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National Small Business Week is in full swing and the Small Business Administration (SBA), National Women’s Business Center (NWBC), Microsoft and NAWRB are doing our part to promote and recognize our nation’s small businesses.
Microsoft
This week, Microsoft is connecting with leading entrepreneurs to address pertinent small business issues and concerns and will host events focused on different business segments. One of today’s events, Cybersecurity Panel Discussion at the United States Institute of Peace, featured SBA Deputy Administrator Doug Kramer alongside Microsoft, ADP and ESET experts describing the ways in which small businesses are being attacked online and how they can protect themselves.
Microsoft also expressed their support for small businesses when they partnered with the SBA to host the InnovateHER 2016: Innovating for Women in Business Challenge, searching for pioneering products to empower women’s lives. Local NAWRB nominee Deja Castro advanced all the way to the semi-finals with RCD Systems, a product dedicated to taking the process of trash removal from minutes to seconds.
On May 4, Microsoft is featuring NAWRB on their website as they recognize women in small businesses. Under the category “Women in Business – Real Estate,” millions of visitors to Microsoft.com will see our articles, videos and newly launched NAWRB Women’s Global Resource Center (NWGRC) to help educate, train and inform women-owned small businesses.
Tonight, join NAWRB Founder and CEO Desirée Patno as she delivers a Keynote Presentation at Microsoft’s Center in Mission Viejo, CA about the resources NAWRB offers women business owners.
SBA
The SBA fulfills a crucial role in fueling and supporting the tremendous growth of our economy through small businesses. Last year, the SBA met its annual lending authority of $18.75 billion in July, an entire two months before the end of the fiscal year in September. Furthermore, in March 2016 the SBA announced that for the first time ever, the federal government exceeded its five percent women’s contracting goal, awarding 5.05 percent ($17.8 billion) of federal small business contracts to women-owned small businesses.
In acknowledgment of our mission and advocacy for women entrepreneurs, the SBA lists NAWRB as one of the few select organizations on their website under “Women’s Entrepreneurship Partner Groups.” We drive the success of women in business by raising awareness of women’s issues and creating a seat at the table with our Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council (NDILC).
As well as listing us on their website, the SBA recently recognized NAWRB Founder and CEO Desirée Patno as the winner of the 2016 Women in Business Champion of the Year Award. She will be recognized and receive her award at the local Small Business Week Awards program on Tuesday, May 3 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Disneyland Hotel Grand Ballroom in Anaheim, CA.
NWBC
A nonpartisan federal advisory council, the NWBC is an important voice for women entrepreneurs that counsels the SBA, Congress and the White House on issues impacting women professionals. The Council also creates imperative awareness about information concerning women in business such as the heartening fact that women are starting over 1,200 businesses a day, and the unfortunate truth that 91 percent of businesses owned by women have no employees other than the owner.
The NWBC recently provided special thanks to NAWRB in their annual report 10 Million Strong: The Tipping Point for Women’s Entrepreneurship, for our support of their work and in helping improve the professional arena for women. Together we are creating a better tomorrow for women entrepreneurs.
With the valuable resources and tools showcased this week, it is a great time to start, own and grow your business. We would like to thank the SBA, NWBC and Microsoft for their dedication to the success of women-owned small businesses.