COVER PAGE

Betty HINES

Q: 1On your social media accounts your profile introduces you as a “Women Business Strategist”. To our women and lady Businesspersons and entrepreneurs out there, what does that mean?

By definition, a strategist is someone who is skilled in planning the best way to gain an advantage or to achieve success, and that is what I do for my clients. As a women business strategist, I know the challenges of climbing the corporate ladder or trying to scale your business while navigating your everyday life and experiences, there is a tendency to prioritize everything and everyone before yourself.

Many women entrepreneurs and executives do not take the time to develop a strategy for their businesses or careers. Being so focused on the operations of the business, can lead to missed opportunities and connections. Having experienced these things, I am able to assist other women on what strategy they should implement in designing and building a better leader. From my purview, I show women how to develop a strategic plan that improves their chances in reaching their goals by driving objectives to specific results.

Q: What project “Women Elevating Women”, what is the project and initiative about?

Women Elevating Women or W.E.W., is about recognizing the women’s right to be an entrepreneur or executive. For this very reason, we launched W.E.W. on March 9, 2018, to commemorate International Women’s Day. Our purpose is to bring women together from different backgrounds and cultures, to realize their full economic growth when they collaborate, connect, and communicate. In the United States, we want to close the revenue gaps between minority and non-minority women. We want to equip women with the tools and techniques necessary to scale and gain more access to capital and opportunities within and outside of the US.

In W.E.W., we know that there are barriers we still need to overcome as women, so we seek collaborations country wide and globally, with the intentions of building long term business relationships as we all prosper. We also know that peer advisory groups are the best way to learn and grow. We know that in our women peer advisory groups we will learn from each other and seek additional learning to improve business acumen. In W.E.W. we can ask questions about what we don’t know without judgement. This type of learning is known to many as “collateral learning” and W.E.W. intends to use it globally for business growth. Our platform is for women where we encourage, inspire, and elevate each other in all business endeavors.

Q: What exact positive impacts and empowerment has and will W.E.W. continue to have on/in the lives of women.

Once you become involved or a member with the Women Elevating Women, you are placed in a group called the WEW C.R.E.W. This is where you have the WEW C.R.E.W. experience. CLARITY- You will understand the essential elements that are needed to incorporate in your business. You will learn how to build business relationships and seek the support needed to enhance your business acumen.

REFINEMENT-We believe that the platform we provide will help you succeed. Our group facilitation of issues and challenges places you in a better position to contribute more to the economy by working in this type of environment.

ENGAGEMENT-We will work in groups that meet monthly and each person is assigned an accountability partner. We will engage you in two annual meetings, one domestic and one international conference allowing you to exchange information. We give the women more exposure through member spotlights on website, internet interviews, and podcasts. We will bring in subject matter experts in areas that you are deficient.

WINNINGS-you will have ongoing support of the group who will be with you on your journey. You will learn how to be a leader and build a management structure. You will learn how to confront any shortcomings that impede you and your company growth. You will share your lessons learned from your experiences.

Q. What inspired you to develop the W.E.W. idea?

Knowing that in the USA only 4% of all women have gross revenues that exceed $1Million USD. When broken out by ethnicity it is a fraction of this percent. My inspiration was to work with women who revenues were under seven figures, alongside women who are over $1 Million USD and establish peer advisory groups Q: I see some of the awards you have gotten over the years: President’s Award for facilitating Greatness, Adrienne Hall Award r Breaking Down Barriers, share with us some of your awards won? For me, receiving awards and recognition is affirmation that I am doing the right thing and going in the right direction and fulfilling my purpose in life. Other achievements and recognitions are:

to give them a platform to scale and brand their businesses globally and domestically. By bringing the women executive and entrepreneur together, you achieve more innovative ideas, more acceleration of business insights and profitability, and you assimilate different mindsets and influences from other successful leaders. W.E.W. wants to be the organization to provide members information on how to gain more access to capital, access to resources and opportunities. Q. In your strive to impact lives of women and to empower them by providing so much encouragement, counseling, information and the magnitude of what W.E.W. stands for, do you experience resistance and how do you manage them? • The Board Chairwomen of

