Published May 2003

Groups, Web sites help women grow their ventures

Dear BizBest: Our local group of women business owners is seeking contacts and solutions that are specific to women-owned businesses. We know of a few places, but can you give us the BizBest lineup? — S.P., Boston, Mass.

BizBest responds: The growth of women-owned business in America has been nothing short of spectacular. There are 6.2 million women-owned firms employing 9.2 million people and generating sales of $1.2 trillion. New organizations, Web sites and services for women biz owners are launching all the time. Plus, there are many excellent sources and solutions that have been around for years. Here are some standouts.

n The American Woman’s Economic Development Corp. (www.awed.org) is a not-for-profit group that has been helping women start and grow their own businesses since 1976. It’s one of America’s premier national membership organizations supporting women biz owners. AWED has served over 100,000 women with training, counseling, seminars and networking. Call 917-368-6100, fax 212-986-7114 or e-mail info@awed.org.

n The U.S. Small Business Administration has an excellent Office of Women’s Business Ownership (www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness) that can connect you with business training, technical help, access to credit and capital, federal contracts and trade opportunities. There is a women’s business ownership representative in every SBA district office, a nationwide network of mentoring roundtables, Women’s Business Centers, women-owned venture-capital companies and a very helpful Online Women’s Business Center (www.onlinewbc.gov). Call the women’s ownership office at 202-205-6673 or e-mail owbo@sba.gov. Find district offices and WBC locations at the Web site.

n The National Association of Women Business Owners, a national dues-based association, represents the interests of women entrepreneurs and can help transform business challenges into opportunities. Phone 800-556-2926, fax 703-506-3266, e-mail national@nawbo.org or visit the Web site, www.nawbo.org.

n Springboard Enterprises is a national nonprofit that aims to increase women biz owners’ participation in equity capital markets. Springboard offers education and coaching programs, connections with investors and business development professionals and a series of well-done venture-capital forums that showcase women entrepreneurs. Visit www.springboardenterprises.org, phone 202-242-6282, fax 202-242-6284 or e-mail info@springboardenterprises.org.

n The Center for Women’s Business Research (www.womensbusinessresearch.org) provides cutting-edge research on the impact of women’s business ownership in the United States.

n Women Entrepreneurs Inc. offers networking, educational programs and advocacy. Visit the Web site at www.we-inc.org.

n WomanOwned.com is a privately run membership site (www.womanowned.com) that offers a helpful lineup of articles and resource connections. One outstanding feature is its online search engine of women-owned businesses.

n Women Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century is a new joint effort of the SBA and U.S. Department of Labor that aims to be a one-stop portal of help and resources for women biz owners. See the Web site, www.women-21.gov.

n Count-Me-In for Women’s Economic Independence offers “micro” loans of $500 to $10,000 for business startup, as well as consulting and training. Count-Me-In also links women entrepreneurs to networking contacts and markets. Phone 212-691-6380, e-mail info@count-me-in.org or visit the Web site, www.count-me-in.org.

n The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council is a key advocate for helping women-owned businesses become suppliers to America’s larger corporations. Have your firm certified by WBENC and get plugged into corporate America. Phone 202-872-5515, fax 202-872-5505 or e-mail dwalton@wbenc.org.

BizBest (www.bizbest.com) publishes independent ratings and analyses of nearly 2,000 small-business resources in hundreds of subject categories. Daniel Kehrer is editor and publisher. E-mail questions to dan@bizbest.com.

Back to the top/May 2003 Main Menu