The National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) held its first #LetsTalkBusiness Roundtable of the year in late February in partnership with the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration — and NAWBO National Board leaders, including Director Susan Dawson, Chair Elect Cristina Morales Heaney and Secretary/Treasurer Karen Bennetts, were proud to represent the voice of NAWBO through their seat at the “table.”
High-level government officials, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) resources, partners, lenders, women business owners and entrepreneurs and other key stakeholders came together to discuss one of the NWBC’s key policy initiatives: Access to Capital & Opportunity.
The discussion featured remarks from Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced that centered on issues impacting women business owners and entrepreneurs in Puerto Rico, particularly in the wake of ongoing recovery efforts following devastating natural disasters such as Hurricane Maria and the most recent earthquakes. Participants also shared with NWBC Council members in attendance how financial education and creditworthiness impact an entrepreneur’s ability to access credit or capital to start or grow an enterprise. The group then dedicated time to exploring available lending tools to small business owners.
This roundtable will serve as a springboard for NWBC’s policy recommendations to Congress, the President and the Administrator of the SBA.