In elementary school, macaroni necklaces and fingerpainted Mother’s Day cards were the best way to celebrate mom. But as adults, we truly see and understand how hard she worked 24/7. If your maternal influencer manages to juggle kids, life, work, chores, friends and an entrepreneurial spirit, treat her to this year’s INSPIRE Women’s Business conference for some Mother’s Day inspiration.
Hosted by the Washington Center for Women in Business (WCWB) program at the Thurston EDC’s Lacey Center for Business and Innovation, this year’s INSPIRE conference takes place on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound.
Highlighting the Women Who Do the Work at 2025’s INSPIRE Women’s Business Conference
Ashley Whitley is a program manager for the WCWB. She says their team conceptualized and introduced the INSPIRE conference pre-pandemic but full in-person festivities returned in 2024. This year’s event is doubling in size from even last year’s expansion, and includes more speakers, time and even a larger space.
Because the WCWB is a statewide organization, women from across Washington attend and Whitley says their encouraging, positive feedback clearly illustrates what a benefit the event has become.
Everyone is welcome, from business owners to aspiring entrepreneurs. Whitley says they also welcome state and local resource partners that support entrepreneurs, women in business and want to network with attendees.
New this year will be a healthcare panel featuring providers and practice owners who both serve clients and run their own businesses. “This is a needed addition to INSPIRE,” explains Whitley, “as many providers are also learning business ownership and can better prepare those graduating and thinking of running their own practices.”
Richa Rai’s Company Koshay Illustrates the Layered, Complex, Multifaceted Lives of Women
Whitley says the INSPIRE conference celebrates women like local business owner Richa Rai. Rai, who will be a speaker at next year’s event, embodies a life of entrepreneurship and community building. “Managing a family, career, a business and still giving back is what makes her inspirational,” she adds.
Rai’s artisanal tea company Koshay began when the mom of two wanted a lifestyle overhaul away from processed and chemical-free products. She says that strong, hardworking women inspired her to start her own business after a long, fulfilling corporate career. It was also something of a personal challenge.
“My father, both of my brothers and my husband are all successful entrepreneurs,” explains Rai. “For years, I stayed in the safety of a corporate career but I realized that no women in my family had yet paved this path. As a mother of two sons and an aunt to a young niece, I felt called to set an example. I wanted her to see that building something of your own is possible and powerful.”
She appreciates the WCWB’s resources and encourages other women to take the plunge. “There are countless roads to entrepreneurship, and no two journeys look the same. Events like INSPIRE remind you that you are not alone. They offer not just knowledge and resources, but emotional reassurance: that others are walking the same road, facing similar challenges and that a supportive ecosystem does exist. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.”
Sign Up Now and Enjoy an Inspiring Day at Great Wolf Lodge Celebrating Women in Business
The 2025 INSPIRE conference will feature 32 women-owned vendors and 20 additional resource partners and businesses from around the state. There will be 18 speakers, 6 breakouts and multiple networking opportunities. Attendees can find optimal chances for current education, business growth and motivation. “We are excited to highlight the women doing the work, share their stories and INSPIRE others,” says Whitley. Event registration is open through the morning of May 22.
To ask questions or learn more about WCWB business offerings, visit their website or email info@wcwb.org today. They’re happy to triage individual requests and provide coaching, support and statewide resources.
At the end of the day—which for most mom’s is late at night—inspiration often hits when we least expect it but that nudge shouldn’t be ignored. As Rai says, “I believe that when women build, they don’t just build businesses, they build legacies. And every small act of courage plants a seed for future generations to dream even bigger.”
P.S. Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 11 this year so don’t forget to give, send or wish your mom some extra love (as well as INSPIRE tickets).
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