SBA Small Business Awards–Meet Our National Winner!

By Nina Kaufman, Esq.

Women-owned companies that need help with small business need look no further than software engineer Laurie Simon and her Kirkland, Washington Ombrella Consulting.  I had the pleasure of encountering Laurie because she beat me. 🙂 No, not literally, but figuratively in this year’s SBA Small Business Awards.  As some of you may recall, I had the honor of being chosen as the SBA’s regional Women in Business Champion of the Year … and Laurie Simon was the National winner!

When I first heard that she won (and I lost), I spent about 27 seconds moping about. And then I went on to the Ombrella Consulting website, where I learned what a rock star Laurie really is (and why she is so deserving of the national award).  She’s passionate about supporting women in technology and preventing the brain drain (paying 100% of the benefits she offers, even to her part-time employees), and an advocate for bringing technology to rural areas so that business there can have a presence.  And that’s not even the half of it!

Listen in to our interview where we cover:

  • Laurie’s personal mission to help with small business
  • What’s so “fresh” about her approach to a staid industry
  • Where Laurie sees the greatest potential for growth for women-owned businesses
  • The biggest mistake she made (she wishes she had taken action 5 years ago!)
  • Her 3 big pearls of wisdom for growing your business

Did you find this interview helpful?  Let me know by posting a comment below.


Want to learn more about Kaufman Business Law? This is the video to watch.