Women-owned or led companies in Louisville, Ky. Dayton and Columbus, Ohio, and Gurnee, Ill., are among the Top 50 fastest-growing in North America, according to the 6th annual ranking released this month by the Women President’s Organization (WPO). The WPO is a peer advisory and networking group for women across the globe who own multi-million dollar companies. This impressive group of companies employed a combined 24,000, and generated $3.2 billion in revenues in 2012. Other facts about the Top 50, according to the WPO: Average revenue grew from $24.9 million in 2008 to $64.5 million in 2012 (Owner) Founded the business: 90% (Founder’s) Average age: 47 Average number of projected 2013 employees: 641 New York-based Happy Family took the number [...]
Read More »The federal government awards more than $100 billion in contracts every year to small businesses. Minority- and women-owned businesses are a small, but growing, part of the federal government supply chain. ChallengeHER, a new SBA initiative aims to boost opportunities for women-owned business with events across the country. The ChallengeHER Campaign is effort of the SBA, WIPP, and American Express OPEN to promote the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program. Event dates should be announced later this month on the SBA website, but locations have been set: Phoenix Seattle New Orleans Denver Atlanta, GA San Francisco New York City The SBA explains ChallengeHER this way: At these events we’ll … be playing “matchmaker”—connecting women-owned small businesses with the decision-makers and [...]
Read More »Women-owned firms are growing faster than the national average, and much of that growth came from minority firms, according to a study commissioned by American Express Open. The 2013 State of Women-Owned Business Report examined the period between 1997 and 2013 and found some astonishing growth trends, as well as areas of weakness that need to be firmed up. We’ll highlight some of the top growth statistics and trends in this blog, and explore more of the report in detail over the next few weeks. One of the most notable stats is the growth of businesses started by women of color. In 1997, they accounted for just 17 percent of women-owned businesses. Today they make up a third. Other important [...]
Read More »Since the 1980s, minority-owned businesses have grown at three times the rate of overall businesses, created 23 percent more jobs and grew average revenues by about 10 percent each year. Still, MBEs businesses face challenges. The Kauffman Foundation detailed the great progress and lingering obstacles in a report: New Agenda for Minority Business Development. The report is an update on key business statistics that researchers examined for the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1978 and Minority Enterprise Development in 1980. The “New Agenda” focuses on sustainability and large-scale business growth. The report summarized major thought shifts that must take place for large scale growth of minority owned American business: Efforts must be consolidated and resources allocated with precision to home in [...]
Read More »YouTube is great place to find practical business advice from top leaders and business owners. ConnXus has searched for quality video blogs that will help your business grow. You can find advice on meeting short-term challenges and planning “big-picture” strategy from individuals, organizations and publications that want to help small business owners. YouTube makes it easy for you look through these videos, and to subscribe to channels that create videos. If you haven’t already, create a YouTube profile, take a look at the YouTube video bloggers below and subscribe to the channels that speak to your business needs! 1. WBENC’s Official Channel — The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned, controlled, and [...]
Read More »Cincinnati’s new Horseshoe Casino awarded 15 percent of its pre-opening and 2013 vendor contracts to diverse suppliers, the casino announced. Those contracts were awarded to Cincinnati-area and Ohio-based Minority, Woman, Disabled or Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. Theyincluded a variety of products including uniforms, food and beverage, facilities, furniture and professional services. Among the businesses awarded contracts were: Empire Corporation Transportation (WBE/Veteran-Owned) – Provides shuttle service between the casino and its seven downtown partner hotels Oscar Robertson Solutions (MBE) – Supplier of copy, printer and fax machines RCF Group (MBE) –Administrative office furniture supplier Delhi Foods (WBE) –Wholesaler providing fresh fruit and vegetables Wright Brothers Global Gas (WBE) – This seller and distributor of high-performance specialty and industrial gases is providing carbon [...]
Read More »This is the third in The ConnXion Point’s series of state-by-state supplier diversity programs. We’re picking states where the highest concentration of our readers live. So far we’ve highlighted Ohio and Illinois. This week we’re focusing on California. Each link below will take you right to the company’s or organization’s supplier diversity program website. Each program is sorted by industry, and is either based in California or employes a large number of Californians. Utility/Energy California Public Utility Commission Pacific Gas and Electric California American Water Chevron Southern California Edison Tech Apple Cisco Systems Google Oracle HP Qualcomm intel Consumer Mattel Verizon California The Walt Disney Company Safeway Health/insurance McKesson Blue Shield of California Baxter Healthcare Amgen Engineering Jacobs Engineering Group [...]
Read More »One of our most popular blogs has been a run down of national supplier diversity programs. We’ve decided to dig a little deeper and seek out state-by-state programs where the highest concentration of our readers live. Last week, we highlighted Ohio. This week, we’re focusing on Illinois. Each link below will take you right to the company’s or organization’s supplier diversity program website. Each program is sorted by industry, and is either based in Illinois or employs a large number of Illinoisans. Education/Government University of Illinois Chicago Public Schools Northern Illinois University Cook County Professional Services State Farm Insurance United Parcel Service of America Inc. JP Morgan Chase Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Caterpillar Inc. Health Abbott Laboratories (health innovation) [...]
Read More »One of our most popular blogs has been a run down of national supplier diversity programs. We’ve decided to dig a little deeper and seek out state-by-state programs where the highest concentration of our readers live. Today, we start with Ohio. Each link will take you right to the company or organization’s supplier diversity program website. Each program is sorted by industry, and is either based in Ohio or employers a large number of Ohioans. Higher Education University of Toledo Kent State University University of Cincinnati Ohio State University Xavier University Healthcare/insurance University Hosptials Cleveland Cleveland Clinic Catholic Health Partners Greater Cincinnati Health Council Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center BlueCross BlueShield Association Retail/Consumer Macy’s Kroger Procter & Gamble Limited Brands Construction [...]
Read More »HispanicBusiness.com recently named its top 25 companies in supplier diversity. Top 25 Supplier Diversity Companies cross industries, and include large corporations that have shown a sustained commitment to supplier diversity. The rankings, among other things, are based on whether each company: Fosters supplier-development programs Has a full-time executives or managers devoted to Supplier Diversity Offers bonus to management tied to the company’s Supplier Diversity programs Percentage of total purchasing spend that goes to MBEs Among the Top 25 Companies are: Comerica Bank PG&E Corp. AT&T Sempra Energy Southern California Edison Consolidated Edison Inc. Ford Motor Co. Marriott International Inc. Verizon Communications Banks of America You can see the entire list at HispanicBusiness.com. The publication also spoke with top Supplier Diversity [...]
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The ConnXion Point is the blog for connXus.com, an online service connecting small, minority- and woman-owned businesses with companies seeking to hire diverse suppliers.
I'm Rod Robinson, founder and chief connector of connXus.com. I've spent 15 years in the procurement business as a minority business owner, company procurement officer and industry consultant.
The ConnXion Point will focus on issues, events and news about procurement and supplier diversity. So, whether you're purchasing or selling, we'll have information you can use. We also hope to facilitate a healthy, respectful exchange of viewpoints on issues surrounding supplier diversity and procurement.
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