Tweet 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 [...]
Read More »Tweet 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 [...]
Read More »Tweet 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, [...]
Read More »Tweet 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 [...]
Read More »Tweet 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 [...]
Read More »Tweet 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 [...]
Read More »Tweet 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 [...]
Read More »Tweet Inc.com recently featured an article on supplier diversity that touched on the fact that major buyers are increasing their supplier diversity initiatives. These buyers want suppliers who are innovative, quick and responsive to fast-changing needs. In Suppliers: How to Get a Bigger Piece of the Pie, writer Tom Searcy says that it’s becoming rarer for big buyers to single source contracts. Companies see supplier diversity as a way to keep costs in check, run more nimbly and even to increase business security (by not having all their “eggs in one basket”). The article also offers some good insights for diverse supplier looking to better compete for, or keep, a larger share of contacting opportunities. As a supplier you’re the [...]
Read More »Tweet The SBA recently announced changes to its Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program, providing more opportunities for women in federal contracting. With more than $400 billion in federal contracts available, the changes could provide a big boost to women-owned contractors. The new regulations are part of the new National Defense Authorization Act of 2013. A major revision to the program lifts caps on contract awards for for women-owned and economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses. Previously, awards couldn’t exceed $6.5 million for manufacturing contract and $4 million for others. New regulations also require the SBA to study and report industries where women are underrepresented. As a result, more eligible women-owned businesses may be able to participate in SBA’s Women’s Federal [...]
Read More »Tweet The best thing about the web is also one of the worst: it contains an onslaught of information. If you’re a diverse supplier and your business is in the startup phase or more established, you’ve probably turned to the web for tips and ideas for growing your business. There are thousands of blogs out there that lend advice, but we’re sure you’ve found that some are better than others. The best blogs and new sites address specific, real-world challenges and provide creative, tried and detailed options for meeting those challenges. Today, we’re listing some of our favorite blogs and news sites for diverse suppliers. We at ConnXus.com think these sites are among the most useful and are worth a [...]
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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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