495 – M/WBE Certification with Sheena Thomas
The How of Business - How to start, run, grow and exit a small business.
Henry Lopez, Levante Business Group
4.7 • 522 Ratings
🗓️ 23 October 2023
⏱️ 47 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The process and benefits of Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Certification (starting at 11:52) to help grow your small business with Sheena Thomas.
Show notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/495-sheena-thomas-mwbe-certification/
Sheena is a 25-year supplier diversity program and diversity certification program professional. As the first Black woman Executive Director of the only two regional certification agencies in Texas, she was responsible for the certification of over 40,000 combined applicants and was the Supplier Diversity Coordinator for the nation's largest natural gas distributor, Atmos Energy.
Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Certification - a designation given to businesses that are primarily owned, managed, and controlled by individuals who are women or belong to a recognized minority group. This certification offers these businesses better access to certain public contracts, training, and financial opportunities.
Sheena launched Lengo Strategic Partners in 2016 and helps minority and women owners gain access to corporate and government contracting opportunities by securing their M/WBE certifications. Lengo Strategic Partners also supports corporate clients by developing and enhancing supplier diversity programs. She is a newly published author with her debut collaboration project, "Building Beyond the 9 to 5" a collection of stories from Black women professionals and entrepreneurs.
Minority, Women-Owned, Disadvantaged, and Small Business Enterprise Certifications offer entrepreneurs access to local, state, federal and corporate contracting opportunities.
Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the How of Business with your host, Henry Lopez, the podcast that helps you start, |
| 0:11.3 | run, and grow your small business. And now, here is your host. Welcome to this episode of the Howa Business. |
| 0:17.7 | This is Henry Lopez. And my special guest today is Sheena Thomas. |
| 0:22.2 | Sheena, welcome to the show. Thank you, Henry. I'm happy to be here. |
| 0:26.1 | Thanks for being with me this morning. We're going to tap into Sheena's incredible expertise |
| 0:32.4 | on the topic of minority and women-owned business enterprises, and that certification, |
| 0:39.4 | that government certification that comes with that, we're going to explore what that's all |
| 0:43.2 | about and why you should possibly consider getting certified if you're either a minority |
| 0:48.7 | or woman-owned business enterprise. |
| 0:52.2 | So that's what we're going to focus on on this call, excuse me, on this episode rather. |
| 0:56.6 | It's a call, but also an episode. |
| 0:58.7 | And if you want to receive more information about the Howa Business, including the show |
| 1:01.8 | notes page for this episode and how you can continue supporting my show and receive |
| 1:07.0 | workshop discounts and join my monthly group coaching session all through a Patreon |
| 1:12.2 | membership, just visit the howab business.com. I also encourage you to subscribe to my show |
| 1:17.8 | wherever you might be listening so that you don't miss any new episodes. So Sheena is a 25-year |
| 1:25.0 | supplier diversity program and diversity certification program professional. |
| 1:30.0 | As the first black woman executive director of the only two regional certification agencies in Texas, |
| 1:37.9 | she was responsible for the certification of over 40,000 combined applicants |
| 1:42.6 | and was the supplier diversity coordinator for the nation's |
| 1:46.1 | largest natural gas distributor at Ms. Energy. She launched Lengo strategic partners, |
| 1:54.2 | Lengo strategic partners in 2016, and she helps minority and women owners gain access to |
... |
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