WBDC to celebrate 25th anniversary with 8th Women-Owned Business Day

STAMFORD, Conn. — In honor of the 8th WBDC Women-Owned Business Day, the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) will host a virtual event Thursday, April 21, 2022, celebrating 25 years of igniting ideas and empowering women.

The event invites attendees to join Connecticut-based entrepreneurs and legislators to celebrate the women-owned businesses WBDC has worked with over the last quarter century and the impact they’ve had on the state’s economy. Women-Owned Business Day is an opportunity for women entrepreneurs to be heard by legislative officials, and for those officials to demonstrate the value of women-owned businesses — which contribute more than $16 billion to Connecticut’s gross product each year — as an integral part of the Connecticut economy.

“We are so proud of the work we’ve done over 25 years to support economic prosperity for women, and offering the services and providing the support to help them create and grow sustainable jobs and businesses across Connecticut,” said WBDC Founder and CEO Fran Pastore. “We hope that in the next 25 years, WBDC will continue to empower Connecticut’s women entrepreneurs to help shape our states’ economic landscape.”

The April 21 event begins at 10:00 a.m. and features remarks from Pastore as well as from co-chairs State Senator, Deputy President Pro Tempore Patricia Billie Miller, and State Representative, Deputy House Republican Leader Rosa Rebimbas, Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, and Laura Davis (Managing Director, JPMorgan Private Bank). Gilda Bonanno (Owner, Gilda Bonanno LLC) will serve as the event’s emcee.

JPMorgan Chase is the event’s Title sponsor and Wiggin and Dana LLP is the event’s Empower sponsor.

Women-Owned Business Day participants will have the opportunity to participate in two breakout sessions: Accessing Funding from your Bank: Preparing for a Bank Loan & Business Credit, hosted by JPMorgan Chase, and Setting Your Business Up for Growth: The Legal Side of Raising Capital for a Small Business, hosted by Wiggin and Dana.

Those interested in registering for the event may do so HERE.

About the Women’s Business Development Council

Since 1997, the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) has educated and trained more than 18,000 clients—helping women to launch and scale over 6,500 businesses, create, and maintain over 8,750 jobs in Connecticut, and access more than $24.9 million in capital. WBDC is the only agency in Connecticut reflective of the statewide demographic makeup offering comprehensive micro-enterprise training, with services ranging from financial education, entrepreneurial development, and access to capital programs.