In 2024, WBENC continues its inspiring tradition by celebrating the WBE Stars for their remarkable achievements, contributing invaluable leadership, innovation, and influence on the dynamic business landscape. Each handpicked by one of the 14 Regional Partner Organizations (RPOs), these women serve as a wellspring of inspiration for others within their communities. The recognition they receive through the WBE Star Award is a powerful testament to the profound impact they’ve made in their respective business environments.
The 2024 WBE Stars received their accolades at the vibrant WBENC National Conference, a grand event held from March 19-22, 2024, in Denver, Colorado. This conference was a hub of innovation and networking, drawing nearly 5,000 entrepreneurs and business leaders who celebrated the accomplishments of these extraordinary women.
But the celebration doesn’t end there. Throughout 2024, WBENC will continue to spotlight these trailblazing women in various dynamic formats, including an engaging article series and captivating feature articles in WE USA Magazine this summer. Prepare to be inspired!
Meet Heather Cox, Co-Founder and President of Certify My Company, with the Women’s Business Enterprise Council West (WBEC West) Regional Partner Organization. A born business matchmaker who’s as comfortable on a stage as she is in a boardroom, Heather helps diverse business owners get diversity certified and leverage the power of their diversity certification to secure more corporate contracts, increase their revenue, and make a more lasting impact – so they can create the time and freedom to do more of what brings them joy and meaning. In addition, Heather helps corporations understand how to leverage their diverse supply chain to maximize their revenues.
As the Co-Founder and President of Certify My Company, Heather’s deep knowledge, personable and fun speaking style, paired with her business acumen and vast network of key players in the corporate and entrepreneurial space make her an ideal choice to speak to a variety of business audiences.
Get inspired by Heather and stay tuned for our 2024 WBENC Stars article series throughout 2024!
Certify My Company bridges the gap between classified vendors and certified suppliers. Knowing the vast business benefits of working with certified diverse suppliers, corporations committed to supporting diverse businesses often find themselves struggling to prompt many of their suppliers to complete the certification process. Certify My Company works with the corporations to facilitate the application process for their eligible diverse suppliers. This service is of great significance to both the entrepreneurs and the supplier diversity teams, as it helps both reach valuable business goals.
Within the professional services industry, the challenge often faced is how to automate in order to reduce the manual pieces of the business. The more that can be automated, the more people they can service while keeping a lower price point. They are looking into ways to do exactly this without compromising any of the quality people have come to expect from them.
The 2024 theme is AMPLIFY. What does AMPLIFY mean to you?
“The word AMPLIFY means to get bigger and better. But it isn’t done alone. To me, AMPLIFY is using your strengths, what you do best, and bringing them together with the strengths of others…those two skill sets AMPLIFY each other and the overall outcome.”
When and how was your business started?
When I was pregnant with my first baby, I started to ask myself and a lot of other women a gazillion questions about working and motherhood and their path and trying to figure out what that would look like for me. It felt like those that were entrepreneurs were doing the best job of having the best of both worlds. And more specifically, it was the entrepreneurs that had companies with corporate contracts that were winning the game. Many of these women “complained” that their clients wanted them to “get certified” but they couldn’t get through the application. I was shocked. These women were running multimillion dollar businesses and couldn’t fill out an application? I did a little research and discovered that the process was very detail oriented, documents are not universally named, and that these inspiring business owners were constantly juggling many responsibilities. So, I offered to help them by taking the project off their plate. Around the same time all this was happening, I met another woman business owner who loved the idea and knew there was a great need for the service and offered to mentor me into entrepreneurship. Certify My Company was born!
What is one way you recommend people to “AMPLIFY” the impact of the WBENC network in the next 2 years?
The women. The women in the network are the living definition of amplification. I cannot tell you how many of these successful business owners have offered their guidance, experience, and resources to aid in my company’s amplification. With those experiences top of mind (and heart) I would recommend introducing yourself to 1-2 new people at every event. Learn about them. Learn what their strengths and needs are. Can you support each other? Do you know someone they need to know? The amplification will be exponential!
How are you planning to AMPLIFY the mission of the WBENC network during your time as a WBE Star?
One of the goals I mentioned was to present at industry events that are not currently talking about Supplier Diversity and Diversity Certification. I am hoping to leverage the awesome exposure to start new conversations with more corporate representatives. Additionally, I want the other certified WBEs to understand the power of this beautiful network. WBENC certification is much more than business development. It is a network of experts, and resources that too many forget about or overlook. WBENC’s mission is to help woman owned businesses thrive, and together with our fellow WBEs we can do this in a manner that amplifies not only that mission, but each WBEs mission.
Provide an example of how innovation helped you overcome a challenge, pivot, or adapt your business.
The past few years have required all of us to swivel, pivot, etc. As I mentioned we did a lot to improve our level of commitment to cyber security and efficiency. There are others who say they do what we do, but none of them have doubled down on the level of security and efficiency that have made us the industry leader.
What areas of innovation do you foresee for women entrepreneurs over the next few years?
With medicine finally willing to look at the improving better healthcare for women, I am excited to see what the WBEs create in the field of medicine. More female focused R&D.
What have you learned about yourself as a leader from mentoring or coaching others?
Sometimes it is easy to forget how far we have come and how much we have learned. When I mentor or coach, or serve as an ambassador for WBEC West, I am reminded of just how far I have come. The business lessons I learned. The hiring challenges. And I have learned that I am extremely coachable. That when I have asked for help, I have internalized the lessons and executed on them.
What do you view as benefits of being part of the WBENC network?
The benefits are innumerable! But my favorite benefits are Tuck, Pitch Competitions, Regional and National Conferences, My RPO, and the biggest benefit, the other WBEs!
How has engaging in the WBENC Network as a Certified WBE helped your company?
By engaging and giving to the organization, you are always top of mind. They know you as someone who is in it for the greater good and who wants to be a go-giver. I always tell clients that the more you put in to WBENC, the more you will get out. Now it won’t always be linear or tit for tat, but the energy you put out will always come back to you. What’s the expression about the tide and all the boats rising?
What suggestions would you like to share with a newly certified WBE who is looking to get involved in the WBENC community?
GET INVOLVED! Introduce yourself to your RPO leaders, join the certification committee, and attend events!