LINBIZ -USA

• The Advisory Council-Women

Business Collaborative-

Entrepreneurship and Access to Capital committee • Advisory Board Member-The

Black Experience • Member of the District of Columbia Chamber of

Commerce

• Chapter Chair-Women

Presidents’ Organization • Board Chair-GroYourBiz

• Professional Insurance Ladies

Association of Nigeria-Positive

Impact Award • Co-Founder of the 100

Black Men of America Inc. and Women Presidents’

Organization -Women of Color

Achievement Award since 2006

I have not experienced resistance so far and don’t expect to because we connect and collaborate with visionary people. Visionary people know that more growth we have in small businesses/entrepreneurs there is positive economic influence that impacts everyone domestically and globally. As these businesses accelerate their business growth, so does employment.

Their growth puts them in a sustainable position to survive during difficult economic times. W.E.W. believes there are enough opportunities out there for everyone. How W.E.W. prepares the women to overcome the barriers is a testament to the strength of their groups, the ability to collaborate, connect and willingness to share information and resources. • The Daily Record-Maryland

Top 100 Women and inducted into the Circle of Excellence in 2012

Q. Why is a women’s empowerment program and ideas as W.E.W. .important Well, I generally do not speak of WEW as a women’s empowerment organization or program because I realize that women are already powerful. What I do recognize is the power that is unleashed

when women are given the proper platform to come together and share their knowledge, expertise, goals, and vision. In this setting, with strategic planning and input guided by best practices, women can flourish as business owners and professionals. Women who are empowered should empower other women to effect the change in their economic status. W.E.W. believes that providing a platform for women who have achieved success, builds confidence for those who might not be at that level, have been excluded or marginalized. W.E.W. is inclusive, and we encourage the women to make informed decisions, allowing them to have a positive impact in their community and for their family. It is important to have a haven to vet personal and business decisions in a confidential and nurturing setting. Together W.E.W. women can turn to the group for their collective

wisdom as they work through the challenges of running a business or being an executive. Organizations like W.E.W., are important because we make no judgement about cultural differences. W.E.W. creates an environment where you belong. W.E.W.is committed to lift each woman as they elevate to accelerate greater opportunities for all. techniques, and resources. I offer the Five Pillars of Success.

For W.E.W. you must CONNECT with likeminded women across the globe, who aspire to excel in both their business career and business growth. You must COLLABORATE with corporations, executives, entrepreneurs, and other small businesses. Together you can understand how to overcome the barriers that prevent you from gaining greater access to capital and other unknown business opportunities. We believe women must have COURAGE, which is an essential ingredient in any successful business enterprise. You must have courage to take care of your wealth and health (mental and physical). By supporting one another, you gain more courage to move forward, even when the path is steep, and the odds are long. You instill the right way to COMMUNICATE. You must be clear on how you communicate your brand and project the correct image to others. You can do this by having a better understanding on how to use different social media platforms to highlight our business values, our products and our services. You must seek innovative ways to celebrate you and your business. You must CULTIVATE others which is a way of “giving back”. For W.E.W, we believe that we must encourage, inspire, and elevate nonprofit organizations that train and develop tomorrow’s thought leaders. WEW supports those organizations that help our youth develop their professional goals. In doing so, we provide one complimentary W.E.W. membership to the Founder or CEO, into each of our groups.

For our readers, what makes an entrepreneur successful?

To be an effective and successful entrepreneur, one needs the tips, tools, Q. What’s the biggest factor that has helped your success in achieving the aim and the vision of W.E.W? Surround myself around individuals who are more successful than me. Practice listening and learn something new every day. Most importantly, always remember to give thanks. LINBIZ GLOBAL | PAGE - 7

Q. What is the best advice you can give to woman of this age, time and century?

It is okay to not know something. But it’s not okay to not ask someone who knows for assistance.

Q.Where do you see WEW in the next 10 years from now? What do you intend to achieve more with the project way forward.?

I see WEW as a global franchise with a proven history of successful women entrepreneurs and executives. I intend to achieve a culture of “belonging” within each WEW CREW. With WEW you have acceptance and support from members of the entire organization. We are WEW, Women Elevating Women, so KEEP ELEVATING!!