Highlights from an Awesome Night!
November 21, WHYY Philadelphia
Thank you to everyone who attended- we had a packed house! Our annual fundraiser (and party of the year) was a hit, with guests including our corporate and government sponsors, community partners, and business owners from all industries- all gathered to support women's entrepreneurship.

Missed out? Keep an eye out for details about a very special 2020 Desserts & More... it's WBEC-East's 25th anniversary!

A special thank you to the caterers, bakers, and restaurateurs who prepared and donated our magical dessert buffet:
7 Fruits Raw Treats
Aurora Grace Bakery and Chocolates
Bella Lucia
Bourbon Blue
Deklin Elite Catering
Desserts By Design
Feast Your Eyes Catering
Homemade Goodies by Roz
iSwich
Jade Jamaican Grill
KakeMi Cakes
Kristi's Kreations
Mingle Mocktails
Night Kitchen Bakery
Nutz About Popcorn
Oliver and Company Tea Room
Pound Cake Heaven
Sweet Nina's
Sweet Street Desserts
Taffets Bakery
Tartes Pastry Shop
The Sweet Trading Company
You Need Dessert! LLC
Events & Workshops
How to Get Certified Webinar
 December 12, 2:00 - 2:45 PM
Online Webinar
Becoming certified is about so much more than the colorful women-owned logo. We'll show you the benefits, how to prepare, and what to expect.
Maximizing Your WBE Certification Webinar
 December 12, 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.
Orientation & Business Assessment
January 7, 5:45 - 7:30 PM
WBEC-East Training Center, Philadelphia
The perfect way to kick off those New Year's resolutions! If you're just getting started on your journey of entrepreneurship or want to know more about us, this is where you start.
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.
JumpStart Series
January 29-February 26, Wed. Evenings
WBEC-East Training Center, Philadelphia
This five week program is a flexible, low-cost series of workshops designed for those interested in starting a business, but not sure where to begin. Take the whole series or pick and choose.

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!
4 Questions I Always Get About Recertification
In our new column, staff share insider advice. This month certification manager Colleen LaCoss addresses the annual elephant in the room: recertification.
Do I need a site visit?
Site visits are generally required only every three years. So if you had one last year, there's a good chance you won't need one this year.

Does it really take 90 days?
Sometimes. Certification has 3 phases- staff review, committee review, and site visit. Every application is reviewed by staff, but only businesses with major changes like ownership percentage, legal structure, or headquarters require committee review. Each phase takes about 30 days. So if you know it's your lucky site visit year or if you've transferred stock... do the math and plan accordingly.
Is there any downside to reapplying early?
No way! Expiration dates never change, so if your recertification goes through 3 months early, congrats, that's 3 more months you don't have to worry about it. You can reapply up to 120 days before you expire, and the earlier the better I always say!

Oh no, I reapplied late and expired! Help!
Don't worry, you're not alone. Just keep in mind that while you're expired your profile isn't active in the directory, and your expiration date will stay the same no matter when your recertification comes through. If you have clients that require an active certificate, please reach out to us for a letter of good standing. The big HOWEVER- don't let it lapse for more than 6 months, because then you'll have to start all over as a new applicant... and no one wants that.

That's all folks, see you next month!
Welcome Newly Certified WBEs!
Certified In October 2019
2nd Spark Consulting, LLC
About Pittsburgh, Inc.
ANDRIS Consulting
Discover Organizing Inc.
Ecotech Hydro Excavation, Inc.
Eventful Event Producers
Holman Enterprises, Inc. DBA ARI
Inch and Meter, P.C.
Kelly Iron Works, Inc
Organic Bubble Shine LLC
Premier Comp Solutions, LLC
Prominent Medical Staffing INC
ProRec Resource Solutions, LLC
Reinvention Intentions LLC
Supportive Consultants, LLC
Tuttle Marketing Services, Inc.

Exciting news:
This month we certified our 1,400th WBE in our region!
From Our Partners
Shop Small Saturday is Almost Here!
November 30

WBEC-East is a proud Shop Small Coalition member, and we encourage you to shop small and women-owned this holiday season. Now in its 10th year, Small Business Saturday is dedicated to backing a diverse range of local businesses that help create jobs, boost the economy, and help communities thrive across the country.

Be a part of Small Business Saturday by not only purchasing from small, women-owned businesses, but by promoting the movement through your social channels too!

Some cool stats from 2018:
  • 70% of adult U.S. consumers are aware of Small Business Saturday
  • 42% of consumers who reportedly shopped small at independently-owned retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday did so with friends or family, and 83% reported encouraging others to also shop or dine small
  • Among consumers who said they participated on the day, 41% reported that they shopped small online on Small Business Saturday
  • Among companies that were planning promotions on Small Business Saturday, 92% said the day helps their business stand out during the busy holiday shopping season
Doing Business with the University of Pittsburgh
December 3, 7:30-10:30am
Pittsburgh, PA

In its FY2019, the University of Pittsburgh purchased over $650 million of related goods and services. Join us to learn about process and requirements for successfully doing business with Pitt.

This program will help you to:

  • Better understand the overall purchasing process.
  • Learn how to qualify to become a potential supplier to the University.
  • Create awareness to market & sell within the University community.
  • Representatives from the following purchasing departments will be in attendance: Facilities Management, Housing, Athletics, IT and Purchasing Services.