1.9% Isn't a Ceiling. It's a Gap.

More women are planning to start businesses this year than ever before. According to an “Entrepreneurship in 2026” survey by QuickBooks, one in four women plan to launch a new business this year. Another 58 percent say they would consider it. 

Only 1.9% of women-owned businesses ever reach $1 million in annual revenue. Not because women aren’t capable, but because the system – and often our own beliefs about money – have held us back.

Imagine if 10% of women-owned businesses hit $1M.  The Women Presidents Organization (WPO) would be fortunate to serve them all!  

That 1.9% isn't a ceiling. It's a gap – and gaps are where organizations like WPO do their best work. Every woman who joins a peer advisory group, finds a mentor, or simply decides her business deserves to be a $1M business is closing that gap, one decision at a time.

The women starting businesses this year don't need permission. They need community, capital, and a peer group that expects them to think bigger. That's what WPO and WPO Chicago is here for.

So here's the real question: What would it take for your business to be one of the 10%?

2026 WPO Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum (EEF) May 7-8

Are you attending?  I will be along with a dozen WPO Chicago members and hundreds more of WPO members spanning globally.

WPO's signature annual event – 2026 WPO EEF – brings together hundreds of extraordinary women business leaders from around the world for two days of inspiration, collaboration, and growth.

Designed to give women entrepreneurs a transformative experience away from daily operations, the 2026 Forum will feature inspiring keynote speakers, interactive breakout sessions, peer-to-peer learning, and unmatched networking opportunities. Attendees will leave with actionable insights, renewed energy, and strategies to elevate their businesses.

The Forum will also celebrate the remarkable achievements of women-led enterprises, including the annual recognition of the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies, honoring the innovators driving business growth and industry transformation.

Join us for this unparalleled gathering of women entrepreneurs shaping the future of business. Click here to register.

Happy Holidays 2025 from WPO Chicago!

©2025 WPO Chicago.  All rights reserved.

"On behalf of the Women Presidents Organization Chicago chapter members, may the gift of happiness be yours this holiday season!" – Laurel J. Delaney, WPO Chicago Chapter Chair

Let's Talk Fitness!

Whether you're a power walker, a lifter, a Pilates queen, or all of the above, we've got you.  As a woman president, you must stay in shape to keep up with the demands of running a successful business.  Here are a plethora of options – guides – to make that happen. 

More Delightful Pictures From the 22nd Annual WPO Chicago Summit 9/11/25

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

More information about the 22nd Annual WPO Chicago Summit – topic, speakers, moderators and host – can be found here.

22 Years Strong: WPO Chicago Annual Summit 2025 a Grand Success!

©2025 Women Presidents Organization Chicago.  All rights reserved.

This is "us" – Women Presidents Organization Chicago strong.  A grand success at our 22nd Annual WPO Chicago Summit 9/11/25.

The Summit took a clear-eyed look at the forces shaping business today and tomorrow. From the broader state of the economy to the evolving role of tariffs, interest rates, inflation, and the Federal Reserve, we’ll examine the questions that matter most to business leaders. Are current policies pushing us toward recession—or resilience?  How might rate decisions in 2025 and beyond affect growth? And what happens if politics enters the Fed’s decision-making? Join us for an engaging discussion on what lies ahead and how you can prepare for it.

Panelists discussed:

• A macro view of the state of the economy.
• Where we stand with tariff changes and policies and the impact on business owners.
• Where interest rates will settle in 2025.
• What happens if the Federal Reserve becomes politicized.
• Whether the U.S. dollar strengthens or weakens in 2025.
• What impact the firing of the BLS Administrator has on economic data.
• What if the next equity drawdown is inflation-led, not growth-led?
• How a business owner can survive or even thrive during economic turmoil.

It was a thought-provoking, engaging and informative program. 

Thank you to Foley & Lardner LLP for hosting us.  Shout out to Ellen Wheeler and Lauren Loew – WPO Chicago members and each respective partners at Foley. 

Big thank you to Lisa A. Byrne, MBA, Senior Vice President | Financial Advisor, Portfolio Director Group, RBC Wealth Management and Rachel D. Irons, CFP®, ChFC®, Senior Vice President – Wealth Management, Financial Advisor, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, UBS for moderating our panel discussion on "Navigating the Unknown: Economic Strategies for Women CEOs."

And to the panelists – Kristin Roesch, Vice President Blackstone Investment Strategy; Charlotte Noels, Vice President Blackstone Private Wealth; Scott Becker, CFA, Calamos, Senior Vice President, Head of Portfolio Specialists; and Katrina Schmaltz, CFA®, CPA, Managing Director, Portfolio Strategist, Nuveen – thank you for sharing your expertise with us.

See you at our 23rd Annual Summit in 2026!

