ABOUT NEWofMarin
Come See Us at Our New Venue!
On the second Tuesday of each month we host our networking dinner meeting at the beautiful new Homeward Bound’s Gilardi Training Center at the former Hamilton Air Force Base in Novato, CA. Our new South Annex room and patio is private, spacious and quiet. The chefs from the Gilardi Center’s professional kitchen are renowned for their delicious and nutritious food.
Homeward Bound of Marin helps people find their own path to housing and stability through accessing shelter, housing, job training and support.
Guests are invited to join us twice before officially joining. You can learn more by clicking on the JOIN button in the menu bar.
The evening includes wine and dinner, opportunities for networking, a captivating professional speaker, and time to promote your business & upcoming events, as well as skill-building tips to implement immediately.
The cost is $55 members/$58 non-members and early bird pricing of $49 members/$52 non-members is available when you register at least one week before the meeting.
Come to our next meeting to meet fascinating entrepreneurial women of all demographics to help grow your business. Whether you are an established business owner or just starting up, you are welcomed in a fun and supportive environment.
DIRECTIONS to 1367 North Hamilton Parkway, Novato
101 to exit 459 / Bel Marin Keys
RIGHT at exit onto Nave Drive
PASS Hamilton Marketplace (Safeway)
LEFT at lights to North Hamilton Pkwy
RIGHT directly after Marin Airporter
LEFT into Homeward bound campus
Lots of parking right out front! Enter the building and go right. It's a little confusing, so look for these images and program the navigation address. Give yourself time to find it if this is your first time.
What to expect at a meeting
Doors open at 6pm and as members stream in, guests are informally and warmly greeted by our welcoming team, given name tags, and shown to a table. Once seated, the NEWofMarin Leadership Team stands and explains their positions, any recent group news, and the benefits to membership. Our mission statement is then read aloud. Guests are then formally welcomed by the group by telling us their name and how they heard about us.
All attendees then stand as they give a 40-second introduction to their business, describe the product or services they offer, their website address and either define their ideal client or share a recent business success.
We then share a delicious meal while networking and learning tools to grow our businesses. That evening’s chosen speaker then provides a 15-minute presentation offering education, entertainment and inspiration.
We close the night by providing one another testimonials as a sign of appreciation.
Fun, informal events and group activities
In addition to our monthly networking dinner, we coordinate trips to the wine country, outdoor adventures, comedy and game nights, and happy hours at various local restaurants. Typically these are member-only events, though partners, spouses and friends are sometimes welcomed.
Members are encouraged to share their own free or ticketed events, including business training classes, cooking demonstrations, dance or singing performances. These events are shared on our private FB Group page and in our newsletter.
Message from Our Founding Member, Wendy Lyon
I’ve had the honor of being here from the very beginning of NEW of Marin, nearly twenty years ago, when my fitness instructor, Andrea Devaux, invited me to join a small women’s networking group. We were originally an offshoot of Connections (based in Santa Rosa) and began meeting at Ping’s Restaurant in San Rafael.
Andrea had a vision of forming our own group with our own guidelines—one where we could invite our friends and shape a community that truly reflected our values. In early 2010, four of us met and created the name Networking Entrepreneurial Women (NEW) of Marin, outlining a structure focused on connection, networking, speaking opportunities, and giving back to the community.
We started with just four members, and under Andrea’s leadership, the group grew to 85 members before the pandemic. For many years, we met at Piatti’s and the Left Bank, and in 2020, we transitioned to meeting on Zoom.
Sadly, Andrea was diagnosed with ALS in 2024, and she is now completely paralyzed and unable to speak. With deep gratitude for her leadership and vision, we have continued our mission to support entrepreneurial women through our monthly dinner meetings. We are delighted to have Susan Shloss as our President since 2025 and to work alongside such an accomplished and dedicated leadership team. When Susan isn’t available to lead the meetings, you’ll often find me at the front of the room. 😊
Try It Out
Come to our next meeting to meet new people and make business leads. Whether you are an established business owner or just starting up, you are welcomed in a fun and supportive environment.