Today is American Business Women’s Day, which has led me to reflect on how we recently marked RBW Strategy’s nine-year anniversary. I’ve supported the firm since day one. And thanks to Rachel’s perseverance, an outstanding team, and like-minded partners, RBW has not only survived but thrived!

I think many women in business are aspirational. That’s great because ambitions propel us, even during the most challenging periods. At the same time, the simplest things can lead to the success (or failure) of an enterprise. So I thought I’d share a simple practice that’s been critical to RBW’s success.

It’s uncommon to launch a company with a built-in client base, but if you are knowledgeable and talented, you’ll likely reach a point where your challenge won’t be finding enough work. It will be keeping up with demands. Beyond building our team of multisector fundraising experts, RBW has invested in strategic partnerships to help us keep up.

Through these relationships, we can establish referrals or subcontracts if a project better speaks to a partner’s specializations, or if there is an overload at a particular time. Partnerships can also be built around developing tools and collateral to address needs in the industry. Additionally, they can involve conducting trainings, co-presenting at conferences, or coauthoring publications to disseminate knowledge and increase visibility.

RBW only builds partnerships with fundraising practitioners and cross-sector experts who are ethical, transparent, and do great work. These partners value our relationship and reciprocate opportunities. Our clients are also grateful and trust RBW to connect them to the right fund-seeking and capacity-building resources.

We take pride in our partnerships and on American Business Women’s Day, we want to note that we especially welcome collaborations with fellow women-led and growing businesses.

KJ Lucas Matos, MA

Chief Operating Officer

RBW Strategy, LLC