to support and accelerate business development and growth, targeting women and serving all business owners, in order to strengthen their participation in, and impact on, the economy.
| Website | https://www.wbdc.org/ |
| Address | 8 South Michigan Avenue, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603 |
| Phone | (312) 853-3477 |
| ewestfall@wbdc.org | |
| Languages | English; Spanish; Polish |
| Service area | Chicago |
| Serves | Small businesses / entrepreneurs |
Every service below comes with a passage taken word for word from the organisation's own website, and the link to the page that carries it. That is the directory's guarantee: nothing is published without its source.
One-on-one advising for entrepreneurs with a new business idea, delivered by WBDC advisors, many of whom are former small business owners.
Do you have a great idea but don't know where to start? Step one, contact the Women's Business Development Center.
A monthly workshop covering startup fundamentals, strengths assessment, basic steps, and legal entity selection for new business owners.
We will take an initial assessment to help you recognize your startup strengths, introduce you to five basic steps, and review the legal entities recommended for startups.
One-on-one advising sessions for existing business owners to work through current business challenges and growth opportunities.
One-on-one advising lets you discuss current opportunities or challenges with an entrepreneurial professional.
One-on-one advising tailored to current and prospective childcare business owners.
Talk to an expert! Discuss your current or potential childcare business with our entrepreneurial experts during a one-on-one advising session.
Advisory service that helps business owners identify and access the most appropriate capital source for their stage and needs.
The WBDC Access to Capital team can help you find the right capital at the right time from the right source.
A direct loan program for small businesses in Northeast Illinois with under $1,000,000 in annual revenue that cannot obtain bank financing.
The WBDC provides loans to small business owners who cannot get a loan from a bank.
Advisors help business owners identify and prepare for alternative debt or equity funding sources beyond WBDC's own loans.
Access the right capital, from the right source, at the right time! If a WBDC loan isn't the right source for your business, our advisors can work with you to find other options.
WBDC operates a Kiva microlending platform offering 0% interest, 0% fee microloans from $1,000 to $15,000, with a dedicated Kiva Capital Access Manager.
Social lending through Kiva is a great option if you have a very small business.
Direct loan financing specifically for childcare business owners who often do not qualify for traditional bank financing.
WBDC Direct Loans are available for aspiring and established childcare entrepreneurs to assist with the costs of supplies, inventory, and working capital.
A short-form video series hosted by WBDC's Access to Capital team sharing financial insights and funding connections.
Check out our collection of Money Moment episodes, where we give financial insights, lender and equity connections, and grant reviews all in less than a minute!
WBDC, as WBENC's largest Regional Partner Organization, certifies Women Business Enterprises across nine Midwest states.
Accepted by thousands of corporations and government agencies, your Women Business Enterprise certification is an essential marketing tool for expanding visibility with procurement and supplier engagement professionals.
A bimonthly workshop explaining certification types and required documentation for prospective WBE applicants.
Every other month, we host a special two-hour workshop for women who are interested in learning more about certification.
A monthly workshop for newly certified WBEs explaining how to leverage WBENC and WBDC services.
Every month, we present a 30-minute workshop explaining how WBENC and WBDC services can help certified WBEs.
WBDC hosts the Illinois APEX Accelerator, guiding small businesses through state and federal government contract bidding.
Helping Illinois small businesses bid on state contracts by guidance through vendor registration, finding opportunities, understanding RFPs, placing bids, and winning contracts.
WBDC's International Trade Center Director helps established businesses explore and pursue exporting opportunities.
Why limit your sales to the United States? Would you like to learn how to sell your products in other countries?
A nine-week cohort training program, delivered by the Illinois SBDC at WBDC, for startup and emerging entrepreneurs to develop their business concept and plan.
Plan for Profit offers a comprehensive training program for startup or emerging entrepreneurs learning to work on their business.
A nine-week, no-fee cohort helping established businesses overcome slow growth and sustainability challenges.
The award-winning ScaleUp program assists established businesses experiencing no or slow growth patterns and sustainability issues.
