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Cash. Contracts. Connections. Get in the Room.

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This year’s OhioMBE Awards are about more than recognition. We’re putting opportunity in the room.

On October 22, small and minority-owned businesses will connect with organizations offering capital, contracting opportunities, construction projects, purchasing opportunities and business resources.

Our participating partners include Franklin County, CMHA, Wright-Patt Credit Union, Ascension Construction Solutions and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

Financial partners will talk about capital and resources. Procurement partners will tell businesses what they’re buying, what opportunities are coming and what vendors they need.

Then we’ll Make the Connection.

Whether you’re a business looking for opportunity or an organization looking for vendors, Get in the Room.

October 22 | 11 AM–1 PM
Huntington Park
Only 325 guests

Cash • Contracts • Connections

Tickets and tables are available at OHBDC.org.

Proceeds from the OhioMBE Awards benefit Ohio Business Development Center programs serving Ohio small businesses.

Construction Office Hours: Bring Your Question

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Got a bid you are considering?

Need another set of eyes on an estimate?

Confused by something in a contract?

Working through a certification, bonding, pricing, payment or project-management issue?

Join OBDC for Construction Office Hours on September 16 and get one-on-one help with a real construction business challenge.

This is not a traditional class. Contractors can bring the issue they are working on and receive practical guidance designed to help them determine their next step.

Questions can include:

Bids • Estimates • Contracts • Pricing • Certifications • Bonding • Insurance • Cash Flow • Payments • Project Management • Government Contracting

September 16
Online
FREE

Bring your bid. Bring your contract. Bring your question.

Space for individual assistance is limited.

Register at OHBDC.org

Presented by the Ohio Business Development Center Construction Academy.

ICYMI – The Sept. 7 OhioMBE Weekly is online

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ICYMI: The latest OhioMBE Weekly is posted!

Contracts. Classes. Certifications. Business opportunities. And connections your business needs to know about.

Don’t hear about the opportunity after the deadline. Get informed. Get connected. Get moving.

Read this week’s OhioMBE Weekly:
OhioMBE Weekly – September 7

#OhioMBE #BlackBusiness #SmallBusiness #MinorityBusiness #SupplierDiversity #OhioBusiness

OWCC Welcomes EduAI Solutions as a Certified Women-Owned Business

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The Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce (OWCC) is pleased to welcome EduAI Solutions, founded and led by Stephanie Yates, to our growing community of OWCC Certified women-owned businesses.

Based in Reynoldsburg, EduAI Solutions provides practical artificial intelligence education, training and workforce development for schools, nonprofits, community organizations and professional organizations.

Through hands-on workshops and customized learning experiences, EduAI Solutions helps individuals and organizations understand and confidently use AI in real-world settings. Services include AI literacy programs, staff professional development, workforce-readiness training, responsible AI education and customized workshops.

EduAI Solutions
Stephanie Yates, Founder & CEO
Professional Services
Reynoldsburg, Ohio
www.eduaisolutions.ai

Another Ohio woman-owned business added to THE list.

OWCC Certification helps identify and promote women-owned businesses throughout Ohio while creating greater visibility and opportunities for business growth.

The Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce is a program of the Ohio Business Development Center (OBDC).

Learn more about OWCC Certification and view our growing directory of certified women-owned businesses at WomeninOhio.com.

All Things Ty Earns OWCC Women’s Business Certification

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The Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce (OWCC) has certified All Things Ty, a Pickerington-based dessert business owned by Tylar Willis, as an OWCC Certified Women-Owned Business.

Founded in 2020, All Things Ty specializes in custom desserts for parties, weddings, celebrations and special events. The company creates chocolate-covered treats and a variety of baked goods designed to add something sweet—and memorable—to any occasion.

Willis owns 100% of All Things Ty, joining a growing network of women entrepreneurs across Ohio who have completed the OWCC certification process.

All Things Ty

Owner: Tylar Willis
Industry: Food • Baking • Desserts
Specialties: Chocolate-Covered Treats • Baked Goods • Parties • Weddings • Special Events
Location: Pickerington, Ohio
Email: Allthingsty2020@gmail.com
Online Store: Shop All Things Ty

OWCC Certified Means More Visibility and Connections

The OWCC Women’s Business Certification helps identify and promote women-owned businesses throughout Ohio while connecting entrepreneurs to cash, contracts, connections and new business opportunities.

Certified businesses also gain access to special opportunities—including the upcoming OWCC Business Showcase on September 22, where OWCC Certified businesses will have an opportunity to introduce their companies to purchasing and procurement professionals.

Congratulations to Tylar Willis and All Things Ty!

Women business owners interested in joining the growing OWCC Certified community can learn more at WomeninOhio.com.

Is Your Business Ready for the Contract?

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Winning a major contract or landing a new client can be a big moment for a small business. But getting the opportunity is only part of the equation.

The Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce (OWCC) will present Capacity Before Contracts: Is Your Business Ready for the Opportunity You Want? on Wednesday, September 9 at noon.

The interactive online business-development session will feature Lachandra B. Baker, Founder & Lead Consultant of Lachandra B. Baker Edutainment.

