Each year, the Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC) supports more than 1,500 entrepreneurs and small business owners with the knowledge, tools, and connections needed to launch and grow their businesses. But what does that support actually look like?

Defining a Business Idea

For many first-time entrepreneurs, including former federal employees exploring career changes, MWBC is often the first stop. These aspiring business owners may be experts in their fields but unsure of how to turn that expertise into a viable service or product. MWBC’s business counselors help them define the problem they solve and the value they offer. From there, clients learn how to research their target market, set pricing, and validate their business model.

Business Assessment and Specialized Guidance

MWBC Program Manager Martha Jimenez compares the center to a medical clinic: “When business owners come to us, we triage their needs to identify the most pressing issues. Whether it’s marketing, legal, HR, or finance, we connect them with the right subject matter experts, training, or resources.”

This personalized approach recognizes that the success of a business is tied to the individual behind it. MWBC focuses on both.

Objective Analysis for Real Solutions

Many entrepreneurs seek help for one challenge – often funding – only to discover that the root issue lies elsewhere. MWBC counselors help clients take a 360-degree look at their operations to uncover the real bottlenecks. Whether it’s refining marketing strategy, improving operations, or identifying legal needs, MWBC offers insights that often reshape a business’s direction.

Sometimes, the solution isn’t funding at all – it’s finding the right mentor. MWBC’s network of advisors and partners plays a crucial role in guiding clients through every phase of business development.

A Trusted Advisor for the Long Haul

Whether a company is brand-new or five years in, all business owners benefit from consistent, expert support. MWBC counselors act as trusted advisors, offering clear guidance, asking the hard questions, and demystifying the public and private resources available to Maryland businesses.

They help clients build business acumen through classes and one-on-one coaching, explain confusing terminology, and connect them to potential customers, collaborators, and referral partners through networking opportunities and personalized introductions.

For Maryland’s entrepreneurs, MWBC is more than a training center – it’s the first essential member of their business advisory team.

Get your business started on the right track with MWBC’s free one-on-one business counseling at https://marylandwbc.org/business-counseling/