Centre for Women & Enterprise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=6wtNutbrzGQ

The Centre for Women & Enterprise is a nationally known

non profit organization dedicated to helping people start

and grow their businesses. CWE has worked with more

than 30,200 Massachusetts and Rhode Island

entrepreneurs since 1995.

What is CWE

CWE provides opportunities for women entrepreneurs and

women in business to increase professional success, personal growth, and financial Independence

Mission

Education Training Technical assistance Women’s business enterprise certification

What they do

35% are low-income 30% are single mothers 38% are minorities 25% are unemployed 60% are start-ups 82% are retail or service businesses

Clients of CWE

Realize their dreams of starting a business

Grow and strengthen their existing business

Manage their finances, debt and savings

Achieve economic stability and prosperity

How CWE helps their clients

CWE Eastern Massachusetts Center, Boston

CWE Central Massachusetts Center, Worcester

CWE Rhode Island Center, Providence, RI

CWE has offices at different places

Officially opened on October 23, 1995 with founding

grants US SBA

Foundation of CWE

Andrea silbert left in 2004

Donna Mullen Good took the charge

In 2008 Susan Rittscher was selected to become CWE’s new

CEO.

NEW LEADERSHIP

Started by Andrea Silbert

Graduated from Harvard business school

She worked 2 years in morgan & Stanley

Worked with a graduate school of business

Andrea Silbert’ s path to social entrepreneurship

Rooted in her growing up experience

Both physician parents had placed work and public services

History

Rooted in her growing up experience

Both physician parents had placed work and public services

Her mother was determined to find lowest cost way  

Andrea Silbert’s path to Social Entrepreneurship

Fundraising

Visibility - building

Developing network

Cultivating alliances with Boston areas

colleges

Andrea had performed major activities

To meet all needs of clients To share the major activities To fundraising

Andrea wanted to hire

Joan Hart

Jane Littleton

She short listed two of them

Whom to hire as director of development Which of my responsibilities to delegate, share, and keep How to insure she picks the right funding sources and

universities partner How to help her build trust with the CWE team

Four Critical Decisions

According to U.S. commerce department survey, no. of

women-owned business doubled to 6.4 million between 1987 to 1992

They accounted for 11.2% of revenue produced by all US businesses

CWE was an outcome of Women’s Business Ownership Act 1988

They shared common goal

Economic and political climate – 1990s

Fund raising

Commitment to serve CWE

“The scrappiness factor” – a blend of creativity, frugality, and

pragmatism

Willingness to communicate openly and work

cooperatively

The ability to win both men & women leaders of business,

government, and non – profit organization

Criteria to hire

To help us put a strategy for fundraising Adding people to the CWE board of directors & board of

advisers To share many of Andrea’s activities in visibility building,

public relations and developing partnerships with educational institutions.

Responsibilities & Duties

Supportive atmosphere Flexibility in hierarchy A tight knit group

Work Environment at CWE

Workshop to assess personal and financial goal Core curriculum was FastTrac 1st & FastTrac 2nd FastTrac 1st phase 2 for those who had taken FastTrac 1st

and not yet created a business

CWE programs

60 % of the women client were at start up stage 50% of CWE’s clients were low to moderate income

women from Massachusettes Women from Boston were 37% 14% came from Roxbury and Mattapan CWE had not achieved great visibility in inner city

community

CWE students

They needed fund There were deficit

CWE’S need outside funding

FastTrac 1st revenue / students

$350

Instructor fees /student $ 63

Counslor fees / student $ 26

Books $ 100

Financial aid ( on average) $ 119

Total direct cost $ 308

Contribution to overhead $ 42

Expenses per student