This year, Hammersmith Support became a Certified Women-Owned Business. Really, we’ve always been a woman-owned business, but being certified through the Small Business Administration was a goal for 2020. We are excited to now have this certification to continue to set our company apart from our competition. And there are a few additional benefits we’ll tell you about below.
Why Is It Beneficial?
There are a few benefits to having the certification. First, the federal government’s annual goal is to award 5% of federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses. These contracts are often consistent and reliable sources of business and without certification, a company would be ineligible for the contract.
In addition, being a certified business elevates visibility with clients. Larger, public companies may have requirements similar to those of government agencies or have goals of working with a more diverse pool of contractors.
The Certified Women-Owned Business certification makes our business eligible for grants from various organizations and government agencies. Considering the current focus on inclusivity, being a certified women-owned business provides grant-making organizations and businesses the opportunity to work toward balancing the gender gap, which is especially pervasive in technology fields.
Finally, being a successful woman-owned business offers a model for girls and young women contemplating a career in web development and/or computer programming. Part of Hammersmith Support’s emphasis on giving back is being role models for girls and women who might want to enter this industry and who may be looking for examples of how to thrive in it.
What Qualifies a Company for Certification?
There are several groups that offer a form of a Women-Owned Business Certification. We opted to work with the Small Business Administration as we found their process and cost to be the best fit for our business. To be eligible for certification, a company must be at minimum, 51% owned, operated, controlled, and managed by a woman. There are four entities that offer a form of certification:
- Small Business Administration
- Disadvantage Business Enterprise
- Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
- National Woman Business Owners Corporation
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Click over to our blog page to learn more about other women-owned businesses as well as industry topics!