A ten-week cohort combining business education, leadership coaching, brand storytelling, and a technology evaluation.
ScaleHigher brings traditional business education, leadership skills building, and digital skills knowledge together into one cohort.
A mastermind series for solo business owners seeking clarity and a roadmap to scale.
Solopreneurs' Mastermind Series is designed for solo business owners looking to scale their ventures.
A six-week, no-fee cohort preparing established founders' financials and pitch to secure capital infusion.
Build the knowledge and discipline your business finances need to access the right capital, at the right time, from the right source.
An eight-week, no-fee cohort presented by the Illinois Apex Accelerator at WBDC teaching how to win federal government contracts.
FedCon is an 8-week cohort training program for established businesses to learn how to grow their business with the Federal government as your client.
A six-week, no-fee cohort guiding pre-venture and emerging entrepreneurs through business setup, banking, business plans, pitching, and capital readiness.
This six-week cohort aims to bridge the gap in our entrepreneurial education offerings, guiding pre-venture and emerging businesses towards success.
An online library of on-demand courses available at any time through WBDC's learning management system.
Did you know that the WBDC offers learning opportunities every hour of every day?
An archive of past WBDC webinars available for on-demand viewing.
Click here to review our full list of webinars.
An advisory panel series where a featured entrepreneur receives strategic insight and feedback from experienced advisors.
The Growth Lab is a dynamic advisory series where entrepreneurs bring their real business challenges to a panel of experienced advisors and subject matter experts.
A WBDC-produced podcast featuring staff and experts discussing digital tools and technologies for small businesses.
The Digi Tips & Tools Podcast is here to guide you on utilizing digital tools in your business.
A WBDC-produced podcast featuring conversations with those who support entrepreneurs' growth.
By engaging in candid, informal discourse with those who aid entrepreneurs in their growth, we can construct a more integrated, thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
An SBA-funded Women's Business Center run by WBDC that provides one-on-one advising, business workshops, and access-to-capital assistance to women entrepreneurs in the Chicago area.
The Women’s Business Center Chicago provides counseling and training focusing on women who want to start, grow, or expand a small business in the Chicagoland area.
A 4-week bootcamp covering business fundamentals, legal steps, and capital readiness for pre-venture and emerging entrepreneurs, a prerequisite for the Road to Success cohort.
Road to Success Bootcamp is a 4-week bootcamp that covers introductory concepts necessary for emerging and pre-venture entrepreneurs.
An 8-week cohort helping consumer product companies build capacity, pricing analysis, and pitch skills to sell into large mass retailers.
High Volume Retail Growth Insights program is your next step to building capacity, improving operational efficiencies, and sustaining business growth from a small retail footprint into mass distribution.
A six-week cohort for startup childcare businesses covering SWOT analysis, marketing, pricing, operations, and financials, plus one-on-one advising.
The RiseUp cohort was explicitly designed for startup childcare businesses.
A six-week cohort for established licensed childcare providers covering business/marketing planning, operational policies, and financial management.
The Elevate! cohort is available to established licensed home providers and childcare center providers.
A six-week no-fee cohort teaching digital tools and strategy, online marketing, sales strategy, and analytics for emerging and established businesses.
A robust digital strategy is necessary, not a luxury, in today’s business environment.
An eight-week cohort offered through the Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center at WBDC helping prime and subcontractors build capacity and write proposals for City of Chicago contracts.
Government Contracting Services - Women's Business Development Center Skip to content The WBDC Turns 40.
An eight-week cohort helping established small business owners navigate and access federal government contracting opportunities, including a capability statement and mock proposal.
Government Contracting Services - Women's Business Development Center Skip to content The WBDC Turns 40.
The Procurement Technical Assistance Center team at WBDC helps businesses sell products or services to federal, state, and local government agencies.
Government Contracting Services - Women's Business Development Center Skip to content The WBDC Turns 40.
A dedicated WBDC program offering one-on-one advising, workshops, and a monthly peer collaboration group specifically for childcare business owners.
Childcare Businesses - Women's Business Development Center Skip to content The WBDC Turns 40.