silicon valleylocal Your Silicon Valley Connection

SPRING 2012

NAWBO-SVA great organizationand the presidentwho leads it

NAWBO-SV PRESIDENT MAXINE GOULDING, PRESIDENT, CALIFORNIA SPECIAL OCCASIONS

NAWBO-SV:Seven Important Letters

in Our Valley & the Special Lady Presiding

It is often said that our Silicon Valley is a unique and special place, that there is no other place quite like it anywhere. Why

is it that many people all across the country and all around the world look our way first, to our Silicon Valley? Indeed, there is good

reason (many good reasons, actually) as to why. Here is one perfect example.

There is an important organization here

in Silicon Valley: NAWBO-SV, which stands for the National Association of Women Business Owners - Silicon Valley. This vibrant organization is teamed with women business owners, professionals and management executives who meet regularly and offer so much to one another in leadership, empowerment and support. Their President is Maxine Goulding, the President of her own business, California Special Occasions, a Business and Social Event Planning Company, who I met and talked with for this article. I believe in Positive Role Models and this organization, led by this President, is a representation of where so many here are so fortunate. It is no coincidence that a recent past NAWBO-SV President, Carla Davis, the CEO of her own business, BizBox Technology, was later elected President of NAWBO-California, too. Maxine intends to stay involved with NAWBO-SV and NAWBO-California, also, once her term expires. She is currently on the Public Policy Committee for NAWBO-California.

Not long ago, in the mid-1990’s, I was told something very interesting, something that I felt would be meaningful and impactful for everyone living and working here in Silicon Valley, or anywhere in our country: that the greatest GNP within our economy would come not from the big, large corporate businesses (as it always has before), rather from all the small businesses. In addition, that in just a few years from then, more businesses would be owned by women than by men, which is now the case. In addition, a trend is emerging

Maxine Goulding

in the job market, where more businesses are being started today by women, than by men, and therefore are creating more jobs in the marketplace. Indeed, this swing is real.

Our world is still caught up with the male machismo, where the scale still tips heavily to the side of the masculine / yin vs. the feminine / yang of doing things in the business world. There has been and there remains a big, very big price that has been paid - being out of balance, in relationships, negative health and general well-being, in the many billions, possibly trillions, of dollars - and which we still continue to pay dearly. Indeed, too bad ... and sad.

NAWBO-SV opened its doors in 1988 with then-President and Founder Margaret Smith, who went on to become President of NAWBO-US. Leadership, empowering and supporting one another, these are vital words, concepts

From left, Carla Cobb Davis(NAWBO-CA Immediate Past President), Dr. Freehling, Max-ine Goulding, Ysabel Duron (Senior Anchor - KRON-TV), Pat Lynch ( Founder and CEO of WomensRadio/WomensCalendar)

A trend is emerging in the job market, where more businesses are being started today by women than by men, and therefore are creating more jobs in the marketplace.

and a way of living, working and moving forward, which helps illustrate what NAWBO-SV is about. As its President today, Maxine is an event planning professional who is forward looking and progressive. She supports change, innovation and human advancement and is strongly committed to a humanitarian and social improvement. She is extremely aware of the interconnection and interdependence of all people and is always relating personal issues to some larger framework. She sees the social ramifications of personal actions, and

she wishes to contribute something of value to the association, our community and the world.

Maxine graduated with a college degree in Computer Programming through IBM and later her Event & Meeting Planning Degree from the San Jose State Professional Development Center. She later earned her

Professional Bridal Consultant status with honors from the National Association of Bridal Consultants. She started her business, California Special Occasions, in 2003. She was introduced to NAWBO-SV in February, 2006, later being elected to its Board of Directors, and then was elected its President in June, 2011. As President of NAWBO-SV, her intention was not to reinvent the wheel, but to meet the needs of their members and increase the value of their membership. Maxine serves as a classic example regarding Possibility. She

was a new business owner when she joined NAWBO-SV and knew then, that to grow her business, she needed to be around successful women. As a member, and by attending the monthly meetings, she discovered she had access to a wealth of information in one place. She had access to professionals in finance, experts in marketing, and corporate executives in many more industries that she could rely on for

support. She found that women like helping other women and that it made a big difference in the growth and success of her business. It helped her, as she says, to think big.

Talking with Maxine, she would say: “Things happen when you make things happen. If you do nothing, nothing moves forward. It’s that simple.”. One

From left, Ysabel Duron, Maxine Goulding, Pat Lynch

thing that Maxine is a proponent of is thinking outside of yourself. When the focus is on self, problems seem to stymie one’s growth. On the other hand, if we just get out of our own way, we can start concentrating on our goals. Two non-profits close to Maxine’s heart are: Child Advocates and Ysabel Duran’s Latina’s Contra Cancer. This gives her so much satisfaction, when and where she can help. In addition, as President, Maxine succeeded in creating a Student Membership within NAWBO-SV for business college students. This was created to encourage students to network with business owners, to ask questions to help them grow and acquire a better understanding about being in business. As Maxine said in our talk: “It’s about giving and building a stronger community”. In this case, I think that she and all set a precedent and a standard of leading by example.

Maxine’s business is event planning and the company focuses on the rationale of the goal of having an event and whether it is achieved. The real work is in the details that lead up to and after the event. She creates programs and events that address the purpose, message or impression that an organization or individual is trying to communicate. Being President of a well-respected organization, such as NAWBO-SV, takes energy and determination, keeping a finger on the pulse of the membership in terms of all their needs and allowing the leadership to do its work without stifling creativity.

Maxine feels that she is standing on the shoulders of the women before her and is grateful for this opportunity to lead successful and professional business women that have made, and are

making, their print in the community. They are part of the solution of keeping this economy going by creating more jobs. She is proud to be associated with some of the greatest leaders in Silicon Valley.

As President of NAWBO-SV, Maxine’s goals for the association is to provide advanced education for business owners, learn about and utilize the latest technology tools for the workplace and bring international business opportunities to the members. American women have high labor force participation, more than at any time in the history of the US. In other words, as most women work, they also are the primary caregivers to the young and the elderly, as well as manage the household.

I believe that there are a lot of great people doing great things; and great companies and great organizations doing wonderful causes. Yet so much of it is under everyone’s radar. There are many people who just do not know that such specific people, places and opportunities exist that are helpful in contributing and making a difference. I believe in Positive Role Models, too. Here is an example of what is inspiring, good and vibrant here in our Silicon Valley Community. Thanks to NAWBO-SV, its President Maxine Goulding, and all its members, here is a good place where they are striving to help make this a better world and a brighter future for each and all - in business and in life.

stories@svlocalmag.com

Find out more online:www.nawbo-sv.org

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