Growing to Scale Development Workshop - February 18 to 20
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 The Growing to Scale Workshop is a program for small business owners to expand and improve their businesses exponentially. The workshop will deliver powerful strategies for increasing sales by joint ventures, strategic alliances; results based marketing and other proven strategies. The Growing to Scale Development Workshop is the blueprint to grow your business quickly and safely. Gain knowledge from a faculty that has actually grown successful businesses and can help you grow yours.
The Growing to Scale program will run for two and half days from Tuesday, February 18 through Thursday February 20. The program will take place at our MBE Training Room at 333 State Street in Bridgeport, CT. Please mark your calendars. Learn more here.
Benefits for Attending the Growing to Scale MBE Program
Participants will:
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2014 Supplier and Corporate Award Nominations
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 Tuesday, May 06 at the Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville, Connecticut
The following awards are open for nomination:
* Corporation of the Year (NMSDC National Member)
* Corporation of the Year (GNEMSDC Regional/Local Member)
* Buyer of the Year
* Advocate of the Year
* MBE Empowerment Award
Please click on the following links to view forms:
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Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council Opens Community Business School in Bridgeport - March 1
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The Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council opens the Community Business School at its 333 State Street offices in Bridgeport. The school is designed to develop minority entrepreneurs in the area by providing them access to the tools they need to thrive.
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| Harvard Business School Professor Steven Rogers to Speak at 2014 Capital Summit - March 12 |
The fourth annual GNEMSDC/MBDA Capital Summit will take place this year at Bank of America's main office in downtown Boston on March 12. In past summits we have featured Stare Treasurers from Massachusetts and Delaware. We have also had the presidents and CEOs of some of the major financial institutions in the region participate from Eastern Bank and Bank of America. We have also featured senior leaders from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. This year we are extremely proud to have Professor Steven Rogers from Harvard Business School as our keynote speaker.
This event is free, and there are a limited number of seats available. To RSVP email Sarah Jamessjames@gnemsdc.org to reserve your seat. (If you reserve a seat and do not show up, we will charge you $250.00.) See the link below to see the event flyer for more details Event Flyer
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| 2014 Annual Gala MC - Jonathan Coachman |
 We are very pleased to announce Jonathan Coachman is a Sports TV Personality for ESPN and ESPN Radio will be joining us at the Gala this year as our MC. Jonathan Coachman began his career in 19997 in Wichita, KS at KAKE-TV. He continued on to Kansas City in 1999 where he worked in the same sports department with NFL legend and Super Bowl MVP Len Dawson. In the fall of 1999 his career took an abrupt turn as Coachman took a hob as a TV personality in WWE.
He spent the next 9 years traveling the world working for Vince McMahon. In 2006 he began also doing sports again at CSTV and MSG network in New York City. In 2008 Jonathan left the road and the WWE for the friendly confines of Bristol, CT and ESPN. In His almost 4 years with the company Jonathan has done just about every sport but he has found a niche as a main host on the flagship show SportsCenter. You may have heard Coachman as you are driving around in your car on ESPN Radio.
In 2011 Jonathan joined forces with Freddie Coleman for "The Coach and Coleman Show" on ESPN Radio. Jonathan is married to Amy and has 2 beautiful kids, Kayana (3) and JJ (1).
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| David Hinson to Receive 2014 GNEMSDC President's Award |
 We are extremely happy to announce that David Hinson as accepted the 2014 GNEMSDC Presidents Award. Mr. Hinson's last day as National Director for the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency was last week. During his tenure he oversaw a significant increase in the amount of contracts won by minority business clients of the 44 MBDA Centers across the county. We at the GNEMSDC are particularly fortunate to be a beneficiary of his leadership. In 2011, the GNEMSDC won a five-year contract to operate the Boston MBDA Business Center. And in 2013, the GNEMSDC won a four-year contract to operate the Bridgeport MBDA Business Center. Director Hinson is one of the global leaders in minority business development. He has traveled the world to promote business relationships between domestic minority businesses and minority businesses in Brazil, Africa, Australia and Europe. We are honored to have Director Hinson as the GNEMSDC 2014 President's Award recipient.The Award will be presented at the Black-Tie 2014 GNEMSDC Annual Awards Gala at the Aqua Turf in Southington, CT on Tuesday, May 6. It is not too early to reserve your tickets. Call Jerilynn Clarke at203-288-9744 for ticket information. |
| Photo Memories from the GNEMSDC Gala 2010-2013 |
The 2014 GNEMSDC Annual Awards Gala is Tuesday, May 6 at the Aqua Turf in Southington, CT.
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Upcoming Events
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There are several events coming up on our calendar that are designed specifically for MBEs to learn about corporate opportunities. We know how busy everyone's schedule is, but these are events often hosted by our corporate members with the expressed purpose of finding out more about you and your business with the ultimate aim, to make you a valuable supplier to their companies. Here are some events you should consider:
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| Corporation of the Week: John Hancock Financial Services |
 From our humble beginnings in 1862 as a four person company formed in a single room, the name John Hancock, one of our nation's forefathers and the inspiration for our company, has long stood for integrity and commitment. Today, we continue our tradition as a well established financial services leader by operating as the U.S. unit of Manulife Financial, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving the financial needs of millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK.Supplier Diversity At John Hancock, we place importance on finding business partners who share our commitment to excellence, and believe that supplier diversity can positively impact the future of our workplace, the future of our business partners, and the future of the communities where we do business. We are committed to maintaining a diverse supplier base that provides a broad range of perspective, skills, and experience, in addition to quality and cost effectiveness. As part of our commitment, John Hancock supports purchases from qualified minority and woman-owned business enterprises (MWBEs), either directly or indirectly with our primary suppliers. Find more information on Supplier Diversity at John Hancock here. Register with John Hancock as a diverse supplier here. |
| MBE of the Week: Her Game 2, Inc. |
 Her Game 2, Inc., a certified Minority, Female owned company, has become synonymous with quality and integrity. For fifteen years, Her Game 2, Inc. has been an industry leader in producing top quality apparel, bags, and luggage, including officially licensed product for the National Basketball Association (NBA). Designing, manufacturing, and selling well made apparel, accessories, and promotional items has placed the company on the elite supplier lists of many of the country's most prestigious organizations, corporations and sports leagues.
