 Recently, three women from the NAWBO’s Southeastern Virginia Chapter – Dr. Lynette Young of Young Family Dentistry; Jennifer Whitham, owner of Vanwin Coatings and president of NAWBO, and Denise Rang, owner of A Head of Hair Salon in Virginia Beach -- and Karen Lansing, director of sales for COX Communications, spoke with 60 Girl Scouts at a entrepreneur workshop held at A Place for Girls.
Each speaker gave presentations that helped open girls’ eyes to the possibilities ahead of them. And each speaker had unique stories of how they became involved in their career choice. For Dr. Young, it was a fall at age 10 that led her to many visits to a dentist who became her role model and mentor later in life.
“You never know where you will find your dream,” Dr. Young said. “But dreams have to have roots, and that’s why you have to spend time learning – like you’re doing today.”
 Jennifer Whitham grabbed the girls’ interest with her story of selecting a business that most would consider non-traditional for a woman. Her company puts special coatings on metal surfaces. She spent fourteen years as a certified public accountant before taking the leap to become a business owner. She told the girls it was worth the risk but the success has come with a lot of responsibilities.
“Just like selling Girl Scout cookies, you need to keep the satisfaction of the customer in mind and have a goal,” Jennifer said. “That means you need to be honest, trustworthy, reliable and be willing to make sacrifices. But you also need to be prepared to have fun and to feel good about succeeding when a job is well done.”
 The mother of five answered questions about balancing work and career, as well as questions about running two operational plants. The girls were amazed at some of the jobs, such as the thousand garment racks she was called upon to coat for Walmart and one of the main iron gates at the White House. From hard hats to special piping, the girls were awed at what her business produced.
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that, in the next decade, approximately two-thirds of the estimated 15.6 million new jobs in the United States will require some post-secondary education or considerable on-the-job training. And some of the fastest-growing occupations are likely to be in information technology, financial advice and health care. There are also growth predictions for women-owned businesses as our economy recovers.
Here are a few strategies NAWBO members gave Girl Scouts that everyone could use in their career planning:
• Take time to listen to others – ask questions!
• Find ways to be creative in everything you do - this comes in handy when you’re in a rut at work and you need to jazz it up.
• Arrange to meet others – especially women role models - who are in careers you might be considering. Perhaps an on-site visit to a business. Be sure to dress appropriately and be in your best form. First impressions are lasting impressions.
• If you don’t have one, get a positive attitude!
• Don’t ever be ashamed to ask for assistance.
• Get involved in organizations that will help you build skills – like the Girl Scouts!
• Be open to new ideas – give yourself time to explore.
• Share your skills and talents with others.
For information about upcoming Girl Scout workshops or opportunities, visit www.gsccc.org.. To find out about the National Association of Women Business Owners visit www.nawboseva.org. If you are a member of an organization that would like to connect or partner with Girl Scouts, contact Marcy Germanotta at marcyg@gsccc.org. | 
