PPB December 2015

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Which Certification Is Right For Your
Company?
Most businesses accept WBENC certifi-
cation for various business transactions, but
there are a wide variety of other certifications
for which your business may be qualified.
Choosing the right certification to pursue as
a women-owned business depends on the
type of clientele your company sells to, or
wishes to sell to, most often.
In addition to WBENC’s Women’s
Business Enterprise (WBE) and Women-
Owned Small Business (WOSB) certifica-
tions, women business owners may also
qualify for the Economically Disadvantaged
Women-Owned Small Business
(EDWOSB), Minority Business Enterprise
(MBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
(DBE) or the Veteran-Owned Small
Business (VOSB) certifications.
Nobody Likes Rejection
If your company applies for a certification
and is denied, it’s not the end of the line.
Appeals are available at the local and national
level. Applicants should take comfort in
knowing that most refusals are due to an
applicant’s failure to navigate the paperwork
process correctly or to update the company
information on renewal forms.
Women small-business owners should
consider the value of becoming a WBENC
business and the advantages and opportuni-
ties it can bring their companies.
What’s Required
A quick summary of the types of documentation required in the WBENC
WBE application process includes these:
1. Application
2. Signed sworn affidavit
3. WBENCLink User Agreement Section 3.7
4. Non-Refundable Processing Fee
5. History of Business
6. Resumes of all owners, board of directors and key management team
7. Owner eligibility information
8. Financial statements and tax returns
9. Copy of bank signature authorization card or corporate resolution
10. Proof of capital and/or equity investment by female owner(s)
11. Personnel and payroll information
12. Management information
Source:
Tayla Carpenter is the project manager at Wayland, Massachusetts-based
distributor iPROMOTEu. She developed and currently manages A Woman’s
View, a program specifically designed to support women distributors in the
promotional products industry. .
DECEMBER 2015 • PPB • 61