Women's Business Enterprise Council South

What Women's Business Enterprise Council South does

Women's Business Enterprise Council South (WBEC South) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 1994 as one of the founding Regional Partner Organizations (RPOs) of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the largest third-party certifier of women-owned businesses in the United States. Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, WBEC South administers WBENC WBE certification and SBA Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification and operates business development programs for women-owned businesses across Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. The organization supports a network of 1,200+ certified Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs) and 70+ corporate members spanning Fortune 500 energy, financial services, automotive, technology, and consumer retail companies.

The service portfolio is organized around a 'CORE' platform: Certification (WBENC WBE Certification with tiered fees from $350 to $1,250 based on annual revenue, plus WOSB Federal Contracting certification offered at no incremental cost), Opportunities (IMPACT Pitch Competition, Supplier Showcase monthly virtual pitches, Matchmaker events, WB Marketplace), Resources (Power Hours webinars, Pre/Post-Certification Webinars, Supplier Ready Academy four-module training, WE South Magazine), and Engagement (annual WE Summit & Awards Gala, Annual Meeting & Business Symposium, SheConnects Forum). Technology delivery runs through WBENCLink 2.0, WBENC's proprietary online certification portal that handles applications, document management, certificate distribution, and corporate sourcing database access across the 14-RPO national network.

The revenue model combines recurring and transactional streams: certification processing fees (renewed annually), corporate memberships ($3,000/year basic; $1,500/year government, university, and most nonprofit; $1,000/year for certain nonprofit categories), Champions Circle premium corporate sponsorships, WBE sponsorship tiers (Leadership, Platinum, Gold, Silver), and magazine advertising. The organization also operates WB Collective, an 8,000+ square-foot co-working and event facility in New Orleans' Warehouse Arts District housing a 200-seat flexible event space. Operations are run by a 7-person staff led by President & CEO Lindsey All and COO Katherine Garcia, with a Board of Directors populated by senior executives from ExxonMobil, Nissan, Shell, Toyota, Dollar General, Southern Company, Entergy, JP Morgan Chase, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana.

Name

Women's Business Enterprise Council South

Legal name

Woman's Business Enterprise Council South

Website

https://wbecsouth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women's Business Enterprise Council South is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Regional Partner Organization of WBENC that administers WBE certification and business development programs across five southern U.S. states, serving 1,200+ women-owned businesses and 70+ corporate members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Certification Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADANAD

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Standards, Policy & Regulatory Cooperation

SECONDARYTHAHABAB

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Exhibition & Trade Show Organizers

Keywords

• Women-owned business certification
• Supplier diversity programs
• WBE certification services
• Nonprofit certification body
• Corporate membership network

Headquarters

HQ city

Metairie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: Non-refundable processing fees charged to women-owned businesses applying for WBENC WBE Certification, tiered by company revenue. Fees range from $350 to $1,250 depending on annual revenue.
2. Corporate Membership: Annual corporate membership fees providing access to WBENCLink database, sourcing assistance, RFP distribution, event registration discounts, and matchmaking opportunities. Basic Corporate Membership at $3,000/year.
3. Champions Circle Corporate Sponsorship: Premium annual sponsorship tier with expanded branding, recognition, and access benefits throughout the year including complimentary event registrations and WBE matchmaking.
4. WBE Sponsorship / WBE Membership: Annual WBE membership and sponsorship tiers (Leadership, Platinum, Gold, Silver) offering website recognition, event collateral, magazine inclusion, and event recognition for women-owned businesses.
5. WE South Magazine Advertising: Magazine ad placements and feature opportunities in the WE South Magazine for WBEs, corporate partners, and sponsors seeking visibility to the WBEC South network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Women's Business Enterprise Council South (WBEC South) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Regional Partner Organization of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) that facilitates the certification of women-owned businesses (WBEs) across Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. The organization provides WBENC WBE Certification and SBA WOSB Federal Contracting Certification, corporate and WBE membership/sponsorship programs, and a suite of business development services including pitch competitions, supplier showcases, networking forums, and educational webinars to connect women-owned suppliers with corporate and government procurement opportunities.

