My guest is Rachel Winder, Executive Director at the Ohio Women’s Coalition.
What is the Ohio Women’s Coalition?
“The Ohio Women’s Coalition is a diverse, non-partisan alliance of women in business, women leaders, women business owners, and men that support the mission across Ohio who are coming together to improve the economic position for all women in our state. The OWC was created to amplify the voice of women in Ohio and to help draw attention to the unique challenges that women encounter, especially underserved women of color and women who live in underserved areas of the state, to gain access to economic opportunities in order to achieve financial stability and prosperity.”
In a very short time, the OWC continues to increase the awareness of women small business owners, and help them find funding and support that is usually elusive to them. Rachel goes in-depth about the exciting initiatives the OWC has accomplished, and what is on the horizon.
Here’s an overview of what we talk about…
Accomplishments on behalf of Women-Owned Businesses in Ohio
• Created a statutory definition of “microbusiness” in the Ohio Revised Code (2016)
• Created a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) program in the State of Ohio (2020)
• Successfully advocated for $10 million in state-backed women-owned business loans at 3% interest rate (2021)
• Successfully advocated for $10 million in state-backed women and minority-owned business microloans at 0% interest rate (2021)
Results
• As of May 2022, $2,297,012 in Women’s Business Enterprise Loans have been approved for 11 companies, and $1,490,511 Ohio Micro-Loans have been approved for 39 companies. Nearly $3 million remains available in both loan programs with an additional $5 million available next fiscal year for each program.
• There are nearly as many WBE’s certified in Ohio as MBE’s, which is a program that was established more than 40 years ago. The OWC is committed to equality and lifting everybody up!
• The State of Ohio is literally making room for Ohio women-owned businesses. Recently, members of the Minority Development Financing Advisory Board voluntarily stepped away in recognition of the lack of women-owned businesses represented. Because of our advocacy, the work of this Board has been mostly focused on women-owned business loans, and they recognized women-owned businesses were not represented equally on the Board.
• For the first time in Ohio history, in 2022, each state agency is being asked to predict how many contracts will be going to women-owned businesses during the next fiscal year.
WHEN: June 24, 2022, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel
Gain insights and connections with your Columbus professionals during this full-day event featuring:
Networking opportunities to make friends, business contacts, and build relationships to grow your career and business!
More than 300 professionals in attendance
Customize your day with choices from 15 breakout speakers
A powerful breakfast speaker
A luncheon keynote
More than 30 exhibitors
Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.
I speak with Janet Meeks. Janet is the author of Gracious Leadership, Lead Like You’ve Never Led Before. You will love getting the perspective from her because she has lived it, she’s experienced it, and her amazing journey as a leader.
She’s going to talk from her book, which is such a simple read. Yet there are some very important basics in there. What should we expect from our leaders? There’s an expectation we should have.
As Janet mentions…
I also believe that leaders need to be secure enough to understand they don’t have all the answers and that leaders who try to hoard getting the results accomplished are really holding back the organization they need to trust their employees who are subject matter experts and free them, let them lie in the war, if you will, and be all they were created today so they can play at the top of their game. And then that leaves time and room for the person with the big title to be able to take on those difficult tasks that perhaps someone and other levels of the organization cannot.
Coming up on July 30th is the 7th annual Brady Ware Women’s Leadership Conference. Each year, 100% of the proceeds go to support women initiatives through non profit organizations within Ohio. This year our supporting non profits are the Better Business Bureau and the Women’s Small Business Accelerator
Many months ago when we began planning for this year’s conference, we felt it best to err on the side of safety, so this year’s conference will be held virtually. While this may not be the most ideal situation, it does allow for us to offer participants speakers that are nationally recognized as well as locally recognized women leaders.
We’re excited to be able to present keynote speaker, Peggy Klaus, author of ‘Brag! How to toot your own horn without blowing it’. We’ll start the morning with a lively discussion with a panel of women business owners and leaders.
And to add to the excitement of the day, you’ll be able to network, visit exhibitor tables and win wonderful prizes throughout the day!
I would like to personally invite you to join us on July 30th. Early bird registration ends on June 15th, so I encourage you to sign up now! Just go to Columbus Women’s Leadership dot com and complete a simple form. We’ll do all the rest!
This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.
Brady Ware and Company has taken great strides to incorporate a meaningful women’s initiative into our corporate culture. And we did this with not only from inside the company, but also by partnering with strong organizations within our city, like the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), and the Women’s Small Business Accelerator (WSBA).
In this episode, I outline how Brady Ware has accomplished our successful women’s initiative, and how you can, as well, in your company. As for local partners our local partners, I interview Mary McCarthy, Co-founder and Executive Director of WSBA, and Christy Farnbauch, Executive Director at NAWBO.
NAWBO Columbus, in collaboration with, the Women’s Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) and Brady Ware & Company, offers this annual conference to provide a day of inspirational learning and meaningful conversations that celebrate women’s leadership.
Hosting close to 300 attendees, educational breakout sessions and an inspiring keynote presentation.
Join us June 28, 2019
For speaker information and to register for full day conference or awards/lunch tickets visit; https://www.columbuswomensleadership.com
This is THE podcast that advances women toward economic, social and political achievement. Hosted by Betty Collins, CPA, and Director at Brady Ware and Company. Betty also serves as the Committee Chair for Empowering Women, and Director of the Brady Ware Women Initiative. Each episode is presented by Brady Ware and Company, committed to empowering women to go their distance in the workplace and at home.
