The Ladies Who Lunch
Cameka Smith
Cameka Smith
Founder of The BOSS Network
@iamCameka
Connector, leader, educator and believer, these are just a few words that describe Cameka Smith, Founder of The BOSS Network. BOSS stands for “Bringing Out Successful Sisters,” and its mission is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women.
With a Master’s degree in Education from Northern Illinois University, Cameka served for over 15 years in the educational system, mentoring and developing student academic programs. In 2009, She established The BOSS Network, a community of professional and entrepreneurial women who support each other through conversation, online and event-based networking.
In a short period of time, The BOSS Network has received many accolades including being listed in Forbes.com “Top 10 Entrepreneurial Websites for Women,” and “10 Best Career Sites for Women”. In addition, BlackEnterprise.com listed The BOSS Network as one of “9 Twitter Accounts to Enhance Your College Experience”. Cameka was named by onlinecolleges.net as “1 of 50 Excellent Businesswomen College Students Should Follow on Twitter,” in 2011 the Black United Fund of Illinois presented her with a “Flame” award for leadership, and WVON named her one of the “40 Chicago Game Changers” in 2012.
In addition to her entrepreneurial endeavors, Cameka also makes time to give back to her community. She has done philanthropic work with such organizations as Susan G. Komen, Be The Match, the National Cervical Cancer Coalition and several local and national HIV/AIDS organizations. Additionally, she launched Project BOSS, a mentoring program developed to connect professional women with youth organizations, in 2011.
Cameka currently resides in Chicago, but travels for speaking engagements and trainings nationally. She is also the author of 7 Steps to Grow Your Professional Network “A Guide for College Graduates and Professionals in a Tough Economy.” Cameka is dedicated to inspiring and empowering women through her commitment to leadership development.