Product overview

WBEC South is a regional partner organization of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), serving as a nonprofit certification body and business development organization for women-owned businesses across Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. Incorporated in 1994 as one of WBENC's founding councils, it has built a network of over 1,200 certified Women's Business Enterprises. The organization's CORE platform spans four pillars: Certification (WBENC WBE Certification and WOSB Certification facilitated through WBENCLink 2.0), Opportunities (Pitch Competition, Supplier Showcase, Matchmaker Events, WB Marketplace), Resources (Power Hours, Pre/Post-Certification Webinars, Supplier Ready Academy, WE South Magazine, Resources & Opportunities Report), and Engagement (Annual WE Summit & Awards Gala, Annual Meeting & Business Symposium, SheConnects Forum). WBEC South also operates the WB Collective co-working space in New Orleans. The portfolio is a service-oriented ecosystem rather than a software product — all offerings are programs, certifications, events, or physical facilities that support women-owned business development and procurement access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WBENC WBE Certification The flagship nationally recognized certification program validating that a business is at least 51% owned, controlled, operated, and managed by women. WBEC South serves as the Regional Partner Organization for Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. Certification fees range from $350 (under $1M revenue) to $1,250 (over $50M), with a 90-day processing window including documentation review and site visit.
• WOSB Federal Contracting Certification An SBA Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Program certification offered simultaneously with WBENC WBE Certification at no additional cost through WBEC South as an approved Third Party Certifier. Requires SAM registration with Active status and compliance with SBA size standards by NAICS code. Not eligible if currently debarred or suspended from federal government contracting.
• Basic Corporate Membership Annual corporate membership providing access to Regional WBE Database, staff sourcing assistance, RFP/bid distribution, newsletter and magazine subscriptions, registration discounts, matchmaking opportunities, and committee service. Priced at $3,000/year.
• Champions Circle Corporate Sponsorship Premium annual sponsorship tier offering expanded branding, recognition, and engagement benefits throughout the year, including complimentary event registrations and WBE matchmaking opportunities beyond standard Basic Corporate Membership.
• WBE Membership & Sponsorship Annual WBE membership and sponsorship tiers offering website recognition, event collateral, magazine inclusion, and event recognition for certified women-owned businesses at Leadership, Platinum, Gold, and Silver levels.
• Supplier Ready Academy A 4-module virtual program designed to prepare WBENC-certified suppliers for real procurement opportunities, covering pitch development, capabilities statement refinement, RFP response strategy, and tradeshow/matchmaker best practices.
• Supplier Showcase A monthly virtual pitch experience connecting certified WBEs (with annual revenue of $1M+ and 3+ years operating) with corporate members and procurement decision-makers in a structured lunch-and-learn format.
• SheConnects Forum A monthly virtual networking series for certified WBEs to share wins, discuss challenges, exchange resources, and strengthen local business networks. Includes dedicated Slack channels for each state group and in-person gathering opportunities.
• IMPACT Pitch Competition WBEC South's regional first-round pitch competition exclusively for certified WBEs. Regional winners advance to the WBENC National Pitch Competition competing for up to $25,000 in funding.
• Annual WE Summit & Awards Gala WBEC South's signature annual two-day event bringing together women entrepreneurs, corporate partners, and business leaders for networking, learning, and recognition of outstanding women-owned businesses.
• WB Collective Co-Working & Event Space A co-working facility in New Orleans' Warehouse Arts District offering co-working memberships, private offices, dedicated desks, and event space (200-seat flexible event space) for WBEs and partner organizations.
• WE South Magazine WBEC South's flagship publication showcasing women entrepreneurs, corporate partners, and business leaders across the region, published multiple times per year. Includes advertising opportunities.
• Power Hours Workshop Series Expert-led virtual workshops held weekly on Tuesdays at 10am CDT on essential business topics including financial management, leadership development, time management, marketing, contracting, and AI in the workplace.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 certified WBEs in the WBEC South network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBEC South is an official WBENC Regional Partner Organization (RPO), one of 14 RPOs nationwide. WBENC is the leading certifier of women-owned businesses in the U.S. WBEC South processes WBENC certification applications and adheres to WBENC's stringent Standards & Procedures on behalf of WBENC across Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC): The national umbrella body that WBEC South operates under as a Regional Partner Organization. WBENC sets the certification standards, owns the WBENCLink platform, and coordinates the national network of 14 RPOs, 500+ corporate members, and 10,000+ certified WBEs.
• National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC): The parallel national council certifying minority-owned businesses through regional affiliates. Operates the same RPO/affiliate model with corporate member programs, supplier diversity pipelines, and certification standards.

Direct peers

• National Women Business Owners (NWBOC): An alternative third-party certifier of women-owned businesses, directly competing with WBENC for the same WBE audience and corporate supplier diversity spend. Comparable in mission (certification + development) and structure (membership-based nonprofit).
• Women's Business Development Council (WBDC): A regional women's business development organization serving Connecticut and surrounding states, offering WBENC-aligned certification and entrepreneurial programs. Closely comparable structure to WBEC South as a regional nonprofit WBE council.
• National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC): National certifier of LGBT-owned businesses via local affiliate chambers, mirroring the WBENC/RPO model. Comparable in certification authority, corporate member programs, and supplier diversity advocacy.
• WBEC West: A sister Regional Partner Organization of WBENC serving western U.S. states. Operates under the same WBENC Standards & Procedures, delivers the same WBE certification and corporate programs, and is the most direct structural peer to WBEC South.

Emerging players

• U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce: A national advocacy and certification organization for women-owned businesses, including WOSB certification offerings. Overlaps with WBEC South's mission of connecting women-owned firms to federal and corporate contracting opportunities.

Regional players

• WEConnect International: A global certifier of women-owned businesses focused on connecting WBEs to multinational corporate supply chains. Comparable certification + corporate matchmaking model with an international rather than regional scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WBECSouth
• Facebookfacebook.com/WBECSouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wbecsouth

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Women's Business Enterprise Council South