President and CEO of Woman's Business Development Center, Emilia DiMenco Upholds the Importance of Small Businesses ahead of Small Business Week (May 5-May 11)
Emilia DiMenco of Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) releases statement ahead of small business week
CHICAGO, May 6, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Emilia DiMenco, President and CEO of the Women's Business Development Center (WBDC), a nonprofit organization that supports and accelerates business development and growth for women and other minority groups, released the following statement in honor of Small Business Week, which is held May 5-May 11, 2019:
"With over 28 million small businesses in the U.S. and more than half of all Americans employed by a small business, small business owners are driving economic growth and innovation. Women are playing a huge role in the growth as one of the fastest growing populations of business owners in the country. Astoundingly, four out of every 10 businesses in the U.S is woman-owned. These companies employ eight percent of the total private sector workforce and contribute $1.8 trillion in total revenue each year.
As we kick off Small Business Week, the Women's Business Development Center recognizes and applauds the small business owners who wake up every day and pursue their dreams. This week and every week, we strive to support and accelerate business development and growth for these business owners, especially women, minority, and other diverse business owners who continue to be undervalued and underrepresented. We advocate for economic independence through entrepreneurship and helping small business owners pursue opportunities and bring their dreams to life.
"Small businesses are at the core of our national and local economies and helping them grow will only foster economic independence for these entrepreneurs and equality for the communities they serve."
Last week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) released their list of Small Business Week Award Winners for Illinois and five of the six recipients were women business owners. WBDC client Rosemary Swierk, owner of Direct Steel was recognized as "Illinois Rising Star Small Businesses."
"On behalf of the entire WBDC team, I congratulate Rosemary, and every other Illinois business recognized by the SBA this year," said DiMenco. "These inspiring business owners are passionate about the work they do and it is our greatest honor to support them in achieving their goals."
The WBDC is hosting the following events to celebrate Small Business Week:
- May 7th, 2019: Cómo empezar mi negocio – This free program, offered in Spanish will go over the basics of starting a business, including legal structure, how to create a business plan, and the requirements for obtaining financing. The event will be held from 10am to 12pm at the Little Village Chamber of Commerce in Chicago.
- May 7th, 2019: Is Certification Right for You? – The WBDC will present a free webinar about the benefits of Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) certification and help other women business owners determine if they qualify for certification.
- May 8th, 2019: Sizing Up Your Business Opportunity – This workshop offered in Chicago will focus on market research and how business owners should analyze information on consumers, competitors, location, and pricing.
- May 9th, 2019: WBE Onboarding – This free one-hour webinar for certified WBEs will serve as a refresher about how to leverage WBE certification.
- May 9th, 2019: Leveraging Your Certification – If you are newly certified, the WBDC office in Minneapolis is hosting a workshop to teach business owners how to put their certification to good use.
For more information on Small Business Week events or services offered by the WBDC, please visit http://www.wbdc.org or call 312-853-3477.
About the WBDC
The mission of the Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) is to support and accelerate business development and growth, targeting women and serving all diverse business owners, in order to strengthen their participation in, and impact on, the economy.
Media Contact
Britt Logan
britt.logan(at)hawthornestrategy(dot)com
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SOURCE Women's Business Development Center
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