Small Biz Advice
I wanted to talk a bit further in depth about the information pertaining to your minority and women owned certificates.
You briefly shared that you received them through Philadelphia. However, I don't remember where you had told me to go. What office should I contact? DO you have contact info? Also, is it best to get the certification early on as I start up or is it required that I wait to be in business a certain amount of time? Also, has Elohim seen more benefits with the certification than without? Has this greatly helped with sales? What is the whole program about? My understanding is that you are on a list of "preferred vendors" for companies that have quota requirements.
Is it more than that? I really don't know who to talk to about this and don't know people who can guide me in the right direction. I appreciate your time. I am very interested in this because it is like a badge of honor that I would like to wear.
Talk to you soon.
Greta
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Okay. My company currently has about 4 different MBE/WBE
> Certifications. My first one was with the City MBEC www.phila.gov if
> you click on the business tab it will open up a whole new world to
> you. Also, there's a Unified Certification that allows you to do one
> application an obtain MBE/WBE status with several organizations. The
> unified was good for us because it certifies us with the city, penn
> dot and septa all with one app. Now there's also a state certification
> that you can get www.dgs.pa.gov or google PA Department of General
> Services. The app is online. I certified during the first year after I
> incorporated and had my duns number tax id number and general
> information that I knew wouldn't change. Now, many people make you
> think that having these certifications allow you to obtain set asides
> and become a preferred vendor etc. This is not really true. The
> certification is good when you do public/government work because most
> contracts do require that you have a certain percentage of minority
> participation which could be a minority or woman owned biz is required
> to perform anywhere from 5-18% of a contract. Many private companies
> are starting to incorporate diversity into their core values and have
> set their own participation goals to as much as 30% of a contract. The
> certifications that I mentioned do not automatically qualify you for
> work. Honestly, your name gets put into a large database and based on
> what product or service you provide you are still required to bid like
> everyone else. On the other hand, having these certifications can't
> hurt. I will tell you that it is a tremendous amount of paperwork and
> I would suggest that you try one of the certs that I told you about
> before you pay for one. These certifications are free but there are
> some that cost and its not worth it to spend the money as a start-up.
> Here are a couple of
> other business resources that you may find helpful if you don't
> already know
>
> www.sba.gov - this site has so much free info that it's not funny. The
> SBA also offers 8a certification which is a federal cert that does
> qualify you for set-aside contracts. It's the most difficult of them
> all.
>
> The Enterprise Center - good business resources come out of there
> they are located at 4548 Market Street you can call them and tell them
> you have a start-up and you are interested in receiving more info
> about programs for start ups they also hold a big business plan
> competition every year.
> 215-895-4005
>
> Another great place is Temple SBDC (small biz development center)
> http://sbm.temple.edu/sbdc/ - check out there site as well for general
> business info
>
> I really hope this helps!
>
Good evening Sirena,
Hope things are well for you and that you had a great holiday. I met you last Tuesday, at Ikea, during the Entrepreneur Workshop. It was such a great experience to be there and to hear all the stories and advice that each panelist had to share. After the panel, I asked if you could offer any other advice regarding working at an investment firm and then transitioning over into your own business. I currently work at an investment firm and have a business idea. My first task is to create a business plan and move on from there. Any suggestions and advice would be greatly appreciated. Hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
M.C.
Thank you M.C. for your post. I'm glad that you enjoyed the panel it was amazing. Okay. I'll be more than happy to provide some advice to you. Remember, I can only tell you what I did and what has worked well for me but hopefully that information will be helpful to you as well. I think you're thinking along the right lines by recognizing that you should probably start with a business plan. As you know I worked as a financial sales assistant during my first years in business and I attended a business plan class in the evening. The class was offered by the Philadelphia WBDC (Women's Business Development Center). The fee for the class is nominal and very much worth it. So my first suggestion would be to contact the WBDC or Temple's SBDC (Small Business Development Center) and inquire about the business plan or feasibility plan classes that they offer. The classes generally run for about three months or less. It's a powerful commitment but by the end of the class you have a plan in hand and each class is an opportunity to here other classmate’s thoughts and suggestions which can be very helpful. Also, start to identify the things at work that you do every day that may be helpful in running your own business. What skills do you have that are transferable? How do you organize your day? Have you created a filing system that everyone in your office envy's? Do you perform any tasks outside of your main job description? Take notice to all of the skills and abilities that you use for your current employer and begin thinking about ways to incorporate them into "Doing Your Own Thing." You may have to sacrifice some lunches to go to the library and research other businesses that offer the same product or service that you are thinking about. So, to summarize,
1. Contact your local WBDC or SBDC
2. Enroll in a biz plan/feasibility plan class
3. Identify the skills that you have that are transferable
4. Seek advice from and network with individuals that are like minded
Lastly, there are business plan computer programs that are very helpful and user friendly. My favorite is Business Plan Pro by Palo Alto the site is www.businessplanpro.com
It's a fairly simple system that's in a question and answer format. After you answer the questions it formulates the plan for you with charts graphs and everything. I suggest that you attend a B-plan class or seminar first so that you can have a better understanding of what's required in a business plan.
Once you have a plan we can talk about entering business plan competitions to win money to fund your venture.
I'm very interested in hearing your business idea email me off-line at sirenaspeaks@yahoo.com because that's confidential info.
I hope this information is enough to get you started.
Hello Sirena,
I read your article in Black Enterprise and was amazed of how far you have come with you Business. It caught my attention because amout three years ago I ventured out in the same direction, but I got stuck becasue I didnt know how to charge customers. Any Suggestions?
