In This Edition
• FastTrac® Series
• Women's History Month Event
• Financial Literacy Series
• WBENC National Conference 2023
• WBEC-East Webinars and Events
• SBA Update - OSHA Webinar Series
• Welcome Newly Certified WBEs
• SHARE Reading Event
• EmployHER Pittsburgh Opp. Fair
• Whiting-Turner Business Event
• Ladies Who Launch’s SB Grant
The Kauffman FastTrac® Series!
10 Weeks, March 9 to May 11
Thursday Evenings, 6:00 – 9:00 PM

The Kauffman FastTrac® series is an educational program, created by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, which is designed to help you evaluate and perfect your business concept, as well as complete a comprehensive business plan. This 10-week series offered twice a year can help. The program is most appropriate for those who are: either within a year of launching your business or have launched within the past year and are seeking a plan for establishing your business. You will study with a group of entrepreneurs, experienced facilitators, and people with start-up business experience who understand the pitfalls of starting a new enterprise.

Each week, you'll meet in our virtual classroom and hear from our expert facilitator and a guest expert. You’ll also receive lifetime access to an online FastTrac® Toolkit. The Toolkit houses the business planning templates, action steps, activities, videos, and other helpful materials.

New Opportunity: FastTrac® graduates have the opportunity to pitch their business in our Capital One Pitch Competition to compete for cash prizes of $5,000 The Capital One Pitch Competition will be held on June 1stat the Rittenhouse Capital One Café in Center City, Philadelphia.
FREE WEBINAR
Women's History Month Event: Women’s HERstory - The Evolving Demands of Parenting and Entrepreneurship
March 14, 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Join us for a Women's History Month webinar hosted in collaboration with Chatham University, to hear from a panel of women share their insights on the intersection of parenting and entrepreneurship, work-life integration and childcare challenges.

Panel Speakers:
FREE WEBINAR SERIES
Financial Literacy Series in Partnership with Urban Affairs Coalition
6 Weeks
March 15 to April 19
Wednesday Evenings,
6:00 – 7:30 PM

Our Financial Literacy Series is a free, six-week workshop series that helps entrepreneurs and prospective business owners understand the fundamentals of personal finance in order to prepare them for access to capital and legacy-building. Register here for the entire series!

SCHEDULE:
March 15 | Week 1 - Building a legacy begins with your Why?
March 22 | Week 2: Fundamentals of Personal Credit.
March 29 | Week 3: Five Types of Asset Classes (Focus on Business Equity Ownership)
April 5 | Week 4: Real Estate Ownership
April 12 | Week 5: Insurance Coverage (as a financial instrument)
April 12 | Week 6: Retirement & Estate Planning.

Register by March 15 to be eligible to attend the entire series!
WBENC National Conference 2023
"Rep Your RPO"
Time is running out to register for the 2023 WBENC National Conference in Nashville, TN, March 20-23, 2023! The 2023 WBENC Conference is an unsurpassed opportunity to network and expand your network, gain valuable insights and identify new purchasers. Register below until March 23!
Going to the WBENC National Conference?

During the Wednesday 3/23 Evening Event get ready to “Rep Your RPO” in style by wearing WBEC-East's color: Lilac!
 
Throughout the Wednesday Evening Event, WBENC leaders will give out “Caught Being Colorful” awards to the best-dressed attendees who can claim a prize from the prize table.
Don't forget to attend our RPO Gathering Event on 3/20 at 7:00 PM

After your first day of making wonderful connections, join us at Dave & Buster's for an evening filled with heavy appetizers, drinks, bowling, and good conversation. Conference attendees from Pennsylvania, Delaware, and southern New Jersey are invited to join us! There is limited space – once we sell out, you lose out – so please register today!  

Registration closes Sunday, March 12th at Midnight!
WBEC-East Webinars & Events
March 7, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

In this interactive webinar, we'll learn about PPL's supplier diversity and procurement initiatives. 
March 13, 10:00 - 11:00 AM

If you've always dreamed of owning your own business, or if you'd like to understand how WBEC-East can help your business grow, our free online webinar- Orientation and Business Assessment workshop is for you!
March 17, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

We'll show you how to gain the prestigious Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) certificate and use it to build your business
March 30, 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Escuche a un panel de mujeres empresarias que compartirán sus experiencias.
March 31, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

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.
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Joyce Cadesca via email at jcadesca@wbeceast.com to make arrangements.
SBA Update
SBA Presents: OSHA Webinar Series
2nd session:
OSHA Inspections (General & Construction) – Thursday, March 9
12:00 – 1:00 PM EST

This webinar reviews OSHA’s top violations and citations for both the construction and general industries. The program also discusses OSHA’s national, regional and local emphasis programs.
Welcome Newly Certified WBES!
Certified January 2023
• Aark Electric Incorporated
• Desk Ready, LLC
• Diora Technologies LLC
• IDEAL CARE SOLUTIONS LLC
• LZ CPA SERVICES LLC
• Pretty Moody
• Royer Group, Inc d/b/a RoyerComm
• Saarthi LLC
• Steege Thomson Communications
• TechGro Rentals LLC
• Tipsy Bean LLC
• Trifactor, LLC
• Unlimited Opportunities Promotional & Marketing Solutions, LLC
Partner Updates
SHARE Reading matchmaking/ Networking Event
Wednesday, March 15
3:00 – 6:30 PM   

FREE event! SHARE is a matchmaking/networking event that brings together our region’s top corporations and connects them to diverse businesses.
This event is an opportunity to:
– Network with the largest employers in Berks County and beyond
– Learn from experts on the Why and How of diverse business certification
– Matchmaking

This event will be held in person at the Abraham Lincoln, Reading, PA
EmployHER Pittsburgh Opportunity Fair
Thursday, March 27
10:00 – 7:00 PM

A one stop shop for women. At the opportunity fair, you can look forward to:
  • Direct access to supportive services for you and your family
  • Opportunities to enroll in personal & professional development training programs
  • On site interviews from employers Knichel Logistics, Inc. & University of Pittsburgh
  • Connection with a Success Partner to support you in meeting your goals
  • Self care stations, food, a DJ and so much more!
  • Plus, FREE childcare will be provided onsite!

This event will be held at The University of Pittsburgh Community Engagement Center.
Whiting-Turner Getting Down to Business Event
Thursday March 30, 2023
8:00 – 11:30 AM

Whiting-Turner is pleased to announce our next Getting Down to Business Event. Please join us for food and to learn about upcoming projects with bidding opportunities in the near future. You will have the opportunity to meet with our project teams to discuss the projects and answer any questions you may have. This event is exclusively for minority, women owned, and small subcontractors and vendors in and around the Delaware and Maryland area. This is a great opportunity for your members and colleagues to develop new relationships with Whiting-Turner, and to expand existing ones.

This event will be held in person at the Dover Downs in Dover, DE
Ladies Who Launch’s Small Business Grant Program
The Deadline is
Thursday March 30, 2023

The Launch Program provides women and non-binary small business owners, like you, with resources and support as you take your businesses to the next level.
Twenty women- and non-binary-owned consumer packaged goods businesses—selling items like food and beverages, household goods, apparel, and more—will be selected for the 2023 program.

Funded in part through Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Liz Walsh at 215-936-9392 or ewalsh@wbeceast.com