The Women’s Business Center (WBC) is hosted by the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council in Livonia, Michigan. Since 1994, the center has served as a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) resource center, dedicated to supporting business owners and entrepreneurs. We have built a strong reputation as experts in the community, providing programming focused on business growth and sustainability.
WBC offers a strategic set of programs designed to help entrepreneurs and business owners elevate their businesses. These programs cover key areas such as financing, business development, management, strategy, leadership, networking, and market opportunities. The Women’s Business Center’s core services include individual and group counseling, mentoring, and live and web-based training through its customized workshops, execWE® event, and the Michigan Women’s Marketplace.
Commitment to Equal Access and Opportunity
The Women’s Business Center’s services are open to everyone, and we strive to ensure access to resources and opportunities for all business owners and entrepreneurs.
Services for Individuals with Disabilities and Language Barriers
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language barriers will be made on a case-by-case basis. Requests must be submitted in advance and directed to the Director of Business Education at sdixon@greatlakeswbc.org.
The Great Lakes Women’s Business Council was named Women’s Business Center of Excellence by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The ceremony was held in Washington D.C. during National Small Business Week. At the event, four Resource Partners were honored from across the nation. Director of Business Education Shawntay LaNesha Dixon represented the Council and was lauded by the SBA for her work in development and with implementing business development programs.
Great Lakes WBC’s Director of Business Education Shawntay Dixon receives Women’s Business Center of Excellence award from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Tiffany Klingensmith, CEO of Unconventional Solutions recieves the Michigan Small Business Person of the Year at a ceremony held in Washington D.C. to mark National Small Business Week.
Shawntay Dixon and Christina Hale, SBA Assistant Administrator, Head Of Office Of Women’s Business Ownership
The Michigan Women’s Marketplace (MWM) is the portal for our Women’s Business Center. Through our Online Training and Resource Center, we offer live and on-demand webinars led by subject matter experts covering topics relevant to your business needs—such as marketing, finance, operations, and more. If you miss a live session, recordings are available for you to view at your convenience. In addition, MWM provides valuable business resources, including useful links to business development tools and curated articles. Registration is required to access these complimentary services and to connect with over 75 business resource partners dedicated to supporting business owners
execWE offers established business owners an immersive, full-day executive-level training event designed for second-stage growth. The event empowers business leaders to transition from daily operations to strategic oversight—shifting focus from working in the business to working on the business. While execWE is the signature event of the Women’s Business Center, all business owners are welcome to participate.
Launch U is the newest initiative of the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council’s Women’s Business Center (WBC). Leveraging the renowned FastTrac® curriculum, Launch U offers early-stage entrepreneurs a structured, innovative, and principle-driven framework for starting and growing their businesses. The program is also designed for established businesses looking to revisit and refine their business models.
Providing high-quality entrepreneurship training in an economical way is essential. By becoming a Kauffman FastTrac® affiliate, the Women’s Business Center can offer the FastTrac® curriculum at no cost. This affiliation ensures that the comprehensive, practical learning materials—delivered through online platforms and teaching partners—remain accessible, empowering more individuals and businesses to overcome barriers to entrepreneurship and drive startup activity nationwide.
WBC Hours
Monday-Friday | 8:00 am — 5:00 pm ET
Consultations By Appointment Only
After-hours appointments are available
Call 734-677-1400
sdixon@greatlakeswbc.org
The Michigan Women’s Marketplace (MWM) is the portal of the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council’s SBA Women’s Business Center, which provides one-to-one counseling, training, and access to business resources.
Great Lakes Women’s Business Council’s Women’s Business Center is honored to be recognized for graduating in the inaugural cohort with the National Women’s Business Center of Excellence program offered by the Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC) and sponsored by Dutch Bros.
Over the series of Five Milestone Assignments, WBCs partnered with a peer in their cohort to identify gaps and opportunities for the WBC to improve in a variety of areas; including strategic goal-setting, service delivery, continuous improvement and/or peer relationships. In order to fulfill these objectives, AWBC recognizes the value of the organization’s volunteers, leadership team and funders which is reflected in the involvement of these stakeholders in the final stages of the designation attainment.