The 22nd Annual WPO Chicago Summit 2025 – Navigating the Unknown: Economic Strategies for Women CEOs

This is WPO Chicago (Home of Pope Leo): WPO Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum (EEF) 2025

A glimpse of WPO Chicago members in action at the Women Presidents Organization Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum (EEF) 2025. More can be found here.

If you are not a WPO member yet, you need to be.  Ping me and I'll introduce you to the right person to start the ball rolling.

Photo credit:  2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

From WPO Chicago, Let's Go 2025!

Peace.  Good health.  And joy.  May 2025 be filled with prosperity and phenomenal growth!  Best wishes from WPO Chicago.

Happy Holidays from WPO Chicago!

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

One Million People Joined in a Day: Bluesky Rises

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

In early November, 1 million people joined Bluesky in a single day. Now, a live counter shows over 20 million users as of earlier this week. With 10-11 people joining per second, the social media startup seems to have no limit. Here’s what to know about the social media platform scaling faster than anyone expected.

Many point to multiple factors, rather than a random rise in popularity, for the success of Bluesky. X has been dealing with mass exoduses, the largest of which involved 115,000 people who left after the election.

The surge has coincided with not only the election month, but also a change in the X user agreement that went into effect Nov. 15, which includes legal ramifications.

I [Laurel Delaney] am on Twitter but I have also setup an account at Bluesky.

What would you do if your business took off?  Are you ready? 

Becoming Acquainted With Angel Li, Founder of RISE Education and WPO Chicago I Chapter Member

Discover how Angel Li (pictured), founder of RISE Education and WPO Chicago I chapter member came up with the idea for her business, how she manages her team, what resources have helped her prosper, and more.

Read the entire interview at Canvas Rebel.

WPO Chicago I Member Denise Press Featured in Fox Business

A recent study done by Morning Consult for Visa that surveyed small business decision-makers found that just 52% of U.S. small businesses have adopted AI in their operations, while about half of non-adopters are planning to follow suit within the next two years. Of those that have implemented AI, 85% say their use of AI has increased compared to a year ago.

"There is a recognition that AI and the advancement of technology is important in small business," Denise Press (pictured), Visa's head of small business for North America, told FOX Business in an interview. "There was an equal weight of, 'I don't know how to get started' and not knowing how to get started and not being experts in AI and/or new technology."

Read full story here.

Happy New Year and Brisk Business in 2024!

Merry Christmas From WPO Chicago!

©2023 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Transitions: Strategies For Business Owners (Event 6/28/23)

Two WPO Chicago members, WPO CEO Camille Burns (moderator), and Prudential VP of Advanced Planning Karen Hoffman will discuss concerns and strategies to help ensure that ownership of your business is transferred smoothly when the time comes. 

Approaches for transferring wealth to people and organizations that you care about will also be discussed.

If you are a business owner, feel free to join us Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 4:00 PM CT.

To learn more and to register (virtually or in person), visit: https://www.women-presidents.com/news-events/events-programs/Prudential-and-WPO-Discussion-Panel

WPO Member of the Moment: Teri Sharp, President at American Precision Supply, Inc.

Congrats to WPO Chicago member Teri Sharp (pictured) for this beautiful feature below on her business.  We love her answer to the first question in the interview.

How has being a WPO member helped your business?

Being a WPO member has helped me grow my business and given me the confidence to keep moving forward. I use the ladies in my chapter as a sounding board for new ideas or things I need to change. They are a support group of women who understand the issues we all face and that helps me when I am in a very male-dominated industry.

Read the entire interview, including the challenges she has faced, what inspired her to start her business and what her favorite WPO event is.

Happy Halloween From WPO Chicago!

©2022 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Growing As a Leader: Sandy Marsico, founder and CEO of Sandstorm

Long time WPO Chicago member Sandy Marsico, founder and CEO of Sandstorm, says:

"Ten years ago I became a member of the Women Presidents Organization to help scale my agency. Not only has Sandstorm Design gone through explosive growth, but I have personally grown as a leader thanks to Laurel Delaney and this group! 

Just this week, fellow WPO board member, Ida Abdalkhani and I interviewed each other on the impact WPO has made on our business and our life. 

The team at PNC made the entire day so much fun! And to be on camera with such a great friend made it even more memorable!" 

Learn more here.

50-Fastest: Congratulations SNT Biotech Founder Shital Daftari!

Congratulations to all the winners of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies of 2022 from the Women Presidents Organization (JP Morgan Chase & Co.).

In particular we like to congratulate our WPO Chicago Chapter I member, Shital Daftari, founder and President of SNT Biotech (DBA Saris and Things) for her No. 6 position in the list out of 50.

Shital is an inspiration to us all with her drive, smarts, fast-growth mindset, and willingness to be a great leader.

From all your WPO sisters in Chicago, we salute you and wish you continued success.