In today’s marketplace, a variety of business resources are available to empower a woman, helping her navigate challenges and seize opportunities for growth and success.
Starting or running a business as a woman could be quite challenging, but having access to the right resources can make it a whole lot easier.
In this article, we shall explore the various business resources that can help you to start and run your business smoothly.
Below are resources that can help you to start or run your business:
1. National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
NAWBO is an organisation that has different chapters across countries, they represent the interests of all women in business. They provide resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy for women business owners.
Joining NAWBO is not free; they have different subscription plans. The subscription plans range from the Basic plan, which is $359.40, to the NextGen plan, which is $120. However, they have lots of resources that can be of huge benefit to you as a businesswoman, not minding the fee.
2. Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
WBENC is a leading advocate for women-owned businesses, offering certification, networking, and educational resources. There are a lot of benefits you will gain for your business when you join.
The key benefits include access to an extensive database of potential suppliers, support for supplier expansion, and mentorship opportunities. Additionally, corporate members receive a listing on the WBENC website, enhancing visibility.
To become a corporate member of the organization, you must pay dues, which are determined based on the entity’s global revenue. WBENC membership follows the calendar year (January 1 – December 31), and new members are promoted by WBENC during the quarter they join.
3. SCORE Women’s Business Center
SCORE Women’s Business Center offers one-on-one business counselling, workshops, and webinars that help women grow their businesses at any stage. If you are already in business or just starting, they will provide tailored business resources for you as a woman entrepreneur.
SCORE offers free and confidential business advice. SCORE mentors many of the successful women small business owners, and they are ready to help you achieve your business goals.
To start you would need to enter your zip code and location on their website, after that you will be matched with a business expert near your location.
4. Small Business Administration (SBA)
SBA basically offers support to America’s business owners. They link entrepreneurs to lenders, who provide help to plan, start, and grow their businesses.
The Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO) is a division within the Small Business Administration (SBA), dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs. The SBA offers resources and programs to support women-owned businesses, including the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program.
5. Women 2.0
Women 2.0 is a global network and social platform, basically for women who want to venture into the technology business or women who are already in the business and need support.
They help to nurture ideas through their programs for engineers, designers, businesses and marketers who want to start and advance their own high-tech business. They do this by organizing workshops, and events aimed at helping female entrepreneurs.
One of the programs they offer is a five-week program where they form a community of 20 women, enabling collaboration and innovation and also helping them to bring their ideas to life. As a woman in tech business or starting up, this is a good resource for you.
6. Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO)
WEDO for short is an organization that celebrates and supports women entrepreneurs, offering events, mentorship, and resources. They collaborate with women all over the world to provide financial independence.
For them to achieve their goal, they officially created Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, which they usually observe yearly on the 19th of November. On this day they celebrate and honour female entrepreneurs for their contributions to the community.
They are a collaborative and inspiring community. As a woman who wants to venture into a business, you can leverage their resources.
7. Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC)
AWBC basically helps women to be successful in business, they provide training, mentorship, and business development and also offer financing opportunities to business women.
This is a non-profit organization in the US. They have over 100 National Networks of Association of Women’s Business Centres that provide resources, training, and counselling.
8. Ellevate Network
Ellevate Network is a hands-on resource for businesswomen. They offer networking opportunities, resources, and events to support professional women and entrepreneurs.
Their resources are personalised, offering tailored support based on individual business needs. However, their training, mentorship, and events are subscription-based.
Overall, be sure they will meet your entrepreneurial needs as a woman in business.
9. Women’s Venture Fund (WVF)
WVF is a dynamic platform that empowers women to transform their passions and creativity into successful, profitable businesses. They provide training, financing, and essential support for women entrepreneurs, particularly in underserved communities.
Through WVF, businesswomen can enhance their skills and expand their potential for success. With donations supporting their mission, WVF ensures that women in business have access to the resources they need to thrive.
If you seek tools to sharpen your business skills and drive success, consider signing up with WVF.
10. SheEO
SheEO is a non-profit organization that empowers women to be successful in business. SheEO is a Kenya-based NGO. They provide support for women who are micro-entrepreneurs, functioning in an unorganised sector and under-resourced communities.
SheEO provides financial support for start-ups through a unique funding model called the social microfinance model. They have seasoned mentors who provide guidance, give insights and motivate growth in entrepreneurs through their handy mentorship program.
This program gives personalised support to entrepreneurs as they go through their business journey. So basically SheEO equips, mentors and invests in women entrepreneurs. You can make use of their well-packed resources to help your business grow.
Final Thoughts
The framework for women entrepreneurs is rich with a lot of resources, from established organizations like NAWBO and WBENC to innovative platforms like Women 2.0 and SheEO. Whether you need funding, mentorship, networking opportunities, or business certification, there’s a resource available to support your journey. Take the first step today by looking into these organizations and connecting with those that align with your business goals as a woman.
Business success isn’t just about what you know—it’s also about the support system you build around yourself.
Read more: 10 Solid Business Ideas For Women