The session will challenge business owners to look beyond pursuing opportunities and examine whether their companies have the capacity to successfully deliver once they win.

Participants will explore critical areas including staffing, workload, business systems, financial resources, owner dependency, personal energy and the operational changes that may be necessary before taking on larger contracts or clients.

Baker will guide participants through a practical business-capacity assessment designed to help them identify where their businesses are strong, where gaps may exist and what needs immediate attention.

Participants will leave with an operational priority and a concrete action they can begin implementing immediately.

The session will include 45 minutes of interactive instruction followed by 15 minutes of Q&A.

Capacity Before Contracts

Is Your Business Ready for the Opportunity You Want?

Wednesday, September 9, 2026
12:00–1:00 p.m.
Online

Presenter: Lachandra B. Baker (she/her)
Founder & Lead Consultant
Lachandra B. Baker Edutainment

Presented by: Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce

Free for OBDC & OWCC members.

Business owners pursuing contracts, larger clients, partnerships and other growth opportunities are encouraged to participate.

Register at OHBDC.org.

Because winning the opportunity is great. Being prepared to deliver is what builds the business.

Columbus City Schools issues RFP for Lighting Upgrades

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LEGAL NOTICE LIGHTING UPGRADES

Electronic bids for the above-referenced project will be received by the BOARD OF EDUCATION, City School District of Columbus, Ohio, Office of Capital Improvements, (via Public Purchase) , until Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. More information can be found on the District’s web site at https://www.ccsoh.us/our-district/departments/capitalimprovements/request-for-proposals . The specifications are on file with Franklin Imaging & Public Purchase.

Joyful Interactions Earns OWCC Women-Owned Business Certification

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The Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce (OWCC) is proud to welcome Joyful Interactions, led by owner Bianca Harris, to the growing community of OWCC Certified Women-Owned Businesses.

Joyful Interactions is focused on creating positive experiences that empower individuals, strengthen communities, and build meaningful connections. Through programs, workshops, community engagement, and personal development initiatives, the company brings energy, inspiration, and purpose to the people and organizations it serves.

Meet Joyful Interactions

Owner: Bianca Harris
Industry: Professional Services
Services: Programs • Community Engagement • Personal Development • Workshops
Website: joyfulinteractions.org

OWCC certification recognizes women-owned businesses across Ohio and helps increase their visibility while connecting entrepreneurs to cash, contracts, connections, resources, and opportunities for growth.

The certification program is an initiative of the Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce, a program of the Ohio Business Development Center (OBDC).

Congratulations to Bianca Harris and Joyful Interactions on earning the OWCC Women-Owned Business Certification!

Get OWCC Certified

Are you a woman business owner in Ohio? Join the growing network of OWCC Certified Women-Owned Businesses.

Learn more at WomenInOhio.com/Certification.

Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce
Powering Women. Building Legacies.

What Does Your Business Look Like Online?

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When someone hears about your business, chances are one of the first things they do is look you up online.

What will they find?

The Ohio Business Development Center (OBDC) and Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce (OWCC) are presenting Building a Strong Online Presence for Your Business, a FREE online session on Tuesday, August 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

The session will be facilitated by Meg Corso, founder of Exclusively BA, and will focus on practical ways business owners can improve how their companies show up online.

We’ll talk about building a professional and consistent online presence, strengthening your brand, making your business easier to find and using your website and social media more effectively.

Whether you’re starting from scratch, relying mostly on social media, or already have a website that could use some attention, this session will give you ideas you can put to work.

Your online presence doesn’t have to be fancy—but it should make it easy for potential customers, partners and buyers to understand who you are, what you do and how to do business with you.

Building a Strong Online Presence for Your Business
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Online via Zoom
FREE

Register today:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/OyHbqgi5RnWQx-EpSQwEUw

Presented by the Ohio Business Development Center and Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

LBB Edutainment Earns OWCC Women’s Business Certification

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LBB Edutainment, a Columbus-based workforce optimization and organizational development consultancy led by Founder & Lead Strategist Lachandra B. Baker, has earned certification as a women-owned business through the Ohio Women’s Chamber of Commerce (OWCC).

Founded in 2018, LBB Edutainment works with businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions, and public-sector organizations to strengthen leadership, workplace culture, communication, and community engagement.

The company provides organizational assessments, strategic consulting, leadership development, executive coaching, facilitated learning, and community-centered engagement. Its human-centered approach combines research, storytelling, and interactive learning to help organizations build stronger teams, navigate change, improve communication, and turn organizational values into sustainable action.

LBB Edutainment

Owner: Lachandra B. Baker, Founder & Lead Strategist
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Industry: Professional Services
Services: Organizational Development • Leadership Development • Executive Coaching • Workplace Culture • Strategic Consulting • Facilitated Learning • Community Engagement
Website: www.lbbedutainment.com

LBB Edutainment joins a growing network of Ohio women-owned businesses that have completed the OWCC certification process.

The OWCC Women’s Business Certification provides another tool for identifying and promoting women-owned businesses across Ohio while helping business owners increase their visibility and position their companies for new relationships and opportunities.

Women-owned businesses interested in becoming OWCC Certified can learn more at WomeninOhio.com.

Cash. Contracts. Connections.