Women's Business Council - Southwest

The 20th Anniversary of the Women’s Business Council – Southwest has been a year of celebration and reflection. As the big party approaches on November 6th at AT&T Stadium, WBCS wants to not lose sight of how far we’ve come. Billie Bryant Schultz, Chief Executive Office at CESCO, Inc., and founding WBCS member shares some of her insights and her journey from 1995 until now. 

How many years have you been associated with WBCS?

Originally WBCS was the North Texas Women’s Business Council where I served on the Formation Board of Directors incorporated in 1995.    

What is your favorite WBCS event memory?I have had so many good memories that occurred at WBCS events.  At the Women’s Business Roundup, 18 years ago, Cheryl Stevens introduced me to the buyer at TXU which resulted in winning our first contract.  This connection and the CESCO success eventually led to winning other contracts through the years. Another great memory was at the Parade of Stars Awards Gala in 2011 when CESCO won WBE of the Year. In 2013 at Business Insights, I connected with Jeff McLaughlin who later introduced us to the IT buyer at Texas Instruments; the end result was a 5 year CESCO/Xerox Managed Print Services contract at Texas Instruments.  There have been many other significant connections as it relates to public and private entities, WBEs and major corporations that have been important in CESCO’s business growth.  

Who or what is your greatest inspiration?
My greatest inspiration is my mom who, when my dad became ill, figured out how to support our family 24 miles out in the country with few resources.  She taught me many skills but the most important was survival skills in particular a “never give up” attitude, being creative to explore all options available and strive to create new options.
                  
What do you consider to be a woman’s best assets?
I believe honesty, persistence, resilience, creativity and an innovative vision for the future are a woman’s best assets.

What is the most rewarding part of being a WBCS member?  
It’s rewarding to create relationships with corporations and other WBEs that eventually develop into friendships over the years, along with creating trust which is needed for sharing your company’s capabilities to do business with them.  After all we know that people want to do business with those they know, trust and like.  

How do you like to start your day?
I always start my day with reading an inspirational devotional thought and reviewing what I need to accomplish that day.

What are you most looking forward to at the 20th Anniversary Celebration?
The 20th Anniversary Celebration will be awesome because it is a great CELEBRATION for many of us who have understood the vision and cause for equal opportunity for women business owners who- either from death, divorce, illness or choice- have entered the business community as an entrepreneur and deserve the opportunity to compete.  It will also serve to refresh our memory on how far women business owners have come, the growth of all RPOs and WBENC in these 20 years, how thankful we are for our creditable certification process, the employees who work within the organizations and all the corporations who now support us and belong to the organizations locally and nationally.

Is there anything additional you’d like to include?   
I am never one to dwell on the past, but in this situation it is worth reflecting on what has been accomplished by so many in these 20 years. There is an impressive amount of work done by our own WBCS and other RPOs. In our founding year, we discovered it necessary to assist the business community in understanding the need for WBE certification and the economic needs for women to be able to compete in the business community.  The statistical data at the Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau was critical to show that economic need, not just for women owned businesses but women’s earnings in the workforce at that time.  Once the corporations understood our vision for creditable certification and our cause for equality, they were willing to assist in the funding for a women’s certifying organization.  There is still work to be done as it relates to equality in the workplace, and some industries more than others.  Our WBENC certification and statistical data that points to the value of women to the economy is our most valuable tool in reaching our goal of equality and opportunities for continued business growth.


Thank you Billie for taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences with us! Don't miss out on the opportunity to celebrate with us. Register for the 20th Anniversary Celebration today!