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How to use GLS and the WOSB Program Repository

SBA & WOSB Program (Feb1, Press Release from the SBA on WOSB)

Presentation on how to use the Program Repository (Practical advice on uploading your documents)

Trade Mission with Canada Set for Q1 2012

For Immediate Release
December 16, 2011. San Jose, CA. Astra Women's Business Alliance (WBENC Regional Partner Organization) and WEConnect Canada are joining efforts to hold a Trade Mission in San Jose, CA, February 29- March 1,2012. The purpose of the Trade Mission is foster relationships across borders and promote women owned businesses to each other and to major corporations. Working together to foster relationships across borders is one of Astra Women's Business Alliance's key objectives. This premier event lays the foundation for creating mutually beneficial relationships in 2012 and beyond. Women business owners seeking new business opportunities should plan to attend. The Trade Mission kicks off with a reception on February 29th and continues the next day with workshops, luncheon & an EXPO of women owned businesses. Also on Mar 1st qualified women owned businesses will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with corporate contacts who can advocate for their products & services within their organizations. Applications to partipate in the Matchmaker event are due by February 15th. Early bird discounts are available for tickets purchased before February 1st. For more information visit: http://www.astrawba.org

 

Astra Women’s Business Alliance was founded in 2000. Astra's mission is to work proactively and cooperatively toward the elimination of marketplace barriers, such that women-owned businesses receive access to and fair consideration of programs and projects that fund business growth. Astra provides WBENC Certification, business skills training, team development and linkage to contract opportunities to women owned businesses throughout it's six state region: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Northern California & Washington. (www.astrawba.org)

 

The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), founded in 1997, is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned controlled, and operated by women in the United States. WBENC, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit, partners with 14 Regional Partner Organizations to provide its national standard of certification to women-owned businesses throughout the country. WBENC is also the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations.(www.wbenc.org)

 

WEConnect Canada is a Canadian non-profit organization that is opening doors to new supply chains. Led by corporate members, it certifies firms that are at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by women and connects them with the growing global demand from corporations and the public sector for diverse and innovative suppliers. The organization partners with corporations, associations, governments, women entrepreneurs and their supporters, and is affiliated with a global certification network for women-owned enterprises. In addition to certification, WEConnect Canada delivers education, training, coaching and mentoring programs that are essential for Canadian women business enterprises to bid successfully on large contracts. This support contributes to significant growth for women's businesses. The organization also facilitates the building of strong networks for women by connecting them both with procurement officers of top corporations and with other certified firms in order to enhance bidding capacity.

2011 Capella moves to Wordpress

http://astrawba.wordpress.com

Global Alliances

Making Connections Between U.S. and Asian Businesses

International trade success starts with making connections. Astra's new Global Alliances initiative helps our U.S. members and Asian women-owned businesses create mutually beneficial relationships.

Perhaps you need manufacturing talent that you can't find in your local market. Maybe your manufacturing business requires a complimentary service provider to bid on the business of a Fortune 1000 firm. Whatever your specific needs, Astra's Global Alliance is designed to facilitate partnerships between Astra member companies and their Asian women-owned business counterparts.

Ready to meet your match? Please click on one of the links below to learn more about how this exciting initiative can benefit your business as you expand your global reach.

We're looking for Asia's most dynamic women-owned businesses

Building your business means building your network—and increasingly, that means expanding your global reach. Astra Women's Business Alliance enhances your ability to do that by connecting your Asia-based women-owned enterprise with our certified women-owned member companies in the USA.

For more than a decade, Astra has focused on making connections and driving business of certified women-owned businesses to the partner corporations—world-class brands such as Microsoft, Boeing, IBM, Apple, and many more. With our Global Alliance initiative, we've created a Gateway to the West for qualified women-owned businesses in Asia.

How can this new service benefit your company? It starts by Astra searching our database of more than 500 businesses to arrange an introduction to companies that match your needs. From there, you can begin your communication to facilitate strategic alliances with businesses that complement your existing products or services, which enables you to build capacity and qualify for larger contracts. These new opportunities could be in the U.S.—or, with many international companies committing to "global localization," it could also increase your opportunities in your local market.

Astra is an advocacy group, devoted to helping our member businesses expand. There is no cost to your business for participating in the Global Alliance program, only the investment of time in learning how your Asia-based business can partner with our members. Our future plans include mentoring programs, educational webinars, virtual trade shows and much more—and we're open to your suggestions on how we can go global…together!

For Astra Members Looking to Go Global
Learn how Asian connections can expand your business potential

Astra's new Global Alliance initiative creates opportunities for our U.S. member businesses as we open a "Gateway to the West" for our women-owned counterparts in Asia. It's a win-win…and it's easy to get started.

With the launch of our Global Alliances initiative, Astra is actively opening a dialogue with qualified women-owned businesses in Asia—which opens the door for our members to build and expand their global opportunities.

Since the beginning, Astra has served as a conduit between WBEs and many of the best-known corporate brands in the U.S. The Global Alliance initiative adds a new facet by facilitating communication with Asian women-owned businesses—increasing your vendor options as well as offering the potential for strategic alliances as you seek new contracts.

As an Astra member, your company is automatically included in the database used for "matchmaking searches" with interested Asian businesses. For education purposes, we are currently forming a global committee with experts who are already doing business in Asia. The timing also coincides with a federal push to double our national exports in the next five years called the National Export Initiative.

Interested in exploring the possibilities of the Global Alliance program? Give us a call at 971-204-0220 or send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . You'll be contacted within 3 business days by an ASTRA representative to learn more about how you can participate.

If you're considering global expansion for your business, these resources can help get you started:

Capella - Summer 2010 Edition

Capella Summer 2010Highlights include:

  • Building Relationships Through Astra
  • In the Spotlight: Catherine Smith, President of World Class Charters
  • The Business Case for Working with Women-Owned Businesses
  • Plan Launched to Fuel Growth of Women-Owned Businesses
  • Astra Offers New Capacity-Building Entrepreneurial Program
  • A Word from Our Sponsor: Brocade
  • Announcement: New Forum Leaders Appointed
  • Astra Launches a Leadership Development Webinar Series
  • Astra Introduces Asian Global Alliance Initiative
  • Save the Date! 14th Annual Workshop, WBE Tradeshow, Awards Luncheon, Silent Auction
  • Upcoming Events

Download your copy here!

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