Her Game 2 has been recognized by such organizations as The Department of Commerce, The Black Retail Action Group, Urban League, NAACP, YWCA, Project Enterprise, Professionals Network, the Women's Professional Business Network, The Network Journal, and Key Women of America for its innovative business model and best practices.
Product Development and Design Consultation Services have been provided for such companies as Macy's Department Store, The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Starwood Hotels, Madison Square Garden, NBA Store-NY, WBLS Radio, BP Gas, Stamford Hospital, Anheuser- Busch, US Coast Guard, the US Marine Corps, Foxwoods Resorts and Casino, Harlem Hospital, and Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Quality merchandise is available for special events, premiums, gifts, and uniforms. Design consultation and retail market services are also available.
HG2 also provides quality male and female models for trade shows, meeting hostesses, industrial and training videos, ad campaigns, spokes models and extensions of the promotional teams and sales forces.
To find out more click www.hergame2.com.
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Opportunity In Greater Boston
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Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation and CropCircle Kitchen have teamed up to redevelop a former meat packing facility in Dorchester into the Pearl Food Production Center.
This 36,000 square-foot, single-story building will contain three types of food production spaces:
(1) a shared commercial kitchen run by CropCircle Kitchen
(2) a food truck commissary kitchen also run by CropCircle Kitchen
(3) 7 to 8 separate spaces for lease by food businesses in a mezzanine stage of growth.
Pearl is now seeking food business tenants for all three space types. Pearl will open for business in April 2014 and tenants should be able to move in and begin production in April 2014.
To learn more about the project and to start an application, visit:
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Invitations for Bid and Opportunities
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| FYI |
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| 2014 MBE Performance Survey - Preliminary Results |
| Each year since 2009 we have conducted the MBE Performance Survey. The 2014 survey helps us better understand how MBEs are doing and what changes they are making or considering making in their businesses. If you are an MBE, please take 10 minutes to complete the survey. Your answers are confidential. Thank you. Here are the preliminary results for the survey. We will close off the survey on Friday, February 14. |
| Headed to Kenya June 5-15 |
 In June, I am taking a working vacation with my 30 year old son to Keyna East Africa. (All on my dime not the Council's.) This will be my third trip to this beautiful country. I am going to mix a little business into my vacation. I have a very close friend, Donald Keene, who is an attorney with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and is now stationed in Nairobi. Donald was previously working in South Africa, and was there during the transition from Apartheid to Mandela. He was my best man and I was his best man. We have know each other and been close since the second grade. We had a fight over the affections of Alma Marie Lee, the cutest girl in the third grade, and have been like brothers ever since. If you are curious, Donald won Alma Marie' affections. We were also roommates in college at UCLA. So we go back a long way and have come forward a long way. But it is time for me to visit him in Africa where he has lived these past 25 years. Last week when we had the Export Session at our Bridgeport offices, the international trade speakers pointed out some tremendous opportunities for MBEs with USAID. In speaking with my friend, USAID is spending hundreds of millions of dollars in health care goods and services, housing services and technology. Donald will be setting up meetings for me to talk to senior USAID leaders about what the plans there are for future spend in Kenya and East Africa and how domestic MBEs can participate in these opportunities. I hope to return rested, reinvigorated and informed. I will keep you posted. |
| And Finally... |
The GNEMSDC Annual Awards Gala is coming up sooner than you think. It is time for MBEs and corporate members to start the nomination process. I have often been surprised that we do not have more MBEs and corporate members nominated for these important recognitions. I know the good work that many of our corporate members and MBEs do with each other. I know how strong and lasting some of the relationships have become. I know that when that day comes and MBEs and corporate members are being announced as nominees, there are dozens in the audience who may silently think to themselves, "I deserve recognition". Or, "I wish I had nominated "fill in the name" for that Award, they are so deserving".
Well, do not let this time and opportunity pass you by. Nominate that corporate member who has fought for you, who has supported you, who has mentored you, who has made the decision to buy from you. If you are an MBE, and you know that you have excelled in a corporate supply chain, don't be bashful, don't be shy. Toot your horn. MBEs should let that corporate customer know that these recognitions are not as important as the work you do for them, but they are important.
Nominations affirm your value to the corporate member that nominates you. A firm nudge that will support your business's growth is absolutely the right thing to do. But as importantly as these nominations are for the building of a very specific relationship, these nominations and awards provide a great marketing opportunity for your company. Nominees and winners in the past put this on their websites, they blast social media with the news, they put it in their marketing material and capability statements. In business, you need every edge. If I were a nominee, I would tell all of my customers and all of my prospects. If I had the resources, I would even invite them to be my guest at the event. If you want to play in the big game., you have to act like you belong in the game. Nominate and get nominated.
The GNEMSDC Gala allows you to build on your life story and your company's story. The GNEMSDC Awards Gala should be a highlight of your life and a milestone in your company's success. Don't miss the opportunity.
In your service
Dr. Fred
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