WomenVenture expands opportunity for our clients by welcoming them into our community network and connecting them with resources, skills, and customers that increase their profitability and influence. Anna Dosen, WomenVenture Board Member and U.S Bank Branch Banking Market Leader for Minnesota has played a critical role in strengthening WomenVenture’s and our clients’ footprint in the state’s business ecosystem.
Anna began her volunteer relationship with WomenVenture 10 years ago as a Small Business Essentials mentor. She says, “I had heard about WomenVenture but didn’t really understand the entirety of the scope of work. Once I had a better understanding, just to know all the organization does to give back to our communities, and most importantly the diverse base that we serve, that just really hit my values and I thought, ‘what a great organization to get involved with so I could further give back to my community.’”
Anna leads all U.S. Bank branches in Minnesota and far western Wisconsin, which covers a territory of 115 branches and 700 employees. Anna shares, “The majority of U.S. Bank’s customers are individuals and small businesses. WomenVenture and U.S. Bank are in the same alignment space. For our customers, I can share about this amazing community development financial institution (CDFI) that can help them and make sure that they’ve thought of everything in starting a business.
As a Board Member, Anna leads one of WomenVenture’s Loan committees, which is charged with providing affordable capital access to business owners who wouldn’t qualify for a loan from a traditional bank while still ensuring WomenVenture’s financial health. Anna describes WomenVenture as “one of the Twin Cities’ best kept secrets. It’s been so exciting to see the changes that have happened over the last couple years. I’ve been seeing the staff out and about at different community functions. When I bring WomenVenture up, I hear, ‘Oh, I’ve heard of them!’ Whereas 10 years ago, that was not the case. It has been so exciting to see the growth and trajectory that we’re having.”
Anna began her Board term in 2021 and has served during a time of tremendous organizational and community change. During her tenure, WomenVenture has transitioned to a hybrid model and grown to have a statewide influence. She appreciates that COVID opened the organization to envision how WomenVenture could extend its reach and rethink its model to create increased accessibility and service options for diverse business owners across the state.
In all of WomenVenture’s changes, Anna highlights that she really appreciates, “WomenVenture CEO LeeAnn Rasachak’s insight and willingness to look inwardly to make sure we are bringing forward a great place to work for our team. That part is absolutely inspiring. Especially in nonprofits, you’re always looking externally to look at how to grow and serve the member base. But you can’t forget to look internally. For me, that has been the biggest change and the most uplifting that WomenVenture is looking at both of those spaces. And we’re accomplishing it.”
Going into 2024, Anna is most excited about the continuation of WomenVenture’s trajectory. “The entire team at WomenVenture should be exceptionally proud of the work they’ve done to expand their impact not only here in the Twin Cities but across our state. Our more focused efforts these last couple of years to better align ourselves with the communities we live in and serve will have a profound impact today, tomorrow and well into the future.”
Anna asks WomenVenture’s readers to “donate their time and talents to WomenVenture’s work, or if they know of funding opportunities that we may not be aware of, to please reach out. Let us know. Because we don’t know what we don’t know. Until we start asking, that’s how we’ll continue to find out more opportunities.”
Donate to WomenVenture today to support our work with women entrepreneurs.
Author: Lisa Day, WomenVenture Grants Manager
