Help us kick off our 25th Anniversary year!
Jan 31 Wilmington, DE
At this event you'll meet and network with:
  • WBEC-East corporate and government agency members
  • Women business owners
  • Regional and national staff representatives
 
Plus you'll learn all about:
  • WBENC & WBEC-East's 2020 upcoming program initiatives
  • National and regional recognition and award opportunities
  • Business development training and executive education programs
  • Upcoming business opportunities
This is an opportunity for attendees to gain access and build relationships.
Events & Workshops
Succession Planning for Business Owners January 16, 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Parkway Central Library, Philadelphia
If you are ready to think about the next steps for your business, this seminar is for you. It takes time to find and prepare the next leader of your business, and knowing how the transition will work is a great place to start.
Maximizing Your WBE Certification
January 30, 2:00 - 2:45 PM
Online Webinar
Whether you’re newly certified or have been for years, we'll show you how to make the best of your certification and grow your business. You’ll learn how to connect with other WBEs and corporate and government members, navigate our various events, manage your certification, re-certification FAQs, etc.
JumpStart Series
January 29-February 26, Wed. Evenings
WBEC-East Training Center, Philadelphia
This is a flexible five week course providing training in the fundamentals of self-employment and business ownership. Take the whole course or select just the topics that interest you.

Before You Start - January 29
Market Research - February 5
Financial Analysis - February 12
The Business Plan - February 19
Business Launch - February 26
2020 Annual Meeting
January 31
Wilmington, DE
Save the date! Help us kick off our 25th anniversary year, network with women business owners and our corporate and government partners, learn about valuable resources, and see what WBEC-East has in store in the year ahead.
Women's Conference & Resource Fair
February 26
Cheyney University, PA
Save the date for an all-day conference for women in business, with learning sessions, meet-and-greets with buyers, a women-owned marketplace and women-focused, women-led conversations and resources. This brand new event is sure to leave you empowered and connected!
Annual Meeting Good Works Project- Join In!
WBEC-East is partnering up with Women United to collect female sanitary items for local teenagers.

Being a teen is hard: school, friends, extra-curriculars. Now imagine that, on top of all that, you are experiencing economic insecurity—and you’ve started to menstruate. Worrying about having access to menstruation supplies while at school can cause stress and negatively affect attendance and academic performance. Let’s eliminate this barrier to learning.

Please bring products to the Annual Meeting on January 31 and we will collect them at registration.

Thank you all in advance for donating and making a difference for young women in our region.
7 Things All Business Owners Need to Know About Supplier Diversity
In our new column, staff share insider advice. This month certification manager Colleen LaCoss discusses a topic most owners don't know about... but should.
What is supplier diversity?
Whether you know it or not,  supplier diversity  is what drives you to get certified as a woman owned business. It is a business practice where corporations and government agencies examine the businesses and vendors that they work with to ensure they come from a diverse background, whether this be women-owned, minority-owned, LGBT-owned, disability-owned, or veteran-owned.

1. Every organization and state is different when it comes to supplier diversity.
Many organizations have a supplier diversity manager in their procurement office who advocates for contract opportunities to be shared with diverse businesses. Some organizations have an entire department for supplier diversity.
Introducing...
Pitch to Win $20,000 at Nashville
Do you have an innovative product or solution? WBENC is excited to introduce our newest program, allowing innovative businesses to pitch to buyers while competing for visibility at Summit & Salute 2020.

What's Summit & Salute?

One of two annual national events, Summit & Salute creates a dynamic environment of networking with buyers, learning from business experts, and celebrating the achievements of women entrepreneurs. This year we are expecting around 2,000 attendees to converge in Nashville from March 16-18.

The new WeInnoPITCH is a tournament-style pitch competition for WBENC-Certified WBEs focused on innovation. The competition will feature multiple rounds of pitching during Summit & Salute, with the final round taking place on stage during Salute! Dinner. The winner will receive $20,000 to invest in their innovative business.

