From left to right: Jorge Betancourt (SBA Economic Development Specialist PR & USVI), Josué Rivera (District Director of the SBA Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands), Mark Madrid (Associate Administrator for the Office of Business Development at SBA), Angelique Sina (President of Friends of Puerto Rico), Marlene Cintrón (Regional Administrator of the United States SBA), Jenniffer González Colón (Resident Commissioner), Jeddah N. Noviello-Palmer (Former Director of the Metro Women’s Business Center), and Dr. Miguel Vélez (Chancellor of the University of Puerto Rico-Bayamón).
On Friday, February 25, 2022, the Metro Women’s Business Center of Friends of Puerto Rico opened its doors on the third floor of the new Student Center at the University of Puerto Rico’s Bayamón campus. The Metro Women’s Business Center is partially funded and supported by the Small Business Administration (SBA), with the purpose of providing the necessary tools, capital, knowledge, and networks that will allow female entrepreneurs to grow and establish their businesses. These resources will foster an accelerated growth of an economic hub and the commercialization of new businesses in Puerto Rico.
Marlene Cintrón (Regional Administrator of the United States SBA)
The Metro Women’s Business Center offers one-one-one counseling sessions with director Grisel Sáez that provide start-up assistance for small business owners. In these meetings, entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to learn how to write a business plan, applying for a loan, building equity capital, creating a budget, fomenting customer relationships, Ecommerce, franchising, and government contracting. Other resources include: certification programs for women owned businesses, disadvantaged minorities, 7A and 8A, HubZone, veterans, and disabled veterans. If interested, schedule an appointment here.
Dr. Miguel Vélez, Chancellor of the University of Puerto Rico – Bayamón
Join the Metro Women’s Business Center’s mission of improving inclusion and access to knowledge in the world of entrepreneurship. As the Metro Women’s Business Center looks forward to contributing to the economic development of Puerto Rico, thank you to the team and supporting partners that are making this journey possible!
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