Photos: ONLINE ONLY | Women’s Circle/XO’Xocolati – Photos by Mind of Mo Weddings & Events
XO’Xocolati and other small businesses find guidance, accountability and community.
For many entrepreneurial women trying to get a business off the ground or female executives looking to improve leadership skills, the Business Women’s Circle (BWC) provides a welcoming space to exchange ideas and share experiences, celebrate successes and sympathize with setbacks. It’s a place many women have found much more than they ever expected. “We have a great women business community here,” Lani Basi says. “We talk about business, leadership and life.”
Basi is the co-founder and owner of BWC. After a long career guiding professional and strategic development for Marshall Fields and Target, she launched BWC in 2009 with a mission to help support women in business with revenues under $1 million. Members in groups of 10–12 meet each month in curated circles that allow them to discuss their goals and challenges as well as take advantage of learning opportunities.
Basi personally curates the circles, sitting down with each new member to find them a group that will meet their needs (with no competing businesses sharing a circle). Circle meetings are held once a month (except July and December) and last three hours. Each meeting’s agenda includes time for reconnection, accountability and problem solving as well as a learning opportunity chosen by the circle’s members.
Tiffany Calderon likens the experience to having a “board of directors to help you navigate critical business decisions.” The chocolatier and owner of the Savage-based XO’Xocolati joined the BWC a little over a year ago, seeking support as she grew her artisan chocolate business. “The BWC matches you with a group of business owners who help navigate the uncertainty through thoughtful conversations and connections to other resources that end up giving you clarity and saving time finding solutions,” she says.
Chocolatier Tiffany Calderon, owner of XO’Xocolati.
That’s exactly what Basi loves to see happening in each of the 20 circles that currently operate across the BWC. Though the BWC isn’t a networking group, Basi acknowledges that networking naturally happens while emphasizing that the groups are much more than just a source for new Rolodex entries. “I see lifelong friendships being formed,” she says. “It’s fascinating to see what happens.”
Calderon says entrepreneurship can feel isolating, but with BWC, she’s felt supported and far less alone. “Our meetings are riddled with laughter,” she says. “You leave feeling refreshed and ready to conquer the next challenge.”
Calderon was able to join the BWC because of a scholarship from the for-profit organization’s non-profit arm, The Circle Community (TCC). Basi launched the sister organization in May 2024 out of a desire to do more. TCC offers scholarships to offset the cost of $1,800 annual membership to the BWC as well as microgrants to its member businesses. “Women now more than ever need access to funding,” says Rachel Vassar, TCC executive director.
In its first few grant cycles, TCC has provided several scholarships to open the BWC doors to members that otherwise would not have been able to join. It has also supported its member businesses with grants for things like equipment to optimize food production and website upgrades to improve the online sales. Vassar says TCC is just getting started. “I would love to be able to give larger grants,” she says. “I would love to be able to give a grant to every applicant.”
The giving doesn’t just feel good, it also has a ripple effect, Vassar says. “Female small business owners reinvest up to 90 percent of their income back into their communities and local economies.”
“Strong communities are built with strong women,” Basi says.
The Business of Chocolate
Tiffany Calderon opened XO’Xocolati (So_ Sho-ko-la-tee) in 2022, with the mission of spreading joy through chocolate. From a shared kitchen space in Burnsville, Calderon “mills luxurious Peruvian chocolate and transforms them into a kaleidoscope of globally inspired bonbons with art in every bite.” Her goal is to continue to grow the business and open a shared kitchen space and retail storefront for female founders, carrying forward that camaraderie she benefited from at Business Women’s Circle (BWC) to other food producers.
How did you find out about BWC? In 2024, I was participating in a food makers roundtable through WomenVenture, and Lani Basa, BWC founder and owner, mentored our group, sharing practical resources and advice for running our small businesses.
How did the BWC scholarship help your business? After the roundtable ended, there was an opportunity to learn more about BWC and become a member. As a new business owner, finances were tight, and the scholarship I received was used to help defray the cost of BWC membership. It made it possible to join and become networked with all the amazing women business owners in the organization. BWC and the circle I am part of provide me with resources to resolve any issue I might encounter and move my business forward. Also, as a solopreneur, having this dedicated group of women to brainstorm, problem solve and strategize with helps build my confidence in running my business.
How can female professionals and business owners benefit from BWC? When you are a business owner, you undoubtedly experience periods of uncertainty. Those moments may have a small or large impact on the success of your business. The BWC matches you with a group of business owners who help navigate the uncertainty through thoughtful conversations and connections to other resources that end up giving you clarity and saving time finding solutions … I think the biggest benefit comes in each individual owner tapping their diverse backgrounds and experience to help each other resolve the latest challenges. It’s like having your own board of directors helping you navigate critical business decisions.
Business Women’s Circle
Instagram: @thebwcorg
The Circle Community
Instagram: @circlecommunity
XO’Xocolati
Instagram: @xoxocolatimn_chocolates
