Our Vision
The Buffalo Niagara MWBE Training Day Conference was launched as a collaborative effort, and as with many initiatives, people’s paths shift.
I’ve continued the work under The RARE Place, Inc. to ensure MWBEs in Buffalo and beyond have a consistent space for training, connection, and growth.
My focus is on building capacity, capital, and community for the businesses that need it most.
It’s built on the same foundation as my book and business curriculum, Black in Business, which tells the truth about what it really takes to survive and thrive as an MWBE, beyond the appearances and social media highlight reels.
This conference was born out of necessity. After serving on the planning committee for the Upstate NY MWBE Regional Conference, leading trainings with University at Buffalo Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) and their MWEE Program, and speaking on countless panels, it became clear: Buffalo needed its own training day.
That’s why the Buffalo Niagara MWBE
We are grateful for partners like Empire State Development, who step up year after year to provide training and support, and for the community of agencies, corporations, and leaders who show up to share their expertise.
But to keep growing, we need more:
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Sponsors to help us expand resources,
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Facilitators to share knowledge and expertise,
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Participants ready to learn, grow, and compete.
The Buffalo Niagara MWBE Training Day Conference is only going to get bigger and better, because the need for this work is only growing. We’re building capacity, capital, and community and we need you in the room.
How Can You Help?
I sit on both sides of the table — as a minority woman-owned business owner with over 20 years in a male-dominated field and as someone who has been helping companies process their MWBE, WBE, and SDVOB certifications since 2008.
Over the years, I’ve seen it all: the struggles, the pitfalls, and the very real barriers that hold too many businesses back.
I hear the voices of entrepreneurs who feel this world is “above them”, who get lost in the paperwork, discouraged by the language, or overwhelmed by the financial hurdles.
I see companies who don’t know where to find contracts, how to read plans and blueprints, how to market themselves, or how to build the credit and capacity needed to compete.
And on the other side, I also hear from government agencies and large companies who say they “can’t find qualified MWBEs” to do the work.
That gap is real — and it inspired me to create a space where we could all come together to bridge it.
More Than Contracts!
What Sets Us Apart
As a minority woman-owned business with over 20 years in a male-dominated field and after helping companies with certifications since 2008 — I saw too many MWBEs struggling to navigate paperwork, contracts, and capital access. At the same time, government agencies and large companies said they couldn’t find qualified MWBEs. This conference was born to bridge that gapgiving businesses the tools, training, and access they need to win.”
This isn't just about contracts, it’s about building capacity, capital, and community.
BEING IN THE KNOW!
Whether you’re a small business owner just getting certified or a prime contractor looking for partners, the Buffalo Niagara MWBE Training Day Conference creates the connections that drive real results.”
