Women Business Owners of Montgomery County

What Women Business Owners of Montgomery County does

Women Business Owners of Montgomery County (WBO) is a volunteer-run, membership-based nonprofit organization founded in 1980 in Rockville, Maryland, that serves women who actively manage established businesses they own in Montgomery County, as well as 'Friends of WBO' (advocates in government, nonprofits, or academia who support women entrepreneurship). Its functional role is to address the social isolation of entrepreneurship and provide peer networking, business referrals, and educational programming through a recurring calendar of in-person and virtual events. Core offerings include the $155/year WBO Membership and the no-dues Friend of WBO designation, plus a portfolio of events — Signature Monthly Networking Breakfasts at Silver Diner locations, Monthly Virtual Networking sessions, Power Hour coworking, Power 60 focused work sessions, 9:37 Steps to Connect walking networking, member-only Lunch n' Learns, the WBO Blog, a member directory, member discounts, and 'Members In The Wild' community calendar — supplemented by per-meeting event sponsorship sold to member and non-member businesses.

The underlying technology footprint is intentionally lightweight: a WordPress-based website (wbo-mc.com) for content, event registration, and membership communications; Zoom for virtual events and coworking; and an eepurl newsletter for email distribution. There is no proprietary platform, no mobile app, no disclosed AI/ML capability, and no API surface. Digital channels (website, Facebook, LinkedIn) were upgraded in 2023 alongside the brand refresh. Revenue mechanics are straightforward: recurring annual membership dues of $155, transaction-based guest attendance fees ranging from $5 to $15 per event, and per-meeting sponsorship packages priced at $150 for members and $300 for non-members. Go-to-market is community- and event-led: prospective members are encouraged to attend one to two events before applying, with the Board of Directors reviewing applications monthly. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors led by President Laura Labovich and President-Elect Maya Nadeem, with no paid staff headcount disclosed.

Name

Women Business Owners of Montgomery County

Legal name

Women Business Owners of Montgomery County

Website

https://wbo-mc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women Business Owners of Montgomery County is a volunteer-run nonprofit founded in 1980 that runs a $155/year membership community for women business owners and their supporters in Montgomery County, Maryland, delivering peer networking, educational events, and sponsorship opportunities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Dues: Core revenue stream from annual membership dues. Standard membership is $155 per year for women business owners actively involved in managing an established business. 'Friend of WBO' membership does not charge dues but requires contributing a tangible service or expertise at least once per membership year.
2. Event Guest Fees: Revenue from guest attendance at events. Members attend most events complimentary or at discounted rates. Guests pay $10-$15 for networking events, $5 for social events. Sponsorship opportunities at meetings provide additional event-based revenue.
3. Meeting Sponsorship: Event sponsorship revenue from businesses wanting visibility. Members sponsor meetings for $150 per meeting; non-members for $300. Sponsors receive pre-event email promotion, social media mentions (Facebook/LinkedIn), homepage feature, complimentary ticket, promotional table placement, and a 5-minute speaking opportunity. Luncheon sponsorship is also available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WBO operates an annual membership community ($155/year) for women business owners in Montgomery County, Maryland. Members gain access to recurring signature networking events (in-person breakfasts at Silver Diner, monthly virtual networking, Power Hour coworking, 9:37 Steps to Connect walking networking), member-exclusive Lunch n' Learn educational webinars, a member directory, member discounts, and visibility through the organization's newsletter and social channels. A separate "Friend of WBO" non-dues membership is available to non-owner supporters who contribute expertise or services in lieu of payment.

