SBA honors successful Washtenaw networking group set to expand in Lansing

Debra Power and Carrie Hensel found each other while working on a project that involved both of their businesses. Now, these Ann Arbor entrepreneurs are bringing women in business together with the Women's Exchange of Washtenaw, and being honored for their efforts.

Power is president of Power Marketing and Research, a company that does surveys, focus groups, mystery shopping, branding and other marketing research projects. She became an entrepreneur eight years ago, after buying out a business owner who had hired her.

Hensel never really intended to go into business, but now owns Inner Circle Media, a Web site development and marketing company. She recalls that Power was the first to mention the possibility of creating a different kind of women's networking group.

"We went to lunch, and she said, 'Before we leave, I want to talk about starting a women's group.'," Hensel recalled. "I was really excited."

Both women had found a number of groups serving brand new or small companies, but there wasn't much offered for women who wanted to grow their businesses. "We thought, wouldn't it be great if we could form a group and talk to women who have been through the same things we've been through and know how to deal with the issues we were dealing with."

To determine whether their idea would fly, they called together a steering committee. All 12 women responded with enthusiasm. The next step: hosting a conference, in May of 2008.

"We had estimated about 100 would attend," Power said. "We had 225 people. We knew then other people were looking for this as well."

Since its launch, the Women's Exchange of Washtenaw (WXW) has moved forward with the help of many volunteers. The organization has hosted traditional networking events, education panels and workshops. WXW's unique exchange sessions are part of their educational panels and upcoming WXW 10 Forum - Now We're Talking, held Friday, May 21, 2010 at Kensington Court in Ann Arbor. (Sign up by visiting the WXW Web site.) Rather than simply swapping business cards or small talk, women gather in conversation circles on different topics. They work out solutions to problems, through the power of shared wisdom.

Even the Forums have been designed to ensure women do more than just sit and listen, Hensel said.

"We've always agreed that we don't want any 'canned' presentations," she said. "We don't want people to deliver something they've done 25 times before, and then leave. We want it to be tailored and really interactive."

As an example, she cited a workshop on visioning and goal-setting she conducted last May. Even now, participants talk to her about the workbook they received and how it continues to help them. "It's wonderful that people are following through with what they said they would do," Hensel added.

The different approach to workshops and networking has resonated with Washtenaw-area women, Power said. "Last year to this year, our data base has tripled. There's been exponential growth, which is really exciting and encouraging for a number of reasons."

She believes word is spreading fast that WXW provides value. People are making strong connections, finding jobs, solving business problems. "We have a real broad swatch of people involved. Being able to help all these types of people is very satisfying," Power said.

Evaluations from last year's Forum resulted in WXW doubling the number of workshops offered this year, and they're expecting hundreds of attendees from throughout Michigan and perhaps as far away as Ohio. Hensel and Power have received the prestigious 2010 Women in Business Champions award from the U.S. Small Business Administration, and will be honored on April 29, 2010 during the sixth annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards event at The Lansing Center. And this fall, Power and Hensel plan to go to Lansing, to form a second Women's Exchange group.

"Our goal is to eventually be a national organization," Power said. " The way we plan on doing that is to perfect what we have through process documentation."

Neither partner has any intention of leaving her business; instead, they look forward to bringing new resources to other women in business all around the country.

"I'm pretty passionate about marketing research," Power said. "This would be an additional thing that is part of what we can give back to the community."

"I would love it if we could package WXW so that women in other cities can have their own," Hensel added. "And I would love it if I could say, five years from now, I'm going to San Diego for a conference, and I can hook up with WXW there."