What Women Entrepreneurs Can Do to be More Successful

Kerry Hannon, contributor for Forbes, interviews Carla Harris (pictured), chair of the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC), a 30-year-old, nonpartisan federal group that serves as an independent source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners.

One key question:  What can women entrepreneurs do to be more successful?  Harris says:

Women entrepreneurs should leverage the resources already in place, as there are a plethora of supports across the country specific to women business owners. In a thriving ecosystem, there are in-person and virtual incubators and accelerators, SBA resource partners such as SCORE, Women Business Centers and Small Business Development Centers, as well as online educational resources that provide powerful knowledge throughout the business lifecycle.

And of course the Women Presidents' Organization powers prosperity for women business owners too.

Read the entire interview here.

New Research Supports Women in STEM

Recently, Congress passed two bills designed to promote women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions, and presented them to the White House.  And on February 28, President Trump signed these two bills—The INSPIRE Women Act, and The Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act—into law.

The National Women’s Business Council’s latest research supports the need for solutions such as these that seek to address the disparity between men and women’s STEM workforce participation and commercialization efforts.

Read more here.

Dr. Marsha Firestone: The State of Women Entrepreneurs in the B2B Space

Members of the National Women’s Business Council have submitted op-eds to the nation’s media that explore the business-to-business growth model and consider the benefits and challenges of having other businesses as customers. Here is the one Dr. Marsha Firestone, President and founder of the Women Presidents' Organization, provided, “The State of Women Entrepreneurs in the B2B Space,” which was posted on fastcompany.com on October 29th. The timing is particularly appropriate, as it appears in time for National Veteran’s Small Business Week next week.

The State of Women Entrepreneurs in the B2B Space

Screenshot courtesy:  Fast Company

Dr. Marsha Firestone Becomes Council Member to the National Women's Business Council

The National Women's Business Council has welcomed Marsha Firestone to its esteemed group of Council Members. She will serve as the representative of the Women Presidents' Organization. Based in New York City, Firestone has an extensive track record and decades of experience supporting women entrepreneurs, business owners and leaders.

Read the news here.

Screenshot courtesy of the National Women's Business Council

Report of Interest: Advancing Women Business Owners

The National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) released its annual report focusing on economic issues of importance to women business owners.

Each year NWBC delivers its annual report along with policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the Small Business Administration. This year’s annual report addresses four main areas to advance women entrepreneurs:

1. Access to Capital
2. Access to Markets
3. Job Creation and Growth
4. Data Collection

The National Women’s Business Council continues to be a leading voice in advancing the women's entrepreneurship agenda with a strong focus on providing key insights and solutions to increasing economic gains for women business owners.

Download the report.

Illustration courtesy:  NWBC