By Devon Elston
The Women’s Business Council (WBC) is an organization dedicated to advocate for and promote women-owned businesses in the Huntsville/Madison County Area. As such, the Council’s main objective is to provide female business owners with opportunities to network and exchange ideas through a variety of programs. Woman-owned businesses are at the forefront of the business community, and the WBC’s vision is to ensure the success and growth of those businesses.
Danyell Miller, Founder and President of Nterspec Technologies LLC, will serve as the Chair of the WBC for 2019. As a small business owner, Miller understands the importance of having guidance and support via members of the business community, most importantly from other women. “To me, it’s critical,” said Miller. “There’s no one else that’s really going to understand the journey of a woman business owner other than a woman, because it’s a very different road from any other type of business journey… having a nice place to go and say ‘hey you understand me’ is critical.”
Miller said support from the woman-owned business community has helped her grow and sustain her own business. As such, Nterspec Technologies LLC will celebrate its tenth year of business in 2019. “There have been lots of bumps along the way, especially being a company that does software as well as government contracting work, but this was really only possible because of the resources that I had available to me through other women.”
Miller is very involved outside of her own business within the Huntsville community, and serves as a member of many organizations. She is a part of the Women’s Economic Development Council (WEDC), serves as a mentor with the AUM Foundation, and is currently a board member for Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater. She said she takes pride in continuing to give back to a community that has given so much to her and her business.
With her extensive experience within these organizational roles, and as the leader within her own company, Miller is sure to put the WBC on a path towards continued success for the upcoming year.
“One of my main goals for the WBC is to focus on the current new challenges that women are facing… we have accomplished a lot, but there are still things that need to be done,” said Miller. “Our vision needs to be forward facing, and focus on now that we’ve made a way to have a seat at the table, what do we do with the seat?”
The WBC will meet several times this year for coffee chats at area women-owned businesses. The group is also planning some upcoming events, including Leadercast in May, and Women Who Lead, coming in August. The WBC also recognizes a Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year at the annual Small Business Awards, hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber.
This article appears in our February 2019 issue of Initiatives magazine, a publication of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber.
