GREAT 130 IDEA: Get Certified as a Woman- or Minority-Owned Business

Big companies get brownie points for buying goods and services from small businesses, but in many cases, only if the small business is certified by a legitimate third-party certification group.

One such organization is the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), which works closely with 43 regional supplier councils to match up 25,000 certified minority business owners with 3,500 corporations.

Most big U.S. companies actively seek to do business with minority firms in order to meet various government and corporate supplier diversity goals. Corporate marketers also understand the economic advantage of catering to minority consumers.

“The buying power of minority ...

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