Looking for Ways to Find Women and Minority Owned Business Partners? Here’s How to Get Started
From the automotive to the construction industry and everything in between, there can be many benefits to working with minority and women owned businesses. For example, the federal government provides tax breaks to businesses that use minority and women owned companies in procuring materials and supplies and many companies are looking at their supplier’s diversity performance as some of the deciding criteria as to whether or not to work with them. Additionally, giving a hand up to a minority or woman owned business can provide benefits to local economies that can have a positive impact on not only the community, but to the families that make up those communities as well. It’s just good business.
Here Are 5 Ways to Find Minority or Women Owned Business Partners
- Ask Your Suppliers – Simply asking your suppliers if they work with any minority or women owned business vendors can be a quick and easy way to find out if you can grow an established relationship into one that is even more beneficial.Here at Superior Business Solutions, we can offer our Tier 1 Automotive suppliers, and other clients who are looking for those partnerships, the opportunity to work with many of our vendors who are minority or women owned. We also offer the opportunity to work with our minority owned partner brand, Team Business Solutions, for print and promotional management.
- Google It! – Do a simple Google search for minority or women owned businesses in your town or location you need to work in.
- Join a Minority Chamber – Did you know that you do not have to be a minority owned business to join a minority chamber? It’s true. Many chambers are interested in accepting members that have a desire to help grow their local business community while at the same time offering a hand up to minority owned businesses. Remember you will get out what you put in, so offer to be a mentor, participate in training workshops, and get involved in the chamber’s monthly activities.
- Check Out The Small Business Administration’s Federally Certified Women and Minority Owned Business Directory – You can visit the Small Business Administration’s web site HERE and search by industry and by state to find certified minority and women owned businesses.
- Utilize LinkedIn – A quick LinkedIn advanced search with the keywords “minority owned business” searching in groups only returned over 90 search results. Check out those groups, join the pertinent ones, and then get active and participate in the group discussions, and post a request to work with members. You can send a connection request to anyone who is a member of the same group as you so feel free to send connection requests to individuals of interest and give more than you take, begin building that relationship, and take it offline via the phone or an appointment to see where the relationship can lead.
Make The Effort and Experience The Benefits
As you can see, these are some great ways to work to build partnerships that will not only benefit minority and women owned businesses, but your company as well. What advantages have you found for partnering with minority or women owned businesses and how have you found those connections? We would love to hear your tips. And be sure to check out our minority owned business partner Team Business Solutions.
