A Year of Connections

In just one year, the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s Women Business Owners Council has become a valued resource for local female entrepreneurs. Through it, established women business owners get the information they need to navigate the ins and outs of business ownership from experts and each other. 

As a result, the council’s membership has grown significantly, and that growth shows no signs of abating, according to ERIN KELLER, owner of Turn Key Lifestyle who co-chairs the council with BROOKE SKIPPER, who owns Salt Air.

“We have grown to nearly fifty members this year,” Keller says. “Word has spread, and people are inviting other business owners they know.”

She adds that the council’s members hail from all types of industries, including restaurant and hospitality, law, health care, marketing, and roofing.

The council fills a unique role in the Wilmington area. Unlike other business groups, it is not a startup support group, networking platform, or mentorship program.

Instead, the council is geared toward female entrepreneurs who have run their own businesses for a year. Its mission is to help these women grow and sustain their businesses by providing learning sessions and opportunities for members to address their struggles by sharing their experiences with each other.

The heart and soul of the council is its quarterly meetings. There, experts present information on topics vital to business success such as business finances, insurance, prioritizing growth strategies, and creating an action plan.

In addition, and most importantly, the council members learn from each other as they relate how they have dealt with similar issues or obstacles. 

“It’s so valuable to have a conversation with someone who has been through a situation already,” says Keller. “There’s nothing out there that compares to that. To have someone in the trenches who has been there to give you advice and help you move forward. You can’t put a price on that.”

Council members also appreciate the “no pressure” meetings, says Keller. They don’t need to get business cards, put together an elevator speech, be ready to answer questions, or “be on” in any way, she says.

As a result, members leave the council’s meetings rejuvenated and motivated to implement the real-world information they’ve learned – and likely could not have gotten anywhere else, according to Keller.

Keller and Skipper will continue to ensure the council provides members with high-quality content in 2025. Future topics, gleaned from a member survey, include financial and wealth planning, exit planning, small business opportunities for women, recruiting and retaining talent, team building, self care for owners and staff, and keeping up with changing technology.

“The goal is to answer any question that comes up on how to continue to successfully grow and maintain a business in the Wilmington region,” says Keller. “The plan is to really deliver content and connect people.”

Keller and Skipper say they are pleased with the council’s growth, both for the organization and for the impact it can have on the future of female entrepreneurship in the community.

“To see this group recharged and grow in excitement is really special,” says Skipper. “By keeping that growth and to grow the group through the chamber, women business ownership will continue to grow.”

To view more of photographer Aris Harding’s work, go to arisharding.com.

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