Barbara Hensley and Hope Chest for Brest Cancer Make a World of Difference for Breast-Cancer Patients throughout Minnesota

     Women like Barbara Hensley aren’t born every day. As a social-entrepreneur, she’s not only making a difference in the lives of the women she assists during their breast cancer treatment, but by employing members of the community and eventually throughout the U.S. as she grows her business through franchising endeavors. Since 2003, Hope Chest for Breast Cancer has raised more than $700,000 to fund breast cancer causes. That makes Barbara more than deserving of the NAWBO/Wells Fargo Trailblazer Award which she was presented with at this year’s Women’s Business Conference.
     Losing both of her sisters to breast cancer devastated Barbara. Coupled with seeing the challenges of underserved women who were struggling to afford rent and food while receiving their medication, she knew she needed to do something about it. The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer ® opened in 2001. The shops sell donated items through a chain of company-owned and franchised retail stores. The funds from these stores are used to support causes like early detection education, treatment programs and hospice care and research.
    “It means an enormous amount to me to receive this award,” says Barbara, who was amazed to be one of three winners from throughout the U.S. “It reaffirmed what we’re doing, our business model and that we’re headed in the right direction.” Barbara has a clear plan for moving her business forward. It’s known as ‘2-50-5-10,’ meaning that she and her team are working toward two company-owned stores and 50 franchises in the next five years, which will contribute $10 million each year to breast cancer causes.  
    Barbara has been a NAWBO member since 2002, and believes the experience has been invaluable. “From a leadership perspective, it’s been very educational and has helped me understand the difference between running my own business and working for a multinational corporation—which was my previous experience,” she says. “NAWBO has also given me amazing connections to other women business owners who have coached me and given me the opportunity to coach novice entrepreneurs.”
    She even learned a few things at the WBC, especially from the social networking seminar. “We’ve been trying to get into this arena,” she says. “But since the WBC, we hired an intern and sat in on some more detailed lectures to get in at a higher level.” Barbara says countless chapters also approached her at the event to invite her to speak at their annual luncheons. “Our intention is to expand across the nation, so this is just such an honor. I took 200 business cards to the conference with me and I ran out!”
    As Barbara expands her business, she plans to continue working with NAWBO and encourages other women business owners to do the same. “NAWBO is such an excellent resource but you need to work at it, you can’t just go once a year,” she says. “Having a solid network of women business owners in your community is so important because we will bend over backward to help one another succeed.”

For more about Hope Chest for Breast Cancer click here.
Read her recent publicity in the Star-Tribune here.