BREAKING THROUGH

small businesses. As of October 15, 2015, federal agencies
(and there are more than 400 of them, counting
legislative and executive offices) are allowed to negotiate
directly with women-owned businesses and award
them “sole source” contracts below $4 million without
a formal public bidding process.
“This is going to be huge for me,” says Deane. “Now,
agencies can say to me, ‘Here’s a job, give me a price for
it,’ and as long as I’m reasonable, they don’t have to put
it out for other bids. It’s changing the way I market too.
I’ve already started writing a new capability statement
to emphasize the fact that we are a woman-owned business.”
In 2014, the Federal government awarded 4.7 percent
of its contracts (nationwide) to women-owned
businesses, up from 4.3 percent in 2013. SBA Administrator
Maria Contreras-Sweet has stated publicly that
the government’s goal is to get that number up to 5 percent
in the coming years. “Oh, I don’t know about that,”
laughs Deane. “I mean, I think it should be at least 50.”
While federal spending makes up about 35 percent
of the D.C. metro area’s economy today, it’s projected
to drop to about 28 percent by 2020, so Candice Miles
of D.C. WBC constantly encourages the women in her
business development programs to diversify their client
base out past government entities. “You get your
real freedom as an entrepreneur when you are managing
multiple contracts and clients, allowing you to
hire other people too,” says Miles. “Otherwise, you are
working 35-40 hours per week on one contract and
you’re swiping your I.D. just like a federal employee, except
that yours says, ‘Contractor.’”
Both Miles and Ana Harvey of the D.C. Department
of Small and Local Business Development have recently
started entrepreneurial programs, funded by both local
and federal government grants, designed to help
women launch, establish and grow business that will be
anchored in D.C. neighborhoods. “What we’re excited
about are the native Washingtonian women,” says Harvey.
“They have a lot of pride in our city and they seem
to be at the front of a ‘Made in D.C.’ movement.”
Harvey, a former business owner herself who is now
working for new D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, started
“Simple Steps for the Creative Entrepreneur,” a 5-week
class that helps D.C. artists, designers and musicians
formulate business plans and find professional mentors.
Miles’ DC Women’s Business Center offers a full
slate of mentoring programs too, as well as one- and
two-day financial seminars aimed at a wide variety of
business owners. “We are supporting women who provide
pet services, health care services, who run bakeries
and salons, and a good number of people who want to
start nonprofits too,” says Miles.
Keisha Cofield, the founder and owner of Blu December,
a bath & body products brand, has taken a
number of DC WBC workshops. “I’m so grateful for
their support,” says Cofield. “They point me in the right
direction.”
Cofield says a well-known, beauty-in-a-box company
recently wanted to order 50,000 units of her signature
Blu December candles (“My candles are amazing,”
she says. “I really put a lot of effort into the chemistry
of candle making.”). However, Cofield didn’t have the
capital to pull off that large an order, and the banks she
approached for help told her she needed a full-time job
to secure a loan.
“It’s situations like that that are really tough,” says
Cofield. “Here I am trying to create a movement that
I want to be a part of, and I have an actual product on
the market. So I’m getting guidance now and I’m making
connections with other women and passing out my
business cards and joining forces. Together, we’re more
empowered. We’ll do it all, you watch.”
56 Center for an Urban Future