Started in 2020 by the Sherman Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO), the Women-Owned and/or Minority-Owned Businesses (WOMO) was created out of a need to help these local small businesses. According to Ashton Bellows, Chief Financial Officer for SEDCO, “We had just begun to come out of the COVID shutdowns, and we were hearing from local businesses that they were struggling and needed help, specifically many women-owned and minority-owned businesses. We heard them, and the SEDCO board was able to use their vast contacts and resources to help. We were waiting for the world to get back to normal. Unfortunately, a gap needed to be filled to bring small businesses together to share resources. SEDCO’s primary focus is Type A advanced manufacturing businesses, industrial research and development, and corporate headquarters. But SEDCO is not just for large manufacturing companies but also for small businesses with fewer than fifty employees.”
Sherman WOMO is working to create an environment of education and support to increase the number and size of Sherman women-owned and minority-owned businesses by:
- Working with the WOMO committee to continue a program that will educate and provide support to new and existing women- and/or minority-owned business owners.
- Continuing workshops and an annual event featuring local, successful WOMO business leaders presenting topics relevant to finance, organization, and marketing.
- Marketing the WOMO directory on social media and SEDCO.org
- Educating WOMO business owners on resources available to grow and expand their operations.
- Encouraging WOMO business owners to participate in events and other networking opportunities within the City of Sherman to market their businesses.
- Hosting small group breakout sessions quarterly to offer business networking and discussion in a more intimate setting.
Bellows states, “We needed a year to get things together and develop an online directory. This directory would include our small women-owned or minority-owned businesses. Our goal has been to identify and contact these businesses to get them involved in WOMO. For Sherman to continue to grow and prosper, SEDCO knows it is important for our small businesses to grow, prosper, and thrive. Although primarily focused on larger businesses, we know that to be a successful city, we need to have support and growth across the entire spectrum of businesses. Even if we bring in big businesses, we know they will need resources that only our small businesses can provide, and it is keeping all those dollars local. It is a cool experience to work with smaller businesses and not just the big corporations. Recognizing the needs and desires of all of our Sherman businesses is important, and it is great to be able to get them together. It makes a difference and can really help our business landscape be a successful one.”
WOMO now has an annual expo where Sherman women and minority-owned businesses can meet, receive education, share ideas, and network. WOMO also has quarterly small business breakout sessions available to Sherman businesses.
Although participation in SEDCO WOMO is only for Sherman businesses, a lot of information is available on the SEDCO website for other Texoma women and minority-owned businesses. Additional resources and links are available for all small businesses to use.
To be eligible for the Sherman WOMO directory, your business must have a physical location address in Sherman, and note that home-based businesses located in Sherman are also eligible. Businesses submitted that do not have a Sherman address will not be published in the directory.
To learn more, visit SEDCO.org
SEDCO is not just for large manufacturing companies but also for small businesses with fewer than fifty employees