Are you certified?
Why, are you?
I recently began the task of applying for “Woman Business Enterprise” (WBE) certification through the National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC). According to the NWBOC website, certification is an important business development strategy for two reasons:
“First, most local and national government purchasing agencies track and/or have programs for doing business with women business owners. Having WBE Certification is the only way the purchasing agents have confidence that a business representing itself as woman-owned is in fact woman-owned.
Second, in a similar manner many publicly-held corporations, as well as larger private corporations, also track and have programs for doing business with women-owned vendor companies. They, too, rely on WBE Certification.”
Years ago, (actually six years ago – 2003) my largest, most profitable client asked that I be certified as a woman-owned business as part of their mandated Supplier Diversity Program. Before I could accumulate the required documents, tax returns, bank statements and financial records and write the $250 application fee check, another company had swooped in and acquired my client leaving me and my business in the dust. Needless to say, I did not complete the certification process.
In hindsight, certification was probably the exact thing that I needed at the time to pursue new business opportunities.
Fast forward to 2009. I’m going through the process again hoping to expand my market and see if I can mine some of those stimulus packages and government projects. Pulling tax records is a little easier now because I can access electronic files. My Quickbooks can spit out a current profit and loss statement with a keystroke. But did I mention the certification has a non-refundable $350 application fee?
I’ve sent in my application in a notebook binder complete with tabbed dividers per the instructions. My Social Security number graces every page. Now, I’m nervously waiting for notice of receipt and that I’ve compiled and organized my codex correctly.
I’d hate to be denied for incompleteness. Did I mention the certification has a non-refundable $350 application fee?
Hey Wendy, thanks for checking in. Today, I listed some of the documents I had to include in my manifesto as well as some resources for procuring my own information. I’ll post the next steps/process in future posts.
I was *just* contemplating going through the process myself. Last time I started, I was totally overwhelmed. This is the push I needed. Thanks!