MERIDIAN — A new group focused on women in business is gaining traction in the Treasure Valley.
The Boise Breakfast Club met bright and early Tuesday morning for their sixth month in action.
Founder Kelci Borges told Idaho News 6 the group officially launched in January but the idea for a female founder network had been brewing for multiple years.
“I just put my fear aside, finally, and said ‘I’m just going to go for it' because I feel like this community really needs it. And we have sold out every single month,” Borges said.
Borges also owns and operates Sherose, a business strategy and marketing consulting company. The Boise Breakfast Club is an aspect of her role as a community host in that line of work.
“Because when we can get in the room with other female founders and CEOs who are doing big, crazy, amazing, audacious things…we realize and recognize how much that’s a possibility for our own lives, that we can do that too,” Borges said.
Every month, women from across a collection of industries in the Treasure Valley join together for these ticketed events. The club’s objective is not only networking but also education.
“We're giving them [attendees] the resources and tools that they need in order for their business to thrive and to grow,” Borges said.
“One thing that I think is really important when you are a business owner is to really find a community that aligns with you,” Podcaster and Influencer Natalie Plummer, told Idaho News 6.
Plummer, who runs the Hello Meridian social media and the Boise Bubble Podcast, said she gets a lot out of attending the Boise Breakfast Club events.
“I can come here and I'm meeting and I'm filled with everything that I personally want, which is a little more information and connections with people who are valuable to me, who can help me with some of the particular struggles that I face in my business,” Plummer said.
At the June event, featured speaker Katelyn Magnuson spoke to the group about financial planning and saving for retirement.
“It’s really hitting those topics that aren't always discussed as easily, right? We're not just going surface-level. We're talking about the bigger things that actually move the needle in your business,” Magnuson said of the Breakfast Club.
Magnuson is an accountant and owns The Freelance CFO, a full-service accounting, bookkeeping and tax preparation firm. She told us saving for retirement can be a barrier for women.
“Women, on average, retire with two-thirds less in savings than their male counterparts. And women tend to live five to seven years longer. So not only are we generally needing significantly more money, but we also don't have as much money set aside,” Magnuson said.
You don’t need to be a female founder of a business to attend the group’s meetings.
“I love being able to genuinely see women succeed,” Borges said, “These events are really for growth-minded women who are looking to learn and also connect with other women.”
Next month’s event takes place on July 18 at Kiln in Meridian and will focus on real estate investment. More info here.
