According to the Center for Women’s Business Research, nearly half (47.7%) of all privately-held businesses in the U.S. are 50% or more owned by women for a total of 10.6 million.  And in California there are an estimated 1,249,343 privately-held, 50% or more women-owned firms accounting for 48.6% of all privately-held, women-owned businesses in the state.

What’s more, among the 50 states and Washington, DC, California ranks first in the number of privately-held, 50% or more owned by women firms, in employment and sales.
According to Sharon Hadary, Executive Director, Center for Women’s Business Research, “Women-owned businesses are expanding in number and employment at twice the rate of all businesses and are generating revenues of nearly $2.5 trillion.”

The power of women-owned businesses continues to grow exponentially, which Sobrino knows first hand; because of her leadership, she was recognized and invited to be part of President George W. Bush’s, Economic Forum in Waco, Texas to represent “Small Businesses”.  
Sobrino will be a moderator at Office Depot’s conference this month during a business session entitled, “CEO Success Strategies- Connecting the Right Ideas with the Right Opportunities.”

During the session, Sobrino will offer women entrepreneurs how-to information for overcoming and maneuvering around the day-to-day challenges women face as small business owners, a strategy she has mastered; in 2000, Working Women Magazine honored Sobrino with the Working Women Excellence Award for "Overcoming Obstacles".  
  “As a woman entrepreneur for more than 30 years, I have encountered many obstacles in my business, so I am very familiar with the difficulties women face.  Attending this year’s Office Depot’s Success Strategies for Businesswomen conference will give me the opportunity to learn and exchange knowledge, advice and counseling with different minority and women-owned businesses,” said Sobrino.

The three day-conference will be held at the Boca Raton Resort and Spa in Boca Raton, Fla., and takes place Sunday, February 27-March 1, 2005. 

More than 1,000 women from across the country are expected to attend. Other keynote presenters and panelists joining Sobrino include:

Office Depot’s Success Strategies for Businesswomen Conference is recognized as one of the nation’s most prominent and significant events offered annually to female small business owners.  It is open to the public, but limited to the first 1,000 registrants. Those interested in registering may do so online at www.officedepotsuccess.com or by calling 1-888-475-3344. 
The three-day conference is $554.

For more information on women-owned businesses please visit the Center for Women’s Business Research at www.womensbusinessresearch.org or for California specific information, please visit http://www.womensbusinessresearch.org/USStateFacts/California.pdf.

The Office Depot Success Strategies for Businesswomen Conference was created in 2001 to provide women in business with networking opportunities, while offering programs and seminars that help them manage their businesses more successfully. The conference also spotlights national professional women’s organizations and honors top women in business with Office Depot Visionary Awards and Businesswomen of the Year Awards.
Xerox is the presenting sponsor for the 2005 conference; platinum sponsors are MassMutual and Hewlett Packard.  Other supporting sponsors include: Acco, Bic, Canon, Energizer, International Paper, JKG Group, Microsoft and Smead.

For a schedule of keynote speakers and panel business sessions featured and to learn more about the conference, please visit www.officedepotsuccess.com.