In this Public Meeting, we reflected on the progress that we have made and the path forward. Women’s entrepreneurship has evolved from a ‘growing trend’ to a vital part of our nation’s economy. According to the 2012 U.S. Census’ Survey of Business Owners (SBO), 36% of privately-held businesses in the U.S. are owned by women – approximately 10 million firms. These firms generate over $1.4 trillion in sales and employ over 8 million people. Despite the inroads made, there are still significant road blocks.

Access to capital continues to be a challenge for women entrepreneurs; on average, men start their businesses with nearly twice as much capital as women – $135,000 to $75,000. And, fewer than 2 percent of women-owned businesses exceed $1 million in receipts, though many indicate a desire to scale up. Corporate supplier diversity programs, the formal efforts made by corporations to include underrepresented businesses into their supply chains, have been heralded as opportunities for businesses to scale up by securing high-value and sustainable contracts. During our public meeting, we discussed supplier diversity and the release of our latest research project:  Supply and Demand Perspectives on Women’s Participation in Corporate Supplier Diversity Programs. The full report can be read here and the research summary can be read here.

Agenda:

2:00pm ET – Opening Remarks and Call to Order of the National Women’s Business Council

• Carla Harris, Chair of the National Women’s Business Council

2:15pm ET – NWBC Research, Communication and Engagement Updates

• Anne Shybunko-Moore, Chair of the Research Committee, Council Member,  National Women’s Business Council
• Kimberly Blackwell, Chair of the Communications Committee, Council Member,  National Women’s Business Council

2:30pm ET – Panel Discussion:  Exploring NWBC’s Latest Research Report – Supply and Demand Perspectives on Women’s Participation in Corporate Supplier Diversity Programs

• Pam Prince-Eason, Council Member, National Women’s Business Council
• Lee Upton III, Premier Quantitative Consulting (PQC)
• Emma Broming, Premier Quantitative Consulting (PQC)

3:00pm ET – Speaker Series:  A Summary of Major Policy Wins and A Look Ahead at Potential Issues of Impact to Women-Owned Businesses

• Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration
• Meredith West, Staff Director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President and Assistant to the President for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs

3:35pm ET – Q&A

3:55pm ET – Closing Remarks & Adjournment

• Carla Harris, Chair of the National Women’s Business Council

Special thanks again to our speakers who joined us for our December Public Meeting. Again, the full live stream of our December Public Meeting is posted online here and the social media conversation can be followed with the #unitedWEthrive and #supply&diversity hashtags.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnpfU7JW-48

Author: Cristina Flores, Marketing and Engagement at the National Women’s Business Council.