About Us
The Women’s Business Development Center – Minnesota (WBDC-MN) is the satellite office of the Chicago-based Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC). The WBDC-MN was launched in 2003 to serve Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs) in Minnesota and neighboring states.
The WBDC-MN provides WBE Certification to majority-owned women’s businesses in Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The WBE Certification is national in scope and issued by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). It is accepted by over a thousand major corporations and public agencies in the country. In addition, the WBDC-MN offers training, mentoring, networking, and business development opportunities to WBEs.
We thank our Founding Partners Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company, LLP, and M&I, A Part of BMO Financial Group for their vision and support of the Center.
Mission
Our mission is to develop and implement initiatives that will assist WBEs to successfully grow their businesses by:
- Educating WBEs on how to maximize their certifications;
- Encouraging WBEs to do business with each other, form alliances, and share information such as contacts and experiences; and
- Facilitating business relationships between WBEs and potential corporate, government, and not-for-profit customers.
Our Programs
We offer the following programs and services to WBEs and Corporate Partners. For specific dates on the programs below, please refer to the Calendar of Events page.
- “ABC’s of WBE Certification” workshop
- “I’m Certified, Now What?” workshop
- Corporate Partner Panels
- WBE and Corporate Partner Networking Events
- Workshops on Sales and Business Growth
- Matchmakers
- One-on-One Consulting
- WBDC-MN Annual Evening of Celebration
Our Partners
Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. is
a 240-attorney law firm with primary areas of practice including banking, corporate, employment, franchise, government relations, healthcare, intellectual property, international, litigation, real estate, securities, tax and wind energy. Fredrikson & Byron is the exclusive Minnesota law firm member of the World Services Group, a worldwide network of professional service providers.
Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company LLP (LBLCO) is an accounting and consulting firm with a vision to provide exceptional service to clients and community. A major portion of LBLCO’s practice focuses on working with woman-owned companies.
M&I, a Part of BMO Financial Group,
a diversified financial services company, provides comprehensive financial products and services and unparalleled customer service to personal, business, corporate and institutional customers nationwide.
WBDC-MN Corporate Partners
3M
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
Best Buy
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Cargill
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.
Cub Foods
Deluxe Corporation
Ecolab
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
General Mills
Mayo Clinic
Medtronic, Inc.
Minneapolis Public School District
SUPERVALU INC.
Target Corporation
UnitedHealth Group
University of Minnesota
Xcel Energy
MN Calendar of Events
Click here to download the 2012 MN Calendar of Events in PDF
WBDC-MN Procurement Meeting - Hosted by Cargill
April 25, 9:00AM-3:00PM
Government Procurement Fair
May 8, 8:30AM-12:00PM
Effective Networking & Maximizing Supplier Diversity Tradeshows
May 16, 2:00-4:00PM
WBDC-MN Procurement Meeting – Hosted by Best Buy
May 23, 11:00AM-1:30PM
The Business Journal’s Women in Business Awards Luncheon
June 19-21
WBENC Conference and Trade Show – Orlando, FL
August 7, 8:30AM-12:30PM
WBDC Regional Pre-Conference Workshop Sponsored by Target Corporation
August 28, 2:00-4:00PM
WBDC-MN Procurement Meeting – Hosted by Xcel Energy
September 7, 8:30-11:30AM
I’m Certified, Now What? Workshop
September 12, 2:30-4:30PM
WBE B2B Speed Networking Event – Hosted by Mid-America Events & Expos, Inc. (WBE)
September 20
WBDC 26th Annual Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference – Chicago
October 4, 9:00AM-3:00PM
U of M Construction Expo
October 9, 2:00-4:00PM
WBDC-MN Procurement Meeting – Hosted by SUPERVALU
October 25, 9:00-11:30AM
Corporate Partner Panel
November 6, 2:00-4:00PM
WBDC-MN Procurement Meeting – Hosted by University of Minnesota
November 14, 9:00-11:30AM
ABC’s of WBE Certification in partnership with WomenVenture
November 28, 2:30-4:30PM
WBE B2B Speed Networking Event – Hosted by KNOCK, inc. (WBE)
December 7, 8:30-11:30AM
I’m Certified, Now What? Workshop
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
PARTNER ORGANIZATION EVENTS
March 7, 5:30 - 7:30pm
Beyond the Numbers: How to Work ON Your Business, Not IN Your Business – Sponsored by LBLCO and Backpocket Strategy
April 20, 8:00AM-4:30PM
WomenVenture’s “Pathways to Success” Professional Development Conference
Best Practices in Supplier Diversity Strategies and Initiatives – New York, NY
October 4, 9:00AM-3:00PM
U of M Construction Expo
Contact Us
Women's Business Development Center – Minnesota
Phone: 612-259-6584
Fax: 612-317-1002
Email: wbdc-mn@wbdc.org
Mailing Address:
Women's Business Development Center – Minnesota
250 2nd Avenue South, Suite 106
Minneapolis, MN 55401
