VIVA NOLA November 2018

VIVIR MEJOR
P.O.W.E.R. By Andrea Mejia
Fidelity Bank
A few years ago, Tammy O'Shea,
Marketing Manager of Fidelity
Bank, had the vision of creating a
program for businesswomen and
clients of the financial institution.
Although it took time to convince
the Board of Directors, thanks to
the presence of Katie Crosby as
Chairman of the Board and the
perseverance of O'Shea, who
believed in her dream, P.O.W.E.R.
(Potential of Women
Entrepreneurs Realized) became a
reality in October of last year, and
already counts with almost 400
members.
Its director, Liz Broekman, has
given her soul, life, heart, and even
her wardrobe, to this powerful
initiative, which has as its main
objective to generate growth
opportunities for business owners
so that they can prosper and
engage in powerful businesses.
Broekman believes that the
program has been very successful
because "women take care of each
other. It is part of our nature."
P.O.W.E.R. holds informational and
educational seminars for its
members. The "P.O.W.E.R. Hour" is
very unique. At the end of every
quarter, a group of around 10
members participate in a powerful
hour at a particular branch, where
they have breakfast together, and
discuss a particular topic. This
30 setting serves as an opportunity
to get answers, share experiences
and learnings, and generate new
ideas for developing their
businesses.
At Fidelity Bank they welcome you
in a friendly way, and you do not
feel that you enter a regular bank,
but you feel part of a community.
To be a member of P.O.W.E.R. you
just need to have a bank account
with Fidelity Bank. Membership
applies to female business owners
and partners, executives, directors,
or leaders of nonprofit
organizations.
As a member of P.O.W.E.R. you are
added to a directory where other
members can find and
recommend you, which is the most
valuable part of this program for
entrepreneurs, since a
recommendation is essential for
businesses to thrive.
P.O.W.E.R. sponsors events of
organizations, such as New
Orleans Business Alliance
(NOLABA), American Business
Women Association (ABWA), NABO,
the Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce, among others, and
their directives make sure to
support the initiatives of its
members.
Through P.O.W.E.R., women
entrepreneurs are featured in
marketing campaigns, which
serves as additional exposure for
their businesses. Activities like
"happy hours," seminars and
executive lunches are part of the
benefits for women in P.O.W.E.R.
Beyond these benefits, it is fun
that checks, cards and other
materials are purple, a feminine
color that identifies us as powerful
women, and that makes us feel
unique and important. What are
you waiting for, as a woman
entrepreneur, to be a part of this
powerful program?
Kenner 's
Br anch M ix
and M ingle>>
Liz Br oek m an, Fidelity Bank AVP and
Dir ector of P.O.W .E.R.