WBEs
July 2010 WBE of the Month – Jill Taylor
Taylor Scientific is a St. Louis-based distributor and manufacturer of chemicals, a stocking distributor of laboratory equipment, apparatus and supplies, as well as, a contractor of procurement and management services. Once known as Taylor Chemical Company, this woman-owned small business has been in existence since the mid 1960’s.
Jill Taylor, President and CEO of the company, took control in 1996, changing the company’s name to its current one: Taylor Scientific.
In the early stages of her Presidency, Jill did business with the government only; however, she quickly broadened her scope to embrace Fortune 500 companies as well. Some of Taylor Scientific’s major corporate clients include: Emerson Motors, ADM and Bechtel, and they are also currently a first tier supplier for both the Chrysler Corporation and Honeywell. Jill’s hard work and vision has grown the small St. Louis business into global company.
Jill earned her Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification in June of 2007 “The benefits of becoming a WBE have been extra rewarding,” Jill says. She attributes her current successes with Citgo to a supplier diversity networking event in Chicago in which the WBDC was present. “The outcome of the Citgo networking has resulted in six blanket orders with Citgo, including an ongoing relationship of other business.” Jill participates in several of the WBDC’s programs, including the annual Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference, as well as seminars on doing business with the government and meeting with the WBDC Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) staff.
Jill constantly battles against the mind-set held by some potential customers, business owners and corporations that small businesses are not able to contend globally in the same ways that large businesses can. “Taylor Scientific strives to change this mind-set with potential customers by maintaining our core values of integrity, professionalism, enthusiasm and our commitment to excellence.”
The achievements of Taylor Scientific have come as a result of Jill’s upbeat approach to business, “Set your goals and stick by them no matter how many obstacles may come your way. The end result is rewarding!” She advises. “Always remember the three P’s: perseverance, persistence and positive attitude!” These are rules to live by in all aspects of life and Jill’s optimistic outlook has set a sturdy future for Taylor Scientific and brought this small business success beyond measure.
For more information about Taylor Scientific, please
click here.
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WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (WBE) CERTIFICATION helps women business owners create new marketing opportunities with corporate and government buyers. The WBDC provides women-owned businesses with nationally-recognized WBE certification through our partnership with the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. After completing the process of certification, you'll gain advantages outlined on this page.
CORPORATE CONNECTIONS
The WBDC coordinates one-on-one “matchmaker” meetings between WBEs and corporate and government purchasing agents who've committed to buying products and services from WBEs. These matchmaking sessions occur at the WBDC’s Annual Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference and at corporate and government sites other times of the year
QUARTERLY NETWORKING AND PROCUREMENT MEETINGS
At our Quarterly Networking and Procurement meetings, as a WBE, you'll meet supplier diversity and procurement representatives, as well as other WBEs and make valuable connections for future contracts. Representatives of our corporate partners and government agencies explain best ways of doing business together. The WBDC uses both e-mail and our WBE newsletter to notify you of events and business opportunities.
CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM
By strengthening your sales, operations, and marketing capabilities, our Capacity Building Program helps your WBE-certified business compete for, win, and fulfill contracts. Key elements include: a four-part series, “Accelerating Your Sales Performance”, that eliminates the headaches of erratic sales and choppy profitability; and “Cycle of Success,” a one-year program that teaches ways to more effectively manage operations and increase profitability.
BUSINESS EXCHANGE
At these gatherings (for WBEs with a minimum of $50,000 in annual sales), you'll get the chance to discuss growing pains and challenges as you continue to expand.. Use the group setting as a resource and for peer-support.
Done Deals Program
To showcase the accomplishments of WBEs, we've set in place the WBDC Done Deals Program which publicizes completed contacts between WBEs and a corporation, a government agency, or another WBE. We publish these deals in our WBE Quarterly Newsletter, which is distributed to more than 1,000 women business owners, to our corporate partners, and promoted here on our website.
THE PROCESS
Do you have a Done Deal to report? Click here to complete the required form. Once we review it, we'll contact you and prepare a brief report, ask the other party for their permission, and then give both parties a chance to review the piece before publication. Please call 312.853.3477 X 0 with any questions.
Corporate Partners
3M
Advocate Health Care
Allstate
Altria/Kraft Foods
American Airlines, Inc.
AT&T
Avon Products, Inc
Bank of America
Baxter Healthcare Corp.
BP America
Cardinal Health
Caremark Rx, Inc.
Cargill, Inc.
Carlson Companies
Chase
Chicago Public Schools
Citigroup Foundation
CNA
ComEd, Exelon Company
Daimler Chrysler
Department of CMS/State of IL
Dominicks
Ernst & Young
Harris Trust and Savings Bank
Hewitt Associates LLC
Honeywell – DSES
Johnson Controls
LaSalle Bank
Major League Baseball
Manpower Professional
Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
Microsoft Corporation
Motorola, Inc.
Nicor Gas
Northern Trust Company
Northwestern Hospital
Northwestern University Purchasing Resource Services
OfficeMax
Peoples Energy Corporation
Pepper Construction Co.
PepsiCo Beverages & Foods
Prudential Insurance
RR Donnelley
Smurfit Stone Container Corp.
Staples
Target Corporation
United Airlines
United Parcel Service
University of Chicago
University of Chicago Hospitals & Health Systems
University of Illinois at Chicago
US Cellular
Volt Technical Resources
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Walgreens Co.
Wells Fargo Bank
Xcel Energy
