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Women's Business Development Center - Chicago
Kim Holstein
"Not only has WBENC given me a network of talented, inspiring women to learn from and assist me as I build my business, but also the opportunity to help other women in the process of building their dreams. For the upcoming WBENC WIB conference, several of the 2009 Stars have teamed up to get a large booth together. It’s a great example of collaboration as we all shared the booth expense, developed an ad together, created group banners and are working together to build awareness of all our WBE businesses. My WBE certification has saved us nearly a million dollars in slotting fees for sales at grocery stores, and it gave me a chance to compete in the grocery channel. Without it, we would not be able to pitch these accounts due to the slotting fees."
Kim takes the ideas of social and corporate responsibility personally, and it’s her bigger commitment to the company’s mission to nurture, love and feed the stomachs, spirits and souls of the world community that keeps her churning out pretzels with a purpose. Together with her leadership team, including husband and business partner Scott, Kim shaped Pretzels for Peace, an initiative that donates pretzels, time and a portion of its proceeds to not-for-profits that make a positive difference in the world. In addition, Kim & Scott’s Green Team works behind the scenes ensuring the company, suppliers and subcontractors are all working to make eco-friendly changes to their businesses and commit to make the world a better place today and for generations to come. And as a pledge, Kim & Scott’s has planted more than 3,000 trees in honor of online supporters and Pretzel Club fans.
Kim attributes the successful launch of her business to the WBDC-Chicago. Once she developed her business idea, she enrolled in the WBDC’s 12-week FastTrac business development series where she received the basics for formulating a viable business plan. Kim continued on with her involvement with the WBDC through business counseling, ongoing workshops and finally became a WBENC certified WBE in 2008 which has had a huge impact on the success of Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels. “The WBDC-Chicago is an incredible resource for women wanting to start their own businesses,” says Kim. “I'm so grateful that I've had this organization as a resource throughout the past years of building my business.”
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Hedy M. Ratner and S. Carol Dougal
The Women's Business Development Center (WBDC-Chicago) – www.wbdc.org – is nationally recognized for its advocacy on behalf of small, minority and women-owned businesses, and for its responsive, innovative and effective programs.
Now in its 25th year of success, the WBDC-Chicago serves entrepreneurs at all stages of development through targeted training; professional business counseling; financial assistance; and access to information and resources. The WBDC-Chicago has a yearly client service base of approximately 3,500; certifies over 1,300 women-owned businesses annually as WBEs throughout its nine-state Midwestern Region; and more than 5,000 women business owners participate in its events annually.
Established in 1985, the WBDC-Chicago has assisted over 60,000 women in the greater Chicago area; has helped establish women’s business assistance centers in six states across the nation; and is a nationally-recognized leader in the development of programs and policies affecting women’s economic development and women’s business ownership. The WBDC-Chicago operates a satellite office in Minneapolis, and delivers on-going programming for its WBEs in Chicago, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and St. Louis
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Limb Design, LLC |