Thank you enormously! Last night's Sit Down with Sirena Moore event was the most efficient and effective networking event I have ever attended. The environment was warm...the information was exclusive (I don't know of anywhere else that I would have received so much great information within a 2 hour time span!)...Moreover, for many, the experience was life changing. I am soooo glad that I attended this event. You are truly a dynamic person and I really appreciate you taking out the time to change lives.
No matter what type of business you're in, I recoommend Sitting Down with Sirena Moore if you are aspiring to achieve tremendous growth in yourself and in your business.
Hi Sirena,
I have spoken to you via email and wanted to know what you thought about getting your first contract. I have started a similar business in Atlanta. I have been bombarded with so much information and offers to join the different associations. I want to make sure I put my limited resources to good use. So, can you tell me what you think is the most effective way to lobby for your first contract
Hello DB Cleans. Thank you for taking the time to post your question. First, with regard to the many trade associations and organizations do your research. I personally belong to some organizations such as the Greater Phila Chamber of Commerce. This chamber is not construction focused however, I use my membership to make connections with people in the business community. You have to remember that people do business and recommend people who that know, like, and trust. So, use business association memberships to build relationships not necessarily sell your business. I hope that helps. Now with regard to that first contract there is no one magic answer. Again do your research. Who could use your service? What contracts do they have? Who's currently providing the service that you offer? If your interested in final cleaning it may be easier to approach them with general labor services as needed or trailer cleaning in order to open the door to the bigger contract. Use some of my small business resource suggestions given in older blogs to find out about free workshops and trainings that focus on selling your product or services effectively. Also, stay tuned to the SirenaSpeaks.com mailing list for upcoming tele-conference trainings. Does this help?
I saw your story in the Black Enterprise magazine and I was very excited. I have been contemplating opening up a cleaning business for years, but afraid. Seeing your determination and ambition has given me the push that I need to get stared and put fear on the back burner. Do you have any pointers on getting started, what I need to know and how to connect with the construction industry? Your help will greatly be appreciated.
I saw your story in the Black Enterprise magazine and I was very excited. I have been contemplating opening up a cleaning business for years, but afraid. Seeing your determination and ambition has given me the push that I need to get stared and put fear on the back burner. Do you have any pointers on getting started, what I need to know, and how to connect with the construction industry? Your help will greatly be appreciated.
Tanesha,your question was Do you have any pointers on getting started, what I need to know and how to connect with the construction industry?
This question is pretty difficult to answer because there are so many variables to take into consideration. How much industry experience do you have? In what state is your business located? These are just some of the questions I would ask you. Like any other business, the first pointer that I would give you is to familiarize yourself with the industry. It's going to take some research. Locate your local trade association and begin attending industry specific events so that you can get a feel for what the market needs. The construction industry is very cut throat so if you lack experience be sure to align your self with someone who knows the industry inside out. Also, visit your local book store. Pick up books like "Cleaning up for a living" by Don Aslett. It's going to take some research on your part. So, my pointer to you is to do some major research.
With regard to connecting with the Construction Industry. I am blessed to be in business with my father who has over 20 years experience in the industry so many of my initial contacts were through connections that he made. Then, as I begin to hit the streets and start networking and staying up on the industry I began to meet the decision makers. Again, just like any other industry you have to be persistant and consistant in your marketing efforts and you have to be a relationship builder. Always remember that people do business with people that they know, like, and trust. I really hope this helps!
Sirena, Thanks for taking the time to talk with me via email. I have a small cleaning company in Ohio. I am currently applying for my 8(a) certification. I have a contractor that would put it together, for a hefty fee, in your opinion is this worth it?. My questions are: 1) What type of language is the SBA looking for in the operating agreement? I have heard that they are sticklers on this agreement. 2) Any adivce on what to make sure that is in the package prior to submittal? 3) Do they conduct a phone interview prior to certification? Any additional information concerning the 8(a) package would be gretaly appreciated. Thanks for all of your help. Julia
I’ll get right to the answers to your question. Then, I’ll offer you my professional and personal opinion regarding the 8(a) program. No. It is not necessary for you to pay someone to put together the 8(a) application. First, you go online to complete the necessary questions and they give you a check list of the additional information that has to be submitted to your local SBA by mail. As long as you have access to your important paperwork you should be fine. I submitted mine in a soft binder with a table of contents and color coded tabs to make it really simple to review. Just don’t leave out any information and follow the directions carefully. You would be wasting your money paying someone to do this in my opinion. With regard to the operating agreement I’m really not sure what you’re referring to. Please clarify. No. they do not conduct a phone interview prior to certification.
Now for my professional opinion.In general, I don’t recommend 8(a) certification for new businesses (less than 3 yrs old) because you only get 9 years in the program and putting together a thorough application, and government marketing plan is a lot easier after you have established yourself in the private sector. Pursuing 8(a) contracts is a day and night process for a little while so you want to make sure that your private business runs like a well oiled machine before jumping out into a whole new world. Lastly, I would advised you to get to know your local SBA representatives very well. Just call and set up and appointment and let them know who you are and what you’re trying to do. I found that many SBA folks have owned 8(a) businesses before or have done private consulting to 8(a) businesses before working for the SBA so set up a meeting and get to know who’s at your local SBA office.
Hey Sirena:
I contacted you very briefly about a large janitorial goverment contract my company is going after in Florida. There are about 4-5 buildings that we would be contracting totaling over 600,000 square feet. While I have contracted some large entities before, this is by far the largest (To God be the glory for even having this exclusive opporutnity.) How do we go about calculating the following: amount of employees to staff? how much to spend on cleaning products per month? and competitive pricing? This is for routine janitorial services, 5 days per week..
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