Getting Your WBE Certification
Women Business Enterprise National Council (link)
There are so many resources in the world that it makes it confusing for everyone. If you are a new or seasoned business owner and you are considering certifying your business as a WBE, please follow these steps to get started in the right direction.
First, sign-up on our forum and introduce yourself! These wonderful people want you to grow and can’t wait to connect with you in their trusted forum of amazing women and men supporting women.
The Women’s Confidence Builders Quarterly Events are scheduled in January, April, July, and October. They are always looking for sponsors and inviting children in secondary schools. Here you will find connections, relationships, networking and amazing empowering speakers. You can find out all the new dates on the forum or stay in touch on this website for more information.
If you are interested in being certified and getting free services to help your business grow, I would highly recommend reading and using the following:
Messer Construction is one of the largest supplier diversity advocates in the United States and they do require WBE/MBE participation. Keep in mind though, every public and private supplier diversity-focused company has its own unique need.
If you are in upstate South Carolina, the Small Business Development Center is a government program that provides "no-fee" consulting. They are not SBA, but they do receive some funding from SBA. Sherry Pittinger is in the Greenville office, and she assists clients with all certification programs. The SBA WOSB certification program applies mainly to federal government contracting. There are 5 WOSB certification programs and they all have their own purpose. If you have questions or would like to schedule some time to learn more about the assistance that they provide, just let Sherry Pittinger know. She also works with clients on city, county, state, and federal government contracting.
Sherry Pittinger
Government Contracting Consultant
Regional Small Business Development Ctr.
225 S. Pleasantburg Dr. Suite 12C
Greenville, SC 29601
spittin@clemson.edu
864-276-5560
SBA Offices has thousands of small business resources including funding options and training.
When it comes to federal government contracts, you may want to contact your APTAC…there are many workshops included on this website - APTAC - as well.
Also, this training - Ascent, free in 2021 for the first time, is available for you. Women in all areas are successfully winning government bids and have used this website to gain valuable insight into operating their businesses in government purchasing.
We are here to provide you with a starting point and to make connections for small businesses with resources and government officials who are qualified as well as make introductions to connections, like Messer Construction when they are working on projects in a particular area.
84 Lumber has a database where they are gathering capable service and product providers and sharing them with Public and Private purchasers. To be included in the database they share, register here - 84 Registration
