TALLAHASSEE, FL –
Two Florida-based woman-owned small businesses have launched a new collaboration as part of the Office of Supplier Diversity’s (OSD) Mentor-Protégé Program. Elite Office & Business Solutions, a Tallahassee-based woman- and minority-owned business, and NovelEsolutions, Inc., (NovelE) a woman-owned business based in Seffner, Fla., will work together on government contracting opportunities.
Mentor Princess Ousley, President and CEO of Elite Office & Business Solutions, will share her knowledge and experience running an office and business supply company and as a vendor on the state’s term contract for office supplies. Protégé Liza Grudin is President of NovelE, an environmental engineering and consulting cleanup services corporation that has been an OSD-certified business since 2017. Through their new connection, both businesses will seek ways to build business strategies to expand their contracting with local, state, and federal government.
“Research has shown that mentorship is a key component for business success. As someone who has benefited from business mentorship, I believe it is my responsibility to share the lessons I’ve learned in hopes that it will help other business owners navigate and embrace the tremendous opportunities in front of them with optimism and confidence,” Ousley said. “NovelE, under the leadership of Ms. Grudin, has already proven to be a formidable force within the environmental engineering and clean-up services space. I look forward to the continued shared learning between our companies.”
“I was very impressed with Princess after our initial meeting. She has been very successful in the state arena and has already provided NovelE with valuable insight,” said Liza Grudin, President of NovelE. “Princess has been able to diversify and grow her company in a short amount of time. She has implemented a formal mentoring program at Elite and wants to give back to the community, which is equally impressive. We look forward to continuing our Mentor-Protégé relationship and seeing where this opportunity takes both of our companies.”
The Office of Supplier Diversity is currently accepting certified woman-, veteran-, and minority-owned small businesses who are interested in the Mentor-Protégé Program. Interested businesses are appropriately paired based on their strengths and needs. When an agreement is established, the mentor and protégé work together to gain guidance and feedback, particularly as it relates to government contracting. While the program is administered by OSD, the mentor and protégé establish their own goals and work collaboratively to accomplish them. For more information about the program,
visit the Mentor-Protégé Program website
.
