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Resources to Help Women Entrepreneurs Succeed
According to the 2017 State Of Women-owned Businesses Report commissioned by American Express, women-owned businesses now account for nearly 40 percent of all companies in the United States. With the increase in the number of women-owned firms by a whopping 114 percent (compared to the 44 percent increase among all businesses) from 1997 to 2017, it’s evident women entrepreneurs are a powerful force within the U.S. economy.
Some helpful resources exist to help female entrepreneurs as they start and grow their companies. Several to have on your radar include:
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
NAWBO is a dues-based organization that represents the interests of all women entrepreneurs in all industries and across the nation. Local chapters can be found across the country. (https://www.nawbo.org/about/find-chapter)
Women Who Start Up – Radio Podcast
Hosted in Denver, Colorado, these podcast episodes deliver inspiration and insight from successful women business owners on a variety of topics.
Women's Business Centers (AWBC)
AWBC is a national nonprofit that supports and sustains over 100 Women’s Business Centers throughout the United States. The centers provide training, mentoring, business development, and financing opportunities to over 140,000 women entrepreneurs each year.
United States Small Business Administration (SBA)
The SBA has online guides to help entrepreneurs plan, launch, manage and grow their businesses. The organization also provides several funding programs, (https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs) including loans, investment capital, surety bonds, disaster assistance, and grants.
SCORE
SCORE has a section of its website devoted to women entrepreneurs (https://www.score.org/resources-women-entrepreneurs). You can find a variety of resources there including webinars and articles about overcoming business challenges and funding opportunities. SCORE also offers free mentoring to entrepreneurs at its over 360 chapters across the United States and via phone, email, and video call (Skype and Google Hangouts).
Walker’s Legacy
Walker's Legacy is a global platform for professional and entrepreneurial women of all cultures. The organization provides training programs, multimedia content, and special events to empower and inspire. Walker's Legacy is also partnering with SCORE, connecting women entrepreneurs with mentors who can help guide them through startup and business management challenges.
If you or a woman you know has dreamed of starting a business or is striving to grow an existing one, consider tapping the expertise and tools the above organizations offer. A good place to start is by contacting SCORE to talk with a mentor who can help you assess your needs and plan your next steps.
If you would like to discuss this or other aspects of starting or managing a business, contact the Sandhills Chapter of SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business”. SCORE is a nationwide nonprofit association of expert business counselors who provide free and confidential business counseling to small business entrepreneurs and owners. Your local Sandhills Chapter is very active in counseling, mentoring, and presenting free business seminars at Sandhills Community College. Please contact us at www.sandhills.score.org or call 910-420-0121.
Be sure to visit the website at www.sandhills.edu/sbc for a complete listing of SCORE and SCC free seminars. You may also contact Teresa Reynolds, Director of the SCC-SBC, at 910-695-3938 or email reynoldst@sandhills.edu.
Also, you can send your business questions to scorestaffing0364@gmail.com. We may not be able to answer all of your questions but everyone will receive a personal response from one of our Sandhills SCORE counselors.
