This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: The Podcast” is with Wendy Baumann, president and chief visionary officer of the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation.
WWBIC is a statewide economic development corporation that aims to level the economic playing field in Wisconsin through comprehensive business and financial training, as well as access to capital.
Baumann discusses how WWBIC deviates from a traditional financial institution’s model. She says, “we provide loans really where banks don’t go… we have an expanded box, so we look past, sometimes, colorful credit histories and bankruptcies. We look at, you know, really what the individual is about. What their dream is. What their plan is.”
According to Baumann, Wisconsin offers fertile ground for individuals who are seeking to start or grow their own business. She shares her perspective on what steps the state has already taken and can continue to take to encourage and empower more minorities to pursue entrepreneurship.
She also discusses WWBIC’s goals and aspirations for supporting minority business owners, saying the organization aims to commit itself to “caring about those where there’s an unlevel playing field. Where ‘isms’ still exist. Women, people of color… individuals who are lower wealth, and also veterans and military spouses.”
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
