Women Business Owners Network

What Women Business Owners Network does

Women Business Owners Network (WBON) is a Vermont-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving as the state's longest-running community for women business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Williston, VT, WBON operates a chapter-based membership model with monthly regional meetings (Burlington, Essex, Bennington), an annual conference ('Rising Together We Thrive' held September 30, 2025 at ECHO Leahy Center), a searchable member directory, a Public Policy Committee engaging on state and national advocacy (Paid Family Medical Leave, access to capital, independent contractor classification), and supporting resources including member spotlights and policy briefings. The organization positions itself against three pain points: owner isolation, limited access to peer support and capital, and the need for practical business knowledge.\n\nWBON's underlying technology stack is commodity web infrastructure rather than proprietary IP: WordPress CMS with The Events Calendar plugin, Zoom for virtual events, Eventbrite for event ticketing, ConvertKit for email newsletter distribution (via eepurl.com/dHoKZL), and Google Calendar / iCalendar / Outlook feed integrations. There is no mobile app, public API, SDK, or MCP server. The platform is membership-first rather than technology-first, and product value is derived from organized events, peer relationships, and advocacy rather than software.\n\nWBON's business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure composed of annual membership dues (recurring, billing cadence annual, pricing not publicly disclosed), annual corporate partnerships with named sponsors (Vermont Federal Credit Union as a core partner; Clute Wealth Management, Marketing Partners Inc., Mercy Connections, Runway Auto Collision Repair), and tax-deductible donations through the WBON Support Fund (a 501(c)(3) charitable vehicle). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: chapter meetings and conferences drive both acquisition and retention, supplemented by website content, email, organic social (Facebook, X, LinkedIn), and partner referrals. The customer base is entirely SMB segment, serving Vermont's 24,400 women-owned businesses. The company has no parent, no subsidiaries, no funding rounds (private nonprofit), no public listing, and no disclosed revenue or headcount.

Name

Women Business Owners Network

Legal name

Women Business Owners Network

Website

https://wbon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Women Business Owners Network (WBON) is a Vermont-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating Vermont's longest-running membership community for women business owners, delivering chapter meetings, an annual conference, a member directory, and public policy advocacy across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Williston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Annual membership fees for women business owners to join the network and access chapter meetings, resources, member directory, and community benefits.
2. Annual partnerships: Sponsorships and annual partnerships with organizations like Vermont Federal Credit Union, Clute Wealth Management, and Marketing Partners, Inc. to support the organization's mission.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions to the WBON Support Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WBON operates a Vermont-based, membership-driven nonprofit community for women business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. Its core offering centers on an annual membership program that grants access to regional monthly chapter meetings, an annual statewide conference, a searchable member directory for peer referrals, and educational and policy resources organized around three pillars: Education, Community, and Public Influence (advocacy through a Public Policy Committee).

Product overview

WBON (Women Business Owners Network) is Vermont's longest-running nonprofit community for women business owners, operating as a membership-based network rather than a software product. The organization offers a membership program that provides access to an annual conference (such as the 'Rising Together We Thrive' conference), regional monthly chapter meetings, a searchable member directory, and advocacy through its Public Policy Committee. Additional offerings include the WBON Support Fund for donations, the 'She Owns It' blog featuring member spotlights, the 'WBON Policy Brief' blog covering public policy issues, and educational resources including COVID-19 resources and member-to-member business support materials. The portfolio centers on community building, peer networking, education, and advocacy rather than technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WBON Membership Program Annual membership program providing women business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs access to a network of WBON members, a searchable member directory, monthly chapter meetings, educational resources, and an annual conference.
• Annual Conference (Rising Together We Thrive) Recurring annual statewide conference bringing together WBON members, aspiring entrepreneurs, and allies for connection, practical skill-building, and collaborative visioning on topics such as AI, funding, policy, and business strategy.
• Chapter Meetings Regional monthly in-person (and virtual via Zoom) chapter meetings across Vermont facilitating peer relationships, informal networking, and knowledge sharing among women business owners in small group settings.
• Public Policy Committee Advocacy committee working to influence state and national policy on issues affecting women business owners, including Paid Family Medical Leave, access to capital, independent contractor classification, and economic development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24,400 women-owned businesses in Vermont supported through partnership messaging

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vermont Federal Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual partner supporting WBON's mission to increase opportunities for women. Jean Giard, President/CEO of Vermont Federal Credit Union, stated support for WBON's mission to advance gender-equal economy.
• Clute Wealth ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner supporting WBON's work with women business owners in Vermont.
• Marketing Partners, Inc.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFull-service marketing firm that also designs WBON's website and materials. Pat Heffernan serves as board member and co-chair of WBON's public policy committee.
• Mercy ConnectionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization focused on inclusive entrepreneurship supporting WBON's mission.
• Runway Auto Collision RepairminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAuto collision repair business in Vermont supporting WBON as a partner.
• The Working Lands Enterprise InitiativeminorOthersVermont state economic development program that funded Vermont Chevon (a WBON member business) through grants to support agriculture.
• Champlain CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont college where member Deb Chisholm is exploring potential partnership for her empowerment platform development, potentially employing recent grads and students.
• Small Business Development CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBDC is helping member Deb Chisholm with grant research and business growth strategy for developing her empowerment platform.
• Vermont Commission on WomenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState commission conducting Listening Project survey on issues facing women in Vermont, partnering with WBON to gather input from women business owners.
• GameTheoryminorOthersVermont-based studio applying games, technology, and design to create social change. Co-owner Shannon Mitchell joined WBON Board in 2025.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SCORE: National nonprofit providing free mentoring, workshops, and resources to small business owners including women entrepreneurs. Overlaps with WBON on education and peer mentoring but operates at much greater scale across all demographics.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: National business education and growth program for small businesses, including women-owned, providing access to capital, education, and networking. Comparable in its mission to support women business owners with practical business growth resources.

Direct peers

• Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE): Nonprofit organization supporting women entrepreneurs through training, networking, and access to capital. Operates multiple regional centers with a comparable mission and educational programming to WBON.
• Ellevate Network: Global professional women's network focused on career and business connection through chapters, mentoring circles, and online community. Closely mirrors WBON's community-led peer-networking approach at a digital-first scale.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): National membership organization for women business owners offering chapter-based networking, education, and public policy advocacy. Directly comparable to WBON's model but at national scale rather than Vermont-only.
• Women Presidents' Organization (WPO): Membership-based peer organization for women business owners and presidents, structured around local chapters and peer advisory groups. Same chapter-driven, peer-learning model as WBON, though targeting higher-revenue businesses.

Regional players

• Mercy Connections: Vermont nonprofit focused on inclusive entrepreneurship and workforce development, already an active WBON partner. Operates adjacent programming for aspiring entrepreneurs in the same Burlington geographic footprint.
• Vermont Small Business Development Center (VT SBDC): State-funded resource partner offering business advising, training, and capital access to Vermont small businesses. Already partners with WBON members; comparable in mission to support Vermont entrepreneurs including women-owned businesses.
• Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR): Vermont-based membership association for socially responsible businesses, offering networking, education, and policy advocacy. Comparable Vermont nonprofit membership model with policy engagement similar to WBON's Public Policy Committee.

Others

• American Express - Women Business Owners Initiatives: Large financial services company running multiple programs supporting women entrepreneurs through education, networking events (e.g., "She's Next"), and access to capital. Functions as an ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wbonvt
• Facebookfacebook.com/WBONVT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wbon---women-business-owners-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Women Business Owners Network