May 4, 2006: Resources Available
for Women Business Owners
According to the Center for Women’s
Business Research in Washington, D.C., there are currently an estimated
10.6 million private businesses in the United States that are owned
(50 percent or more) by women, which account for nearly half of
all privately-held firms. These businesses generate $2.5 trillion
in sales and employ 19 million people nationwide.
In addition:
- Between 1997 and 2004, the estimated
growth rate in the number of women-owned firms was nearly twice
that of all firms and employment expanded at twice the rate of
all firms;
- Women-owned businesses will spend an
estimated $546 billion annually on salaries and benefits; and
- Privately-held, women-owned firms are
just as likely as all privately-held firms to have employees.
Also according to the Center for Women’s
Business Research, there are an estimated 682,105 privately-held,
women-owned private businesses in New York State, which account
for 40 percent of all privately-held firms in the state. In fact,
New York ranks fourth nationally in the number of women-owned businesses
in 2004.
From restaurants and gift shops to manufacturing,
medical, law and real estate offices, businesses owned and operated
by women are also a strong force in Oswego County. As indicated
by the U.S. Census, 39 percent of private businesses in Oswego County
are owned by women--comparable to the percentage of women-owned
businesses on a statewide level.
Several resources are available to women
seeking to expand or start a new business in Oswego County including:
SUNY Oswego’s Small Business
Development Center (SBDC), a service of the Center for
Business and Community Development located in Rich Hall, SUNY Oswego's
School of Business facility, provides a wide range of management
and technical assistance such as business plan development, exploring
funding options, business expansion, marketing and training, workshops
and seminars;
The Micro-Enterprise Training Program,
sponsored by OOC, SBDC and the cities of Oswego and Fulton, is designed
to guide the entrepreneur through all aspects of starting and managing
a small business. Step-by-step classroom instruction is presented
by area business professionals on topics including business planning
and financing, accounting and tax issues, marketing, and business
insurance. Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for a
Micro-Enterprise loan to expand or start their business in Oswego
County from the IDA’s Micro-Enterprise Revolving Loan Fund;
and
New York State's Division of Minority
and Women-owned Business Development certifies minority
and women-owned business enterprises and publishes a directory of
certified firms to market small businesses to public and private
sector organizations. MWBD also provides technical and financial
assistance for established minority and women-owned businesses.
For more information, call 1-800-782-8369.
In addition, OOC coordinates the Oswego
County Women’s Network for Entrepreneurial Training
(WNET). Through networking, presentations and information sharing,
WNET provides professional development and personal growth for women
business owners. Administration of the program is assisted by SUNY
Oswego Institute for Professional and Organizational Development,
SUNY Oswego’s Center for Business and Community Development,
BeautiControl, Jody Frawley Advertising and Promotion, Oliver B.
Paine Greenhouses, Oswego Community Development Office and the SBA.
Programs run
from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the SUNY
Oswego Institute for Professional and Organizational Development
in the Oswego County Industrial Park, Phoenix (exit 14, state Route
481). The registration fee of $10 for members or $12 for non-members
per meeting covers breakfast and the program. Annual member dues
are $10 per year.
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