WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV

06/12/2026

If your company is 51% women-owned or operated, WBENC Certification may be one of the next practical steps in your growth strategy.

Join WBEC NY DMV on June 23 at 1:00 p.m. for a virtual, 1-hour session designed to help women business owners understand the value of Certification and how to begin the process.

In this session, you’ll learn about WBENC Certification benefits, eligibility criteria, the application process, and local opportunities available through WBEC NY DMV and the broader WBENC ecosystem.

You’ll also have time to ask specific questions with WBEC NY DMV staff.

For growth-ready businesses, Certification can support visibility in the supply chain, procurement readiness, and connection to a trusted network of business leaders.

Register now: https://wbecnydmv.org/event/why-and-how-to-get-certified-27/

06/12/2026

Pitching is not only for competitions – it’s how you explain your value to corporate partners, potential clients, and peers.

Do not know how to pitch yet? That’s a reason to apply.

The Powerplay Pitch Competition helps Certified WBEs practice the story of their business and impact. It’s free to enter, and the deadline is today.

Apply now: wbecnydmv.org/programs/powerplay-pitch-competition/

Don’t count your business out before corporate partners have had the chance to see it.

Many WBEs hesitate because they assume other applicants will be more polished, more established, or more impressive, but the Powerplay Pitch Competition is not only about where you place. It’s also about visibility.

Capability statements are shared with dozens corporate partners, and peers, corporate representatives, and potential future collaborators will hear your pitch at the live event.

There is also connection value beyond the final ranking. One past 9th place finisher connected with a corporate partner after the event.

The competition is free to enter, and the application deadline is tomorrow.

Apply now: https://wbecnydmv.org/programs/powerplay-pitch-competition/

06/12/2026

Yesterday we were honored to represent WBEC NY DMV at the 34th Annual Government Procurement Conference. Our Vanessa Foster and WBENC's LaKesha White greeted visitors to the table and told them about the benefits of becoming a Certified woman-owned enterprise.

06/11/2026

Don’t count your business out before corporate partners have had the chance to see it.

Many WBEs hesitate because they assume other applicants will be more polished, more established, or more impressive, but the Powerplay Pitch Competition is not only about where you place. It’s also about visibility.

Capability statements are shared with dozens corporate partners, and peers, corporate representatives, and potential future collaborators will hear your pitch at the live event.

There is also connection value beyond the final ranking. One past 9th place finisher connected with a corporate partner after the event.

The competition is free to enter, and the application deadline is tomorrow.

Apply now: https://wbecnydmv.org/programs/powerplay-pitch-competition/

06/10/2026

Last chance to register! Join us tomorrow to hear from SBA, Department of Commerce, and EXIM Bank experts on best practice strategies for taking your business to new markets. Register now!

Are you ready to expand into new markets? Join WBEC NY DMV on June 11 at 1 p.m. EST for a virtual partner program with EXIM Bank, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Commerce.

Speakers Toya Woods, Michael K. Jackson, and Miguel Peñaloza will share how federal financing, technical assistance, and market access resources can help strengthen your business readiness, manage risk, and support long-term growth.

Secure your place to take advantage of this valuable session centered on growing your business internationally.

Register now: https://zurl.co/jT2MG

06/10/2026

Staff effectively to support sustainable business growth - Learn how in our upcoming WEtalks: Staffing to Scale: Building Capacity Without Breaking Your Budget. Register now for this free virtual session.

As your business grows, so does the pressure on your time, team, and budget.

Join WBEC NY DMV on July 7 at 11 a.m. EST for WEtalks: Staffing to Scale: Building Capacity Without Breaking Your Budget, a virtual session led by Stephanie Ranno, Director of Growth at FlexProfessionals.

This session will provide a practical framework for building capacity strategically, including flexible hiring models that can help you add support, strengthen operations, and scale in a sustainable way.

Register now: https://zurl.co/SZH2W

06/09/2026

Happening tomorrow: Join WBEC NY DMV for WEtalks: WBENC Conference Know Before You Go, a virtual session created to help WBEs enter the 2026 Conference with a stronger plan for visibility, relationship-building, and corporate partner engagement.

The session will feature Host Committee members Maryann Pagano and Katy Voight-Nobis, along with experienced WBEs Elin Barton and Stacy Fritz, who will share practical guidance on planning your schedule, approaching the Expo, and making better use of high-value conference moments.

You’ll also hear from corporate partners LaVonia Smith-Carter, Strategic Sourcing Partner at MGM, and Kimberly Ayers, CSMP, Director of Supplier Strategy & Engagement at AARP, on what makes pre-conference and onsite engagement more effective.

This session will help you think through:
• Where to focus your time
• How to prepare before approaching corporate partners
• What to consider before walking the Expo floor
• How to connect with WBEC staff, peers, and potential business contacts
• How to turn conference conversations into meaningful follow-up

Register now: https://zurl.co/HU4dd

If you have not yet registered for the WBENC National Conference, register here: https://www.wbenc.org/

06/09/2026

The 2026 Powerplay Pitch Competition gives Certified WBEs a free opportunity to showcase their businesses, with participants’ capability statements shared with dozens of corporate partners and up to 100 people expected to hear pitches at the live event.

Start with your 60-second video pitch. Apply by June 12.

Apply Now: https://wbecnydmv.org/programs/powerplay-pitch-competition/

06/08/2026

World Oceans Day reminds us that the ocean is not distant from our daily lives, our communities, or our economy. It is connected to the food we eat, the goods we move, the water we use, the waste we manage, the infrastructure we build, and the innovation we rely on.

Across the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV network, women-owned businesses are part of that connection across industries including fishing and aquaculture, transportation and warehousing, waste management and remediation, environmental consulting, utilities, construction, food manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, conservation, education, and community services.

This year’s call to reimagine our relationship with the ocean is also a call to recognize the businesses helping build a more sustainable future.

On World Oceans Day, we celebrate the ocean and the women-owned businesses whose work helps protect resources, strengthen communities, and move solutions forward.

06/08/2026

This Pride Month, WBEC NY DMV recognizes the power of diverse businesses to strengthen our economy, expand opportunity, and build more inclusive supply chains.

As an alliance partner with the National LGBTQ+ & Allied Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), we are proud to stand with the LGBTQIA+ business community and with the women-owned businesses across our network who continue to lead, grow, and create meaningful impact.

Allyship means showing up with consistency, respect, and a shared commitment to access. This month and throughout the year, we support the entrepreneurs, corporate partners, and ecosystem allies working to make opportunity more visible, more equitable, and more actionable for diverse-owned businesses.

Register now for the NGLCC Annual Conference (August 18-21): https://www.nglccconference.com/