| Women business owners are increasing substantially, | | | | one-third of them concentrated in health care and |
| and if they go through the proper channels there are | | | | social services. These companies employ 27.5 million |
| several governmental organizations set up to play a | | | | people and contribute an estimated $3.6 trillion to the |
| support role in helping those companies thrive. But as | | | | U.S. economy. But along with the SBA's slow-footed |
| many things associated with state and federal | | | | approach to enforce the 1999 legislation, there are |
| governments, a slow-moving bureaucracy can bog | | | | other unique obstacles women face in the world of |
| down by the process.One of the biggest boons for | | | | business. This underlines the idea that women |
| women-owned businesses came in 1999, when | | | | entrepreneurs shouldn't treat governmental support |
| Congress passes legislation that set aside contracts | | | | as an option, but as a necessity.Women who own |
| for women-owned companies in typically | | | | businesses are encouraged to be certified as a |
| male-dominated industries. In addition, securing a | | | | women's business and actively pursue not only |
| federal contract can mean millions to a small and | | | | government contracts, but corporate ones as well. |
| growing business. The legislation, however, hasn't | | | | Other governmental agency support for women |
| quite worked out as planned."The number of | | | | includes:* National Women's Business Council, an |
| women-owned businesses is astounding," Susan | | | | advisory board that helps define policy related to |
| Phillips Bari, president of the Women's Business | | | | economic issues of women-owned firms;* |
| Enterprise National Council told the Associated Press | | | | Women-21.gov, an informational site with articles, |
| in a recent article. "Our issue is not with the number | | | | news and networking opportunities;* Office of |
| of businesses, but rather with their access to | | | | Women's Business Ownership, which has an office in |
| contracts in the government and private sector."The | | | | every state offering training, technical assistance and |
| federal government's pledge of awarding 5 percent | | | | access to federal contracts and international trade |
| of federal contracts to women-owned firms fell short | | | | opportunities.There is also the Center for Women's |
| in 2004, coming in at 3 percent. In percentages, that | | | | Business Research, which is funded by the SBA. The |
| may seem like a small number, but in dollars that | | | | organization, which is one of the best sources for |
| number translates into the billions. Because of this | | | | information, back up women-owned firms by helping |
| shortfall, the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce | | | | them generate visibility, seek public and private |
| went to court last fall, and won a hearing that | | | | sector support, and providing the fundamentals for |
| demanded the Small Business Administration begin | | | | starting a business, including information on taxes, |
| enforcing the 5 percent mark. With the court behind | | | | training and securing capital.Provided by Teena Rose, |
| them, experts believe that government contract jobs | | | | Resume to Referral ( |
| will increase over the next few years for | | | | "... because not all resumes and cover letters are |
| women-owned businesses.If the government | | | | created equal." Resume to Referral offers sample |
| continues its support of women-owned companies, | | | | cover letters within "20-Minute Cover Letter Fixer," a |
| the number will no doubt continue to rise. The latest | | | | sample brag book in "How to Design, Write, and |
| figures from the Small Business Administration put | | | | Compile a Quality Brag Book," and sample |
| the number of women business owners at 9.1 million. | | | | pharmaceutical rep resumes in "Cracking the Code to |
| They have grown twice the national rate for all | | | | Pharmaceutical Sales. |
| private companies from 1997 to 2002, with nearly | | | | |