Conference, I already had my network in place; I knew how to help my business grow successfully.”

Another local woman who’s been involved with the Conference for a number of years is Denise Winston.

Known locally and nationally for her financial education workshops, Winston has been a speaker at Conferences past so she can help inspire women to take control of not only their finances, but their lives.

“For years I attended the Conference. At the time, I was a bank manager and always came away with something new—I always made important connections,” Winston said.

However after 25 years in the baking world, Winston would find that it was time for a change. She founded Money Start Here in 2008, a company dedicated to helping people better manage their daily finances.

“A friend on the board knew my passion for financial education and instruction and that’s how I became a speaker,” she explained.

The first year she spoke wasn’t nerve-wracking, though.

“I knew it was safe environment. Sure, everyone is worried whether people will show up to your seminar, but I was so excited to be there. There’s so much networking to be done and the feedback was spectacular. It was validating to know that what I was talking about resonated with so many women.

“There’s a lot of teamwork involved as a speaker because you’re all there for the same reason,” she explained.

“It’s a day when women invest in themselves. By nature, women are overachievers and multitaskers. It fabulous to see so many women come together, learn, and leave empowered and inspired. Conferences like this are so rare across the country that every woman in Bakersfield should be clamoring to attend.”

As Winston further elaborated, it’s a time when women can discover what talents they have—what inspires them. They are given the chance to pin down their goals in business and in life. At the same time, they’re shown the options available to them in our community for them to accomplish those goals.

It’s a two-for-one kind of day—a win-win. For information on Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference, visit bakersfieldwomen.org.

©istockphoto.com/shapecharge, Colleen Bauer Photo by Artisan Photography

Article appeared in our 27-6 Issue - February 2011