Be the Change

A sentiment that is often shared. It’s an idea of hope, but one that implies that you have to work for it – on yourself, for and in your community, and the world at large. That work is seldom easy, but experiencing the progress and, if you’re lucky, seeing the end result is joyful. That’s…

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Know Your NAICS

North American Industry Classification System Codes, or NAICS Codes (Rhymes with Snakes!), is used by businesses and governments to classify and measure economic activity in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. NAICS is a 6-digit code system that is currently the standard used by federal statistical agencies in classifying establishments (individual business locations). Organizing establishments…

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Deep Dive: SBA 8(a) Program

We’ve received a number of requests for information about the SBA’s (Small Business Administration) 8(a) program recently – so this month we’ll be discussing this business development/contracting program. And that is the first big distinction: 8(a) is NOT a certification. While it does have eligibility and supporting document requirements similar to the diverse certification process;…

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Revisiting What’s Behind a Site Visit

2020 saw certifiers take the site visit virtual, but the purpose of a site visit remains the same. The certifier uses the site visit to verify the information you provided in the certification application and clarify any outstanding issues they might have found when the application was reviewed. Or in other words, they’re ensuring that…

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A Reader’s Guide to Diversity

A post on Linke In by our colleague Coach Monique, in December 2019, spoke about productive entrepreneurs reading at least 50 books a year. I knew I read a little more than that so I decided to keep track between December 7th 2019 and 2020. I was amazed that it was actually 159. To quote…

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How Workers with Disabilities can use Technology to Advance Careers

We have a guest author this month, Marcus Lansky; Founder, Abilitator.biz While disabilities may have once held workers back from advancing their careers, starting a business, or obtaining a college degree, technology has made it easier than ever for individuals with physical, mental, intellectual, or communicative disabilities to achieve their personal and professional goals. From…

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Who Certifies?

There are many government and third-party programs offering SDMWVLGBTQBE (Small Disadvantaged or Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered or Queer Business Enterprise) certification in the United States. Let’s start with federal programs and go on from there. The Small Business Administration (SBA) oversees several programs including the 8(a), Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically…

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Why Get Diversity Certified?

The short answer for most SDMWVLGBTQBE (Small Disadvantaged or Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered or Queer Business Enterprise) owners is that a client, or potential client, suggested it to them. We get calls from many of these owners wondering what a diversity certification is and how it can help them. Basically, the certificate…

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Is It Just Us?

We keep wondering how the work from home (WFH) model has impacted other  SDMWVLGBTQBEs (Small Disadvantaged or Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gendered or Queer Business Enterprises). It seems overwhelming some days, just how much more work we seem to be doing remotely. And meeting fatigue, OMG! Someone suggested the other day not to…

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Federal Certification Changes

The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is moving forward with the proposed changes to their Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) programs.  Back in March we wrote about the slow progress of these changes initially announced in 2015. In May, the SBA shared the official timeline for…

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