5-minute read

For the 118 businesswomen in Polk County Women Mean Business membership revolves around three core initiatives: the community, the Confidence Closet, and the Indoor Market.

Co-founders Jessica Robinson and Luanna Baughman wanted to build a network focused on women entrepreneurship that provides peer mentorship with mental health resources, skill-building, and cross-business referrals. 

“I’ve always despised traditional networking,” said Robinson,  “You walk into a room and it feels like an exclusive club where people stare at you like, ‘Who invited you?’ I used to struggle with self-doubt going to those meetings, and I hated seeing women try to build careers in isolation.”

In Polk — where Census figures show male-owned employer firms outnumber women-owned firms more than 3 to 1 — Polk County Women Mean Business (PCWMB) is supporting women as they confront hurdles to business ownership.

Polk County Women Mean Business’s Confidence Closet provides free professional clothing to women entering or returning to the workforce. | Courtesy of Polk County Women Mean Business

“Women in business are often carrying more than just their businesses,” Robinson said. “They are balancing leadership, motherhood, caregiving, their household, and the pressure to succeed. Traditional business organizations provide valuable opportunities, but a women-focused community creates something different: a space where women can be honest about the realities they face, build genuine relationships, and receive support from others who understand their experiences.”

PCWMB was formed more than three years ago, but converted to a paid membership model in March 2026. The organization incorporated earlier this year and will celebrate its grand opening ribbon cutting on September 17, hosted by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. 

Women finding an alternative pathway

Women make up 44% of the global workforce, but hold only 31% of vice president-level roles and above, according to research from LinkedIn. 

As a result, Forbes reported that women are increasingly choosing entrepreneurship as a path to influence, autonomy, and long-term wealth as those goals are seemingly less accessible in the corporate world.

A recent Wells Fargo report found women now own nearly 40% of all U.S. businesses and  generate over $2.7 trillion in revenue.

According to Amy Wiggins, president and CEO of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, a newly introduced tracking metric shows 152 chamber members identify as woman-owned, including nearly one third of the 144 members who joined in 2026.

“We know that the state of Florida is No. 1 in new business startups and No. 2 in women-owned businesses with employees, so I’m confident that our counts are underreported,” Wiggins said.

Polk County Women Mean Business

Meeting Hub: COhatch Lakeland (211 E. Main St., Downtown Lakeland)

Weekly Meetings: Alternating Thursdays at 9:00 AM (in-person Coffee & Connections & Virtual Masterminds)

Business Group Therapy: Every 3rd Monday evening (virtual via Mighty Networks / Google Meet)

PCWMB Indoor Market: Every 3rd Saturday at COhatch (co-ed, open to public vendors and shoppers)

“Leadership in business takes guts — especially when employees depend on the decisions you make,” Wiggins said. “Our business community s proud to join Polk County Women Mean Business in celebrating the tenacity, inspiration, and innovation of local business leaders.”

PCWMB’s membership community

“Having the opportunity to connect with other women, whether in person at COhatch or virtually, has motivated me to keep a better schedule and be more intentional with my business,” said Theresa Bailey, owner and travel advisor at Inspire More Travel. “I’ve even noticed an uptick in business because I’m showing up more consistently and being more present on social media.”

First-time visitors can attend their first PCWMB meeting free. 

Members can participate in bi-weekly Thursday mornings featuring “Coffee & Connections” sessions at COhatch, spotlighting a host business followed by open networking. On alternating Thursdays, members convene virtually for member-led training sessions. Monday nights focus on wellness, with members meeting for confidential group therapy sessions led by a licensed mental health professional. 

“We’re not an exclusive-seat group because there’s enough room for everyone,” Robinson said. “If you enter the room asking how you can serve rather than what you can sell, collaboration happens naturally.”

That collaborative atmosphere helps demystify the daily hurdles of entrepreneurship, according to Shalisa Muehlberger, Realtor with S&D Real Estate Services. “They have encouraged me to think bigger, try things differently, and keep going when running a business feels a little like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions,” she said.

The Confidence Closet 

Recently, the group expanded its in-meeting Confidence Closet rack into a mobile unit. Local supporters donated and outfitted a 16-foot air-conditioned trailer that travels to area shelters and community partners, like Senior Connections, the VA, and Talbot House, and provides free professional clothing to women entering or returning to the workforce.

“You can bring items, take items. We don’t care what is in your bank account,” Robinson said. “It’s not for the underprivileged or overprivileged. We don’t care. It’s who needs a boost of confidence.”

She noted that outward presentation shapes the internal mindset of a business owner: “If you don’t feel good on the outside, if you aren’t wearing something that brings that spark out, it is going to affect the way you show up.”

In November, the group plans to bring the Confidence Closet trailer to a job fair hosted by Echo Ministries and Better Together, with additional clothing inventory donated by Katz Closet.

“It’s all about making sure we’re right where the community needs us,” explained Baughman. 

Public Indoor Market 

PCWMB’s Indoor Market, open to the community, is held the third Saturday of each month at COhatch from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Polk County Women Mean Business’s Indoor Market is held the third Saturday of each month at COhatch from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Courtesy of Polk County Women Mean Business

“Our market averages around 20 vendors every month, and we consistently sell out with a waitlist for both vendors and volunteers,” said Baughman. “While our mission focuses on empowering women, the market is co-ed. We welcome all vendors because supporting local business is a whole-community effort.”

Inside the network, members say the emphasis on relationship-building frequently converts into direct business-to-business commerce. When PCWMB began preparing for its upcoming Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting, leadership chose to purchase all food and supplies directly from members rather than soliciting free donations.

For founding member Shaquilla Williams, a U.S. Navy veteran and CEO of Larger Than Life Event Planning, that mutual support reflects a broader regional mission. 

“It’s about women supporting women, creating opportunities for one another, and making sure we all have a seat at the table as Polk County continues to grow,” Williams said.

Insight Polk examines community conditions and solutions in six target areas from UCIndicators.org: economic & employment opportunity, education, housing, food security, transportation & infrastructure, and quality of life.

LkldNow’s Insight Polk independent reporting is made possible by the United Community Indicators Project with funding by GiveWell Community Foundation & United Way of Central Florida. All editorial decisions are made by LkldNow.

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Sarah is a freelance writer and reporter for LkldNow, covering education news and community initiatives across Polk County. A resident of the area for 25 years, her work draws on her diverse background spanning more than two decades teaching in K-12 and higher education, grant writing, and academic publishing. Alongside her writing, she is a dedicated yoga teacher.

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