In This Edition
• Doing Business With Comcast
• WBENC National Conference 2023
• Galentine's Day Catalog 2023
Shopping with Amazon Smile
• Monthly Quote and Fun Fact
WBEC-East Webinars and Events
• WBE Spotlight- MinkeeBlue
SBA Update
Welcome Newly Certified WBEs
SBA's COVID EIDL Webinar
Highmark's Small Biz Forum
Lower Hill Contractor Info Sess.
Doing Business With Comcast
December 13th, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Are you interested in doing business with Comcast? Please join us for an informative webinar to learn about Comcast's supplier diversity and procurement initiatives. There are several business opportunities still available despite today’s economic landscape.  Comcast wants to engage with WBEs like you to discuss potential procurement opportunities.

Register today to learn the business requirements to be a supplier for Comcast
WBENC National Conference 2023
Join WBENC in Nashville, TN, for the 2023 WBENC National Conference taking place March 20-23, 2023, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. WBENC, along with our 2023 National Conference Co-Chairs, Bristol Myers Squibb, DuPont, EY, Nissan North America, Inc., Ampcus Inc., The ActOne Group, and M. Davis & Sons, Inc., look forward to connecting again in person, continuing to build momentum in the network, identifying innovative best practices, learning industry trends and celebrating accomplishments by our WBEs and Corporate Members that further a diverse supply chain and grow business opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Be Part of Our Galentine's Day Catalog in 2023!

We want to recognize your business and help expand your market within our WBEC-East network! We are excited to cordially invite you to be a part of our Galantine’s Day Catalog!
 
This is a FREE virtual Catalog that is open to retail products and services in our network! Show others how they can buy from you to treat someone special in their life or themselves.

Your service or product(s) should meet the following criteria:
·        Must be able to be gifted
·        Must enrich someone in their own personal/professional life

You must sign up by 12/31
Only the first 50 entries will be included!
This holiday season use Amazon Smile to support WBEC-East!

When you #StartWithaSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to WBEC-East!

Look for the Amazon Smile logo (instead of the standard Amazon logo) so you know a percentage of your purchase will be donated to WBEC-East!

Every click of support helps us continue in our mission and helps cover our costs.

We are deeply appreciative of all assistance we receive from our amazing network!
WBEC-East Webinars & Events
December 1,8, & 15, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

This series is designed for business owners who want a stronger understanding of business record keeping and financials.
December 14, 11:30 - 12:30 PM

If you've always dreamed of owning your own business, or if you'd like to understand how WBEC-East can help your business grow, our free online webinar- Orientation and Business Assessment workshop is for you!
December 16, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

Whether you’re newly certified or have been for years, we'll show you how to make the best of your certification and grow your business.
December 20, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

We'll show you how to gain the prestigious Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) certificate and use it to build your business!
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Joyce Cadesca via email at jcadesca@wbeceast.com to make arrangements.
WBE Spotlight
December 3rd from 1 pm – 6 pm is MinkeeBlue Day at Macy’s!
 
It’s been a little over a year since Sherrill Mosee, Founder & CEO of MinkeeBlue won the premier show, America’s Big Deal Live Shopping Pitch Competition on the USA network.
 
She had two minutes to sell MinkeeBlue to America and in front of a live studio audience for an opportunity to win a purchase order with a major retailer. Whoever sold $30,000 worth of product during the live show, moved on to choose a retailer. During this segment, the judges vie for contestants to launch products in their stores.
 
Sherrill won a $100,000 purchase order from Macy’s. She is thrilled to launch her MinkeeBlue bags in ten stores and on Macys.com. It’s been quite a journey to get here… but she made it happen through all the challenges, obstacles, and personal tragedy.
 
We all know that getting on the shelves is half of success… staying there is what matters. You can contribute to her success with your support this holiday season.
 
Mark your calendars to shop MinkeeBlue on Dec 3rd at any of the ten Macy’s stores or online. Sherrill wants to make an impact on this day to show the power of community behind small businesses and what really drives success in big retail!
SBA Update
SBA Administrator Guzman Calls on Americans to “Shop Small®” this holiday season Across America

Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s 33 million small businesses, calls on Americans to “Shop Small” throughout this holiday season.

“As our economy continues to stabilize, it’s more important than ever that consumers shop and dine small during the holiday shopping season,” said Administrator Guzman. “We continue to see positive impacts and opportunities for our small business owners through President Biden’s economic agenda, and Small Business Saturday is another chance for us to further strengthen America’s entrepreneurs with our local and online spending and promotion.” 
Welcome Newly Certified WBES!
Certified October 2022
American Process Lettering Inc DBA Ampro
Crimson Design LLC DBA Interior Fancies
Elk County Excavating LLC
Helen Nelson Trucking
KD Norris Group, Inc. DBA ClearCore Insights
Law Office of Sarah Yerger DBA Yerger Law
MHI Consulting LLC
Mindset Strategies, LLC
Precision Catalyst LLC
Red Phoenix Companies, LLC
Restoration Solutions, LLC
Shirley Ayr Supply, LLC
SwitchgearUS LLC
Unfound Object, LLC
Wazoodle Fabrics LLC
Partner Updates
SBA's COVID EIDL Repayment Webinar 
December 6, 2022 | 10:00 AM

Join SBA's Eastern Pennsylvania District Office for a virtual workshop where we will discuss important information for borrowers to identify and tips to understand the payment process of your COVID EIDL.

Learn how to:
  • Access your SBA Capital Access Financial System (CAFS) account and monitor your COVID EIDL account
  • Utilize the PAY.GOV accounting system and learn how to make payments
  • Identify your Loan Servicing Center

Joining the session will be a representative from Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers. This SBA Resource Partner offers no-cost consulting services to help small businesses succeed.
Highmark Health’s 2022 Small Diverse Business Forum
December 9, 2022 | 10:00 - 4:30 PM

This annual event is a networking opportunity connecting diverse suppliers to sourcing opportunities within the Highmark Health Enterprise.

Highmark Health strives to develop strong business relationships with suppliers that can provide a wide range of goods and services at the best possible value to our company. The event will feature nationally recognized diversity and inclusion thought-leader and top entrepreneur, Paul Douglas, as well as several panel sessions and workshops that will allow diverse suppliers to meet as a group to understand Highmark Health’s procurement needs and protocols.  
Lower Hill Contractor’s Information Session
December 14, 2022 | 5:30 PM

The Buccini/Pollin Group (BPG) is embarking on the second Lower Hill development project, a 910 space parking garage and 4,500 person music venue. Join them for a celebration of the MWBE businesses that have been critical to advancing the FNB Financial Center on Block G of the Lower Hill, and an information session for contracting opportunities on the Block E garage.

Together, BPG and the partners of the Lower Hill Development Team, have achieved impressive construction contracting commitments for the First National Bank Financial Center. To date, the initial contracts are valued at $102 million and are as follows:
  • $35 million in contracts for MBEs (representing 35% of total to date)
  • $24 million of which are Black-owned businesses (representing 23% of the total)
  • Approximately $8 million of the total contracts are for WBEs
  • Commitments for Architectural Millwork and Tiles in the month of August
  • Commitments to 42 different M/WBEs across 29 trades
  • To date, FNB Financial Center project has made commitments to 73 M/WBEs
Funded in part through Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Liz Walsh at 215-936-9392 or ewalsh@wbeceast.com