“I’ve been talking to women entrepreneurs for the past three years, and each time it is an inspirational experience. You are creating jobs, hope, and opportunity for your communities.”
-- Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao

The fourth breakout session at the National Women’s Leadership Summit addressed the topic of Entrepreneurship. The number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. is increasing as more women pursue entrepreneurship as a way to make a difference in their communities, to attain more flexibility in balancing their work and life responsibilities, and to earn more money.

The Entrepreneurship breakout session featured a panel of successful women business owners who shared some of the strategies they have used to start, maintain, and grow their businesses as well as representatives of the Federal government and women’s business organizations. The panelists included:

• Penny Pompei
  Board of Directors, WE, Inc. &
  President, National Women’s Business Center, Inc., Washington, DC

• Julie Weeks
  Executive Director, National Women’s Business Council, Washington, DC

• Linda Roundtree
  President, Roundtree Consulting, Bellevue, WA

• Emily Murphy
  Acting Associate Administrator/Government Contracting, U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington, DC

• Linda K. Bolinger
  Founder and CEO, Boardroom Bound, Edgewater, MD

• Margaret Flynn
  Co-Owner, BrownFlynn &
  Community Advisor, WE, Inc. Cleveland, OH

The panelists identified various resources for accessing training and information on business ownership. One resource is a list of Women’s Business Centers that is available at www.onlinewbc.gov. Women’s Business Centers are sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA also offers information on how to access capital (www.sbaonline.sba.gov/financing/sbaloan/snapshot.html) and how to navigate the regulations on government contracting (www.sba.gov/Degcbd). Another resource is the U.S. Department of Defense Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP) Centers (http://www.dla.mil/db/procurem.htm). These Centers assist businesses in marketing products and services to the Federal, state, and local governments.

To become a profitable entrepreneur, it is important not only to market a quality product or service, but to develop a network of people – including bankers, lawyers, and accountants – to assist the business. One way to make contacts is to serve on corporate boards, including the paid Boards of Directors of Fortune 500 companies. The panelists encouraged women to gain strong leadership, organization, and communication skills, as well as the ability to analyze financial data in order to be good entrepreneurs and corporate board candidates.

The Women’s Bureau is proud to support working women as they strive to become successful entrepreneurs.

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Statements of or attributions to private sector speakers or participants may not necessarily reflect Department views.

For More Information About WB, Contact:
U.S. Department of Labor
Women's Bureau
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