Women's Business Enterprise Center East

Juneteenth marks our country’s second independence day as it commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. in 1865. Although it has long been celebrated in the African American community, this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans. The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times.

To learn more about the historical legacy of Juneteenth and view resources offered by the National Museum of African American History & Culture, visit

🔗https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2fqZuMrzNoqGBmQc1zCm4uk7Gw61uFEPKuTtLMmBtgzk_UjC4x55kbBc0_aem_Y_AOru9J1wTPjbRCWu4zcA

Our offices will be closed on Friday, June 19th in observance of Juneteenth. We will reopen Monday at 8:00 AM.

Big news! Desserts & More is moving to The Bellevue Philadelphia this year.

Even bigger news! Early Bird tickets are just $199 until 8/27.

Join us for a formal night of networking, celebration, and incredible desserts from women‑owned businesses as we honor WBEC‑East’s 31 years of empowering entrepreneurs.

Don’t miss it. Grab your Early Bird spot.
🔗https://web.cvent.com/event/5fc768c0-8cb0-491b-b3df-e2d20382652d/summary

What an incredible afternoon at our Doing Business with Western PA Luncheon at Highmark Corporate – Penn Avenue Place. The room was filled with women business owners, procurement leaders, and community partners all committed to expanding opportunity, strengthening networks, and building economic power across our region.

A heartfelt thank‑you to our generous host, , for creating a space where meaningful connections could thrive. And a special thank‑you to our speaker, Olu Omodunbi, PhD (Chief Economist ), for sharing such insightful perspectives on the economic landscape shaping Western Pennsylvania.

Our signature Meet & Greets once again delivered unmatched energy — MBEs connected directly with procurement representatives, exchanged ideas, and opened doors to future partnerships. The stack of business cards traded today says it all.

Here’s to continued collaboration, stronger networks, and more opportunities ahead.

We've partnered with and for you to unlock your chance at a $10,000 Verizon small business grant!

Register and complete any combination of two eligible courses or events anytime in 2026 to unlock the grant application. Apply once to remain eligible for $10,000 grants awarded throughout the year.

🔗Learn more here: https://digitalready.verizonwireless.com/funding

Important Reminder: Protecting Our Community

It is known that some fraudulent scammers may use the names of nonprofits to solicit donations. We want to assure our community that WBEC-East will never pressure you to give nor ask for donations through unsolicited texts or personal payment apps.

✅ All official communications from us come through verified email addresses, our website, and trusted platforms.
✅ If you ever receive a message that doesn’t feel right, please pause—and reach out to us directly to confirm.
✅ All donations to WBEC-East will now be processed through Bloomerang, our secure fundraising platform.

Your trust means everything to us, and we’re committed to transparency and integrity in all of our development efforts.

Thank you for helping keep our community safe.

Thinking about owning a business but not sure where to start?

Franchising can offer a pathway to business ownership, but it's important to understand both the opportunities and the realities before making a decision.

Join us and the Women’s Business Center at .pa for a free online webinar on June 11 at 6pm featuring franchise expert Sean Haggerty from FranNet. Together, we'll explore what franchising is, how it works, and whether it might be the right fit for your goals.

Register today at wbeceast.com

We’re incredibly grateful to the CLA Foundation for their generous grant! This support will help us empower our entrepreneurs with essential training, mentorship, visibility, and access to capital assistance.

Thank you for believing in our mission! To learn more, visit https://wbeceast.com/2026/06/08/cla-foundation-grant-press-release/

🌟 We're almost a week away from Doing Business in Western PA! Will we see you there?

Join us on June 11, 2026 from 11:00 AM–2:00 PM for a high‑impact luncheon connecting small business owners with sourcing leaders, purchasing professionals, and community partners.

🎤 Hear from keynote speaker Dr. Olu Omodunbi, PhD, Chief Economist at Huntingtonbank. With global experience and a passion for community service, he brings clear, actionable insight into today’s economic trends.

🔗 https://web.cvent.com/event/5a5a6414-7e8a-4f61-a9c4-c7c7f4c4e62e/summary

Join us for three free virtual sessions designed to help you launch, grow, and fund your business.

✨ Entrepreneur Readiness – June 4th
Get clear on what it takes to start strong and reduce the risks of launching your business.

✨ Learn About Franchises with .pa – June 11th
Join us for an honest conversation about franchising.

✨ Lender Link – June 25th
Understand how to access capital, whether you’re scaling up or preparing to launch.

Register at our events page!

National Conference is just around the corner!

Get ready for Conference by joining our free session TOMORROW where we'll cover best practices on how to pitch your business, write a capability statement, and network effectively. Register today to prepare!

🔗https://ic.wbeceast.com/workshop.aspx?ekey=10460061