Standing Room Only
The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council hosted an amazing conference this year in Nashville. With over 300 exhibitors and 4,000 attendees, women-owned businesses had direct access to diverse supplier personnel from large enterprise companies. Some presentations were packed to the limit with standing room only.
Certification Pays Off
While there are many hurdles to cross on the way to WBENC certification for a company, they are worth the entree it provides to their expansive network of buyers and suppliers. Gaining access to diverse supplier divisions of major corporations can sometimes prove difficult. Insurance restrictions and in-house capabilities create additional barriers to being considered in approved-supplier portals.
Enter national conferences like this one. With packed exhibition halls, scheduled meet and greets, and valuable information from speakers, the new kids on the WBENC block (like us) can dodge the unreturned phone calls, voicemails, and emails by meeting face-to-face with decision makers and forging a path forward.
The Power of In-Person Events
Expanding into a new regional market in January 2023 meant we needed an opportunity to connect with the buyers who are developing reliability and infrastructure upgrade programs. Being able to meet some of them in person allowed us the face time for an informal interview to develop personal connections that will, in time, drive future professional relationships.
While pandemic shutdowns and virtual conferences were the norm for the past few years, being able to network in person again is a game changer that came at the perfect time for our company’s expansion.
Women-owned businesses offer an incredible variety of products and services. As a project management and consulting company in the energy/utility sector, OPM sits squarely in male-dominated territory. Having the ability to network directly gives us the information and advantage we need to ensure our inclusion in valuable diverse supplier networks.
New Connections
Thank you, WBENC, for putting together a powerful and effective conference for women-owned businesses. We at OPM look forward to the incredible projects we will have the opportunity to collaborate on with our new connections.
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