Product overview

Women Business Owners of Montgomery County (WBO) operates as a community membership organization rather than a unified software product. The core offering is the WBO Membership ($155 annually) and Friend of WBO designation, which provide access to a portfolio of programs including Signature Monthly Networking Breakfasts, Monthly Virtual Networking events, Power Hour Coworking sessions, 9:37 Steps to Connect walking networking, member-exclusive Lunch n' Learns, the WBO Blog, event sponsorship opportunities, and the Members In The Wild community calendar. These programs are structured as standalone offerings under a unified membership rather than a modular software platform with add-on components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WBO Membership Annual membership ($155/year) granting women business owners in Montgomery County, Maryland access to in-person and virtual networking events, member directory listings, members-only discounts, newsletter and social media exposure, educational Lunch n' Learn webinars, and leadership opportunities within a 40+ year community of women entrepreneurs.
• Friend of WBO Non-dues membership category for individuals in government, nonprofit, academic, or other leadership roles who support women-owned businesses through expertise, connections, or resources. Members contribute a tangible service or expertise (e.g., hosting an event, leading a workshop) at least once per membership year in lieu of dues.
• Signature Monthly Networking Breakfast In-person monthly networking breakfast held at Silver Diner in Rockville, Maryland, providing members complimentary attendance and offering guest registration for $15 plus meal costs. Designed for informal peer networking among women business owners.
• Monthly Virtual Networking Online monthly networking session featuring guided breakout conversations around unique themes and discussion prompts, enabling members and $10-registered guests to build professional relationships remotely via Zoom.
• Power Hour Coworking Virtual coworking session where members work alongside each other on individual tasks, projects, or priorities, framed by brief welcome, intention-setting, and wrap-up discussions. Members and guests attend complimentary.
• 9:37 Steps to Connect Casual walking networking social where participants rotate in pairs during a structured walk followed by optional continued conversation at Silver Diner (Lakeside). Members attend complimentary; guests pay a $5 registration fee plus their own food/beverage purchases.
• Lunch n' Learns Members-only educational webinar programming featuring expert insights and knowledge sharing on topics relevant to women business owners, with replays accessible to members on the organization's website.
• Event Sponsorship Per-meeting sponsorship opportunity providing brand visibility through pre-event email promotion, Facebook and LinkedIn mentions, homepage feature, one complimentary ticket, promotional materials placement, and a five-minute speaking slot. Priced at $150 per meeting for members and $300 per meeting for non-members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ years of continuous operation supporting women entrepreneurs in Montgomery County
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Montgomery County Commission for WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBO is a co-sponsor and exhibitor at the annual Montgomery County Women's Legislative Briefing, which is hosted by the Montgomery County Commission for Women. This event mobilizes advocates, policy makers, and emerging leaders around issues facing women and girls in Maryland. The partnership showcases WBO members' commitment to issues affecting women in the state and provides visibility for the organization and its members.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC): National certifying body for women-owned businesses with networking and corporate-connection programming; comparable to WBO in advocacy and visibility for women business owners, though focused on certification rather than grassroots community.
• Ladies Who Launch: Women-focused entrepreneur support community with events, workshops, and online programs; comparable to WBO's women-business-owner community model, though operating with broader digital reach.

Direct peers

• SCORE: U.S. nonprofit providing mentoring, workshops, and networking for small business owners; comparable to WBO in its volunteer-driven, educational, peer-support mission for entrepreneurs (gender-neutral, whereas WBO is women-specific).
• Women Presidents' Organization (WPO): Membership-based peer advisory organization for women business owners operating at the $2M+ revenue level; comparable to WBO in its women-business-owner community focus, though serving a higher-revenue segment.
• American Business Women's Association (ABWA): Long-standing national membership organization for women in business with local chapters, networking events, and education programs — directly comparable to WBO's structure and member value proposition.
• Ellevate Network: Global professional network for women offering membership, virtual and in-person events, and mentorship — directly comparable to WBO in mission and event-driven member engagement model.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): National membership association for women business owners offering local chapters, networking, education, and advocacy — directly comparable to WBO's community-led, dues-based model for women entrepreneurs.

Regional players

• Maryland Women's Business Center: Maryland-based SBA resource partner providing training, mentoring, and networking for women entrepreneurs; directly comparable to WBO's geographic focus and women-business-owner support mission within the same state.
• Greater Rockville Chamber of Commerce: Local chamber serving Rockville and surrounding Montgomery County businesses with networking events and advocacy; comparable to WBO in regional small-business community-building, though gender-neutral and broader in scope.

Broad incumbents

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women: Global initiative providing business education and access to capital for women entrepreneurs; comparable to WBO in mission but operates at a much larger, well-funded scale with curriculum and capital networks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wbo.mc.md
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wbo-mc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 of Montgomery County