Archive for June, 2010
This post is inspired by a December 2009 report on the unique management style of women proprietors and their growing contribution to the US economy. Issued by The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute, the report states that women, as owners and managers are:
- more diligently engaged in strategic and tactical facets of their business
- more proactively customer-focused
- more likely to incorporate community and environment into their business plans
- more receptive to input and guidance from internal and external advisors
- more committed to creating opportunities for others.
The Institute cites these qualities among other reasons for a projected increase in jobs created by woman-owned small business. In fact, by 2018, they forecast that women small business owners will create 5 to 5.5 million new jobs in the US, thereby “transforming the workplace of tomorrow into a far more inclusive, horizontally managed environment.”
Aside from these fantastic economic projections, I think the most interesting point the report makes is that the woman business owner is a more engaged proprietor. Because women are more careful in cultivating their customer base and more invested in creating opportunities, positive working relationships and meaningful contributions to their business and community, the impact of women-owned business will not only be greater by 2018, but it will constructively benefit the environment in which we work and do business.
Click here to find the full report.
Author: Stats, Women | No Comments »
Happy June!
I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend. In the spirit of Memorial Day, I thought we might talk about starting and operating a small business as a veteran.
There are lots of programs and opportunities out there for veterans looking for technical assistance and even capital for starting a small business.
A great resource is the Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) which maintains the VetBiz Registry, a member site that lists your company in a database of other veteran-owned businesses. Through VetBiz, listed companies are given notice of and special consideration for federal contracting opportunities, and are updated with information and news affecting Veteran-Owned and Service Disabled businesses.
Another resource is the SBA Office of Veterans Business Development, the mission of which is “to maximize the availability, applicability and usability of all administration small business programs for Veterans, Service-Disabled Veterans, Reserve Component Members, and their Dependents or Survivors.” The SBA oversees an outreach program that caters to both start up veteran enterprise and those in existing business. Services include business plan workshops, feasibility analysis, counseling, mentoring, and technical training in more specific areas.
Find out more here.
Use this tool on the SBA website to find a Veterans Business Development Officer near you.
The VA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is also developing a mentor program, not unlike our Business Coaching Program, which is aimed at assisting veteran-owned enterprises to become “viable and/or more competitive in the small business community.” See the details here.
Other organizations and federal offices advocate on behalf of veterans enterprise, such as the National Veteran Owned Business Association and the VA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. These organizations help to guide policy, support the veteran community, and promote veteran-owned businesses as preferred vendors.
Are you a veteran business owner?
What is your experience with the available resources?
Author: Events, Resources, Veterans | 1 Comment »