Join us in honoring the women business enterprises, corporations, government agencies, and community members who are making a difference by opening the doors of opportunity to women business owners. This year we will be giving out door prizes to some lucky attendees! Your participation in our celebration can leave you walking away with a great item from a WBE!

This year our tickets are pay-as-you-can. Funds raised through our events enable us to continue our work of supporting our WBEs and business training clients!
Our JumpStart series is a low cost, flexible five-week workshop series that helps prospective business owners increase their chances for success and reduce the risks associated with starting a business.

Register for the entire series at a $20 discount, or go to the calendar to select only the workshops that interest you.

The JumpStart Series workshops:

  • Before You Start - October 15, 2020:
Learn how to move from employee to business owner

  • Market Research - October 22, 2020:
Teaches how to assess the feasibility of your business ideas

  • Financial Analysis - October 29, 2020:
Provides financial basics critical to business success

  • The Business Plan - November 5, 2020:
Helps business owners plan for growth and profitability

  • Business Launch - November 12, 2020:
Understand the legal, financial, insurance, employment and tax req's
WBE Spotlight
Priya Osuri, Founder/Owner of Anar Gourmet Foods is thrilled to announce the launch of its very first frozen food entree–Chicken Tikka Masala with basmati rice. After numerous customer requests to have her delicious authentic Indian spice mixes and family’s recipes offered as ready to eat entrées, Priya has launched her #1 seller.

Due to the pandemic, Priya has responded to the popular demand for her ready-made home-cooked meals, particularly from the busy people at work or college who would like to have a delicious microwave ready lunch or dinner. 

Priya is delighted to pursue her dream of making delicious homemade meals by providing people good tasting, nourishing, hearty Indian meals for those who are too tired to cook for themselves. Her signature fan favorite mouthwatering Chicken Tikka Masala spice mix is now available as a frozen food entrée and served with aromatic basmati rice (12 oz).
The all-natural, gluten-free seasoning mixes are also a hit because of the delicious unique homecooked authentic taste and simplicity of preparing these family sized dishes at home.
Delivery of the frozen entree is available in the Pittsburgh area. Her spice mixes are available in 11 stores, including Whole Foods in the Pittsburgh, PA area.

Anar Gourmet Foods, a Pittsburgh based company founded in 2016 is a proud member of WBEC-East. Learn more at https://anargourmetfoods.com/
WBEC-East Webinars
So You Want Your LLC
September 24, 2 - 3pm

This program is intended for business owners considering registering an LLC for their business. Corporate attorney and certified WBE, Martha (Frannie) Reilly, will cover the basics so that you can move forward equipped with the information you need.

In this program, we will address:

  • What is an LLC? Why might a business owner want one?
  • Other business structures to consider
  • The steps involved in registering an LLC
  • Common missteps and misconceptions
  • What business owners can do for themselves and when to bring in an attorney
How to get WBE & MBE Certified
October 6, 2 - 3pm

Becoming certified as a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) or Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is about so much more than the name. It's about opening up doors to a network of thousands of other entrepreneurs and hundreds of corporate and government partners looking to work with women-owned and minority-owned businesses.

WBENC and EMSDC are the premier national certifying agencies for the WBE and MBE certifications. Local representatives from each organization will be on hand to answer your questions and show you how to gain this prestigious certificate and use it to build your business!

*This event is a special MEDWeek event. Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week highlights minority businesses and the resources that help them grow. Throughout the week, organizations from across the region will host events focused on this year’s theme, “Moving the Needle.” This year's MEDWeek is from Monday, Oct. 7 - Friday, Oct. 11*
Partner Events
WIPP Virtual & Digital Expo 2020
Women Impacting Public Policy
Sept 19 - Oct 1

The WIPP Virtual Symposium on Cyber Resiliency will be hosted on September 29 to October 1.

Our two half-day programs are tailored for women business owners, featuring technology experts and speakers from government agencies and corporate partners who specialize in cybersecurity. These experts will provide real-time prevention information to better position us to defend our companies against cyber attacks in our ever-changing world. Attendees will walk away with the education, connections, and advocacy actions needed to build a cyber resiliency plan.

Our final day of the symposium is dedicated to matchmaker meetings and networking with government agencies, primes, and corporate partners.
Women Owned in Retail
WBENC
Oct 15, 12:30 - 4:30 PM

Women-owned businesses are behind some of the most innovative, game-changing consumer products on the market, driving industry trends and reinventing product categories. But the path from product development to retail success can be a daunting one, particularly for women entrepreneurs who are much less likely to receive start-up capital to fund their business.

WBENC and Target have teamed up to demystify the process with Women Owned in Retail, a new program designed to help women-owned business with consumer goods scale and thrive in the retail space.

You’ll gain a better understanding of what big retailers like Target are looking for in suppliers. Go deep into how to best prepare to pitch and do business with major retailers. Hear directly from the experts on the ins-and-outs of a vendor relationship – and how to ensure long term success.