Spokane is set to host the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) conference, Sept. 23 through 25 at downtown’s Davenport Grand Hotel. 

Kate Hudson, public relations manager for Visit Spokane, says the Spokane-based tourism organization is anticipating the event will draw about 500 attendees and have an estimated economic impact of nearly $420,000. 

Susan Stewart-Baldwin, president of the Spokane-based NAWBO-NW chapter, says this will be the city’s first time hosting the conference. 

 “We’re so excited to be able to bring the conference here,” she says. “The fact that NAWBO chose Spokane to host its National Women’s Business Conference this year is a real testament to our thriving business community. Beyond the beauty of Spokane, we have a strong and growing group of women business leaders and entrepreneurs locally who are not only smart and talented, but also want to give back to the community.”

Stewart-Baldwin says this year’s conference theme is “Work Well, Live Well.”  The three-day event will be emceed by KXLY-TV news anchor Robyn Nance, and feature several speakers, including author Elizabeth Gilbert; SoulPancake CEO Shabnam Mogharabi; JAK Creative Design founder Jill Kerrigan; personal development coach Adreanna Limbach; and Alice founder Carolyn Rodz. 

“I’ve heard a lot of people are particularly excited for Elizabeth Gilbert, as her work is so inspiring,” says Stewart-Baldwin. “I personally am also excited to hear from SoulPancake’s CEO, because of her company’s focus on genuine, heartfelt human stories.”

Founded in 1975, NAWBO is an organization that brings together women-owned businesses in order to provide mutual support, share resources, and work toward shaping economic and public policies. The organization has chapters in 27 states. 

Stewart-Baldwin says the NAWBO-NW was started in 1995 and now includes about 60 members from different backgrounds. 

“When I became a member three years ago, we had about 40 members,” she says. “Membership kind of ebbs and flows with the economy and different leadership, but right now, we’re in a great growth phase.” 

Stewart-Baldwin says this year the NAWBO-NW chapter made some changes to make it easier for more women business owners to join and participate. 

“We have a monthly membership fee that’s shared with the national organization, as well as a meeting fee that covers the cost of a meal at a local venue,” she says. “We came to realize that the two fees together can be hard for new and smaller business owners to manage, so this year we chose one regular meeting venue (Nectar Catering and Events) and lowered our meeting fee to $5 per member.”

Stewart-Baldwin says Spokane’s NAWBO chapter meets once a month, and meetings usually include local or regional speakers who share insights on personal or professional development.

“That’s what I like about NAWBO,” she says. “We’re focused on helping women grow the businesses skills and strengths that will propel them toward economic success.”

While Spokane may be smaller than other cities that have previously hosted the national conference, Stewart-Baldwin says the community makes up for it in entrepreneurial spirit. 

“We’re may be smaller, but that just means we can offer more one-on-one time and unique experiences without overwhelming attendees with the bustle of a big city,” she says. “It’s also a great opportunity for our local economy.”

With an eye toward making the most of that opportunity, Stewart-Baldwin says Spokane’s NAWBO chapter has built a number of activities into the conference agenda that are designed to spotlight local businesses.

Those include a private downtown walking wine and history tour Saturday afternoon for early arrivers; a yoga class in Riverfront Park Sunday morning; a Sunday afternoon activity that provides attendees with a map of local women-owned businesses to visit; and a prohibition-themed reception Monday night at downtown’s Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox.