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The NWBC is hosting a free Town Hall Meeting for Women Entrepreneurs in St. Louis, Missouri on March 13. The event is designed to allow members of the Council to hear first hand from women business owners about issues important to them in order to help the Council formulate future policy recommendations. Council member Susan Solovic of St. Louis-based SBTV.com will moderate the program and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay will offer welcome remarks. Council members Rebecca Boenigk of Neutral Posture Inc., Kathryn Eshelman of Grade A Notes, and Susan Bari of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council will also participate in the event.
Women business owners and entrepreneurs from all industries, ethnicities, and experience and revenue levels, as well as representatives of women's business organizations are encouraged to attend. Topics to be discussed include access to affordable health care, access to capital, procurement, taxes, and training and technical assistance, among others. The town hall meeting is the first of two scheduled for 2007, with a second meeting planned for the Portland, Oregon-area in May or June.
The event is free, but space is limited, so advance registration is required. To register, visit www.nwbc.gov or contact Allison Gilmore at 202-205-6827 or
allison.gilmore@sba.gov for further information.
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On February 7, the members of the National Women’s Business Council gathered in Washington, D.C. In addition to reviewing the Council’s Fiscal Year 2007 budget and hearing updates on current projects, the Council was briefed by the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) new Deputy Administrator Jovita Carranza and received a status report from Capitol Hill by Karen Radermacher from the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
During the meeting, the Council also discussed a proposed strategic framework for its upcoming activities and outreach. The draft framework proposes focusing the Council’s work on three strategic pillars: leadership, support and advocacy, and entrepreneurial training and education. Council Chair Tami Longaberger also expressed the Council’s appreciation for the work of Marianne Sensale-Guerin, President and Owner of Gorham, Maine-based Guerin Associates, LLC. Sensale-Guerin resigned her term in January after a year on the Council.
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NWBC Executive Director Margaret Barton and Council member Ann Marie Almeida of the Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC) met with SBA Administrator Steven Preston this month to discuss the Women’s Business Center Program. Other participants included SBA Deputy Administrator Carranza, Wilma Goldstein of the SBA’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership and representatives of the AWBC’s Board and Public Policy Council.
During the meeting, participants briefed the Administrator of the history and successes of the program. Discussion also focused on the need for developing best practices for women’s business centers in order to help them leverage the SBA’s investment. The Council will continue to work closely with the SBA and Association of Women’s Business Centers to ensure that the Women’s Business Center Program remains successful.
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The Small Business Committees of the House and Senate held hearings this month addressing the SBA’s proposed budget for 2008 as well as the health care burdens of small businesses. At a meeting of the House Small Business Committee on February 8, SBA Administrator Steven Preston testified and answered questions about the agency’s budget proposal for the coming year. Members of the committee were particularly interested in proposed funding levels for training and technical assistance programs (ie women’s business centers, small business development centers and SCORE) as well as funding levels for the SBA’s disaster relief loan program. Furthermore, the committee urged continued support of the SBA’s microloan program and requested a status update of the 5-year old women’s procurement program. Click here for more information on SBA’s proposed 2008 budget.
On February 13, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship took on the issue of health care for small businesses. Five witnesses, including representatives from state-level health care programs and Ann Sullivan of Women Impacting Public Policy, presented testimony outlining the rising costs of health care currently faced by small businesses across the country. Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) and Ranking Member Olympia Snowe (R-ME) both emphasized the need for congressional action on reducing the cost of health care. Senator Kerry expressed the need for a comprehensive health care plan to address rising costs, and Senator Snowe outlined the importance of increasing competition among insurers, particularly in small group markets. For more information, including copies of Senator Kerry’s opening statement and witness testimony, visit the committee web site.
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In 2007, the National Women’s Business Council will be cooperative once again with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the Minority Business Development Agencyon a workshop designed to assist women-owned businesses in investing in the global marketplace. Entitled “Expanding Horizons,” this event will take place March 29 in Miami, Florida.
Council Executive Director Margaret Barton will provide remarks at the workshop, which will address the challenges and opportunities of overseas investments and provide an overview of the programs OPIC offers to support minority and women-owned businesses. Speakers will include senior officials from OPIC and other government agencies, international bankers, and representatives from businesses investing overseas who will share their insights and experiences. Click here for more information or to register to attend the workshop.
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The first of several research events aimed at uncovering the barriers and challenges that women of color face in the pursuit of business growth took place on February 21 in Philadelphia. The participative research event, conducted by the Center for Women's Business Research and Babson College was partially sponsored by the Council. The Center anticipates the research leading to action plans to overcome any barriers on the individual, community and national levels, as well as public- and private-sector policy recommendations. NWBC staff members Margaret Barton, Katherine Stanley and Emily Reynolds supported the project in Philadelphia.
The Center for Women’s Business Research will host three similar events in Atlanta, San Francisco and Dallas later this year. Women-of-color entrepreneurs who wish to grow their businesses to the next level and contribute to setting local and national agendas that support the success of businesses owned by women of color are encouraged to apply to participate. Selection criteria include owning a business that is at least 50% woman-owned with annual revenues between $250,000 and $5 million. All types of industries are welcome. To participate, click here or contact the Center for Women’s Business Research at 202.638.3060 ext. 710.
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The partners and founders of the Diana Project have been honored with an international award for their research on the potential of women-led businesses. The FSF-NUTEK International Entrepreneurship Award, given by NUTEK, the Swedish Business Development Agency, was awarded earlier this year to Candida Brush of Babson College, Nancy Carter of the University of St. Thomas and Catalyst, Inc., Myra Hart of Harvard Business School, Elizabeth Gatewood of Wake Forest University, and Patricia Greene of Babson College.
To further the impact of their research, which was partially-funded by the National Women’s Business Council, the Diana Project team partnered with the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Research Institute in Sweden to convene gatherings of international scholars to develop a foundation for the implementation of policy, training and resources to advance the state of women entrepreneurs. Their award will be presented at a formal ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden in May.
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