Nonprofit devoted to helping women in business celebrates grand opening in Idaho Falls
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IDAHO FALLS – After two months of business in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Women’s Business Center is officially holding its grand opening Tuesday.
The office is located inside the Idaho Innovation Center at 2300 North Yellowstone Highway, but Idaho National Laboratory will be hosting the event at 2 p.m. Among those in attendance will be Governor Brad Little, U.S. Senator Jim Risch and U.S. Representative Mike Simpson, along with Ammon Mayor Sean Coletti and Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper.
Each of them will give a few remarks and a ribbon-cutting will follow.
“Idaho’s entrepreneurs and business leaders are at the heart of our state’s economic success. I want to thank the Idaho Women’s Business Center for the continued support of Idaho’s women entrepreneurs in our cities and rural communities. This expansion will help provide the important services Idahoans can use to flourish in our state’s business-friendly environment,” Governor Little says in a news release.
IWBC is a nonprofit that helps provide resources for female entrepreneurs and business professionals. It brings a variety of training and classes for those who need assistance, along with office equipment or new employees.
“If there’s something we can’t do for them personally, we link them up with someone in their community who can help them,” Associate Director Cheryl O’Brien tells EastIdahoNews.com. “It’s very community-oriented. We want women who are successful in their community helping other women start and run businesses.”
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, O’Brien has seen an uptick in businesses owned and operated by women. In the last two months, O’Brien says establishing an online presence and acquiring funding for equipment and other materials are the most common needs business owners have had.
“We are seeking women and other professionals … who are interested in volunteering to help these (beginner) entrepreneurs,” says O’Brien. “I’ve already been amazed with the number of people who have stepped up and said they want to volunteer.”
The IWBC has four locations throughout the state, including one in Nampa and Moscow. A Twin Falls location opened up right before the pandemic hit in March.
The opening of the Idaho Falls office is a result of increasing requests for business assistance in eastern Idaho, O’Brien says, and one of its main purposes is to better connect to rural communities.
“In the short time since opening, IWBC has already proven itself an invaluable resource for small businesses across Idaho. Now more than ever, IWBC’s services are a precious lifeline to business owners and entrepreneurs, and I am pleased to see the center broaden its footprint in rural Idaho,” Simpson says in a news release.
O’Brien worked at the INL for more than 30 years. Her role as Director of Engineering programs gave her a lot of exposure to the corporate world, which increased her desire to do something community-oriented. The idea of opening an IWBC in Idaho Falls intrigued her.
“I decided I wanted to do something that was … focused on women because I came from a (field dominated by) men,” she says. “The IWBC fit that niche for me because it allows me to connect with, work with and meet with women.”
O’Brien is excited about the organization’s ability to help women make a better living and she’s looking forward to increasing her clientele.
IWBC is currently serving clients through Zoom or phone calls. Sessions are by appointment only, but office hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. once things get back to normal.
The grand opening is limited to 25 people but it will be streamed on the organization’s website. To schedule an appointment or volunteer, call (208) 996-1574.