Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) hosted its annual MARKETPLACE event December 10-12 at the Baird Center in Milwaukee. This year’s educational, networking, and contracting event for women, minority, veteran, disabled, and LGBTQ+ small business owners had the largest number of registrants in the event’s 43-year history.
Relationships as a key element to success
One prevailing theme at the event was “relationships.” Eric Ness, District Director, SBA Wisconsin District Office said, “SBA’s participation in MARKETPLACE gave my staff and me, along with SBA Regional Administrator Aglipay, the chance to talk directly with many business owners about how SBA and our partners can support them throughout their journey from getting certified to getting a contract award and completing the work. SBA’s Wisconsin team can give guidance on understanding federal certifications, obtaining a surety bond, or getting an SBA-backed loan to help a business expand to meet the contract needs.”
Contract awards were a hot topic for the SBA and others at the event. MARKETPLACE featured The Contracting Academy on December 10, which is an opportunity for businesses to grow their technical knowledge of contracting with government entities. The insights shared in this academy were partnered with roundtable discussions on December 12 that also focused on contracting within specific industries. During the Construction Roundtable, presenters shared details on elements to consider when submitting contracting bids, tips for success in small business contracts, and the current demand for diverse subcontractors.
Strategies for marketing, legal, and global activities
Several educational sessions on December 11 discussed government small business certifications, legal strategies, digital marketing and ecommerce strategies, and other topics valuable to diverse business owners.
Chris Wojtowicz, International Trade Consultant, UW’s Office of Business & Entrepreneurship, served on a panel about global reach. He said, “Together with Aaron Zitzelsberger from WEDC and Bruce Glaub from Trade Acceptance, we highlighted the resources available to Wisconsin businesses to support their international expansion. We answered questions to help attendees understand more about export financing, risk management, and market entry strategies.”
Economic development stakeholders stress networking
The importance of “relationships” was echoed again during the event’s Luncheon and Awards Ceremony. Cavalier Johnson, Mayor, City of Milwaukee, encouraged attendees to take the opportunity to speak with someone they had not yet met. Aaron Popkey, Director of Public Affairs, Green Bay Packers, explained benefits of the Packers Mentor-Protégé Program which pairs emerging Wisconsin businesses with established companies to help provide business growth.
Amy Narr, Business Consultant, UW-Milwaukee SBDC, said, ”My favorite part about MARKETPLACE is the networking opportunities. This event is always a great way to connect with other people and businesses who are working towards our common goal of economic development in our city and state.”
Water, healthcare, and other building blocks of the economy
The keynote speaker, Kevin Shafer, Executive Director, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, shared inspiring details on the work being done with clean water throughout the Milwaukee area, emphasizing clean water as a building block of the economy.
Water continued as an important topic in the Energy Roundtable. Derek Sutherland, PhD., gave emerging details on how the heating of hydrogen or “burning water” is enabling advances in nuclear fusion energy, which is becoming especially important as data centers using large amounts of power continue to grow.
The Healthcare Roundtable, facilitated by Athena Agoudemos, Associate Director, Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC), focused on opportunities, challenges, and diverse business as valuable suppliers in the healthcare sector. Rodney Moutry, Executive Director, Milwaukee Anchor Collaborative, shared details of how small business owners can “get their foot in the door” and how they can partner with him as a liaison between owners and industry anchors.
Congratulations to all!
The event congratulated several diverse business owners with this year’s awards and a special highlight was the Diverse Business Champion on the Year. Melanie Manuel, Business Consultant, UW-Milwaukee SBDC, said, “Our team was thrilled to have nominated one of our valuable stakeholders, Willie Smith, for the award based on his Executive Director role and leadership of Northwest Side Community Development Corporation (NWSCDC). Willie has championed Milwaukee entrepreneurs since his first day in 2020. Thanks to his leadership, NWSCDC saw an increase in the number of loans to diverse businesses, an increase in the dollars granted to underserved businesses, and a lowering of barriers to funding that so many diverse business owners experience.”
The 2024 Outstanding Business of the Year was awarded to WholeTrees Structures! This business started with the idea to bring sustainability and innovation to construction. Anne Hlavacka, Center Director, UW-La Crosse SBDC, said of the winner, “With hard work and perseverance, WholeTrees Structures’ vision grew, and it now offers products that are enhancing structures in a variety of settings in many communities. It is exciting to see the company recognized as the Outstanding Business of the Year.”
Congratulations to all the nominees, awardees, and participants, and kudos to WEDC for another successful event!
