MBDA Export Center, based in South Florida, recently took its show on the road with its annual “Women Mean Business” conference in celebration of National Women’s History Month. This South Florida regional event, titled ”Your Power Unleashed,” was hosted by the City of Lauderdale Lakes on Mar. 9.
Geared toward small, minority/women-owned business, the conference provided an opportunity to hear from key industry leaders throughout South Florida, but also brought a wealth of knowledge and insights related to current and upcoming business opportunities.
The program is hosted each year by the U.S. Department of Commerce-MBDA Export Center, a federally funded program that provides growth opportunities to small, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses throughout the U.S.
This conference also offered resources to help early-stage and growing businesses needing assistance to secure financing; federal, state and local certifications; mentoring; government contracts; exporting; disaster recovery services, and on-the-spot solutions to business questions.
During the unique power-networking luncheon, table ambassadors moderated impactful business-to-business discussions, led by the following South Florida business professionals:
Nancy Allen, president and CEO, Women’s Business Development Council of Florida;
Janette Davis, president of Janette Davis CPA, LLC;
Marie Gill, president of M. Gill & Associates, and operator of the MBDA Export Center;
Lauderdale Lakes Mayor Hazelle Rogers;
Gladys Keith, a surety bond expert and president of FSB Agency, Inc.
Althea Harris a director of the U.S. Small Business Administration, and
Keith Jennings, oresident of IMR Development Corp.
“We were thrilled to welcome a truly impressive group of high achieving women who are making history every day across South Florida through their many feats of leadership in their chosen fields,” Gill said.
Hosted in partnership with the City of Lauderdale Lakes, event sponsors and supporters included: U.S. Small Business Administration; Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce; Women’s Business Development Council; Wells Fargo Bank; FSB Agency Inc.; National Association of Caribbean Businesswomen; Janette L. Davis CPA, LLC; South Florida Caribbean News; Miami-Dade County Aviation Department, and
IMR Development Corp.
The Miami MBDA Export Center, operated by M. Gill & Associates Inc., provides technical assistance and business development services to generate increased financing, contract opportunities, and greater access to new and global markets for minority business enterprises (MBEs). The center also is designed to help identify, screen, promote, and refer MBEs to exporting resources, and to engage in and/or expand exporting.
For information, contact at 786-515-0670 or via email at admin@miamimbdacenter.com. Also visit https://www.mbda.gov/businesscenters/miamiexport#10/25.7723/-80.2104.
