Women’s Economic Equity at Forefront of May 2nd Women-Owned Business Day Event at State Capitol

April 9, 2018, Stamford, CT – The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC), the largest not-for-profit organization in Connecticut dedicated to women’s economic equity, will host the 5^th Annual Women-Owned Business Day at the State Capitol sponsored by The Hartford. All are invited to the free event on Wednesday, May 2nd from 9:15 a.m. to noon at the Legislative Office building, room 2C in Hartford.

Taking place during “Small Business Week,” WBDC’s largest advocacy event is expected to gather together more than 200 women business owners throughout Connecticut to network with key national and state leaders to discuss the future of small business owners in our state. The event will address areas critical to the success of small business owners including access to capital; access to markets; job creation; and government contracting and branding for entrepreneurs.

Highlighting Women-Owned Business Day will be a fireside chat with Kathy McShane, U.S. Small Business Association’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership; Patricia Russo, Executive Director, Women’s Campaign School at Yale and Susan Johnson, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at The Hartford. Fran Pastore, CEO of Women’s Business Development Council will moderate.

Pastore explained that the interactive chat will revolve around the “new women’s movement” and the fact that the financial empowerment of women across every sector of society and business is an economic imperative that has “never been more relative than it is today.”

“Women are demanding action,” Pastore said. “Last year’s women’s marches were one of the largest protests in U.S. history; a record number of women are running for public office; and a staggering number are leaving the corporate jobs they fought hard to achieve, many starting their own businesses to create the equality and flexibility they and others need and deserve.”

“At last, women are becoming more comfortable with pursuing wealth and are realizing that they can effect change by economically empowering themselves and teaching younger generations to do the same, ultimately investing their hard-earned resources in communities, families, and in causes that demand change.”

“I look forward to joining our esteemed panel as they share their perspective on the “new women’s movement”, the importance of economic empowerment for women, the imperative for female leadership, and the power we all possess to create positive change.”

The event will also pay tribute to the 30th anniversary of the passage of HR 50/50-the landmark legislation that gave women the right to secure capital for commercial purposes in their own name without a male cosigner.

The 2018 Women-Owned Business Day is co-chaired by House Republican Leader Themis Klarides and Assistant Majority Leader Patricia Billie Miller and the event’s Delegation Partners include reSET, the University of Hartford Women’s Business Center, The Refinery, U.S. Small Business Association, West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, and the Connecticut Small Business Development Center.

To register, please visit www.ctwbdc.org.  

About the Women’s Business Development Council:
Headquartered in Stamford with a satellite office in Derby, the 501 (c)(3) non-profit has served nearly 19,000 clients, assisted in the creation of nearly 1,800 businesses and supported the sustainability and expansion of 3,800 established businesses and created more than 4,900 jobs. For more information on the Women’s Business Development Council, visit ctwbdc.org.