By Aaron Boot-Haury—
As spring arrives in the Bay Area, bringing longer days and renewed energy, the Golden Gate Business Association is experiencing a season of growth of its own. Just as the city begins to bloom, so too does our programming, expanding with new opportunities designed to educate, connect, and elevate our members and the broader LGBTQ+ business community.
In February, we proudly launched our Business Education Series with a strong and engaged turnout. Our inaugural session, led by GGBA member and President of KJS Consulting, Kate Sargent, provided valuable, practical guidance on how to leverage LinkedIn to grow your business and professional brand. It was an excellent example of the power of knowledge sharing within our community, and we are excited to continue building on that momentum.
April will be a particularly dynamic month for the GGBA, with three distinct opportunities to engage. Our Monthly Make Contact networking event will be hosted by our partners at the San Francisco Business Times on April 14, offering attendees a unique behind the scenes preview of this year’s Business of Pride issue and celebration (more on this in a bit). On April 21, we will host a GGBA Evening Salon at the San Francisco Law Library, where members can learn how to take full advantage of this valuable and often underutilized free resource. We will close out the month on April 29 with our next Business Education Series workshop, featuring Philipp Roessler, who will share practical strategies for navigating and succeeding in cross-cultural business environments.
We are energized by the expansion of our programming and remain committed to creating spaces where our members can learn, grow, and build meaningful connections. There are also active conversations taking place with other LGBTQ+ business organizations in the region about collaboration and coordination of efforts to maximize our collective impact. If you are interested in sharing your expertise through a future workshop or event, we encourage you to reach out to us at ec@ggba.com
This season of growth extends beyond our monthly programming. As mentioned, we are proud to be collaborating with the San Francisco Business Times to enhance and expand the impact of their annual Business of Pride issue and awards celebration this June. This year’s event will continue to honor the Top 40 LGBTQ+ Owned Businesses and recognize OUTstanding Voices who are making a difference across our community.
In addition, we are excited to introduce two new components to this year’s celebration. The GGBA will host its first annual LGBTQ+ Business Expo, creating a platform for our members to showcase their businesses directly to corporate leaders, procurement professionals, and fellow entrepreneurs. Alongside the Expo, we will also launch a new mentoring initiative designed to connect emerging entrepreneurs and growing businesses with some of the Bay Area’s most accomplished LGBTQ+ business leaders.
At the GGBA, we are deeply committed to fostering innovation, collaboration, and economic empowerment within our community. Through partnerships like this and the continued expansion of our programming, we aim to provide meaningful opportunities that help our members, and our community, thrive.
More details, including registration information for the Business Expo, mentoring program, and awards celebration, will be shared in the coming weeks. We encourage you to stay tuned and get involved.
Aaron Boot-Haury (he/him) is the President and CEO of the Golden Gate Business Association.
GGBA Message from Leadership
Published on March 26, 2026
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