Women & Minority Entrepreneurs

A new nonprofit organization designed to help women entrepreneurs compete for government and corporate contracts expects to have the first national certification program for women up and running by March 1.

According to Kathleen Schwallie, president of Palos Verdes, California-based Women Business Owners Corp. (WBOC), the certification program will help women more effectively market their companies.

WBOC's will be a private program modeled after one operated by the National Minority Supplier Development Council. The program, created through a collaboration of government, private industry and women business advocates, will include specific standards women must meet. Schwallie expects it will eventually achieve national acceptance.

WBOC will also audit and certify women under the ISO 9000 program (an internationally accepted set of standards for quality). "For many women and minorities, certification has been the only way to compete," explains Schwallie, "but it is only the very first step." For information, call (310) 530-7500.

This article was originally published in the January 1996 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Women & Minority Entrepreneurs.