1ST THURSDAY PATR IC K S W EENEY
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS The Idaho Women’s Business Center helps budding entrepreneurs TARA MORGAN In the basement of an innocuous building on the fringes of downtown Boise, a number of power players in the local financial industry— the vice president of US Bank, the regional Staff and members of the Idaho Women’s Business Center advisory council, from left to right: Toni Nielsen, president at Zion’s Bank, the branch president Jennifer Deroin, Stacie Dagres, Sheila Spangler, Karen Hungerford, Margaret Sato and Val Welch. of Intermountain Community Bank—gathered around a U-shaped table. They talked nerstuff at, so I just decided to create my own analysis, to sit down and talk with a banker,” vously and clutched papers. But unlike in the business and express my creativity through movies, this meeting was free of cigars, kinked said Spangler. “We’re going to walk them desserts,” said Izaguirre. through step-by-step on that kind of stuff.” upward-growth projection charts and evil Izaguirre has been baking out of a church In addition to offering one-on-one counselcackles. And definitely unlike in the movies, evkitchen, but with help from the IWBC, she is ing, the IWBC will also provide group educaeryone sitting around the table was a woman. now expanding to a larger commercial kitchen tional classes on topics like crafting a business The small staff and advisory council of the to whip up sugary specialties like the SouthIdaho Women’s Business Center gathered for a plan and technical assistance in areas like BW photo shoot in the Mountain States Group cash-flow analysis, marketing, loan packaging, ern Comfort cupcake, which she describes as “a sweet potato pie and a pecan pie cupcake lender referrals and networking, all available Building on 16th and Jefferson streets. Amid together.” for a one-time enrollment fee of $35. comments like, “I don’t know what my better “I do this all on my own. I don’t have a secThough the IWBC won’t turn away men side is,” they talked excitedly about the future ond person doing it with me. My fiance helps who need its services, the focus will be on of the new nonprofit. me with deliveries and stuff but that’s about women and other marginalized groups. “We opened the doors Jan. 3, but we “Our grant requires us to reach out to those it,” said Izaguirre. “I’m just a one-woman haven’t announced ourselves to the world begroups that have been historically at a social or show and so knowing that they’re there to help cause we’ve been getting everything in place,” economic disadvantage, particularly communi- me out is just awesome.” noted Sheila Spangler, IWBC manager. Dollhouse Cupcakes and Desserts will have ties of color, women, disabled, veterans,” said The Idaho Women’s Business Center was a table at D.L. Evans Bank, at 213 N. Ninth Hungerford. “So 50 percent of our client base funded in part through a cooperative agreeSt., on First Thursday, March 1, alongside the should be from those historically disadvanment with the United States Small Business staff of the Idaho Women’s Business Center. taged populations.” Administration and is one of a number of D.L. Evans Bank is one of many downHungerford added that the IWBC also has programs under Micro Enterprise Training town businesses participating in International two Spanish translators available for clients. and Assistance, a division of the a Boise-based Women’s Day, which is celebrated every March “We don’t want language to be a barnonprofit Mountain States Group. to “recognize women’s achievements through“Idaho was the last state in the Union to get rier; we don’t want anything to be a barrier,” out history and across nations.” said Hungerford. “When we have our client the Women’s Business Center,” said Spangler. For the second year in a row, a handful of “There are 110 centers around the country and meetings, we are trying to make sure that we Boise nonprofit organizations that support aren’t speaking in business lingo or anything there wasn’t one in Idaho.” that might be unfamiliar, because not everyone women and girls will set up informational Spangler and two other full-time staffers— booths at area businesses during First Thursthat goes into busimarketing and comday. ness has a business munications specialist “This year, we have 23 nonprofits and we education or a degree Stacie Dagres and International Women’s Day events will take place have 22 businesses that are participating, so it’s or exposure, but they business developon First Thursday, March 1, from 5-8 p.m. at grown and that’s exciting,” explained Shirley have a great idea and ment specialist Karen various downtown businesses. they want to pursue it. Biladeau of Soroptimist International. Hungerford—provide The IWBC will host an Open House and Ribbon For this year’s event, organizers will hand They have a dream.” business consulting Cutting on Thursday, March 8, from 3-5 p.m. out passports listing every participating One of those clients services to clients in IDAHO WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER nonprofit. First Thursday strollers can get is Alicia Izaguirre, five Idaho counties: at 1607 W. Jefferson St. their passports stamped at each location, then owner of Dollhouse 208-336-5533 Ada, Canyon, Elmore, redeem those stamps for door prize tickets. All Cupcakes and DesGem and Payette. stamped maps must be turned in by 9 p.m. to serts, formerly Dulce “There are smallOwhyee Plaza or Twig’s Cellar in order to be business development centers all over the coun- Cupcakes. Izaguirre started her boutique eligible for door prizes. try and they deal with the larger businesses, the dessert company eight months ago. When she “Women and girls contribute a lot to our approached the Hispanic Cultural Center in ones that have been in operation for a while, Nampa for business advice, she was referred to community so we want to celebrate that opwhere we are more hands-on for the start-ups portunity,” said Biladeau. “We also want to the IWBC. and the new business owner, where someone raise awareness of the needs of women and “I love sweets and there wasn’t a really might not even know how to read their finangirls in our community.” cial statement or know how to do a break-even good place around here where I could get that WWW. B OISEWEEKLY.C O M
BOISEweekly | FEBRUARY 29 – MARCH 6, 2012 | 19