PS- Early bird tickets end January 31!
Welcome Newly Certified WBEs!
Certified In December 2019
39 Degrees North Architects,LLC
AdirA, LLC
Aumost Creative Group
Beyond Compliance LLC
Career Consciousness, Inc.
Courtyard Consulting LLC
DiArcangelo Lawn Care
Energytek
Josie's Sweets and Treats LLC
Law Office of Roxanne E. Jayne, LLC
LMW Marine LLC
MJ Care Accounting Company SBA MJ Cares
Plexsum Staffing Solutions, Inc.
RedTree Web Design LLC
RST Technical Services LLC
Sound Advice Entertainment LLC
Starrr Products Management, Inc.
The Barber Gale Group Inc.

Grants
The Small Business Advantage Grant

The Small Business Advantage Grant is still open, with a little more than $190,000 remaining to be given away in the form of reimbursement grants. Potential customers and interested small businesses should apply soon!

The money is anticipated to be gone by the end of February . The grants may be used for energy efficiency or pollution prevention projects.
Met-Ed/Penelec Sustainable Energy

In 2020, the Met-Ed / Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund has $192,470 available to distribute as grants throughout the Pennsylvania service territories of the Met-Ed and Penelec energy companies.

The fund will distribute grants for projects and programs that support the development and use of clean energy technologies and energy efficiency. Grants will range from $2,000 to $50,000 depending on the scope of the projects. Applications will be accepted online from January 15 through March 16, with decisions to be made by the end of July 2020.

Information can be found in the “Apply” section of this website, linked below.
From Our Partners
Techstar Startup Weekend Latinx
January 24-16 
Philadelphia, PA

Have you ever had an idea or a problem you’d like to solve but didn’t know where to start or who to start with? Then Techstars Startup Weekend is for you! We should, and that’s why we want to inspire more Latinx entrepreneurs in Philly! Allies are also welcomed to come build with us!

You’ll pitch your own idea or listen to others, then vote on the most interesting ideas and form teams with diverse skill sets. Over the course of the weekend, you’ll be challenged to create a prototype of your MVP, or minimum viable product, that fits the needs of your target customer.
JP Morgan Chase Diverse Supplier Event
January 29, 6 - 8 p.m. 
Philadelphia, PA

JPMorgan Chase is expanding its branch network in the Philadelphia area. As we grow we also seek to take an active role in the success of the community we serve. We have a long-standing commitment to doing business with Minority-, Women-, Veteran-, Disability -, LGBT+ -owned and small businesses, and require our prime suppliers to support our efforts to achieve a diverse supplier base.

To help meet this mission, a special event will be held to welcome small and diverse business owners in the local area, and pave the way for them to participate in future contracting opportunities as our new branches come to life.

We are looking for contractors with experience in the following categories:
  • Demolition
  • Tapers
  • Tile
  • Electrical
  • Carpentry
  • Painters
  • Ceiling
  • Sheet Metal
  • Concrete
  • Glass
  • Mechanical 
  • Cleaning
  • Sheet Rock
  • Doors/Frames/Hardware
  • Millwork
The B.M.W. Life ™ (Boss, Mom, Wife, Life) Podcast

We're excited to announce that one of our favourite speakers, Sirena Moore-Thomas, is launching her new podcast, "The B.M.W. Life™" (Boss, Mom, Wife, Life)! Sirena will talk about business, family, and lots of faith.

This Podcast is a safe place for you to reconnect, recharge, relinquish, and be restored. You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Soundcloud, Tunein & Stitcher.
Philly Bootstrappers Breakfast
January 28, 8 - 9:30 am 
Philadelphia, PA

This is our 7th year in Philly! Come join entrepreneurs who eat problems for breakfast. At a Bootstrappers Breakfast® we have serious conversations about growing a business based on internal cashflow and organic profit. This group offers a combination of brainstorming, education, peer accountability and support in a group setting to sharpen your business and personal skills.