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In today's newsletter:
- Incorporating AI into your business: WBENC sisters weigh in
- News from Unity Week: pitch winners, award recipients
- Mark your calendar for these January and February events
- National business-building opportunities you don't want to miss
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What Does Your Network Think About AI in Your Business?
Tips from 2 WBENC members
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No matter which industry you’re in, your competitors are probably using artificial intelligence (AI) to work faster, smarter, and more efficiently. So what are you doing?
A session at this week’s virtual Unity Week conference, co-hosted by WBENC, addressed that question with two women business owners from the Virginia/Washington, D.C. area: Ann Ramakumaran, founder and CEO of Ampcus, and Sarah White, owner of Westover Taco restaurant.
Here’s some wisdom Ann and Sarah shared for their sister business owners who are not using AI — or not pushing it to its full potential:
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Just start. Identify your “pain points” or where you could use help and then start small and experiment with different AI apps, such as ChatCPT or Claude. Find what works best with your particular business and learn as you go.
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Educate yourself. The larger your company, the more likely you’ll need to incorporate processes that govern the way your employees use AI. You’ll want to institute measures that prevent cyberattacks. These include not putting your proprietary information, or that of your clients, into your AI prompts.
Look for classes, webinars, articles, and other resources that can help you learn to scale up safely, like this program from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Ann’s company guides organizations through that process on a larger scale, allowing them to embrace the changes comfortably. “AI is good when it’s done the right way,” Anna said. “Taking that fear out is a process, a journey.”
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Use your network. As WBENC members, we’re part of a global community of partner organizations, and we have an advantage previous generations didn’t have: the ability to use technology to reach out to others to solve our challenges collaboratively. You can post your question on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram and ask who else is facing the same issue.
Sarah found a solution provider that way. “I just put out there that I was looking for new, cool ways to use AI in the restaurant and did anybody have any ideas,” Sarah said. “They wrote me immediately and said, ‘We’ve got this thing we’re beta testing, would you help us?’ That’s how you can sometimes get in even faster than you would have just going out to purchase a product.”
We’ll be sharing other insights from the conference in next week’s newsletter. Remember, you never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll learn when you put yourself out there and attend these events!
Have a great week!
Your WBEC Florida team
| | News from NBIC Unity Week | | |
In case you missed it, there were some big announcements from the virtual conference, which was held earlier this week:
WBENCPitch Finals
Although none of our WBEC Florida contestants received one of the top four honors for products and services, we are so proud of them. They all said they learned a lot through the competition process. We look forward to seeing them continue to grow and make a difference!
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Impact Advocate
of the Year Award
Newly named this year in memory of former WBENC President and CEO Pamela Prince-Eason, who passed away in June, the Impact Advocate of the Year Award was presented to Ann Ramakumaran, founder and CEO of Ampcus.
From the presentation: "Ann has driven meaningful initiatives that advance workforce inclusion, elevate diverse suppliers, and support community programs across the country. Her collaborative spirit, deep support, and deep commitment to the success of others reflect exactly the qualities Pam modeled through her life and career."
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Top SMEs for Impact
Congratulations to two of our Florida WBEs for being named among the Top 50 SMEs for Impact as part of the 2025 NBIC Best of the Best program. The awards were presented Wednesday afternoonl.
Dr. Sarah Skidmore, founder of The Leadership Hospital in Panama City
Ebony Smith, founder of Ebenum Equation and Ebony Smith & Associates in Miami
From Sarah's LinkedIn post: "This recognition means so much because it reflects the work and passion behind creating inclusive opportunities and driving meaningful change."
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Register Today! Here's What's Coming
in January and February 2026
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Starting Strong: Courage. Clarity. Consistency.
12:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 7, 2026
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Manifest Your Mantra for 2026
11 a.m. Wednesday, January 14, 2026
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Coffee with a Corporate
10 a.m. Wednesday, February 11, 2026
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NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Announcing the Inaugural Supplier Readiness Accelerator | Building the Construction Supply Chain
WBENC and Amazon are introducing targeted programming designed to equip business owners in construction with the tools, knowledge, and resources needed to meet the requirements of a robust corporate supply chain.
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Date: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025
Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m. ET
Location: Virtual
Cost: Complimentary
Who: Suppliers in construction
What: A cohort-style program
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NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
From Visionary to Victory:
Women of Color CEOs Share
Their Financial Playbook
When: 3 to 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, Dec. 2
Where: Online
Cost: Complimentary
This panel of successful CEOs will share the strategies, tools, and tactics they used to build financial strength, access capital, and scale their businesses to new heights.
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NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Powering Growth: Advancing Small Businesses
and Unlocking Opportunities with Goldman Sachs
When: 2 to 3 p.m. ET Wednesday, Dec. 10
Where: Online
Cost: Complimentary
Join Selina McCole, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs and Global Head of Sustainable Operations, in collaboration with WBENC LIFT, for a dynamic session designed to help you understand what it takes to become a competitive supplier to large corporations.
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NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
What's Your Company's Economic Impact Story?
WBENC is featuring powerful Economic Impact Stories in its newsletter, social media, programs and more!
EVERY business owner has a valuable impact story to tell, whether it's about new products or services, market expansion, community giving, job development or other factors.
Submit your story today!
| | | Thank You to Our Sponsors | | |
WBEC Florida and WBENC Anti-Discrimination Policy
As a community of entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and economic development thought leaders, WBENC and the WBEC Florida Regional Partner Organization are committed to the elimination of discrimination in all areas of business and the provision of equal opportunity when accessing capital, contracts, and contacts. In compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, we do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status in any of our policies, procedures, or practices. This anti-discrimination policy covers admission and access to, and treatment, in all programs and activities.
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