In an area as robust and as versatile as Orlando, you would think that the opportunities for business owners and community leaders would essentially be limitless... and you’d be correct, to a certain extent. But for years, both minority- and women-owned enterprises have had an uphill battle on their hands that has stifled growth and innovation in the worst possible ways.
Not only was it difficult to understand exactly what opportunities were available to them (especially as far as contracting and other city-based activities were concerned), the actual application process was often a lot easier said than done.
But now, thanks to the city’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program, all of that is about to change in the best possible way moving forward.
The Orlando Minority and Women Business Enterprise Program: Breaking It Down
As per the M/WBE Office’s own website, the program itself is designed to help service two very important goals. First, officials want to help both identify and register both Minority Business Enterprises and Women-Owned Business Enterprises in the area for certification purposes. Likewise, it wants to put a system in place that will help monitor contracts to guarantee that MBE and WBE firms are being appropriately utilized on all relevant city projects in conjunction with city codes, rules and other regulations.
This is a significant change when compared to how things operated in the area for many years – a process that was subject to a great deal of controversy in recent times in particular. An article that ran in the Orlando Sentinel, for example, discussed the owners of Kings Service Solutions – business and community leaders who at one point had totally given up trying to obtain certification as a minority-owned business because of the difficult (and often nonsensical) paperwork requirements.
But at the same time, this distinction is critical to the success of businesses in and around Orlando. After finally receiving certification under the old process, Kings Service Solutions almost immediately started winning bids for more city projects throughout the region – thus ushering in a bold new level of success as a result.
Officials hope that the new program will help streamline and simplify an overly convoluted process, thus making it easier for more women-owned and minority-operated businesses to enjoy the same level of success that Kings Service Solutions now knows.
Indeed, the M/WBE Office offers a wide range of services that more people should know about, including, but not limited to, ones like:
In the end, the major goal of the Minority and Women Business Enterprise Program can be summed up in one simple-yet-critical word: opportunity. Not only will it finally allow M/WBE organizations to compete on equal footing with other businesses throughout the area, but by design, it is also intended to guarantee equal contracting opportunities all across Orlando and the surrounding areas moving forward. Officials recognize that the development of minority- and women-owned business enterprises have become synonymous with the development of the community at large and have finally taken steps to help support and nurture this idea for years to come.
Those interested in finding out more information about the Minority & Women Business Enterprise are encouraged to visit its official website here.
Sonu Shukla, CPA writes for CountingWorks, an accounting news and advice website. Reach his office at [email protected].
About Sonu Shukla, CPA, CFP
Sonu Shukla is a Certified Public Accountant as well as Certified Financial Planner. He believes in proactive tax planning and has the skills, education and experience to demonstrate passionately planned financial strategies. His firm tailors highly efficient tax plans for his small business clients, all in a one on one environment where he and the client can bounce ideas around until every detail is worked out. Located in Orlando, FL, he services all of Florida.
