If your business is at least 51% owned, controlled, and managed by women, you need to consider a WBE Certification to help your business grow! 

We will discuss:

• What is WBE certification
• What is supplier diversity and how does it fit into the certification puzzle
• Overview of the types of certifications available
• Benefits and advantages of being WBENC WBE certified
• Criteria & necessary documents for WBENC WBE certification

After this workshop, you will be able to determine:

• Does your business qualify for national WBE certification
• Is certification a good fit for your business and which certification(s) to apply for
• What you should do next to apply for certification
• How to avoid common pitfalls in the certification process

Although not a guarantee of business, the WBE Certification has been proven to provide a competitive edge in obtaining corporate contracts. National in scope and issued by a third-party agency Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the WBE Certification is recognized by over a thousand major corporations and government agencies in the U.S. 

Karen Goldner – Managing Director, Established Business Services

Karen Goldner is the Managing Director of Established Business Services and works with small and medium-sized businesses to help them grow. Her role includes leadership of the WBDC’s Small Business Development Center in Illinois, and WBDC’s WBENC certification program in nine states.

Karen believes that entrepreneurs are amazing, powerful people who change the world and is honored to have the opportunity to support them. For twenty years, Karen has worked with, in, and for small businesses ranging from information technology to aerospace manufacturing to professional services. In addition to consulting, her experience includes managing early stage investments for private and public investors, small business lending, and operating small manufacturing companies.

She is a certified Community Development Finance Professional from the National Development Council. In 2017, Karen and her team at the Women’s Business Development Center received the Illinois Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Karen holds an M.P.A. from Indiana University and a B.A. in political science from the University of Nebraska.

The Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) is a 501(c)(3) nationally recognized leader in the field of women’s economic development. The organization was founded in 1986 to provide programs and services to support and accelerate women’s business ownership and strengthen the impact of women on the economy by creating jobs, fueling economic growth, and building strong communities.

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.