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Founder of the National Association of Baby Boomer Women and Boomer Women Speak

Destined for greatness, she’s got a warmth and compassion about her that just shines through in her words. Dotsie’s ambition and passion have brought her to a place where she can connect, support, and encourage women around the world to “live, survive, and thrive.”

Here is her amazing and inspirational story:

Q & A with Dotsie Bregel

Q: On your website, you list your occupation as professional homemaker. Does that mean your websites are your first entrepreneurial endeavor?

A: Yes, absolutely. I’ve worked for others in the past, then was a SAHM. While all three children were in high school, I realized I needed to find a passion outside of my family in preparation for my empty nest. During that time I launched www.boomerwomenspeak.com.

Q: How did you first start out with your website—what specific steps did you take to gain an audience and become nationally recognized?

A: Network, network, network. My philosophy has always been to put myself out there. I basically emailed anyone and everyone that I thought might be interested in knowing about my site. I didn’t know a soul online, so I quickly became a Google queen. I Googled any word that had to do with boomer women. Then I began emailing the contacts on those sites. One of my biggest drawing cards was offering to include their link on my Links page. Women always reciprocated by offering to include my link on their site.

I also have a fantastic Web master who understands how search engines work. She used all the right keywords on my home page. She also registered the site with many search engines.

Q: At what point in your website’s evolution did you decide to start the National Association of Baby Boomer Women (www.nabbw.com)?

A: Due to the crazy success of www.boomerwomenspeak.com, I decided baby boomer women needed an association that educated, empowered and enlightened them. The site had been around for about two and a half years when I began researching associations and spending hours doing my homework. It was so much fun to see what other associations offered and how they worked.

I chose to list all the topics concerning all things boomer women. Next, I did lots of online research, hung out in book stores and the library. I wanted to find an expert for every topic who was interested in sharing information for the betterment of my generation of women.

I also wanted to offer member benefits that made women want to join just to take advantage of them. I think I came up with a great smattering that cater to the whole boomer woman. NABBW addresses personal topics, as well as the professional women.

Q: What have you discovered, through your interaction with boomer women, to be this generation’s biggest concerns: health, having enough money to retire on, being “sandwich” women during their midlife years, going through menopause?

A: The interesting thing about our generation of women is that we are diverse. Our ages span eighteen years. Some of us are turning 42 in 2006, while others are turning 60. There’s a big difference in the concerns of those ages. I would have to say that all of the topics you mentioned are of concern to us. A few more are: remaining youthful and active, relationships, spirituality, care giving, giving back, reinventing ourselves at midlife, and having fun with grandchildren, children, travel, and good times.

Q: What role does the National Association of Baby Boomer Women (www.NABBW.com) play in helping women address these concerns?

A: NABBW offers lots of informational articles on our site and in our newsletter. We also have monthly teleseminars with national experts which are recorded and filed on our Member Only page. Women also have opportunity to post in over 60 forums which have been referred to in newspapers across the nation as a “Virtual Girl’s Night Out.” We offer legal and financial advice through email. We also offer expert contacts for women who are in a domestic violence situation, or are being sexually abused. Discounts on jewelry, skin care products, flowers, purses, etc. are also offered.

For the business woman, there are a number of ways to promote oneself through the association. You can have your Web site, book, product, etc. included on www.boomerwomenspeak.com. You receive reduced advertising fees with www.boomerwomenspeak.com. We also Feature Members in our newsletters, have a Featured Author forum if you’re a writer, allow members to include three sentences about their business in every newsletter, avail the Member Directory for networking opportunities, plus several other opportunities.

Q: What do you envision for the future of the NABBW; how would you like to see it evolve over the next five years?

A: Wow, what a fun question! I envision a growing membership with increased benefits. One day I would love to offer health insurance through the association because I know that’s a growing concern among boomers. Now that’s a big dream. I would love to be the go-to place for boomer women online that all 38 million boomer women used and loved.

Q: Anything else about you or your websites that you’d like to share?

A: I’d like to share that corresponding with boomer women day in and day out is my passion (other than my family). I absolutely love what I do. I encourage all women to take time to be still, reflect, and pray. That’s exactly how both sites were launched. I took time to get at the core of who I was. I contemplated my God-given gifts, and listened to what God was calling me to do. I highly recommend it. It’s the best way to live. Onward with God’s grace!

Dotsie Bregel is the Founder of the National Association of Baby Boomer Women (www.nabbw.com) and Boomer Women Speak (www.boomerwomenspeak.com). Join her in the forums at www.boomerwomenspeak.com and learn how wise, warm and witty women are connecting, encouraging and supporting one another every day.